First impressions: Soul Eater Not!
Yay more Soul Eater!
Soul Eater is back baby! Well sort of? I know I was a big fan of the series when it originally aired back in the day, but what are we in for with this spin off series? Judging by the trailers it looks to be a mixture of cute girls doing cute things set in the Soul Eater universe and that sounds fun to me.
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Ahhh, how I miss Soul Eater. It was one of my favorite anime for it’s masterful mix of comedy, action and drama without any real romance to get in the way of my fun. The perfect combination! But the title itself is telling us this won’t be the Soul Eater we’re used to. Hmm…what to expect then?
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Yeah, Not is basically cute girls doing cute things with the occasional cameo, as far as I’ve read in the manga. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since it involves some of the same humor, but at the same time, if your looking for dramatic fights to the death and madness, you’re in the wrong show. …Though I vaguely remember there being a witch somewhere in this (besides Kim).
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The original was very quite the surprise to me. I didn’t expect to enjoy a shounen program as much as I did, but it managed to get and hold my interest and give me lot of Hell Yeah! moments.
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Moe Based Action?
Moe Maka is very happy to see you!
Recently we have seen the world of cute girls doing cute things take on the world of action such as both seasons of Chuunibyou and Kyokai no Kanata even though both of those series are done by Kyoto Animation who have shown us that both of those worlds can work together quite nicely, but can Bones do the same thing with Soul Eater Not? I know the core this series will probably focus on the whole cute girls doing cute things for a bit; however I was surprised to see Bones throw in a decent amount of action in the first episode as we saw two of the three main characters actually get pushed into a fight! Now did it have the best animation ever? No not really, but it was certainly entertaining to watch and it sort of gives us nice preview of things to come later on. So who was your favorite new character out of the three main girls? Right now it is tough to say because we spent most of the episode following Tsugumi who was very fun to watch especially as she tried to make friends with the other girls, but I think we need more episodes before we claim favorites right now and before I wrap up did anyone else notice the random villain that appeared in the opening? I wonder what her role is in all of this and will we see Tsugumi, Anya and Meme fight her later on? I don’t see why not.
When Will Senpai Notice Me?
Tsugumi in weapon form.
Tsugumi is a very different lead character than Maka. The slice of life vibes permeate into even the character types of the main girls. You have the ojou-sama/tsundere, the ditzy dojikko and the rather normal Tsugumi. They’re all very cute, sweet and generally inoffensive. Compare that to Black Star’s flamboyance or how stern and independent Maka is. These are new recruits and they’re all very inexperienced and lost. Unlike Maka, who starts off Soul Eater as a badass (and just proceeds to get more and more badass), Tsugumi is a total newbie.
It’s kind of cute the way she immediately looks up to Maka, staring in awe at her performance with Soul. She even copies her twin tails to give herself the courage to save her friend from perverted guys hitting on her soon-to-be friend. It’s a nice touch because we all know how awesome Maka is, so wecan really understand why Tsugumi would be so impressed by her. We’ve seen an entire series about how badass this chick is. I’d want her to be my senpai too, if I could..you know..turn into a weapon an go to school for it.
Not! The Usual Soul Eater
Tsugumi wants to have hot partners.
So a bit of time information here, Sid is still human (he turned into a zombie in what, the fourth episode of the original anime?), so this happens before the main events of that anime. …Which may help explain the lighter tone (and why Medusa isn’t kicked out yet). That being said though, a lot of characters from the original Soul Eater had cameos. Interestingly, they also appeared to have a different animation style to them in comparison to the original. The megane guy who’s name escapes me at the moment joins in the final battle of Soul Eater (this part was never animated since these chapters in the manga came out after it aired) too, so the Not characters eventually crossover into that story as well. As for the Not story itself, it’s certainly a different take on the Soul Eater universe. Obviously it’s the same place, but now the viewers get to see it from an outsider’s perspective. Maka, Soul and the other main characters were all full immersed in Shibusen’s world when the plot began, but now we have the perspective of Tsugumi, who is totally new to this. While she’s not entirely an outsider, since she’s a weapon, this whole thing is still rather new to her, and we get to watch the immersion process. While it may be disappointing to people who liked the original Soul Eater for the action as opposed to character interaction, this should still offer something in terms of world building.
Time for something fun
We are in for some good times.
So they changed the formula, we got a moe yuri build now. I’m sure we could collect fan rage from now til the end of days, but why? Sure, it may be a big commercial move to take the franchise in a trendy direction, but does it work as a story. If the first episode is any indication, then we will have something pretty smart, sweet, and cool on our hands. It was nice to see the cameos and all but I very much enjoyed the new ones. Meme is such an wonderful fool, Anya has some odd depth as a oojo-sama (commaries?), and Tsugumi is starting in such an awkward place that I will find interest in her character development. Loved it, bring me mo(r)e!
Extra moe souls!
They realy need to install an elevator…
Soul Eater Not has a deep plot.
Tsugumi’s weapon idea inspired by Maka and Soul? Possibly.
Triangle time!
End thoughts
Now that was a great first episode and it was also fun to see some familiar faces like Soul, Maka, Black Star, Death the Kid, Sid and Medusa was also mentioned? I also wonder if we will see Excaliber?! I don’t see why not since he was always a comical character, but I guess that was a little treat for those of us who have seen the original series! I just wonder if Bones will able to maintain the level action while keeping to the cute characters but I have faith that Bones will do something great with Soul Eater Not even though I get the impression that it might not be the true sequel that the hardcore fans really want right now.
I’m not too happy about the slice of life direction here, but I’m glad it still has some bite to it. There are still some fight scenes, and it’s great to see some familiar faces pop up every now and then. The amazing humour didn’t come into effect as much as I’d hoped, with the only good gag being the head-knife falling and spurting blood while his partner got his pants ripped open. But that’s a good sign, because hopefully we’ll get more hits. “Oopsies, I forgot my own name” is not a joke. I can only hope they drop more of those typical, trope-y jokes and go for the usual comedic style that always had me giggling. Hopefully all the genres balance out to provide something for everyone. For a slice of life, it’s pretty damn good. For someone who can’t help but yearn for something more Soul Eater-like, it’s a little disappointing. But ugh, the title warned me!!!
I knew what to expect, so I’m not as disappointed as some fans of Soul Eater seem to be. I was actually a little surprised by how much action this episode had towards the end. Maybe with little bits like that, people will be less annoyed with this series. It’s not bad in comparison to the original Soul Eater, just… different in tone. The humour should still be there (though maybe less crude, since the main trio is all female). Plus there was still boob grabbing. Not that I care about that in particular, but surely that meant something to someone out there.
Oh, man it’s only gonna get better from here. I am very much anticipating the yuri triangle and all of it’s cute developments cause OMG Anya’s blushing was so HNNNNNG worthy. The way she handled Tsugumi so vigorously that halberd was quite impressive, don’t you think?
Preview
Fun at a cafe?
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I thought Soul Eater was shounen?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It is. MAL has the original Soul Eater as Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Shounen and Supernatural.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
So my Alzheimer’s isn’t as bad as I think if I can remember things vaguely… Guess this is not soul eaters then.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
There was that big Not! at the end 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
The original was very shounen due to all the action and teamwork with the main team much like the original Naruto and Bleach arcs~
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Well, it is much shorter than the big three. And it never got long and drawn out with filler. So, I would almost call it anti-shounen.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Fairy Tail was originally 25 episodes when it aired the first time but it became popular and exploded into 300+ episodes! I sort of wish it would get the FMA Brotherhood treatment where it follows the manga because I have heard from several friends that the manga is amazing! It is also completed so maybe ill read that soon…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I have seen zero of Soul Eater… and after this I don’t want to, because it will just ruin my opinion of this great show. I loved this episode, it was funny, it was cute, it was engaging, and it seemed to really capture the essence of the world without bogging down too much.
I really appreciate that, like Prisma Illya, they’ve been able to make this series accessible to people who haven’t seen the original. If this was all a bunch of in-jokes, it would probably fall pretty flat, but even without knowing anything about the property, I really enjoyed this, and felt like I grasped the concept pretty well. Tons of fun!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Honestly, the original really is quite good. It’s as loud as any other shounen, but it has a different sensibility to it. I typically avoid the Big Shows, but I tore through all 51 of Soul Eater in good time.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
51 episodes… What an irregular number for a series to finish with.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I think that is the original goal of Soul Eater Not! To bring in new fans and give them an idea of what the first series was kind of like, but will it be the same? I don’t think so and who knows maybe it will make you curious to see the other characters in action? Then again I won’t hold my breath cause I can totally understand not wanting to sit through 51 episodes.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I thought 51 episodes was insane myself, but I knocked it out in a week or so. Now, that was when I first got back into anime in 2011, and I didn’t have the huge backlog and around twenty shows per season that would become my habit. But it did go by quick.
HWY has recommended Maria-sama to me, which I am enjoying. So this is mine to him.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Ahhh well together we should push him to watch it! Just kidding it might not be his cup of tea ;P
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I argued that Maria-sama would not be my cuppa. These things sorta happen, don’t they?
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yep! Truth xD
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I have a faint memory of the first season so I won’t be as severe as other fans but I recognized the characters that played in it right away, though the particular trouble is remembering their names.
The scenery, especially with the school, seems the same but my minor complaint was the use of CG for the laughing sun. One would think if staying true to the original is what the studio is striving for, then such an obvious change shouldn’t have been allowed.
Right now, I’m choosing Tsugumi as my favorite because she’s so earnest. Those were a hell of a lot of steps to the school. When they said it was a good way to develop leg muscles, they meant it. I feel for the poor girl. She did good on her first attempt as a weapon. Next time, she’ll have to be sharper about it.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Lucky for me Toonami recently aired Soul Eater again so it refreshed my memory on certain events, but I still remember how awful and terrible the anime ending was…
The world of Soul Eater always was fun to look at!
Tsugumi ftw! She is starting to become an interesting character but much like the original it seems shes kinda like a mixture of Black Star, Maka and Death The Kid but she still manages to stand out on her own as a cool character <3
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Do we have to talk about the ending. I mean, they gave me the gift of Moe Soul Eater, so all is forgiven. No salt in wounds, Fosh! 🙂
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Hahahah yeah we don’t
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
OMG MOEEE. But of course, this is not the shounen version of Soul Eater. I’ll give this another two episode test but the characters are at least not your bland moe kind, which is good.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I don’t know if that is 100% true or not Kyo since the OP clearly shows a new “villain” and this episode showed us that short fight with Meme using Tsugumi to fight those other students so it definitely has potential to have some decent fights but in the end yeah the cute girls doing cute things will probably take 90% of the episodes.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This is really the only thing I’ll mist in NOT!
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I was hoping to hear that song kick in! I was like DO IT! DO IT! Awwwwwwwwww nope maybe later? xD
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Imma going to CaLiForniiiiaaaa
Do we want this?
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
OMG AHHAHA YES PLEASE I NEED THAT IN NOT!!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Bones, I will be expecting Meme, Anay, and Tsumugi Excalibur reaction faces sooner rather than later.
Sign below to approve.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
They have to meet Excalibur at least once before the series ends! That would be perfect lmao…