Anime hits and misses

Here are some of the newest anime to grace or litter the anime landscape this year.

"Zombie Loan" features three teens with an unusual part time job. Michiru Kita can see dark rings around people's necks which means they're about to kick the bucket. This skill is used by two of her classmates, Chika Akatsuki and Shito Tachibana, who are known at school as Boys A and B. They are the only survivors of an accident that killed many. Actually they died and are just extending their life because of a deal struck. Characters are drawn elongated and faces are very angular. Everyone looks like they subsist on one lettuce leaf a day. Action show. Has some humor. Nice Jrock opening and ending songs. Title refers to their employer. So far, it's watchable.

In "Oh Edo Rocket", Seikichi Tamaya lives in one of the row houses in Edo where the poor congregate. It is the era when luxuries like fireworks have been banned by the ruling government. It is a blow to our hero who is a fireworks maker. A girl who looks like that alien chick Eureka from "Eureka 7" asks him one day to build a rocket that could reach the moon. One of the ugliest anime I have seen this season. Terrible attempts at humor. Let's face it. I have less than 100 years on this planet so why waste it on a show this pedestrian and hideous-looking? Next!

"Kaibutsu Oujo" or "Princess Resurrection" tells the tale of Hiro Hiyorimi and how he ends up living in the household of a princess who grants him an immortality of sorts. His sister had invited Hiro to stay with her now that she's been hired as a live-in maid or housekeeper at a mansion on top of a hill. Her employer turns out to be this young woman Hiro pushed out of the way of falling steel beams. Hiro dies but she brings him back to life. This comes at a price for Hiro. He is now her servant and often puts his carcass in front of her whenever some monster goes after his black-clad mistress. He also doesn't live long and must continually be revived by Princess. Typical anime character designs. Seen four episodes. Eh. Would do in a pinch if I'm craving anime but nothing special about it. Could easily turn into a monster-of-the-week type of show. Tolerable for now.