Sakimoe:

It's official.  All four semifinal spots belong to characters from Saki.  It's a sad farewell to Shana and Louise, who will never reappear in the competition, at the quarterfinals level.  Three of the four girls I predicted to get through did get through, though, so my prognostications are still pretty impressive.

The semifinals will be Onjouji Toki vs. Nodoka Haramura, and Kuro Matsumi vs. Hisa Takei.  From the very start of Saimoe I predicted Nodoka would win it all.  There are only two matches to go to prove my prediction right, but can she overcome a monster like Toki?  That will be determined on Halloween day.  Since no one I wanted to win can do so anymore, my predicted win is now the only girl left I can cheer for.

In other Saki news, more Saki Achiga-hen is coming out this December, and a new season of the actual Saki anime is also in production.  So 2013 and perhaps even 2014 will also be the year of the Saki.

There are other things to look forward to, anime wise, as well.  Another The World God Only Knows oav is planned for December, covering more of the Tenri arc.  The Strike Witches movie is out and only waiting for subtitles.  The three new Idolmaster oav's are out and only waiting for subtitles.  Seitokai no Ichizon lv 2  episodes 1 and 2 are still waiting for subtitles.  Episode 25 of Ginga e Kickoff is waiting for subtitles.  Yes Precure 5 Go Go! eps 30-48 are still waiting for subtitles.  So that's 24 episodes of anime and one movie that are already out there in the wild that will someday be translated and available to the wider world.

Blu-ray wise, we're still waiting for Shakugan no Shana III, Nichijou, and Fate/Zero season 2 to be subtitled.  There's also, of course, a plethora of series like Hyouka which haven't been fully released in Blu-ray that are also great catches.  Kiki's Delivery Service is going to be released in blu-ray this December, which is my favorite anime movie of them all, so that's another exciting event.

Shin Sekai Yori continues to improve from one episode to the next, and is slated to be a whopping 24 episodes long, so that's something to look forward to.  Perhaps the best news of all, the name of the tenth season of Pretty Cure has been filed for a trademark, 'Doki Doki! Precure', which is a pretty strong indication that a tenth season is in the works.  Not only that, but Smile Precure's movie topped the box offices in Japan this week, the first time any Precure movie has done so, which shows that the franchise is alive and well and the producers will continue to make more of the anime if they know what is best for them.

It's probably too early to get excited about the winter 2013 anime season, but wow is it looking good.  New Haganai, new Da Capo, Vividred Operation, new Chihayafuru. . .  If there were a 'state of the anime address' every year they'd be pretty self-confident right about now.  Quality and quantity wise, anime has never been better.