A Best Pick of Anime on Crunchyroll Fall 2013 and Gundam Build Fighters

This has been a pretty good year for anime viewing with Crunchyroll bringing over a bumper crop of entertainment.  There's been pretty much something for everyone and you don't have to pay a dime to view it all.

Vending machine in Japan.  It is going to be sad when most of the machines replace the little models with a TV screen.

Shows I'm watching now in the fall of 2013:

• Gundam Build Fighters (this is on Bandai's Gundam Channel on Youtube)
  This is a really fun show (even if it is a big commercial for gunpla).  Reminds me a bit about Angelic Layer by Clamp, but it is pretty cool that you take your Gundam models and fight in a competitive arena.  Lots of nods to the Gundam anime and neat world setup.
  Fan Service: 1 of 5
  Fun Level: 5 out of 5
  Story: 4 out of 5 (once you accept that models can by animated in the arena by special particles).
• Arpeggio of Blue
  This is a pretty good military SF anime if you don't mind anthropomorphized AIs in the form of cute girls that control alien battleships modeled on WWII naval units with super weapons.
  Fan Service: 3 out of 5 with 5 being high.
  Fun Level: 4 out of 5
  Story: 3 out of 5
• Log Horizon
  Like .Hack and Sword Art you have people trapped inside a fantasy MMORPG.  No explanation is supposed to be forthcoming yet about why they are trapped, but this show has been really good for story development and the characters.  I really like how the interactions between the players are turning out.
  Fan Service: 2 out of 5
  Fun Level: 4 out of 5
  Story: 4 out of 5
• Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods
  Really nice story about a future priestess at a Inari shrine and the relationship with the fox messenger to the gods there.  Nice set of characters and dilemnas between the spirit world and the human world.
  Fan Service: 1 out of 5
  Fun Level: 4 out of 5
  Story: 4 out of 5
• Non Non Biyori
  Slice of life anime set out in the country with a very small single classroom school.  Not much happens each episode, but it is relaxing to watch if you like this genre.
  Fan Service: 1 out of 5
  Fun Level: 5 out of 5
  Story: 1 out of 5 (can slice of life really be a story story?)  The 1 isn't bad, there just usually isn't much of a plot.
• Outbreak Company
  This show is unusual.  Modern Japan finds a portal to a real "fantasy" world with knights, elves, dwarves, and magic.  They decide to export Akiba / anime culture to said world to generate trade ties.  Unrealistic - hell ya.  The other world loves anime and manga - really?  What if it really worked this way and you suspended your disbelief? Then it is a recipe for fun.  There has been some interesting commentary on society and otaku culture, but it is nowhere near as deep as it could go.  Dragons versus RPGs too!
  Fan Service: 4 out of 5
  Fun Level (turn brain off): 4 out of 5
  Story: 3 out of 5
• Golden Time
  Great little romantic show.  Amnesiac character, love triangle, and good stories.  College age romance.
  Fan Service: 2 out of 5
  Fun Level: 4 out of 5
  Story: 4 out of 5.

Shows of Interest:

• Valvrave  - kind of lost me a bit when vampires turned up. Don't like vampires or zombies.
• Galilei Donna
• Gargantia
• Sword Art Online
• Durara
• Majestic Prince
• The Ambition of Oda Nobuna
• Samurai Flamenco
• Space Brothers
• Strike the Blood
• Attack on Titan
• Kill la Kill
• Girls und Panzer
• Vividred Operation
• Infinite Stratos
• Beyond the Boundary
• White Album
• Nagi no Asukara
• Kyousougiga
• Walkure Romanze
• Yowapeda
• The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
• Dog Days
• Miss Monochrome

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