Pornomonogatari fans have been lamenting the lack of naked massage action in the 6th episode of Nisemonogatari, but even those rare maniacs who concern themselves with story have been complaining that things are barely moving – although everyone can at least appreciate the strange poses and excessively cute characters on display:

So erotic is Nisemonogatari that viewers have actually coined a new name for it (in fact they have several:”Eromonogatari,” “Pornomonogatari,” etc.) – although strangely nobody is complaining.

Anime fans on 2ch have been striving to identify the anime with the most impressive production values and highest animation quality, resulting in a selection of some of the most immaculately animated scenes ever – and not a cabbage in sight.

Some of their picks:

There is of course the alternative interpretation of “amazing” production quality, more fully explored in several previous compilations.

Loli vampire Oshino Shinobu takes centre stage Nisemonogatari’s bathing episode, together with Araragi and ready for some profoundly underdressed vampire action.

Nisemonogatari continues to delight fans with the not unimpressive feat of managing to keep ranking up both its sexiness and its interestingness…

Omake:

Nisemonogatari may have dropped its gratuitous loli service, but in return Nadeko and Kanbaru fans are getting quite an eyeful, to say nothing of the stylish visuals Shaft are known for:

Omake:

Fans of the Nanimonogatari series have been delighted by the advent of the much awaited Nisemonogatari, which earned much praise for combining both lolipan and a high tempo in only its first episode.

Anime fans voting for the best anime of 2011 deliver up a list of not always universally popular anime – although their number one choice at leasts looks to be uncontroversial.

The ranking (including sequels, continuations and so on):

1. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

2. Ano Hi Mita Hana

3. Working!!

4. Dog Days

5. Hanasaku Iroha

6. Nichijou

7. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai

8. Baka to Test II

9. Ro-Kyu-Bu!

10. YuruYuri

11. Tamayura -hitotose-

12. Ika Musume

13. Natsume’s Book of Friends

14. Infinite Stratos

15. Hidan no Aria

16. GOSICK

17. Blue Exorcist

18. Ben-to [tied]

19. Ikoku Meiro no Croisée

20. Chihayafuru

21. Mashiroiro Symphony

22. Mayochiki!

23. The World Only God Knows

24. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko

25. Heaven’s Memo Pad

If 2010 was the year of Kyoto Animation, 2011 appears to belong to Shaft…

Madoka fans have been marvelling at the creativity of some of their barbarian brethren, in the form of “I Want My Hat Back,” featuring none other than Akemi Homura.

The manga in full (source unclear):

This has earned much praise amongst Japanese Madoka fans: “Well done, foreigner. HENTAI is now common currency the world over!” – thanks in no small part to QB and Homura…

Top magical puella anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica is apparently to receive a brand new movie edition, much to the delight of fans and, doubtless, QB.

The sole basis for the announcement is a leaked image of what is purported to be the cover of the December edition of Newtype. The general consensus is that it appears to be genuine.

Details are as yet lacking, but utterly groundless speculation as to its content ranges from it being a mere recap of the TV series to it being a tale of mahou shoujo from another age.

The online reaction has been quite enthusiastic – although not always in the conventional sense, as frightening amounts of effort have been expended in trying to prove the cover is a fake (if so, it is at least a very good one), that it was leaked by Aniplex (based largely on a piece of paper visible under the cover), and (most plausibly) that Shaft is likely to be in trouble producing both Madoka and Kizumonogatari movies at the same time.

Update:

As expected, the announcement is genuine:

According to these reports, there will be three movies, 2 of which will rehash the TV series and with one being a completely new production.

Anime fans have delivered their latest verdict as to which anime titles of the 21st century (or such of it as has elapsed) are most worthy of having a lowest numbers, producing a ranking notably light in moe anime.

The ranking:

1. Clannad

2. Gundam SEED

3. Code Geass

4. Haruhi

5. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

6. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

7. Angel Beats!

8. Gintama

9. Bakemonogatari

10. Full Metal Alchemist

11. Working!!

12. Sora no Otoshimono

13. Tiger & Bunny

14. K-ON!

15. A Certain Magical Index

16. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha

17. A Certain Scientific Railgun

18. Ano Hi Mita Hana

19. Macross F

20. Toradora!

21. Steins;Gate

22. Lucky Star

23. Hikaru no Go

24. Natsume’s Book of Friends

25. Minamike

Compared to a earlier ranking offered up by NicoNico denizens, this group of fans seems to display markedly less interest in the great Type B franchises of recent years, not that the difference is tremendously pronounced.

First Woody, now Madoka – eager Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica fans have been keenly putting Madoka’s new Figma incarnation to uses it most certainly not intended for.

A rampaging Woody appears:

“Like this… ?”

“Like this!!”

Figma Madoka may still be available wherever magical puellae (et incubatii) are sold.

Magical puella fans have been celebrating the birthday of none other than Madoka – although with rather less gusto than is normally the case for such a moment.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is helping provide guide dogs for the blind by way of an adorable “puppy walker” poster, illustrated by Takahiro Kishida of Shaft and showing Kyouko walking a Labrador Retriever.

The “puppy walker” programme in question is a volunteer scheme where private households can assist with the rearing of young guide dogs prior to them being placed with their eventual owners, by providing them with a loving pre-placement home.

The posters are to be distributed only to 3,500 Japanese schools and public facilities, hopefully implying no otaku will ever lay eyes on them.

All this has been taken as yet more evidence of Madoka graduating from mere anime status into the realm of “social phenomenon.”

For some reason the poster has brought out the worst in 2ch’s itinerant Photoshop masters:

Anime fans take a break from onanising over the latest moeblobs to collect some of the latest (or simply most shocking) examples of what happens when animators are paid $3 an hour and have half their jobs outsourced to Korea.

See also the various preceding galleries along depressingly similar lines. Those with a strong stomach can also see what happens when these outstanding production values are applied to erotica…

Shonen manga Katte ni Kaizou‘s new OVA comes with service of all kinds – running the full gamut of oppai, swimwear destruction, nude girls, and yaoi intercourse.

Those noticing distinct similarities with Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei are on the right track – not only is the OVA the work of Shaft, it is also by Zetsubou-sensei mangaka Kōji Kumeta and the immediate predecessor to Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, having been published in Shonen Sunday until it was abruptly cancelled for lack of popularity and no longer being facile enough to fit the shonen genre.

Famously, it had one of “those” endings…

Anime fans have voted to determine the best Shaft anime, with the top spot a predictable battle between recent blockbusters Madoka and Bakemonogatari.

The ranking, based on votes from over 2,000 Shaft fans and with votes for multiple seasons merged:

1. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

2. Bakemonogatari

3. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

4. ef – a tale of memories/melodies

5. Hidamari Sketch

6. Arakawa Under the Bridge

7. Sore de mo Machi wa Mawatteiru

8. PaniPoni Dash!

9. Maria Holic

10. Negima!?

Although the placement of Madoka and Bakemonogatari was hardly in doubt, despairing fans will be heartened to see just how closely Zetsubou-sensei trailed them – 362 votes to Bakemonogatari’s 370 and Madoka’s 383, with ef some distance behind with 261.

The 3rd episode of artistically exquisite anime Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko seems to have cemented the reputation of the series as being the cutest anime of the season..

Omake:

Shaft has earned the appreciation of fans with some rather unsubtle Maria Holic Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magic omake parody material…

More of the episode:

Fans of Mahou Shoujo Madoka have been delighted to note that for the Blu-ray release Shaft has (as usual) taken the opportunity to fix all the dodgily animated bits and substantially upgrade many of the merely “alright” parts, resulting in the definitive magical puella experience.

There are now at least three versions of each episode – the terrestrial TV version, the premium AT-X version and the BD version.

The OP with all three, showing some rather severe quality issues in the original TV version:

Sales have not yet been announced but are expected to be very high.

The first Blu-ray is available now.

The final episode of Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica has belatedly aired, to universal acclaim – with some fans going so far as to call it the “best anime ever,” and the vast majority recognising it as “godly” in more ways than one.

Rarely has an anime ended to such universal praise.

One fan of Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko was so taken with Shaft’s choice of heroine seating that he not only identified the designer chair in question, he went so far as to buy it and install it in his room for the full experience.

The chair is apparently a Finnish import and costs in the region of $1000 – it seems likely Shaft never laid eyes on the real thing but instead relied on the marvels of Google Images.

To top it all, the buyer doesn’t seem to like the chair very much:

“So, what’s it like?”

“You can’t hear much going on outside, it feels a bit strange. I don’t think you could sit in it for long periods.

I had to get it into my room on my own, that was tough…”

For those of lesser means but similar dedication, there is always the budget option:

Shaft’s new anime Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko (“Electric Wave Woman and Youthful Man” – a title which certainly loses a lot in translation) is revealed to be artistically superb, with pantsu and moeblob alien Touwa Erio adding the requisite service quotient.

One viewer sums up the main misgiving about the anime – “The characters and character designs are the best this season – but as for the content…”

Trap anime Maria†Holic returns in the form of “Maria†Holic Alive,” a second season which fans have noted as bearing all the hallmarks of Shaft quality, for better or worse.

Although there have been a few complaints about the production quality (none too severe ones, as Shaft can generally be relied on to fix them for the disc release), the anime itself is being well received.