Genshiken

I rarely like Anime, so the fact that I like this show so much, makes it a real gem for me. I was thrilled to find out recently that there will be a second season released in late 2006.

Unlike most anime, this show is extremely realistic. It focuses on the members of a student activity club at a University in the outskirts of Tokyo. The club is a group of slackers whose sole activity is appreciating anime, manga, hentai, cosplay and other pastimes normally associated with nerds (sometimes called "otaku" in Japanese).

Each episode in the first season more or less describes some new aspect of nerd culture. One episode shows the group getting obsessed about building Gundam models, another one shows the group going to Akihabara to buy erotic manga.

The dramatic tension of the show is created through the character of Saki. She is the girlfriend of one of the club members. She is in love with the guy, but finds all the "otaku" stuff kind of weird and many of the episodes feature her struggling to come to terms with her love of Kohsaka, but her dislike of his hobbies.

The show has very good character progression and many of the characters are allowed a depth to their characters not normal for Anime shows.

In a medium that is too often plagued with clichés and repetitive plot lines, Genshiken is a breath of fresh air that should be viewed by both anime fans and non-fans alike.