So, what am I watching lately? Or, more precisely, what are the shows that make me leap for bittorrent when I see them announced?

Naruto, of course, which is now up to episode 70 and still going strong. And ROD the TV, for which I'm collecting the raw Japanese episodes as well as the fansubs. I watched episode 17 raw before watching the sub with my wife, and I continue to be pleased at the percentage I was able to follow.

I've been collecting Mujin Wakusei SURVIVE, but I've only seen the first episode; it seemed like pretty standard fare, nothing amazing but nothing terrible. Chrno Crusade has been quite serviceable; I've watched through episode 7 or so. Kaleido Star is still coming out, though I've fallen a little behind in watching it.

Some clear winners: Gunslinger Girl is nearly over, which is a shame. Mezzo DSA is a kick -- its bouncy opening theme reflects the sense of fun that this show has. And I'm very amused by Gokusen; it has great characters and fun plots, and some of its character designs are less than attractive, which I actually find rather refreshing.

In older shows, I'm grabbing Yawara! as it's coming out, and really enjoying it. The art isn't as crisp as the manga, but the story is engaging.

On the flip side, I've been following Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, but I'm not sure how long I'll continue; it seems to be this season's Stratos 4, only with costume designs that are even more ridiculous and poorer animation. And Cosprayers has the typically cute m.o.e. character designs, but the show itself isn't too substantial.