I started watching The Third – Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo (henceforth The3rd) back in May and it quickly became one of my favorite shows this year. However, the dubs were coming slowly. Fansub no Tameni (FnT) has been releasing something along the lines of about two episodes a month. At the time of this posting I have finished watching episode 11 and am eagerly awaiting the next release. …(more)…

As far as I can tell there are only two groups actively subbing the show Ayu and FnT. Don’t quote me on that, it was a cursory search for subs of the show. FnT doesn’t seem to be releasing any other shows so I’m forced to conclude that the group is probably pumping out The3rd as fast as it deems fit. Since, Ayu is preoccupied with more popular shows like Zero no Tsukaima (loli-dominatrix) and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (killer-lolis)—see a pattern here?–; that leaves FnT as the source for the most recent releases.

As I had mentioned in my last post on this show I don’t think that the The3rd has been getting the coverage that it deserves. It’s not unusual that enthusiasm for the show would waver due to the spares and unpredictable release schedule. Plus, as has been the case for well over a year, there hasn’t really been a lull in the number of good shows being subbed. When shows like 0-no, Higurashi, Haruhi, and Host Club, all of which reach wider audiences than The3rd, competing for viewers time and bandwidth there is bound to be shows that will lose out.

The3rd has other failings though, which hurt it more than being out-shone buy more popular shows. I’ve mentioned in my blog that I can pretty much put up with any type of animation quality as long as the characters and plot are interesting. Luckily, The3rd has excellent animation, characters, and plot. Well, less plot, that’s the current problem. Let me explain. The main story has only recently come off the ground. For the most part the first half of the series has been character development and introductions. You may ask, “There are not many characters in the series, so why would it take all the time?” Despite introducing other characters, the show makes great effort to characterize and describe Honoka. It is this long string of largely character development episodes that have put some off of the show.

Honoka will play a critical part of the story, but there is more to it than that. Honoka is unique in that she has not experienced much growth thus far. Honoka has no flaws to overcome. That is unless being too nice is a character fault, which it may prove to be. We get little bits and pieces about her personality through her interactions with other characters, and previously her bad poetry. She expresses her doubts and concerns like any other person. However, largely Honoka of episode 11 is the same Honoka of episode 1. That is because of not only her nature but her being. Honoka is different and separate from her surrounds.

She is an anomaly.

Overall, now that the story is getting off the ground I’m looking forward to some good “stuff” in the episodes to come.