Aiura

A senseless barrage of one-liners, no consistent plot and looks like it was only done as a filler.... but I just can't get enough of this series... (hahahahaha...my soul is still laughing). Too bad each episode is only 4 minutes long (with 1 minute for the opening theme and 15 seconds for the closing theme).

Aiura chronicles the mad ramblings and funny circumstances the high school trio of Kanaka, Saki and Ayuko get themselves into. With cute character design and a modern timing applied in its comedy routines, its really a roller coaster of laughs as you wait for the next punchline of the next silly outburst the three would get themselves into.

They also get the people around them into their shenanigans, sometimes to the dismay of the only serious teacher in the bunch, Matsuno. Oh, and you got to see their teacher who's like an airhead teenager (although she is said to be past 30 yrs old), Her lines are dynamite... also to the dismay of Matsuno.

I highly recommend this for its cuteness and hilariousness (this made me and my son burst out laughing in most parts).

Hanayamata

A beautiful fairie, graceful and kind... take me away with you, to another world...

Or so thought Naru as she first saw Hana, dancing alone at the temple, basking in the full moon's light. The pair would soon bond and form their middle school's Yosakoi dance troupe / club. Hana, an energetic American with a case of being a Japanophile (or Japanese culture otaku), teams up with the shy and reserved Naru as they drum up support and interest about Yosakoi in their school. Along with their common friend, Yaya, and the student council pair of Tami and Machi, they went through several trials and struggles to enable themselves to perform the traditional dance in events, and ultimately, to join a local Yosakoi Festival.

The series has a very light tone when it comes to its plot, there are the usual side stories about family issues, but generally a fun thing to watch, more so for casual viewers. The design of the characters were comparable to K-On, visually at par, but the way they did the eyelids do bother me, especially Naru.

Its fairly good in terms of story, character design and development, but it did took some time for me to warm up to the series. Although watching it end is no biggie. Its not open ended so this series having a second season or not is not really an issue.