The first two preliminary rounds have ended, and they were full of surprises. Dog Days and Milky Holmes have emerged as major players. Millhiore Biscotti and Akechi Kokoro each took first place. These underdog shows lacked mainstream popularity, but Milky Holmes has a very dedicated core fanbase and Dog Days is really adorable. Their groups were relatively weak, so the results may be different against the true aces, but these dark horses might score slots in the finals.
Angel Beats and Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka failed miserably. Embarrassing scores by Yui-nyan (8th) and Eucliwood Hellscythe (6th) suggest that Angel Beats is ready for the afterlife and Zombie is already dead. Many fans expected the necromancer to be a strong competitor (including my own preview), and her preliminary group was very weak, so this was a truly shameful humiliation for Eu.
Anaru's competitive performance suggests that Ano Hana will be a relevant force, and Menma's preliminary is one to anticipate. Merry and the representatives of Amagami SS, Strike Witches, To Love Ru, and Baka Test posted middle-tier scores.
The third preliminary group will give us a high-firepower match with championship contenders Homura, Biribiri, and Ika Musume going at it, along with supporting characters from OreImo and another Strike Witch. Any of those three would've won either of the first groups, so sparks will fly. Other preliminaries to watch out for include dark horse Denpa Onna, which is a threat to follow in the footsteps of Milky Holmes and Dog Days. Rose of Dragon Crisis, Black Rock Shooter, and the girls of Hanasaku Iroha are expected to disappoint. Seitokai Yakundomo and GOSICK will most likely be middle-tier, but could exceed expectations.
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