1. Better Than They Have Any Right To Be John Samuel

2. Girls Und Panzer (2012 – 2013) Why Girls Und Panzer shouldn’t work: Teenagers in Tanks Why does Girls Und Panzer work? Intelligent writing, Show Don’t Tell

3. Girls Und Panzer (2012 – 2013) (Continued) E.g. Show Don’t Tell That The Characters Are: Mostly Noobs; In Cast Herds; AND Colour Coded For Your Convenience (Source: CrunchyRoll)

4. AKB0048 (2012 and 2013) Why AKB0048 shouldn’t work: Celebrates Idol Culture. Insert RANT here. Why does AKB0048 work? Good music, REALLY pretty to look at, surprisingly decent story.

5. Prétear (2001) aka Snow White and the Seven Pretty Boys Why Prétear shouldn’t work: Formulaic Magical Girl with tacky transformation sequences. (The boys become her costumes) Why does Prétear work? Holds a few surprises, neatly subverts expectations

6. Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (2012) Why Yamato 2199 shouldn’t work: Remake after they discovered that the real Yamato went down in at least three pieces. Why does Yamato 2199 work? Lejji Matsumoto. Rule of Cool applies (a dash of the Battlestar Galactia 2003 treatment didn’t hurt either)

7. Bodacious Space Pirates (2012) Why Bodacious Space Pirates shouldn’t work: Romantic Space Pirates? No. Just No. Why does Bodacious Space Pirates work? Surprisingly strong, and internally consistent, world building to carry the story. Plus it’s fun.

8. Open Forum Suggestions from the floor? Why it shouldn’t work? Why does it work? Questions on any of the shows I’ve already mentioned?