Fairy Tail 2014: Episode 1 [First Impression]

Eva’s First Impression:
Ahhhh it is so great to have Fairy Tail back! From here on out, there is so much action and great development that it will be a fun and emotional ride. So lets start off with a quick recap: So quick recap: They Magic Games is still on, today’s episode takes place after Gajeel and Natsu had defeated the twins Rogue and Sting. During their fight, Gajeel had accidentally found a Dragons Graveyard beneath the city stadium.
Today we learned a piece of history from The Jade Dragon, Zirconis who is summoned by Wendy, using the Secret Dragonslayer spell: Milky Way that Poluchka had taught her. Milky Way is used to hear the voices of the dragons that had passed. Zirconis reveals the origins of the Dragonslayers, which had happened during an intense war between the dragons, one who wanted to rule and continue to prey on humans and other wanting to co-exist with the humans (hence gave them the Dragonslayer Magic) which allowed them to win the war, but some Humans who wielded that magic ended up betraying the Dragons who wished to co-exist with them and killed them (how cruel is that!?). He then mentions that there was a human who was so powerful that he killed dragons and eventually transformed into a Dragon himself. All of the dragons within that very graveyard was murdered by the one man who was entitled as the Dragon King. The King’s name was Acnologia (you know the one that nearly killed Fairy Tail) and he imitated another war which is known as the Festival of the Dragon King. Of course as soon as Zirconis finishes the story and disappears, that stupid queen’s guard- what’s his name (he’s up to no good) comes around and claims they believe that instead of the Dragonslayer turning into a dragon, Zeref had turned a Dragon Slayer into Acnologia.
The way they resumed Fairy Tail was quite a surprise for me. It has been a year, and unless people had decided to marathon the first half of the series, decided to re-read the manga, or have crystal clear memory of what had happened- it can throw some people in the audience out of the loop. Luckily that wasn’t the case for me as I was able to remember very clearly, especially that dreadfully cruel moment when Lector was killed (GOD DAMN IT, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND I STILL CRIED AGAIN) for having speaking out for Sting. Sting of course devastated that his beloved friend was annihilated right before his eyes just snapped and killed (I think… My memory is too hazy too be certain, but by the look of it I think he did) Sabertooth’s Guild Leader. Minvera of course was pretty much happy about that but in a twisted way. Remember this lady is a bitch. She especially loves torturing the fairies and is just a plainly ruthless character.
Fairy Tail’s animation team was re-organized and so the character designs and overall animations have been entirely revamped. While I definitely appreciate the softer and more washed out colors as oppose to the ridiculously over the top colors of their hair such as Wendy’s which of the entire group has the most noticeable difference, I can’t say I am a huge fan of the newly adapted character designs. Some are definitely better than the first rounds, others… not so much… such as Juvia and Lucy in particular. Hell, Juvia doesn’t even look like herself anymore and is even further away from her original character design in the manga. Which is such a shame because she is such a cute character, I really dislike how much they re-vamped her design. And Lucy, my god- the most noticeable difference is her eyes and hair length. (I am like, “Since when did Lucy’s hair reach her hips?”) As for the overall more dynamic parts of the animation, it is too soon to say how the quality of the overall animation will turn out as the series goes on. But I suppose it will top that hideous bold outline they went with for two arcs back in the first season (GOD I HATED THAT!).
Whether or not I will be blogging Fairy Tail, that is up in the air. I can certainly assure you I am most definitely up to it, but I know this show is the highlight of the season for Charl, so I will probably leave it in her hands.
Question! Do you like the new character designs? Are they better, worse, or both?
Possibility of Blogging: High
Possibility of Watching: Guaranteed
Charl Meister’s First Impression:
OOOOOOHHHH!! I’m still staring at my computer screen in shock and awe. I won’t be long since Eva already gave the rundown of what happened in the episode. During the Milky Way connection that Wendy made with the Jade Dragon (I much prefer this than Zirconis) it was just obvious that Igneel made one huge miscalculation: man will always abuse the power they are given. When it was revealed that Acnalogia had actually been human before, you could imagine my shock. At first, like Arcadios (the chief guard that Eva mentioned) speculated, I thought Zeref had actually created Acnalogia; what with its destructive power and also in the Tenroujima arc, Zeref had summoned it. But I guess Acnalogia just acknowledges the man because he’s so powerful.
The Eclipse Project is still underway and the cloaked woman left behind her journal, with the date July 7th and wrote the Eclipse Project beside it. There’s the way the episode started, which I do love, which was like a look into the future of what is to come; when the dragons return for revenge on the humans. It’s all sorts of delicious!
The Sabertooth leader deserved to die, for such a pompous doo-doo head he died pretty quickly. It was relieving and of course, I didn’t expect Minerva to have even an iota of remorse for her father’s death. I doubt he’s actually her dad.
The episode was great though, the humor that I love so much about Fairy Tail is still there. The animation quality, though refined in many aspects, I have to agree with Eva that some of the character designs have changed – and not for the better, really. I loved how Juvia’s character looked in the previous seasons and her design was one of the things that made me love her and fluttering hearts aren’t enough to capture the essence of her cuteness.
But how much I really like this new animation team, depends on whether or not they capture the essence of Natsu’s motion sickness. Then I will decide if they are good…or if I should send a petition in to get the old team back.
As always the OP is great! And as always…the opening sequence has the spoilers.

And is Fairy Tail teasing me again? Huh? HUH???
The ship tease aside, I’m just happy that Fairy Tail is back.
Possibility of Blogging: HIIIIIIIGH! 
Possibility of Watching: Is this even a question?? Huh?? HUUUUH??
…where’s my Laxus though…and Gildarts? ;-; THE EPISODE IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT MY TWO LOVERS!!