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Winter 2014 Anime |OT2| Waiting for Sakamoto

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BluWacky

Member
Utena 39-
Welp.

Last couple of episodes were like taking the crazy train for awhile. Ikuhara really went overboard with the symbolism. This really is a pessimistic view of womanhood in society, I guess.

I don't know about that. It is the women in Utena
with the notable and obvious exceptions of Nanami and Kanae
who hold all the power in the long run.

I assume you didn't enjoy Utena very much from your comments?
 

Midonin

Member
Maken-Ki! Two 04

I really enjoyed this one. The first half was a bit montage-y, but once it got rolling, it featured a lot of everything I like. Chacha's been one of my favorite characters... again, brown girl... and Kimi being an artist is a good combo. Some Georgia O'Keefe-y usage of flowers aside, there were also hints at BL and, once not!Comiket got underway, my favorite part, a game of "spot the reference".

Twin Angel, Prisma Illya, Mondaiji, Gosick, KoreZom, Upotte, Strike Witches, and Dragon Quest, in no particular order. The little Illya doing the catchphrase was adorable, and I was surprised to see Prisma Rin hosting the contest, too. Plus, that episode title. Even for a late night anime, I'm surprised they were able to get away with that. Without even beeping it or anything.

And for Aki fans, next week looks to be all about her. I can tell Kaneko enjoyed making it from the preview alone.
 
Fresh Precure! 1

So! Initial impressions of this shiny new Precure experience:

- The OP is screechy and horrible and hurts my ears. Which sounds suspiciously similar to my initial impressions of the OP for YP5, so I wouldn't be surprised if I end up loving it in a few episodes' time. For now, though, not impressed.
- The main characters in general look...older than usual. I'm not sure if I like it, my first impression on seeing the character designs was that the cute factor seems decreased somewhat. It didn't bother me much while actually watching the episode though, so I'm sure it'll be fine.
- The MC's blue-haired friend, who I will refer to as Cure Worstgirl until I actually learn her name, has a boyfriend. Boyfriends? In my Precure?!
- What appears to be the "main" mascot is a baby. Ohboy.
- We also have what appears to be a ferret that speaks Kansai-ben. Interesting.
- The transformation sequence for Cure Peach (and presumably for the other Cures as well) seems very...idol-y. Which I guess makes sense since Love already went to an idol concert in this episode and professed a desire to be like them.
- The villain in this episode, a girl named Eas (tempted to just call her Y's), was pretty cute. I think I may have inadvertently glimpsed a pretty major spoiler while trying to work out how to spell her name, though.
Do we have an honest-to-god heel-face turn incoming? The series has been begging for one of those ever since Splash Star...
- Also, it seems this is where we begin the series tradition of CG dances in the ED sequence. I was expecting the first instance of this to look really awkward, but it's actually not bad at all.

Overall, it looks like we're off to a pretty decent start. Looking forward to watching more of this!

-This is also one of the very few Precures that notably changes up its OP
for the worst
-I believe their designs was supposedly to attract an older audience of sorts. As they're the only group
with boobs
- mktn knpk. I can see her being the worst
-Chiffon being a baby is a bit of a..... well Chiffon isn't as horrible as the Max Heart fairies.
-Tarte is one of the best fucking fairies in the franchise. Enjoy him
-Well, luckily for you, the idol bits aren't TOO bad.
-The real best
-Personally speaking, I think the CG dips for Heartcatch, but only because they seem to have the worst models out of everyone.

We'll never get anoher Cure as bold as mktn.

ptgJZYv.png

knpk. Man, she did things no other Cure did in a show. mktn was indeed bold.
 
I keep forgetting nothing I watch comes out today. My life has no meaning.


Also AnimeGAF my friend made a statement recently as we were watching Yamato 2199. We were discussing how fantastic the series was as a sci-fi alone and I said it's a shame it still felt the need to sexualize women with skin tight suits, curvy bodies, big boobs, moe designs and the nurse character in general (not to mention beach episode) since it brought it down a bit. He said that he has learned to live with the pervy/ecchi stuff when it comes to the anime I recommend to him.

I know it's a generalization to say all anime is ecchi, but sometimes there are great series out there that happen to have some perverted aspect and it seems that it brings down the industry as a whole in terms of being able to grow into the west's mainstream. It seems that largely that anime that do make it big to the west are those with very little of this. In fact the anime. Example we started watching Gargantia since I told him the guy who wrote Fate/Zero was also involved with this, and he enjoyed the first half decently well (shitty squirrel aside), we haven't started grim-dark episodes. But he also noticed the hyper-moe girls and the gigantic boobs/skimpy outfits for military officers and engineer-like characters.


tl;dr
RuvSICf.gif
 

Ashes

Banned
One of my roommates doesn't usually watch anime, but wants to watch a series to practice his Japanese. I've got the following series:

Samurai X - Trust & Betrayal
Gurren Lagann
Black Lagoon
Berserk
Haibane Renmei
Monster
The Tatami Galaxy

Which should I give him?

Isn't he doing it all wrong? He's supposed to watch anime and not learn the language.
I'd say Black Lagoon. Only because I watched it recently and out of all of those it has a lot more to do with language than the rest.

Btw, anyone have recommendations for anime like Black Lagoon?
 
Got Kino's Journey in from Amazon yesterday and watched the first two episodes. I really like it, but holy crap does it have an awful DVD transfer. Hopefully there's someone willing to do a rescue/rerelease and at least clean it up some.
 

cnet128

Banned
How does he have the time for voice acting? He needs to get back to working on Smash! :p

lol, Takahiro not Masahiro =p


Fresh Precure! 2

Cure Worstgirl episode! Okay, okay, I learned her name, she's Miki-tan. Or Cure Berry, if you prefer. I'm sensing a distinctly fruity theme here. (And they have card suits as well! I think I can see where DokiDoki was taking its cues from...)

Butyeah, Miki is sickeningly perfect. She actually tried to win me over at the beginning of this episode with a goddamn shower scene of all things (in my Precure?!), and then a swimsuit scene for good measure, but I'm not going to be fooled. Worst girl is still worst girl no matter how many service scenes she has!

Thankfully, this episode also contained other things, like Love being subjected to a multitude of different hairstyles. And then rushing out still all afro'd up, lol. Come to think of it, her hair was back to normal after she went Cure and back. I wonder how she's going to explain that one to Miki's mum!

And now Love and Miki are getting dance lessons from their favourite idol, but their other friend is too shy to join in. D'awwww. (I know that feel.) Thankfully, it's almost certainly her turn for a focus episode next, so here's hoping she works up a little more nerve! I know you can do it, girl whose name I haven't learned yet! (No really, I do, I've seen you dancing in the ED.)
 

Theonik

Member
I really need to start watching this. >_<
You aren't already? I was right in saying you weren't cute.

yes USAGI DROP IS AN ANIME ORIGINAL that is very adorable, cute, and gives good feelings!
Why would anyone think otherwise?

Still one of my favorite shows for the pure feel good and hitting close-ish to home for me.
I don't know about hitting close to home or anything, but it is pretty feel good so far.
 

Gazoinks

Member
I don't know about hitting close to home or anything, but it is pretty feel good so far.

Well I'm talking about myself in that case. I have an adopted five-year-old sister, so I find the show relatable in a lot of ways, minus the single parent stuff.
 

duckroll

Member
63vLO19.jpg


I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And Yozakura worth watching
I dreamed that Tatsunoko would never die
I dreamed that Ryochimo would be forgiving

But the outsourcers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame


RIP Anime (2013-2014)
 

Jarmel

Banned
Utena-TV Series Impressions
I feel I should articulate something before I watch the movie. I went through Corvo's impressions of Utena and I generally agree, except for stuff like Anthy and the fights. I did like it but I do think it's somewhat flawed on a directorial and especially animation level. I can understand why people love the show though, even if certain elements didn't jive for me.
The show is fraught with flagrant abuse of symbolism. I'm sure all of it has meaning but it dilutes the show when it becomes "how many things can you represent symbolically?" as it overloads the show to a point where the audience is left wondering what is real and what isn't. Like the scene with Anthy cutting the ice, being symbolic for breaking the tension/ice, is so damn obvious in meaning. This undermines some of the later scenes such as the
dueling arena being illusionary or the show representing characters' impression of Anthy, visually
because the audience expects the show not to be taken literally. This was a problem with Penguindrum but I think Penguindrum was a bit more restrained. There isn't any attempt to reel it in but rather just goes for broke, especially for miniscule stuff. Things like the
candles representing Utena's emotions are fine and do add something to the show
but stuff like the baseball scene while the Student Council members are talking almost seems like Ikuhara is adding something in to splice up the conversation than anything else. I did like the Shadow Play stuff a lot though, as not only was it funny but also how they tied into the episodes.
I also was a bit underwhelmed with the climax, partly because I had grown to dislike Utena as a character anyway. Not because of
the direct act of her sleeping with Akio but rather that she betrayed her own ideals for something that she knew was wrong. I guess it's somewhat realistic in that I shouldn't expect any better from a teenager. However then she gets clear warning from Nanami and later Touga that she brushes off. She's too self righteous and the ending was good in the regards of throwing her shit right back at her. As Utena realizes in the end, she was too wrapped up in her own ego and didn't pay attention to Anthy.
I understand that Utena is supposed to be the flawed heroine, and that's part of the social commentary on women idealization in society
in that as Utena becomes worse as a person, she becomes more feminine in the eyes of people like Touga and Akio
but I did lose part of my emotional investment for her to succeed.
For me, the best episodes in the show were the comedy ones, pertaining to Nanami, and also episode 34. The comedy episodes were great and a lot of fun. Nanami abuse is always great and episode 27 had a pretty decent theme to it, being about ovulation and whatnot. Nanami also has the best reaction faces.
The fights in general are awful. The fight choreography is really bland and there is heavy repetition in moves and actual animation footage. I kinda tuned out the fights themselves because they weren't thrilling on pretty much any level for me other than some of the symbolism stuff. Utena just is able to overcome any fight due to the power of Dios and it feels way too convenient. I never really worried about her losing a fight after the halfway point and the fights just seem there. I should also emphasize that this show really did love to reuse animation. Holy shit, was there a lot.
As for the music, I wasn't wild about. I'm sure there are people that absolutely love the soundtrack but it really didn't do much for me. It does have a very bold and distinct sound but I think it overwhelmed scenes at times.
I think the show did a phenomenal job in its run of fleshing out the side characters. I do think the show does retread ground on a few of the episodes but the show does a good job of depicting the Student Council and their own twisted relationships. Miki's relationship with his twin sister is a complicated one and the show does delve into that. I feel though that Wakaba gets left in the waist-side near the end though as she pretty much fades almost completely out of the picture. I'm also surprised by how much I liked Nanami near the end despite her being a bitch.
One area I disagree with Corvo strongly on, is that I feel Anthy is the highlight of the show, much moreso than Utena herself. Anthy has a slow progression in her friendship towards Utena and it's very hard to tell sometimes due to the way she's visually portrayed. Anthy is also very much an active participant in the show in that she does set up Utena a few times
such as sending Utena to deliver those roses or letting Akio take Utena to the hospital
. She's portrayed as being passive aggressive but it's really the fault of the characters for not actually paying attention to Anthy as a person, rather than just some trophy to stand there. She has a personality but it can be very easy to miss.
I do like the general message of the show, I guess, in that
women have to liberate themselves from our patriarchal society and that they shouldn't depend on men to do so.
It's a very feminist message which is pretty rare to see that in an anime. I also found the ending to be somewhat pessimistic in that regards which I'm sure was the point. The show does a very good job though of dissecting the 'Prince' ideal through Akio and Touga, two complete scumbags.
 

Midonin

Member
Miki's the reason I started watching Fresh (and Precure in general). It's the KitaEri voice. Of course, this became retroactively a goldmine once she was cast as another Miki.
 
Isn't he doing it all wrong? He's supposed to watch anime and not learn the language.
I'd say Black Lagoon. Only because I watched it recently and out of all of those it has a lot more to do with language than the rest.

Btw, anyone have recommendations for anime like Black Lagoon?

Jormungand (closest I can think only do season 1, season 2 is pretty meh)
Baccano (non stop action, jokey characters, mafia crews who aren't necessarily good)
Fate/Zero (a bit on the darker side and full of action, not necessarily witty banter)
Ghost in the Shell (serious crew of people, episodic)

Black Lagoon is pretty limiting since it's so unique. And a modern setting is rare. Like I said the closest you have in there is Jormungand, but the other three are way better series (you've probably seen)
 
lol, Takahiro not Masahiro =p


Fresh Precure! 2

Cure Worstgirl episode! Okay, okay, I learned her name, she's Miki-tan. Or Cure Berry, if you prefer. I'm sensing a distinctly fruity theme here. (And they have card suits as well! I think I can see where DokiDoki was taking its cues from...)

Butyeah, Miki is sickeningly perfect. She actually tried to win me over at the beginning of this episode with a goddamn shower scene of all things (in my Precure?!), and then a swimsuit scene for good measure, but I'm not going to be fooled. Worst girl is still worst girl no matter how many service scenes she has!

Thankfully, this episode also contained other things, like Love being subjected to a multitude of different hairstyles. And then rushing out still all afro'd up, lol. Come to think of it, her hair was back to normal after she went Cure and back. I wonder how she's going to explain that one to Miki's mum!

And now Love and Miki are getting dance lessons from their favourite idol, but their other friend is too shy to join in. D'awwww. (I know that feel.) Thankfully, it's almost certainly her turn for a focus episode next, so here's hoping she works up a little more nerve! I know you can do it, girl whose name I haven't learned yet! (No really, I do, I've seen you dancing in the ED.)

You will refer to Miki as Mktn Knpk from here on. And that's not the end of her boldness!!
 

Dynedom

Member
63vLO19.jpg


I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And Yozakura worth watching
I dreamed that Tatsunoko would never die
I dreamed that Ryochimo would be forgiving

But the outsourcers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame


RIP Anime (2013-2014)

Oh god dammit. I love this arc too.
 

Geneijin

Member
Forget it, I'm not even going to be able to finish Monogatari at this rate. So many of you are so utterly terrible at spoiler marking and screenshots that I already had two major twists from late in the series spoiled for me.

There's no fun or enjoyment left for me to keep reading this thread anymore. A majority of the topics and posters now are things and people I dislike, so there's no reason to stick around. I was told to just try to relax and have fun but the way things are now that's going to be impossible for me. Sorry. Well, I'm sure a number of you would rather see me go anyway.
As bad as it is, you should have learned to block img code through your user profile settings.
 
63vLO19.jpg


I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And Yozakura worth watching
I dreamed that Tatsunoko would never die
I dreamed that Ryochimo would be forgiving

But the outsourcers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame


RIP Anime (2013-2014)

back to reading the manga
 
I hereby request Gazoinks change his name to Karma Chameleon.

Also is Utena worth watching for someone like me? I'm not big on magical girls/shoujo, artsy shows and shows with protagonists I dislike. And from what I've read this show has all three.


As to Yozakura, I really do recommend the manga. Assuming you were watching it for the characters and setting, and not the sweet animation and pantsu. Because the manga doesnt have either.
 
63vLO19.jpg


I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And Yozakura worth watching
I dreamed that Tatsunoko would never die
I dreamed that Ryochimo would be forgiving

But the outsourcers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame


RIP Anime (2013-2014)

Well that sucks. The arc has a really cool fight too.
 

BluWacky

Member
Also is Utena worth watching for someone like me? I'm not big on magical girls/shoujo, artsy shows and shows with protagonists I dislike. And from what I've read this show has all three.

Well, Utena's pretty damn likeable as a character IMO, but I rather suspect you'd loathe it based on the other two criteria :p
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
I still wish they didn't have to use so much CG. Not that I dislike Love Live, but "Wake Up, Girls!" just uses traditional animation and looks so much better to me.
Given that they seem to dance every week, it's probably easier to do in CG... especially if it's all game assets anyway!

---

Inari 4
QDjyJc2l.jpg

Fucking SDBurton, I blame you for this!
 
Well, Utena's pretty damn likeable as a character IMO, but I rather suspect you'd loathe it based on the other two criteria :p

Texhnolyze is going to be painful to watch for me based on my dislike for artsy anime. The Ef: series had the advantage that it was romance as well so that helped balance out the artsy crap I hated.
 

Branduil

Member
63vLO19.jpg


I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And Yozakura worth watching
I dreamed that Tatsunoko would never die
I dreamed that Ryochimo would be forgiving

But the outsourcers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame


RIP Anime (2013-2014)

What the heck is this?
 

duckroll

Member
You'd think an OVA would at least match the TV series, but I guess not.

Ep1 was outsourced to Studio Guts (they also did ep3 and 11 of the TV series) and ranged from totally average to kinda ugly.

Ep2 was outsourced to Frontier Engine, and it looks like about what you expect from a studio you've probably never heard of.

For some unfathomable reason, it seems no one on the main Yozakura team is even working on this OAD right now. Maybe they're working on the final episode, but I'm not even going to hold my breath at this point. Just so disappointed.
 

Branduil

Member
Ep1 was outsourced to Studio Guts (they also did ep3 and 11 of the TV series) and ranged from totally average to kinda ugly.

Ep2 was outsourced to Frontier Engine, and it looks like about what you expect from a studio you've probably never heard of.

For some unfathomable reason, it seems no one on the main Yozakura team is even working on this OAD right now. Maybe they're working on the final episode, but I'm not even going to hold my breath at this point. Just so disappointed.

At least we'll always have Hoshi no Umi.
 

Narag

Member
There's no fun or enjoyment left for me to keep reading this thread anymore. A majority of the topics and posters now are things and people I dislike, so there's no reason to stick around. I was told to just try to relax and have fun but the way things are now that's going to be impossible for me. Sorry. Well, I'm sure a number of you would rather see me go anyway.

I don't really want to see you go but for the love of El Cantare, make a decision and stick with it.
 

Articalys

Member
As bad as it is, you should have learned to block img code through your user profile settings.
Blocking every single image from the thread for the sake of one series is overkill and something I shouldn't have to do.

I'm sorry everyone, I'm just massively pissed off at myself, my life, situation, decisions, and future, and the fact that this thread is 99% of my social existence, which is why I keep crawling back despite everything all the time. Every little thing has the potential to push me over the edge. At the very least I'm still sane enough to keep my health... though I'm not sure if some of you wish otherwise.
 

Midonin

Member
Witch Craft Works 05

Seeing Medusa in the nurse's office was a surprise.
I hope that's explained soon. And am also curious if eating that candy will have any adverse consequences. The truth about Honoka's mom was surprising (that'd be an interesting flashback episode), to say nothing of turning the posh apartment into a game of Jenga. "Heroine moves into the protagonist's house" is hardly an unheard of development, but this show will almost certainly find a way to keep that twisted.
 
Ep1 was outsourced to Studio Guts (they also did ep3 and 11 of the TV series) and ranged from totally average to kinda ugly.

Ep2 was outsourced to Frontier Engine, and it looks like about what you expect from a studio you've probably never heard of.

For some unfathomable reason, it seems no one on the main Yozakura team is even working on this OAD right now. Maybe they're working on the final episode, but I'm not even going to hold my breath at this point. Just so disappointed.

It seems like every time I come into this thread these days, there's some post telling me to stop watching anime.
 
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