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Fall of Anime 2012 |OT2| O cursed spite, that ever I was born to UUURRRRYYY!!

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Gintama' 239

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Drinking and harems don't mix.
 
Zetsuen no Tempest 7


This was a really good and compelling episode, due to an extensive focus on further character development, but it was ultimately less interesting than the majority of the others, since the formation and subsequent elaboration of a
love triangle
is less engaging and eventful than the significant nature of the larger narrative. Though occasionally slow, this episode was paced considerably well, as the plethora of small, but meaningful developments for each character were meticulously weaved into the story, allowing for an appropriately lengthy focus on each one, never feeling rushed or faltering into a chaotic sort of storytelling.

The story, though carefully constructed, has, at times, slipped into what has felt like a slight repetition of previously understood realizations. This is a small criticism though, since these moments do occasionally provide depth to the narrative and the characters. There was a lack of action throughout this episode, in favor of a methodical tranquility, but this contrast in tone to the majority of the previous episodes worked really well. Also, a superbly effective melancholy filtered into this episode, essentially establishing an atmosphere that elevated seemingly simplistic, relatively meaningless moments into unsettling pieces of a subtly ominous foreshadowing.

The best aspect of this episode was the continued examination of Yoshino and Mahiro's complex, complicated relationship. It seems likely that
Yoshino only felt compelled to pursue a stronger friendship with Mahiro
due to Aika's influence. Although he's definitely the least interesting character, Mahiro has become an increasingly sympathetic, since it's quite clear, at least from this episode, that
Aika was only romantically interested in Yoshino
. The ending was an excellent sort of foreboding cliffhanger, since, due to
Yoshino's unconscious muttering and the flash of hatred that appeared on Mahiro's face
, it alludes to the potential that Mahiro might already be aware of
Yoshino and Aika's relationship
. As such, I'm really looking forward to the moment he
fully discovers the truth
.


Thankfully, Aika wasn't portrayed that similar to what I was expecting prior to this episode, as it appeared likely that her intricacies would inevitably illustrate a detached and manipulative personality, but, though this definitely wasn't the case, she remains a somewhat unsympathetic character, due partially to
her seemingly conditional attachment to Yoshino and the possibility that she appears, ever so slightly, to be toying with both of their affections
. Despite these uncertainties about
her true character
, or, perhaps, because of them, she remains incredibly intriguing. Yet, for as interesting as Aika certainly is, I'd prefer increased development for Hakaze, which will likely arrive once she
leaves the island
, so hopefully that particular development occurs soon, since her partial isolation has disappointingly rendered her characterization as temporarily stagnant.

Ando's direction remains the most necessary element of the show, as it impresses immensely with it's skilfully deft handling of the narrative. Oshima's score is, by far, the best music I've heard in a show all year, as it brilliantly illuminates a certain atmospheric emotion within many significant moments. Also, though I tend to enjoy the occasional quoting of Hamlet, it was far too unnecessarily prevalent and distracting in this episode.

All in all, Zetsuen has been remarkably consistent, satisfying, once again, with an excellent episode. Although I greatly enjoy the heightened focus on insightful characterization and nuanced development, I'm hoping for and, judging by the preview, expecting a return to the primary threat of the narrative, since it's more compelling than the majority of the flashbacks, however integral they might eventually be.
 

CorvoSol

Member
So here's where I'm at in my current retread of my favorite Mecha anime.

Zoids: New Century Zero Just got done with episode 16, and LOL at somehow months having gone by since the series beginning. It really doesn't feel like it at all. I think Leon just went crazy is all. Also, everybody having VAs who worked on Gundam Wing is trippy as heck. Red Blade Liger was pretty sweet, though. I'm kinda at a loss for what the point of the Backdraft Organization is. They have enough money to hijack Zoid battles, but like, why bother? And it was pretty hilarious to here them berate their own for acting like criminals. I mean, isn't that what these guys are? And what's the deal with the world of Zoids? It seems like one huge desert, and nobody seems to think that shooting the planet with little capsules that pocket it with craters is a bad thing at all. How do non-Zoid persons live?

Neon Genesis: Evangelion I'm trying to hurry and catch up so I'm not TOO behind everyone who watches Rebuild 3. I'm up to episode 22, and YEESH I forgot how nightmare inducing the imagery gets as the series goes on. But question: Why did they go to the trouble of rebuilding units 00, 01, and 02, but not 03 or 04? They even had a pilot for 03 hanging around, so why did they just permabench him? And how did Misato not know
that the Evangelions were human-looking underneath the armor
when she should have seen as much in the first episode, let alone when the Angel infiltrates NERV HQ in what is pretty obviously a
human torso with real bones
or the
exploded head of Unit 03?
In any case, I forgot how much I loved how crazy this show gets toward the end. It's like, the first half is all crazy giant robot action and the second half is all everybody having one giant nervous breakdown as Gendo continues to prove he is even more sick and twisted than you ever could have imagined. Is it okay to view him as the main bad guy of the series, inasmuch as there is one?

Gundam SEED So I'm going to be pissed when the show inevitably reveals that Mu La Flaga is a coordinator. I don't know that he is, but since they've mentioned cloning, and he has a STRIKING resemblance to the first coordinator, and they show the helix behind him and Rau Le Creuset and their names are hilariously similar, I should think it's obvious that that's heading toward a Sons of Big Boss conclusion there. Which sucks, because Mu La Flaga is hands down the best character in the entire show. Fuck Kira, Athrun, Lacus, Cagali et al. Mu La Flaga is the coolest cool guy in the entire show. He's an ace pilot, straight-talker, and makes inappropriate advances on his gainaxing superior officer. And he's the only human pilot who is able to keep up with the annoyingly perfect super perfect not at all super-saiyan Coordinators. It's hard not to like him.

And Flay/Yzak is the best relationship idea ever because there could not be a pair of more annoyingly insane characters.

I think when I finish EVA and Zoids I'll watch The Big O and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan to finally see what the hubbub about those shows is.
 
When people consistently post stuff from the peaks of episodes I don't really know how people can dodge around the fact that they are revealing information about the episode that they shouldn't. It's worse with .gifs.

Yeah. There are some places that are big grey areas, but there should at least be a consideration not to post images which revolve around the climatic moment of an episode (and reveal something major in them) or would spoil a person on a big twist. That just seems like common courtesy.
 

trejo

Member
Gintama 26

Meh episode.

Gintama 27

Uh... wait a minute. Did I accidentally skip an episode somewhere? Based on the preview I thought I was gonna watch some
idoru wrestling
but instead I got the most srs bsns episode yet. It was a pretty good episode, it just kinda came outta nowhere.

Gintama 28

Time to deal with the fallout from the events of the previous episode. Poor Gorilla.

And fuck yeah Wakamoto! This shit was glorious.

Gintama 29

Y'know, Kagura is on the fast track to becoming my new favorite kugiloli. Also, "Herpes me!".

Gintama 30

I'm coming to the conclusion that while Shinpachi tends to work out okay as the straight man the episodes that are focused on him are generally all kinda shit.
 

Grzi

Member
Robotics;Notes - 06


Not bad, but nothing special. Some character development, we found out some new stuff about the mystery, but nothing that would make a huge impact yet. Hopefully the show kicks it into high gear soon.
I like Frau Kojiro, she seems like she could be a fun character.
 

Kagami

Member
After various goofings around with combined Amazon orders that delayed things, it's finally here, my most anticipated movie of the year:

Strike Witches - Theatrical Edition

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This is the Amazon edition that comes with an exclusive drama CD, "Major Mio Sakamoto's Frontline Diary," along with the rest of the stuff:

  • BD case with Takamura illustration on one side / Fumikane illustration on the other
  • 132-page book "501st JFW Movie Complete Record" - Same sort of thing as the books that came with the TV series BD/DVDs, containing data about the world, characters, machinery, animation production, etc.
  • Movie version "Secret Voice CD" - Same type of thing as what came with the TV series BD/DVDs, with a collection of short tracks varying from self-introductions to Windows system sounds to alarm voices for alarm apps e.g. on your phone. This one has movie characters Shizuka & Heidemari.
  • Promotional Illustration pamphlet (Part 1 & 2) re-prints - These are smaller-size versions of booklets given out at the theaters, collections of illustrations and comics
  • Theatrical booklet re-print - Intro to the TV series and characters, staff & VA interviews, etc.
  • Priority ticket reservation code for the January 2013 concert - These usually sell out and use a lottery system to determine who gets in, so I guess you'd better buy the movie if you want a seat. (I won't be going but I hope they'll put it out on BD like they did the first one.)




501st JFW Movie Complete Record
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Theatrical Booklet
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Promotional Illustration Booklets
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:chet

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:SDBurton


Video extras on the disc itself are footage of appearances of the VAs at the theaters before/after the showings, and a trailer collection.
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firehawk12

Subete no aware
After various goofings around with combined Amazon orders that delayed things, it's finally here, my most anticipated movie of the year:

Strike Witches - Theatrical Edition

It doesn't come with Spats?! Fail!
(And what would happen at a Strike Witches concert? Were there even any songs in the movie? lol)

Also, is there going to be a sequel movie or sequel TV series? Or was the "To be continued" just something pointless they added to the end of the movie? lol
 

mAcOdIn

Member
I don't know what a "spats" is but I'm surprised a classy show like that didn't come with a pair of panties worn by a random female VA of the show. Or at least purportedly.
 
From the New World 8
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First part of the episode was so good, second best episode so far (first is the satoru showcase of past episodes), my otp being canon was like kind of a wish come true, should have kept going even, shirt was even opened somehow. Enjoyed the whole scene and just the many little moments throughout.
Though was so sad when Shun broke up with Satoru :( Satoru looked crushed How could he turn him away. And Saki, what even, such terrible comments to Momoru
.

Plotwise was just plain interesting with a mix of fun moments then serious. I liked the balance.
Why do people make it seem like Shun died or something, I think he just left to avoid being punished or maybe was banished or something, ultimately punishment must be catching up to the others. It was interesting how the most powerful cantus user was interested so much in Satoru, but then that moment with power distortion around Shun, what was that, was it Shun or the dudes doing.


From the New World - 1-8

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Yes! First five minutes were a pain to get through but damn it was it worth it! Man the part when
Satoru got dumped by Shun was hilarious, that and Mamoru getting cb'ed by Saki
throughout the episode.:D

Here's hoping
Shun gets killed off so Saki can get her mind off this worthless guy and get back to that yuri goodness with Maria
.

The day of kissing of anime of kissing

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To-love Ru Darkness 7

lol, this is when the eye vagina happens. Looks like the animation team didn't decide on following in Yabuki's footsteps by hiding it, but oh well. Maybe it will be on the BD.

Beam of the week is a tie again:

sjwyp.jpg

kNwAt.jpg
 

Jex

Member
Whether or not some image is a spoiler doesn't seem a particularly complicated affair. Just ask yourself: if you were to have write the content of the image as a post, would you spoiler tag it? It seems fairly simple to me.
 

Thoraxes

Member
To-love Ru Darkness 7

lol, this is when the eye vagina happens. Looks like the animation team didn't decide on following in Yabuki's footsteps by hiding it, but oh well. Maybe it will be on the BD.

I was gonna say, I immediately recognized that Yami pose. Vageyena.

We can only hope for the BDs.
 

Articalys

Member
Whether or not some image is a spoiler doesn't seem a particularly complicated affair. Just ask yourself: if you were to have write the content of the image as a post, would you spoiler tag it? It seems fairly simple to me.
This seems like excellent reasoning to me.
 

Jex

Member
It's also worth noting that plenty of people have spoiler-tagged images links in the past, so it's hardly like this is a new concept.
 
Evangelion: 3.0


.... There is no way to talk about this film at any length without huge spoilers that I'm hesitant to post. Gotta get a formal review out by Monday morning, so for now I'll just say that nobody could have possibly seen this coming.

Fuck.

I also highly suggest people avoid spoilers as much as possible.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Whether or not some image is a spoiler doesn't seem a particularly complicated affair. Just ask yourself: if you were to have write the content of the image as a post, would you spoiler tag it? It seems fairly simple to me.
I guess the point is that every SSY image is a spoiler now since if you just started watching, you'd have no idea there was a time jump.

But I turn off spoiler tags, so I have no dog in this fight. (Well, I would prefer all spoilers all the time, but that will never happen).
 
Maybe it's the alcohol typing or maybe I was blind to it's presence in the first seven episodes, but I honestly hated the way romance seemed to take the forefront of the newest episode of Shin Sekai. I'll give this episode a once over in the morning, and I'll probably stick with it for one more episode, but if it's the way I'm thinking I'm probably gonna drop it and stick with the Kintama/JJBA/DT/Psycho Pass quadfecta.
 

Thoraxes

Member
Evangelion: 3.0


.... There is no way to talk about this film at any length without huge spoilers that I'm hesitant to post. Gotta get a formal review out by Monday morning, so for now I'll just say that nobody could have possibly seen this coming.

Fuck.

I also highly suggest people avoid spoilers as much as possible.

Duly noted.
 

Jex

Member
I guess the point is that every SSY image is a spoiler now since if you just started watching, you'd have no idea there was a time jump.

But I turn off spoiler tags, so I have no dog in this fight. (Well, I would prefer all spoilers all the time, but that will never happen).

In a sense you could make a perfectly rational argument stating that, therefore, no-one should post any images which depict that such an event has occurred. However, such a move would probably er too far on the 'extreme' side of line because the very fact that the story progresses over a period of time is a fairly minor 'spoiler'. Simply showing that such a thing has happened is a far lower 'spoilers' than depicting any important character/plot related events.
 

Extollere

Sucks at poetry
nah but i mean really
what purpose does it serve? we already had the no pants mecha flying loli fetish going on

What purpose you say? Strike Witches was designed around Shimada Humikane's character designs and style. I've been following his work long before Strike Witches, and he's always had a thing for no-pants and neko-mimi. It doesn't serve any purpose other than it being a design choice and super moe or whatever.

Even though his designs have always been like this, I'm pretty sure that they penciled in some kind of reasoning for the show. IIRC it had some kind of thing to do with their energy levels or abilities (I'm sure a Strike Witches fan can correct me here). But as far as I'm concerned the real purpose of things like no-pants, ears, and DFC is that it's good... for me to look at.
 

duckroll

Member
I guess the point is that every SSY image is a spoiler now since if you just started watching, you'd have no idea there was a time jump.

But I turn off spoiler tags, so I have no dog in this fight. (Well, I would prefer all spoilers all the time, but that will never happen).

But then there is the meta-discussion about whether it really is a spoiler when the show is based on novels which seem to be at least somewhat known in Japan. When promoting the anime in the months before the show aired, it was hardly a secret that the story spans many years and is divided into different parts, much like LotR.

If the people creating the show feel that it is something viewers should know about before a show even airs, I guess the question is whether special protection should be afforded to such a plot point. Who would be protected? Those on total media blackout for the show? Then the question should be whether such persons should be participating in a thread like this to begin with.

I'm definitely interested in what other people think about it though, since this "problem" can't really be solved by a single person. Especially when it is debatable as to whether it is a problem to begin with.
 

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
The issue here is that very few of AnimeGAF's regular live in Japan, and even fewer actually read the light novels. And that's without getting into the issue of how the gifs SDBurton and DTL made had no other purpose but shock value.
 

duckroll

Member
The issue here is that very few of AnimeGAF's regular live in Japan, and even fewer actually read the light novels.

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. You don't have to live in Japan to visit the official website of a show. If the information is there, is it really still a spoiler? That's the question. There's no doubt that some people simply don't bother with these information and just watch the show for what it is, but my point is, some of what people might think of as spoilers are not really big secrets or plot twists or anything which are being hidden.

They're not light novels btw, From the New World is just a single 1000+ page novel divided into 3 printed parts (previously divided into 2 printed parts).
 

Jex

Member
Lol I know!

Oh that's fine. I don't mean it contextually and implementation-wise per-say, but I mean just on an orchestrational level. Like, I would buy a CD with it just to check out how the composer made use of the orchestra and adhered to the setting instrumentationally. I'm a composer though, so this is just how my brain works, heh. In this OST they make use of lots of non-traditional instruments in an orchestral setting, so i'm just interested in how the composer implemented these variables in a traditional setting.

[...]

I also don't judge music on memorability, but rather the intricacies and process of it, but I am far removed from a causal/common listener of music who cares about things like memorability as a kinda of selling point. I find the use of orchestra and exotic instruments in a blend as really stand out features of the pieces that really make it special. I hope I don't come across as sounding elitist or anything, but my opinions and perspectives are just really different because of my field of work.
I wouldn't consider 'memorability' to necessarily be an integral part to a shows soundscape. Memorable tracks certainly have their place in any series but you can have a variety of musical choices that simply enhance the visuals, or help to build moon on their own. For example, a lot of the audio work in horror films has that intriguing mix of strange ambient noises and music that work in tandem to make the audience feel very uncomfortable - I wouldn't call that music 'memorable' (beyond, say, the Halloween theme) but it is generally affective. I really can't say the same for the music in Magi.
 

Jex

Member
But then there is the meta-discussion about whether it really is a spoiler when the show is based on novels which seem to be at least somewhat known in Japan. When promoting the anime in the months before the show aired, it was hardly a secret that the story spans many years and is divided into different parts, much like LotR.

If the people creating the show feel that it is something viewers should know about before a show even airs, I guess the question is whether special protection should be afforded to such a plot point. Who would be protected? Those on total media blackout for the show? Then the question should be whether such persons should be participating in a thread like this to begin with.

I'm definitely interested in what other people think about it though, since this "problem" can't really be solved by a single person. Especially when it is debatable as to whether it is a problem to begin with.

I think the most reasonable thing to do is consider the context of the work that you're discussing.

On one hand you could consider the official media for the work - is everything that's contained within trailers/promotional art no longer a spoiler because they creators have no problem having it out in the open? Possibly, but then again some trailers (okay, I guess this is more a problem with Hollywood-style trailers) give away all the plot-points of a story, which is why some people (such as myself) avoid official media because I don't want to see such things.

You could also consider how the work itself presents it's own story - it's pretty clear during the early episodes of From the New World that what the audience is witnessing is actually the recollections of a character - which implies (but does not guarantee) that at some point the characters will age. Therefore, in this case, I wouldn't consider this a spoiler at all because, you know, the fact that people get older is hardly a revelation. What relationships those characters have, however, is not something you'll necessarily know beforehand and could easily be considered a spoiler because the actions characters take are sometimes unpredictable and therefore its a surprise that could, theoretically, be ruined.

Of course, the fact that a character ages could be a spoiler. If, say, it was a story about a child with a terminal disease who didn't have long to live and someone posted a picture of that character as an old person then that picture would clearly be a spoiler because, surprise, that character should have died but didn't.

Unfortunately this isn't really a workable rule, it's just taking into consideration other people's appreciation of a show. Which is why I stick by my earlier comment:
Whether or not some image is a spoiler doesn't seem a particularly complicated affair. Just ask yourself: if you were to have write the content of the image as a post, would you spoiler tag it? It seems fairly simple to me.

Hyperlinks show through spoiler tags. Just for the record.

Which is only an issue if the name of the link is a spoiler. Once again, it's just common sense.
 

Uchip

Banned
What purpose you say? Strike Witches was designed around Shimada Humikane's character designs and style. I've been following his work long before Strike Witches, and he's always had a thing for no-pants and neko-mimi. It doesn't serve any purpose other than it being a design choice and super moe or whatever.

Even though his designs have always been like this, I'm pretty sure that they penciled in some kind of reasoning for the show. IIRC it had some kind of thing to do with their energy levels or abilities (I'm sure a Strike Witches fan can correct me here). But as far as I'm concerned the real purpose of things like no-pants, ears, and DFC is that it's good... for me to look at.

It just baffles me that they can fly at high altitudes with no pants
then again they may or may not have explained this because I never finished it

Because Cute.
Thats why.

I know you're ok with that being a reason but it doesn't work for me when they pull the drama card and want you to care about whats going on
 

Jex

Member
To answer duckroll's comment about what does or does not constitute a spoiler I'd make a slight addition to my earlier rule:

If you were to have write the content of the image as a post, would you spoiler tag it? If in doubt I'd always err on the side of caution and consider it a spoiler.

If people want to read your spoiler and see the spoiler image they can always highlight the image or click the text.
 

wonzo

Banned
Tanken Driland 10

pollon discovers bath salts and goes on a depraved cannibalistic rampage while the rest of the gang take shrooms and hallucinate about horrible little mushroom shaped mascot character rejects
 

Thoraxes

Member
I wouldn't consider 'memorability' to necessarily be an integral part to a shows soundscape. Memorable tracks certainly have their place in any series but you can have a variety of musical choices that simply enhance the visuals, or help to build moon on their own. For example, a lot of the audio work in horror films has that intriguing mix of strange ambient noises and music that work in tandem to make the audience feel very uncomfortable - I wouldn't call that music 'memorable' (beyond, say, the Halloween theme) but it is generally affective. I really can't say the same for the music in Magi.
I wasn't sure how you were defining it. I'm so used to reading about people speak of humming tunes when using the term, so I am glad you clarified further.
 
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