• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Fall 2012 Anime |OT| Meet the new world, same as the old world

Status
Not open for further replies.

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
It's weird. I don't absolutely hate AO, but that may be because I've completely divorced it from the original series in my mind. It's by no means a great show, but it's been fun when taken on its own terms. I just kind of sit back, relax, and just watch the insanity taking place in front of me.

Oh? What do you think about Truth?
 

Pooya

Member
I watched first 5 or 6 episodes of E7AO but don't know what happened really, I thought it was pretty good but just stopped watching and forgot about it for no particular reason, I guess it didn't make me curious enough to care about it. similar thing happened with Guilty Crown to me too, later I found out I dodged a bullet with that one. looks like it happened again with AO? I have no idea about the plot of either still :p
 

Kagami

Member
You have to leave some survivors to report back on the massacre or no-one will know how horrific it is.

xtIIa.jpg

RUxTN.jpg
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
No but there was an American Werewolf in Paris!
Heh, I remember that. lol

All I'll say about From The New World is that I generally prefer introductions to a universe to happen later on... if at all. I'm not sure anything is gained by telling the audience that
people spontaneously exploded
before jumping into the main story. I just think the strength of the story should carry the world, not the other way around.
Then again, I am a fan of Aria and Sora no Woto I suppose.

And not following anything about this show, just based on the first episode it's feeling a little bit like Ender's Game. I hope the crazy right wing stuff isn't in this series though!
 

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
AnimuGAF is getting cocky because they finally have something to look forward to (JoJo and Magi).
I'm crossing the streams because ManGAF sure knows how to drive the knife in. :(
For what? Stating the truth? You're welcome. LOLOLOLOLl.
It's okay, I'm impervious to bad taste.
That's true - this is the first time I've ever seen people nailed to the door of the town hall, as it were.
I sense a slight air of morbid satisfaction coming from you.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
I watched first 5 or 6 episodes of E7AO but don't know what happened really, I thought it was pretty good but just stopped watching and forgot about it for no particular reason, I guess it didn't make me curious enough to care about it. similar thing happened with Guilty Crown to me too, later I found out I dodged a bullet with that one. looks like it happened again with AO? I have no idea about the plot of either still :p

It gets bad starting from episode 14.
 
Code Geass:Akito the Exiled 01
Overall, I sort of hated it. I may give the second episode a shot and see if they can pull off something interesting, since a 4 episode OVA is such a minimal time commitment, but so far this show has been nothing but a disappointment.

Yeah I dont think I like any of the Knightmare designs or whatever either at this point in time. Hopefully a few more are introduced.
 

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
Have you always been a Chet clo... a K-ON! fan, or did your new avatar really change your brain that much?
K-ON! is an okay animu.
K-ON!! is teh best animu of recent times.
K-ON! The Film is doki doki, :firehawk, cajun-approved, and, sometimes, shitty CGIed.
 

Maedhros

Member
Sword Art Online 13

Very nice episode. Kirito faces were hilarious on the first half. The second half talking a bit about what is happening with their real corpses was nice too. I don't see a problem with CG on animes, but the monster was a bit underwhelming, even though the design was very cool. Since I know what will happen next episode, I'm really looking forward it and
it's bullshit ending
.

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica

Now that's a shitty anime... goddamit, why did I even watched this? Not even the ecchi elements were good.

Binbougami Ga 13

It was a nice ending episode. The anime by itself was very average. I don't think that they explored it's potential. And since it's selling like shit, I doubt we'll see a new season. 7.0/10

Nichijou 2

Hey... my first laugh (on the interaction between the robot and the scientist). But that's that... If it doesn't get any better next episode, I'll drop it under the same bridge I dropped K-ON.

I'll post more impressions later.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
Sword Art Online 13

Very nice episode. Kirito faces were hilarious on the first half. The second half talking a bit about what is happening with their real corpses was nice too. I don't see a problem with CG on animes, but the monster was a bit underwhelming, even though the design was very cool. Since I know what will happen next episode, I'm really looking forward it and
it's bullshit ending
.

I await this coming weekend just to see the rofls and rage of SAO. YESSSS
 

yami4ct

Member
Unfortunately, I also dislike it alot. Nothing about it just looks that good to me especially in comparison to all the other mechs and gundams that we have seen this year. It just needs something more to it, and the chest makes it look kind of girlish.

It's the head for me. It looks like someone ripped the head off a child's doll, put some metallic paint on it, and stuck it on a giant mech.
 
All I'll say about From The New World is that I generally prefer introductions to a universe to happen later on... if at all. I'm not sure anything is gained by telling the audience that
people spontaneously exploded
before jumping into the main story. I just think the strength of the story should carry the world, not the other way around.

I think the purpose of that sequence is to establish that the fictional world presented in From the New World is meant to derive from our present-day reality - it's the point of divergence, as it were. It sets up the central mystery of "What happened to change society from what we know right now to what Saki knows?" That'll be gradually unpacked as the series progresses.
 

Dennis

Banned
Sword Art Online seems to be the new hotness.

So I guess that is one new show to take a chance on, right?

Also, I am quite the art whore so which is the most beautiful of the new/current running shows?

Be sure to watch the movie afterwards for an alternate version.

Yeah, I will.
 

BluWacky

Member
All I'll say about From The New World is that I generally prefer introductions to a universe to happen later on... if at all. I'm not sure anything is gained by telling the audience that
people spontaneously exploded
before jumping into the main story. I just think the strength of the story should carry the world, not the other way around.

While to an extent I agree that I think introductions like this "give the game away" too quickly, I think I agree with Hosanna that the sequence here is need to ground the story with a basis for the audience to work from. It's like, say, the opening sequence of Game of Thrones flying you around the map of Westeros. What you can establish very quickly in text is not always so easy to do - or so easy to accept - on screen.
 

survivor

Banned
Moyashimon Returns 4

And thus begins the
Haruka Retrieval
arc. I was wondering when we will see more of her cause she barely had any screentime in the previous episodes. Oikawa
ended up not believing Sawaki. I should have known she was gonna think he was joking. I wonder why he didn't press the subject any further. Like is he still gonna try to not talk to microbes in front of her? I hope they touch on the subject again in the future.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
Sword Art Online seems to be the new hotness.

So I guess that is one new show to take a chance on, right?

Also, I am quite the art whore so which is the most beautiful of the new/current running shows?



Yeah, I will.

Watch Accel World first then SAO.

I thought these things were clear by now. Perhaps a small guide is in order:

A) Piracy
B) Gender Issues
C) Religion
D) Politics
E) Tipping

Tipping? Like... leaving a tip at a restaurant?
 

Jarmel

Banned
I thought these things were clear by now. Perhaps a small guide is in order:

A) Piracy
B) Gender Issues
C) Religion
D) Politics
E) Tipping

Never seen anyone banned in a tipping thread.

Sword Art Online seems to be the new hotness.

So I guess that is one new show to take a chance on, right?

Also, I am quite the art whore so which is the most beautiful of the new/current running shows?

I don't know which shows you've seen this year but the three that would stand out the most on art level, and are also good, would probably be Hyouka, Fate/Zero, and Tsuritama.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
I think the purpose of that sequence is to establish that the fictional world presented in From the New World is meant to derive from our present-day reality - it's the point of divergence, as it were. It sets up the central mystery of "What happened to change society from what we know right now to what Saki knows?" That'll be gradually unpacked as the series progresses.

Oh sure, but I assume it's something that the characters inside the story don't know... so is there any specific reason for that dramatic irony? Or to distance the audience right when the episode starts?

Of course this is the problem with thinking about serialized television as it airs - there may be a good reason as the series progresses - but it's a strangely academic way to start a show.

Funny enough, NBC's Revolution essentially starts off the same way before making a time jump (only 15 years though :p), just to show the disaster happening. And I don't know if anything is gained from that either.

While to an extent I agree that I think introductions like this "give the game away" too quickly, I think I agree with Hosanna that the sequence here is need to ground the story with a basis for the audience to work from. It's like, say, the opening sequence of Game of Thrones flying you around the map of Westeros. What you can establish very quickly in text is not always so easy to do - or so easy to accept - on screen.
Well, it would be as if they started Game of Thrones with a scene showing the
blond dude killing the old Mad King
. Or maybe if they showed what happened with the dragons or something.

Like, they could have just
done the map of Japan at the beginning
if they wanted to contextualize the series.

I assume we're supposed to wonder what happened in their version of our present and that the characters in the show will get there eventually... but I just don't know if it's necessary.
 
Sword Art Online seems to be the new hotness.

So I guess that is one new show to take a chance on, right?

I don't personally care for it; it's probably most enjoyable for people with a prior interest in MMOs.

Also, I am quite the art whore so which is the most beautiful of the new/current running shows?

The new season has only just started, but the first episode of From the New World certainly is visually impressive. If you go back to the last couple seasons, Hyouka is the prettiest show.
 

Soma

Member
Also, I am quite the art whore so which is the most beautiful of the new/current running shows?

Well, Hyouka just ended and that was one of the best looking anime in a long time. Opinions are pretty divided on it though but I think it's worth checking out.
 
Code Geass: Boukoku no Akito 01


Not wanted in their homeland or anywhere else, the OVA does an impressive job revealing the current state of affairs with the Japanese not only in the EU but effectively the world. This is how things are. Japanese are treated as social outcasts and do not have a place in the EU. They are regarded as mere exiles that happen to be living in EU. One can even draw the conclusion that this might've been a post-slavery America, though not as harsh. Even when considering the war, Japanese are simple expendables as the EU would rather have Japanese casualties and not worry rather than sacrifice their own kin.

I dont think that that is entirely accurate? Why else would they offer the JPN and their family citizenship if they truly were not as wanted as you say?
Thats what it seemed like the offer was for them to fight in the military based on the scene when Akito was in the graveyard reminiscing of his fallen comrades who gave their reasons for fighting


Akito, arguably mysterious even at the end of the OVA, comes front and center as both an awesome protagonist in both intellect and skill - and guts though its hard to discern if it's a matter the former two. His Japanese heritage makes him an expendable soldier in the EU and he is often mistreated or looked down upon by other EU soldiers. However, he doesn't let that get to him, though the real question is why that doesn't affect him. Akito appears toe be a very stern person with not much personality, however, it's clear that he cares for people despite what his appearances say otherwise. His need to protect others or cover for someone or to entertain Reila is a prime example. In addition, his sadistic nature comes into question as he often times grins. To say the least Akito is an enticing character. The most important question about Akito, however, is: Why does he fight? Akito jests "world peace" but what truly does that mean is a question can be asked throughout the entire OVA.

But you just answered that question in the first half, why does he fight? Because he has a need to protect others. I dont think he is really that mysterious as it seemed like we got to know him quite a bit. I think he himself is unclear as to what he wants to do beyond fighting or rather, what is his purpose in life. He may have intellectual talent but I think he unfortunately goes for the most harsh solution
offering to just kill Ryou no questions asked as itd be an inconvenience
 

Jarmel

Banned
Funny enough, NBC's Revolution essentially starts off the same way before making a time jump (only 15 years though :p), just to show the disaster happening. And I don't know if anything is gained from that either.

Depends on what you do with it. If the show is fashioned like a mystery then I think there is some value for the audience to be in the dark just as much as the actual characters are. It gives impact to some of the larger reveals.

I do however think there is also value in regards to giving background as it helps give context early on.
 

Pooya

Member
Sword Art Online seems to be the new hotness.

So I guess that is one new show to take a chance on, right?

Also, I am quite the art whore so which is the most beautiful of the new/current running show

If you're looking for very pretty shows certainly go watch Fate/Zero and Hyouka. Hyouka is like Crysis of anime right now :p not sure if you'll like the content though.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
I dont think that that is entirely accurate? Why else would they offer the JPN and their family citizenship if they truly were not as wanted as you say?
Thats what it seemed like the offer was for them to fight in the military based on the scene when Akito was in the graveyard reminiscing of his fallen comrades who gave their reasons for fighting




But you just answered that question in the first half, why does he fight? Because he has a need to protect others. I dont think he is really that mysterious as it seemed like we got to know him quite a bit. I think he himself is unclear as to what he wants to do beyond fighting or rather, what is his purpose in life. He may have intellectual talent but I think he unfortunately goes for the most harsh solution
offering to just kill Ryou no questions asked as itd be an inconvenience

I'm surprised you read! Thanks. Anyway, it's fairly accurate because even though they are not wanted, they can still join society through the means of their relatives fighting in the war. Even though they are regarded citizens, people will still look down on them as Elevens and there will still be that gap.

I'm saying that his actions and what goes on his minds are often times contradictory therefore creating the mysterious atmosphere around him.
 

kayos90

Tragic victim of fan death
Code Geass: Boukoku no Akito 01

I'm absolutely stunned. I really enjoyed this introduction of the new Code Geass installment and I actually find this much more intriguing than the style, premise, and narrative of the original series. However, it's hard to truly label this as Code Geass for me because it's not very Geass like but at the same time has hints here and there that truly resemble Geass.

As the information provides, this takes place in between the two Black Rebellions and I think it's a fitting setting considering it reveals the audience to two very important things that weren't revealed or explained upon at all in the original series: the status of the EU and the state of Japanese people.

The EU government and the country as a whole is littered with problems and this is quite a prominent theme from the beginning all the way to the end. Whether you're seeing the various political agendas of using Japanese people in the war against Britannians or the country's internal strife when dealing with democracy, it's clear the internal struggle of the country is affecting the war. We get very large peaks at how the EU countries are doing during the current state of affairs such as its situation with the aristocracy and poverty which lends to the current turmoil that's ravaging the union. It's quite haunting to see an entire city completely devoid of life but people scavenge around.

However, the EU isn't solely divided into just the poor and the rich. Rather it's much more complicated than that. Within the rich there is an even more delicate segregation: the politicians and the soldiers. While it's hard to call the latter rich, it's quite clear that they are living much more luxurious lives than its poorer population. Even though both parties are rich, they seem to almost exist exclusively apart from each other. Soldiers are on the battlefield fighting while the politicians celebrate with victory parties. This gives the audience a very deep interworkings of the EU as well as see that soldiers stand apart from politicians creating a different socio-ecosphere.

The poorer population is also similarly segregated and while the unfortunate EU citizens are hinted at, we get a larger focus on the most unfortunate of the bunch: Japanese. Those who saw both seasons of the original series might realize that they were quite blind when watching this OVA. The reason being is that, the Japanese didn't simply lose the war against Britannia but they lost the war against the world. By being essentially wiped off the map, having their pride stomped on, and their identity rewritten, they are a people no longer wanted anywhere.

Not wanted in their homeland or anywhere else, the OVA does an impressive job revealing the current state of affairs with the Japanese not only in the EU but effectively the world. This is how things are. Japanese are treated as social outcasts and do not have a place in the EU. They are regarded as mere exiles that happen to be living in EU. One can even draw the conclusion that this might've been a post-slavery America, though not as harsh. Even when considering the war, Japanese are simple expendables as the EU would rather have Japanese casualties and not worry rather than sacrifice their own kin.

The two important characters are easily Reila Malkal and Akito Hyuga. Despite spending only an hour with them, the audience can gain great insight into what they hold important and how their psyches work. At the same time, the OVA doesn't reveal so much that they get quickly boring. Reila, despite being uptight at first, is revealed to be much more caring and worrisome. It's clear that she doesn't hold EU's political system in high regard but at the same time has no choice but to abide by it. This stark contrast shows that she acts in two different ways. What results is how she acts in front of Akito and those she is close to and the politicians. It's hard to see where this character will end up in the end as she tries to form an opinion about Akito and the rest of the Japanese population.

Akito, arguably mysterious even at the end of the OVA, comes front and center as both an awesome protagonist in both intellect and skill - and guts though its hard to discern if it's a matter the former two. His Japanese heritage makes him an expendable soldier in the EU and he is often mistreated or looked down upon by other EU soldiers. However, he doesn't let that get to him, though the real question is why that doesn't affect him. Akito appears toe be a very stern person with not much personality, however, it's clear that he cares for people despite what his appearances say otherwise. His need to protect others or cover for someone or to entertain Reila is a prime example. In addition, his sadistic nature comes into question as he often times grins. To say the least Akito is an enticing character. The most important question about Akito, however, is: Why does he fight? Akito jests "world peace" but what truly does that mean is a question can be asked throughout the entire OVA.

Even as other Japanese people enter the fray, the idea of "world peace" is quite prevalent. What does this really mean? Is it for the Japanese? If it is then what would it look like and what is the agenda behind it to reach such a result?

If there is any with the main narrative is that it fails to capture where exactly this show is going to go. Is it the random battles and meandering of the W-0 Squad or is the show working towards a tragic end. There isn't any central conflict tying all this together other than defeating the Britannians, but this seems like a meaningless conflict for the OVA series as we know what happens to the EU at the end. Perhaps this show is more about how we get to the end rather than the actual end. Pacing is, fortunately, good for the series as there are battles and conversations that are all interesting littered throughout.

The visuals are somewhat mixed as I stood both amazed at the use of CG for fights but the overabundance of it made me hard to swallow it all. CG looks great. Whether it's the stylized fight scene with heavy use of shades in the beginning to the excellently choreographed mecha-fights, it's awesome. The character designs are fairly cool too.

Lastly, the music ranges from a somewhat jazzy saxaphone tune, perhaps reminiscent of the original series, to piano pieces. It's interesting because maybe this is trying to tie the heritage of classical piano pieces to many of the infamous European pianists. Who knows. Regardless, it was fitting and enjoyable.

Overall, I'd say this was splendidly done.

I want yall to tell me I'm wrong or it's a good analysis or comment cuz DTL is the only one who cares... T_T WHY NO COMMENT ON MY ESSAY GUYS?!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom