190 replies to this topic

[Adam Wednesdays]

I thought that name sounded familiar. The makers of that show really never met a joke they won't take to far, have they?





Also, I tried watching "Eureka 7" again recently, because people always seem surprised that I hated it when I watched it before. Gave up after about five episodes this time. And I didn't even make it to my least favorite characters (those fucking little kids...).

[Ogul]

Penguindrum has gotten very. . . creepy.

Edited by Ogul, 23 October 2011 - 12:33 PM.

[The Lorcan Nagle]

Only once per episode?

I've watched a couple more episodes (including the last one, which was apparently made purposely too offensive to be shown on TV... I'd believe it), and I can't decide whether this is incomprehensible garbage, or good silly fun that's only partly incomprehensible. Though I suppose that's probably the point.

At least once per episode! And liek Ogul says, Puni Puni Poemi is Excel Saga taken up to Eleven. It's incredibly twisted but hillarious (The dominatrix whipping her sisters while straddling a vaulting horse shape like the White Base from Gundam, for example)

[Adam Wednesdays]

Penguindrum has gotten very. . . creepy.

Yeah, a little bit.

I'm still really enjoying it. But yeah, it's gotten pretty dark. Even with the ping-pong battle sequences.

[Adam Wednesdays]

So I took Ogul's challenge, and I watched "Puni Puni Poemy." That was all kinds of wrong, but I did laugh quite a bit. And good lord, that woman can talk fast.



I've also been watching Death Note. I've seen all the episodes before, but highly out of order, so its interesting to see how all the pieces actually fit together. The first 10 episodes or so are the best, definitely. By the end there have been a couple of real WTF moments in the plotting, like

Spoiler

a mob base in the desert with its own missile launcher? really?

but it is a lot of fun.

[Ogul]

I've also been watching Death Note. I've seen all the episodes before, but highly out of order, so its interesting to see how all the pieces actually fit together. The first 10 episodes or so are the best, definitely. By the end there have been a couple of real WTF moments in the plotting, like

There's very little as amusing as watching Japanese mangaka/anime directors trying to depict America/Americans. I think Shaman King did it best, where pretty much everything was either city or desert.

Anyways, new episode of Penguindrum got back on track, full of funny stuff.

I also started watching Guilty Crown, which is the new high-quality sci-fi action series. The plotting seems to be a bit basic, I mean it's not super intelligent. but it's fun and interesting and pretty.

[Ogul]

Ok, so I'm really enjoying Guilty Crown. It seems to be the new "fancy" anime of the season, with the flashing animation and designs. It uses some sketchy computer stuff, like a gradient highlight in the hair, and some swirly lines when the main character uses his ability, but overall it still has a clean and high quality look to it, a bit similar to GitS. The plot is similar to Code Geass, in that Japan has been taken over, only in this one the main character is more a lackey in the rebel organization than the leader of it, and the foreign force is at least a little more rational (but still a bit overly "Imperial Japanese" to accurately reflect any modern government, what's up with that?)

Anyways, the action is cool, the character designs are crisp, it has some light fan service but certainly not to the level of the worst offenders, and some decent comedy as well. The main character ends up with the ability to pull sci-fi weapons out of people that sort of reflect their personalities, with the goto weapon being a sword that he pulls from the female lead. It's a fun mechanic to play with.

Overall this is a heavy season, I think Guilty Crown is my favorite show currently on, then Penguindrum, then Persona, which is a bit formulaic at the moment but still fun and pretty, then Fate Zero, which started too slowly for my tastes but did improve over time, and Gundam Age, which has a solid plot, and surprisingly mature given how 'toony the designs are. I am watching HXH, which is just a rehash of the old series, but it's been long enough I can enjoy it again, and I was watching Phi-Brain, but it dropped to the bottom of my list, too formula, and weak animation. Oh, and Bakuman, which is stil fun, but sooo far behind the manga. At least one of the two is required reading/viewing.

Edited by Ogul, 11 November 2011 - 12:51 PM.

[Adam Wednesdays]

the foreign force is at least a little more rational (but still a bit overly "Imperial Japanese" to accurately reflect any modern government, what's up with that?)

What's this "Imperial Japan" you speak of? If anime should have taught you anything, its that Japan has always been a peace-loving, well-respected country that American forces occupied because they are a)meanies b)imperialists or c) just kind of dumb. Or because they just couldn't stand how AWESOME (but totally peaceful and never war crime committing!) the Japanese army was and felt threatened by it...

[Ogul]

What's this "Imperial Japan" you speak of? If anime should have taught you anything, its that Japan has always been a peace-loving, well-respected country that American forces occupied because they are a)meanies b)imperialists or c) just kind of dumb. Or because they just couldn't stand how AWESOME (but totally peaceful and never war crime committing!) the Japanese army was and felt threatened by it...

Yeah, exactly. That's one thing that I just couldn't get past with Code Geass, and that kept me from watching past the first episode in the initial run (although I did get around to it in the dub run). They depicted the Anglo-forces as treating Japan exactly how Japan treated Korea and Manchuria during WWII, in a way that was either shockingly out of touch with their own history, or a satire that was far too subtle for it to register as such. Guilty Crown is very similar in that regard. If they intend it to be an admonishment of Imperial Japan then they need to be more clear about that, but if not, then they have a rather shocking persecution complex. It comes off as being about as tasteless as if white Americans made a series about Africans taking over the Us and selling white people into slavery and whatnot.

[T Masters]

I watched the first episode of Lelouch and wasn't a fan. I kind of hate that angry, disaffected warrior youth that was so trope once upon a time in Anime, and I don't like the robot-knight thingies either. Don't like the general design of the series.


Watched the first six episodes of Gantz as well and gave up on that too. Same deal in a lot of ways - unlikable lead character, however well characterised he is. I don't like the designs here either (the green onion aliens? Come on!) and the plot moves at a sluggish pace.



Still on the lookout for a decent, finite, Anime to occupy some time.Loved Monster, Death Note, GITS and Evangelion. Might check out Samurai Champloo.

[The Lorcan Nagle]

Gurren Lagann!

[T Masters]

Hmm... may check it out.

[João Cunha]

Gurren Lagann!

Gurren Lagann is Awesome. Simple like that. All the clichés put together in a perfect way, both as regards the story as animation and soundtrack. The only two animes that I see in the same level are Baccano and Stein's Gate (I would make a review about these two, but laziness is a powerful thing)

[Adam Wednesdays]

Gurren Lagann!

How did you know what I was watching? Are you spying on me, Lorcan?



I just finished it, and its a lot of silly fun. Especially if you play the "construct a subtext from the phallic symbolism" game.

Yeah, exactly. That's one thing that I just couldn't get past with Code Geass, and that kept me from watching past the first episode in the initial run (although I did get around to it in the dub run). They depicted the Anglo-forces as treating Japan exactly how Japan treated Korea and Manchuria during WWII, in a way that was either shockingly out of touch with their own history, or a satire that was far too subtle for it to register as such. Guilty Crown is very similar in that regard. If they intend it to be an admonishment of Imperial Japan then they need to be more clear about that, but if not, then they have a rather shocking persecution complex. It comes off as being about as tasteless as if white Americans made a series about Africans taking over the Us and selling white people into slavery and whatnot.

Haven't seen "Guilty Crown" so I can't comment, but as far as Code Geass goes, it's really ridiculous. I even love how even though it's the "Britanians" who invade the country, if you look at the map in the opening sequence the the Evil Empire is clearly based out of where the US is in the real world. And then all the waving Rising Sun flags disappearing and being torn down, and all the "OH POOR JAPAN, WHAT DID YOU EVER DO TO DESERVE HAVING THESE EVIL, MEAN OLD FOREIGNERS INVOLVED IN YOUR AFFAIRS?!" its pretty clear what the subtext they're trying to make is. And I kept saying to myself, "Something tells me if you showed this in Korea, they might look at this a liiiiiiiiiitle bit differently."

And don't get me wrong, I can understand why the younger generation would resent having such a heavy US presence occupying the country and maybe feeling like they're country needs a bit more independence in its destiny. But just from the little bit I've been exposed to, there's a pretty heavy current of historical revision going on as to why the situation is the way it is. The sort that comes from unthinking jingoism.

Edited by Adam Wednesdays, 13 November 2011 - 01:53 AM.

[Adam Wednesdays]

I also recently discovered the films of Makoto Shinkai, "Voices of a Distant Star," "The Place Promised In Our Early Days," and "5 Centimeters Per Second." I really like them; very nicely done meditations on separation and loss. But if you're expecting lots of explosions, scantily clad women with their tits bouncing around in front of the camera, and giant robots you'll probably be disappointed.

[João Cunha]

I also recently discovered the films of Makoto Shinkai, "Voices of a Distant Star," "The Place Promised In Our Early Days," and "5 Centimeters Per Second." I really like them; very nicely done meditations on separation and loss. But if you're expecting lots of explosions, scantily clad women with their tits bouncing around in front of the camera, and giant robots you'll probably be disappointed.

Search for "She And Her Cat", it's a five minute film that he made in 2000. I think that along with 5 Centimeters Per Second, this movie express how brillant and skilled director Makoto Shinkai is.

[The Lorcan Nagle]

She and Her Cat is included on the Voices of a Distant Star DVD in R2 and I believe R1...

[Adam Wednesdays]

Search for "She And Her Cat", it's a five minute film that he made in 2000. I think that along with 5 Centimeters Per Second, this movie express how brillant and skilled director Makoto Shinkai is.

I knew I left something out! Yes, "She And Her Cat" is also definitely worth a watch.

[Stephen G]

and Gundam Age, which has a solid plot, and surprisingly mature given how 'toony the designs are.

This is the newest Gundam show, right?

Is it worth starting into? How many episodes have shown?

[Ogul]

Gundam Age is like 5-6 eps in right now. It's very confusing, not like hard to follow, but hard to get what they're trying to do with it. It had the same "war is bad" morality play stuff Gundam is known for, some occasional massacres and bloody violence, but the designs are so cartoony and so much of it definitely seems to be targeted at about five years younger than the typical Gundam show, and yet inappropriate for them at the same time. I just don't get it. Unless you're absolutely dead set on giant robots I would avoid it. If you do need a giant robot fix, Guilty Crown is better, and Last Exile also seems pretty fun (although I'm only two episodes in on that one).