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[Jex]

Did you read what I said about it?
This! Exactly this! Sometimes the absence of a personalized living space tells you just as much as a personalized living space. Before I had attributed her living space as reflecting her personality and where she was at that point mentally, now that insight into her character has been retconned as nothing more than pure laziness or lack of time. That's kind of insulting. [...]

To be fair to most...anime (?) it's rate to see such a significant change for a BD release, usually they're just touching up animation and making corrections here and there. Of course, in this case it's actually pretty major and somewhat confusing, because now the original intent (if there was any) is now confused. We can't tell what anything was meant to mean.

Why are people rotating their avatars again? It's so goddamn hard to tell who's who when they doing that.

You haven't learnt our names yet?

 

[Steroyd]

Spoiler

I never understood the big deal about episode 3 for the following reasons
- The show was already dark with themes like suicide (some woman possessed by monster to jump out of some building).
- her death was already foreshadowed with black hair girl telling her don?t face monster alone you can?t beat it alone we have to team up or where screwed and her not listening.
- Blonde magic girl had very little screen time before her death, hard to care about a character you didn?t really even know and the character have also just met.
But what I did find surprising was the way she died, she died there on the spot.

It was no Level E episode 3

Spoiler

surprise tone shift

Given that it was a magical girl anime they could have quite easily bullshitted out of something like that, which was the norm for the genre to me (much like when a character gets killed/decapitated limbs in a typical shounen).

 

[Jex]

I don't remember that. She was pretty excited by

Spoiler

loli snake stripping for that ign joke

.

One again, just the sentences that one can write about Bakemonogatari sound totally insane, even in context.

 

[Noirulus]

Deconstructions are meant to challenge the underlying assumptions of a genre or trope. By grappling with the implications of those tropes/assumptions, the viewer hopefully learns something about the genre and its relation to actual reality.

Evangelion deconstructs mecha by making the destined child hero pilots actually act like immature children. The Urobuchi Gen-penned Saya no Uta (true proof of how fucked up he is) deconstructs eroge by questioning the relationship between the protagonist and his true love. Madoka deconstructs the magical girl genre by focusing on the contract between girl and magical being.

At least, that's my understanding, and I don't think TVTropes contradicts it.

Noirulus, you are watching shows fast.

I might be thinking too much, but I think you're trying to say that I made my conclusion too quick? (On Madoka being a deconstruction)

Well, I can finally see a big enough picture to understand that the focus is on the bolded.

Madoka 7

Spoiler

Especially episode 7, which i've just finished, seems to be all about the consequences that the girls' face/have faced in return for accepting the contract. Also, Madoka still hasn't become a Magi.. perhaps she never will. >_>

 

[PdotMichael]

You mean Yohko.

No, Yoiko, from the director of Baccano.

both are great animes, so we all win

 

[Jex]

I just realized that between Nisemonogatari this season and Medaka Box the next, that's two straight seasons of NisiOisiN adaptations. Wonderful!

Truly, there is no escape from the Nis. Mandoric must be thrilled.

 

[BluWacky]

You all are having this argument again? Really?

I didn't have it last time.

Besides, it's either that or continuing to try and plow through Star Driver. WHY IS IT SO WELL ANIMATED BUT BORING AS HELL?

 

[Steroyd]

You mean Yohko.
http://i.imgur.com/uixus.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Thanks to your spelling mistake I might be adding to my backlog, thanks for that.

 

[Jex]

I didn't have it last time.

Besides, it's either that or continuing to try and plow through Star Driver. WHY IS IT SO WELL ANIMATED BUT BORING AS HELL?

I don't want you to waste your life, so I recommend skipping right to the end of the show. Very little inbetween is worth watching.

Princess Tutu 11:

This cartoon has become a completely different thing than what I was expecting. It feels very little like an anime and a lot like an actual play/ballet piece. Plus, it is beautifully made (when CGI is not at work). Marvelous.

I'm not sure what's caused the resurgent interest in Princess Tutu over the last few weeks, I suppose I'll have to attribute it to the resurgent interest in Utena combined with the power of DrForester. Either way, I'm glad that people are experiencing the magic.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

When people say "deconstruction", they tend to mean "how would this play out in real life instead of happy happy la la fantasy land". For Madoka, Urobochi is looking at what might happen if little girls made agreements with cute mascots to fight monsters and it was all horribly depressing instead of relatively light hearted - not necessarily "real life" but given that most otaku think real life is depressing perhaps that's what they're going for by using the term.

I don't think it is so much about 'what would it be like in real life', but more about breaking down the fundamental concepts of a genre that people don't really tend to give a second thought to, and examining them more closely.

Typically, getting your wishes granted is viewed as a happy thing, but Madoka looks at what the downside of that would be. Not so much (what would it be like in 'real life'), but simply looking at the other side of the coin. It does a similar thing for the concept of 'fighting evil'.

 

[Hellsing321]

I didn't have it last time.

Besides, it's either that or continuing to try and plow through Star Driver. WHY IS IT SO WELL ANIMATED BUT BORING AS HELL?

Because BONES. And I guess its Enokido's fault too.

 

[cajunator]

To be fair to most...anime (?) it's rate to see such a significant change for a BD release, usually they're just touching up animation and making corrections here and there. Of course, in this case it's actually pretty major and somewhat confusing, because now the original intent (if there was any) is now confused. We can't tell what anything was meant to mean.


You haven't learnt our names yet?

see also: The changes in ROD TV. Lots of stuff changed and cleaned up. Even more books.
Even more awesome.

Thanks to your spelling mistake I might be adding to my backlog, thanks for that.

Wasnt a mistake. I know what he meant. Yohko is better though.

I don't want you to waste your life, so I recommend skipping right to the end of the show. Very little inbetween is worth watching.

I'm not sure what's caused the resurgent interest in Princess Tutu over the last few weeks, I suppose I'll have to attribute it to the resurgent interest in Utena combined with the power of DrForester. Either way, I'm glad that people are experiencing the magic.

I hope I was at least partly to blame for its resurgence.
It deserves to be seen.

 

[Jex]

K-ON! 7

Isn't sisterly love so heartwarming?

Not according to the material that I've consulted.

 

[Dresden]

Spoiler

I never understood the big deal about episode 3 for the following reasons
- The show was already dark with themes like suicide (some woman possessed by monster to jump out of some building).
- her death was already foreshadowed with black hair girl telling her don’t face monster alone you can’t beat it alone we have to team up or where screwed and her not listening.
- Blonde magic girl had very little screen time before her death, hard to care about a character you didn’t really even know and the characters have also just met.

But what I did find surprising was the way she died, she died there on the spot.

anyways I droped it after that episode it wasn't enough to keep me watching(too much shaft and ugly for me).

It was no Level E episode 3

Spoiler

surprise tone shift

It's not complicated. There's a 'twist' in that episode which makes the use of that gif appropriate. The quality or trickiness of the twist itself isn't important.

 

[hellclerk]

The best pilots for Gundam.

I would watch the shit out of that. I would watch the shit out of that sooooo hard. O__O

You mean best, right?

Ritsu > Mugi > Mio > Yui >>>>>>>>> Azusa

This is about the 500th time I've ranked K-On characters (even though I've totally never seen it)

Yui > Ritsu > Mugi > Mio > Azusa

Azu-nyan =Ritsu > Mio > Mugi > Yui > Azusa

I love how everyone has their own K-ON! ratings. For me it's always been Ritsu > Azu-nyan = Yui >Mio > Azusa > Mugi

Mugi's awesome and a bro and all, it's always just felt like she's a sort of a dull enigma. As a moe, she's awesome, but as a character, It's always been kinda eh.

Spoiler

And Ritsu is mai waifu :3

 

[Jex]

You all are having this argument again? Really?

I'm sorry, would you prefer people ranked K-On girls instead?

 

[DrForester]

I don't want you to waste your life, so I recommend skipping right to the end of the show. Very little inbetween is worth watching.

I'm not sure what's caused the resurgent interest in Princess Tutu over the last few weeks, I suppose I'll have to attribute it to the resurgent interest in Utena combined with the power of DrForester. Either way, I'm glad that people are experiencing the magic.

There are more than enough Tutu supporters, it wasn't just me.

I still think Hameln needs to be this years goal.

 

[cajunator]

I would watch the shit out of that. I would watch the shit out of that sooooo hard. O__O






I love how everyone has their own K-ON! ratings. For me it's always been Ritsu > Azu-nyan = Yui >Mio > Azusa > Mugi

Mugi's awesome and a bro and all, it's always just felt like she's a sort of a dull enigma. As a moe, she's awesome, but as a character, It's always been kinda eh.

Spoiler

And Ritsu is mai waifu :3

Good so we agree that azu-nyan and azusa are two different entities entirely and should be classified as such.

I'm sorry, would you prefer people ranked K-On girls instead?

Well, we could always have a Negima girls ranking. Wait. No. Forget I fucking said that.

 

[Jex]

Now check out Dead Leaves.

Or Ergo Proxy.

Hey, they both leave people saying 'what?'. I guess the difference being that what 'FLCL' actually "means" is pretty obvious in that it doesn't reference Leibniz's monad (associated metaphysics.)

 

[trejo]

I see we're having the same tired old arguments all over again. Animugaf really is cyclical.

 

[Jex]

I see we're having the same tired old arguments all over again. Animugaf really is cyclical.

Now all we need is someone to post a picture of "the AnimeGAF cycle" and then someone else to post a picture of "the AnimeGAF cycle" that includes, near the beginning/end someone posting a picture of "the AnimeGAF cycle" as part of the cycle itself.

If you know what I mean.

To be fair, we had bingo cards earlier.

 

[darkside31337]

Sometimes I feel like this thread is on repeat.

Looking forward to checking out Brave 10 now.

 

[Jex]

There are more than enough Tutu supporters, it wasn't just me.

Spoiler

I still think Hameln needs to be this years goal.

Oh certainly, more support for the finest music anime ever made is required.

 

[Morris]

*wipes tears off*

Steins;Gate 21 - 24
Well, that was a crazy and awesome ride.

Spoiler

And it all ended up working out! I was expecting a sad finale, honestly.

Hyped for the movie/ova now. I'm gonna miss Mayushii's moe until then

 

[darkside31337]

Oh certainly, more support for the finest music anime ever made is required.

Are we talking about Nodame or NANA?

 

[trejo]

Oh certainly, more support for the finest music anime ever made is required.

Don't be silly. You know full well K-On is the actual finest music anime ev- yeah, I can't finish that sentence.

 

[Jex]

The fuck is a deconstruction anyway?

Uh-oh.

Bakemonogatari 5

It may make me a terrible person, but even with copious amounts of loli snail action and sexual harassment jokes (see above), I really enjoyed this episode. This is what Key would be like if Key shows were kinda nutty, fun to watch, and if they ever had protagonists with a pulse.

I think you mean 'as a direct consequence'. Anyhoo, I'm glad you're enjoying it. It's always warms the heart to see someone actually enjoying a recommendation, especially when most of the time they are designed to make icarus-daedelus suffer. Which, while amusing from a distance isn't good all the time.

 

[cajunator]

I liked Piano. It was so :firehawk

 

[Jex]

Are we talking about Nodame or NANA?

Oh, you can look at that spoiler I quoted. We're just talking about Violinist of Hameln.

Don't be silly. You know full well K-On is the actual finest music anime ev- yeah, I can't finish that sentence.

They don't even play that much music!

 

[Hitokage]

Sometimes I feel like this thread is on repeat.

This too is part of it.

 

[darkside31337]

Oh, you can look at that spoiler I quoted. We're just talking about Violinist of Hameln

Is this some sick joke recommendation along the lines of School Days / Arjuna or are you actually being serious? Have never seen this series myself.

 

[Jex]

First we need to identify the core aspects of a magical girl show. Is it the cute outfits? The magicks? The villains?

Double uh-oh.

If we don't know what a magical girl show is or what a deconstruction is then HOW can we know if Madoka is a deconstruction of the magical girl genre? I feel like the ground is slipping away and I don't know what's real any-more.

you are analyzing this stuff way too much.
Although that particular show does warrant analysis, which made it interesting.

See what I mean?

I don't want to say check tv tropes, but check tv tropes.

Now now, this isn't always the solution! TV Tropes has ideas about what things are but I wouldn't want to go around using them as a reference.

 

[trejo]

Oh, you can look at that spoiler I quoted. We're just talking about Violinist of Hameln.

Which is something that everyone should watch, at some point. Preferably at some point during this season.

They don't even play that much music!

Of course not. Why give the moeblobs a goal to work towards when they could be drinking tea and eating cake and doing the things that moeblobs are wont to do?

 

[Jex]

Is this some sick joke recommendation along the lines of School Days / Arjuna or are you actually being serious? Have never seen this series myself.

Who, me? I thought you liked Arjuna anyhow?

But yes, that's a serious recommendation. The Violinist of Hameln is a pretty great fantasy show, and the anime adaptation was written by the god of giant robots (and melodramatic twists) Yasuhiro Imagawa.

 

[trejo]

It also has a dude who fights using a piano. A piano he lugs around on his back everywhere.

 

[jman2050]

I'm sorry, would you prefer people ranked K-On girls instead?

I give, I give. No mas.

Deconstruction arguments any time!

 

[Solune]

I had to leave her out of the rankings, but it's pretty clear Yui'd function even less like a proper human being without Ui around and for that we should thank her.

I was actually referring to the way Yui calls out Ui's name :lol. Although Ui herself is the best imouto.

Of course. Does that make us both psychotic virgins?

You know, I was expecting a completely tsundere reply, why doesn't GAF work like anime?!

This is good to hear.

If it ends up that you agree with me once you've finished that arc we can be nakama!

 

[Jex]

I figured now would be a good time to catch up on Bakemonogatari as well (so I can see if Nise is worth it), but I could also use a few other recommendations to fill out the week. I've been out of the loop for a while, and even when I was in the loop, I wasn't really in it, so I'm sure there's a lot I missed. I'm sure if I just limit it to 2009 onwards, I'll have more than enough good shows.

Here's what I'll vouch for within that time period.

2009:
Aoi Bungaku (Anthology series containing adaptations of classic Japanese literature; unique and varied with some fantastic segments)
K-ON! (Amazing production values, pleasant watch)
Spice and Wolf II (Continuation of the story about economics and wolf gods; excellent rapport between the two leads)
Trapeze (Fantastic examination of mental illness with a unique visual style)

2010:
Durarara!! (Not as good as Baccano, but still has an enjoyable cast of characters whose interactions are fun to watch)
Shiki (Slow but atmospheric start, wonky hair, interesting take on vampires)
Time of Eve (movie version is the one to watch; well-directed examination of the relationship between humans and androids in a world built on Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics)

2011: (I'll leave out shows you listed in the AotY thread)
Fireball Charming (CG shorts about the interaction between a robot duchess and her robot butler which are, well, charming)
Hanasaku Iroha (Some weak episodes, but worth watching for the satisfying way the character drama comes together in the middle and end)
Level E (Hilarious comedy with a memorable main character)
Wandering Son (Excellent direction and art, sensitive and mature character drama centered around gender identity issues and puberty)
Young Animators Training Projects (4 shorts all worth watching; Kizuna Ichigeki and Ojisan no Lamp are the best)

Currently airing:

Chihayafuru (Well-directed and moving show about a girl, a card game, and the romance that brought them together)
Gintama (Still the best anime comedy, 240 episodes later)
Natsume's Book of Friends Season 4 (Only the first episode has aired, but it lives up to the Natsume name so far. Watch the first two seasons if you haven't; the third isn't as well-regarded.)

I can and will vouch for every single show here which is annoying because now all my recommendations have been stolen.

I would also squeeze in Michiko e Hatchin from 2008 because not enough people have seen that one and Aoi Hana from 2009 (which is written by the same manga author as Wandering Son).

 

[cajunator]

I still think Sora No Woto has some of the greatest anime music ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr_JoLgbnqw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOoSKHBmLg8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtkEIaVafdY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOmSdSgAxlU

AND THEN IT HAS AN ENDING SONG THAT IS HNNNGH AS FUCK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGjH5mRo1WA

 

[Hitokage]

Is this some sick joke recommendation along the lines of School Days / Arjuna or are you actually being serious? Have never seen this series myself.

Hameln is a legitimately great show outside the poor framerate.

 

[sonicmj1]

I don't think it is so much about 'what would it be like in real life', but more about breaking down the fundamental concepts of a genre that people don't really tend to give a second thought to, and examining them more closely.

Typically, getting your wishes granted is viewed as a happy thing, but Madoka looks at what the downside of that would be. Not so much (what would it be like in 'real life'), but simply looking at the other side of the coin. It does a similar thing for the concept of 'fighting evil'.

I think this is right, but...

Double uh-oh.

If we don't know what a magical girl show is or what a deconstruction is then HOW can we know if Madoka is a deconstruction of the magical girl genre? I feel like the ground is slipping away and I don't know what's real any-more.


See what I mean?

I need Jex to pull out his anime PhD and tell me what reality is like so I don't slip into some swimmy abstract metaphorical dream.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Double uh-oh.

If we don't know what a magical girl show is or what a deconstruction is then HOW can we know if Madoka is a deconstruction of the magical girl genre? I feel like the ground is slipping away and I don't know what's real any-more.

That was my point, more or less.

None of those things are the core aspects of a magical girl show. In Princess Knight, for instance, which is normally considered to be "magical girl", Princess Sapphire doesn't have any magical powers at all. Mysterious Akko-chan, as with many magical girls, is given the power to transform herself - but not into a crime-fighter, just whatever she wants.

When people say "deconstruction", they tend to mean "how would this play out in real life instead of happy happy la la fantasy land". For Madoka, Urobochi is looking at what might happen if little girls made agreements with cute mascots to fight monsters and it was all horribly depressing instead of relatively light hearted - not necessarily "real life" but given that most otaku think real life is depressing perhaps that's what they're going for by using the term.

Evangelion is seen as being a "deconstruction" of the mecha genre, but it's closer to putting a bunch of very unhappy/messed up people into the story. Darker And Edgier, as TV Tropes would have it - but not necessarily deconstructive.

This is far clearer to me than reading the TV Tropes page on deconstruction!

I'm not sure what's caused the resurgent interest in Princess Tutu over the last few weeks, I suppose I'll have to attribute it to the resurgent interest in Utena combined with the power of DrForester. Either way, I'm glad that people are experiencing the magic.

It was fifteen bucks in rightstuf. //shrugs

 

[trejo]

Also, because you lot need to be reminded every so often, this is the factual best version of Renai Circulation.

 

[Jex]

To replicate the full experience, watch up to episode 10, stop, and then slowly descend into madness for a month and a half before continuing.

To really get the full experience you need to be crazy at the same time as everyone else to induce the correct amount of group hysteria.

 

[Noirulus]

Did I perhaps step on a landmine? I shouldn't have brought up "deconstruction" while having such vague knowledge of the meaning behind it.

 

[darkside31337]

Who, me? I thought you liked Arjuna anyhow?

But yes, that's a serious recommendation. The Violinist of Hameln is a pretty great fantasy show, and the anime adaptation was written by the god of giant robots (and melodramatic twists) Yasuhiro Imagawa.

Arjuna was interesting. I found myself nodding along where most people watching this show wouldn't be nodding. An anime with a strong environmental theme is always welcome but Arjuna was kind of disappointing.

If the show was intended to raise questions within oneself and to create awareness towards real life problems then it kind of failed, it really does paint environmentalists in a bad light, almost like it's an actual cult, as if it was an introduction into the world of Scientology.

I really wanted to like this show. There aren't very many series which are even slightly geared towards making a tree-hugging vegetarian happy at all. But in the end it was still worth watching, down with sinburgers.

 

[Jex]

I need Jex to pull out his anime PhD and tell me what reality is like so I don't slip into some swimmy abstract metaphorical dream.

The real shocker is that it's not like anything that's been discussed so far and in fact isn't that relevant to the discussion at hand! As I'm sure 7th would like to remind everyone.

 

[cajunator]

Also, because you lot need to be reminded every so often, this is the factual best version of Renai Circulation.

You know, he's right.
NORRRRRRRRRRRIO WAKOMOTO

 

[Steroyd]

I love how everyone has their own K-ON! ratings. For me it's always been Ritsu > Azu-nyan = Yui >Mio > Azusa > Mugi

Mugi's awesome and a bro and all, it's always just felt like she's a sort of a dull enigma. As a moe, she's awesome, but as a character, It's always been kinda eh.

Spoiler

And Ritsu is mai waifu :3

I've always thought Ritsu is at her best when teamed up with someone particularly Yui, compared to when she's on her own, like Joey from Friends.

 

[Jex]

Arjuna was interesting. I found myself nodding along where most people watching this show wouldn't be nodding. An anime with a strong environmental theme is always welcome but Arjuna was kind of disappointing.

If the show was intended to raise questions within oneself and to create awareness towards real life problems then it kind of failed, it really does paint environmentalists in a bad light, almost like it's an actual cult, as if it was an introduction into the world of Scientology.

Well, to be fair, the people the director were involved with were pretty culti-sh. It's best to stick with someone less crazy, like Miyazaki.

I really wanted to like this show. There aren't very many series which are even slightly geared towards making a tree-hugging vegetarian happy at all. But in the end it was still worth watching, down with sinburgers.

In the end most shows wouldn't want to risk alienating their audience.