Support NeoGAF

[Line_HTX]

Witch Hunter Robin 26 + Final thoughts

Spoiler

Adom and Robin are an allegory for Adam and Eve that will begin the creation of new race of witches. The show doesn't outright say that but that's the implication.

Having re-watched the series, I'll admit Witch Hunter Robin wasn't as good as I thought it was back when I was younger. That said it's still a decent, underrated series, and it was nice to get a little bit of a nostalgia trip.

That actually didn't come across my mind when I rewatched it regarding Amon and Robin. I thought it was peculiar that the rest of the team left and were like... They've gone somewhere.

I agree that this was underrated though it wasn't as good, and happy that I found this when it aired on Adult Swim Action briefly. It made me think of the good Sunrise shows from back then that were not Gundam.

Some of the staff members were the same as SEED?

 

[Cornbread78]

I've already seen most of the latter and didn't really care for it. I even thought I'd give the novels a try but nope same result. I feel like it squandered it's interesting premise pretty quickly. Is season 2 any better? I might give Log Horizon a try sometime I've heard fairly good things about that.

I've heard of Clannad before but only when people say Keyshit. I'll admit I have no idea if that's a good or bad nickname for the show.

SAO is not for everyone, but I loved it. S2 is completely different from season 1 it's hard to compare, but it's got it ups and downs like anything else.

Log Horizon is very good as well, but does not try to pull the emotion card, and has 0 romance/shipping or a typical LN harem.

Clannad is "keyshit" greatness. Clannad (S1) is more of a school time SoL series full of comedy and drama the solely exists for character developement and to setup the events in Clannad After Story. It get very drama filled and VERY emotional, but I wouldn't take it any other way. There are very few anime out there that take life past HS and deal with real world isues, but Clannad does it all. It's worth it for the experience.


I just want everyone to experience what I love, lol.

 

[Key2001]

I like The Perfect Insider quite a bit. I feel like I'm the only one lol.

I have enjoyed watching it. I am not sure I would enjoy rewatching it after knowing everything but watching the series for the first time has been enjoyable (at least compared to most other anime this season).

Perfect Insider: 8

Spoiler

After the really annoying love competition conversation between Nishinosono and the other woman, we find out Red Magic was taken down because of a trojan. Someone apparently forgot to install Malwarebytes. Seriously though, for such a perfect system that sure is a gaping hole in the security. Also, this show sure drip feeds information to the audience. All I got out of that is that the one Nishinosono saw in the VR thing wasn't Magata. And I thought that I would get something moving forward after that weird inspiration flash with silly unnecessary imageries.

Overall not much happened

Spoiler

Was he just talking about the VR thing or also her previous meeting with Shiki? Edit: Never mind I see, had to watch the end of Ep7 again. The video feed of Shiki in the VR was distorted; which plays into who I think the other person in the room and Skiki's killer is.

Either way I think based on the hints that I figured out who killed her and who was in the room with her for ~15 years. Actually from the hints in this episode it starts to become really obvious

 

[Line_HTX]

SAO is not for everyone, but I loved it. S2 is completely different from season 1 it's hard to compare, but it's got it ups and downs like anything else.

Log Horizon is very good as well, but does not try to pull the emotion card, and has 0 romance/shipping or a typical LN harem.

Clannad is "keyshit" greatness. Clannad (S1) is more of a school time SoL series full of comedy and drama the solely exists for character developement and to setup the events in Clannad After Story. It get very drama filled and VERY emotional, but I wouldn't take it any other way. There are very few anime out there that take life past HS and deal with real world isues, but Clannad does it all. It's worth it for the experience.


I just want everyone to experience what I love, lol.

I don't know everything. I only know what I know.

I like what you like. Except some of the things you like.

>

 

[Angry Grimace]

SAO is not for everyone, but I loved it. S2 is completely different from season 1 it's hard to compare, but it's got it ups and downs like anything else.

I'm assuming this is a reference to the way the camera pans whenever Sinon is on screen?

 

[Shard]

The Perfect Insider Episode 8:

Dear Everything Becomes F, stop trying to make Saikawa-Nishinosono a major focus of a given episode as it usually goes nowhere interesting. Anyway, we get a few new clues to pad things out and I understand they have to do this but I can't help but thing Detective Conan would had this shit wrapped up in 2 episodes max.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Has any anime changed on a season by season basis in animation/art quality as drastically as some western shows?

I'm rewatching Venture Bros. with my friend and man season 1 in general just looks like ass, then season 2 is a drastic change and from then on it just keeps going up.

Sure, there's actual big studios behind these anime shows with years of experience vs what is likely a small team of animators using like flash in the west. But I'm curious if maybe an earlier long-running work from a studio started out in their humble years and as time passed by they developed their skills more and more and it shows.

 

[Cornbread78]

I'm assuming this is a reference to the way the camera pans whenever Sinon is on screen?

You likea dat Simon shot, huh? See virtual avatars can be fun right..

I don't know everything. I only know what I know.

Except I won't let you beat me with your huge boobs...

 

[pbayne]

People generally don't think R2 was well written. Geass is all about the spectacle and the 2nd half of R2 delivers that in spades.

But the kicker is I really enjoy the first season. Its a good, enjoyable mecha. Every character that isn't Lelouch or Suzaku is kinda meh but they are passable. And the writing is not too ambitious so it's easy to follow for the most part.

But all that goodwill just dissapears in R2. I dunno did they change writing teams halfway through? It just gets so needlessly complicated.

 

[Line_HTX]

You like dat Sinon shot, huh? See virtual avatars can be fun right..

Except I won't let you beat me with your huge boobs...

Sinon with her archery animation looks fierce.

Ougi says it too! And I bet Ougi dislikes your precious Tom.

OH-HOHOHOHOHO

 

[TUSR]

OH-HOHOHOHOHO

is this bait?

 

[Crocodile]

Has any anime changed on a season by season basis in animation/art quality as drastically as some western shows?

I'm rewatching Venture Bros. with my friend and man season 1 in general just looks like ass, then season 2 is a drastic change and from then on it just keeps going up.

Sure, there's actual big studios behind these anime shows with years of experience vs what is likely a small team of animators using like flash in the west. But I'm curious if maybe an earlier long-running work from a studio started out in their humble years and as time passed by they developed their skills more and more and it shows.

Fullmetal Panic > Fumuffu & Second Raid was a pretty big jump IMO. I'm sure there are other examples but that jumps to mind. I think some others said Symphogear has similar jumps between seasons.

But the kicker is I really enjoy the first season. Its a good, enjoyable mecha. Every character that isn't Lelouch or Suzaku is kinda meh but they are passable. And the writing is not too ambitious so it's easy to follow for the most part.

But all that goodwill just disappears in R2. I dunno did they change writing teams halfway through? It just gets so needlessly complicated.

I'd have to look up old interviews but I'm pretty sure I recall some executive meddling messing with R2. Like the sudden time slot switch I think prompted the beginning episodes of R2 is be kind of "recappy" in terms of setting and what not. I feel like I remember Rolo being a not originally planned addition to the cast. I also got the impression that they were blindsided by how popular Season 1 was, they didn't originally plane R2 and changed the ending to Season 1 to allow for R2. That could have been just a rumor though.

 

[Mature]

Has any anime changed on a season by season basis in animation/art quality as drastically as some western shows?

I'm rewatching Venture Bros. with my friend and man season 1 in general just looks like ass, then season 2 is a drastic change and from then on it just keeps going up.

Sure, there's actual big studios behind these anime shows with years of experience vs what is likely a small team of animators using like flash in the west. But I'm curious if maybe an earlier long-running work from a studio started out in their humble years and as time passed by they developed their skills more and more and it shows.

The progression of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is pretty big when you look back at Phantom Blood.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

The progression of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is pretty big when you look back at Phantom Blood.

Yeah if DP is going to follow the manga's art evolution then shit. Araki has the most drastic art evolution I've ever seen. Even before Steel Ball Run when it went monthly the change from part 1 to 6 is drastic.

 

[Thoraxes]

Witch Hunter Robin 26 + Final thoughts

Spoiler

Adom and Robin are an allegory for Adam and Eve that will begin the creation of new race of witches. The show doesn't outright say that but that's the implication.

Having re-watched the series, I'll admit Witch Hunter Robin wasn't as good as I thought it was back when I was younger. That said it's still a decent, underrated series, and it was nice to get a little bit of a nostalgia trip.

That Taku Iwasaki OST is so good on that show.

 

[Sölf]

Perfect Insider is my AOTS together with OPM. In our weekly stream we watch those two and Concrete Revolution (which feels like a weirder and weaker OPM) and Sakurako-san (which also feels like a way weaker mystery show than Perfect Insider). So, well, yeah.

 

[phaze]

Has any anime changed on a season by season basis in animation/art quality as drastically as some western shows?

I'm rewatching Venture Bros. with my friend and man season 1 in general just looks like ass, then season 2 is a drastic change and from then on it just keeps going up.

Sure, there's actual big studios behind these anime shows with years of experience vs what is likely a small team of animators using like flash in the west. But I'm curious if maybe an earlier long-running work from a studio started out in their humble years and as time passed by they developed their skills more and more and it shows.

(I'm going to assume you don't mind the change being in the opposite direction.)
Saint Seiya Omega went from bad to shittier.

Tokyo Ghoul went from decentish to really bad.

Gunslinger Girl goes through similar evolution from what I've read here.

 

[JCG]

But the kicker is I really enjoy the first season. Its a good, enjoyable mecha. Every character that isn't Lelouch or Suzaku is kinda meh but they are passable. And the writing is not too ambitious so it's easy to follow for the most part.

But all that goodwill just dissapears in R2. I dunno did they change writing teams halfway through? It just gets so needlessly complicated.

The same creative staff who worked on the first season made the second. Which is why I think the "this show is dumb, ergo the people responsible for it must be dumb too" line of reasoning is relatively weak and mostly unsupported by the out-of-universe evidence.

Honestly, what R2 does is take an early detour (an admittedly wasteful and artificially mandated one) before picking up the pace and pushing Lelouch and Suzaku along in a direction that the very end of the first season had already put on the map. It's even rather blatant, not exactly too subtle, when you look at the big picture of the entire show. If there's anything about this that really holds up, I'd say it is the dynamic between them.

I'd have to look up old interviews but I'm pretty sure I recall some executive meddling messing with R2. Like the sudden time slot switch I think prompted the beginning episodes of R2 is be kind of "recappy" in terms of setting and what not. I feel like I remember Rolo being a not originally planned addition to the cast. I also got the impression that they were blindsided by how popular Season 1 was, they didn't originally plane R2 and changed the ending to Season 1 to allow for R2. That could have been just a rumor though.

There is some truth to that, because Sunrise as a company was blindsided by the show's popularity and they changed the start of R2 to make the show "approachable" to new viewers. Rolo was something they came up with to match that requirement. There never was some sort of ultra-detailed plan for Code Geass because that's not how they were making it, not even during season one, but the creators did have an ending in mind. In their own words, R2's conclusion is essentially what they wanted. If the show had been cancelled before that, or limited to only one season, then they wouldn't have been able to reach it.

 

[BGBW]

Has any anime changed on a season by season basis in animation/art quality as drastically as some western shows?.

Not too drastic but Haruhi's art style changed between series.

Also The iDOLM@STER had an extreme change between the two series:

You'd have almost thought they were different shows.

 

[Busaiku]

Pokémon went through periods of good, bad, and now good again.
X/Y is probably the best it's looked, with Black/White being the worst.

I imagine other long running shows are the same.
And yeah, Digimon is one of them too.

 

[Sölf]

Code Geass 22
Well, shit son.

Spoiler

Like, holy shit! That went dark fast. In the end it will help Lelouche, but holy shit. Couldn't he have thought of anything else beside "Kill all Japanese"? You dun goofed, hard. Hard.

 

[TUSR]

Not too drastic but Haruhi's art style changed between series.

Also The iDOLM@STER had an extreme change between the two series:

You'd have almost thought they were different shows.

.

 

[DiGiKerot]

Not too drastic but Haruhi's art style changed between series.

Also The iDOLM@STER had an extreme change between the two series:

You'd have almost thought they were different shows.

They couldn't even be consistent with the OAV!

Whatta buncha scrubs, eh?

 

[phaze]

Eureka Seven 36-38
This might have been a less convincing coup d'etat than the one in Revenge of the Sith ...

You know ... Eureka is an alien, she doesn't get humans and all that shtick but still ... she's has been around for a dozen of years at least now. You should pick up on some basics in that time. Like the fact that your lover would probably want to know that you knew his father and you were right there when he died...

Eureka Seven 39

What a complete waste of space and time this episode was.

...

Spoiler

Is what I would probably say, had I not been practically raised on Captain Tsubasa. But as it is, this was, hilariously enough, probably the most enjoyable episode of the entire show for me. I actually chuckled a good few times which is much more than any of this show's previous attempts at comedy did for me. And I swear, they practically ripped off Shin Captain Tsubasa's combined shot from the final match in the tournament if my memory serves me well.

Clearly, Eureka Seven is better off as a spoof of old sports anime than it is as a mecha show.

 

[convo]

Kuroko's Basketball 1-18

After having the flames of Sports anime ignited again after catching up with Haikyuu,
this starts of more ridiculous, they are already going for the champions league.
I knew this series had a big female fanbase, and the color coordinated Miracles seem a lot funnier after watching Osamatsu-san's first episode. Still i am enjoying myself and if this goes the supernatural road i can still expect these guys to pull out something amazing against it, i see it going places. So i am looking forward to more.

 

[Sölf]

Code Geass S1-End
Okay, first of all, who thought it was a good idea to make a new OP for the last 2 episodes? Like, what the hell.
Secondly, OMG THIS CLIFFHANGER! I would have died if I had to sit through the wait for S2. Like, holy shit. What the hell.

Going to start with S2 now.

 

[Taruranto]

SAO is not for everyone, but I loved it. S2 is completely different from season 1 it's hard to compare, but it's got it ups and downs like anything else.

Log Horizon is very good as well, but does not try to pull the emotion card, and has 0 romance/shipping or a typical LN harem.

Clannad is "keyshit" greatness. Clannad (S1) is more of a school time SoL series full of comedy and drama the solely exists for character developement and to setup the events in Clannad After Story. It get very drama filled and VERY emotional, but I wouldn't take it any other way. There are very few anime out there that take life past HS and deal with real world isues, but Clannad does it all. It's worth it for the experience.


I just want everyone to experience what I love, lol.

Speaking of Clannad, what happened to the face of the child in your avatar omg.

 

[Exalted]

Code Geass S1-End
Okay, first of all, who thought it was a good idea to make a new OP for the last 2 episodes? Like, what the hell.
Secondly, OMG THIS CLIFFHANGER! I would have died if I had to sit through the wait for S2. Like, holy shit. What the hell.

Going to start with S2 now.

Can't wait to read your impresion of the first episode of S2.

 

[nintendoman58]

http://yusaani.com/news/2015/11/27/231114/ (Source has NSFW ads)

Some more info on that new Madoka thing.

From what I could gather from a translation of those various impressions, it's 100% a sequel to Rebellion.

SHAFT didn't officially announce it at the event, but something is definitely being worked on to continue the story.

 

[kewlmyc]

Shomin Sample 08

Freaking lol at them actually acknowledging Billy Herrington/Gachimuchi (prob NSFW) in the show. Wasn't expecting them to play "Macho Man" as well. For a harem anime, this is legit hilarious at times.


Also a continuation to Madoka: Rebellion? About time. Hopefully Homura gets her comeuppance.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Eureka Seven 36-38
This might have been a less convincing coup d'etat than the one in Revenge of the Sith ...

You know ... Eureka is an alien, she doesn't get humans and all that shtick but still ... she's has been around for a dozen of years at least now. You should pick up on some basics in that time. Like the fact that your lover would probably want to know that you knew his father and you were right there when he died...

Eureka Seven 39


What a complete waste of space and time this episode was.

...

Spoiler

Is what I would probably say, had I not been practically raised on Captain Tsubasa. But as it is, this was, hilariously enough, probably the most enjoyable episode of the entire show for me. I actually chuckled a good few times which is much more than any of this show's previous attempts at comedy did for me. And I swear, they practically ripped off Shin Captain Tsubasa's combined shot from the final match in the tournament if my memory serves me well.

Clearly, Eureka Seven is better off as a spoof of old sports anime than it is as a mecha show.

Soccer was so good. My moondoggie.

 

[Sölf]

Can't wait to read your impresion of the first episode of S2.

Well, okay, here we go:

Spoiler

- Okay, timeskip. Well, that can happen. I don't need to know what happend at the end of S1 anyways.
- The heck, why is the female knight a teacher at school?
- Oh, hey Lelouche. Why are you there?
- Why are you acting as if nothing happend? Dude, the fuck?
- ...brother? What the hell happend in this last year?!
- Oh hey, at least Shirley seems to be back to normal. Somehow. I think.
- This whole thing feels more like an alternate universe. But it clearly happens later. What.
- Oh, back to gambling I guess. I hi there Kallen. Dayum, you look good in that bunny costume!
- Okay, everything went downhill fast. Welp, this really feels like S1E1 all over again.
- Oh, C.C.! Oh, you are dead. Again. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MAY HAPPEN NEXT!
- Lelouche got a mysterious power! Well, he got it back. And he orders the soldiers to kill themself. Hm, where have I seen this again...?
- Okay, what did suprise me is that the Black Knights now seem to know that Lelouche is Zero.

Okay, so far for EP 1. A bit underwhelming, but... it will get better. I am sure. It must. Please.

 

[Qurupeke]

Code Geass 15-16

Spoiler

I had enough of Mao, I hope he's dead for good now and it's not another fake out. He made for an interesting opponent, but he was so annoying. The ending of 16 was good though. I loved the way Lelouch beat him. And Suzaku got wrecked.

Oh, also that silver haired girl is kinda becoming one of favourites now that Shirley is gone. I wonder how they'll handle the whole amnesia thing.

 

[pbayne]

Perfect Insider 8

I don't get it. Ostriches man.

I've never been less invested in a relationship. Stop trying to make the professor and Nisohono a thing.

Unless this has done the greatest, most subtle job of building stuff up I expect the last few episodes are gonna be rammed with ridiculous twists and leaps of logic.

 

[BGBW]

Well I'm glad kewlmyc posted that reference cos I wasn't sure whether it was something one would be allowed to post on here.

 

[NeonZ]

God talking about Geass R2 is dredging up the hate I have for it. Im just gonna rant here on the absolute stupidest part of the show.

Spoiler

The Empereor. Holy shit what were they thinking. Why does he turn into Gendou Ikari?

Seriously after all the build up to Lelouch's revenge all the empereor had to be was the big, bad guy sitting in the throne room for Lelouch to overcome. But nope, they had to fit him into some shitty Eva Instrumentality rip-off bullshit. Its the most out of place thing I've seen in any show. And his mother being in on it to, fuck right off.

I dunno how people can defend R2.

They were building up something weird with him, considering the shots of the emperor in some floating island (and there was also their mid season encounter in R2).

 

[Cornbread78]

Invaders of the Rokujyouma?! Ep. 1-3
Ok, good call with this one. Pretty funny so far. Love it when they get a good VA leading the MC, lol. The fanservice isn't overbearing at all and the comedy is pretty good. It definitely has a unique storyline as well which helps keep it fun. The harem is full of cliché, but they make it work.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Hackadol Episode 9

This Sword Quest Online (in the Wooser Plains even) episode was too funny at the start, the players and their avatars even, and chat box.

 

[Shard]

Ushio and Tora Episode 22:

I can't say this arc is doing much for me, I think it the placement of things, like this feels like it should have been an early arc rather then something stuck in the middle.

 

[VRMN]

Also a continuation to Madoka: Rebellion? About time. Hopefully Homura gets her comeuppance.

homuradidnothingwrong.gif

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Miss Monochrome S3 Episode 9

Well that was a good one for Caramel.

Mannequin Change is one of the best things.

NEW ED.

 

[DiGiKerot]

Code Geass S1-End
Okay, first of all, who thought it was a good idea to make a new OP for the last 2 episodes? Like, what the hell.

The broadcast of the first series had two unplanned recap episodes inserted into it's run, so the last two episodes of the first series ended up not being broadcast until several months later as part of a special double-bill screening.

 

[Sölf]

The broadcast of the first series had two unplanned recap episodes inserted into it's run, so the last two episodes of the first series ended up not being broadcast until several months later as part of a special double-bill screening.

Ah, okay. That makes sense. And that opening was also pretty cool, music wise.

So, after the first 4 episodes, S2 is back on track with the crazyness. I approve.

 

[Qurupeke]

Code Geass 17

It's getting good. So good.

Spoiler

Suzaku is amazing. He is based on such a common trope but I like a lot his attitude and the way he fights. Him vs Black Knights was great, he was handling them all like it's nothing. And the reveal of him as a pilot was awesome, Lelouch seems to losing his mind. lol I want to see his and Kallen's actions now.

On another note, it's great that Shirley isn't gone. I'm gonna guess that she will find a loophole or something to Lelouch's power.

Code Geass 18

HOLY SHIT.

Spoiler

Orange appeared at the opening! Other than that, I guess the episode was amazing. lol And another prince appears. This is getting intense.

Code Geass 19

Spoiler

So it seems that the Geass thing will actually play quite the big role. Not surprising at all, I really want to see what they'll do with that. Moreover, Zero got the best robot. Not better than Lancelot though. That Schneizel guy will definitely have a sadistic, cruel side. Also, damn LIVE, was unexpected. I wonder if this will have a long term effect, as Suzaku was suicidal.

Code Geass 20

lol Nina gets rekt again.

Spoiler

Shirley x Suzaku was better though but Euphy x Suzaku is cute too. Also, I was right, Suzaku wants to live now,such a nice moment. The Lancelot and Gawain team up was a match made in heaven.

Anyway, getting on the good part soon.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Heavy Object Episode 9

Best duo of 2015. Another fun one with their exploration of antartica. Kind of laughed a lot at the start of the epieosde when they were into the music while doing the work.

Spoiler

I thought it was strange there was no object there, because they didnt explain the reactor bit

 

[duckroll]

Some of the staff members were the same as SEED?

The director of Witch Hunter Robin went on to direct Ergo Proxy at Manglobe, the two main writers for the series went on to write Kurau and FLAG respectively, and the majority of the animation and production staff on the show at Sunrise at the time have since worked on many different Sunrise and BONES shows.

 

[Qurupeke]

Code Geass 21

Haha, this was perfect. That cry of despair. That music. That face. CC is the best character. I can't believe I disliked her. I'm still laughing over this.

Spoiler

Euphy is dumb. She's so dead.

 

[Defuser]

Heavy Object ep 9
Holy shit, this week animation is fucking terrible. That horrendus 360 camera spin....*barf*

 

[Admiral Woofington]

All of my show episodes that aired today were just plain boring. Noragami's new arc isn't horrible but it just seems like we've done this already with what's her face at the exact same time in the last season.

 

[Basileus777]

Ushio to Tora 22
Are we really going to end the season with this incredibly lame arc? I wish Kirio would just go away, what a terrible character to center the show around now.