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Autumn Anime 2016 |OT| The seasons change, but we're still Falling for Euri

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Cornbread78

Member
I know right, you'd think it would be hard to vote Internet polls when on the run from the FBI.

uK3aP01.jpg
 

John Blade

Member


An episode where the two main female characters didn't win this battle but introduce a supporting character, Julio Peacemaker, and his partner and his alligator, Al. A fun cowboy showdown episode which is interesting to watch.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
The funny part about someone hating Aqua is that you're supposed to hate Aqua. And Kazuma. And Megumin (although nobody does). And Darkness.
 
I was in NYC for Christmas and managed to catch a showing of the 4K restoration of Belladonna of Sadness. I...might need to do a longer post or thread examining it and unpacking my thoughts about it.

It's a 1973 animated film by Osamu Tezuka's MushiPro that along with the X-rated Cleopatra pretty much bankrupted the studio. Tezuka and Eiichi Yamamato worked on and planned a trilogy of movies aimed at a more adult audience which included 1001 Nights, Cleopatra and Belladonna of Sadness. Tezuka wrote and directed the first two with Yamamoto but left the studio before the third leaving Yamamoto to handle it himself.

It is...calling it weird is a bit of an understatement. It is very obviously inspired by the West's HEAVY METAL magazine style and the psychedelic drug trips and imagery of the times, a la a Yellow Submarine or such. Just, you know...entirely about sex. Like holy shit this movie drips with sex. Some violent, some sensual, some a giant penis-headed Satan.

Sometimes it's hard to call it animation as 70-80% of the film is still captures of pictures (gorgeous pictures but still). As a result there are some really interesting techniques to pick out if you look.

Never really seen anything like it. Love the 70s Lady Snowblood singing intro explaining the movie.

...I don't think Heavy Metal magazine invented this style of art? Though lots of people know it from that, obviously.

In any case, I think the film has a little more to say apart from: "sex".

I watched it a few weeks ago, curious if I would see the feminism themes identified by Jexhius. Sometimes this stuff can be in the 'eye of the beholder'.
But the truth it, I would have to be blind to not see them, the entire film is about that, in fact I was even surprised by the boldness and straightforwardness shown here, usually artsy films have a theme, but a bit more deep and subtle?, but it wasn't precisely hidden here (ie.
Satan is literally a penis that corrupts the female protagonist
). And that's not even reaching the ending itself, where it's basically written in giant flaming words in case someone was slept during the film, with
the faces of all the women turning into Belladona, and the final dedicatory
.

I disliked a bit how in their crusade to demonize men and progress the sad goal the story has to reach, they stretch belief in
how his husband also turns against her. Not only she has to be raped and abused by the lord, not only she has to suffer the prejudice of the rest of society, also inside her home the man that loved her had to turn against her, and pretty quick at that. It felt it happened because the writer said so, not because there were proper characterizations and plot related reasons.
I would add it's a pretty sad story and that's an understatement, but hey, it's even in the title.
 
texhnolyze END



Wow what a horribly depressing thing to which as part of my vacation. Holy shit. The beginning was pretty fucking dry and I couldn't understand why the fuck the MC was so fucking pissed all the time. Then round the middle it picked up and best guy Onishi was being a fucking boss and handling shit. Then the ending was pretty much "Life is horrible and meaningless, isn't it better to die!?" I'm not completely sure what this show's message one but it bummed me the fuck out by the end of it. The world you explore is fucking bleak and awful and I never want to go back despite enjoying the show.


Holy shit I need watch cute girls doing cute things fucking stat.
 
...I don't think Heavy Metal magazine invented this style of art? Though lots of people know it from that, obviously.

In any case, I think the film has a little more to say apart from: "sex"

Well...yes, obviously. I was glibly summarizing mostly because I only have my phone on me and neither the time, patience or dexterity to type up full thoughts. I definitely plan/want to write expansive thoughts on this cause for such an unsubtle movie there is a lot to unpack.

I definitely appreciate your thoughts, I wasn't sure how many people even knew this existed or cared to talk about it.

I'll be writing more but I'm 4 hours into a 6 hour bus ride and feel like killing myself.
 
I was in NYC for Christmas and managed to catch a showing of the 4K restoration of Belladonna of Sadness. I...might need to do a longer post or thread examining it and unpacking my thoughts about it.

It's a 1973 animated film by Osamu Tezuka's MushiPro that along with the X-rated Cleopatra pretty much bankrupted the studio. Tezuka and Eiichi Yamamato worked on and planned a trilogy of movies aimed at a more adult audience which included 1001 Nights, Cleopatra and Belladonna of Sadness. Tezuka wrote and directed the first two with Yamamoto but left the studio before the third leaving Yamamoto to handle it himself.

It is...calling it weird is a bit of an understatement. It is very obviously inspired by the West's HEAVY METAL magazine style and the psychedelic drug trips and imagery of the times, a la a Yellow Submarine or such. Just, you know...entirely about sex. Like holy shit this movie drips with sex. Some violent, some sensual, some a giant penis-headed Satan.

Sometimes it's hard to call it animation as 70-80% of the film is still captures of pictures (gorgeous pictures but still). As a result there are some really interesting techniques to pick out if you look.

Never really seen anything like it. Love the 70s Lady Snowblood singing intro explaining the movie.

Watched it a few months ago through Google Play (i think)

It was ok but not something I'd watch again. I liked the art but I don't think it has much merit to it other than that
 

John Blade

Member
texhnolyze END




Wow what a horribly depressing thing to which as part of my vacation. Holy shit. The beginning was pretty fucking dry and I couldn't understand why the fuck the MC was so fucking pissed all the time. Then round the middle it picked up and best guy Onishi was being a fucking boss and handling shit. Then the ending was pretty much "Life is horrible and meaningless, isn't it better to die!?" I'm not completely sure what this show's message one but it bummed me the fuck out by the end of it. The world you explore is fucking bleak and awful and I never want to go back despite enjoying the show.


Holy shit I need watch cute girls doing cute things fucking stat.

Congratulation, you just watch a show which manage to bring out a feeling you seldom see this much in anime now and that is depression and loss of hope. Really, what anime you can found which have this much depression all at once? Either way, I did watch this show and man...I kinda like it a bit till you reach the conclusion which break me a bit. Like the creator want to bring out a very strong emotion which you seldom see too much and man...he did a great job I have to say.
 

Cornbread78

Member
The funny part about someone hating Aqua is that you're supposed to hate Aqua. And Kazuma. And Megumin (although nobody does). And Darkness.

I don't blame them.

It's me...I'm the Aqua fan...


They are all bastards to one another and that is the best part, lol.



Fairy Tale ep.70-72
My goodness is this show amazing at times. I really don't care if it's rinse and repeat themes when it is this awesomely executed. Really enjoyed this arc quite a bit.
 

Rainy

Banned
WWW. Working!! 4

I thought the chocolate gag got kinda old this episode. Also a part of me hopes Nagata ends up with Higashida even though it looks like he's going to end up with Miyakoshi.
 

Jex

Member
Watched it a few months ago through Google Play (i think)

It was ok but not something I'd watch again. I liked the art but I don't think it has much merit to it other than that

Can't disagree more. I think Belladona of Sadness has more to say, and more worth, than most of the anime released this year.
 

Kansoku

Member
I don't know why, but Texhnolyze never really had that an impact on me. Maybe my exceptions were too high (after all that image is what me check it out in the first place), but while it was bleak, I found it actually engaging to see how things would go south. Thinking about it now, the image reflects my time with Oyasumi Punpun much closer than with Texhnolyze, which I spent most of my time in the "episode 13" state of the image. Maybe I should rewatch it in case I missed something...
 
Code Geass 15

This Mao mini-arc wasn't good. I get WHY it was there, to flesh out C.C some more, but as a character Mao was shallow enough that I didn't want to see more of him anyway.

And the military lady who found out Lelouch's secret has complete amnesia after a gunshot wound to the stomach because...
 

Jex

Member
[Belladona of Sadness]
[...]

I disliked a bit how in their crusade to demonize men and progress the sad goal the story has to reach, they stretch belief in
how his husband also turns against her. Not only she has to be raped and abused by the lord, not only she has to suffer the prejudice of the rest of society, also inside her home the man that loved her had to turn against her, and pretty quick at that. It felt it happened because the writer said so, not because there were proper characterizations and plot related reasons.
I would add it's a pretty sad story and that's an understatement, but hey, it's even in the title.

I don't really see that being a "problem" with the movie because it's not attempting to be a naturalistic story. It's a fable, with a fairly clear message that it's not trying to shy away from. It's not attempting to a tell a traditional story with more conventionally fleshed our characters.

When looking at the story from under these conditions, it would be odd not to reflect the reality that women regularly suffer abuse by their husbands in their own homes.
 

John Blade

Member


Well...Die Hard parody is present here with few more stuff and Anime manga sprinkle in it. Got to laugh of how bad Yao Sakurakouji is when she want to get the prize all for herself as it cost more trouble than it need to be.
 
Congratulation, you just watch a show which manage to bring out a feeling you seldom see this much in anime now and that is depression and loss of hope. Really, what anime you can found which have this much depression all at once? Either way, I did watch this show and man...I kinda like it a bit till you reach the conclusion which break me a bit. Like the creator want to bring out a very strong emotion which you seldom see too much and man...he did a great job I have to say.

I think the utter bleakness of the underground and the above once you understand the nature of their world did it. Then after all that shit in the end there is no happy ending, the MC doesn't fix everything, the one he wanted to protect dies, the villain he kills but it doesn't matter because the villain effectively got what he wanted and then the MC basically is the last one to die in a fucking gutter while delusional.

I've watched plenty of shows that do characters despairing well, but very few that depress me like this did.
 

/XX/

Member
A tradition by now, the list of most interesting animators 'dōjin' compiled by Rukawa for this upcoming C91 can still be used on time to make orders from your usual deputy service provider/re-seller/friend in Japan:

Doujin d'animateurs au C91 Fuyu Comiket 91 - News - Manganimation.net, Manga Anime, news & reviews
http://www.manganimation.net/news/2016/12/doujin-d-animateurs-au-c91-fuyu-comiket-91

Quite the recent emphasis on 'parapara-manga' or flipbooks... less original illustration work I crave for! :-/
 

Cornbread78

Member
I think the utter bleakness of the underground and the above once you understand the nature of their world did it. Then after all that shit in the end there is no happy ending, the MC doesn't fix everything, the one he wanted to protect dies, the villain he kills but it doesn't matter because the villain effectively got what he wanted and then the MC basically is the last one to die in a fucking gutter while delusional.

I've watched plenty of shows that do characters despairing well, but very few that depress me like this did.


Go watch some Poco's Udon World to put a smile back on your face.


WWW. Working!! 4
I thought the chocolate gag got kinda old this episode. Also a part of me hopes Nagata ends up with Higashida even though it looks like he's going to end up with Miyakoshi.

Well, there is a reason for the chocolate, lol. Keep going.
 

John Blade

Member
I think the utter bleakness of the underground and the above once you understand the nature of their world did it. Then after all that shit in the end there is no happy ending, the MC doesn't fix everything, the one he wanted to protect dies, the villain he kills but it doesn't matter because the villain effectively got what he wanted and then the MC basically is the last one to die in a fucking gutter while delusional.

I've watched plenty of shows that do characters despairing well, but very few that depress me like this did.

True, but when you reach the part where the MC go to upper part of the world, you start to realize they isn't any way to safe this world at all. Both side have already decay to the point of no return and even if the MC can do anything at all to solve the issue or even slow it down, it won't do much at all. Basically, he's just a passenger of the sinking ship which he have no way to survive the demise at all. Even the woman who really want to fix the issue she saw, realize they is no way to end it and eventually accept her fate. The villains (both the beginning and the later part) just speed up the process of the decay to the point of no return basically, ending the way you see in the conclusion of the show.

Either way, it's a very depressing show to watch and you gonna need something fun and cheerful after that which I did when I finish it. I would say this show manage to pull off a very strong emotional feeling at the end even though it's a feeling you don't want to see as you kinda want it to end very well for this show for everyone in it.
 
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