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[NeonZ]

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku ~Outbreak~

I liked its premise, but it was way too much exposition heavy. We got to hear the characters talking and talking about the villagers slowly going crazy and the situation getting worse and worse more than what we actually saw about the villagers going crazy. Basically the only story beat which wasn't handled through exposition was their escape sequence at the end.

In spite of that, I'd like to watch a sequel in that world though, if it didn't fall in the same pacing issues...

 

[Dresden]

Did Hosoda abandon his parents? How can he convincingly write something like that if he didn't do it himself?

This clearly means he did abandon them to die. We'll find their bones on some abandoned farm. They'll be clutching a copy of Summer Wars in their hands.

 

[firehawk12]

Limit
Tokyo Toy Box
Kurokochi
Yamada and the Seven Witches
SAITOU san
Kamen Teacher
Nobunaga no Chef
Minna! ESPer Dayo! (which is amazing)

I'm sure I forgot some.

Oh fuck, I forgot about Yamada. I even watched the first episode.
I'm going to assume that the adaptation turned out to be a joke... but, how did they end it? Did they do a jdrama original ending like they did with Yankee-kun to Megane-chan?

This clearly means he did abandon them to die. We'll find their bones on some abandoned farm. They'll be clutching a copy of Summer Wars in their hands.

I think you mean Digimon.

 

[Shard]

Right, I guess I should list my Top 10 for the year.

10: Ace of Diamond
9. Kill la Kill
8. Gundam Build Fighters
7. Log Horizon
6. Space Battleship Yamato 2199
5. Attack on Titan
4. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
3. Gatchaman Crowds
2. Love Lab
1. Yozukura Quartet: Hana No Uta

 

[Kurita]

Oh fuck, I forgot about Yamada. I even watched the first episode.
I'm going to assume that the adaptation turned out to be a joke... but, how did they end it? Did they do a jdrama original ending like they did with Yankee-kun to Megane-chan?

Haven't watched it actually. I think dakkumauji and DTL did so maybe they can answer. But you know, most of the time this kind of adaptations take a lot of liberties.

 

[Dresden]

I think you mean Digimon.

No that's when he still sent them boxes of ramen. But for this last shipment, it was just . . . Summer Wars.

 

[Hitokage]

She becomes a conformist, and whether or not that is tragic in and of itself is up for interpretation I suppose. The comparable trope is when the tomboy learns that putting on a dress makes her life so much easier, so she decides to do that rather than fight social pressures.

There's definitely that part to it, but again, she's half-wolf, which throws a wrench into the idea of it being easier for her.

 

[firehawk12]

Haven't watched it actually. I think dakkumauji and DTL did so maybe they can answer.

I remember DTL was watching it because boys kiss each other... no idea if he finished it though.

No that's when he still sent them boxes of ramen. But for this last shipment, it was just . . . Summer Wars.

Does that mean he's responsible for his grandmother's death?

There's definitely that part to it, but again, she's half-wolf, which throws a wrench into the idea of it being easier for her.

Well, which is why there's no real answer and each child goes on their own path.
Although, the fact that she narrates the film would seem to suggest that she's doing fine.

 

[Dresden]

Does that mean he's responsible for his grandmother's death?

Even worse, he used to be a cute short-haired girl.

 

[firehawk12]

Even worse, he used to be a cute short-haired girl.

At least he got to travel through time.

 

[LordCanti]

Monogatari Series Second Season - 26

Wow... they went

Spoiler

Requiem for the Phantom

on me and I totally didn't see it coming.

Spoiler

I have so many questions now like "Is Ougi really related to Oshino?" or "Is the same white snake wrapped around the kid that that possessed Sengoku even though Sengoku probably still has that apparition in her?" or even "Why did Sengoku mention Mayoi in the list of people to kill even though she no longer existed as an human or an apparition?"

This isn't a spoiler from the novels (because I haven't read past where the anime is) and it's just my take:

Spoiler

I think Ougi is the darkness that was following Shinobu, or she is somehow in control of it at the very least. Kaiki has known Oshino forever and he says that he doesn't have any family, and I'm inclined to believe him. Oshino may have given an oddity his last name in the past, just like he did with Shinobu, and that may be who Oshino Ougi is. Part of the text of one of the episodes was Ougi saying something like "I go after frauds" or something to that effect (like Shinobu when she wasn't properly acting like a Vampire).

I have no idea if the snake around the middle schoolers arm was the same variety of apparation as Nadeko's, but I know that she mentioned Mayoi because she has no idea that Mayoi is dead (since she's been a God and forgotten so much). All she knows is that Araragi cared about her, which makes her a prime target.

Right, I guess I should list my Top 10 for the year.

10: Ace of Diamond
9. Kill la Kill
8. Gundam Build Fighters
7. Log Horizon
6. Space Battleship Yamato 2199
5. Attack on Titan
4. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
3. Gatchaman Crowds
2. Love Lab
1. Yozukura Quartet: Hana No Uta

You've been brainwashed by her shimapan, haven't you?

 

[duckroll]

Agreed, and I honestly think this makes Wolf Children better. It's not like the film is betraying itself with Ame's character arc or anything. Having characters that generate dissonance among viewers and who can be legitimately interpreted in contradicting ways is one of the most interesting things in storytelling, when done right. So even if Ame was indeed an asshole, I don't see how that would detract from the movie itself, as it is.

I think what's really interesting about Wolf Children as a story is that it doesn't really tell anyone how they should feel about anything in the story. Instead it presents something as it is, and lets the viewer draw their own conclusions on the story which was told. There are a few things in the narrative which I find that while I disagree with certain choices the characters make, it also makes a more realistic story where the characters feel like real people who aren't designed only to make "right" or "wrong" choices.

Also, I love this little exchange from the US premier Q&A: http://omonomono.com/2013/03/10/ame-and-yuki/

Q: Why did you make the film so depressing?

*Everyone basically laughs*

Hosoda: How old are you?

Q: I’m 8 years old.

Hosoda: Well, people at different ages might see things differently. While you might think the film is depressing now, when you watch it again when you are 15 or 20 years old, you may no longer think it’s depressing.

It really shows that the film speaks differently to individuals depending on their age and personal life experiences. The world isn't black and white, so there's no reason why characters in fiction have to be.

 

[Hitokage]

Well, which is why there's no real answer and each child goes on their own path.
Although, the fact that she narrates the film would seem to suggest that she's doing fine.

I would rather see this as evidence of her personal strength than her successfully making things easy. :/

 

[firehawk12]

I would rather see this as evidence of her personal strength than her successfully making things easy. :/

Those aren't mutually exclusive though!

 

[survivor]

That sounds like a deep cut.

I really don't know what to think...

The writing is too silly, but the subject matter is too interesting to me to ignore it.

I remember DTL was watching it because boys kiss each other... no idea if he finished it though.

Oh he finished it, I remember he said it was his favourite live action TV show since a long time.

 

[CorvoSol]

Yuki pretty much gave him shit for not being a wolf, and then she gave him shit for not wanting to be a human, despite the fact that they were given the choice to live their lives as they see fit. Yuki pretty much didn't want him to do what he wanted to do.

Sure, but she didn't try to rip his throat out over it. Sort of a key difference there.

Macross 24

Misa > Minmay, business as usual. I actually think the Earth Federation's plan to fire a giant laser weapon at the Zentradi and then open negotiations is a pretty reasonable one, because it gives them leverage. Of course this is a universe where boners are the end of the entire war effort, so I'm sure a reasonable plan will backfire splendidly.

 

[dakkumauji]

Haven't watched it actually. I think dakkumauji and DTL did so maybe they can answer. But you know, most of the time this kind of adaptations take a lot of liberties.

I only got up to episode 4 before I gave up. I think DTL finished it!

Yes, there's a lot of liberties they took with this adaptation. Some good, some bad.

 

[firehawk12]

The writing is too silly, but the subject matter is too interesting to me to ignore it.

How do they represent making games? A dude mashing on the keyboard?

Oh he finished it, I remember he said it was his favourite live action TV show since a long time.

Move over Breaking Bad!

 

[Syrinx]

Aikatsu! 8

They used the same song and dance that Ichigo and aoi did. For some special competition between the two best in their grade, I was hoping for something more than that.

 

[Hitokage]

Those aren't mutually exclusive though!

Haha, true.

I agree, though. These situations aren't cut and dry, which makes for far more interesting discussion than a normal human girl going to school and a normal human boy loving the outdoors.

 

[Kurita]

The writing is too silly, but the subject matter is too interesting to me to ignore it.


Oh he finished it, I remember he said it was his favourite live action TV show since a long time.

They're adapting the Dai Tokyo Toy Box part next season btw...
A drama about 80s video games also aired this season, it's called No Con Kid. No idea if there are subs though.

 

[Theonik]

Does that mean he's responsible for his grandmother's death?

I gotta find out who killed my gran.

I feel like GAF-OT would make a comment about thigh-gap here.

No.

 

[ThreePiMatt]

I'm seven episodes into Hanamaru Kindergarten and I'm liking it so far. But is it dark if I think

Spoiler

that it will be revealed that Anzu-chan is actually Tsuchi's daughter and not the art teacher's? That'd kinda be a messed up place for that show to go but also be kinda awesome.

 

[Jintor]

Did Hosoda abandon his parents? How can he convincingly write something like that if he didn't do it himself?

:lol

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Sure, but she didn't try to rip his throat out over it. Sort of a key difference there.

I will give you that, considering that was the one part that stuck out to me in regards to his actions.

That being said, I still don't like the fact that despite giving them the option to do what they want in the future (and interestingly enough, only Yuki got the "She can be a baker, etc and I'll support her speech from her folks), both Yuki and Hana didn't want him to do what he wanted for different reasons. Too busy coddling him from birth until he left.

 

[wonzo]

hosoda used his time traveling tomboy powers to create social networking

hosoda is al gore

 

[jbug617]

She becomes a conformist, and whether or not that is tragic in and of itself is up for interpretation I suppose. The comparable trope is when the tomboy learns that putting on a dress makes her life so much easier, so she decides to do that rather than fight social pressures.

I disagree with this because I felt she took the hard path. While it seems she is taking the easy path to be just a human in the end she isn't full human. What happens when she falls in love or have children. We all seen what happened to the mother.

 

[firehawk12]

Haha, true.

I agree, though. These situations aren't cut and dry, which makes for far more interesting discussion than a normal human girl going to school and a normal human boy loving the outdoors.

Yep, that's why it's able to engender all these different interpretations. Unless you work at ANN. In which case, the movie is about a perfect mom being perfect!

No.

Can you be so sure?

I disagree with this because I felt she took the hard path. While it seems she is taking the easy path to be just a human in the end she isn't full human. What happens when she falls in love or have children. We all seen what happened to the mother.

The mother finds life in human connections, just as Yuki does. That's the irony, that in escaping people, they find another group of people who essentially help them build a home for themselves.

 

[CorvoSol]

Did Hosoda abandon his parents? How can he convincingly write something like that if he didn't do it himself?

One of Hosoda's parents being a wolfman would explain a lot of things about a lot of people.

 

[duckroll]

I will give you that, considering that was the one part that stuck out to me in regards to his actions.

That being said, I still don't like the fact that despite giving them the option to do what they want in the future (and interestingly enough, only Yuki got the "She can be a baker, etc and I'll support her speech from her folks), both Yuki and Hana didn't want him to do what he wanted for different reasons. Too busy coddling him from birth until he left.

Hana is a human though. I think it's pretty clear from her actions that she does have a bias and would prefer if both her children just wanted to live normal lives like people do. It's interesting to note that while she loved Jacob, she doesn't really seem to have really understood much about him. They have a physical attraction to each other but it wasn't until she had to bring her kids up alone that she really started to study and learn about wolves and animals. It makes it kinda sad to think about, but that's also what makes the show something I think people can really relate to.

 

[survivor]

How do they represent making games? A dude mashing on the keyboard?

You got your music montage of the whole team working, drawing diagrams of characters and stuff on the board, dramatic hype music while characters are mashing their keyboards, the standard stuff. Though a lot of the time they are just discussing game design ideas in a typical shounen writing style. Also the actual game footage is pretty hilarious.

They're adapting the Dai Tokyo Toy Box part next season btw...
A drama about 80s video games also aired this season, it's called No Con Kid. No idea if there are subs though.

If only someone would translate the rest of season 1 episodes

 

[Shard]

This isn't a spoiler from the novels (because I haven't read past where the anime is) and it's just my take:

Spoiler

I think Ougi is the darkness that was following Shinobu, or she is somehow in control of it at the very least. Kaiki has known Oshino forever and he says that he doesn't have any family, and I'm inclined to believe him. Oshino may have given an oddity his last name in the past, just like he did with Shinobu, and that may be who Oshino Ougi is. Part of the text of one of the episodes was Ougi saying something like "I go after frauds" or something to that effect (like Shinobu when she wasn't properly acting like a Vampire).

I have no idea if the snake around the middle schoolers arm was the same variety of apparation as Nadeko's, but I know that she mentioned Mayoi because she has no idea that Mayoi is dead (since she's been a God and forgotten so much). All she knows is that Araragi cared about her, which makes her a prime target.

You've been brainwashed by her shimapan, haven't you?

No, Yozukura Quartet was a show that came out of nowhere to transcend its dubious manga and became the show I put on the top of my list, blending smooth animation, wonderful fight sequences and strong characterization into one full package.

 

[firehawk12]

You got your music montage of the whole team working, drawing diagrams of characters and stuff on the board, dramatic hype music while characters are mashing their keyboards, the standard stuff. Though a lot of the time they are just discussing game design ideas in a typical shounen writing style.

I'm pretty sure that's how Miyamoto makes his games.

 

[duckroll]

I'm pretty sure that's how Miyamoto makes his games.

No, that's much more dramatic. Nintendo has explained it before!

 

[Kurita]

How does kidnapping employees help the making of a game

 

[LordCanti]

I'm pretty sure that's how Miyamoto makes his games.

Miyamoto makes this face at the beginning of development:

and then this face when everyone has ultimately disappointed him:

At which point a game is magically birthed by Miyamoto himself, after having scrapped all previous work.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Hana is a human though. I think it's pretty clear from her actions that she does have a bias and would prefer if both her children just wanted to live normal lives like people do. It's interesting to note that while she loved Jacob, she doesn't really seem to have really understood much about him. They have a physical attraction to each other but it wasn't until she had to bring her kids up alone that she really started to study and learn about wolves and animals. It makes it kinda sad to think about, but that's also what makes the show something I think people can really relate to.

I'm less annoyed with Hana though. Mainly because she didn't want him to go to the mountains anymore, and Yuki was the more aggressive in terms of not wanting Ame to be what he wants. That being said, she did have a hard time in bringing them up in the city because both of her kids were abnormal, and having them be humans would've made their lives easier, considering their father was killed while he was wolfing about in the Urban Ghettoes.

Of course, being on the country side made it easier to be a wolf at least.

 

[e_i]

Seitokai Yakuindomo OVA episode 4

I WILL GIVE YOU ALL MY HOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!
Fistfucking!
And pubes! Pubes EVERYWHERE.

 

[madp]

Aikatsu! 8

They used the same song and dance that Ichigo and aoi did. For some special competition between the two best in their grade, I was hoping for something more than that.

You'll be happier if you stop expecting, well, anything out of the dances for almost the entire first season. They're there to sell cardstock and only to sell cardstock.

 

[MikeHattsu]

Non Non Biyori 04

Well... Damn...

 

[Shergal]

I think what's really interesting about Wolf Children as a story is that it doesn't really tell anyone how they should feel about anything in the story. Instead it presents something as it is, and lets the viewer draw their own conclusions on the story which was told. There are a few things in the narrative which I find that while I disagree with certain choices the characters make, it also makes a more realistic story where the characters feel like real people who aren't designed only to make "right" or "wrong" choices.

The world isn't black and white, so there's no reason why characters in fiction have to be.

Yeah, totes.
Takahata is seriously the greate- oh, wait, you hate him

 

[hipbabboom]

This isn't a spoiler from the novels (because I haven't read past where the anime is) and it's just my take:

Spoiler

I think Ougi is the darkness that was following Shinobu, or she is somehow in control of it at the very least. Kaiki has known Oshino forever and he says that he doesn't have any family, and I'm inclined to believe him. Oshino may have given an oddity his last name in the past, just like he did with Shinobu, and that may be who Oshino Ougi is. Part of the text of one of the episodes was Ougi saying something like "I go after frauds" or something to that effect (like Shinobu when she wasn't properly acting like a Vampire).

I have no idea if the snake around the middle schoolers arm was the same variety of apparation as Nadeko's, but I know that she mentioned Mayoi because she has no idea that Mayoi is dead (since she's been a God and forgotten so much). All she knows is that Araragi cared about her, which makes her a prime target.

That helped a lot.

I guess the only point of confusion remaining is that in an earlier episode,

Spoiler

they clearly said the thing chasing Shinobu wasn't an apparition but was this a character mistake (like Sengoku made with Mayoi existence) or could Oshino have managed to subdue such a thing as he did with the most powerful apparition at the time which was Shinobu?

Also, Gaen seemed more like a red herring in this whole series. As much as she had been lauded as being the source of these three apparition hunters, I really expected more but everything from her reveal and onward seemed empty. Its almost as though the author was trying to keep a rule of one apparition hunter per season and needed some tool to indirectly manipulate Yotsugi who wasn't a servant of Kaiki (who seems to have the spotlight this season). At this point, I'm not even sure what Gaen is.

 

[Syrinx]

You'll be happier if you stop expecting, well, anything out of the dances for almost the entire first season. They're there to sell cardstock and only to sell cardstock.

Dammit.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

You'll be happier if you stop expecting, well, anything out of the dances for almost the entire first season. They're there to sell cardstock and only to sell cardstock.

Does this mean it's justifiable to skip some of the auditions?

 

[hipbabboom]

I'm seven episodes into Hanamaru Kindergarten and I'm liking it so far. But is it dark if I think

Spoiler

that it will be revealed that Anzu-chan is actually Tsuchi's daughter and not the art teacher's? That'd kinda be a messed up place for that show to go but also be kinda awesome.

YES IT'S DARK! ...also, you're a sick man!

The series is great. The more you see the kids as being kids, the cuter the things they do become. There's no smut or ecchi to be found here

I don't know, it is a bit ecchi, but it doesn't stray full into the "so ecchi it might as well be porn" territory.

It's about as ecchi as Hidamari Sketch's Natsume Sae delusions. Maybe I'm a little desensitized to little girls wishing they were wives of adult males they admire because of the relationship they see in their own parents. I'd be more disturbed if Anzu started rubbing her diaper against the edge of a desk

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

I don't know, it is a bit ecchi, but it doesn't stray full into the "so ecchi it might as well be porn" territory.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Just copy my ballot. You can't go wrong there.

1. Flowers of Evil
2. Wolf Children
3. From the New World
4. Eccentric Family
5. Love Lab

I'll wrap up Yamato and see where that goes.

Is anime with low sells/poor reception a condition for being an noteworthy anime?

Haven't watched it actually. I think dakkumauji and DTL did so maybe they can answer. But you know, most of the time this kind of adaptations take a lot of liberties.

Did its own original ending thing. Best live action though.

 

[madp]

Dammit.

not really a spoiler, but if you want a taste of the eventual quality boost in performances, watch this. At least you're not stuck with janky repetitive CG forever.

Is anime with low sells/poor reception a condition for being an noteworthy anime?

There's a 100% chance of Meganebu, Samurai Flamenco, Blast of Tempest and Hakkenden being in your top ten, so you tell us!

 

[jbug617]

The lack of Silver Spoon talk hurts me.

 

[Shard]

The lack of Silver Spoon talk hurts me.

What is there to talk about?