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[Makoto]

.5 girls don't count? You guys are so mean.

Well, I guess that would be a legit 2.5 if it's two girls and the MC's imouto who's just obsessive over him and not in love.

Edit: Yeah, I'm able to accept the quoted as a viable answer.

 

[Jex]

Harem series in general usually have someone being picked at the end. Doesn't make the journey any less of a harem.

It's not even about picking one girl over the other. There's literally a point where [Bakemonogatari SPOILERS]

Spoiler

everyone discusses how it isn't a harem and how they're all just friends with Araragi. No, that really happens. Of course, Nisemonogatari ends up invalidating this later on....

 

[jman2050]

Your first mistake was taking any token attempt at denying its harem status seriously.

 

[wonzo]

Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature

I never would have learnt about the horrors of genetic engineering and biotechnology if it wasn't thanks to Osamu Tezuka's raw creative and political passion. I would've remained blind to such sinful things like mutant cacti, creepy hypnotic dancing catgirls or THE DEVIL'S RICE BALL. I have seen the light. From henceforth, I shall dedicate the rest of my life to fighting this horrible scientific practice to ensure that no one else shall become a... victim of science.

Now, would anyone happen to know where I can get me one of those nifty laserlighters?

 

[Dresden]

bueno

?

Of course.

Spoiler

kanna rulez ichika sux

 

[Narag]

Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature



I never would have learnt about the horrors of genetic engineering and biotechnology if it wasn't thanks to Osamu Tezuka's raw creative and political passion. I would've remained blind to such sinful things like mutant cacti, creepy hypnotic dancing catgirls or THE DEVIL'S RICE BALL. I have seen the light. From henceforth, I shall dedicate the rest of my life to fighting this horrible scientific practice to ensure that no one else shall become a... victim of science.

Now, would anyone happen to know where I can get me one of those nifty laserlighters?

Did you learn more from this or Arjuna? Which evil did you find greater from their respective series: humanity or mankind?

 

[jman2050]

Of course.

Spoiler

kanna rulez ichika sux

Spoiler

She deserves better than that no good boob-obsessed alien-loving bastard

Someone like Tetsurou! Who she turned down... yeah she might want a mulligan on that one.

 

[Femmeworth]

Oh god.

 

[Branduil]

Everyone knows multi-sided love polygons are superior.

Ano Hana was just as bad as any harem anime.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Hidamari Sketch S1 - End

This is certainly a very pleasant show. Nothing incredibly memorable, but as far as the "girls hang out doing nothing in particular" genre goes, this is one of the better ones I've seen. The personalities of the main four are typical, but they're both defined enough to be interesting and not exaggerated enough to become annoying. For instance, while Sae frequently gets nervous and self-conscious, it never got pushed to the point of self-parody that I felt with Mio in K-ON!. Their interactions - sometimes amusing, sometimes heartwarming - rarely failed to put a smile on my face.

The art school setting makes the typical Shaft low-budget sparse backgrounds and lackluster animation ironic, but at the same time justifies the abstract stylization the studio uses to try to cover up its deficiencies. Sometimes there were even some attractive shots, especially when the pastel color scheme was intelligently employed. The episodes storyboarded by Shinbo and Oishi were sharper than the rest, unsurprisingly, with snappier cuts and more creative visual choices. Still, even the weaker episodes didn't feel out of place - because of the relaxed, meandering slice-of-life pacing, lazier directing isn't as problematic as it was in, say, Nisemonogatari. All in all, a worthwhile watch.

The ED song is really quite good, by the way.

 

[jman2050]

Ano Hana was just as bad as any harem anime.

bububububububu tragic ghost lolis!

 

[BGBW]

Milky Holmes s2 11

I can't believe the final boss (?) had control over lard. Definitely the most epic battle I've ever seen with that particular substance used. That's one thing I love about anime in general; they can spend the entire animation budget on a fight with the world at stake revolving around lard of all things.

Well there was a show in the UK that involved someone who had the power to control lactose based products. He made people choke on the cheese they ate earlier.

 

[wonzo]

Did you learn more from this or Arjuna? Which evil did you find greater from their respective series: humanity or mankind?

I'll have to flip a coin on that.

 

[Branduil]

I'll have to flip a coin on that.

 

[wonzo]

"Call it heads or tails. I'll let ya go if ya win but if ya lose then I'll shoot ya, friend-o." - Cemen "Chigurh" Bond (Bagi)

 

[Defuser]

Of course.

Spoiler

kanna rulez ichika sux

Spoiler

She deserves better than that no good boob-obsessed alien-loving bastard

Someone like Tetsurou! Who she turned down... yeah she might want a mulligan on that one.

Nakama.

 

[Envelope]

I have to agree with the general sentiment that

Spoiler

Kanna >>>>>>>>>>>>> boring boob alien.

 

[dimb]

Medaka Box 12
I don't like Medaka at all but this show is painfully boring without her.

 

[Branduil]

It's more memorable than all of Summer Wars.

I don't know why but that one scene with

Spoiler

the giant computer in the room full of ice

does stick with me.

 

[Defuser]

Medaka Box 12
I don't like Medaka at all but this show is painfully boring without her.

Don't worry.

Spoiler

Naked apron senpai will fill that void.

 

[Branduil]

You'll know when you go on the list. At the moment I don't have a file of crazy things that you've said, so you don't need to go on the list.

People who don't know the context of this are really going to get the wrong idea.

 

[Femmeworth]

It's not even about picking one girl over the other. There's literally a point where [Bakemonogatari SPOILERS]

Spoiler

everyone discusses how it isn't a harem and how they're all just friends with Araragi. No, that really happens. Of course, Nisemonogatari ends up invalidating this later on....

I thought you were going to bring up that time when

Spoiler

Hanekawa talked about "vampire charm."

People who don't know the context of this are really going to get the wrong idea.

You are clearly still alive, unless Jexhius' butler is using your account now. In which case a *wink wink* is in order.

 

[Branduil]

Also, I bought glass Fleet and I really hope its as bad as you guys say it is. Garzeys Wing lived up to my expectations.

Well, let me ask you this: have you ever found yourself moist with tears of shame?

 

[Crash Station]

Milky Holmes s2 end

Dat foe-yay

And we finish the season off with an optimistic return to the status quo, only with more damage done. Definitely not the worst type of finale.

This was a good season. It never ceased to be fun even when trying to be serious. Of course the seriousness was still accompanied by ridiculous concepts such as lard abilities, so yeah, fun was always the main purpose.

One thing I neglected to mention in my season 1 post was just how much this ended up being completely different from what I expected. I figured it would be some occasionally crude detective moeblob show with competent characters, but instead it starred a group of incredibly stupid misfits that were a danger to themselves and everyone around them. Failure was a given for these people. And of course the crude jokes came much more frequently than expected.

Anyway, I liked it a good amount. Not amazing or anything, but fun.

 

[Instro]

Milky Holmes s2 end



And we finish the season off with an optimistic return to the status quo, only with more damage done. Definitely not the worst type of finale.

This was a good season. It never ceased to be fun even when trying to be serious. Of course the seriousness was still accompanied by ridiculous concepts such as lard abilities, so yeah, fun was always the main purpose.

One thing I neglected to mention in my season 1 post was just how much this ended up being completely different from what I expected. I figured it would be some occasionally crude detective moeblob show with competent characters, but instead it starred a group of incredibly stupid misfits that were a danger to themselves and everyone around them. Failure was a given for these people. And of course the crude jokes came much more frequently than expected.

Anyway, I liked it a good amount. Not amazing or anything, but fun.

Now despair, for there probably won't be another season .

 

[A Black Falcon]

• "I'm only interested in racing."
  *falls in love with man*
• Daddy issues.
• Super girly.
• Flashback full of crying.
• Fanservice.
• Gets saved by JP.

There's probably more I'm forgetting. She was defined by her gender, pretty much.

Yeah, that's true, all of those things happen. At least she does play a reasonably important role in the movie, though; she's not just there to be rescued, she does do stuff. It could be a lot worse. But yes, everything you say is accurate.

I think that the first and last of the items on that list are probably the most important of them. Both are right at the top of the prototypical female character stereotypes list, certainly, and are definitely unwelcome. "I only care about X" *falls in love with main character guy* is such an old, tired negative stereotype...

So sure, the movie was sexist. No question. But there's worse out there, including in a lot of anime, and Sonoshee does play a relevant role to the end; JP wouldn't have won the race without her help.

I can't really remember the film at all at this point, but there are times where she is a fetish object. Whether or not male gaze is problematic is up to you to decide though. I suppose I've become so inured to camera shots where the camera starts at a character's legs and then slowly and creepily pans up to the rest of the character's body, that all I have is an academic reaction. Certainly it doesn't titillate (herp, I said tit!) me any more than a spread in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue would (they still make that, right?).

Sonoshee has one topless scene, and it's pretty random, and obviously just there to toss in some nudity. But beyond that, yeah, and I respond to many of these things above.

There was also the other female racing team, who were pretty much there to be fake lesbians and eye candy for the "camera", iirc.

Yeah, that was the other female team. Certainly entirely there for fanservice no question.

I suppose to be fair though, it's not as if any of the characters had any depth beyond their designs. It's a film about the pretty pictures and I guess it's not fair to blame the film if the film itself doesn't give a shit. It's why I don't even remember any of the representational problems any more.

True, but most of the characterization Sonoshee does get is basically the stuff in Femmeworth's list up there.

Femmeworth wouldn't like Desert Punk at all.

Hah... probably not. There are some interesting events late in the series that mix things up a bit, though...

Of course it is, but like any thread about women, it's not really worth having an argument about it in any way.

Either you get into a circle jerk between people who agree with each other, or you get into circular bullshit arguments where all you do is end up with a bunch of people who think the other side are idiots.

I mean, I keep bringing up Wargames, but it really does have the best philosophy for having a low stress life: The only winning move is not to play the game.

Regardless of whether it changes or not, I think being unhappy with how sexist anime is is a good thing.

A Certain Scientific Railgun 24 (Final)

I came for Misaka, I stayed for Kuroko.

When Railgun was anything but slice of life it got really disappointing. I thoroughly enjoyed episodes like 3

Spoiler

where the four were hunting down the esper who drew eyebrows on her victims. It was fun, it gave us insight on the other espers of Academy City, the villain wasn’t some mad scientist who was bent on destroying everything we knew and it was done in one episode.

It was just the four girls doing their thing and not having to save the city.

Then with arcs like Level Upper, the show tried to have a linear plot and I think it suffered from a few of the same problems Index experienced. That is, convolution of terminology, failed attempts to make villains sympathetic and too much talking during battles. Granted there aren't many heavy-handed morality speeches but rather a lot of, "And this is what my power does. By all means, don't attack me while I spend 2 minutes going over how my power works." All of this and the writers are simply not good at constructing suspenseful, engrossing stories that take place over the course of multiple episodes. Slice of life is where Railgun shines and sadly, I think the ratio for slice of life and anything else is about half.

At the end of it all, I still don’t know that much about Academy City. 24 episodes and all these arcs about the Level 0’s and I still don’t know what it truly takes to increase your level. I don’t even know how Misaka became as powerful as she is. The show says that she worked really, really hard to become a Level 5 but it contradicts this by showing the audience a super laidback Misaka who just hangs out with her friends. Nothing about her personality screams work ethic. What sort of training was involved to get to her level? It was especially frustrating during climax of the Level Upper arc where Misaka

Spoiler

defeats the monster thing by saying to the people inside to basically suck it up and work harder. If anything, the moral message to “work harder to realize your potential,” fails to get across because we, as the audience, have no idea what it means to “work harder,” in Academy City. At that point you can’t help but demand an answer to the question: How exactly do you level up in this city?

By the end of the arc, I found myself being more sympathetic

Spoiler

of the Level Upper users

and having less respect for Misaka for making such a broad and idealistic statement.

And then there’s Touma. His dumbass should not have been in this show even if he was in a handful of episodes for no more than 5 minutes at a time. Well, at least the characters in Railgun are actually humans with more than two emotions and gasp, flaws. There’s that and the fact that at least half of Railgun was slice of life. If Index is a plate of dog food, mixed with human fecal matter then Railgun is a slice of bread. Meaning you’ll either be thankful that it isn’t Index or you’ll be pissed off that it’s not something better. Or maybe both. Let me also state that it didn't please me when the OP/ED were changed at the midpoint. only my railgun/Dear My Friend was an amazing combination. 2/5

That being said, I would gladly watch a show featuring Kuroko reading an assortment of monologues with the words, "Onee-sama," at the end of every sentence, for 24 episodes.

Touma, one of the top masters of the art of ruining scenes, and shows, simply by being in them! Other examples of this character-type phenomenon include Shirou in F/SN, and in a slightly less awful form (probably), Japanese Teacher in Upotte.

But yeah, Touma's insufferably annoying in this series. It only took me moments after his first appearance for me to start hating him... and then Misaka has to get rescued by him, of course, and fall in love with him for the worst possible (sexist) anime reasons? UGH!

Milky Holmes s2 5



Wish I could gif that. Well animated nipple sword fight ftw!

Is it just me or has Milky Holmes gotten even stupider this season, especially Sherlock? Some of the things they say are facepalm worthy, but that's why we love them.

They're definitely stupider in the second season, for the most part, yeah. I like them more overall in S1 because I think the degree of their stupidity in S2 went a bit far. Still very funny though of course.

Milky Holmes s2 8



What better way to portray a mass mental breakdown than with camel humping!?

And was that an Inception reference? Lol

Well, what better way is there to show a mass mental breakdown?

Milky Holmes s2 10



This is the best transformation ever. This development was really unpredictable. Never in a million years would I have expected

Spoiler

lard boy

to end up as a major villain. Awesome.

Also, R.I.P. Twenty's nipples

Yeah, the villain definitely completely came out of left field. It was definitely quite the great final arc, that's for sure!

Spoiler

Poor lard boy, it's all Milky Holmes' fault and they don't even know it... I mean, of course there had to have been darkness in his heart all along, but they're responsible for what happened!

Milky Holmes s2 11



I can't believe the final boss (?) had control over lard. Definitely the most epic battle I've ever seen with that particular substance used. That's one thing I love about anime in general; they can spend the entire animation budget on a fight with the world at stake revolving around lard of all things.

Now do you understand why I posted some 70-odd screenshots of this episode in my review? I think it was entirely deserved! Just ridiculous stuff, with such an insane plot and so much animation... definitely a fantastic climax. (Oh, and ep. 12's a solid conclusion, too.)

Now despair, for there probably won't be another season .

Don't talk that way... but with S2's sales, you're probably right, aren't you. Sure, the season started poorly, but it was great by the end. A third season would be fantastic!

There is at least that one more OVA coming this summer though.

Ladies versus Butlers 2-3

It's almost like Upotte!! didn't end. Thank you based Akio Takami.

The characters so far seem slightly better than the typical archetype. The main character and the tsundere in particular are really benefiting from this high-class/servant academy.

I remember dropping this show partway through the first episode (any reason to reverse that?), but that girl does have some of the most epic drill hair around. That's one of the more memorable things I remember about the show, and indeed, it's quite true!

And don't worry, everything about Fairly Tale looks horrendous, there is no worry about me trying it.

Fairy Tail's not horrendous.

 

[Crash Station]

Don't worry.

Spoiler

Naked apron senpai will fill that void.

 

[Envelope]

Kumagawa sucks, no loss there.

 

[Crash Station]

Now despair, for there probably won't be another season .

Eh, not gonna cry over it. Only regret I'd have is not much Mori Arty screentime.

 

[Articalys]

Medaka Box 12

Hey, that was pretty good for a season-ending filler episode. A bit metaphor-heavy, maybe, but I liked it.

Now we just have to sit back and wait for Fall or whenever season 2 airs. Looking forward in particular to

Spoiler

the Zenkichi vs. Munakata fight

.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Milky Holmes s2 end



And we finish the season off with an optimistic return to the status quo, only with more damage done. Definitely not the worst type of finale.

This was a good season. It never ceased to be fun even when trying to be serious. Of course the seriousness was still accompanied by ridiculous concepts such as lard abilities, so yeah, fun was always the main purpose.

One thing I neglected to mention in my season 1 post was just how much this ended up being completely different from what I expected. I figured it would be some occasionally crude detective moeblob show with competent characters, but instead it starred a group of incredibly stupid misfits that were a danger to themselves and everyone around them. Failure was a given for these people. And of course the crude jokes came much more frequently than expected.

Anyway, I liked it a good amount. Not amazing or anything, but fun.

It's a comedy show, not a detective show. Most people here didn't even watch far enough into the show to even figure out its genre, before never even starting it and assuming it'd be bad... quite sad. I guess that's what happened to you too. I've only been saying since it started that it's actually a comedy show... and yes, it's not a kids show either. It doesn't overly sexualize the girls -- they may be young, but apart from the requisite beach episode Milky Holmes isn't overt in its fanservice or creepyness (no panty shots, ever, for instance) -- but thanks to the sometimes adult humor, it's definitely not for kids.

Spoiler

For instance, that episode from S1 where Sherlock becomes a dominatrix because that prince wants to be treated that way... and then of course any remaining creepiness (because of the age gap there) is washed way by the so awesome ending where the prince reveals that he actually doesn't care about Sherlock at all, he's in love with the older woman (the nurse, or whatever, I forget who she was exactly)... :lol

Anyway, at least Japan paid enough attention to get a second season... but with its poor initial sales, it's looking (like was said above) like there won't be a S3. It's such a fun series, with so many ridiculous, and funny, scenes, concepts, and episodes... it's definitely one of the best recent comedy anime series, no question.

Anyway, they may be a danger to everyone around them, but they manage to save the world anyway!

Spoiler

And in fact, it's only BECAUSE they're such failure that that was even possible, of course...

Oh, and I assume you did watch the OVA that released after S1? There is an upcoming OVA (coming this summer) that'll follow up S2, but that'll likely be it for the franchise.

 

[Grzi]

I've seen some Milky Holmes action scenes in various Sakuga MAD videos and they looked pretty good.
How often do the action scenes happen in the show?

 

[Branduil]

What do you guys think of Panty & Stocking? It's more than likely going to be shown on Toonami sometime in the near-future, now that it's getting dubbed and being popular at the same time.

I had a lot more fun watching Black Rock Shooter TV.

 

[duckroll]

People who don't know the context of this are really going to get the wrong idea.

Isn't that the point? I thought anime has taught us all that entertaining drama comes out of misunderstandings!

 

[Branduil]

URDA

Take some awful CG and mix it up with the Nazis from Raiders of the Lost Ark, some surprisingly well-done action sequences, a hilarious dub and a sorta-kinda but not really-predictable twist ending and you've got this somewhat entertaining experience. It's not bad given that it was done by mostly one person!

I dunno, Shinkai's first film looks better than that, even the terrible CGI scenes.

 

[Makoto]

I remember dropping this show partway through the first episode (any reason to reverse that?), but that girl does have some of the most epic drill hair around. That's one of the more memorable things I remember about the show, and indeed, it's quite true!

I too dropped Ladies versus Butlers in the middle of the first episode. A few months later, here I am, giving it another shot and something just clicked and now I can't put it down. There's probably no good reason I could give you to jump back in but to give the first episode another go in its entirety.

 

[Crash Station]

I've seen some Milky Holmes action scenes in various Sakuga MAD videos and they looked pretty good.
How often do the action scenes happen in the show?

Not that often. Maybe 3-4 episodes per season. But when they do show up, they are fuckawesome.

 

[Instro]

I've seen some Milky Holmes action scenes in various Sakuga MAD videos and they looked pretty good.
How often do the action scenes happen in the show?

There's like 3 true sakuga episodes in each season iirc, although there's good animation in other episodes as well.

 

[Crash Station]

Medaka Box end

Wow, that was Nisio as fuck. I got PTSD flashbacks to Bakemonogatari. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

At least we got a teaser for Flask Plan! Now the long and painful wait for s2 begins!

 

[Grzi]

Any chance for the second Medaka Box season to air this Fall?

 

[dimb]

Medaka Box end

Wow, that was Nisio as fuck.

It's like if Nisio wrote Chihayafuru. This was the unique ending for the anime right? Man, it was bad and anti-climactic after the last episode.

 

[Crash Station]

Any chance for the second Medaka Box season to air this Fall?

Maybe. Anime announcements seem to be all over the place when it comes to when stuff airs. I think Binbougami ga only got announced like 3 months ago.

It's like if Nisio wrote Chihayafuru. This was the unique ending for the anime right? Man, it was bad and anti-climactic after the last episode.

Yeah, original ending. They pretty much jump into the next major arc right away in the manga.

 

[wonzo]

infinite stratos 8

"Like Christmas with more violence." - Bland Generic Harem Lead #16385

shitty cg battle christmas sounds like the worst christmas ever

whatever, laura > charles > older sister > * > annoying british girl

 

[Articalys]

It's like if Nisio wrote Chihayafuru. This was the unique ending for the anime right? Man, it was bad and anti-climactic after the last episode.

I really didn't mind it being anti-climactic in a way, since they'd finished up the first full arc at their pace last episode. It was pretty much an 11-episode season with a bonus episode at the end to cool things down.

 

[BGBW]

People who don't know the context of this are really going to get the wrong idea.

List of potential candidates to be sacrificed in the summoning of an ancient being. Crossed out names mean they have lost their purity in the mean time.

 

[duckroll]

The E7AO OVA looks like a serious troll. I'm looking at these screens and all I can see is Ao crossdressing as Eureka. Herp.

http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/cs/list/eurekaao/top.html

 

[dimb]

The E7AO OVA looks like a serious troll. I'm looking at these screens and all I can see is Ao crossdressing as Eureka. Herp.

http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/cs/list/eurekaao/top.html

Sounds like what the show should have been from the start.

 

[Femmeworth]

The E7AO OVA looks like a serious troll. I'm looking at these screens and all I can see is Ao crossdressing as Eureka. Herp.

http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/cs/list/eurekaao/top.html

Wow. The doujinshi practically write themselves.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Good OP though.

Yeah, I have the Shangri-La OP in my anime music playlist. I am deeply in love with May'n, you see.

 

[duckroll]

Remember Gilgamesh's awesome chess board in Fate/Zero? Notice how cool it looked in the first ED? Want it for display on your own table? In December you can! For the low price of 9980yen!

http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/498/498843/