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Spring Anime 2013 |OT-8| What could be beyond OT-8? Possibility.

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N

Nafe

Member
D

Dresden

Member
aku no hana - the best

attack on titan - it's a pity this didn't air in summer or fall, with the latter being ideal

gargantia - some questionable episodes have lowered my opinion of it somewhat, but i'm still enjoying it

yuyushiki - the most erotic show of the season

(on hold) aiura - ep1 was like a minute long and had beautiful art

(dropped) azazel-san z - bad

muromi-san - pretty good, lots of energy, creative corner-cutting

valvrave - Blitzendegen!

(dropped) henneko - mediocre outside of a ep4 yuricest revelation that goes nowhere

maou-sama - forgettable romcom

(dropped) railgun s - nagai is a pretty good director, but the material is stupid and he makes it worse with all the anime-only moeblob hijinks, which would be okay if they weren't terrible.

SNAFU - an otherwise mediocre teen dorama saved by the wry, self-loathing lead; trap of the season; sensei end best end; probably not going to be any good by the end as 8man hurtles towards his destiny as the dark knight of yahari

(watched one episode of for best waifu and will leave it there because the best thing i can say about it is that it's better than Infinite Stratos and my enjoyment of it was almost purely based on my appreciation for cannibalistic yandere waifus) date a live - better than infinite stratos; kurumi best vore end best end

(dropped) devil survivor 2 - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
 
M

madp

The Light of El Cantare
Regulus Tera said:
The implication is that the meta is what's keeping the people watching. I'm starting to understand DTL.
Click to expand...

Dokidoki would be nigh unwatchable if it weren't so incredibly easy to willfully succumb to the delusion that there are yuri undertones to everything. That is the one and only thing that it has going for it.

Otherwise, it's mostly godawful and Mana is the worst character in the franchise who isn't Shiny Luminous.
 
C

cajunator

Banned
Mad Pierrot said:
Dokidoki would be nigh unwatchable if it weren't so incredibly easy to willfully succumb to the delusion that there are yuri undertones to everything. Otherwise, it's mostly godawful and Mana is the worst character in the franchise who isn't Shiny Luminous.
Click to expand...

Shiny Lumiinous is soooooo boring.
the boringest of borings. The Ultrabore.
 
R

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
Mad Pierrot said:
Dokidoki would be nigh unwatchable if it weren't so incredibly easy to willfully succumb to the delusion that there are yuri undertones to everything. That is the one and only thing that it has going for it.
Click to expand...
Next thing you'll tell me is that Rikka and Mana are just really close cousins.
 
M

Mature

Member
duckroll said:
Looks like they really took their time with it, but noitaminA could be back!
Click to expand...
I believe in your hype!

PsionBolt said:
Detective Conan: The Fourteenth Target

Finally getting back to Conan after a long break. This season just really isn't doing it for me, so might as well chip away at the backlog (mostly Conan) and re-watch some stuff (mostly Precure).

This film was decent enough. I liked the idea, but it deserved a slightly longer movie. I remember reading somewhere (Seacats?) that no good mystery has ever had more than ten or so incidents, but because this one's gimmick is card numbers, the victims are 13 in all. That's a lot to cram into an hour and a half, causing things to become quite rushed towards the end. In particular, the culprit's motivation was pretty pathetically weak, and basically impossible to deduce.

I also seem to have missed something:
Who was the "fourteenth target"? The guy only even intended to kill like four of them in the first place... Though the rest were still 'targets', I suppose. I guess Ran being held hostage at the end was the fourteenth, but she was never really his target - he just took advantage of the presence of a mostly-unconcious girl. I know I'm thinking about this too much, but the title bugs me, haha.

On the bright side, Kogorou got to shine again. Maybe my random selection of films was just unkind to him at first, because he's been fairly cool in the last couple, I think. His flashback added some depth to the relationship between him and his wife, which was nice, and apparently things would often go a lot differently if he was allowed to carry a gun as a civillian.

The running theme of these movies seems to be "not quite as good as it deserved to be". Overall, this one is just another plain-but-solid 6/10. But the next one is a Kid movie, so who knows? It'll probably be at least as good as Magician of the Silver Sky, and that one was pretty great.
Click to expand...
I can respect a man who respects the always underrated sleeping sleuth. Does "catching up with Conan" only involve movies or are you watching the series?

Jexhius said:
lets proceed to rank this seasons shows best to worst:
Click to expand...
Thank you for eloquently ranking and summarizing series how I might have. Sans Valvrave. Do I really have to watch Valvrave? I guess i'll give it another try with a different mindset.

Well, here's my ranking anyway:
Aku no Hana - So compelling in it's abstract nature, it's just really hard to resist. I've grown to actually enjoy and respect the rotoscoping (which is a pretty big turn around from how I thought about it in episode one). Now I have a hard time picturing it done traditionally. Though the surreal narrative is a lot of fun, I think just watching it for Studio Pablo's backgrounds and the atmospheric sound design alone isn't crazy. It's really thoughtfully put together.

Gargantia - I think more than anything else, the light hearted nature coupled with the unique culture(s) and setting has made this a comfortable watch this season. Ledo is a main character I can get behind and the supporting cast isn't overbearing. The plot has shown some signs of going a pretty typical, cliche route, which is really too bad. I think I'd prefer Gargantia as a really unique slice-of-life over a one-dimensional melodrama, but I'm beginning to expect the worst. I originally thought the CG would be a big turn off for me on this one, and while I'd obviously prefer traditional animation, the mecha CG looks fine— especially when flanked by moments of great hand drawn animation. It balances out well.

Attack on Titan - What makes Attack on Titan so appealing has already been mentioned a bunch already so I wont go into that in detail. I think what stops it from being great is, and this could be something that "plagues" the manga as well, but it constantly feels like the narrative is always turned up to 11. Even in it's more sedate moments, there's always someone shouting at someone else and deep emotions being realized. It's not always a bad thing. I can appreciate the drastic urgency of the situations that exist, but the pacing feels just a bit too contrived. Still enjoying it weekly and hoping that Studio Wit can stay consistent amidst the production woes.

Muromi - It looks nice sometimes.
 
K

KirbYuuYuu

Member
Mad Pierrot said:
Dokidoki would be nigh unwatchable if it weren't so incredibly easy to willfully succumb to the delusion that there are yuri undertones to everything. That is the one and only thing that it has going for it.

Otherwise, it's mostly godawful and Mana is the worst character in the franchise who isn't Shiny Luminous.
Click to expand...

I still maintain that Cure Berry is far worse, but she gets what she deserves at least. Also nothing that Makoto isn't very interesting despite the shit that happens with her.

cajunator said:
Shiny Lumiinous is soooooo boring.
the boringest of borings. The Ultrabore.
Click to expand...

So boring we throw her under the bus like it's tradition.

Joe Molotov said:
Even worse than Cure Echo?
Click to expand...

The fact that she existed made the New Stage movie even worse than it already is, but she only exists for 5 minutes of your miserable existence while watching it.

Regulus Tera said:
Next thing you'll tell me is that Rikka and Mana are just really close cousins.
Click to expand...

I feel like dying again.
 
N

Necrovex

Member
Aku no Hana 6-7

Nakamura, you so crazy. I adore you! Episode seven was purely amazing. The music and ending sequences, oh my god, it captured the tone and the spirit of the manga so bloody well.

Manga spoilers:
We are finally getting to the point where shit slowly falls apart for the three little kids. I wonder if the show will reach the point where Saeki goes completely insane?
 
S

SDBurton

World's #1 Cosmonaut Enthusiast
Mad Pierrot said:
Dokidoki would be nigh unwatchable if it weren't so incredibly easy to willfully succumb to the delusion that there are yuri undertones to everything. That is the one and only thing that it has going for it.
Click to expand...

What I was trying to say.

Otherwise, it's mostly godawful and Mana is the worst character in the franchise who isn't Shiny Luminous.
Click to expand...

I still can't get over the fact that she
tried to lecture a selfish crab, among other things
.
 
K

Kurita

Member
Saikou no Rikon 9
i9er8GQdUJUWq.png
Click to expand...
:dtl
:sdburton
 
T

Taruranto

Member
I'm too lazy to make a list... I'll just say I'm enjoying Valvrave the most. Red Data Girl is probably the worst show I'm following, and honestly I'm not even sure why I'm still watching it at this point. I guess i was hoping it would get better, but I'm 9 episodes in so i'll probably just finish it for the sake of it.
 
H

hosannainexcelsis

Member
Jexhius said:
While I would agree with your assertion that Patlabor 2 is more of a traditional 'modern Oshii' work than Patlabor 1 I don't think it's necessarily write to restrict Oshii to a single mode. The wacky comedy Oshii is just as legitimately Oshii as his more serious works, it's just happens to be that as time has passed he's steered more towards the serious and reflective than the comical.
Click to expand...

I think it's fair to say that Oshii's reputation as a director and the style with which he is associated rests on such contemplative films as Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor 2, and Angel's Egg. In addition, the slapsticky Oshii of Urusei Yatsura doesn't feel that removed from mainstream 1980s anime, whereas "modern Oshii", as you put it, is removed from mainstream anime and is a unique creative personality. The contemplative style feels like more personal statements as an artist and, frankly, I feel that Oshii is just better at it than he is at slapstick comedy.
 
T

Tenumi

Banned
Future Diary: 22

Don't know if this would be considered NSFW, so I'm playing it safe
Click to expand...

Well, well,
now it's down to two. Or is it?

Akise talks to Deus, almost gets killed because he was a creation of Deus and thus lacks free will, except he didn't so he got to live. Then Yukki kills all his friends to get to the Eighth while Yuno fights Akise. Eventually Akise makes it to where Yukki is, kisses him, only to promptly get his throat slit by Yuno, but not before destroying her Diary. Or did he?

Slightly confusing episode, but this is a train that keeps on rolling. Fun stuff, but I've gotta watch something with less blood next.
 
M

Mature

Member
Jexhius said:
It's not really design recycling in the traditional sense. Tezuka had what's known as a 'Star System' where he used a stable of actors (designs) who he cast in a variety of different roles in a variety of different roles. You can read more about it here.
Click to expand...
This is super interesting. I think Suda51 of all people has talked about doing this type of thing before.
 
P

PsionBolt

Member
Anyonw who dislikes Dokidoki Precure has is clearly sad and has lost their love. They should all just let Mana make their hearts pound again.


Detective Conan: The Last Wizard of the Century

Yep, this movie was notably more enjoyable than most Conan films. As expected of the master, Kaito Kid.

I have very few complaints about this one, so I'll start off with positives for once instead.
The reveal that Kid was in disguise as Shiratori for the entire latter half of the movie was awesome. I knew something was odd about the way that he kept acting slightly suspicious and the multiple dramatc closeups of his eyes, but I somehow didn't figure out what it meant. He acted almost exactly the same way in The Time-Bombed Skyscraper, and that turned out to be a red herring, so I guess I was wary of the same trick being pulled twice. I should know better than to expect such a thing from Conan, I guess!

This movie was also my first experience with the english dub cast. My feelings about it are mixed - Kid / Shinichi, Kogorou, and Haibara all had better voices than I expected, and most of the minor characters like the kids and suspects were all decently suitable, but some others were downright terrible, like Megure and Agasa. Conan was also annoying, but he's annoying in Japanese too, so that's fine. It was a better effort than most dubs, I imagine.

So yeah, overall, a very enjoyable 7/10. Of the two movies about Kaito Kid that I've seen so far, I'm not positive which was better, but they were both better than average.
Mature said:
I can respect a man who respects the always underrated sleeping sleuth. Does "catching up with Conan" only involve movies or are you watching the series?
Click to expand...
For now, I still only have the movies in my possession, but I'm leaning more and more towards picking up the series as well. I didn't want to take on seven hundred episodes, but I like to have something episodic lying around for rainy days anyway, so what the hell. It'll take five or six years, but I'll get through it.
 
W

wonzo

Banned
/XX/ said:
I personally like the simple look with a clear motive, but well, there was the Special Edition version. Clean design as well although with a sight on it as warm as that mug of coffee!
Click to expand...
Maybe we'll get that for the movie release. Well, I hope we do as I want that mug.

duckroll said:
Silver Spoon anime TVCM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV23Xl9J8c0
Click to expand...
Looks better than I was expecting. Mikage sounds very different from what i was expecting though.
 
H

hosannainexcelsis

Member
duckroll said:
I think now would be a good time to do an evaluation of the season, since we're halfway through it. Hopefully others also take part in this so we can get a feel on what everyone is still watching and how they feel about the shows. Basically, list the shows you're still watching (not the ones you already dropped), and talk a little about how you feel about the 6-7 episodes which have aired so far.
Click to expand...

The currently airing shows I'm watching in alphabetical order:

Flowers of Evil - A stunning show in many ways. An intimate character drama about depravity, guilt, narcissism, and the depths of the human psyche. An unmatched mastery of atmosphere. The rotoscoping may have gotten a large negative reaction when the show started, for understandable reasons, but I think time has proven it the right decision. It creates a sense of realism, boosted by the naturalistic character interactions and voice acting, but at the same time remains a layer removed from reality, adding to the overall unease. It helps that Nagahama has more directing skill in his little finger than 99% of anime directors. He knows how to use the camera and the soundtrack for maximum effect. Of course, I can't finish without noting Studio Pablo's fine work on yet another collection of gorgeous backgrounds.

Valvrave the Liberator - Before I started watching this, I felt rather negatively deposed towards it, as it seemed to be just another inept mess from Sunrise. The first episode was kind of boring too. But once I got into it, I discovered an excellent comedy of the non-sequitur variety that makes up much of the best Japanese humor, with a colorful cast of characters such as L-Elf. That the show keeps a straight face through its crazy antics only adds to the charm. I don't like the overdesigned mechas, the color design can be unpleasantly gaudy at times, and some of the backgrounds are pretty bad, but none of that detracts from Okouchi's hilarious writing and Matsuo's solid direction.

Yuyushiki - Fun things are fun. The central trio has great chemistry with each other, and I enjoy some of the random tangents their conversations go down. The consistently good production values give this show more energy and visual interest than is typical for a slice-of-life show of this type. I wish that some of the side characters had more presence, as having only the 3 characters present most of the time limits the show's range, but it's hard to complain when each episode puts a smile on my face.
 
H

hosannainexcelsis

Member
Dresden said:
The surreal theatricality of Gosenzosama Banbanzai or Beautiful Dreamer seems more representative of Oshii's 'style.'
Click to expand...

I don't think Beautiful Dreamer is all that different from Oshii's later works with where it goes. As far as Gosenzosama Banbanzai goes, I really do need to go back and finish that up.
 
R

RurouniZel

Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
Kirbyguy said:
Smile RoboCure 35

2ZxDf.gif


2ZxYc.gif
Click to expand...

She is an insanely adorable geek!

PsionBolt said:
Detective Conan: The Last Wizard of the Century

Yep, this movie was notably more enjoyable than most Conan films. As expected of the master, Kaito Kid.

I have very few complaints about this one, so I'll start off with positives for once instead.
The reveal that Kid was in disguise as Shiratori for the entire latter half of the movie was awesome. I knew something was odd about the way that he kept acting slightly suspicious and the multiple dramatc closeups of his eyes, but I somehow didn't figure out what it meant. He acted almost exactly the same way in The Time-Bombed Skyscraper, and that turned out to be a red herring, so I guess I was wary of the same trick being pulled twice. I should know better than to expect such a thing from Conan, I guess!

This movie was also my first experience with the english dub cast. My feelings about it are mixed - Kid / Shinichi, Kogorou, and Haibara all had better voices than I expected, and most of the minor characters like the kids and suspects were all decently suitable, but some others were downright terrible, like Megure and Agasa. Conan was also annoying, but he's annoying in Japanese too, so that's fine. It was a better effort than most dubs, I imagine.

So yeah, overall, a very enjoyable 7/10. Of the two movies about Kaito Kid that I've seen so far, I'm not positive which was better, but they were both better than average
Click to expand...

This is my favorite of the movies. It had a little bit of everything, and Kaito Kid is awesome! :D
 
T

Tenumi

Banned
Future Diary: 23

p77TaCu.jpg
Click to expand...

Well, I'd say that some things certainly climaxed this episode.

Yep, Yukki and Yuno have sex. Of course Yuno has an axe under the covers because, you know, she's Yuno. But this time, we found out why she's the way she is. And it is a mindscrew

Yuno is actually from a previous "world", so to speak, where she was the final survivor after the Survival Game. When she found out that she couldn't bring Yukki back to life, she instead wished to go back in time to a point where she could still be with Yukki. Then she promptly kills herself. Uh, I mean her self in the new time period, explaining the body and the extra Diary.

3 episodes to go. I'm finishing this tonight.
 
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