Support NeoGAF

[Dresden]

At its current pace SAO should be done with the first two volumes in eight or ten episodes, depending on how they choose to integrate the events in volume two into the general narrative. Although I guess it'd make more sense to make the conclusion of volume one the ending of the first cour, and it's not likely that the later episodes will hold to the four-chapters-per rate of episode one. (Volume two is a set of stories that take place around the main story in volume one, so they should be able to fold that into the general flow of events--we can see this in the PVs, actually.)

I think it should be pretty enjoyable up through that at least. Don't know about you guys but I'm looking forward to more!

 

[firehawk12]

All of this is only a problem if you think that introversion is inherently bad. Everyone wants to be appreciated by others, but not everyone fits the dominant cultural mold and those who don't shouldn't be damned to foreveralone status just for being heavily invested in a personal hobby. If the other characters in the SAO universe see his skills as legitimately valuable, then that's fine because that's the culture and community that he identifies with anyway.

I don't really find the concept of "power fantasies" all that negative anyway because all media that we consume is a substitution of imagination for reality anyway. I'd call it an "escape", but of course not everyone agrees that they're trying to escape something by consuming fictional media.

That's the thing, Genshiken and Welcome to the NHK sympathized with its characters but also wanted more for them (it's why I dislike Genshiken: TNG to be honest). There's nothing at all to aspire to in SAO, unless the lesson that is learned at the end of all this is that video games, like any addiction, are bad for you.

 

[Jex]

i hope y'all' are ready for sunrise milking this shit into the ground

Sunrise already murdered Tiger & Bunny roughly half way through the series when they clearly forced in hefty rewrites to a number of ongoing plots so that the series could end on a note that would allow a sequel.

 

[Hitokage]

video games, like any addiction, are bad for you.

No fun allowed.

 

[Jex]

I don't see Yuri Yuri S2 on that list.

I can't and wont rank stuff I haven't watched.

 

[madp]

That's the thing, Genshiken and Welcome to the NHK sympathized with its characters but also wanted more for them (it's why I dislike Genshiken: TNG to be honest). There's nothing at all to aspire to in SAO, unless the lesson that is learned at the end of all this is that video games, like any addiction, are bad for you.

I think that this is where we reach an impasse on this particular discussion, because I'm fine with outcasts never aspiring to be more than outcasts as long as they're happy as they are

 

[Jex]

Natsuyuki Rendezvous - Episode 1

Damn you duckroll-sama, why did you have to take the best image for this episode?

 

[Crash Station]

So I went over to the countdown site and realize I'm STILL watching anywhere from 14 to 22 shows this season (depending on what I drop for the latter). Even on a damn off season, I can't escape

 

[Jex]

Would also like to ask people here about Moyashimon Returns, haven't watched the first one and always avoid them. Will this be fine to watch or Season 1 first?

Well, because the know that people who chose to watch Moyashimon Returns may have not seen the original show they work pretty hard to introduce everyone and everything in the first episode. However, I don't think they do a very good job of it so I'd check out the original first.

I'd also check out the original first because I have no idea if Moyashimon Returns will be as good as it's predecessor. It's too early to tell at this stage, of course.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Saki 4

mmmm maid outfits. Those skirts aren't shorter than your school outfit skirts.

Blasted anime logic.

Yeah, that doesn't make any sense, I've always thought that as well. She should be embarrassed about wearing a maid uniform, not about the skirt length, which is the exact same as her school uniform's.

So what, they just finished the quarter finals in Saki? It's going to take years for them to do the semi-finals then. lol

Yes, they just finished the quarterfinals. And yeah, at the current pace, it'll get to the finals ... oh, in a couple of years or something.

... In the meantime, let's hope for another spinoff?

Yep, if they spent all that time on baseball or football or something, I'd be eternally bored. Unless, of course, it was some wacky sport that no one cares about like curling or high-jump or something.
(That said, if that rhythmic gymnastics show or one of the volleyball shows were subbed, I'd probably watch them)

They care about curling in Canada, don't they? But yeah, not anywhere else.

I agree that watching a show about a sport you don't like would be no fun, though. That said though, even though I like baseball a lot (the one sport I love), I haven't really watched baseball anime apart from Taisho Baseball Girls...

Eternal backlog.

Ah. Well, sometime get it off that backlog.

Spoiler

hyouka

icecream has spoken!

Icecream is indeed right this time. Kokoro Connect is quite good stuff.

Training arc already eh? Potential for yuri antics. weeeee.

Yup!

This sounds like a challenge.

If you wish to consider it one, then sure, it is.

... I'd guess that Sengoku Collection is the worse one.

 

[firehawk12]

No fun allowed.

In Genshiken, you can turn making doujin into being a manga editor... or making costumes into being a fashion designer!
You can have a hobby and be a part of society! It's not a big deal!
(Just ask "Game Journalists"!)

I think that this is where we reach an impasse on this particular discussion, because I'm fine with outcasts never aspiring to be more than outcasts as long as they're happy as they are

I look at it this way - even Fap Note had a "good ending" for the anti-social characters who hate society. And as you can guess from the name, their form of self-indulgent rage against society was extremely puerile.

Besides, I'm sure there are drug addicts and gambling addicts that are perfectly happy as long as they can get their next high. That doesn't mean that they don't need help though.

 

[Jex]

Oh my God. I guess everyone really forgot that one. Lol.

That's truly the sign of a great show. It just fades into the background.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Campione! 1 (rewatch)

Would have been nice to have either the OP and ED, if they couldn't do both. Second time around was a bit more intriguing. Honestly wasnt much of a fair fight for the Persian God of War, Verethragna, considering, at least based on the discussion, that he was already injured and wanted to lose.

Cliffhanger ending was interesting again

Spoiler

Mainly because, does it mean he is actually defeated? I hope not, I want him to stay around. The kiss scene was odd, but the thousands swords was epic

 

[Articalys]

Kokoro Connect 1

Wasn't too sure about this at first, but the character interactions and dynamics won me over. Will stick with the series for a while longer, at least.
Plus, it just seems fitting that Shizuka Itou is playing a character that tries to feel up other girls.

 

[Jex]

Already?

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Binbougami ga

My brother!

 

[Hitokage]

In Genshiken, you can turn making doujin into being a manga editor... or making costumes into being a fashion designer!
You can have a hobby and be a part of society! It's not a big deal!
(Just ask "Game Journalists"!)

Or you can have a day job and do what you want with your free time.
There isn't a need to sneer at some leisure activities over others.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

So I went over to the countdown site and realize I'm STILL watching anywhere from 14 to 22 shows this season (depending on what I drop for the latter). Even on a damn off season, I can't escape

Im at around 30, ended up picking up a few more new anime, like koi to senkyo to chocolate, which I hadnt planned on seeing and binbougami ga.

 

[madp]

I look at it this way - even Fap Note had a "good ending" for the anti-social characters who hate society. And as you can guess from the name, their form of self-indulgent rage against society was extremely puerile.

Besides, I'm sure there are drug addicts and gambling addicts that are perfectly happy as long as they can get their next high. That doesn't mean that they don't need help though.

I'm just going to leave off here, because the next step in this conversation is a neverending debate on whether or not drugs and gaming are a false equivalency or not, hahah.

 

[firehawk12]

Yes, they just finished the quarterfinals. And yeah, at the current pace, it'll get to the finals ... oh, in a couple of years or something.

... In the meantime, let's hope for another spinoff?

If they make a Saki anime sequel, they'll have to find a way to work in the Saki A girls somehow. They could pad out the quarter finals and make it a 1 cour season anyway.

They care about curling in Canada, don't they? But yeah, not anywhere else.

I agree that watching a show about a sport you don't like would be no fun, though. That said though, even though I like baseball a lot (the one sport I love), I haven't really watched baseball anime apart from Taisho Baseball Girls...

Curling is big in the nordic countries. Even China and Japan have Olympic curling teams, strangely enough! I think China even medalled at the Vancouver Olympics.

But, I got over the novelty of insanely detailed sports anime after watching OoFuri. It's fun once, but that's all I really needed to be satisfied with procedure-porn.

Or you can have a day job and do what you want with your free time.

I'm just saying, if the premise is that you want to have "fun", there are animes that let you eat your cake and have it too.

SOA is just self-destructive.

I'm just going to leave off here, because the next step in this conversation is a neverending debate on whether or not drugs and gaming are a false equivalency or not, hahah.

It's clear that there is an equivalency between F2P games and gambling though, which is why Japan locked down on those games where you pay for a chance to drop some loot. I only vaguely remember the story that was brought up on the 8-4 podcast, but that law basically killed a segment of F2P gaming in Japan.

Mass Effect 3 multiplayer is basically built on this model - pay 2 bucks for a spin at the slot machine and hope you get an item to drop.

House always wins!

 

[Femmeworth]

Oreimo is more a wonderful show about loving one's self and discovering the self-confidence to express what one loves even if it's not something socially acceptable. And about finding the strength to accept others for who they are as a whole.

Too bad that wasn't what the show was about.

 

[dakkumauji]

Sword Art Online 01

So, I'm glad we're done with the tutorial part. Really glad. Exposition doesn't sit well with me anymore.

It looks nice, music is good, the character(s) haven't bugged me, so it's all good.

I did have a good laugh when they literally ran through his future harem in the ED.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Funny shit...right there.

what is that from?
sorry.

 

[dakkumauji]

what is that from?
sorry.

Sword Art Online, first episode.

Pretty nifty they did that.

 

[madp]

It's clear that there is an equivalency between F2P games and gambling though, which is why Japan locked down on those games where you pay for a chance to drop some loot. I only vaguely remember the story that was brought up on the 8-4 podcast, but that law basically killed a segment of F2P gaming in Japan.

Mass Effect 3 multiplayer is basically built on this model - pay 2 bucks for a spin at the slot machine and hope you get an item to drop.

House always wins!

Well, sure, that very small subsection of the online gaming industry is pretty despicable! SAO doesn't resemble that, though, unless you want to argue that MMOs are inherently addictive, and even then the issue would be an investment of time and not money.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Sword Art Online, first episode.

Pretty nifty they did that.

Thanks

 

[Articalys]

By the way, I hope you guys wanted more Da Capo, because the recently released Da Capo III is getting an anime next year, just like its predecessors. I think this was kind of known a while ago, though.

 

[Hitokage]

I'm just saying, if the premise is that you want to have "fun", there are animes that let you eat your cake and have it too.

SOA is just self-destructive.

If you want to talk about self-destructive behavior then do so.

 

[Ultimadrago]

Sword Art Online, first episode.

Pretty nifty they did that.

More like calling peeps out!

 

[firehawk12]

If you want to talk about self-destructive behavior then do so instead of just waving your cane. I tend to think the whole NEET part takes precedence over whatever they do in their room.

That's what the anime is about though, so what else is there to talk about?

Well, sure, that very small subsection of the online gaming industry is pretty despicable! SAO doesn't resemble that, though, unless you want to argue that MMOs are inherently addictive, and even then the issue would be an investment of time and not money.

I suppose it's more like people who think Second Life is the future of society then. lol

 

[Chet Rippo]

Too bad that wasn't what the show was about.

Then what would you say it is about?

 

[darkside31337]

I'm just going to leave off here, because the next step in this conversation is a neverending debate on whether or not drugs and gaming are a false equivalency or not, hahah.

Which reminds me that there aren't enough series where the characters are actually self-destructive with their actions, one of my favorite shoujo series NANA is a series where the characters actually act like humans precisely because of their self-destructive actions. Real people do not use rational choice all the time in their everyday lives, they will take the easy way out and they will make decisions that provide short term benefit at the risk of long term detriment.

Some people want to get stoned out of their mind, get smashed like theres no tomorrow and have crazy sex with everybody they know. Some people just want to stay at home all day and play MMOs. Really its the same thing.

Well either way good to hear that this show is worth watching. For now anyway. I'll have to check it out later.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Too bad that wasn't what the show was about.

icecream is one of the people in delusional denial about what oreimo's really about.

If they make a Saki anime sequel, they'll have to find a way to work in the Saki A girls somehow.

Well sure, they'll be in the final, provided that they make it in Achiga-hen.

They could pad out the quarter finals and make it a 1 cour season anyway.

Actually, on that latter point, that is plausible... I mean, the training camp (before nationals) ends on ch. 63, about, which is where the anime ended, give or take a bit (there were changes between manga and anime, the anime added stuff, etc.). But using that as a starting point, whether there's enough for a 1-cour season would depend on how many episodes you devote to that 31-chapter quarterfinal. Unless they expanded the preliminaries or something, given the small focus there in the manga (five chapters before the beginning of the quarterfinals).

Curling is big in the nordic countries. Even China and Japan have Olympic curling teams, strangely enough! I think China even medalled at the Vancouver Olympics.

Huh, so Scandinavia cares about curling too? I'd forgotten that. But as for China, they compete in just about everything now, I think, with a focus on things they think they can get medals in...

But, I got over the novelty of insanely detailed sports anime after watching OoFuri. It's fun once, but that's all I really needed to be satisfied with procedure-porn.

OoFuri?

 

[firehawk12]

Which reminds me that there aren't enough series where the characters are actually self-destructive with their actions, one of my favorite shoujo series NANA is a series where the characters actually act like humans precisely because of their self-destructive actions. Real people do not use rational choice all the time in their everyday lives, they will take the easy way out and they will make decisions that provide short term benefit at the risk of long term detriment.

Some people want to get stoned out of their mind, get smashed like theres no tomorrow and have crazy sex with every everybody they know. Some people just want to stay at home all day and play MMOs. Really its the same thing.

Well either way good to hear that this show is worth watching. For now anyway. I'll have to check it out later.

You can't conflate reality with fiction though. As far as I know, SAO isn't a documentary on "gamers" (and even documentaries are just another form of mediated reality), it's a text written by an author with some form of agenda - even if it is as simple as trying to tell a story that will sell to otaku.

I mean, maybe there are women who just want to have a man sweep them off their feet and have sex with them. That doesn't mean you can't talk about how problematic Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey are.

 

[KO Traveling Hobo]

You can't conflate reality with fiction though. As far as I know, SAO isn't a documentary on "gamers" (and even documentaries are just another form of mediated reality), it's a text written by an author with some form of agenda - even if it is as simple as trying to tell a story that will sell to otaku.

I mean, maybe there are women who just want to have a man sweep them off their feet and have sex with them. That doesn't mean you can't talk about how problematic Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey are.

Isn't this more of a problem with the consumer than the product? If watching SOA makes you feel justified playing MMOs all day erry day, then isn't that a personal problem?

 

[Narag]

Poyopoyo 27

Lost it at Poyo's wish.

 

[Femmeworth]

Then what would you say it is about?

Someone post that GIF of Kirino wagging her butt at the camera. To use something more subtle, look at the episode where Kirino gets her novel turned into an anime.

 

[firehawk12]

Actually, on that latter point, that is plausible... I mean, the training camp (before nationals) ends on ch. 63, about, which is where the anime ended, give or take a bit (there were changes between manga and anime, the anime added stuff, etc.). But using that as a starting point, whether there's enough for a 1-cour season would depend on how many episodes you devote to that 31-chapter quarterfinal. Unless they expanded the preliminaries or something, given the small focus there in the manga (five chapters before the beginning of the quarterfinals).

I'm sure they could find a way to draw it out for as long as they want if they wanted. lol
Now that the sidequel is caught up though, I wonder if they'll speed up Saki. Probably not though, since the manga probably brings in the cash too.

Huh, so Scandinavia cares about curling too? I'd forgotten that. But as for China, they compete in just about everything now, I think, with a focus on things they think they can get medals in...

It's like hockey... or any winter sport to be honest. lol

OoFuri?

The Big Windup!

Isn't this more of a problem with the consumer than the product? If watching SOA makes you feel justified playing MMOs all day erry day, then isn't that a personal problem?

I suppose that depends if you're going to study culture from a sociological perspective or a literary one.

Like, when talking about heteronormativity in romance novels, do you blame the authors for writing books that inscribe those norms or do you blame the readers for lapping up these stories without a second thought?

Two sides of the same coin, I suppose.

 

[dakkumauji]

Poyopoyo 27

This show gives a whole new meaning to the Tanabata festival.

 

[firehawk12]

God, I feel like going back and watching round-cat now.

 

[Crash Station]

Sword Art Online 1

Yeah, this is really cool. What the entire .hack franchise should have been. It also really makes me want a Real PG anime. The cast (well, the 2 characters we know) seem cool so far and the premise, while not entirely original, is executed in a way that makes it very compelling. Definitely sticking with this until the end unless it gets super bad.

This would also make me extremely paranoid about true VR games if I knew they weren't decades off.

 

[KO Traveling Hobo]

Someone post that GIF of Kirino wagging her butt at the camera.

Her butt is just symbolic of her otakuism. That's, like, Lit 101. Gosh.

 

[madp]

Which reminds me that there aren't enough series where the characters are actually self-destructive with their actions, one of my favorite shoujo series NANA is a series where the characters actually act like humans precisely because of their self-destructive actions. Real people do not use rational choice all the time in their everyday lives, they will take the easy way out and they will make decisions that provide short term benefit at the risk of long term detriment.

Some people want to get stoned out of their mind, get smashed like theres no tomorrow and have crazy sex with everybody they know. Some people just want to stay at home all day and play MMOs. Really its the same thing.

Well either way good to hear that this show is worth watching. For now anyway. I'll have to check it out later.

And, of course, I think we'll agree that this is self-destruction at its finest:

I think you've summed up really well this particular kind of character that doesn't really exist in anime, barring a few notable examples. Vice and addiction are easy ways to bring out the true nature of a character, but the audience demands its characters to be pure and upright. Porn addiction/raging perversion is pretty much the only type that characters can really get away with in anime, and even then generally only when it's used for laughs.

 

[dakkumauji]

God, I feel like going back and watching round-cat now.

There could be worse things to spend your time watching!

 

[Ultimadrago]

There could be worse things to spend your time watching!

Question is: What could possibly be better to spend your time watching?

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica 1

Ousawa Akatsuki is perhap 95% cool. Only part I dislike is they make him to pervy. Though I guess it fits in the atmosphere of this since it seemed to do lots of shots of panties and had those rather detailed boob displays...if it cut down on these then I think it could be enjoyable.

Kyouya is really awesome, and Ousawa and that pillar of ice gave me some masive Gray Fullbuster vibes, which was marvelous. The magical academy is a great location so I hope we get at least 24 episodes in this place with tons of magical battles.

Oh and as usual, Faylan ftw!

 

[Crazymoogle]

Which reminds me that there aren't enough series where the characters are actually self-destructive with their actions, one of my favorite shoujo series NANA is a series where the characters actually act like humans precisely because of their self-destructive actions. Real people do not use rational choice all the time in their everyday lives, they will take the easy way out and they will make decisions that provide short term benefit at the risk of long term detriment.

Makes me wish the author was writing again. Got out of the hospital in 2010 but...

 

[-Minsc-]

Curling is big in the nordic countries. Even China and Japan have Olympic curling teams, strangely enough! I think China even medalled at the Vancouver Olympics.

The thing about curling is it's one of those sports which would be way more fun to play than watch. Kind of like baseball in a way.

Curling anime eh? I can see the power moves now.

 

[firehawk12]

There could be worse things to spend your time watching!

Question is: What could possibly be better to spend your time watching?!

Speaking of self-destructive and worse ways to spend my time, my goal of watching the first episode of everything available this season is going to kill me. lol

I see Dawg Dayz' coming.

The thing about curling is it's one of those sports which would be way more fun to play than watch. Kind of like baseball in a way.

Curling anime eh? I can see the power moves now.

Unless my mind is hallucinating, I believe that there is actually a curling manga... so an anime could happen! lol

And I actually like watching curling. It's probably the biggest regret I have from cutting cable - no more bonspiels to watch except during the Olympics. For whatever reason, it's a sport where you can both zone out and intensely watch at the same time. There's so much down time between "moves" that it's so easy to get drawn into the banality of what amounts to shuffle-board strategy.

 

[Narag]

God, I feel like going back and watching round-cat now.

It's well worth it if you haven't kept up with it.

 

[fertygo]

Sword Art Online 1

Yeah, this is really cool. What the entire .hack franchise should have been. It also really makes me want a Real PG anime. The cast (well, the 2 characters we know) seem cool so far and the premise, while not entirely original, is executed in a way that makes it very compelling. Definitely sticking with this until the end unless it gets super bad.

This would also make me extremely paranoid about true VR games if I knew they weren't decades off.

Meh, I dunno... its just screams bullshit to me :<
LOL MMO, The developer will marked as biggest terrorist this way.. no way this psychopath plan can pass
.hack premise is a lot more cooler to me, I still remember being hyped as hell when pushing new game trigger in the original and G.U.

Guess I'm only enjoying Horizon for otaku anime this season.