If you willingly take the bait, are you still being trolled?
All is forgiven if you can get Chet to make you a test plugsuit version, too!
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Summer 2012 Anime |OT| Goddesses, canines, and killer MMOs!
- Thread starter Crash Station
- Start date
- Status
If you willingly take the bait, are you still being trolled?
All is forgiven if you can get Chet to make you a test plugsuit version, too!
Eyepatches make everything better anyhow.
Jex
Member
No, because Maison Ikkoku is only 96 episodes long.
dakkumauji
Member
What if it's double eyepatches?
Chet Rippo
Member
All is forgiven if you can get Chet to make you a test plugsuit version, too!
He told me specifically not to do it.
Though that's what I really wanted to do...
firehawk12
Subete no aware
I assume that no one would give enough shit to mention CD et al if Jex didn't bring it up in the first place.
I suppose it's like posting an update on Justin McElroy's latest meltdown though.
Draw one up just for the lulz and I'll watch another episode of Manyuu.
Hey man, sometimes it feels good to wallow in the mud. I signed up for GAF, there's no way I'm going to always refuse to make a big deal over stupid statements from people whose opinions don't matter
Jex
Member
Hey, there's no trolling here.
Chet Rippo
Member
Tempting...
firehawk12
Subete no aware
OMG AISHA TYLER HATES GAF! lolHey man, sometimes it feels good to wallow in the mud. I signed up for GAF, there's no way I'm going to always refuse to make a big deal over stupid statements from people whose opinions don't matter
I'm sure!
firehawk12
Subete no aware
There's no Tokyo arc at least.
Isn't it a little early to say something like that?
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Has Okada blessed the show with her presence?
Jex
Member
Did you see what Justin Bieber said about anime?
You should watch Fate/Zero, it saved anime again. And Kariya is the Charlotte Bobcats of anime characters.
Did you see what NeoGAF said about anime?
I know so little about sports that I spent a solid thirty seconds trying to think of who "Charlotte Bobcats" was before realizing what you actually meant.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Looks higher budget than Game of Thrones.
---
Smile Precure 21 - I like how there are no rules for their powers. Sometimes they use one attack, sometimes they use other attacks. It's like no one gives a shit. lol
I wonder if the show will change at all now that it has entered the "next phase" though.
Jex
Member
[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood] - 18
Of course, this is a pretty good episode on a number of levels (especially the animation) however one particular moment had me puzzled. Why, towards the climactic finale with a very dangerous opponent would you include this and completely undercut the tension from the scene:
Why?
Of course, this is a pretty good episode on a number of levels (especially the animation) however one particular moment had me puzzled. Why, towards the climactic finale with a very dangerous opponent would you include this and completely undercut the tension from the scene:
Why?
dakkumauji
Member
The lack of realism is what the makes the show so good.
I don't sense any homoerotic MANLY FIRE from this live action version of Sanada . . . they completely missed it.
Chet Rippo
Member
[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood] - 18
Why?
For my benefit.
dakkumauji
Member
Stop breaking my heart.
Sure it will. They just poke Akanbes in the ass with unicorn horns now!
Hey, man. It's Lust. The incarnation of a sin. Your eyes are forcibly drawn to her tits whether you want them to be or not.
I remember groaning audibly the first time I saw that moment.
Typographenia
Member
3X3 EYES: Volume 01/02
I'm still not sure how or why I ended up buying this. It was one of those anime that I remember hearing and reading the name of on a semi-regular basis years ago. The story was completely unknown to me, but I took a chance and bought both volumes a little while back when I caught them on the cheap on Amazon. With no expectations for what I was about to digest, I was cautiously optimistic for what I was going to get. I think I can say I'm pleasantly surprised, currently. That could all change by the end of the second volume, but I think I'm on board with where things are going, currently.
Story/Characters
Summary, and then thoughts~
The story starts (kind of) in the middle of things at the very start. Pai, who we learn is the last surviving member of a clan known as the Sanjiyan, has traveled from Tibet to Japan in search of a young boy named Yakumo. His father was an explorer obsessed with demons (This is an anime? Who would have guessed?), and, before dying, told Pai that she could fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a human if she got the help of his son. After explaining she has walked the Earth for 300 years and needs a statue of three demons rubbing cheeks that can be found in Hong Kong to become human, he is skeptical of the entire thing.
-------------------------
-------------------------
The story feels rather pedestrian, once you look at it without all the dressing. It's another typical Japanese demons anime story, but the details are what help keep it from dragging its feet. The quirky side characters, the hard swings in the final moments of each episode that left me with my jaw on the floor in nearly each case, and the brief quiet moments help build a more enjoyable show than a back-of-the-box blurb would probably set it up for.
-------------------------
-------------------------
Yakumo is a pretty plain character. He has quirky things around him that intersect with his life, but his personality is extremely straight forward and plain. He's okay as that, I suppose, as it makes his immediate adaptation to
rather amusing. I don't think it was really intentional, but just treating it as a minor inconvenience or just not really seeming to acknowledge it as a big deal was pretty funny at the beginning. He also suffers from Brock Syndrome and never opens his eyes. Well, except for certain moments. The one thing I thought they were going to do with his character that they just dropped as soon as they introduced it, was when
And he likes Dick Tracy!
Pai can really be summed up with one image. Just repeat it about 500 times and you have the majority of her time on screen. She's a cutesy character, but, despite how hard she tries, she never annoys me. It baffles me still, but it's true. Her VA is charming enough that the innocence never outweighs the dialogue.
Ling Ling and Mei Shin
That's pretty much it for the characters that really matter at this point. There are others, but they haven't gone out of their way to make it worth my time writing impressions about them at this time.
Presentation
To be quite honest, I've been consistently impressed by the quality of 3X3, so far. It's not reaching some new, profound heights in any particular area, but it does what it is setting out to do quite well. Sure, the heads are grossly oversized for their tiny faces, the colors are too muted for their own good a lot of the time, and characters all look the same, but it's got some great animation in places. Not to mention, it has that wonderfully square/chunky look to hands that 90s anime did so well. I don't know what it is I find myself so fond of in that, but I just really like the way they did hands like that.
The designs for the more supernatural stuff has been exceptionally tame. It's nothing exciting, their influences/inspirations are quite apparent, and none of it really stands out from what other common anime were and are doing. I expected some amount of interesting pattern work or architecture after Pai first appeared with her (almost?) eccentric collection of materials that composed her outfit. Sadly, none of that appears to have carried over. Actually, I lied, there was one moderately interesting design of a supernatural encounter in episode two, but it still wasn't enough to salvage the rest of what has been paraded on screen so far.
Voice work sounds good, and, as I mentioned above, Pai's VA has done a great job at placating my typical hatred for overly cutesy characters. I'm not sure if I could identify just what it is she is doing that has remedied it in this case, but I'm glad she is doing it, haha. Music is okay, I suppose. I haven't really noticed it, but it hasn't been bad enough to make me mention it. I'm not even entirely sure if there was music. I need to pay more attention in volume two!
Initial Thoughts
I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but I think I can safely say my current impression of the series can be summed up as "comfort food." It's not really doing anything dramatically unique, but it still does what it does with a level of execution and winks to the viewer that it's easy to get engaged. It relies on a lot of what I associate with common anime from the period, but not to the point that it feels pandering or treading ground that is too well worn. It's something you could pop in to watch on any given afternoon, have your fill, and have felt good about it.
I'm sad to see them ignoring the more interesting aspects of the character dynamics in favor of other elements, but I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for volume two. I'm hoping my opinion of the show remains positive, as I end my watching of this soon.
Also, what is up with the title of this show?
Pai is my waifu~
I'm still not sure how or why I ended up buying this. It was one of those anime that I remember hearing and reading the name of on a semi-regular basis years ago. The story was completely unknown to me, but I took a chance and bought both volumes a little while back when I caught them on the cheap on Amazon. With no expectations for what I was about to digest, I was cautiously optimistic for what I was going to get. I think I can say I'm pleasantly surprised, currently. That could all change by the end of the second volume, but I think I'm on board with where things are going, currently.
Story/Characters
Summary, and then thoughts~
The story starts (kind of) in the middle of things at the very start. Pai, who we learn is the last surviving member of a clan known as the Sanjiyan, has traveled from Tibet to Japan in search of a young boy named Yakumo. His father was an explorer obsessed with demons (This is an anime? Who would have guessed?), and, before dying, told Pai that she could fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a human if she got the help of his son. After explaining she has walked the Earth for 300 years and needs a statue of three demons rubbing cheeks that can be found in Hong Kong to become human, he is skeptical of the entire thing.
However, things suddenly become quite believable as Pai's pet pterodactyl human thing starts causing a ruckus in the city. As the two of them attempt to calm the beast (we later learn is named Takuhi), Yakumo is dealt a mortal blow by its death-grip, but Pai "rescues" him by opening a third eye on her head, ingesting his soul, and turning him into an immortal being known as a "Wu," who acts as a servant-type individual to their master Sanjiyan. You can't see, but I'm nodding my head in passive agreement, right now. Anyways, the situation resolves itself, and Yakumo recounts the ordeal when he awakens the next morning in the same place with a sleeping Pai watching guard. awww.
Hoping to get his life back to normal as quickly as possible, Yakumo and Pai head to Hong Kong ASAP, and arrive at the building his father sent the Statue of Humanity to (or something). SUDDENLY GUYS IN SUITS. The bandits leave with the Statue, after stealing it from the lady manning the building, and Yakumo is struck by a bus as he pursues them into the street. It's okay, though. Turns out the lady, Ling Ling, also had a tracking device attached to the Statue, and the trio track it down to a mansion.
After sneaking around, they find the statue in a room with a pointy-eared woman tied up, as well. They're attacked by a creepy Suit guy and the chaps from before, and a gun chase thing takes place with Yakumo getting blasted a lot. Things come to a head as the three become cornered on the rooftop. Pai's third eye opens once more, and she speaks with a much more commanding tone and blasts their pursuers away with the power of rock! Things start to go poorly as a large bug thing attacks, Yakumo gets killed some more, then the lady who was tied-up shoots the Suit guy a lot, and yeah. Then he summons a giant, glowing hand from the sky to grab the statue of humanity and take it somewhere else. WAIT, WHAT?!
The second episode centers around Yakumo's relationship with his friends, how their dynamic and interaction/perception changes when they see first-hand that he is immortal, despite them laughing it off when he broke the news originally. In the end, Pai's innocence helps them overcome their fears of how Yakumo has changed, and they see them off, once Yakumo has become fully resolved in regaining his humanity (as well as helping Pai achieve her humanity) after the people he cares about are put in harm's way due to his "Wu" status.
The third episode revolved around going to where Ling Ling had tracked the statue of humanity down (using her convenient tracking device), only to discover she and the man who had found it had been attacked. The man's younger sister, Mei Shin, teams up with the duo to rescue her brother and the statue from the hands of an evil storm-trooper cult lead by an alien-dinosaur man that want to revive the beast they worship. Mei Shin gets captured during their assault, and the cult are about to sacrifice her when Yakumo and Pai manage to intervene and rescue her and her brother. Ling Ling shows up with a random posse of gun-toting fellows (turns out she managed to escape being captured), and they make their escape to a helicopter on the roof. Turns out, Pai stayed back to sight-see and recollect suppressed memories as she is approached by a mysterious man!
The fourth episode started with Yakumo finding and saving Pai from the flames of the building (by the way, they were on the top of a hotel, so, what happened to the other people below them?). Everyone gets cozy back at the woman's mansion (guess they're buddies now?), while Ling Ling does research on just how the statue could give Pai her humanity. The woman drops some lines for the viewer to make sure you know she's really evil, Mei Shin/Pai/Yakumo are confronted by the mysterious man from the fire who turns out to be a Wu (THERE'S ANOTHER SANJIYAN?!), and it turns out he's going to release his master using the statue because the other Sanjiyan gave their lives to lock him away in some other dimension or something. So THIS is the main story. I think? Some shadow monster possesses Mei Shin, they stop it from stealing the statue, the other Wu threatens to kill their friends if he doesn't get the statue at a certain place by the morning, Yakumo confesses his love for Pai, and she ends up running off to SELF DESTRUCT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CITY. Dang. It ends with Yakumo on a train, determined to find Pai, no matter how long it takes. After all, a "Wu" dies if its master dies, so she must be alive. I smell a time skip!
Hoping to get his life back to normal as quickly as possible, Yakumo and Pai head to Hong Kong ASAP, and arrive at the building his father sent the Statue of Humanity to (or something). SUDDENLY GUYS IN SUITS. The bandits leave with the Statue, after stealing it from the lady manning the building, and Yakumo is struck by a bus as he pursues them into the street. It's okay, though. Turns out the lady, Ling Ling, also had a tracking device attached to the Statue, and the trio track it down to a mansion.
After sneaking around, they find the statue in a room with a pointy-eared woman tied up, as well. They're attacked by a creepy Suit guy and the chaps from before, and a gun chase thing takes place with Yakumo getting blasted a lot. Things come to a head as the three become cornered on the rooftop. Pai's third eye opens once more, and she speaks with a much more commanding tone and blasts their pursuers away with the power of rock! Things start to go poorly as a large bug thing attacks, Yakumo gets killed some more, then the lady who was tied-up shoots the Suit guy a lot, and yeah. Then he summons a giant, glowing hand from the sky to grab the statue of humanity and take it somewhere else. WAIT, WHAT?!
The second episode centers around Yakumo's relationship with his friends, how their dynamic and interaction/perception changes when they see first-hand that he is immortal, despite them laughing it off when he broke the news originally. In the end, Pai's innocence helps them overcome their fears of how Yakumo has changed, and they see them off, once Yakumo has become fully resolved in regaining his humanity (as well as helping Pai achieve her humanity) after the people he cares about are put in harm's way due to his "Wu" status.
The third episode revolved around going to where Ling Ling had tracked the statue of humanity down (using her convenient tracking device), only to discover she and the man who had found it had been attacked. The man's younger sister, Mei Shin, teams up with the duo to rescue her brother and the statue from the hands of an evil storm-trooper cult lead by an alien-dinosaur man that want to revive the beast they worship. Mei Shin gets captured during their assault, and the cult are about to sacrifice her when Yakumo and Pai manage to intervene and rescue her and her brother. Ling Ling shows up with a random posse of gun-toting fellows (turns out she managed to escape being captured), and they make their escape to a helicopter on the roof. Turns out, Pai stayed back to sight-see and recollect suppressed memories as she is approached by a mysterious man!
The fourth episode started with Yakumo finding and saving Pai from the flames of the building (by the way, they were on the top of a hotel, so, what happened to the other people below them?). Everyone gets cozy back at the woman's mansion (guess they're buddies now?), while Ling Ling does research on just how the statue could give Pai her humanity. The woman drops some lines for the viewer to make sure you know she's really evil, Mei Shin/Pai/Yakumo are confronted by the mysterious man from the fire who turns out to be a Wu (THERE'S ANOTHER SANJIYAN?!), and it turns out he's going to release his master using the statue because the other Sanjiyan gave their lives to lock him away in some other dimension or something. So THIS is the main story. I think? Some shadow monster possesses Mei Shin, they stop it from stealing the statue, the other Wu threatens to kill their friends if he doesn't get the statue at a certain place by the morning, Yakumo confesses his love for Pai, and she ends up running off to SELF DESTRUCT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CITY. Dang. It ends with Yakumo on a train, determined to find Pai, no matter how long it takes. After all, a "Wu" dies if its master dies, so she must be alive. I smell a time skip!
-------------------------
-------------------------
The story feels rather pedestrian, once you look at it without all the dressing. It's another typical Japanese demons anime story, but the details are what help keep it from dragging its feet. The quirky side characters, the hard swings in the final moments of each episode that left me with my jaw on the floor in nearly each case, and the brief quiet moments help build a more enjoyable show than a back-of-the-box blurb would probably set it up for.
The "Wu" stuff and their relationship with the master Sanjiyan is the most interesting avenue that hasn't really been fully explored yet. At this pace, I'm suspecting they never really will, but I earnestly hope that my expectations betray me. I would hate for this to turn into a much more straight forward race to the finish that I'm guessing it will become.
I think my favorite episode has been the second episode. The intense fear that his friends expressed after witnessing his powers was more believable than pretty much any reaction I've seen from another anime to "hey, weird stuff is happening." I could completely buy their different ways of handling the situation (screaming and running away, warning other kids, begging for their life in Yakumo's presence). Not to mention, the crazy last few minutes when they had to fight the monster guy and saying goodbye in the airport were nice.
Honestly, I like how much they've gone out of their way to maim Yakumo. I mean, what's the point of having an immortal character if you don't have fun with it? He's been shot up a lot, stabbed, impaled, thrown around, pummeled, and he has even gotten to cut his own arm off in a pretty cool scene in episode three. I was just waiting for him to do it, and I was so glad to see them go for it. Most of the time, it's completely unnecessary violence, but I'd rather them go a little overboard with it than never play up the whole "I can't die" stuff. Not to mention, it's pretty evenly split between comedy and drama. Good on them.
I think my favorite episode has been the second episode. The intense fear that his friends expressed after witnessing his powers was more believable than pretty much any reaction I've seen from another anime to "hey, weird stuff is happening." I could completely buy their different ways of handling the situation (screaming and running away, warning other kids, begging for their life in Yakumo's presence). Not to mention, the crazy last few minutes when they had to fight the monster guy and saying goodbye in the airport were nice.
Honestly, I like how much they've gone out of their way to maim Yakumo. I mean, what's the point of having an immortal character if you don't have fun with it? He's been shot up a lot, stabbed, impaled, thrown around, pummeled, and he has even gotten to cut his own arm off in a pretty cool scene in episode three. I was just waiting for him to do it, and I was so glad to see them go for it. Most of the time, it's completely unnecessary violence, but I'd rather them go a little overboard with it than never play up the whole "I can't die" stuff. Not to mention, it's pretty evenly split between comedy and drama. Good on them.
-------------------------
-------------------------
Yakumo is a pretty plain character. He has quirky things around him that intersect with his life, but his personality is extremely straight forward and plain. He's okay as that, I suppose, as it makes his immediate adaptation to
being immortal
he over hears Sanjiyan Pai speaking to a friend of his about how the Wu are the slaves of the Sanjiyan. She has a scheming look on her face, as she knows he is listening, so perhaps she was saying it purely to get a reaction out of him? I hope they bring this back up, because his questioning over if Pai herself sees him that way could have been an interesting development to build. I mean, at least a conversation would have been better than nothing at all. His confession of his feelings to Pai felt rather sudden. I mean, it was clear it was building that direction because of how they structured the show, but there wasn't really a lot to suggest he felt this strongly about her before the episode began. Looking forward to his wanderer time changing him into a (hopefully) cooler character.
Pai can really be summed up with one image. Just repeat it about 500 times and you have the majority of her time on screen. She's a cutesy character, but, despite how hard she tries, she never annoys me. It baffles me still, but it's true. Her VA is charming enough that the innocence never outweighs the dialogue.
Her Sanjiyan side is much more interesting, as I'm still unsure if it's another personality within her, the soul of another Sanjiyan, or just what the heck it is. It's been a little sad to not learn anything about the culture of the Sanjiyan outside of them sealing away the master of the other Wu, but maybe there will be more in volume two? I will say, her conversation with the Sanjiyan as she ran off to confront the other Wu was the best writing of her character so far. Well, you know, since it wasn't just her going "YAKUMO, LOOK AT ME BE ADORABLE." Especially since it hinted towards the possibility that something tragic is going to have to happen to the Wu for a Sanjiyan to gain their mortality. Or something. I can't wait to see the fruits of this foreshadowing! MWAHAHAHAHA!
Ling Ling and Mei Shin
have been... alright. Ling Ling kicks major butt, and she needs more screen time. I mean, not only has she managed to showcase her martial arts, fire guns and toss grenades haphazardly, and scheme to profit from Yakumo's immortality, but she does it all while wearing the biggest glasses ever. Definitely cool. Mei Shin started out as a similarly awesome character, but they keep using her as "that lady we have to save from being used as a virgin sacrifice to the demon" and "that girl got possessed by a shadow monster to steal the statue" stuff. It's a little disappointing, as she seemed like she'd be a real assertive, take-no-crap character. Hope to see more from her in the future.
That's pretty much it for the characters that really matter at this point. There are others, but they haven't gone out of their way to make it worth my time writing impressions about them at this time.
Presentation
To be quite honest, I've been consistently impressed by the quality of 3X3, so far. It's not reaching some new, profound heights in any particular area, but it does what it is setting out to do quite well. Sure, the heads are grossly oversized for their tiny faces, the colors are too muted for their own good a lot of the time, and characters all look the same, but it's got some great animation in places. Not to mention, it has that wonderfully square/chunky look to hands that 90s anime did so well. I don't know what it is I find myself so fond of in that, but I just really like the way they did hands like that.
The designs for the more supernatural stuff has been exceptionally tame. It's nothing exciting, their influences/inspirations are quite apparent, and none of it really stands out from what other common anime were and are doing. I expected some amount of interesting pattern work or architecture after Pai first appeared with her (almost?) eccentric collection of materials that composed her outfit. Sadly, none of that appears to have carried over. Actually, I lied, there was one moderately interesting design of a supernatural encounter in episode two, but it still wasn't enough to salvage the rest of what has been paraded on screen so far.
Voice work sounds good, and, as I mentioned above, Pai's VA has done a great job at placating my typical hatred for overly cutesy characters. I'm not sure if I could identify just what it is she is doing that has remedied it in this case, but I'm glad she is doing it, haha. Music is okay, I suppose. I haven't really noticed it, but it hasn't been bad enough to make me mention it. I'm not even entirely sure if there was music. I need to pay more attention in volume two!
Initial Thoughts
I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but I think I can safely say my current impression of the series can be summed up as "comfort food." It's not really doing anything dramatically unique, but it still does what it does with a level of execution and winks to the viewer that it's easy to get engaged. It relies on a lot of what I associate with common anime from the period, but not to the point that it feels pandering or treading ground that is too well worn. It's something you could pop in to watch on any given afternoon, have your fill, and have felt good about it.
I'm sad to see them ignoring the more interesting aspects of the character dynamics in favor of other elements, but I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for volume two. I'm hoping my opinion of the show remains positive, as I end my watching of this soon.
Also, what is up with the title of this show?
Is it just in reference to the 3 eyes of the Sanjiyan? Why 3X3? Is it because of the other Sanjiyan the Wu is trying to revive? 3X3=9. ARE THERE 3 SANJIYAN?! Gonna have to get to the bottom of this...
Pai is my w
[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood] - 18
Of course, this is a pretty good episode on a number of levels (especially the animation) however one particular moment had me puzzled. Why, towards the climactic finale with a very dangerous opponent would you include this and completely undercut the tension from the scene:
Why?
Once an animation team sees a pair of breasts and a close-up shot they auto-complete the scene. It's like when your phone misinterprets your message as being the filthiest, dirtiest possible autocorrect possible.
That's me.
Typographenia
Member
I think you answered your own question.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Well, I mean specifically whether or not they're start doing arcs or if they'll stick with happy-go-lucky one off episodes.
Jex
Member
I can't believe that the director didn't understand the concept of 'tone'. It's...disappointing.
KO Traveling Hobo
Member
I love how they don't even make a token effort to justify it with a sudden movement or something. Her breasts just spontaneously start spazzing out of their own accord.[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood] - 18
Of course, this is a pretty good episode on a number of levels (especially the animation) however one particular moment had me puzzled. Why, towards the climactic finale with a very dangerous opponent would you include this and completely undercut the tension from the scene:
Why?
If you haven't checked out Campione! yet, you definitely should. I don't know whether or not the show will continue with it, but the first episode was :chet as fuck.
Jex
Member
That's true - it just makes the whole sequence all the more gratuitous and unnecessary.
Femmeworth
Banned
Oh dear. That kind of makes me hesitant to watch Brotherhood.[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood] - 18
Of course, this is a pretty good episode on a number of levels (especially the animation) however one particular moment had me puzzled. Why, towards the climactic finale with a very dangerous opponent would you include this and completely undercut the tension from the scene:
Why?
Thing usually go back to episodic content in Precure series even after the stakes are raised mid-season. They just have stronger enemies and stronger attacks with which to counter them.
It's a glaring oversight in a series that's generally free of pointless fanservice. I think that Lust's character was poorly-handled in Brotherhood compared to the original Fullmetal Alchemist anyway, but actively sexualizing her in any capacity was especially grievous.
Crash Station
Member
Nice writeup. I'm only familiar with the manga, but this is definitely making me curious (even if it is a hyper condensed version of early events)
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Well, I mean... the last two series built up the team over the course of the series, so there was still an arc to go there. Here, there seems to be nowhere for them to go unless this Bad End Kingdom stuff amounts to anything.
Crash Station
Member
Isn't actively sexuailzing her... kind of the point?
Yuki getting owned was one of the best parts!
Crash Station
Member
Yeah, you wouldn't like it. That single scene is the jumping point for the show turning into a really cliche harem anime where Ed finds a way to gender swap all the non-female homonculi via transmutation.
Jex
Member
Well that and numerous other reasons.
Femmeworth
Banned
Good god, Bones really has gone to shit over the years.
Characters can be sexualized in a classy manner. Generic boob jiggling is not the way.
Well, those "arcs" in previous series were little more than a few character-centric episodes in a row to introduce and characterize a new Cure that appears part of the way through the series. Smile can't do that because it introduced all of its Cures at the beginning of the series, so I anticipate that it's going to stick to its usual even rotation of character episodes. I understand if that seems less substantial than the formula you're used to, though.
After Smile, I find that I'm a proponent of introducing all of the main characters at the beginning of the series. Mid-series Cure reveals are always fun, but Cure Muse's reveal in Suite kind of soured me on late character introductions after it revealed just how easy it is to botch them. She was integrated into the team well into the second half of the series, only received a couple of characterization episodes, and essentially became a background afterthought for the rest of the series due to her lack of interaction with the other main characters and the rush to make it to the endgame. Ultimately I'll take characters that are consistently well-established through the series over the momentary excitement of a new character, even if it means more episodic content.
She embodied her respective deadly sin well enough without any overt attempts to titillate the audience. Being voluptuous and a temptress represented sexuality without actively making Lust a sex object, and framing her body as was done in the scene in question wasn't necessitated by anything in her character but was instead a pretty blatant switch to a male gaze perspective. Given Lust's character, the audience is definitely not intended to find her arousing, and so the choice to sexualize her was incredibly tone-deaf on the part of the animation staff.
Jex
Member
Gotta learn to use those spoiler tags.
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