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[Rainy]

Working'!! 7

And here I thought Takanashi would be jealous. And some progress relating to Yamada I see.

 

[CheapJuice]

Symphogear S1 - 03

Well, this went a bit calmer, but still containing some silly stuff. The uncle stopping the GIANT sword with his fist and the cherry popping scientist comes to mind.
Exciting to see what seem to be a fellow Symphojunkie as a potential villain. I liked Hibiki's little fight at the end and her creepy faces, but it wasn't nearly enough to quench my thirst!

Oh and what's up with the ED backgrounds. They look great but I can't quite place why they're there.. is there some dark and unsettling stuff about to reveal itself?

 

[Save 'N Quit]

Nope.

Still don't buy it.

Nii-chan is still absolutely based as ever though.

 

[NaDannMaGoGo]

I can't believe I didn't think of The MUSHIM@STER.

Seriously though, if you really want to translate the shi part but leave the mushi part, a quick translation search comes up with master and teacher. To me, things like hunter are too aggressive considering that Ginko emphasizes to leave the mushi alone when possible and that everything is just trying to coexist. I have no good suggestions though, sorry.

Yeh some benevolent and calmer title seems to fit Ginko and most of the other Mushishis better.

 

[jbug617]

Non Non Biyori Repeat 2

I'm going to assume that this series is suppose to fill in the blanks from Season 1. They did skip around in Season 1. Nii-chan needs more screen time.

 

[Rainy]

Working'!! 8

Damn I really wanted Yamada to meet

Spoiler

her brother

. Souma was pretty annoying, but I guess if Yamada is happy...

 

[Mandelbo]

Perfect Blue

Well, that was weird! But very good, as expected. There was a definite sense that every scene was important, every detail thought out - I was asking myself questions right till the end, and the film doesn't outright tell you everything. Just to make sure I'm thinking along the right lines,

Spoiler

the weird security guy was just a obsessed Mima fan who had more than a few screws loose, with Rumi manipulating him into doing a lot of the dirty work in order to torment Mima ("The real Mima emails me every day! She says you're dragging her down!") Rumi's motives for doing so were that she was living vicariously through Mima as an idol in order to live out her own failed dreams (which seems to made very obvious during the ending scenes), so when she gives up the idol business to become an actress Rumi sees it as a betrayal - hence why she essentially becomes idol Mima and declares the real Mima to be a fake. I'm not quite sure if Rumi committed all of the murders, but I think at the very least she murdered the photographer. The bag containing the bloodied clothes could be explained by the room not actually being Mima's as we later find out; it's a replica created by Rumi in order to further live out her life as Mima.

I think I'm right, but tell me if anything I gleaned from the film is incorrect!

I really loved the constant feeling that we were observing Mima's life, what with the frequent use of cameras, screens and the exterior shots of Mima's apartment. This also carried over into the

Spoiler

murder victims, who all had their eyes gouged out - perhaps this was done because they were observing the wrong Mima, and Rumi felt as if they were defiling her with their eyes, or something. I'm not sure, I need to think it over.

The photographer got

Spoiler

stabbed in the dick too! That's gotta hurt! I'm guessing that was punishment for using Mima's image for sexual gratification.

The film did a brilliant job of building tension and making me feel almost constantly uncomfortable. Perhaps my favourite example of this is the scene near the beginning where Mima's sitting alone in her apartment, and

Spoiler

she gets a phone call with heavy breathing down the line, and the fax that calls her out as a traitor.

Similarly,

Spoiler

when she first starts going through the Mima's Room site and the details it contains get slowly more and more intricate and personal is one of my favourite moments in the film.

That fake

Spoiler

rape scene was incredibly uncomfortable to watch too, which is only amplified when it gets mirrored in the climax of the film.

Even though the audio wasn't done by Susumu Hirasawa, it still leapt out to me as phenomenal, not only in the music itself but the use of volume and layers of audio to create a feeling of claustrophobia and anxiety. I particularly liked the scene with the CD player in the lift, where the music starts distant, then begins blaring out loud when the doors open. It was incredibly oppressive and the pop music juxtaposed with the tension of the scene, especially with what happened afterwards, was masterful.

A fantastic film overall - I kinda want to watch it again with the knowledge of what's actually going on to see if I spot anything new or if something previously innocuous pops out as significant.

(Yes Cajun, my next Kon related endeavour is going to be Millennium Actress! I haven't forgotten it!)

 

[Cornbread78]

That's not Ren-chon.

This is the correct answer.

 

[Sölf]

I just saw this. No idea if it was already posted. Kill La Kill english dub Bloopers from a Comicon panel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fd4UFoODdo

So gud. xD

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Ushio and Tora 1:
This really does feel like a show from a long past era in many ways, both in the story as well as the visuals. I quite like the setup here. There's some good potential set up from the start, and the first episode was pretty enjoyable and had a lot of room to breath. I know the pacing will probably be faster in future episodes given that this was a fairly long manga series, but hopefully it's at a manageable level.

 

[nintendoman58]

Akagami no Shirayukihime - 2

This'll get some use later.

This show is nice. Like, I'm really enjoying the vibrant colours this show has. The show is just pretty to look at and the atmosphere just feels so relaxing. If you're expecting a really adventurous fantasy adventure show going into this, you'll probably be disappointed.

Shirayuki is pretty good. I like how she kept her wits about herself and used her knowledge about herbs to make a decent escape attempt. Even if Zen did end up saving her again.

I do hope Shirayuki getting herself constantly captured isn't going to be a running theme with this show. Does this happen many times later, manga readers? If so, that's disappointing.

Still, the positives outweigh the negatives for me so far, and I think I'll be sticking with this. It's quiet, its serene, it's just enjoyable.

 

[KazenY2J]

That's not Ren-chon.

#TeamKomari

 

[Taruranto]

Shoujo 101 #2

Two episodes in, and she already got kidnapped twice to be sold at rapists. It's a shoujo, alright.

 

[Sterok]

Snow White with the Red Hair 2

I do like Shirayuki, but this is a bit slow. Though since there's no tension between her and Zen they have to drag things out other ways. Like more kidnappings. Didn't like it here, even if her escape attempt was pretty cool. But I want to see more herbalist stuff.

 

[jediyoshi]

That's not Ren-chon.

They nerfed hotaru this season, so renge takes a close second.

 

[Baroquemantic]

I just saw this. No idea if it was already posted. Kill La Kill english dub Bloopers from a Comicon panel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fd4UFoODdo

So gud. xD

That was great! Thanks for posting.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

tension in the red headed snow white won't come till a bit later for the most anime reason

 

[VRMN]

Snow White with the Red Hair 02

Oh come on, really? Again? I mean, the execution is different, but...ugh. A competent, strong female lead needs to be more than "well, I can nearly free myself from this mess before I need the prince to save me." It needs to be. I like Shirayuki, she's a fun character, and I kind of like the slow, but obvious, romantic tension building between her and Zen, but this is getting a three strikes rule. If she has to be rescued by Zen again in episode three, I will drop this like a rock.

Actually, I Am 02

Skipping ahead a bit and mixing some things up to pace the heroine introductions differently than the manga, but I like how it's handled in the anime as well. Nagisa is a lot of fun; I probably like her more than Youko, particularly when she gets into one of her more...aggressive...moods.

Non Non Biyori Repeat 02

This is seriously the best franchise. It just has this incredible ability to make me smile constantly. It's just a joy to watch; all of the characters are great, they play off each other well, and they're fantastically written. Hotaru, despite being adult-sized at 11, has her personality written believably; Renge and Natsumi are a lot of fun, and Komari is hilarious as basically the opposite of Hotaru. And of course, nii-san is incredible. Just like the first season, easily in the running for AOTS and AOTY.

 

[Baroquemantic]

Inou Battle 7

Damn, that Hatoko scene was really feelsy. Poor girl.

Inou Battle 8

Oh look, things seems to actually be happening for once. (And I honestly wasn't expecting it to be something like

Spoiler

a dang Fairy war

. Color me surprised.) So maybe all these people aren't actually delusional.

I was gonna watch the whole series anyway as I do actually like it, but this episode may have actually "redeemed" it, assuming things keep moving forward from here.

 

[Andrew J.]

Non Non Biyori Repeat 02

Without a doubt the hypest game of knock-down-the-ruler that has ever been or will ever be.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Snow White with Red Hair Episode 2

Why do all the good characters I like in this have to treat her bad, hate when good looking folks end up being on the morally questionable side. I thought Zen would recruit him.

 

[Cornbread78]

#TeamKomari

They nerfed hotaru this season, so renge takes a close second.

Renge all the way..

 

[sonicmj1]

Ushio to Tora 2

Not to rehash too much over well-trodden ground, my favorite thing about this show so far is the relationship between the two leads, and Tora in particular. The relationship between the two leads isn't that unusual (doesn't Journey to the West start with a very similar dynamic?), but Tora's take on it is really fun to watch.

It's not just that he isn't bright; Tora completely lacks any sort of guile. He says exactly what he's thinking even when it keeps him from accomplishing his stated goals. I imagine in his heyday it didn't matter, and he could eat people no matter what he said. That makes it fun now watching him gloat about how he'll inevitably get Ushio only to be immediately cowed, or even how he gets carried away watching the fight against the Rock Eater. He can't help himself from doing these things.

I hope it stays this fun during the downtime.

 

[Andrew J.]

Non Non Biyori Repeat 02

best biyori returns!

Oh right, shouldn't Branduil be along to complain about her being a stalker?

 

[Envelope]

Oh right, shouldn't Branduil be along to complain about her being a stalker?

hotarun hell returns?

 

[Cornbread78]

Oh right, shouldn't Branduil be along to complain about her being a stalker?

It's plutonic yuri in the purest form.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Ushio and Tora 2

To jump on what sonicmj1 wrote above, I think my favorite part of this show is how unabashedly sincere it is. Whether it's engaging in character humor or life-and-death action, I get the sense that it fully believes in what it's doing and is completely invested in whatever emotion it's depicting. The expressiveness of the art and direction is what drives this home. It's a big contrast to more famous battle shounen adaptations such as One Piece or Naruto, in which most of the time it feels like the anime staff are just going through the motions and don't care at all about the work they're putting out. It's so much easier for me as an audience member to get caught up in a work if I can feel the passion of its creators in it.

 

[R_thanatos]

Dragon Ball Super - 002

Ho. hohoho -hoho Ho ! Hoho hohohoho

Hoo hohohoho Hoho Ho hohohohoohoho!
hohohohhoho-hohohoohoohohoho

hohoho
hoho

hohohohoho-hohoohohohoho-hohohohohohohohoho-hohoohohoho
hooo hohhhoooho-ho

Ps: Vegeta still a better dad than goku. I mean : hohohohoho hoho hohohohoho

 

[Puruzi]

It's plutonic yuri in the purest form.

Plutonic?

:/

 

[Gbraga]

Maaan, nii-chan is even better this season, it seems, hahaha. I hope we get another Ren-chon / Nii-chan epic moment like in season 1.

We got to witness the start of true love, folks, and it was beautiful.

Can we please have some Candy Store, now?

Awwww man I love Non Non Biyori so much

Plutonic?

:/

Because her love is solid as a rock.

 

[Cornbread78]

Plutonic?

:/

Platonic love is a type of love that is chaste and non-sexual.

 

[Puruzi]

Platonic love is a type of love that is chaste and non-sexual.

I'm aware.

Plutonic tho

 

[Andrew J.]

Shouldn't mix love and plutonium.

 

[firehawk12]

Akagami no Shirayukihime 02

Jumping fences and walls again. It's actually a sad addiction for him. His guards are thinking of doing an intervention.

First part of the episode was a bit boring ..mmm plain should be the word.
Second part made my eyes roll. Two of two, really? Two episodes, two times

Spoiler

they kidnap the mc and make the prince rescue her.
It doesn't even matter who does it or why she is kidnapped, as it's super generic: some random dude to sell it somewhere because of her rare red hair. I think.
Well, in the last second when it doesn't matter a lot he gives her a bit of backstory but whatever.

I think the writer had the idea of having a willful, capable woman as protagonist of a shojo... and that's it, apart from that concept, it didn't have a lot more going for it, in characters or plot or setting. And ironically this is still a shojo where the guy rescues the girl with his swordsmanship so even that first novel point comes as a bit moot.

Bones production talent is wasted on this.
Par the course, then.

This is the big problem I have with this show, but I'm not sure if I should complain about a shoujo being shoujo because at some point, that's just what it is. In the same way that I'll never get a good sports show with the production values of Haikyuu but with the depth of Ping Pong, since the two are mutually exclusive.

That said, I think shows like Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii and Kamisama Kiss show that you can have an empowered heroine who is on equal footing with the male saviour protagonist. I'm hoping this is more a case of "introitis" than an indicator for what the show will be like in the long term. There's only so many times Zen can save Shirayuki before it just gets old. As it is, she comes off more like the heroine from UtaPri, but without the reverse harem to change it up, this show already feels repetitive after the second episode.

 

[Jarmel]

God Eater-1

So this is what happens when Ufotable has a good director helming a show. The differences are like night and day between Hirao and Miura. One of the first things that struck me was during the opening sequence, the use of jump cuts accompanied by this harsh static sound. It gives off the feeling of pain to the audience through sound so as to match the trauma felt by the main character. There's ample use of match cuts through this opening segment so as to give the feeling of continuity to these flashbacks in that for the main character, it's just one big memory leading up to the hard black cut and him being tested which signify a new set of memories.

Of note is how there isn't a clear shot of the main character's face until he passes the test and is named which could signify two things in that it's a sort of throwback to the game in that he's some nameless thing until solified by the player or that for the commander, he wasn't worth viewing or naming until he passed the test. In fact the first clear glimpse at part of his face is his mouth which not only works to confirm his determination but also is probably a reference to the God Eater name and the mouth his weapon later can morph into. Not to mention when the audience gets its first clear glimpse at the main character, the camera zooms first out of his eyes so as to reaffirm his personality.

Here at the city/military facility is when things become really interesting from a storyboarding perspective in that there's a strong emphasis on physical space between Renka and Amamiya. In multiple shots between the two, both characters will be on the edge of the frame so as to highlight both the emotional distance but also positions in the organization. There's also body positioning in that Amamiya has her back to Renka in multiple sequences in order to re-enforce their difference in positions and goals.

Also note the vertical positions of the characters in the third shot.

Compare that with Renka's position with Kota in multiple frames, in that Renka and Kota are usually positioned together so as to highlight the similarities between the two and how both are at the bottom of the food chain. They're also usually facing each other in contrast to Amamiya. There are a few shots with Kota facing Renka's back but that's done so as to highlight Kota's wonder of Renka.

The camera will also go offkilter so as to highlight when the main character is emotionally shook. This is used repeatedly in the episode such as when the initial assault near the wall happens up to Renka's big heroic moment and the camera does this twirl. One exception not directly tied to the main character's emotions is the second set in the above images, in that the camera takes a position between the two characters so as to show each of their perspectives and the power difference between them. I guess you can say that it shows the distorted emotions between the two parties especially after Amamiya shot down his mission requests.

Hirao does this match sequence to not only portray the time skip for the returning unit but also to signify warning and danger. The new background has orange and red in it compared to the initial blue. Now yes sunsets are usual yellow, however the inside colors of the facility also change colors so as to match the mood of increasing danger.

The lighting in the facility is now yellow. There's also an attachment of Amamiya with the red in the facility like when the Branch Director comes in to meet Amamiya or when she's initially training Renka and Kota, her background is filled with red which could mean she's stalling Renka's progress.

One thing I was going to criticize the show on was how dead the military base seemed to be in regards to activity, however that turned out to be a plot point. Hirao used a number of long shots to show how empty the location was.

So this is the big heroic moment of the episode. Again note how these back to back shots have the characters on opposite sides of the frame, so as to create a physical distance in the storyboards. The main character then says to fuck off and do his hotblooded thing. This leads to something like Michael Bay's Spinning Super Cut.

http://webm.host/53c78/vid.webm

It's worth noting how this shot does it right. Despite the character not kneeling or on the ground, he has his head initially lowered. The sense of verticality found in Bay's shots are replicated by Renka raising his head up. There's also some parallax due to the backgrounds. The camera motions are a bit different though at the end in that it follows the main character's faces for dramatic effect instead of finishing a full circle.

In the back half there is a lot of emphasis on camera movement to highlight certain emotional moments. An example is in the above sequence in that when Renka decides to grab the handle of his God Eater, the camera zooms in as a way of visually supplementing his decision. It jumps and so doubles the visual impact of Renka grabbing the sword.

http://webm.host/5b117/vid.webm

Another example is in this scene, the camera zooms along his arm to visually match his desires and indicate his actual reach. The camera work demonstrates through motion how long his arm reach is, that way there is a stronger contrast when his 'reach' lengthens. There's also multiple cases of effective use of slow motion for presenting dramatic moments or impacts, which again helps contrast faster movements for agility or surprise.

It's so nice having a decent composer compared to the garbage we got in Ultimate Blade Works. Even besides the J-Rock pieces that fit for the bigger action sequences, sequences like the above work due to the solid composition and vocal work where unlike Sawano; the vocals don't detract from the piece and instead give it an uplifting quality so as to match the main character's reaction. The sound direction in this episode is leagues above what was presented in UBW. This feels like the strongest improvement over UBW in that big moments have the music to match the feelings of the characters.

I see what they were going for with the opening theme but I find it kind of boring, partially due to the destroyed/worn out backgrounds in God Eater. I did like the handing off of the lighter, which works emotionally due to future events and is kinda cool in its own right. Anyway the editing, sound effects, music composition, camera movements, camera positioning, storyboarding all show vast improvements over Ultimate Blade Works and show what the studio can do when they have great directors helming. I almost forgot to mention that I like the art direction in the show, as the shading for the characters gives it a unique feel despite a few shots looking bad.

 

[Cornbread78]

I'm aware.

Plutonic tho

Lol, stupid auto correct, uugghh.

 

[John Blade]

Well, manage to finish this show after spreading it for around 2 months. I gotta to say, this is the most fun anime show I have for a while and might become one of my favorite franchise because of this TV show.

The story continue after the OVA leave off. You follow Natsumi and Miyuki in Bokuto Precinct police force, solving problem during they patrol or around they work with the help of they friend once a while. After work, you see them try to solve they personal problem they have along the show. That is roughly the majority of the show really noting too crazy when you think about it. What make it even work is how the episode is structure. Each episode have it's own story line which isn't hard to follow or too long. This actually make the show more easier to watch and more interesting (to even crazy dumb) idea bring into the show. This keep it more fresh as you don't have to watch back to back of the episode to follow what happened and more interesting idea to see of what Natsumi and Miyuki or even they friend do in the event of the episode. Not say it's will be like this all the of them as once a while, a two or three part episodes show will pop out mostly to develop the story or the character in the show. While is important.

For character development, because of how the show is setup, the development of the character is minimum but decent. For most development, it come down to the episode story as it will help develop the character for the episode (like an episode for Aoi and how a man want to proposed to her even though Aoi is trans woman). You will see them sprinkle around the series and it's design for specific character and try to develop them.

For some reason, the two main female characters work well like yin and yang. They chemistry work well in the TV series that you kinda want to see them to develop even more. Still, they're development for other main character in the show based on the episode which explain it. By the end of the show, you will like almost all the character in the show one way to another.

For music, like the OVA, it's from the time of the 90s and still sound good even today. This for both the music and the background music. Both sound well and match the mood of the scene when use. For some reason (maybe me), it doesn't match how great like the OVA for some reason. I am guessing they're more background music which is simple and generic but work. Still, fun to listen outside of the show for most of the song.

For animation, this is maybe a big side you notice from the OVA. Because this is the TV show, the quality of the animation drop quite a bit from the OVA. While the OVA is detail on both background and character, the TV series, try to keep it simple so, those detail you see on the OVA is now reduce quite a bit. This might be a huge drop when you're coming from the OVA into the TV show like me as I am watching it from my Animeigo DVD box set, but it won't really ruin the show and you don't really think too much of it as you're keeping watching.

Overall, love the TV show quite a bit. It's a simple show to watch and you don't need to spend too much time in the stroyline but still fun to watch. If you want to see Natsumi and Miyuki trying to fight crime or solve a mystery like in the OVA, then you will like this show much more. For people who never watch the show, go watch it as it's a simple and fun show to watch and you will enjoy it quite a bit like me.

 

[nintendoman58]

Hyouka - 1

All right, first thing's first. The animation. WOW. The backgrounds, the movements, the everything! Like, I'm at a loss for words. If I were to go into more detail about this I'd probably be writing this post all night. This is beautiful.

Characters are all right. Nothing exactly gripping about them yet, but given how much I've heard this show is a slow boil, I don't expect much right now.

All in all, it's a simple but decent setup. I think I'll be just fine with this show.

 

[R_thanatos]

Arslan senki - 14

Damn the new opening is SO INFERIOR to the first one it's not even funny.

All this plot is excellent as usual .
DAT double trap actually is much intresting

I trully enjoyed this episode. it was even better animated than i expected. Much surprising.

 

[firehawk12]

http://all-comic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/youre-under-arrest-cover-870x400.jpg

Well, manage to finish this show after spreading it for around 2 months. I gotta to say, this is the most fun anime show I have for a while and might become one of my favorite franchise because of this TV show.

I sort of place this show in the same "pantheon" of things like GTO and Slam Dunk. It's really quintessential 90s anime and really does a nice job presenting its two protagonists. Yeah, it's a combination of cop partner tropes and slapsticky comedy, but it works. I never did watch any of the post-90s stuff though.

 

[NCR Redslayer]

Jitsu wa Watashi wa 2

God I have forgotten some the details but this helps a whole lot of remembering it. Series still looks great.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Wow, GE does not look like I expected.

Also, this

is from the PSP game's OP, which is amazing.

 

[R_thanatos]

Non Non biyori - 02

And thus started an impressive sempai - Kouhai relationship.

 

[Cornbread78]

School Live ep.1
Well, ok now, that's one way to come clean with what the situation really is, lol. I knew about the plot, but damn, I guess that is part of the psychological aspect we'll see going forward. Poor girl has aleady lost it.

 

[Soma]

the art direction for god eater looks so weird to me at first glance

it's like every character is covered in vaseline

 

[Dresden]

the art direction for god eater looks so weird to me at first glance

it's like every character is covered in vaseline

I really like it, looks pretty distinct, the shading makes it kounda cg-y;

too bad it's God Eater...

 

[Envelope]

looks better than 99% of Ufotable's stuff because A. it's not fate/*
B. it's not covered with horrible smeary filters

 

[Crocodile]

God Eater looks and sounds (from impressions) a bit like a higher "budget" RWBY

 

[Narag]

Dog Days'' 2

welp we'll see if they handle the drama/demon stuff better than S1

Dog Days'' 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmBtanGjziM

I've no idea where it's going next but these three eps have felt like anime movie material given plot & subsequent resolution. Actually kinda surprised it didn't go that route with something adventurous like this for Fall in Flonyard then wrapping it up with the usual stuff in Winter.

Mushishi 7

This one was so good for so many reasons. particularly because it was mostly just back and forth between Ginko & Kourou. The "end of the rainbow" aspect also makes it a much more relatable story than some of those more steeped in Japanese mythology. Kourou's nature of being ashamed of himself combined with chasing his father's dream gave him an extremely well rounded quality. Neatest little bit was Ginko coming into contact with the Mushi without being consumed by it Kourou and his father which only contributes to Ginko's pre-existing otherworldly nature.


Wolf Girl and the Black Prince 1

This was funnier than I thought it'd be given the premise.

Wolf Girl and the Black Prince 2

Everyone is so fucking awful to one another in this so far. I hope it stays this way. :lol The overly serious previews just adds to everything too.

Wolf Girl and the Black Prince 3

They drove home that lack of maternal element with that snowman flashback. :lol

Wolf Girl and the Black Prince 4

Takeru's an amazing addition to the cast.

 

[Basileus777]

God Eater looks and sounds (from impressions) a bit like a higher "budget" RWBY

Are you just talking about the premise? God Eater's story seems like a pretty standard chuuni tale.