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[Dedication Through Light]

Nagi no Asu Kara 17

This is one of those shows that keeps getting better with each and every episode. Things got super interesting once OP2 started 3 episodes back --- which is hands-down the best OP of the season, by the by. Also it's crazy how they successfully did a main character shift. It was seamless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7SbShC4zHM

Ray has never done a bad song, shes one of my favorite.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Can we really trust the opinion of someone who loves Bioware?

I don't like Bioware and I agree with him.

The problem with Hyouka isn't that is "mundane". Mundane or not, it's just boring. The mysteries are bad and boring, that's pretty clear. Now, what's the excuse, are the mysteries just there to drive character interactions? Ok. Well, surprise surprise: the characters themselves are also bland and boring!

 

[cajunator]

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha Episode 1 and Episode 2

If I had to guess, I would say this is the specific show that was being deconstructed by Madoka Magica and as such it is kind of hard to take it at face value these days.

I dont really think so for reasons other s have said. Nanoha is itself kind of twisting around the formula and the mechanical craziness and focus more on physical combat puts it in its own category. Madoka Magica was really subverting more traditional magical girl stuff. Nanoha is just an exercise in loli badassery.

I keep getting Rick and Morty recommended to me. From the episodes I've seen it doesn't seem like it is laugh out loud funny, just really well written. Which isn't a bad thing, as I haven't been laughing out loud with much recently.

I was definitely hoping for this pic to be posted. Thanks you.

Hyouka 9

Nothing happens

Chitanda is fucking horrible

Show is formulaic as shit.

"I scream" indeed.

Hyouka isnt horrible, but its really nothing spectacular either. Skip ahead to episode 12-13 or so when the festival starts you might like it better.

 

[Hitokage]

I'm only like 20 minutes in and things are weird.

Admire that Japanese bravery.

 

[Branduil]

FWIW, this is how last year's AOTY vote broke down:

In the interest of science, here's a further breakdown of the votes.

This is the top-10 list among posters who actively participate in the AnimeGAF threads in Community:

1. Hyouka - 448
2. Fate/Zero S2 - 395
3. Tsuritama - 317
4. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - 276
5. Girls und Panzer - 214
6. Kids on the Slope - 179
7. (tie) Humanity Has Declined, Shinsekai Yori - 168
9. Space Brothers - 165
10. K-On Movie - 155

And here is the top-10 list from non-AnimeGAF posters:

1. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - 291
2. Kids on the Slope - 188
3. Fate/Zero S2 - 175
4. Hyouka - 171
5. (tie) Space Brothers, Sword Art Online - 125
7. (tie) Chihayafuru, Girls und Panzer - 108
9. (tie) Hunter x Hunter 2011, Tsuritama - 100

Several interesting things stand out here. JoJo dominated on the second list, with Watanabe's new series coming in second, which is not surprising, considering how both would have an old-school appeal to lapsed anime watchers.

The other thing that stands out is the growing power of the AnimeGAF voting bloc. The AnimeGAF top-10 matches the overall top-10 title for title, only the order is different. And Hyouka only placed fourth in the non-AG list, but the AG vote propelled it to an easy first-place victory.

 

[Vecks]

So what's your favorite anime so far this season guys? For me it has to be Noragami. Everything has been flawless and has been pointing to Yato being a new Gintoki. Plus the OST so far has me in love.

Kind of a first for me, but nothing has really stood out this season as a favorite.

I'd say Noragami, InariKK, D-Frag! are about tied.

 

[cajunator]

Obviously it cannot be the mysteries.

Because they're fucking shit.

9 episodes of this show and they have ALL been the same exact thing.

"Hey Hotaro isn't this vaguely unusual?"

"NO."

"HOTARO I AM CURIOUS LET ME SHOVE MYSELF IN YOUR FACE PLEASE EXPLAIN SO I DON'T HAVE TO THINK HOTARO"

"BORING TALKING FOR TWENTY FUCKING MINUTES"

"CONCLUSION."

Lather, rinse, repeat. There are Monster of the Week shows less formulaic and repetitive than this.

I have to agree here on those first episodes. they were brutal aside from the Sekitani Jun story and Hyouka origins.

Putting my nonexistent good reputation at risk, how doesn't this apply to Hyouka? Add the word mystery in before moe and you have the entirety of Chitanda's character right there.

Exactly. Chitanda is mega moe. They even made a scene trying to kill me, which Brandy posted.

Eh. I could use the posts anyway, catch me up to Cajun again. As it stands I can't make any argument beyond "the 9 episodes I've seen so far were really boring and repetitive" though, so nobody should expect great things out of me.

People wont really bend on this one Corvy. You wont be able to convince and you shouldnt really try. Hyouka does have some merits. Its not stupidly written though what is there is just not engaging, and Chitanda is super cute most of the time. My problem with the show it was pretentious without being entertaining. It should have pulled something crazy somewhere to keep peoples attentions more but instead it dug itself a hole with way too many episodes of utterly insipid "mysteries" instead of like the movie arc where things got a lsight bit involving. Then the festival arc came around and its like a whole different show. I would recommend continuing from there see if you still hate it.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

.

 

[cajunator]

Golden Time 16

Ghost Banri sucks so the more episodes without him the better.

This is very true. I have no idea why the author thought this was a good idea.

This is one reason I continue to watch it. The other is the hope that I'm wrong and my opinion is changed by events as they continue.

Its possible. Second half is dramatically better. Plus Chitanda in a yukata or whatever you call them. And Misaki goddess.

CorvoSol: If you're expecting murder mysteries you've got the wrong show. Hyouka is more about using critical thinking to resolve everyday affairs, and much more about the characters involved in these affairs.

This may not be for you! But that doesn't mean reaching an understanding of why others like it is hopeless.

It was classic bait and switch.

 

[darkside31337]

So what's your favorite anime so far this season guys? For me it has to be Noragami. Everything has been flawless and has been pointing to Yato being a new Gintoki. Plus the OST so far has me in love.

My favorite season in years honestly. Haven't enjoyed this much anime in ages.

Rated everything I've watched thats currently airing from favorite to stuff I don't like:

Gundam Build Fighters
Kill la Kill
Sakura Trick
Golden Time
Silver Spoon S2
2Chuu2Furious
Ace of the Diamond
Nisekoi
Noragami
Tonari no Seki Kun
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha.
D-Frag
Space Dandy

The only show I dropped so far was Space Dandy. Liking the rest enough to ride them out to the end at the very least.

 

[Mockingbird]

Ray has never done a bad song, shes one of my favorite.

The Ano Natsu de Matteru opening was good, but what else has she done? Didn't like amnesia.

 

[Vito]

More waifus dropped by drop. If anything is too lewd, just lemme know, or if you want me to stop posting the crap. Here's Sekai Seifuku and Chu2koi out of the new batch

 

[ZachDeKoromaru]

.

When I first watched this episode I knew it'd be used in relation to Hyouka.

More waifus dropped by drop. If anything is too lewd, just lemme know, or if you want me to stop posting the crap. Here's Sekai Seifuku and Chu2koi out of the new batch

Plamya-sama hnnnnnnng.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

When I first watched this episode I knew it'd be used in relation to Hyouka.

Thank you for the image btw. I've used it for other things, like continued fan wish lists for Smash and even X vs Zero arguments that happen in my group.... for more than 2 years now, with no visible fucking change at any point.

 

[DrForester]

SF Debris will be reviewing Gundam 0080
http://sfdebris.com/videos/animation/gundam0080_01.php

 

[cajunator]

It's depressing when you see so much merch for one show and a show you like gets like one pinbadge and that's it.

I know this feeling far too well. SOmetimes the lack of merchandise is mystifying, like the slow trickle of Date a Live figures. that is sales GOLD right there. Instead they keep making boring as fuck figures of SAO or Attack on titan. I do hope some good World Conquest ones come out.

Corvo still has the option of bailing out and watching something he'll enjoy, but he'll persevere, because he's Corvo.

Thats what we love about this bird.

At this point honestly I'm not expecting murder mysteries. What I'm expecting is some part of this show to be engaging, instead of the desperately dull festival of boring it's been so far. You don't have to be fighting giant robots to make an engaging story driven by its characters. But in the 9 episode I have seen so far none of the characters have done anything to make me care about them, demonstrate growth, or even really to entertain.

In a way, Hyouka so far has felt like the worst parts of Zeta Gundam stripped of the mechanical battles. It's just uninteresting characters talking about things that don't matter in the next episode. Thus far in the show nothing has mattered, and I think that's a serious weakness of what I've seen so far. Hotaro, Chitanda, Mayaka and Satoshi are exactly who they were when introduced, and no reason has been given to care about any of them, save it be Chitanda, who unfortunately is far and away the weakest of the lot. Chitanda only comes out ahead so far because of a plot about her uncle. If the entire show were like that, maybe it'd be great. That plot had to do with a character, and it showed some level of development of Hotaro because he actually bothered to care about what was going on, since it had to do with Chitanda.

But "Oh no I saw a ghost no wait it wasn't" "Help me I don't remember 3 hours ago" and "let's find a lost earring in a swimming pool!" have done nothing for the cast. Satoshi continues to be the same wiggly, yappy imp he was at square one. Mayaka continues to be a bitch whose sole redeeming trait is calling Hotaro out on his shit. Hotaro, for his part, is Droopy Dog with the slightest hints of human decency.

It's hard to give a fuck when the show itself does not.

You called Mayaka a bitch and now we are in full agreement lol. Just cant stand her for some reason. The only thing she does slightly cute is a cosplay later but she even manages to ruin that.

 

[darkside31337]

FWIW, this is how last year's AOTY vote broke down:

Thats really interesting. Fate/Zero S2 seriously got robbed but the past is the past!

More importantly, why does AnimeGAF hate Chihayafuru?

edit: also fuck Mayaka. She is the worst.

 

[Andrew J.]

Aku no Hana 01

I apologize for ever saying that any part of Hyouka was ever boring, because only now do I understand what boredom is.

Dropped.

 

[Branduil]

Thats really interesting. Fate/Zero S2 seriously got robbed but the past is the past!

More importantly, why does AnimeGAF hate Chihayafuru?

Probably because of the massive bait-and-switch the series pulls.

Aku no Hana 01

I apologize for ever saying that any part of Hyouka was ever boring, because only now do I understand what boredom is.

Dropped.

TBH I was also excessively bored by the first episode, especially combined with the ugly animation. But I think it's worth at least trying the 3-episode rule on this one.

 

[Hitokage]

People wont really bend on this one Corvy. You wont be able to convince and you shouldnt really try. Hyouka does have some merits. Its not stupidly written though what is there is just not engaging, and Chitanda is super cute most of the time. My problem with the show it was pretentious without being entertaining. It should have pulled something crazy somewhere to keep peoples attentions more but instead it dug itself a hole with way too many episodes of utterly insipid "mysteries" instead of like the movie arc where things got a lsight bit involving. Then the festival arc came around and its like a whole different show. I would recommend continuing from there see if you still hate it.

To me this would have cheapened it. That crazy things don't happen keeps things grounded and makes events more meaningful.

It was classic bait and switch.

cajun, that's on you. Having cute characters doesn't mean a cutesy show.

 

[survivor]

Thats really interesting. Fate/Zero S2 seriously got robbed but the past is the past!

More importantly, why does AnimeGAF hate Chihayafuru?

edit: also fuck Mayaka. She is the worst.

karuta is the worst thing to ever make a sports show about

basically if there was no karuta and all josei romance drama I would have liked it better

 

[cajunator]

In terms of new things (not sequels or continuing series) its Seki-kun.

For as short as it is, the entertainment value is very high and KanHana's little shrieks of confused wonderment are so adorable.

Best part about new FSN:

More BAHSAHKAH!

This MUST be in there. It absolutely must make it in or I will be wrathful.

Pupa 4

God this show pisses me off. I wish the plot wasn't interesting so I could stop caring about it.

I know. Pupa was so intriguing and they fucking ruined it. Just dont make the hsow if youre going to treat it like this

Kinmoza is also in my backlog. NNB and Hidamari is already in my veins.

When the hell is Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb getting released in the US though? I need it!

You done good.

 

[cajunator]

Bizzare? No!

I should get around to watching this. I only saw the first three episodes, but it was pretty good.

God yes. This show is really fascinatingly weird. Watashi is adorable but besides that the show just gives you this feeling of wonderment at just what the fuck is going on. The fairies are creepy too.

Being entirely fair to the show, if there are more arcs like the one about Chitanda's uncle I'll be okay. It's these arcs that aren't like that that feel like filler and bore me. I assume that at some point the show will move on to focusing on its characters, so when we get there, it'll be all cool.

There really isnt anything quite like that but theres some interesting stuff coming up you might enjoy. Stick with it.

Well you might be right , so far the PSR rate has declined in favor of the BSR , and i didn't watch more than a episode of najica so i can't compare.

Check it out sometime youll see what Im talking about. Every henchwoman has panties, the heroes wear panties the whole time. The moral of those two shows is "fuck pants"

 

[wonzo]

karuta is the worst thing to ever make a sports show about

basically if there was no karuta and all josei romance drama I would have liked it better

Yeah, the karuta matches were at their best when they were fast and took no longer than an episode for an entire match or two.

also ArataxSnowMaru only god pair

 

[Crocodile]

Samurai Flamenco 14-15

 

[cnet128]

More waifus dropped by drop. If anything is too lewd, just lemme know, or if you want me to stop posting the crap. Here's Sekai Seifuku and Chu2koi out of the new batch

OH HELLS YES DAT KATE

Aku no Hana 01

I apologize for ever saying that any part of Hyouka was ever boring, because only now do I understand what boredom is.

Dropped.

I've long been of the impression that this show's first episode is a massive curse upon it. I appreciate what it's doing with the slow buildup of atmosphere, but it does an incredibly bad job of actually engaging the viewer, and this show was always going to have issues retaining a viewership thanks to the controversial visual style, which takes quite a bit of getting used to. I nearly dropped the show myself thanks to the first episode.

So yeah, I would strongly recommend watching at least one or two more episodes. The first episode's "nothing happens at all for twenty minutes" issue could not be less representative of the rest of the show, which develops an incredibly compelling narrative.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

I thought the first episode of Aku no Hana was funny... despite the art style.

 

[Pancakes]

World Conquest Zvezda Plot Episode 1-3

Giant fist loli and her insane friends attempt to conquer the world? Along with worthless MC?

Why not, this seems like a fun show. The anti-smoker episode was particularly great.

 

[cajunator]

Well there's no show that's like that. There is a vocal group who didn't like it. (and then there's sane people). Now I'd kind of like to see just what percentage of voters last year voted for it given how strongly it won.

See I dont like this sort of thing, even if its in jest. theres nothing insane about not liking Hyouka or any other show. The whole questioning peoples character is what I dont like about fandom. When it goes to that level its uncalled for and rude as fuck.
I dont question peoples character if they like something I hate. I just dont like it and they do. Its opinions. nobody is "right".

It's more fair to say that Hyouka is somewhat of a love/hate show. I'm on the love side, but some are on the hate side!

I dont think this is quite correct either because while I dont love Hyouka I also dont hate it either. Id buy it on bluray and watch my favorite parts, but Im not putting it on any favorites list of mine.

Golden Time 16

It was nice to see Koko vent like that again

I would let Koko slap me square in the face with a pretty bouquet.

 

[cnet128]

Mahou Sensou 4

something something magic battle something nii-chan something status quo something

I dunno, the whole "venturing forth into the magical world at war" thing was kind of cool, and the battle wasn't awful or anything, but I still end each of these episodes wondering why I'm actually watching this show. Yet somehow I don't drop it. Is there something wrong with me?

 

[dimb]

More importantly, why does AnimeGAF hate Chihayafuru?

The characters are used as little more than lousy boiler plate stereotypes who consistently chime in with the one thing they say. Every scene is super boring and predictable, and the entire series is void of emotion with every character purely focused on karuta.

 

[Articalys]

Goro Miyazaki directing a 3D CG TV anime animated by Polygon Pictures, with Ghibli supporting production, based on a fantasy novel by the author of the Pippi Longstocking series.

Everything about this sounds so weird.

http://www9.nhk.or.jp/anime/ronja/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/new...-to-direct-ronia-the-robber-daughter-tv-anime

 

[MikeHattsu]

Goro Miyazaki directing a 3D CG TV anime co-animated by Ghibli and Polygon Pictures, based on a fantasy novel by the author of the Pippi Longstocking series.

Everything about this sounds so weird.

http://www9.nhk.or.jp/anime/ronja/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/new...-to-direct-ronia-the-robber-daughter-tv-anime

Ronja Rövardotter anime? Wow.

 

[Dresden]

3D CG tv anime from Goro? Can't even be disappointed.

 

[Otakumegane]

Nagi no Asu Kara 17

This is one of those shows that keeps getting better with each and every episode. Things got super interesting once OP2 started 3 episodes back --- which is hands-down the best OP of the season, by the by. Also it's crazy how they successfully did a main character shift. It was seamless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7SbShC4zHM

I didn't even realize this happened until you pointed it out to me.

Oh crap.

 

[cajunator]

FWIW, this is how last year's AOTY vote broke down:

tsuritama was such a refreshing show. So happy it caught on.

More waifus dropped by drop. If anything is too lewd, just lemme know, or if you want me to stop posting the crap. Here's Sekai Seifuku and Chu2koi out of the new batch

Oh hell yes.

 

[Taruranto]

More waifus dropped by drop. If anything is too lewd, just lemme know, or if you want me to stop posting the crap. Here's Sekai Seifuku and Chu2koi out of the new batch

Only if you do husbandos too.

 

[Mature]

Goro Miyazaki directing a 3D CG TV anime animated by Polygon Pictures, with Ghibli supporting production, based on a fantasy novel by the author of the Pippi Longstocking series.

Everything about this sounds so weird.

http://www9.nhk.or.jp/anime/ronja/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/new...-to-direct-ronia-the-robber-daughter-tv-anime

I'm just going to pretend this doesn't exist until there's more to see.

 

[duckroll]

Polygon Pictures is good. Tron Uprising had great animation, and Knights of Sidonia looks great too. The only concern here is really Goro, since he blows.

 

[jman2050]

Mikakunin 4

Mashiro is still adorable, Kobeni is still a wet blanket. The last third was pretty funny. Benio is warming to me somehow.

Spoiler

Welp I guess Hakuya/Mashiro are wolves or something like that. That would be an interesting twist on the whole dynamic, if cliched.

Golden Time 16

All... these... feels... hnng

This is pretty much my favorite episode of the show so far. Loved it from beginning to end (and especially that ending, amazing lol)

 

[Shard]

Yea, note to the peanut gallery, I have only seen the first two episodes Nanoha so I can only review based on that judgement. If it subverts things later, so be it, but the first two episodes were tropey as fuck and it is impossible to that without the Madoka filter.

 

[cajunator]

Thats really interesting. Fate/Zero S2 seriously got robbed but the past is the past!

More importantly, why does AnimeGAF hate Chihayafuru?

edit: also fuck Mayaka. She is the worst.

Im not sure why. My guess it dragged on too long with repetitive karuta tournaments. But I still love it to death. The music is certainly part of it.

To me this would have cheapened it. That crazy things don't happen keeps things grounded and makes events more meaningful.

cajun, that's on you. Having cute characters doesn't mean a cutesy show.

Not really, because my favorite anime is Haibane renmei and its neither particularly cutesy nor is there super craziness going on. But hyouka was a show that could have done fun things with mysteries but got bogged down in pretentiousness. It was off putting.

 

[jman2050]

I thought you liked Hyouka?

I thought all of you did?

I thought it was okay. Better than pretty much all of their recent output so in that sense I appreciate it more, but Haruhi or Fumoffu it is not.

 

[Thoraxes]

Brah you crazy. Ranka is just a notch behind Minmay as worst Macross girl. The best part about Macross F was how you could tell they were pushing Ranka as the main girl but over the course of the show Sheryl took the lead role because she was the better girl and she was selling the merch.

Sheryl

Spoiler

was the best girl by far and she won as she should have.

Why do you smite me so? D:

Kanna revolution, BEAR. Lets do it.

You have my sword/axe/whatever weaponlike implement I happen to have to hand.

Hell yes.

Bizzare? No!

I should get around to watching this. I only saw the first three episodes, but it was pretty good.

It was my fav. show in 2012. Really good stuff and the meta-commentary was fantastic.

I thought you liked Hyouka?

I thought all of you did?

Don't lump me in with them! The only part I liked was the festival arc, but I didn't really like the rest.

 

[Lafiel]

Brah you crazy. Ranka is just a notch behind Minmay as worst Macross girl. The best part about Macross F was how you could tell they were pushing Ranka as the main girl but over the course of the show Sheryl took the lead role because she was the better girl and she was selling the merch.

It's weird because the first episode (non-broadcast) version gives no indication that there was ever going be a love triangle between Alto and Ranka & Sheryl.

Ranka looks way too young for Alto anyway.

 

[Hitokage]

Yea, note to the peanut gallery, I have only seen the first two episodes Nanoha so I can only review based on that judgement. If it subverts things later, so be it, but the first two episodes were tropey as fuck and it is impossible to that without the Madoka filter.

My "God is dead" post came from a few line of thoughts:

- Nanoha is doubly removed from the traditional magical girl genre(read: Pre-SM). It's basically shounen that still goes through some of the motions, somewhat like how Utena's presentation and structure is a lot like Sailor Moon even though it's not really like either SM or older stuff. Stuff like Nanoha's complete disregard for human relationships in its narrative is telling.

- Madoka is hardly the first magical girl story to contain dark elements or even go dark as a defining feature. It's not even much of a deconstruction either since many of the points were already there to begin with, particularly in the original Sailor Moon manga or even with SM's self-deconstruction in the live action series. Madoka just makes the viewpoint a tad more pessimistic in some respects(like giving soul gems limited range instead of unlimited), while still avoiding the inescapably bleak nature of Vampire Princess Miyu TV.

- In any case, there's a much wider and better world out there to explore than just Nanoha and Madoka.

 

[cnet128]

Goro Miyazaki directing a 3D CG TV anime animated by Polygon Pictures, with Ghibli supporting production, based on a fantasy novel by the author of the Pippi Longstocking series.

Everything about this sounds so weird.

http://www9.nhk.or.jp/anime/ronja/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/new...-to-direct-ronia-the-robber-daughter-tv-anime

Well, this certainly sounds...interesting.

Will watch if only out of sheer morbid curiosity.


Kill la Kill 16

So finally it feels like things may actually be happening in this show. Big revelations about the Nature of Clothing and stuff. I look forward to seeing how this plays out.

Also, new OP which is kind of nice I guess (need a few more listens before I can decide whether I like it more than the first one or not). The new ED is ace though. I may be slightly biased in its favour by the plethora of chibi Makos.

 

[Shard]

My "God is dead" post came from a few line of thoughts:

- Nanoha is doubly removed from the traditional magical girl genre(read: Pre-SM). It's basically shounen that still goes through some of the motions, somewhat like how Utena's presentation and structure is a lot like Sailor Moon even though it's not really like either SM or older stuff.

- Madoka is hardly the first magical girl story to contain dark elements or even go dark as a defining feature. It's not even much of a deconstruction either since many of the points were already there to begin with, particularly in the original Sailor Moon manga or even with SM's self-deconstruction in the live action series. Madoka just makes the viewpoint a tad more pessimistic in some respects(like giving soul gems limited range instead of unlimited), while still avoiding the inescapably bleak nature of Vampire Princess Miyu TV.

- In any case, there's a much wider and better world out there to explore than just Nanoha and Madoka.

I have seen more than Madoka Magica in terms of magical girl series and yes hardly the first one to have dark elements, but certainly the title that is quickly becoming the Evangellion of said genre. Anyway, if you need another comparison the show more directly is reminding me of Mai-Otome at this stage.

 

[jman2050]

My "God is dead" post came from a few line of thoughts:

- Nanoha is doubly removed from the traditional magical girl genre(read: Pre-SM). It's basically shounen that still goes through some of the motions, somewhat like how Utena's presentation and structure is a lot like Sailor Moon even though it's not really like either SM or older stuff. Stuff like Nanoha's complete disregard for human relationships in its narrative is telling.

- Madoka is hardly the first magical girl story to contain dark elements or even go dark as a defining feature. It's not even much of a deconstruction either since many of the points were already there to begin with, particularly in the original Sailor Moon manga or even with SM's self-deconstruction in the live action series. Madoka just makes the viewpoint a tad more pessimistic in some respects(like giving soul gems limited range instead of unlimited), while still avoiding the inescapably bleak nature of Vampire Princess Miyu TV.

- In any case, there's a much wider and better world out there to explore than just Nanoha and Madoka.

I think distilling Madoka down to "it was dark and subversive, but so were a lot of other shows" massively oversimplifies why it was so successful at engaging so many people.

You're pretty much on point regarding Nanoha though. Still like it though. Although I guess you could argue the "disregard for human relationships" thing kind of plays into the whole shipping contingent more than anything else.

 

[cajunator]

OH HELLS YES DAT KATE



I've long been of the impression that this show's first episode is a massive curse upon it. I appreciate what it's doing with the slow buildup of atmosphere, but it does an incredibly bad job of actually engaging the viewer, and this show was always going to have issues retaining a viewership thanks to the controversial visual style, which takes quite a bit of getting used to. I nearly dropped the show myself thanks to the first episode.

So yeah, I would strongly recommend watching at least one or two more episodes. The first episode's "nothing happens at all for twenty minutes" issue could not be less representative of the rest of the show, which develops an incredibly compelling narrative.

I typically give shows the three episodes or so. Never drop a show after just one episode because it can be VERY different the rest of the time. In some cases episode 1 is experimental or exploring some idea that isnt indicative of how the show is. I even would recommend some shows be started on the second episode for this reason. Haruhi being a great example.