Support NeoGAF

[hosannainexcelsis]

The only Black Butler I've seen is Book of Circus (2014) and that was surprisingly good.

Pretty well-executed mystery, interesting character dynamics and a reasonable way to handle some relatively disturbing material.

I haven't had the time nor the will to get into the rest of the property, but I do recommend that as an effectively stand-alone story arc.

I wasn't a fan of the places Book of Circus went, but it was pretty well-directed. I particularly enjoyed the Shinichi Omata (a.k.a., Mamoru Hatakeyama) episode.

 

[Austriacus]

Grimgar 03
This is probably the absolute worst thing I've seen when it comes to the portrayal of women in a long time. I get that the entire main cast is supposed to be fairly inept, but this show really goes out of its way to portray its leading women as completely worthless and incompetent. They truly have nothing to offer to the group. They have no control or agency. They are not assertive and don't seem to have much of a say on anything. I want to say that literally almost every time they take spotlight the series also shifts its focus to sex. It goes so far beyond the leering camera shots.

This is something said very plainly without any further commentary:

??? what year am i in?

Is the fact that this is a japanese anime completely slipped through your mind?

Its not like women acting modestly and male characters always telling them to cover up is a super common trope....oh wait (not that it excuses it but i dont get the surprise)

 

[Supaidaman]

Gate 15

what the fuck did just happen in this episode. Suddenly, every kind of possible weird lewdness came into light at the same time.

 

[Russ T]

Osomatsu-san 16

oh my god

i'm fucking dying

that was way too much

that was way too fucking much

HOLY SHIT

 

[duckroll]

Blood Blockade Battlefront - Episode 7

An underground deathmatch arena? Why not! The episodic story this time round was kinda weak, but the crowd designs and the main mob boss design were really fucking good. I think the character animation and the scenes between Leo and Black were much higher quality than everything else though. For a cage match episode, the action animation was kinda lacking, although the poses were pretty great. I guess it's kinda like Ippo in that sense.

One thing I don't get though...

Spoiler

At the end it was an elder blood breed controlling the corpse of the boss right? After he bodied Klaus against the cage what happened? It seemed like he just disappeared. Why didn't he just finish Klaus off? Or was he bailing because Leo saw his true form? That was kinda confusing.

 

[Envelope]

Is the fact that this is a japanese anime completely slipped through your mind?

Its not like women acting modestly and male characters always telling them to cover up is a super common trope....oh wait (not that it excuses it but i dont get the surprise)

where you are seeing surprise instead of simple disgust in that post?

 

[Austriacus]

where you are seeing surprise instead of simple disgust in that post?

I guess in treating it as an outlier where this is common practice in anime.

 

[pbayne]

PaniPoni Dash 1

Im convinced at this point that SHAFT is just an elaborate cover up for a massive cocaine party that occasionally makes an anime. What did I just watch?

There might have been jokes but the show moves way too fast to catch them. I don't know if this show is an artist's nightmare or nirvana, at times there 5 different art styles clashing on screen. It was definitely very experimental but it was epileptic madness as well.

 

[ThatChairMan]

Gundam AGE 29

Start of Gen 3, and wow, Kio's design is extremely bland compared to Flit and Asemu, along with the Age-3. And Flit seems to have upgraded to Grandfather of the Year, grooming his grandson from a young age to murder everything.

 

[Russ T]

Yamishibai S3 - 03

So are they just going full-bore into the realm of comical absurdity now?

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Yamishibai S3 - 03

So are they just going full-bore into the realm of comical absurdity now?

Yes. Look forward to other stupidly designed monsters that wouldn't scare anybody, just make them laugh

 

[Clov]

The only Black Butler I've seen is Book of Circus (2014) and that was surprisingly good.

Pretty well-executed mystery, interesting character dynamics and a reasonable way to handle some relatively disturbing material.

I haven't had the time nor the will to get into the rest of the property, but I do recommend that as an effectively stand-alone story arc.

I might watch it at some point if I'm bored. First season was alright. All of my friends have told me to avoid the second season though, they tell me its terrible.

 

[Russ T]

Yes. Look forward to other stupidly designed monsters that wouldn't scare anybody, just make them laugh

That fuckin' rat lady tho.

Such a weird thing. It managed to have some genuinely creepy episodes from time to time, but instead of looking at those and learning, they just keep getting more ridiculous.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

That fuckin' rat lady tho.

Such a weird thing. It managed to have some genuinely creepy episodes from time to time, but instead of looking at those and learning, they just keep getting more ridiculous.

The rat lady could have been scary if the design wasn't terrible. I am now going to dub a shot that happens at the end of a scene ruining everything the "Force Awakens Effect" because the end of the episode was sooooo bad.

Can I trade this for Kagewani S2? That knew not to show your monster.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

The rat lady could have been scary if the design wasn't terrible. I am now going to dub a shot that happens at the end of a scene ruining everything the "Force Awakens Effect" because the end of the episode was sooooo bad.

Can I trade this for Kagewani S2? That knew not to show your monster.

The thing with Kagewani is that it didn't even matter if you saw the monster or not; it was frightening either way. The creature design was top-notch.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Koyomimonogatari 03



Kaerimichi is great. The best part of Koyomimono is probably all the reused OPs.

Yep, I am totally lost on the timeline now. Hachikuji ep, Oshino is gone, Hanekawa has short hair so this must be...after Tsubasa Cat. Or something. I kind of wish this was just two people talking to each other because these mini mysteries aren't engaging at all.

no way does it look like that on the phone, theyd really let that pass?

 

[Russ T]

Yeah I'd happily take a Kagewani S2. That was some good shit.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

no way does it look like that on the phone, theyd really let that pass?

Its a phone app, and the OP is really frantic. I assume its fine on the actual app, but still a kind of weird decision to release your show in.

 

[dimb]

I guess in treating it as an outlier where this is common practice in anime.

I found Grimgar's depiction of women to be substantially more regressive than its contemporaries. In its medium. In its stupid trapped in a game genre. In the shared Winter season. There is a baser level of objectification here with the absence of character motivation that strips away even the tiniest hint of self interest or talent. Of the two girl characters one is "bad with words" and the other is afraid to talk to men. They don't even get a voice.

 

[Hellwarden]

Kagewani was pretty great.

It's a shame we get so few horror anime.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Kagewani was pretty great.

It's a shame we get so few horror anime.

we don't need more horror anime. We already have Another, which is anime Final Destination

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Working!!! 4

"Hug of friendship". Sure...

 

[ibyea]

I found Grimgar's depiction of women to be substantially more regressive than its contemporaries. In its medium. In its stupid trapped in a game genre. In the shared Winter season. There is a baser level of objectification here with the absence of character motivation that strips away even the tiniest hint of self interest or talent. Of the two girl characters one is "bad with words" and the other is afraid to talk to men. They don't even get a voice.

Wow, that bad. Yeah glad I skipped on that one.

 

[John Blade]

Damm...the trailer for Super Atragon with that music theme. Man...make me really want to watch this movie much more now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg3hxOqnIvg

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

It is kind of weird. Horror manga aren't even a niche genre, yet Umezu has had an ok OVA and I think a TV series and Ito a shitty OVA and then...nothing else. They have both had a lot of live action, so maybe thats where it all goes.

 

[Mature]

It is kind of weird. Horror manga aren't even a niche genre, yet Umezu has had an ok OVA and I think a TV series and Ito a shitty OVA and then...nothing else. They have both had a lot of live action, so maybe thats where it all goes.

I sort of assumed it was a niche genre. Are there good horror manga I should be checking out outside of the obvious ones?

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

I sort of assumed it was a niche genre. Are there good horror manga I should be checking out outside of the obvious ones?

Besides the obvious Umezu and Ito stuff, Franken Fran, Mail. Jisatsu Circle and Humonculus come to mind but I think Jisatsu Circle was a movie first. I suppose it is rather niche.

 

[duckroll]

I think horror manga is pretty niche. Niche doesn't mean they don't exist, if you go seeking anything out, you'll probably find something. Niche means it's not mainstream and popular enough to get a ton of attention. Horror also doesn't lend itself particularly well to animation. You have to really work on the direction to get remotely the same impact as live action. Even then, I think the impact of horror in animation is different, and usually not the sort of horror that is popular among the mainstream in movies and what not.

 

[sonicmj1]

I found Grimgar's depiction of women to be substantially more regressive than its contemporaries. In its medium. In its stupid trapped in a game genre. In the shared Winter season. There is a baser level of objectification here with the absence of character motivation that strips away even the tiniest hint of self interest or talent. Of the two girl characters one is "bad with words" and the other is afraid to talk to men. They don't even get a voice.

I think this overstates things with the archer a bit (she's only really "bad with words" when she's smack in the middle of a really awkward conversation), but it's not meaningfully off the mark. She's a relatively weak presence when she's not responding to Ranta's sexual harassment.

Outside of the most utilitarian conversations, any interaction with the women in the party inevitably revolves around men's attraction to them. Where the post-adventure montages give a pretty good idea of what all the guys in the party are interested in or want to achieve, for the women they only build some sort of quasi-romance between the mage and the priest. Haruhito has had a heart to heart with everyone but the mage, but his one-on-one conversation with the archer was about how she wouldn't have minded so much if he peeped on her because he's a nice guy and would apologize or something.

Grossness aside, it's a huge drag on the character development in a show that has put a lot of directorial time and energy into gradually building its characters. That's what makes it so disappointing. With the writing the way it is, it's tough to care about anyone.

 

[ThatChairMan]

Red Hair 15

Best boy. I love this Raj arc.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

i think this is the arc I dropped Snow White with the Red Hair. It was already eh, but jesus did separating the leads get rid of any interest.

 

[Jarmel]

I feel like there could be some really effective body horror anime but we don't get it. Parasyte was the closest before it shat the bed.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

I feel like there could be some really effective body horror anime but we don't get it. Parasyte was the closest before it shat the bed.

There are a lot of body horror manga. Parasyte is...eh, Ajin is lol, Pupa is Pupa aka the worst thing ever. They keep tripping over themselves. Franken Fran dodged that treatment, I guess I should be thankful. Horror anime kinda have a shitty track record already outside of Mononoke, Kagewani and parts of Yamishibai. I'm surprised I am a Hero hasn't gotten an anime yet.

Edit: Lol looked it up and I am a Hero is getting a Live Action movie!

 

[Hellwarden]

Parasyte was the closest before it shat the bed.

Almost all the Parasites look, move, and attack the same way in Parasyte. Which really takes the fright factor out of them.

The parasite dog in the first episode was probably the scariest thing in the show.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Almost all the Parasites look and attack the same way in Parasyte. Which really takes the freight factor out of them.

The parasite dog in the first episode was probably the scariest thing in the show.

I'm curious if that came straight from the source. Bit uninspired how the first episode made it seem like it'd be The Thing with different transformations. Then it all ended up being weird tentacle axes.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

I'm curious if that came straight from the source. Bit uninspired how the first episode made it seem like it'd be The Thing with different transformations. Then it all ended up being weird tentacle axes.

It's the same in the manga.

 

[wonzo]

been catching up on jex's fave anime podcast dynamite in the brain while grinding for the GuP tank (it's not worth it) and they're really not any better than ann's effort when they aren't talking about non-80/90s schlock tbh

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

This is the calling for the animegaf podcast to come back.

So I can defend Prison School this time around.

 

[Jarmel]

I think this overstates things with the archer a bit (she's only really "bad with words" when she's smack in the middle of a really awkward conversation), but it's not meaningfully off the mark. She's a relatively weak presence when she's not responding to Ranta's sexual harassment.

Outside of the most utilitarian conversations, any interaction with the women in the party inevitably revolves around men's attraction to them. Where the post-adventure montages give a pretty good idea of what all the guys in the party are interested in or want to achieve, for the women they only build some sort of quasi-romance between the mage and the priest. Haruhito has had a heart to heart with everyone but the mage, but his one-on-one conversation with the archer was about how she wouldn't have minded so much if he peeped on her because he's a nice guy and would apologize or something.

Grossness aside, it's a huge drag on the character development in a show that has put a lot of directorial time and energy into gradually building its characters. That's what makes it so disappointing. With the writing the way it is, it's tough to care about anyone.

I haven't seen the third episode yet but I find the conversations to be vapid in the worst manner possible. There's a focus on dialogue but the conversations themselves, besides the one with the priest coming in tipsy talking about the bar, to be boring and trivial. There's little there that expands their characters in meaningful ways and instead comes off as time wasters. There's no wit to anything they say unlike say Konosoba nor are they seriously strategizing/researching.

It's not so much an issue with the female characters but an overall failure in the writing.

 

[Sibersk Esto]

Almost all the Parasites look, move, and attack the same way in Parasyte. Which really takes the freight factor out of them.

The parasite dog in the first episode was probably the scariest thing in the show.

The anime was also too clean and smooth to be scary. At least the manga had some grit to it.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Perfect Insider 7

The conversation between Sohei and Shiki's sister was painful to sit through. The writing of the English dialogue itself is idiomatic and natural, but the delivery was excessively clumsy and stilted. It sounds as if these two voice actors had no experience with English beyond whatever they got in high school and were being coached by someone through all their lines - which is somewhat forgivable for Sohei because his character is mainly speaking Japanese, but at least for Miki they could have chosen an actress who can effectively deliver English. I guess this doesn't matter much for the main target audience in Japan who mostly don't know English, but for a native English speaker such as myself hearing them stumble awkwardly through their lines without any of the proper inflection was so aggravating.

But the episode made up for it with the wonderful sequence in the VR machine. The direction is normally so grounded and plain that it's nice to see a flight of fancy being taken, and Moe's conversation with Michiru delving into the death of Moe's parents was properly atmospheric. Kenji Kawai's music added a lot to the scene. Low-key music suits him best; when he tries to go for bombast it's not as successful.

 

[Mature]

been catching up on jex's fave anime podcast dynamite in the brain while grinding for the GuP tank (it's not worth it) and they're really not any better than ann's effort when they aren't talking about non-80/90s schlock tbh

I still quite like them. With their format, it usually just feels like a couple guys talking about what they like. From what I gather from the ANN cast, it sounds like they speak authoritatively on things they're ill informed on. Couldn't say though since everything I hear about them is second hand.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

I haven't seen the third episode yet but I find the conversations to be vapid in the worst manner possible. There's a focus on dialogue but the conversations themselves, besides the one with the priest coming in tipsy talking about the bar, to be boring and trivial. There's little there that expands their characters in meaningful ways and instead comes off as time wasters. There's no wit to anything they say unlike say Konosoba nor are they seriously strategizing/researching.

It's not so much an issue with the female characters but an overall failure in the writing.

Anyone who has seen his past works knows that Ryosuke Nakamura is a great director but a terrible writer. It's a real shame he decided to write himself instead of leaving that to people more suitable for the job.

 

[Narag]

...

As part of my life-debt to wonzo, I'm required to watch Umaru now. I can probably fit Shigurui after that and before i watch Garo for duckroll and Chu-bra!! for firehawk.

 

[dimb]

been catching up on jex's fave anime podcast dynamite in the brain while grinding for the GuP tank (it's not worth it) and they're really not any better than ann's effort when they aren't talking about non-80/90s schlock tbh

I stopped listening to Dynamite in the Brain a while back. Never really felt like I was getting good discussions out of it. Some of the opinions they would put out would just be really confusing and unrelatable so I just stopped. I should maybe check back in to see what their aoty podcast was like.

 

[Shard]

I found Grimgar's depiction of women to be substantially more regressive than its contemporaries. In its medium. In its stupid trapped in a game genre. In the shared Winter season. There is a baser level of objectification here with the absence of character motivation that strips away even the tiniest hint of self interest or talent. Of the two girl characters one is "bad with words" and the other is afraid to talk to men. They don't even get a voice.

I fucking knew it, I knew that shit was going down when they were using the clumsy moe girl trope in a battle. People tried to excuse it as base incompetence but the framing gave shit away.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Snow White With Red Hair Episode 15

Raj Obi was all I needed. Raj is also so good. Loved this whole development of him a lot, even the other people at the castles reaction, that dropped plate for example, or everyone looking around corners, lol.

Raj Shirayuki moments are so much better than Shirayuki Zen moments.

 

[wonzo]

I stopped listening to Dynamite in the Brain a while back. Never really felt like I was getting good discussions out of it. Some of the opinions they would put out would just be really confusing and unrelatable so I just stopped. I should maybe check back in to see what their aoty podcast was like.

haven't gotten to the aoty one yet but they did an oshii/angels egg thing and one dude painfully missed the point. also hardly anyone bothered with perfect insider, the few that did commenting on how "dull" it was

 

[Maximilian Kolbe]

I found Grimgar's depiction of women to be substantially more regressive than its contemporaries. In its medium. In its stupid trapped in a game genre. In the shared Winter season. There is a baser level of objectification here with the absence of character motivation that strips away even the tiniest hint of self interest or talent. Of the two girl characters one is "bad with words" and the other is afraid to talk to men. They don't even get a voice.

People still thought it's trapped in game genre?

 

[Crash Station]

Anyone who has seen his past works knows that Ryosuke Nakamura is a great director but a terrible writer. It's a real shame he decided to write himself instead of leaving that to people more suitable for the job.

Is it not the fault of the source material?