This is the thread where we discuss all the hot new Frenchimé, correct?
(The unfortunately named) Lolirock 01-02
I was expecting something much more
Jem, but in the two episodes I watched, the whole being in a band aspect didn't have much impact on the plot, it was mostly relegated to the last few moments of the episodes as a lead in to a Precure-esque dancing ED.
The actual show is bog standard magical girl fare. The designs are nice, and the English cast is filled with Friendship is Magic cast members, so that's a plus.
Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir 01
I kind of miss the anime version Toei was going to do, but this one is a very good looking show in its own right. Colorful, expressive, good image quality and as far as motion goes, very fluid, Makes you wonder what it would look like if this western CG expertise/budget got put towards cel shading, compared to the usual Cg style we see or the Japanese CG efforts that people don't take kindly to most times.
Although there is a transformation sequence, the series takes after US comic superheroes more than magical girls, with the spandex (latex?) costume and domino masks.
Apparently the English airing order is different form the original, so I wonder if the original production first episode does a better job of setting up things rather than feeling like jumping in in the middle. What I want to know is why these two heroes who work together quite well on good terms with each other don't tell each other who they are, besides to facilitate the romance plot as something that drives or ties into the stories.
I searched GAF for these titles and found very little for discussion. Unless I've missed it completely the lack of a general non-JP animation thread for everything without an OT hurts being able to talk about smaller shows like these.
What's that you say? Oh,
anime. Right, I watched some of those too.
Yuki Yuna is a Hero 01
A group of girls full of optimism and desire to do the right thing and help people get the chance to do so as magical girls, saving the whole world as the heroes they always wanted to be. I'm sure this series will play the premise out completely straight, and there will be no
despair at all.
Glitter Force: Origins Futari wa Pretty Cure 01
The actual inspiration for the theme connecting the shows I chose to watch today, as I wait for Glitter Force season 2.
The foundations of the elements of the later series are laid down, and I have less complaints about the "bog standard" nature here, as there is some seniority. The unique element of Precure, the hand to hand combat element, is present in this first episode, although the choreography seems kind of slow, but that could just be conveying that the girls aren't used to it yet. Also, why do they turn into Dural from Virtua Fighter while they transform?
Translation wise, the good folks at Ocean and YTV did a great job at
actually releasing it unlike US liscensor 4kids who never did anything after buying the rights, leaving the franchise in a limbo in the US for 10 years until Glitter Force.
Unlike Glitter Force, Pretty Cure as it was shortened to is less heavy handed on the localization, retaining the original soundtrack and being a more direct translation. Of course, I can only assume from all these English names that Natalie and Hannah must be from Canada. Strange how the dog was allowed to have a Japanese name. The voice acting is early 2000s tier from actors with few other credits to their names, so GF beats it in that regard, but there is still a charm to the cheese factor and an odd nostalgia to the retro feel (YMMV on this one).