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[Defuser]

I'm crossing my fingers Yoichi Fujita to direct Swagamoto. Only he can do comedy perfectly, his absence in Gintama° is the reason I stopped watching Gintama° because the new director isn't good enough,something is lacking.

 

[javac]

“It tastes like iron.” Ping Pong The Animation is a show steeped in philosophical undertones and moral teachings and like many other shows that were directed by Masaaki Yuasa, Ping Pong strives to challenge its audience while exercising its visual prowess. All of this accumulates to an audio/visual tour de force that mesmerizes its audience and raises the bar in visual storytelling within the animated medium. Like many of the countless anime series within the sports genre, the sport itself takes a back seat while the characters themselves become the stars of the show, however it would be foolish to think that this means that the show doesn’t take the game of Table Tennis seriously. The level of detail here is astounding when it comes to the sport itself. If this show was a living being, Table Tennis would be the heart of the show while the characters would be considered the soul. It’s appropriate that I speak of the show as a living being as like the rhythmic sound of ping pong balls bouncing back and forth on a table, a pulse is found within this series, one that encapsulates the rhetoric of life itself and endeavors to question what it means to be human. At its core Ping Pong The Animation is a show about what drives us as humans, from what excites us to what inspires us. We all find ways in which to justify our existence and that something can often become the very thing that defines us. Ping Pong offers to explore this concept in an attempt to challenge and question the audience when it comes to their own ways of life. “Who do you play Table Tennis for?” A question asked multiple times throughout the 11 episode series can be seen as a direct question to the audience themselves. Why we do what we do and who is it for? Some may say that they do it for others while many do it for themselves. For some characters within the show, Ping Pong is a means to justify their existence, to prove themselves worthy but this often results in an empty way of life devoid of happiness. At what cost do we pursue victory?

In many ways it could be argued that this philosophy extends to the production of the show itself. Why we create and at what lengths we as creators go to in order to achieve our results is as existential as it gets. The works of Masaaki Yuasa seem to exist for reasons beyond other anime series and films. Not content with just entertaining they educate and push the audience further in ways no other director attempts. It’s clear that Ping Pong The Animation exists due to an unbridled love for the medium itself and where others exist just for the sake of existing, churned out periodically as if being manufactured in a factory, indistinguishable from one another, Ping Pong stands out on its own two feet. Not resting on the laurels of previous anime series, Ping Pong changes what’s expected of an anime series from an aesthetic point of view.

The characters of Ping Pong are deep and fleshed out, treated gently; each one of them is given both the time and space in order to bloom before your very eyes. Each member of the cast evolves and changes during each and every episode, sometimes in subtle ways in which the audience doesn’t pick up upon initially. When looking deeper however you realize that each character is a representation of a particular philosophy which is depicted in their outlooks on the situations that they are put in. The main philosophies that are delved into here are of East Asian origins and in order to explain the parallels being made here one would have to look at the teachings of Confucius, Buddha and Laozi, in particular the allegorical painting known as 'The Vinegar Tasters'. Each one of these philosophers represents different outlooks to the same situation, shown by their reactions to the vinegar in the painting. Confucianism sees life as sour while Buddhism sees life as bitter. Taoism on the other hand sees life as inherently good. In this sense each of the three characters, Peco, Wenge and Smile show characteristics that place them within these three belief systems. Like Confucianism, Wenge holds his family in high regards. Not only does he value human interaction more than the other characters, he’s also a rational thinker. All of this is noticeable when seeing how Wenge interacts with his peers, especially in flashbacks which all involve his mother. Wenge is sentimental and holds his family's honor as the pinnacle of his success. Fitting in with the sour outlook on life, he also holds himself to strict learning regimes which he uses in order to hone his skills to become the best at Table Tennis. With a bit of a superiority complex, he views others with inferior skills as lesser to himself. “It is indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and, as you go on acquiring, to put into practice what you have acquired.” For Wenge, pleasure is attained by seeing the fruits of his labor. “To remain even though one’s merits are unrecognized by others is that not after all what is expected of a gentleman?” It’s clear that Wenge’s attention is gained when he first notices Peco and Smile play one another. “I am not bothered by the fact that I am not understood. I am bothered when I do not know others.” When looking at the teachings of Confucius, Wenge is half way there. It’s clear that Wenge understands that he must work hard however it is just as clear that such effort falls on deaf ears however as the series progresses you see Wenge slowly open up to his team which leads into my point about how the characters of Ping Pong evolve as the episodes progress.

In comparison, Peco is quite self-indulgent and arrogant, often seeing life as harsh and bitter which would explain why he always cries when he loses a match which lends credence to him being a bit immature and selfish. It’s clear that Peco is only interested in winning and focuses on the materialistic gains that he gets from the sport and in doing so is blind to the very reason why he played Ping Pong in the first place, which is to gain the fleeting feeling of joy and happiness in the heat of the moment. At one point in the show Peco drowns himself in sweets and candy, and in doing so highlights his journey to gain momentary pleasure but does so at the detriment of his Ping Pong career. To be honest, we’re all guilty of doing this. Too lazy we try to gain temporary happiness in order to make the pain go away, to take our minds off of the issues that currently surround us but doing so is to never solve our issues at the core. We run away to avoid our troubles, to rid ourselves of pain but as we all know this only causes ourselves and those around us to feel even more pain. In the end it’s better to feel a little bit of pain because in doing so we are able to gain many other happy memories in the process and as the saying goes, it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Peco’s development emanates from his understanding of this, and when he does so he inevitably transcends as a player.

Smile on the other hand rejects authority and likewise rejects taking responsibility for Peco. What Smile lacks is drive. Smile has no desire to be the best at Ping Pong and instead plays just for the sake of it, as if it’s something that he is forced to do. Hiding from his past and locking himself away he avoids emotional contact with others. What makes these characters so invigorating is the fact that I am able to relate to each and every one of them to some degree. In Ping Pong, nothing is black and white. There are no bad guys and good guys; instead everybody is relatable and realistic. What also astounds me is how these mannerisms are shown in subtle ways. Not one to be in your face, each character is profiled in delicate and indirect manners. Ping Pong is a show in which its characters evolve like no other show, and although it’s only over the course of 11 episodes, none of it feels rushed. This is to say that the pacing of the show is pitch-perfect and above all, what makes Ping Pong such a delight to watch is how it treats its audience with respect.

“I could cry.” I often hear people label Ping Pong an ugly show, but those complaints couldn’t be further from reality. The visuals are beautiful in the same way that the real world itself is, and that being at a certain angle. Like life itself, the perspective on which you look at things changes the way in which it can be perceived and like real life, Ping Pong is ugly in the most beautiful way possible. The visuals encapsulate the raw emotion and grittiness that other shows fail to explore. Characters look cool and awesome in one scene while also looking beat down and a mess in others and one scene with Kazama in particular made me realize this. When Sakuma asks Kazama the question “Who do you play Table Tennis for?”, Kazama while bottled up within a bathroom cubicle responds with “Myself, of course” with an honest and proud smile on his face. “Don’t be ridiculous!” Sakuma responds with while an ugly; beat down shot of Kazama fills the screen and the change of angle alone is enough to make him look so. It’s hard to explain, but this image alone is enough to make me cry. It’s a powerful image that captures the raw and grittiness of life itself in the most genuine way possible and it blows me away. The art style is effortlessly able to depict unbridled joy with each swing of the paddle while also doing justice to the bottomless pits that they often find themselves trapped in. I think that this is one of the aspects of the show that I take pleasure in the most. Not to bury every anime series under the bus but I do honestly believe that a sense of clinicalness is found within most shows. The art style for Ping Pong is able to express a multitude of emotions with ease. The joy is easily seen in the face of Peco as he plays and likewise the desperation and anger seen in Sakuma’s face is equally palpable. A lot of this expressiveness is often lost in other series which results in characters devoid of any emotion. Ping Pong is without a doubt an expressive show and I do believe that the art style is to thank for that fact. A synonym of the word expressive is animated which brings us full circle. The action is explosive and energetic while the more quiet and somber moments are exactly that and it’s this dynamic nature of the art style that makes for such an expressive show. It’s a bit stilted and a bit awkward but that’s what makes it human.

“Interacting with people just exhausts me lately. And Table Tennis is getting more complicated too.” This line perfectly encapsulates the character Smile, from the way he talks down to the way he looks a sense of exhaustion emits from him. “I don’t want to sacrifice anything or drag anyone down just to win.” It’s clear that Smile wants to avoid any compromise, having fun is enough. Withdrawing into his shell whenever confronted he comments on how he does his best in order to not upset anybody and yet people demand so much from him. He doesn’t get angry, he doesn’t smile, he just simply exists, even breathing silently, like a robot and in some instances he even embraces this fact. Robots can’t be hurt. “Enter the hero.“ The coldness that he exhibits can often come across as harsh to onlookers but it really does come from a lack of interaction with others and like a robot he’s rigid and blunt and cold to the touch, but unlike a robot he has blood running through his veins, and it tastes like iron. In fact the coach and his wife remark on this fact when he passes by their house in order to check up on his coach. When the wife invites him for lunch Smile declines stating that he doesn’t like eating in other people’s homes. “You must have it rough, with a strange old man pestering you” she comments, “Yes, He’s a huge pain” is the answer Smile gives. The wife laughs as she states that he has no charm, but that she finds it wonderful and adorable, to have such clear eyes. When she invites him to come over sometime he accepts this invitation. It’s clear that he means no disrespect but that he finds it hard to open up to others due to being a lonely kid. I guess this is one of the reasons why I find a resemblance to myself in Smile. I too am often mistaken for being harsh, removed from society and cold, but I feel that it comes from a good place within my heart. Like Smile I mean not to disturb others with my presence, not to be a burden. To breathe silently, to not laugh, smile or get angry, to just simply exist. The older characters in Ping Pong are often shown looking at the young with hope but also with almost a sense of nostalgia as they see younger versions of themselves. The older characters in Ping Pong as treated with respect and it really adds a lot to the sentimentality of it all. The elders are wise and although they look frail they display bursts of youthfulness and excitement for the sport. I think that when they look at the younger players, be it Peco or Smile they see aspects of themselves when they were younger. Graceful in their youth, age has caught up with their bodies but their hearts are as young as ever. It’s a theme of the series, the idea of vicariously living through others, to undo past mistakes and seeing somebody who reminds you of your younger self and how it can cause you to be harsher on that person, trying to turn back your own clock.

“Winning’s all that matters.” A line delivered by Peco at the start of an episode where he is faced with defeat, a defeat that instigates a major development of the character throughout the series. “The only way to be sure you won’t lose is to not fight.” Peco drowns himself in sweets after he faces a crushing blow and bows out from Ping Pong. It’s clear that Peco doesn’t take kindly to defeat from the first episode, a fact that Smile comments on. “You have a bad habit of crying after you lose.” Seeing Smile overtake him in skill demotivates him further, jealous perhaps that the student has overtaken the master. Victory was taken as an inevitability so when he finally faces somebody who gives him a run for his money it ultimately deflates him. For an 11 episode series the characters evolve a lot mentally, in mannerisms, appearance and play style. It really does a lot to make the characters that much more believable. Nothing is sacred and nothing is out of the question. Peco and Smile are interesting characters to say the least however I’d argue that the rest of the cast are just as interesting if not more so, and that leads me into one of my favorite members of the cast, Demon.

-Continued in next post-​

 

[javac]

“Not all birds can fly.” Sakuma (who goes by the nickname Demon) is considered the rival of Peco. The two of them become childhood friends at the table tennis club. Demon is presented as a talented, egotistical player, one who only cares about winning. With no love for the sport he’ll resort to boring play styles if it means that his opponent is worn out before going in for the kill. No matter how good he is however it’s clear that the only reason he wants to play is to beat Peco, the obstacle that exists within his life. Sounds like a typical character that you’d see in an anime of this type however like the rest of the Ping Pong cast you slowly start to learn that not is all what it seems. Underneath the bravado lays a deep, complicated and tragic character, one that you sympathize with. Both Peco and Demon were considered the best at table tennis in their youth, but when Smile joined he grew from a timid amateur to a pro in a short period of time, and witnessing this growth gave birth to jealousy, a hatred that grew within Demon. There’s an episode in Ping Pong where this all accumulates and the sense of anger and hopelessness is palpable. The voice actor for Demon (Subaru Kimura) does a phenomenal job in adding depth and substance to each and every word that he says. Diagnosed with a case of astigmatism at a young age he wears glasses in order to correct his sight problems. Even so, it’s clear that this is a crutch that impacts his performance. He works hard every day in order to be recognized, to beat Peco. All he thinks about from dawn until dusk is table tennis, he’s fully devoted himself to the sport and yet he’s beaten effortlessly in what accumulated to an outpouring of emotions that hit me like no other scene in a show that I’ve seen. The way in which his flaws are depicted, the flashbacks and the way that they are presented is powerful. The sense of defeat, the look of hopelessness as well as the sound of defeat in his voice are incredibly emotional and represent the range that this show has. Both visually and auditorily, Ping Pong is a masterpiece in storytelling. Demon is a tragic character and represents a true side to the world of sport that you rarely see. Impaired with a disability, he can only push himself so far before he reaches the limits of his talents. To accept that fact is hard to swallow especially for somebody with such pride and determination but to do so is to be enlightened.

One visual cue that is utilized within Ping Pong that I love is how the characters often evolve visually. Whether it’s the act of growing ones hair and changing their hair style to chaining their racket or play style altogether to even gaining weight, the characters evolve and change realistically and Demon is no exception to this. I’d say that he matures the most within this show; something that you wouldn’t expect and is an example of how Ping Pong subverts your expectations. Demon is set up to be a portrayal of a character that we’ve seen many times over but ends up being something else entirely. Hearing Demon confess to Peco that he always wanted to be like him, to the extent that he copied his racket, style and form but no matter how hard he tried he could never be like him is a heart-breaking moment for sure. Demon is definitely a massive instigator for getting Peco back on track after he loses his way. Only after facing defeat is Demon able to see sights that he couldn’t when competition was a factor. Instead of running away, he accepts his reality, and this separates him from many of the other characters that you see in anime series. His relationship also extends to his peers at his school. It’s clear that he wants to be recognized by Kazama early on, burdened by the high hopes that he has on his shoulders. An exchange later on in the show between Demon and Kazama leads to that moment that I mentioned previously as being really emotional, and what a scene it is. The juxtaposition between a holed up Kazama, cooped up alone in his cubicle and the now free Demon, relaxed as ever is a powerful visual moment among many others. This scene alone illustrates the evolution of this fantastic and underappreciated character.

Kazama plays the role of what you’d usually consider to be the bad guy in the series…apart from the fact that in typical fashion Ping Pong subverts your expectations. In Ping Pong, nothing is black and white. Nicknamed Dragon , Kazama he’s without a doubt the immovable object, the one that poses the most threat to the cast of the show. One of the best junior table tennis players in the world he’s a force to be reckoned with. He takes notice of Smile at an early stage of the show, observing his control of the ball as well as his remarkable speed, reflexes and concentration during his match. However, instead of trying to beat him he instead looks to getting him to join his own school, wishing to create the best team of players possible. What was once a world class team, the quality of play is falling apart and Kazama sees Smile as the one that would lead them to glory and like a swan amongst ducklings, Kazama sees Smile as a mismatch for his current school. During a match between Wenge and a random competitor, Smile and Kazama have a candid conversation on the side-lines and during the conversation Smile states that Wenge went too far, how crushing somebody like that with no remorse in front of a crowd is cruel. Kazama states that he despises this mind set, going into detail about how Wenge too knows the feeling of facing a crushing defeat and comments on how you shouldn’t consider your opponents feelings.

Prior to each match, Kazama locks himself in a toilet cubicle, it’s a small little touch but it really hits me emotionally as something thoughtful by the creators of the series. The way in which he is depicted visually during a match of table tennis is visceral, like something out of a shounen he almost teleports from corner to corner and each hit of the ball is accompanied by strikes of lightning. Usually each game of Ping Pong is adorned with a white background but the games that Kazama plays are dark which definitely gives them a different vibe. His fast reactions defy his large build and his power blasts through his opponents defense with ease. A monster, he stomps across the hall, towering over the table one second and the next he moves like a bat out of hell. With each hit the ball is accompanied by a trail of light and sparks, not unlike an energy blast from a shounen series. The music that plays during these matches is just as intimidating and the whole presentation of his matches are a sight to behold in this already visually striking series.

“Are you playing table tennis you believe in?” Kazama is a complicated and deep character that challenges your expectations in regards to what you expect from an anime series, sports or otherwise. Losing his father at an early age drives him to push himself, to become stronger. “You’ll learn one day, the anguish of invincibility, the pain of praise, the pressure of burdens, the isolation and anguish.” Told not to cry at a young age and ingrained with the ideology that defeat means death and that compromising is like cutting off your own arm, he bottles himself up in order to let all of his emotions out. It was commented that at his father’s funeral there wasn’t many wreaths, blamed on the fact that he wasn’t very popular and that he should buy more to cover up this fact. His mother soon became ill. “If you don’t want to be bullied, get stronger.” For Kazama, victory is inevitable. Ping Pong causes him pain.

“Time flies when you’re having fun.“ Ping Pong The Animation smashes it out of the park when it comes to the audio and as I mentioned above the voice acting in the series is phenomenal and unique. Wenge for instance speaks mandarin, but unlike many other series that contain foreign languages, here it is both accurate and fluent. The voice actor Yousei Bun does an outstanding job as Wenge and adds a whole new dynamic to the series. His coach, voiced by Tei Ha also does a terrific job as the two banter and exchange words with one another. To be clear, what this dictates is a clear sign of passion and respect, for the animation itself as well as for the language and culture. It’s something that in theory the general audience wouldn’t discern but in actuality it’s made abundantly clear that this performance is something extra special. Each line of dialogue is delivered with conviction and the range at which they deliver their lines is remarkable. You truly do believe each and every line and the emotions are tangible. You feel the pain, the anger and determination in each and every one of their lines. Wenge is incredible in this regard. Straddling the fine line between cocky and humble he remains a cool character while still maintaining a softer side that you connect with emotionally. Likewise for Demon, brash and arrogant when playing table tennis the hopelessness in his voice as he struggles to keep up with his rivals is unmistakable. It goes a long way in humanizing each and every character in the series. The banter and jokes are genuine and frank; it’s just a fantastic atmosphere all around.

The soundtrack for Ping Pong is a highlight for me and I’ve found it difficult to stop listening to it long after the show had wrapped up. Composed by Kensuke Ushio, the music is generally energetic and goes well with the high octane matches however the soundtrack boasts a healthy mix of more serene melodies. I often find myself tearing up at some of them which speaks volumes to the emotional bonds that I’ve forged with the show and its characters. A sense of melancholy surrounds many of the tracks, sorrowful and sad they mimic the characters themselves, be it the lonely dragon Kazama or the broken demon Sakuma. It’s a strange mix of tracks to be sure, especially when dealing with the subject matter of table tennis but that’s the beauty of this series, table tennis is merely a reflection of the characters themselves. The music increases the emotional impact of the scenes and really fleshes the whole package out. From a fantastically placed Shogo Hamada track to the use of a classic Japanese children’s song by the late Takashi Yanase, the music is a huge part of this series and its enjoyment that I had was heightened because of it. I can say without a doubt that without this cast of voice actors and without this soundtrack Ping Pong wouldn’t have hit as hard as it did and mightn’t have resonated with the audience as much as it did either. That’s not a knock on the series itself but a testament to the talent here and the work that went into the audio for this show.

Ping Pong is a visual tour de force. The watercolor backgrounds are lively and bright; sometimes they look unfinished as the buildings in the background fade into a white haze but what it allows you as the viewer to do is to focus on the parts that matter, nothing is more complicated than it needs to be. It’s enough to create a sense of place without getting in the way. Painterly, the use of colors are organic and it weirdly works amazingly with the school setting. Like many of Yuasa’s other works, the characters are dynamic, like caricatures from a sketchbook, or yes a manga, with each swing of the racket they contour and shape shift, fluid like water. I’ve not read the manga but flipping through it reveals that the show actually resembles its source material very closely. The influences of Taiyō Matsumoto’s designs are strong here and you can feel his pulse within this series. It’s a faithful adaptation visually although Yuasa’s artistic vision is no doubt seen here in full force. The line work is wobbly and dynamic. Alongside Yuasa is Nobutake Ito who mans the character designs and like all of the previous Yuasa series he is also the Chief Animation Director. The camera work does a fantastic job in simulating what it must feel like to bring the 2D panels of the manga to life. The way that the camera focuses and tracks every movement of the ball as it bounces across the table is exhilarating as well as disorienting.

Table Tennis is a fast sport and as such capturing all of the nuances is a tough job however the anime doesn’t disappoint. The fluidity of the characters movements and the dynamic camera perspectives make for an exhilarating viewing experience as you see two seasoned players rally back and forth with this 2.7 gram ball. It’s a game of split second decisions and the series makes this clear with the fantastic editing. The show doesn’t hold back from dishing out ping pong terminology but it’s generally easy to pick up and understand. Many of Yuasa’s visual hallmarks embellish the series such as the little arrows that point things out which is often fun to see.

Speaking of the animation, flash animation was also utilized for Ping Pong, in particular a new digital technique that was developed and utilized in order to aid in depicting slow movements, turnings and big zooms, things that would have been challenging and time consuming to do traditionally. From motion and shape tweens the software used here is no different to the Adobe Flash you probably have installed on your computer but the way that they’ve used the software is a testament to their creativity.

It’s hard to avoid the topic of the crude nature of the animation here however I find it refreshing to see. When it comes to animation, anything that deviates from the norm is often looked upon as strange and maybe even ugly; however I really like to look at art as nonlinear. The idea that all anime should conform to certain standards and the notion that all shows should aim for the utmost detail in each and every frame can be a detriment to the industry. It’s no secret that Ping Pong was developed under a tight schedule and as such its roughness could be attributed to that however it could be argued that anime being developed under strenuous conditions is the norm. It could also be argued that these situations allow for the creators to bloom as they take shape and develop a style. The characters in the backgrounds don’t really move but something in the focal point is always moving and it actually adds a lot to the visual style of the series. While on the topic of visuals the OP which is directed, storyboarded and animated by Shinya Ohira is a sight to behold. Like the show itself it’s sketchy and dynamic with plenty of cool looking angles and effects. Each episode is storyboarded by Yuasa which helps forge a uniform tone throughout them all. It’s a huge feat but it pays off in spades.

Ping Pong is a story about growing up and the fact that the things that we fixate on during these times often seem to define us, at least at the time. Each character has a visual motif, whether it’s Smile the robot, cold and removed from emotional relationships or Kazama the melancholic dragon or Peco the lost hero. Where Peco has immense talent but lacks the drive and motivation, easily discouraged by defeat, Demon puts in the effort but ultimately lacks the talent. It’s a beautiful show both inside and out and the crudeness of the animation may in fact be the key ingredient that allows the series to transcend beyond its contemporaries. It’s a reminder that the blood that flows through our bodies proves that we’re alive. It’s a story of transcendence and enlightenment. The music is full of emotion, the script and voice acting is natural with each word being delivered with conviction. Ping Pong will make you laugh out in joy, it’ll get your blood flowing with excitement, it’ll upset you with the deep and believable characters and most importantly it’ll make you smile. Enter the hero.

10/10

 

[Qurupeke]

Can't wait for next year when 3 of the 5 titles are

Kizumonogatari Part 1
Kizumonogatari Part 2
Kizumonogatari Part 3

YES.

 

[duckroll]

I watched all the E7 OP/EDs from my Eureka Seven Complete Best DVD today. Including the two game OPs. But of course the real crowning glory is the 10 minute plus music Niji video using footage from the entire series. So. Fucking. Good. Amazing editing and cut selection.

 

[Ascheroth]

There's going to be an anime version of Asterix!?

The sky is falling!

2nd cour ya goof.

I always have this image in my mind:

 

[NaDannMaGoGo]

The behemoth review has arrived. RUN FOR THE HILLS!

The little I read of it was good, might read more later.

--

Kimi ni Todoke - 06 - first 5mins

Cringe levels are rising into unbearable territory. Jesus what a bunch of nonsensical characters and high school drama. I can't believe what I'm seeing. This is Anohana level of drama writing.

 

[AquaWateria]

I'm crossing my fingers Yoichi Fujita to direct Swagamoto. Only he can do comedy perfectly, his absence in Gintama° is the reason I stopped watching Gintama° because the new director isn't good enough,something is lacking.

That's a really weird reason to stop watching Gintama. Even if the new season isn't as great as the old one in the past its still great by its own merits. The new Director is doing a good job. Heck the new season alone is better than most shows that aired in 2015 if not all plus the Shogun arc is goat.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Active Raid Episode 2 – Academy Destruction

Best character design in the show and thus far made this a fantastic watchable episode. Enjoyable.

Sometimes the anime reminds me of Aquarion Logos, sadly, it does have LOGOS in the anime. I hope it wont get as dull as Aquarion Logos did.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

There's going to be an anime version of Asterix!?

The sky is falling!

Didn't we already have a bunch of Asterix cartoon films? God I wish I could find those. They aired them all the time in South America, alongside the Tintin movies.

In the US folks are all "Asterix who? And Tintin? Is that the racist guy?"

 

[javac]

The behemoth review has arrived. RUN FOR THE HILLS!

The little I read of it was good, might read more later.

Thanks, it's probably rubbish all things considered but its hard to discern when you're reading all of it again and again, eventually you just have to post it, to make peace with ones writing abilities or lack of I should say! Amazing show, hope more people watch it and I'm happy to move on and hopefully experience more shows that touch me to this degree! Tatami Galaxy after I finish Windy Tales? (Yeah I haven't watched any more of Windy Tales since the first 3 episodes :/)

Basically, no more long reviews.

Great write-up, Javac. Especially loved your comments on each of the characters; you have an excellent understanding of them.

Thank you

 

[Clov]

Great write-up, Javac. Especially loved your comments on each of the characters; you have an excellent understanding of them.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Naruto Shippuden: Season 17 Episode 444 – Leaving the Village

Like the fifth or so time theyve kissed in the anime. The animators really really love this scene a lot.

Love the sasuke pursue and retrieval arc going on. Nostalgia.

ED is fantastic, smiling Sasuke, smiling Itachi. Smiling reunited Team 7. Perfect.

 

[NaDannMaGoGo]

Kimi ni Todoke - 06

So it wasn't the one girl I originally expected, which makes sense since she seemed to be genuinely nice, but another one of those who had a crush on Shouta.

Otherwise I'll refrain on commenting further on this atrocity. I can also no longer trust Phaze's opinion since he made it up to episode 8, which is way too far! I'm out.

 

[Cornbread78]

Kimi ni Todoke - 06

So it wasn't the one girl I originally expected, which makes sense since she seemed to be genuinely nice, but another one of those who had a crush on Shouta.

Otherwise I'll refrain on commenting further on this atrocity. I can also no longer trust Phaze's opinion since he made it up to episode 8, which is way too far! I'm out.

Oh no, you can't back out of this now. You must watch the last few episodes of "misunderstandings" leading up to the ending. Then you can jump off the hoover dam instead.

 

[AquaWateria]

Sakamoto desu ga? will most likely be 1cour since it will be airing on TBS.

 

[BGBW]

Didn't we already have a bunch of Asterix cartoon films? God I wish I could find those. They aired them all the time in South America, alongside the Tintin movies.

In the US folks are all "Asterix who? And Tintin? Is that the racist guy?"

Calling Asterix racist. Oh those silly Americans. When has Asterix ever done anything that could be deemed racistable…

…oh dear.

(from the The Twelve Tasks of Asterix)

 

[PdotMichael]

The Twelve Tasks of Asterix was the best Asterix movie. Too bad the movies since Asterix in Britain suck pretty hard.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Sakamoto desu ga? will most likely be 1cour since it will be airing on TBS.

how would they make it longer than that, isnt it just 4 manga volumes?

 

[Theonik]

Get KyoAni to animate Asterix.

 

[Kansoku]

As far as we know, all parts of Kizu will be in theaters first, and will hit streaming/home video later.

I see, thanks.

 

[nintendoman58]

MAJOR ASTERISK WAR SPOILERS

Looks like the actual "war" part of the show is starting. Can't wait for S2 in Spring!

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Get KyoAni to animate Asterix.

All of a sudden none of the males are in the show lol

 

[victreeb3l]

Oh my God Haikyuu!! is so good. Why did I stop watching S1?

Nekoma is a great parallel to Karasuno. The tough guys especially.

Amazing

 

[Clov]

All of a sudden none of the males are in the show lol

Yeah, I can't even imagine KyoAni making a show with a primarily male cast! It's all girls or nothing with them.

 

[PdotMichael]

Just imagine the entire Asterix cast has Free bodies.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Yeah, I can't even imagine KyoAni making a show with a primarily male cast! It's all girls or nothing with them.

Let me have my joke dammit.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Ito's Erased OP and Ishihama's Erased ED are both quite good. Ishihama's has a lot of striking visuals, as you would want from him.

 

[NaDannMaGoGo]

Ito's Erased OP and Ishihama's Erased ED are both quite good. Ishihama's has a lot of striking visuals, as you would want from him.

Yeh those are nice.

 

[BGBW]

Get KyoAni to animate Asterix.

Moeix killed Animix

 

[Dedication Through Light]

ERASED Episode 2 – Palm of the Hand

Kenya is clearly best bro, actually all of the friends are really good. Far more interesting than episode 1 though I think thats because I like the setting here more and the character smiling with these really good design makes it feel much more inviting and at times intriguing. I hope Kenya and others continue to play a big role, perhaps even the mother too. Their family life is so nice so far.

Also the boys in the bathroom scene was hilarious.

 

[Qurupeke]

Erased 2

That was absolutely stellar. After its great start, the show is getting even better. I was rather afraid that it wouldn't live up to the premiere episode, but even though it didn't really focus on mystery this time, it delivered an amazing episode. I can easily say that as I'm already feeling so many emotions watching this, despite still being far from telling a complete story.

About Hinazuki...

Spoiler

I was kind of shocked that they decided to give her family abuse background. If there's a kidnapper, it seems that she would easily go with him if it meant to escape from this. I have to say that the images of her bruises and that skin with the abuse were hard to watch, they really did a perfect job with making this strong. Anywhere, other than that, I really like how mature she seems, I guess this is normal based on her experience though. She is really cold, but I guess she will start to warm up. I can't wait for this, I really liked her.

About the protagonist...

Spoiler

I'm really happy that they didn't go straight to 'kid detective" stuff. The scene when his mother was back was really heart-warming, his smile really says everything. The scene with Hinazuki was really the best part of the episode though. When she talked about fakes, I loved the way he changed his voice and appearance, matching his cynical older self. Both the kid and the adult voice actor are doing an amazing job, so I'm really glad there are so many instances to hear both of them.

Overall, I was really impressed with this. They're doing a great job and, it seems the show can be good even if they're not planning to return to the present until the climax. I doubt that this is the case though, as the Airi girl seems to be important and, as she isn't in this timeline, there's bound to be more with her in the present. In any case, I really like how this progresses so far, but I'm really afraid of what will follow considering how dark future is.

Oh, I also loved the OP. They did a great job, both for the visuals and the music.

 

[veloxStrix]

Erased Episode 2

This episode was really, really good. Every issue I had with the first episode completely failed to make an appearance in this one. Right from the start, we get a good sense of the setting. We know that it is 18 years in the past at Fujinuma's elementary school. We can guess that we are starting out before the killer has made his first move - or at least before he is known based on the lack of the of the scapegoat kid from last episode and Fujinuma's mother not being too stressed out. In time travel stories, one of the elements that usually cause conflicts down the line is how well the setting was established both before and after the shift.

Now, another thing that is important - for mysteries, this time - is the ability to make the viewer ask questions, and I had A TON of them. If the setting is going to be locked into the past, what about Airi? It seems unlikely that she was just there to be forgotten. Was Fujinuma sent back to save his mother? Kayo? If he chooses one, will he lose the other? I went from watching this series because it came out on Thursdays to being completely invested with just one episode.

Speaking of investment, it's not just the mystery that has me hooked. The relationships between Fujinuma, Kayo, and Kenya have got me hooked as well. Kenya knows something is wrong with his friend, but will he be able to piece things together and get close enough to the mark? Kayo's family environment also has to be puzzled out before Fujinuma can figure out the best way to solve everything.

Mystery is one of the genres that anime really hasn't handled well overall. Hopefully Erased will break that trend.

Oh, I also loved the OP. They did a great job, both for the visuals and the music.

The ED is probably one of the best EDs I've seen, ever. Really, really good work on the production in this.

 

[NaDannMaGoGo]

For the second half of Wakako Zake I came prepared!

and I finished the show. It's simply a very pleasant bunch of shorts about eating various dishes. The 2min format fits perfectly here.

 

[raven777]

The VA for Sakamoto desu ga? 's sakamoto is confirmed to be Midorikawa Hikaru

http://hikaru23.hatenablog.com/entry/2016/01/15/004739

 

[Qurupeke]

The ED is probably one of the best EDs I've seen, ever. Really, really good work on the production in this.

Oh definitely. Not sure why I didn't mention it, I meant to include both of them. lol Some of the visuals in it are rather interesting and I wonder if there's a deeper meaning to them.

 

[Just T]

Dimension W: 1

This was probably my favorite first episode of the new season. Solid plot and I really like the setting. The character designs look really good too and personality wise they are interesting so far. Has a nice OP & ED too. Hope this turns out to be something special.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

The VA for Sakamoto desu ga? 's sakamoto is confirmed to be Midorikawa Hikaru

http://hikaru23.hatenablog.com/entry/2016/01/15/004739

Akihiko senpai?!

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Assassination Classroom Episode 24: Kaeda Time

Pudding one was redeemed with that Maehara.

Cops and Robbers by far one of the most hilarious moments of the anime, I cant believe I laughed that much. They are so silly, Irina, and then everyone else, lol.

 

[Ascheroth]

Erased - 02

This was really, really good. Like really, really good. Both the OP and ED are amazing and the episode itself was even better and completely lived up to the first one.

Everything I wanted to say was already said by Qurupeke and veloxStrix, so I'll leave it at a: If you haven't tried this show yet, what are you waiting for?

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

10/10

Great write up. You really nail all the points when it comes to Ping Pong being a masterpiece.

Mononoke 03

This show is a real pleasure to watch. Visually creative, interesting and imaginative in the best ways.

Oh, and I should mention the OP is great.

Erased 02

I like the OP and the ED.

Well, this made me even more interested because the first episode wasn't a fluke. In fact, this episode was better then the first.

 

[Moaradin]

nice to see good Erased impressions. At least this season has one standout show so far.

 

[Exalted]

Erased 2

Okay i'm on board, i didn't really feel ep1, but ep2 was much better, i like it, if it stays like this it's gonna be great. The pacing was good , and i liked all the characters.

 

[CheapJuice]

Erased - 02

Great episode. I think I liked this episode more than the first one even.
I'm glad they're using the adult voice for the internal monologues, both for my liking of the voice actor and as to never let me forget what happened.

I think the directing elevates the already interesting premise with camera angles, use of soundtrack (I especially liked the unsettling sound, later adding a 'ballerina music box' effect) and cool transition.
I also like the idea of using cinematic bars to indifferiate the 'present past', and how it switches back and forth when there's a non reality visual segment.

 

[Jaxec]

Erased 2

This was another strong episode. Much better than the first one. The pacing was really good and I loved what we got to see of the other characters.

 

[KenjiGlove]

Thanks, it's probably rubbish all things considered but its hard to discern when you're reading all of it again and again, eventually you just have to post it, to make peace with ones writing abilities or lack of I should say! Amazing show, hope more people watch it and I'm happy to move on and hopefully experience more shows that touch me to this degree! Tatami Galaxy after I finish Windy Tales? (Yeah I haven't watched any more of Windy Tales since the first 3 episodes :/)

Basically, no more long reviews.

You really shouldn't downplay your ability to write reviews, I love reading them and this one in particular was lovely and well-informed.

I really look up to your ability and passion to make these, thanks a lot for them!

PS: I hope you'll love Tatami Galaxy as much as Ping Pong. The underlying message of that show is something that really resonates with me.

Didn't we already have a bunch of Asterix cartoon films? God I wish I could find those. They aired them all the time in South America, alongside the Tintin movies.

In the US folks are all "Asterix who? And Tintin? Is that the racist guy?"

Wasn't there a Tintin movie released a few years ago? Seems like I'd be well known. I loved that movie.

Asterix is super tight by the way. Got almost all the comics.

 

[Jex]

I've said before that this wouldn't make a good anime and I'm sticking to that opinion until proven wrong.

I can see that. I don't really know how they'd pull off what the manga achieves - it's such a specific tone.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Ojisan and Marshmallow 02

aots

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Didn't we already have a bunch of Asterix cartoon films? God I wish I could find those. They aired them all the time in South America, alongside the Tintin movies.

In the US folks are all "Asterix who? And Tintin? Is that the racist guy?"

I read Tintin avidly growing up. My library system had most of the various comics and my whole family enjoyed them greatly.

 

[names2hard4you]

Glad to see more positive buzz on Erased. I think we got ourselves something really special here. I can't wait to watch this week's episode.