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Winter Anime 2016 |OT2| Bellariology, Puellology and Simulacrumology
- Thread starter BGBW
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Goddamn, Dimension W's ending was garbage. What a dumpster fire that turned into.
There were promise and ambition early on, but it became clear that writers had no clue how to follow through. The show fell into every anime cliché there is. It completely abandoned its premise in favor of bullshit sentimentalism and pieced-together philosophizing on memory and soul. There was no character development. The plot was a mess. Nothing was subtle. The majority of the characters, aside from having no development, were completely inconsequential to the show.
Terrible, terrible season. Awful show.
There were promise and ambition early on, but it became clear that writers had no clue how to follow through. The show fell into every anime cliché there is. It completely abandoned its premise in favor of bullshit sentimentalism and pieced-together philosophizing on memory and soul. There was no character development. The plot was a mess. Nothing was subtle. The majority of the characters, aside from having no development, were completely inconsequential to the show.
Terrible, terrible season. Awful show.
Aaronrules380
Member
It's pretty obvious that McGillis is an illegitimate child who was probably only taken in because his father learned that either he or his legitimate wife couldn't actually have children anymore (This also explains why they were taking care of Carta since she was probably another avenue he was considering). As to what his life was like before he was taken in, I imagine it'll be at least somewhat similar to stuff Tekkadan went through
NeonZ
Member
I don't get what happened to the show this season. Yamishibai always had very inconsistent quality, but this new season are mostly misses and most reuse the same catch (person is found at the end, having become a deformed monster). The shorts in the previous seasons seemed to have much more variety.
hosannainexcelsis
Member
This can probably be mostly explained by the director of Yami Shibai changing every season.
Wow. Just wow.
Dedication Through Light
Member
Looks more exciting and better than I expected.
pelicansurf
Needs a Holiday on Gallifrey
Grimgar finale was pretty good. When Ranta started summoning his demon, I was prepared for generic "asshole" demon, who would be making smart remarks, etc. We technically got that, but we didn't. The demon was like a little kid who just happened to be a huge troll and it was the best. Pretty unexpected. Also, like someone above him said, not sure why he summoned the demon, but maybe he just wanted company.
I liked the show a lot, considering the weak start.
I liked the show a lot, considering the weak start.
So we were correct in some of the assertions about things feeling off somehow here.
CheapJuice
Member
Grimgar - 12 [End]
I dislike how they didn't show certain events and skipped forward in this episode. The 1 vs 1 was visually kinda cool, but I didn't really like the setup and execution of it.
Teamwork has been the ongoing theme, and to not make use of it in a climax like this felt like a missed opportunity. Oh and the sword breaking and somehow returning to sender(?) kinda took me out of it. Nippon steel on steroids!
The last couple of scenes I think were nice enough, I liked the callback with the coins at the tavern and how they both grasped each others reasoning from their previous encounter. An alright stopping point for the show, with more to offer.
The backgrounds were beautiful and the 'contrast' between them and the character art didn't bother me. I think some of the soundtrack felt out of place at times though.
My issue with this show is that I couldn't make myself care for most of the cast, Mary and Haruhiro being the exceptions. The show was more of a setting > characters deal for me.
Despite this, as a package I found it enjoyable enough to watch weekly. Should more be made I'll most likely watch it as well.
I dislike how they didn't show certain events and skipped forward in this episode. The 1 vs 1 was visually kinda cool, but I didn't really like the setup and execution of it.
Teamwork has been the ongoing theme, and to not make use of it in a climax like this felt like a missed opportunity. Oh and the sword breaking and somehow returning to sender(?) kinda took me out of it. Nippon steel on steroids!
The last couple of scenes I think were nice enough, I liked the callback with the coins at the tavern and how they both grasped each others reasoning from their previous encounter. An alright stopping point for the show, with more to offer.
I liked how the show revolved around the slow paced 'low level' struggle of things when it comes to fantasy/mmo. From having troubles to defeating a simple goblin, to financial issues, its consequences and how it affects the party members. I think the show improved as it progressed.
The backgrounds were beautiful and the 'contrast' between them and the character art didn't bother me. I think some of the soundtrack felt out of place at times though.
My issue with this show is that I couldn't make myself care for most of the cast, Mary and Haruhiro being the exceptions. The show was more of a setting > characters deal for me.
Despite this, as a package I found it enjoyable enough to watch weekly. Should more be made I'll most likely watch it as well.
Apart from all the questions it brings up like "how do they get transferred from home to a hospital without disconnecting from the Internet" (which one would have hoped would got answered in a later episode (spoiler: they don't)), the first episode of Sword Art Online isn't bad.
It just it all goes downhill only by the second episode.
It just it all goes downhill only by the second episode.
hosannainexcelsis
Member
House of Five Leaves 7
The direction in Masa's breakdown due to fear of crowds was excellent. The character drama is only getting better.
Ashita no Joe 2
Joe has to be the most jerkass protagonist I've ever seen. He spends the entire episode systematically taking down the yakuza group he messed with last episode, while abusing the man who saved his life.
The direction in Masa's breakdown due to fear of crowds was excellent. The character drama is only getting better.
Ashita no Joe 2
Joe has to be the most jerkass protagonist I've ever seen. He spends the entire episode systematically taking down the yakuza group he messed with last episode, while abusing the man who saved his life.
Grimgar probably started about as badly as an anime can start, about as badly as Dimension W ended, and I had no expectations for it beyond the first two episodes, but it actually turned into something compelling and worthwhile. It was one of the better-paced action shows around and did a decent job with character work (with some notably bad expections). It was introspective without being full of itself and without being vapid with said introspection. Action sequences were done well. The tone and mood and setting were almost always on point. And the art was always stellar.
The fan service was still completely unnecessary and brought things down when it was featured, but I'm glad it was toned down from how prevalent it was early on.
Would definitely watch a season two.
Even still, it's only the fourth-best new show of the season.
The fan service was still completely unnecessary and brought things down when it was featured, but I'm glad it was toned down from how prevalent it was early on.
Would definitely watch a season two.
Even still, it's only the fourth-best new show of the season.
You can get those 4G tether boxes in Japan that have way better internet than like 50% of the US too.
I'm probably the only one who thinks Dimension Ws pseudo-science actually makes sense in the rules of its universe, aren't I. lol. The only thing you have to do is to accept 'possibility' as something tangible.
(I'd have to rewatch some of the explanations to refresh things though)
(I'd have to rewatch some of the explanations to refresh things though)
I got the gist of things but in the end no matter how convoluted the science it came across as whatever the plot called for at that moment.
It made "sense" only because the show did a shitty job defining it. They abandoned the science aspect of it long ago. It was just technical fantasy by the final arc of the season. That's not what the beginning set up. The writers were clueless and didn't know how to reach the ambition they set up. They missed their "possibility."
That's true. There was pretty much no way to predict wtf was going to happen before the fact, even if you could wrap your head around it afterwards.
I still think the whole idea and its workings are intriguing.
I actually never thought about it as something even remotely scientific from the beginning, that maybe why it never bothered me that there is technically nothing 'scientific' about the Dimension W itself.
I don't care how wacky, crazy and insane a concept is, as long as it's internally consistent and makes sense in the rules its universe defines.
Dimension W fullfills that for me.
More a case of they were writing rules as they were going along, which is how we got the pile of nonsense that was the end of the Lake Yagosmi arc.
ThatChairMan
Member
Gundam SEED 14
The only thing worse than a recap episode is a recap episode that contains a voiceover infodump on setting and worldbuilding.
The only thing worse than a recap episode is a recap episode that contains a voiceover infodump on setting and worldbuilding.
Sure, it seemed like that for a bit, but by the end, it was obvious that there were no rules.
They laid the whole turnaround out for the audience when they told you Genesis could create something from nothing.
Then even when you get rid of the thing that can create all possibility, you still get any number of possibilities, so nothing that happened before was pointless. Gee, thanks, Kyoma.
Boo. Get out of here, Dimension W. I was so on the bandwagon for this show through the first three episodes, too. Boy, was I so wrong.
freshVeggie
Member
Genshiken Season 1 Episode 1-4
It's fun. Surprisingly fun despite the depressive real-life aspects.
It's fun, did I say that already?
It's fun. Surprisingly fun despite the depressive real-life aspects.
It's fun, did I say that already?
I'm not sure I agree.
There's a clear base logic behind the workings of Coils and Dimension W. (Coils create energy by converting the 'possibility' in Dimension W, Dimension W is the place where all possibilities are, everything alive has possibility, the numbers can 'connect' to Dimension W and make it overflow if they malfunction,...)
The fun comes from seeing all the crazy scenarios based on that.
Like the body horror when a number malfunctions. Why do things in its vicinity get merged and get parts of themselves duplicated and such? Because the 'possibilities' of everything in the vicinity of the coil attract their counterpart possibilites in Dimension W as it overflows and all those possibilities merge because it's out of control.
Oddly enough I of the reverse opinion, the show got decent in the back half.
Those aren't universal rules within the show.
The show laid it all out. Anything is possible because possibility. That's not a rule. That's lazy, anime writing.
Since the characters got worse, the "suspense" was based upon withholding information, everything became exposition, and characters were introduced simply to move the shoddy plot along, I just don't see how that is possible, but oh well. Maybe your feelings from the show come from Dimension W.
Aw yeah you're in there! Yeah Kasukabe is there to kind of keep the club grounded and in their place lol.
It does get progressively better as you learn about the characters and how their relationships change over time as well.
Can't agree with that since I actually see Kyoma finally go through his character arc and he actually completes it in final episode during the Easter Island arc as well as we learn what actually motivates him. You can disagree if you wish but it is there.
Thank you Mira is the signal that his current arc is complete and he has grown as a character for example.
MetroidPrimeRib
Banned
S3 is a real spectacular failure when it comes to horror. S1 was mostly good for me and S2 was wildly inconsistent but S3 is terrible.
As you said, half of the time the punchline is the same - someone turns into a monster...and then the episode ends. The problem is the monsters look FUCKING TERRIBLE. Like the entire purpose of this season was that the director was really, really proud of some monsters he drew on his trapper keeper in 6th grade and wanted to show them off using the ugliest style possible. Not only that, at time the body horror parts or kills use the same style that looks so out of place. Now this may be a cheapshot because after every episode the fade in for the ED shows the monsters drawn on an actual trapper keeper. The entire focus of this season is just to show monsters, which is a really awful idea for your horror anthology work. It leads to the creator just going "uhhh shit we have an episode this week, let me just smash together some bullshit uhhh..A spider with kids faces for feet! DONE" It's not like the previous seasons did not do this -
Say hello to Michael Jackson spider lady
but it was not like clockwork every single episode.
Alien is the easiest and most defining example to use (because Alien is a fantastic and influential movie) because despite its now iconic design, you don't really get a good glimpse of the Xenomoroph itself until near the end of the movie. Before that, you get patchwork pieces of it - the tail, the double mouth and phallic head, its long and slender body, and signs of its life cycle like the facehugger, chestburster and eggs. When the thing does show up, the camerawork is so (purposefully) frantic and deliberate that it only confuses you more to what the hell this thing actually is. Couple that with the flashing strobe lights and the interior of the ship which the Xenomorph blends into, making it so you cannot tell its limbs apart from features of the ship and you have a real monster. It doesn't even have to be a small monster, Cloverfield does this as well and that thing is massive. Even the last Godzilla movie did this pretty well and Godzilla is even bigger.
Now I am not expecting a 3 minute 30 second long anthology series to even begin to capture the mastercraft of Alien but as I said above, the choice to make the monster the focus and reveal it the same way at the end of every episode is just terrible. Maybe you shouldn't have made that the focus. Maybe that was a shitty idea. Maybe this 3 minute 30 second long anthology doesn't really lend itself well to being this monster focused when you can do very little buildup and when your monsters look like this -
It's not like this is the only problem though. The most frustrating aspect is that there are glimmers of good stuff in here, but its always ruined every single time in the same way. Some of the setups are good. Some of the shots are well framed. There are even some things that make you legitimately go "What the hell was that?" the most notable being in the hospital episode there are just motionless figures standing in the back of a moving truck but that does not factor into the actual scenario whatsoever. All that doesn't matter in the end because you know that at the end of the episode some dumb mother fucker is gonna show up like
DURRRRRRR
and you'll just remember "Oh right this show FUCKING SUCKS." The best part of the show is the ED, and I'm not trying to crack a joke about it being the end of the episode but there are just faces singing lyrics into some kids ears and they add a new face every episode. That's cool. Not as cool as the first and second seasons lowly increasing the tone of the music box and the narrator's voice to sound more decrepit and dire but still kinda cool.
That's my review of Yami Shibai S3 since the last episode isn't going to change my thoughts considering it will follow the same formula as the previous twelve. Hopefully Kagewani S2 doesn't fall into this trap because the first season of Kagewani is a lot better then even the best Yami Shibai skits have been.
tl;dr Alien is a really good-ass movie and I'm gonna go watch it.
The only thing that literally makes everything possible no questions asked was Genesis, and I consider that as a one-of-a-kind super rare legendary one-time-only-use final boss item and I see it seperate from the rest of Dimension Ws working. That's the overpowered endgame thing.
The 'normal science' certainly didn't make everything possible. I mean yeah, the numbers can do some crazy shit, but it's still within certain boundaries and they don't suddenly do whatever the fuck they want without having to justify and explain anything.
But then again I liked seeing what crazyness the show could throw at me and wrapping my head around it within its convoluted ruleset.
Cornbread78
Member
Grimgar END
Nice conclusion, though, Hal was definitely a little bit OP there,but oh well, nice ending regardless. I ended up enjoying this shoe quite a bit over the season and it looks like there is still a much larger story to tell. S2 when?
Nice conclusion, though, Hal was definitely a little bit OP there,but oh well, nice ending regardless. I ended up enjoying this shoe quite a bit over the season and it looks like there is still a much larger story to tell. S2 when?
CheapJuice
Member
Schwarzesmarken - 12 [End]
Schwarzkopf wasn't what I would call a good show, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't one I enjoyed a lot.
The Stasi involvement in this show, and everything it entails with paranoia, power struggles and suffering, set up for some pretty stupidly laugh out loud entertaining moments for me, that I was looking forward to how it would progress even further.
The infiltration paranoia and its result in the show by the middle (I think?) in particular made the stupid quota to feel the show validated the time spent. I didn't find the show as entertaining after this particular arc, as it kicked into end gear and wanted to wrap things up too quickly I felt.
As of this last episode, my biggest criticism in the realm of my own entertainment is the lack of evil looking stasi people in uniforms! Would I recommend this show to others? No, not really. Unless you're like me with a specific lust for stupid shit to the point of comical, and suffering.
Schwarzkopf wasn't what I would call a good show, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't one I enjoyed a lot.
The Stasi involvement in this show, and everything it entails with paranoia, power struggles and suffering, set up for some pretty stupidly laugh out loud entertaining moments for me, that I was looking forward to how it would progress even further.
The infiltration paranoia and its result in the show by the middle (I think?) in particular made the stupid quota to feel the show validated the time spent. I didn't find the show as entertaining after this particular arc, as it kicked into end gear and wanted to wrap things up too quickly I felt.
As of this last episode, my biggest criticism in the realm of my own entertainment is the lack of evil looking stasi people in uniforms! Would I recommend this show to others? No, not really. Unless you're like me with a specific lust for stupid shit to the point of comical, and suffering.
ShinRPGamer
Member
You can just do yourself a favour and skip episode 26 since it's also a recap episode. How are you finding SEED BTW?
Celcius
°Temp. member
Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans
McGillis is messed up.
McGillis is messed up.
From Gaelo's perspective, for the following reasons:
1. He kiils you while telling you all the bad things he's going to do.
2. He sent Carta on a suicide mission, who you had a crush on, who was saying McGillis' name as she died.
3. He's engaged to your 8 year old sister, and continues to do so after killing you.
4. He betrays Ein, Gaelo, and Carta just to use them. He kept Ein alive just to use him as a weapon.
5. He pretended to be chocolate man and everyone's friend.
1. He kiils you while telling you all the bad things he's going to do.
2. He sent Carta on a suicide mission, who you had a crush on, who was saying McGillis' name as she died.
3. He's engaged to your 8 year old sister, and continues to do so after killing you.
4. He betrays Ein, Gaelo, and Carta just to use them. He kept Ein alive just to use him as a weapon.
5. He pretended to be chocolate man and everyone's friend.
Very nice.
Baroquemantic
Member
Saekano 1
"3D girls are way too much trouble."
"Why would I want to profess my feelings to some 3D girl?"
Bruh, what.
Anyway, pretty meh on this, but I'll give it another couple of episodes.
"3D girls are way too much trouble."
"Why would I want to profess my feelings to some 3D girl?"
Bruh, what.
Anyway, pretty meh on this, but I'll give it another couple of episodes.
manfestival
Member
Finally finished Gundam IBO
Totally glad that this show is finished. Really don't want to watch anymore of it as it was growing tiresome to me. Good action in these past few episodes though.
Kekkai Sensen END
Good fun show overall and it was nice to watch something episode to episode, The animation in that show was really nice too. It was left pretty open for another season which is nice but plenty of closure for what we got. Which always makes me happy.
Now to decide between ninja slayer or prison school. Anyone want to give me a hand here?
Totally glad that this show is finished. Really don't want to watch anymore of it as it was growing tiresome to me. Good action in these past few episodes though.
Kekkai Sensen END
Good fun show overall and it was nice to watch something episode to episode, The animation in that show was really nice too. It was left pretty open for another season which is nice but plenty of closure for what we got. Which always makes me happy.
Now to decide between ninja slayer or prison school. Anyone want to give me a hand here?
Catching up on Koyomimonogatari because I forgot about it for a while.
Koyomi #3
This episode reminded me that I miss Hachikuji, and really respect the series for how it doesn't upkeep the status quo and moves things forward. Still, these short stories about not-really apparitions are kind of there without adding much besides more interaction between Araragi and his harem.
Koyomi #4
Looks like these shorts all include some shout out to things that happen later on in the series, like how Koyomi dismissed the thought of anybody but Suruga locking him up when that's exactly what Senjougahara does when Kaiki shows up.
Koyomi #5
And there's Kaiki. That final discussion between Araragi and him referencing the darkness that'd show up to chase after Hachikuji was nice, and I generally really like how conversations go whenever Kaiki's involved. I was also glad things didn't get obnoxious as soon as Nadeko realized she was completely alone with Koyomi.
Koyomi #3
This episode reminded me that I miss Hachikuji, and really respect the series for how it doesn't upkeep the status quo and moves things forward. Still, these short stories about not-really apparitions are kind of there without adding much besides more interaction between Araragi and his harem.
Koyomi #4
Looks like these shorts all include some shout out to things that happen later on in the series, like how Koyomi dismissed the thought of anybody but Suruga locking him up when that's exactly what Senjougahara does when Kaiki shows up.
Koyomi #5
And there's Kaiki. That final discussion between Araragi and him referencing the darkness that'd show up to chase after Hachikuji was nice, and I generally really like how conversations go whenever Kaiki's involved. I was also glad things didn't get obnoxious as soon as Nadeko realized she was completely alone with Koyomi.
It's kind of meh, but as you go along it starts getting pretty neat IMO. It was worth the wait.
Cornbread78
Member
Utawarerumono END
WTF was that? Seriously, that was the stupidEST fucking ending to a two cour show. Like ugghh. From a realistic military perspective I get it, but in context to the show and the way it's been for the past 24 episodes, what the shit. And my ship? Well, that scene in the window was heartbreaking.. uugghh, I should have waited before I posted this, since I'm a little heated. I expected a cliffhanger or original ending since the 3Rd game isn't out yet, but fuck that ending...
#bitter
WTF was that? Seriously, that was the stupidEST fucking ending to a two cour show. Like ugghh. From a realistic military perspective I get it, but in context to the show and the way it's been for the past 24 episodes, what the shit. And my ship? Well, that scene in the window was heartbreaking.. uugghh, I should have waited before I posted this, since I'm a little heated. I expected a cliffhanger or original ending since the 3Rd game isn't out yet, but fuck that ending...
#bitter
ThatChairMan
Member
Mostly indifference at the moment. It's a lot more obvious in retreading plot points from 0079 than I'm used to, at least compared to other series. Not really caring too much about the characters too much at the moment either, although I guess the Kira/Athrun friendship/rivalry thing might be interesting later on. Really just waiting for the story and characters to find its own legs to stand on.
I do like the idea of natural humans vs. genetically-engineered ones though, and that being the initial basis behind one side having mobile suits and the other not.
Cornbread78
Member
Mangod, did ToonamiGAF send you to provoke AnimeGAF? I might have to join you in a rewatch.
Fuck Utawarerumono, uuggh.
Fuck Utawarerumono, uuggh.
Cornito, I've been recapping SAO for an entire week now over there. I'm releasing them here on a one week delay.
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