Hm, I guess that's the end of the first boss or whatever. A shame, I expected him to do more. Hell, I liked him more than the two main characters right now. Oh well.
True, though I confess I don't remember the ED either.
Usually if there's an OP/ED I really like I'll put the songs on my running/workout playlist, so I suppose that's how I still remember them at my advanced age anyway .
This was an excellent episode, as the execution throughout was particularly terrific. Not to mention, for an expository episode, it was thoroughly well-paced. Similar to the fourth, this episode was suffused with a prevalence of exposition, while never particularly faltering into a perpetual state of meandering repetitions or pointless explanations of previously understood developments. Rather than these touches of informative examinations of their society seeming contrived, the manner with which the developments transpired was surprisingly natural and effective, rarely appearing as though they were artificially enumerated on.
The opening sequence was quite interesting, as it immediately established the sorrowful tone and expository nature of the episode. I especially liked the transition from the shot of
Sakis recollected school days to her current predicament
, as the indistinct shadow of a previous thought
bled into her conversation with Asahino
. Upon discovering the full breadth of
Asahinos knowledge
, Sakis momentary
shock
was wonderfully directed, conveying the complex nature of several disparate emotions in a skillfully quick succession. This integral moment was masterfully constructed, as
Saki discovered that Asahino knew of their deception and the false minoshiro they had found
, silently illuminated by the shot of
Asahinos confident eyes and Sakis seemingly fearful reaction
, followed by a chaotic glimpse of fluttering wings and the sun-tinged tree that appeared as some sort of faintly
deadened connection to their blood-stained past
, which was depicted with very striking imagery.
Asahinos interactions with Saki were highly intriguing. Their conversations were very well-directed, due, in large part, to the occasional infusion of well-implemented flashbacks, illustrating a creative execution, since those potentially tedious moments were, instead, incredibly engaging. The revelation that, rather than the
Ethics Committee, the Board of Education was directly responsible for the deaths of those children they deemed potentially dangerous
alludes to the disturbing realization that their
cruelty was meticulously constructed
, adhering only to the desires of
their paranoia
, rather than any sort of
humanistic decency
. The subsequent insight into
Asahinos past
was suffused with an atmospheric tension that greatly complemented the troubled emotions that lingered throughout her reverie. The musical selection that accompanied this particular sequence was rather minimalistic, but this subdued nature essentially accentuated the fragility of
her recollections
. The theory that
fiends solely react to the endorphins that dwell in their brains
was quite compelling, drawing upon several foreshadowed interpretations, such as its relations to the
One of the more compelling elements within this episode was the elaboration on the structure and
devious machinations of their cruel society
. As such, their approach to dealing with those that they perceive to be
at risk for infection
is, of course, thoroughly flawed, as a certain
paranoia has likely manipulated their actions
. Although, their elevated
caution
, at its simplest form, is quite understandable, due entirely to the
brutality of the fiends exacted destruction
. However, in their strictly regulated attempts to
rid themselves of these seemingly inevitable threats
, they have essentially become remarkably comparable in their
monstrous tendencies
, being as detrimental to the growth of their
civilization as the fiends themselves
. Their calculated endeavors to reach some
farcical and wholly naïve peace
became increasingly
savage
, indicative of a complete
detachment from emotion
.
The most intriguing aspect of
Sakis conversation with Asahino
was the momentary examination of
fiends and karma demons
. As such, my favorite sequence was the tale of
Boy K
. The shot of
Boy Ks trial
was exceptionally effective, as it isolated him from
his mother and several of the council members
through an emphasis on his solemn, but defined expression amidst a sea of
faceless giants
. The choral chanting deftly illuminated a rather melancholic atmosphere. The distorted visuals and muted lighting comprehensively established the disturbing nature of this haunting tale, which was effectively disquieting. Although the
psychological decay of fiends
had been foreshadowed throughout earlier episodes, the nuances of
his syndrome were further explored
, such as the visual depiction of his
innately chaotic and potentially murderous
inclinations, as his mind immediately perceived
destructive and violent impressions of the nature surrounding him
.
The most effective sequence in the nihilistic tale of
Boy K
was the moment he definitively
transitioned into a fiend
, as this scene deftly visualized his
psychological descent into an irreversible madness
. The surrealistic manner with which his
mental degradation
was illustrated was exceedingly appropriate, as his distorted perception of the
darkness that lurked within him
allowed for a particularly nuanced insight into his
shattered psyche
. This brief moment of
tumultuous disorder
was exceptionally well-directed, illustrating this seemingly imperceptible, but ultimately momentous
transformation
in a thoroughly effective and emotional fashion. As such, I was particularly impressed by the framing of his
sudden mutation into disturbingly violent tendencies
, from the shot of his calm,
nearly tranquil expression
as he
gently closed his eyes
, to the wonderfully fleeting depiction of his
awakened bloodlust
, as shown by the faint, wholly distorted form of
a fiend
. This forceful change in expression excellently mirrored a considerably similar scene from the first foray into their
blood-stained past
. This was excellently followed by a lingering focus on
his upturned, frenzied eyes
, culminating with the haunting shot of the
teachers body being painfully stretched until her blood painted the walls
. This entire sequence was suffused with several well-implemented quick edits, as this element really complemented the riotous nature of the scene.
was impressively directed as well, particularly the shot of the
bodies falling past the window that revealed a sunset sky
. This restrained approach to illustrating their
deaths
was handled with a superbly effective minimalism, as the fleeting isolation of their
descending silhouettes
against the
morbidly scenic backdrop
beautifully captured the
brutality
of this potentially irrevocable
curse
and its
debilitating
effects on the prosperity of their world. The transition of the
flames
corrupting the blue sky was particularly striking imagery, as it greatly paralleled the
fatalistic realization that was likely permeating the minds of all the inhabitants that had been residing in that previously tranquil section of their world
.
The exploration of a
Karma Demons creation
was extremely interesting, as their
leaked cantus has the distinct potential to corrode their world and those that inhabit it
, even altering
DNA
, which, though somewhat predictable, was a very satisfying revelation. The
deformed mutation
of Izumis
cantus
billowing into her room and subsequently
towering over her head
was a striking piece of foreboding imagery. Also, the differentiation between both
syndromes
was a welcome bit of insight, as the
Hashimoto-Appelbaum Syndrome
is a subconscious affectation, rather than a cognizant one. Izumis
unforeseen plight
allowed for a highly sympathetic and surprisingly emotional portrayal of
her ghostly interior, as tears fell upon her cheeks and she raised the capsules to her lips
. It was a powerful and
tragically poignant
illumination of the
fatalistic
certainties that had filtered into her
irrevocably extinguished life
. The melancholic piano selection that accompanied this moment really accentuated the complex emotions that permeated the atmosphere throughout this mournful sequence.
Sakis character development has been fantastic and thoroughly compelling, particularly following
Shuns death
, as the effects of
his devastating demise
would likely compel her into a sort of
motivated rebellion towards the Ethics Committee
. However, the development that potentially
retracts the eventuality of such an action
, aside from her temporarily
tampered memories
, is the possibility that she might
accept in the decision to become the successor of Asahino
, which, though not altogether surprising, would reveal several unexpected directions that could be taken within the narrative. Essentially, though I would have initially expected
Saki to rebel against society
, and still do, for that matter, her subtly
manipulated inferences from others that indicate a greater purpose for her
might, in fact, alter the
path of her life
immensely. The foreshadowing that
Maria
will eventually
succumb to the symptoms that precipitate a mental decay, and an eventual fruition of her transformation into a karma demon, particularly due to the inference that personalities similar to hers typically attract this affliction
was only strengthened in this episode. This is definitely one of the most intriguing possibilities within the narrative, since
Ive become increasingly immersed into the intricacies of this arc and, consequently, their secluded society, superbly illustrating an evident dichotomy between the satisfying excellence that suffuses this entire arc and the occasionally tedious repetitions that were found in the latter half of the previous arc, since, following the fourth episode, the narrative gradually deteriorated into a detached state of intermittent mediocrity. Of course, the most significant transition between those poorly-executed episodes and the entirety of this arc is that the focus has beautifully returned to the unsettling atmosphere and deftly restrained storytelling, riddled with veiled and occasionally nihilistic developments that excellently play to the strengths of the masterfully-written material.
Masashi Ishihama's storyboarding, having previously worked on the first three episodes, was consistently excellent. The sound direction was superbly effective throughout, particularly in its ability to emphasize a certain dread within both of the
recollections to a tormented past
. As such, the isolation of the
nurses frightened exhale upon glimpsing the bloodied figure of the fiend through the distant window of the hospital
excellently illuminated the
terror
that pervaded through this sequence. These moments were accompanied with a particularly eerie musical selection that fully conveyed the tension and unavoidable fear that permeated
Asahinos silent walk through the abandoned corridors
.
All in all, From the New World continues to exceedingly impress in nearly every area, especially notable in its narrative execution, fantastic writing, and its ability to methodically develop a plethora of subtleties within several characters, particularly Saki. There was a vague possibility of several logical inconsistencies during this episode, primarily within the structured formation of
Asahinos given explanations
. However, much of what was detailed directly paralleled aforementioned events. There were several aspects of
Asahinos tale
that didnt appear to be entirely accurate, but thats likely due to the
Ethics Committee continued attempts to manipulate Saki
, in particular, rather than a narrative flaw, since it certainly seems that
Asahino has only revealed to Saki a partial truth
. The next episode looks quite good, and it will be interesting to discover what propelled
On the advice of Duckroll, I am requesting aid remembering an old Anime movie I watched when I was young.
It aired on a Canadian TV station called "Space", during the late 90s. I can't remember if it was dubbed or subbed.
Vague description from memory:
Most of it took place in the desert, a group of mercenaries or ex-military(at least two females in the group). They did not wear formal military wear, was sort of like Cowboy Bebop dusters and survival gear. Seems like a post-apocalyptic setting with a mix of high and low tech(akin to Nausicaa).
This small group is wandering the desert with a tank, and find this old ruined city with a giant metal tower/castle at its center. City is mostly mud huts, but get progressively more advanced the closer to the tower, with many being built out of salvaged metal.
They find this place, and after wandering into the city all hell breaks loose. Flying things from the tower attack, they are not typical machines, they look something akin to an Eva or something out of guyver. Shoot-out proceeds while they try to flee to the tower to hide.
Animation style was very close to Dominion Tank Police movies.
What it's not:
Eat Man
Spriggan
Big Wars
Crystal Triangle
Venus Wars
Desert Punk
MD Geist
Hm, I guess that's the end of the first boss or whatever. A shame, I expected him to do more. Hell, I liked him more than the two main characters right now. Oh well.
K-On!! 01 or How I learned to stop worrying and love the HNNNNGH
Well it begins simply enough. The girls, except for Azusa, enter Senior year. They are all in the same class. Hmm I wonder if a certain BEST GIRL might have something to do with that? One year left to find new members and keep K-On alive. They make multiple attempts to gain new member interest with absolutely no success, but then realize that they should just have some fun while they still can. I can hear the infamous shaking Mio song in the background heavily inspired by Buttered Popcorn. Yui plays the guitar extremely competently at this point. The animation in this show is still fucking ridiculous.
Ritsu is also my favorite K-on girl and probably always will be. Bottom line, more wacky adventures from the cutest group of chipmunks you will ever see. Kill that OP with fire though. ED is really nice. So far, a strong start to the new year.
Hm, I guess that's the end of the first boss or whatever. A shame, I expected him to do more. Hell, I liked him more than the two main characters right now. Oh well.
K-On!! 01 or How I learned to stop worrying and love the HNNNNGH
Well it begins simply enough. The girls, except for Azusa, enter Senior year. They are all in the same class. Hmm I wonder if a certain BEST GIRL might have something to do with that? One year left to find new members and keep K-On alive. They make multiple attempts to gain new member interest with absolutely no success, but then realize that they should just have some fun while they still can. I can hear the infamous shaking Mio song in the background heavily inspired by Buttered Popcorn. Yui plays the guitar extremely competently at this point. The animation in this show is still fucking ridiculous.
Ritsu is also my favorite K-on girl and probably always will be. Bottom line, more wacky adventures from the cutest group of chipmunks you will ever see. Kill that OP with fire though. ED is really nice. So far, a strong start to the new year.
The show continually gets better the further it goes, and the animation is leaps and bounds ahead of the already well animated first season. You're going to love it!
If you don't like the first OP, you might enjoy the second one that shows up half way through the season.
The show continually gets better the further it goes, and the animation is leaps and bounds ahead of the already well animated first season. You're going to love it!
If you don't like the first OP, you might enjoy the second one that shows up half way through the season.
Yeah most likely I will enjoy it a lot.
Although its really not the sort of show I will marathon but maybe watch an episode here or there interspersed with more story driven anime. I am about to watch episode 2 though.
I want more.
On the advice of Duckroll, I am requesting aid remembering an old Anime movie I watched when I was young.
It aired on a Canadian TV station called "Space", during the late 90s. I can't remember if it was dubbed or subbed.
Vague description from memory:
Most of it took place in the desert, a group of mercenaries or ex-military(at least two females in the group). They did not wear formal military wear, was sort of like Cowboy Bebop dusters and survival gear. Seems like a post-apocalyptic setting with a mix of high and low tech(akin to Nausicaa).
This small group is wandering the desert with a tank, and find this old ruined city with a giant metal tower/castle at its center. City is mostly mud huts, but get progressively more advanced the closer to the tower, with many being built out of salvaged metal.
They find this place, and after wandering into the city all hell breaks loose. Flying things from the tower attack, they are not typical machines, they look something akin to an Eva or something out of guyver. Shoot-out proceeds while they try to flee to the tower to hide.
Animation style was very close to Dominion Tank Police movies.
What it's not:
Eat Man
Spriggan
Big Wars
Crystal Triangle
Venus Wars
Desert Punk
MD Geist
Yeah most likely I will enjoy it a lot.
Although its really not the sort of show I will marathon but maybe watch an episode here or there interspersed with more story driven anime. I am about to watch episode 2 though.
I want more.
Huh, I remember it as comedic rather than depressing, but it's been like 20 years since I've seen it. Probably should grab it on DVD one of these days.
She's the dumb girl with brilliant strokes character-style that I've come to love in these slice-of-life animes. They're not always the lead but their the most lovable
Now this was a very fun episode. It's refreshing to see the characters not take themselves too seriously and just being all kinds of silly. I much prefer these sort of situations as opposed to the overdone hamfisted drama which served little to no purpose and ultimately led me to call it quits.
This show was always infinitely more enjoyable when it limited itself to being lighthearted and superfluous disposable entertainment and this episode certainly provided that in spades. It really is too bad I can't say the same for the rest of it.
Huh, I remember it as comedic rather than depressing, but it's been like 20 years since I've seen it. Probably should grab it on DVD one of these days.
The juxtaposition of real life otaku shenanigans and the idealised otaking fantasy made for a very cynical viewpoint of the lifestyle in my perspective.
Know what time it is? Its "post a picture of Sawako in her rockstar persona because its hot as fuck" time!
Anyway, the girls discover that the music room is loaded down with personal belongig hoarder shit everywhere so they decide to clean it up. They discover
Sawako's old guitar. Sawako tells them to sell it and put the funds into the club.
Yui sucks at jan-ken so she has to carry it. They mess around at a hardware store looking for some shelving. Yui discovers the cutest fucking turtle ever.
Anyway so
they sell the guitar to the guitar shop for 5000 bucks. The girls all let the money go to their heads
. Sawako asks for the receipt. Ritsu being awesome like usual tries to eat it to hide the value. Sawako gives her that incredibly hot death stare. I love you Sawako be my waifu. I mean, so ritsu spits it out and she discovers the real value. She says she will buy one thing for the club. They get the cute turtle for Azusa as her kouhai. For some reason this word was not translated in the official subs so it looks rather silly. They could have just said "junior" or "understudy". Oh well, anyway this show is REALLY FUCKING CUTE.
For what its worth, I don't hate Taiga. I quite like her. One of few Kugiloli roles I can tolerate. I'm pretty sure thats why you want to thrash me ^^;