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Winter of Anime 2013 |OT -6| How much lower can we go?!
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BriseFlots
Member
Hajime no Ippo
Cardfight!! Vanguard 4~6: this show is really good. I like Misaki she is the embodiement of cool, really. The secret-mystic card shop bears its lot of interesting character too. Finally, the little over-excited boy looks likfe funny. Can' wait to see them all in the first tournament.
Jojo 19:
Mecha Stroheim
KuwabaraTheMan
Banned
Not yet. I've been meaning to get around to it, because I'm sure it's great.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
The joke grows thin quickly into the second season.
I've been trying to finish it on-and-off for the past two years. It's a very deliberately paced show (by which I mean they are milking every encounter for all they're worth).
Sword of the Stranger
Not much was going on today, so I decided to pull up a seat and get around to watching myself Sword of the Stranger. It'd be a waste putting it off, anyways. Considering the pricing. Given that, it goes without saying that I also had some pretty high hopes (expectations were something else entirely) going into this film. And... it met (and even exceeded) them, and it didn't. It wasn't a terribly ambitious film and it lacked a terribly ambitious core, but it's executed with such confidence and with such deftness that it's hard for me to remain too critical of it. What I mean to say is that the action in this film is really on another level.
While the glorious climax is an excellent example of what I mean, the first fifteen minutes of the film does an excellent job setting up everything they want you to know about the film - that includes the action. It does so much in so little words: introduce Kotaro, establish Rarou's skill and power as a swordsmaster, immediately inform the audience they come from China (with a decision as simple as having them speak Chinese), tease among the central plot points of the movie with regards to the machine, and showcase the unrelenting, unbelievably well executed action sequences. It makes promises and assures the audience it will make good on every last one. It's 'show, don't tell' at its' finest. And it put its' hooks into me like you wouldn't believe. It helps that the entire film bleeds production quality from every pore. From the art, to the animation, to the music, BONES put their finest onto this project, and it couldn't be plainer. There's a sense of weight and physicality in how characters animate and how they move that's really quite remarkable. It grounds everything that happens on screen, even as the action becomes more and more over-the-top. It's gorgeous to look at, and matched in equal part with the sheer strength of its' pacing and fight choreography.
Action aside, the relationship between Nanashi and Kotaro was a surprisingly quite strong. Like most things about Sword of the Stranger, it's not exactly uncharted territory as far as character dynamics or archetypes go, but it's convincing all the same with an easy chemistry between our two heroes, and, of course, the expressive, fluid animation contributing greatly to making their interactions seem so much more natural. And by the end of the film, you understand exactly
.
Still, I just wish the framing could have been better. The driving conflict in the story is pretty ridiculous, and I can't even remember the names of some of the characters. I can see where some people might make a case for it being a homage to your typical samurai film - the
was a bit jarring, but hardly uncommon for samurai films. But I don't think a story can really get away with its' failings by excusing it as a homage. And, in regards to the side-characters, it's just that nothing was there to connect me to them... at all. Some things just felt too shallow for its' own good, and frankly I'm a bit lost on the point of some of the plot threads. There's a big game that the two sides are playing for most of the film (which comes to a head in the climax), yet I spent most of it wondering how it was even being played. It feels a bit messy in some ways.
Some of it feels like it might be on me. Somewhere between the insanely great visuals and sharp direction it started to feel more ambitious than it was actually trying to be.
Regardless, while I don't think I'd recommend buying this at a hundred and ten dollars (well, sixty given the card I used to offset the cost), were it thirty or even forty dollars, I would wholly recommend it.
Not much was going on today, so I decided to pull up a seat and get around to watching myself Sword of the Stranger. It'd be a waste putting it off, anyways. Considering the pricing. Given that, it goes without saying that I also had some pretty high hopes (expectations were something else entirely) going into this film. And... it met (and even exceeded) them, and it didn't. It wasn't a terribly ambitious film and it lacked a terribly ambitious core, but it's executed with such confidence and with such deftness that it's hard for me to remain too critical of it. What I mean to say is that the action in this film is really on another level.
While the glorious climax is an excellent example of what I mean, the first fifteen minutes of the film does an excellent job setting up everything they want you to know about the film - that includes the action. It does so much in so little words: introduce Kotaro, establish Rarou's skill and power as a swordsmaster, immediately inform the audience they come from China (with a decision as simple as having them speak Chinese), tease among the central plot points of the movie with regards to the machine, and showcase the unrelenting, unbelievably well executed action sequences. It makes promises and assures the audience it will make good on every last one. It's 'show, don't tell' at its' finest. And it put its' hooks into me like you wouldn't believe. It helps that the entire film bleeds production quality from every pore. From the art, to the animation, to the music, BONES put their finest onto this project, and it couldn't be plainer. There's a sense of weight and physicality in how characters animate and how they move that's really quite remarkable. It grounds everything that happens on screen, even as the action becomes more and more over-the-top. It's gorgeous to look at, and matched in equal part with the sheer strength of its' pacing and fight choreography.
Action aside, the relationship between Nanashi and Kotaro was a surprisingly quite strong. Like most things about Sword of the Stranger, it's not exactly uncharted territory as far as character dynamics or archetypes go, but it's convincing all the same with an easy chemistry between our two heroes, and, of course, the expressive, fluid animation contributing greatly to making their interactions seem so much more natural. And by the end of the film, you understand exactly
what motivates Nanaishi to draw his sword once again
Still, I just wish the framing could have been better. The driving conflict in the story is pretty ridiculous, and I can't even remember the names of some of the characters. I can see where some people might make a case for it being a homage to your typical samurai film - the
sudden, somewhat ignoble deaths of characters built up through the movie and into the climax
Some of it feels like it might be on me. Somewhere between the insanely great visuals and sharp direction it started to feel more ambitious than it was actually trying to be.
Regardless, while I don't think I'd recommend buying this at a hundred and ten dollars (well, sixty given the card I used to offset the cost), were it thirty or even forty dollars, I would wholly recommend it.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
You know, they need to make either a Curling or a Hockey anime, then I can just get invested based on the sport alone. lol
Maybe make an anime adaptation of Pride.
Maybe make an anime adaptation of Pride.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
Too much Bayern-talk is my guess! And Falcao fanwankery.
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
Smile Precure 10:
Okonomiyaki. Not even the villians can resist. All around feel good episode for Akane and her efforts to catch up to her old man. Good feels, good cutes. :3
Okonomiyaki. Not even the villians can resist. All around feel good episode for Akane and her efforts to catch up to her old man. Good feels, good cutes. :3
Have you watched the original series yet?
Well, we did, but it's always nice to see more hype for the upcoming episode that might finally move the plot (so to speak) along.
It is kind of a shame that there isn't a hockey anime; the sport would be a great fit for action scenes on the ice.You know, they need to make either a Curling or a Hockey anime, then I can just get invested based on the sport alone. lol
Maybe make an anime adaptation of Pride.
When the mass emigration of the old gen footygaf happened I took refuge in the then budding animegaf.
Plus watching Liverpool play well yet lose being the schtick, makes me want to hurt myself. T_T
Speaking of football.
Ginga e Kickoff - 31
Oh no everything is falling apart, kind of amusing that it took Reika for everyone to get their act together, now onward to the counterattack.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Turn Crosby into a moe girl. lol
Although, there was that figure skating anime that had the Canadian hockey player ghost that haunted the girl... I can't remember what it was called though.
Didn't you hear? Liverpool is going to win the Champions League in 2016. That is waht the koptemism keep telling me.
As boring as they get.
Hell yes.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
Is that the guy who made the manga about the mother and the two daughters getting tricked into NTR'ing their surrogate son/brother?
Of course we will, it's all part of the 3 year rope-a-dope plan.
chickdigger802
Banned
chihayfuru 2 6
This show is so good why is it so good.
This show is so good why is it so good.
darkside31337
Tomodachi wa Mahou
Maybe the Championship League.
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
Nope, this is my first Precure. And I promised Regulus that Heartcatch is next.
I don't usually watch sports shows, but I like Ro-Kyu-Bu! a lot, and also Saki and Girls und Panzer.
This really nails it, I think. The film has a sort of power, and I think that comes from Ando and his team being really sure of what they were doing.
Ok. But make time for the original! you'll like it a lot!
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
Yes, sir!
It is. You get a double dose of nostalgia with all the gratuitous Touch references.
How in the hell is this guy the highest compatibility with my MAL account?
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=47900213&postcount=422
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=47900213&postcount=422
Dedication Through Light
Member
If one feels that 99.9% of anime is bad then why does one continue to watch it and engage discussion of it?
The funny part is what set off that rant is that "every anime opening ever" video.
BriseFlots
Member
the post is obvious troll don't mind it.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
I was about to write something about Sturgeon's Law, but damn, he got me there with that 9.9%. Anime is truly the worst.
BriseFlots
Member
The video is so true.
We should rethink our lives.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
That video kept coming to me every time I watched Nadia, at least up to that godlike OP2.
Maybe he thought that 0.1% was the greatest thing ever and holds onto that hope on it becoming 0.2%.
One Piece
Everyone should casually insult One Piece in that thread and see if that sets him off
One Piece will eventually become 0.2% of all anime due to its total number of episodes.
I couldn't possibly do that.
dakkumauji
Member
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo 19
Flashbacking was slightly better than DRAMAing. Not sure how I feel about this plot, it'll probably be cringeworthy drama and that'll be before they somehow manage to squeeze in some more DRAMA for the hell of it.
Flashbacking was slightly better than DRAMAing. Not sure how I feel about this plot, it'll probably be cringeworthy drama and that'll be before they somehow manage to squeeze in some more DRAMA for the hell of it.
BriseFlots
Member
Evetually with the Two Piece sequel, it can go as far as 0.4! Cheers everyone!
I talk about Anime in The Football thread. Me and regulus were just talking about Mayo Chiki and I keep posting awesome Bakemonogatari Gifs
BriseFlots
Member
Nah. We should maintain the fear otherGAF has for us. We have a reputation to defend. Things are expected from us.
These are the days that I wish Hito were still an admin so that he could still force moe avatars onto people.
Come to think of it, cwarrior actually did have a forced Tokyo Mew Mew avatar for a while. No idea how he got out of it since he's only become increasingly deranged on the subject.
Come to think of it, cwarrior actually did have a forced Tokyo Mew Mew avatar for a while. No idea how he got out of it since he's only become increasingly deranged on the subject.
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