First season is good, but it gets really good in season 2.
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Winter-Spring 2014 Anime |OT3| People incapable of guilt usually do have a good time
- Thread starter Narag
- Start date
- Status
First season is good, but it gets really good in season 2.
Oh, it's only the best show of the season. So sweet your heart might melt.
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara 1
I'm seeing an awful lot of cute girls in that ED. The production values on this show feel about on a level with the protagonist's accommodation, which is to say dire, but the concept is fun and that's good enough for me.
Also they're not half going all-out with the idiosyncratic speech patterns for the girls so far. Akane's syrupy-sweet "desu~~~~"s are so in-your-face that they make the lead girl's overt royalty-speech seem subtle. I'm not entirely sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say "entertaining thing".
And hey, can't hurt to get behind a show that Aoshima Takashi's working on, even if his bro Ohta hasn't got his back on this one.
otakuderek
Member
I only ordered season 1 just to be safe. I'm sure I'll order the other soon after a two day binge. Also, is there some insane demand for the second Blu ray of K-On!? It was like $130. I went with the DVDs instead.
Dedication Through Light
Member
I need that Hinata Shouyou
hosannainexcelsis
Member
The first season of K-ON was published by Bandai before they went ka-put, so the second BD volume is likely out of print (it's not being sold by Rightstuf either). Should've just ordered the second season instead, because that's the one worth owning.
dakkumauji
Member
Gatchaman Crowds 13
After watching this and going back to the final episode of the TV series, gotta say this was a vast improvement. Mostly in the pacing of the after events of the battle. Very well expanded and definitely was true to Hajime's nature to do all that.
Very fun and I'm looking forward to season 2 now.
After watching this and going back to the final episode of the TV series, gotta say this was a vast improvement. Mostly in the pacing of the after events of the battle. Very well expanded and definitely was true to Hajime's nature to do all that.
Very fun and I'm looking forward to season 2 now.
It better be an anime film and not a live action one.
hosannainexcelsis
Member
It'll probably be a live-action film, and the quality of Japanese live-action manga adaptations does not tend to be good.
Admiral Woofington
Member
I especially love how they didn't even try to hide the fact it was Attack on Titan. They straight up said it.
AnathemicOne
Banned
Psh now what's you're reaction to Rebellion?
dakkumauji
Member
Oreca Battle 01
We are reaching the point where Yu-Gi-Oh protag's hairstyles are starting to look normal.
But, uh, the game they are trying to sell seems dumb. The monsters look ugly. Not even being 15 minutes can make me want to keep watching it.
We are reaching the point where Yu-Gi-Oh protag's hairstyles are starting to look normal.
But, uh, the game they are trying to sell seems dumb. The monsters look ugly. Not even being 15 minutes can make me want to keep watching it.
chickdigger802
Banned
kenzen robo daimidaler 1 ATX
man that is one refreshingly shitty looking robot. kinda expected it to be more perverted based off who this is from lol. Seems fun enough.
man that is one refreshingly shitty looking robot. kinda expected it to be more perverted based off who this is from lol. Seems fun enough.
Save 'N Quit
Banned
Listens to the new Yowamushi Pedal Opening
Why is this song not making me excited?
Think I'm actually going to start skipping the OP now.
Why is this song not making me excited?
Think I'm actually going to start skipping the OP now.
darkside31337
Tomodachi wa Mahou
The material lends well to a live-action adaptation. If it ends up being poor, I won't be too upset. I just wouldn't mind revisiting those characters again.
bokura wa minna kawaisou - 01
Gave this a shot due to my love for Love Lab. Wonky beginning with a repulsive side character and a total simp/stalker of a lead, but it picked up as it went. I'll check out the next episode.
Not a fan of the art direction. The mottled shading gives it this cheap, ugly look.
mangaka - 01
not sure why I bothered. Lasted a little past the opening. Trash.
Gave this a shot due to my love for Love Lab. Wonky beginning with a repulsive side character and a total simp/stalker of a lead, but it picked up as it went. I'll check out the next episode.
Not a fan of the art direction. The mottled shading gives it this cheap, ugly look.
mangaka - 01
not sure why I bothered. Lasted a little past the opening. Trash.
dakkumauji
Member
Dragon Collection 01
At least the protag's hair looks normal.
No idea how I feel about this being some GUTS shrilling and dragons aren't all that exciting. At least slightly better than that other show that almost looks like this.
At least the protag's hair looks normal.
No idea how I feel about this being some GUTS shrilling and dragons aren't all that exciting. At least slightly better than that other show that almost looks like this.
R_thanatos
Member
D-frag 11
Thanks to D-frag i've learned so mcuh about animes !!!
Cool game plagued by stupidity.
Thanks to D-frag i've learned so mcuh about animes !!!
Everything make sense.
Cool game plagued by stupidity.
More people need to check it out. Full of nothing but deep wisdom (meaning: deeper than usual wisdom).
I bet Ayana Taketatsu was offered the sister role she was like " Fuck that!! I'm sick of being typecasted into imouto roles."
Admiral Woofington
Member
More people need to check it out. Full of nothing but deep wisdom (meaning: deeper than usual wisdom).
Ok. I fucking laughed out loud. Added to list.
She was Ari in Koiuta though
The Comic Artist and Assistants Episode 1:
I am sure this is much more interesting as a metatextual psychology experiment about the mindset of perverted manga artists. As a piece of entertainment it is pretty dull and trite, very standard perverted guy anime tropes coupled with a sadly arrested view of what sexuality should be surrounded by bland archetypes. Yea, I got really bored once the tsundere dance begun and was just kind of offended as the sexual harrasment and the poor attempts at justification vis a vis Yūki Aito being portrayed as a man0child who just does not know any better. Yea, safe to say I didn't like this.
I am sure this is much more interesting as a metatextual psychology experiment about the mindset of perverted manga artists. As a piece of entertainment it is pretty dull and trite, very standard perverted guy anime tropes coupled with a sadly arrested view of what sexuality should be surrounded by bland archetypes. Yea, I got really bored once the tsundere dance begun and was just kind of offended as the sexual harrasment and the poor attempts at justification vis a vis Yūki Aito being portrayed as a man0child who just does not know any better. Yea, safe to say I didn't like this.
chickdigger802
Banned
one week friends 1
the premise is kinda mundane, but fuck do i like the art. and the blushing. its adorables.
the premise is kinda mundane, but fuck do i like the art. and the blushing. its adorables.
R_thanatos
Member
D-frag - 12
What the hell .? where is my episode 13 ? what was this flashback ?
What was e.honda doing in this battle ?
He was sean connery ? WHAT ?
Wait ..wasn't she just like E.honda ?
Second season of d-frag WHEN ?
What the hell .? where is my episode 13 ? what was this flashback ?
What was e.honda doing in this battle ?
He was sean connery ? WHAT ?
Wait ..wasn't she just like E.honda ?
Second season of d-frag WHEN ?
Unknown One
Member
Read the manga if you can't wait.
dakkumauji
Member
Hero Bank 01
Another kids show another why do all these protags look like trash.
I think the premise of this show is pretty interesting. I just wish these kids didn't look so terrible.
Another kids show another why do all these protags look like trash.
I think the premise of this show is pretty interesting. I just wish these kids didn't look so terrible.
Just watched it. It was interesting, lots of weird and maybe over indulgent stuff. It was pretty fun though.
Also, this was fucking priceless:
spoiler
One of my favorite animes in recent years. Regardless of how Rebellion turned out.
Dedication Through Light
Member
Would be a pretty good art if they had Hibiya on it, but Shintaro, Kano too and some Seto is good for the magazine cover.
Hero Bank 01
Another kids show another why do all these protags look like trash.
I think the premise of this show is pretty interesting. I just wish these kids didn't look so terrible.
Season of baffling hair.
Ok, it's been about ten episodes into the show, so while I've been kicking around this post in my head since episode one there's less of a chance it'll blow up in my face now. Well, that and writing takes work and all.
Why you should be watching Happiness Charge Precure
Precure has been kicking around for a full decade now, largely as Toei's indefinitely recyclable vehicle to sell plastic shit to little girls, and for much of its lifetime it showed. Some series, like Heartcatch Precure in particular, took a few steps above simply going through the motions to achieve this end. Now that the show is celebrating its 10th anniversary, it's been taking such steps again, but to elaborate on how exactly takes going over what makes these kinds of shows tick in the first place.
Yes, this sort of thing happens a lot.
Probably the most obvious thing you can say about these shows is that they are monster of the week shows, taking after the model established by Sailor Moon. A bad guy will show up then provide a monster for the magical girls of the show to fight in every episode. While this can be considered a formula, it's actually a rather sparse outline and there are many ways to tackle it. For example, Heartcatch Precure used a highly specific and rigid formula that it adhered to whenever the episode allowed for it. For many of its early episodes, the first act of the script was entirely devoted to setting up the following defined chain of events:
Megumi showing awareness of the situation in not bothering to change before going outside.
Breaking such elements down, you have large-scale story or the overarching plot that drives the whole show, small-scale stories that drive each individual episode (and more important as a result), the monster fights, and the characters upon which everything is built. It's important to offer characters that have meaningful avenues for growth or interaction, as they provide small-scale plotlines and aid in making such stories entertaining. For example, Dokidoki Precure offered a main character who already had everything made and didn't really offer much in personality, so it was like playing an RPG on New Game + where you already have the puzzles figured out and you already have the experience and equipment to wipe out everything. Hime Shirayuki offers the polar opposite of this in Happiness Charge. She starts out the show as a failure of a Precure who hasn't won a single time, and is even stated as being responsible for why bad guys are running around in the first place. She also has severe social anxiety which offers natural story material when she pairs up with Megumi Aino, a girl who is highly friendly and outgoing. Megumi isn't perfect, though, as she's not really athletic or academically gifted while also being a bit clumsy and a goofball. Together with Hime's own eccentricities this provides natural material for character antics and the show capitalizes on it.
Another improvement upon past Precure shows are the mascot characters which includes Ribbon, who has a full personality and looks after Hime like Luna did with Usagi. This has been a particular sore point for Precure over the years, with them being used for transparent merchandise peddling and annoying verbal tics. The only verbal tic Ribbon has is speaking in a stereotypically feminine manner, while the other seen mascot speaks in a stereotypically masculine manner.
Precure activities aren't simply word of mouth.
Phantom Empire with global ambitions
On the large-scale, Happiness Charge attempts something new by making the conflict global. In fact, the protagonists of the show aren't even the only team of Precure and their exploits are publicly known. The bad guys are also all personalities in their own right, and frequently exchange lines with the Precures to humorous effect. On the small-scale, Happiness Charge finally makes fetchquest items useful and turns them into disguise tools that also offer the innate abilities of the disguise worn. In effect, it's much like the kind of transformation used in classic magical girl shows like Minky Momo. Also of note is the introduction of Seiji, a young man who helps Megumi and Hime both as a friend and for their roles as Precure. This in particular brings up an issue of romantic interest between Seiji and Megumi which apparently touches on issues relevant to the overall plot. Otherwise, you have well executed character interaction and development. Perhaps most strikingly, each episode thus far has been entertaining as the result of this.
This is an invitation to improvise!
Why use magic when baddies work just as well?
As I touched on previously, fights in this show are loosely defined in set up, but are also fairly freeform in execution as well. While it has yet to reach the level of Heartcatch Precure's episodes involving Dark Precure, it stays well above the norm by keeping things energetic and fresh. The stock footage is also well done, and is among the better stock in any magical girl show. While it's in the best interest of the studio to draw things out so that less needs to be done elsewhere, overlong stock footage makes an episode drag and sucks away the energy from an episode. Happiness Charge strikes a good balance here in being able to consume time without letting it feel overlong. The step-by-step progression of the transformation sequences, linked below, is also purposeful and provides impact, and past failings in camera use are not present. Of course, there's also the music, where strings, brass accents, and vocals are employed much like in Sailor Moon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC-9yuBy688
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRJaxxFsE04
Overall, Happiness Charge Precure has shown itself willing from episode one to remain unburdened by all of the things that would hold this kind of show back. Directed by the same person who previously directed Heartcatch Precure, considered the best by many, it's evident that lessons were learned from Heartcatch and are being employed here. Every instance where something would be otherwise be staid ritual is considered open for modification as an episode may demand it and small humorous touches are everywhere. More than anything else, though, is the sign of ambition. Happiness Charge isn't content with doing things the way they've been done, and tries to offer a kind of Precure to be celebrated rather than dismissed as a safe marketing ploy. The only achilles heel so far is Toei Animation's ability to properly animate it, and art consistency has not been solid.
In short, this is on the way to being the best Precure show yet, and I've been hyped from the start because I noticed how it was setting itself up to succeed.
Actual postcard memory
Why you should be watching Happiness Charge Precure
Precure has been kicking around for a full decade now, largely as Toei's indefinitely recyclable vehicle to sell plastic shit to little girls, and for much of its lifetime it showed. Some series, like Heartcatch Precure in particular, took a few steps above simply going through the motions to achieve this end. Now that the show is celebrating its 10th anniversary, it's been taking such steps again, but to elaborate on how exactly takes going over what makes these kinds of shows tick in the first place.
Yes, this sort of thing happens a lot.
Probably the most obvious thing you can say about these shows is that they are monster of the week shows, taking after the model established by Sailor Moon. A bad guy will show up then provide a monster for the magical girls of the show to fight in every episode. While this can be considered a formula, it's actually a rather sparse outline and there are many ways to tackle it. For example, Heartcatch Precure used a highly specific and rigid formula that it adhered to whenever the episode allowed for it. For many of its early episodes, the first act of the script was entirely devoted to setting up the following defined chain of events:
Each of these steps are followed, and exceptions were rare in that show, although as the show went on it allowed for more flexibility in the first act. The downfall of formula writing is redundancy, and when you're doing the same thing every episode and in the exact same way then you might as well be watching one episode and not twenty. Meanwhile, Happiness Charge has the following defined sequence:
As you may notice, this was pretty much the base outline that we started with! There have been episodes where the victim was developed through the plot of the episode, and episodes where the victim was some random person not even seen until maybe after the monster was defeated. There are also episodes where the bad guy has targeted interaction with the Precures, but also those where they bump into each other. The only specific entry is the addition of a fetchquest that gets updated. Leaving things this open offers the flow flexibility, and when a show gives itself opportunities to mix things up then it can turn formula writing into simply theme writing. Furthermore, when a show isn't tied down as strongly by this aspect, other parts can shine and the show benefits as a whole.
Megumi showing awareness of the situation in not bothering to change before going outside.
Breaking such elements down, you have large-scale story or the overarching plot that drives the whole show, small-scale stories that drive each individual episode (and more important as a result), the monster fights, and the characters upon which everything is built. It's important to offer characters that have meaningful avenues for growth or interaction, as they provide small-scale plotlines and aid in making such stories entertaining. For example, Dokidoki Precure offered a main character who already had everything made and didn't really offer much in personality, so it was like playing an RPG on New Game + where you already have the puzzles figured out and you already have the experience and equipment to wipe out everything. Hime Shirayuki offers the polar opposite of this in Happiness Charge. She starts out the show as a failure of a Precure who hasn't won a single time, and is even stated as being responsible for why bad guys are running around in the first place. She also has severe social anxiety which offers natural story material when she pairs up with Megumi Aino, a girl who is highly friendly and outgoing. Megumi isn't perfect, though, as she's not really athletic or academically gifted while also being a bit clumsy and a goofball. Together with Hime's own eccentricities this provides natural material for character antics and the show capitalizes on it.
Another improvement upon past Precure shows are the mascot characters which includes Ribbon, who has a full personality and looks after Hime like Luna did with Usagi. This has been a particular sore point for Precure over the years, with them being used for transparent merchandise peddling and annoying verbal tics. The only verbal tic Ribbon has is speaking in a stereotypically feminine manner, while the other seen mascot speaks in a stereotypically masculine manner.
Precure activities aren't simply word of mouth.
Phantom Empire with global ambitions
On the large-scale, Happiness Charge attempts something new by making the conflict global. In fact, the protagonists of the show aren't even the only team of Precure and their exploits are publicly known. The bad guys are also all personalities in their own right, and frequently exchange lines with the Precures to humorous effect. On the small-scale, Happiness Charge finally makes fetchquest items useful and turns them into disguise tools that also offer the innate abilities of the disguise worn. In effect, it's much like the kind of transformation used in classic magical girl shows like Minky Momo. Also of note is the introduction of Seiji, a young man who helps Megumi and Hime both as a friend and for their roles as Precure. This in particular brings up an issue of romantic interest between Seiji and Megumi which apparently touches on issues relevant to the overall plot. Otherwise, you have well executed character interaction and development. Perhaps most strikingly, each episode thus far has been entertaining as the result of this.
This is an invitation to improvise!
Why use magic when baddies work just as well?
As I touched on previously, fights in this show are loosely defined in set up, but are also fairly freeform in execution as well. While it has yet to reach the level of Heartcatch Precure's episodes involving Dark Precure, it stays well above the norm by keeping things energetic and fresh. The stock footage is also well done, and is among the better stock in any magical girl show. While it's in the best interest of the studio to draw things out so that less needs to be done elsewhere, overlong stock footage makes an episode drag and sucks away the energy from an episode. Happiness Charge strikes a good balance here in being able to consume time without letting it feel overlong. The step-by-step progression of the transformation sequences, linked below, is also purposeful and provides impact, and past failings in camera use are not present. Of course, there's also the music, where strings, brass accents, and vocals are employed much like in Sailor Moon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC-9yuBy688
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRJaxxFsE04
Overall, Happiness Charge Precure has shown itself willing from episode one to remain unburdened by all of the things that would hold this kind of show back. Directed by the same person who previously directed Heartcatch Precure, considered the best by many, it's evident that lessons were learned from Heartcatch and are being employed here. Every instance where something would be otherwise be staid ritual is considered open for modification as an episode may demand it and small humorous touches are everywhere. More than anything else, though, is the sign of ambition. Happiness Charge isn't content with doing things the way they've been done, and tries to offer a kind of Precure to be celebrated rather than dismissed as a safe marketing ploy. The only achilles heel so far is Toei Animation's ability to properly animate it, and art consistency has not been solid.
In short, this is on the way to being the best Precure show yet, and I've been hyped from the start because I noticed how it was setting itself up to succeed.
Actual postcard memory
Still, I can see how people might take offense to having the manga artist order his assistant to grope herself so that he "reference the work" and then go ahead and grope her without permission anyway but it is okay as long as he gets slapped for it.
I always dig posts like these. I've never seen an episode of Precure, but I'll give this a shot.
Well, here's the newest shoujo manga greenlit for a TV anime -- Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji.
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1139351
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1139351
unofficial plot summary said:
Admiral Woofington
Member
I-I can't anymore. Unless this turns out to be a surprise for the season, that premise just screams shojo cliche.
On another note, Baby Steps manga has slow moving by shojo standards but very well done romance
dakkumauji
Member
Majin Bone 01
I guess since I'm already watching the first episode almost every other kids show this season, might as well watch this one.
So character designs don't suck for once which is a plus. I'm actually pretty cool with all the characters introduced so far. I just wish I cared one bit about whatever they are trying to sell me cause I really don't. Which sucks cause that's probably the biggest thing hampering my enjoyment of this show.
I guess since I'm already watching the first episode almost every other kids show this season, might as well watch this one.
So character designs don't suck for once which is a plus. I'm actually pretty cool with all the characters introduced so far. I just wish I cared one bit about whatever they are trying to sell me cause I really don't. Which sucks cause that's probably the biggest thing hampering my enjoyment of this show.
Basileus777
Member
I take Baby Steps is more like a Cross Game type story where it doesn't get technical about sports, but uses it as a setting for character/relationship drama?
Deputy Dangle
Member
I've been considering watching this for the past few weeks. The only thing keeping me back was my indecisiveness of whether or not I should dip my feet into this or Heartcatch first. But this post was really helpful, so I think I may just go with HapCha after all with it still being early into the show.
Heartcatch has a lot of great things going for it. Tsubomi and Erika are great main characters, the overarching plot is well done, the episodes devoted to it are all great with surprisingly good action, and by the latter part the show fires on all cylinders. However, like I said, the rigid formula holds the show back and makes it a chore to watch before it starts to loosen up. The stock also fails to live up to the hard work put into animating them.
Basileus777
Member
Mangaka-san - 1
Well at least this lets you know upfront before the OP even hits just where it's heading. Going into this blind I didn't know if was something this lewd.
Well at least this lets you know upfront before the OP even hits just where it's heading. Going into this blind I didn't know if was something this lewd.
KuwabaraTheMan
Banned
Haikyu 1:
Now this was a damn fine production. I think the staff working on this really did a great job at producing something which was both high in energy and very colorful with some nice animation at points, coupled with some great scene building music.
Haikyu is very much a Jump sports manga, but I think it did a good job at distinguishing itself in the first episode with some nice emotional moments during the match (
) and the flashbacks intercut with the game giving you an idea of how the characters got to this point. I'm really interested in watching more from this show.
Now this was a damn fine production. I think the staff working on this really did a great job at producing something which was both high in energy and very colorful with some nice animation at points, coupled with some great scene building music.
Haikyu is very much a Jump sports manga, but I think it did a good job at distinguishing itself in the first episode with some nice emotional moments during the match (
I loved the little bit of excitement and embarrassment meant the score keepers had, and I felt so bad for them when the out call was made
curlyfriski
Banned
Not really. The manga gets pretty deep into the tennis, but does it in a refreshingly straightforward way.
Magical Girl Pretty Sammy TV 11
For a while there I thought this episode was gonna be meh, but it turned out awesome. Pixy Misa was at her best. Her giving Sasami the fake baton and turning her into a monster version of herself was hilarious. And the part with Funky Connie repeatedly shocking Hiroto until he fell in love with her was pretty good too. And Kenji ending up in Papua New Guinea.
Rumiya is developing some feelings about Misao. They're not romantic (at least I hope not) so much as "this kid puts up with enough stuff in her real life, she really doesn't need us putting her through this shit". Obviously he seems guilty and wants to stop, but anyone would concede in the face of Ramia's wrath, I suppose.
For a while there I thought this episode was gonna be meh, but it turned out awesome. Pixy Misa was at her best. Her giving Sasami the fake baton and turning her into a monster version of herself was hilarious. And the part with Funky Connie repeatedly shocking Hiroto until he fell in love with her was pretty good too. And Kenji ending up in Papua New Guinea.
Rumiya is developing some feelings about Misao. They're not romantic (at least I hope not) so much as "this kid puts up with enough stuff in her real life, she really doesn't need us putting her through this shit". Obviously he seems guilty and wants to stop, but anyone would concede in the face of Ramia's wrath, I suppose.
I almost feel I've seen this scene play out in an anime before. Just trying to remember if it was something Tomino wrote or something on The List.
Basileus777
Member
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara 1
I believe I have discovered the worst show of the season, and I can't see anything but No Game No Life threatening that status. Mahouka wishes it could be this wretched.
I believe I have discovered the worst show of the season, and I can't see anything but No Game No Life threatening that status. Mahouka wishes it could be this wretched.
- Status