Thursday, October 31, 2013

Yuusha ni Narenakatta: Erotic. Erotic Everywhere.

Sorry no Screenshot today
Last seen: episode 3

Honestly I should have known this was coming, seen the signs. Most obviously, when the ending song and animation contains six plus women floating through the sky in string bikini's. So I just wanted to stop in real fast and give you all the heads-up warning that this show has an exponential increase in erotic content.

In other news, the core story of the show is still interesting, as are the characters. I suppose I've become a bit .. resistant? ..Jaded? to this kinda crap by now, I'm pretty sure I would have thrown down the gauntlet for way less than this before.

I don't know what to think of that.

If I can say anything positive though, it's that I am grade A impressed at how they managed to have a 100% Hentai moment, and be completely non-liable for it. Like, really. Even if you hate the show, watch episode three just to see them do it. It's ridiculous, the justifying world logic they use to glue it together during the moment is even unabashedly weak and loose as they give it in the moment. In the Moment is when the logic should be at its strongest. I was literally thinking "Lady, what you are saying doesn't even remotely explain whats happening on screen right now! Just who do you think you're fooling!?".
Long story short, this is the most bold-faced grab at our pants appeal I've encountered since I accidentally mistook a Hentai on watchanimeon.com for a mainstream anime.

[Aside]
Seriously why did they even have that thing on their website? They don't host hentai. To hell with Yosuga no Sora and everything it's about.
[End Aside]

Friday, October 25, 2013

Golden Time: Serves me right.



Oh no, Indeed
This. This, is what I get for being excited about having read the manga first. My hopes dashed upon the rocks before they even had a chance to flail their wings about, let alone soar. You need to understand, that I'm a cynical, pessimistic kinda guy. I take little signs of potential flaws very seriously. I look for excuses to shoot my hopes down to earth. Now, rather than reassuring me of the excellence that this anime will be, the manga has me doubting every little design choice of the animation studio. 'Are they doing this on purpose? Because they had to? Because the original wouldn't work? Will they make this the foundation of some terrible half-arsed quick end?', these questions are going  through my head non-stop. How the hell do other people that have read mangas before they got animated stand it? It's working its hardest to try and depress me. I was wondering just what they planned to do with the anime when the manga, to the best of my knowledge, hasn't even completed yet. Maybe just run a short season anime, that doesn't move through all of the existing content. Now, I'm not so sure.

I'm not saying that this anime is going to be bad. Hell no, quite the opposite I still hope many things of this one, and I'm willing to wager a solid bet that those of you who like Drama/Romance/Slice of Life will enjoy it. I'm just lamenting that my foreknowledge has poisoned my maximum potential to enjoy the anime.

[Spoiler Warning]In the manga, this little bit of scrunched up paper he's shoving into his back pocket was burned on the spot instead. This isn't something that needed to be done, it would have added to the drama. As soon as I noticed this too, I also noticed that the last two or three scenes before this also felt a bit off, and I suddenly remembered that it went differently. Those scenes, fine, nothing suspicious, maybe they just wanted to turn up the suspense a bit. Not burning these papers? 100% stinks of 'We plan to use this later'. When the animation studio plans to use something that wasn't in the original story, things start to unravel, just as badly as when things that existed are removed.
[Spoiler Warning End]

[Aside]
Yay me! *High fives self in the mirror*. For the first time, I feel like I've actually just slapped out my feelings about something into the blog, and not written a goddem essay.
Now, if only I could prove that this wasn't a fluke, and repeat it...
[Aside End]

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

[New][October 2013] Samurai Flamenco



Summary: Masayoshi Hazama, a man who has become a superhero “by himself” with no superhuman powers or any sort of high-tech conversions, and Hidenori Goto, a cop who constantly gets in trouble thanks to Hazama. This is the story of the birth of a true hero featuring these two young men with a touch of comedy and serious drama.

First Impression: Almost out for too much Comedy, and then right up high on the list for Drama.

First Opinion: Damn man. Talk about flipping the coin in just one episode. Half way through the episode I was almost ready to toss this one for the season, the played-straight comedy was getting so thick I couldn't stand it. I know a good lot of people who really enjoy that kind of comedy, but it's not my thing. Then, right at the end of the episode, it flips into a seriously solid dramatic moment.

My best advice: Take to heart that the opening ends as a dream, don't let it set the tone of your expectations, and ride the first episode to the end. The beginning is a whole lot of character and tone set up. They even use In Medias Res to help define a character. That's a fair risk to do that for something like an episodic anime series, although the risk is lessened by containing it within a single episode. As used in this case, it was a fairly complicated way to play out character introductions, an unnecessary but flavorful bit of spice.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

[New][October 2013] Machine-Doll wa Kizutsukanai


Summary: During the early 20th century, along with technological advancements, scientists were able to develop sophisticated magic. The combination of science and sorcery was Machinart, circuits made from spells that were put into objects to bring them to life and even gain a personality. It was developed as a military weapon and has now spread throughout the world. Akabane Raishin is now attending the Royal Academy to become the best in the world.

First Impression: Action Drama. Clean cut. Maybe there will be some romance in it as a spice, but the core is obviously going to be Action, and Drama.

First Opinion: Did I mention I hate some websites summaries? I hate some websites summaries. They are so bland and worthless, and sometimes they don't even make sense. These summaries I give you people? I make them from bits and pieces of several places summaries, after I watch the first episode, to make sure it's at least helpful. The first summary I read of this anime was so garbage, it made the anime seem worse than garbage. I feel really bad for thinking that of it.

Back on topic, there's nothing here spectacularly above the diagonal. I thought from the first impression I got about this anime (seriously to hell with some summaries out there), was that it was going to be another contrived romance between a 'synthetic human' and normal human. I've had it up to the roots of my hair with that plot type. Not so much for having seen a lot of them, but because there isn't a lot you can do with it. The story always resorts to either contriving up a way to make the synthetic a little less synthetic, or they dance down some merry rainbow-happy-road of borderline delusional denial and evasion of serious discussion. I don't understand, personally, the idea of intentionally choosing a controversial thing, and then being paranoid about it. You bloody chose to have the controversy.
Instead, this show not only throws that plot type right out the window, it spits on it in mid-air, with the two main characters literally stopping to stand still and talk it away. I found that in good taste, but hey, maybe someone out there was looking for the contrived synthetic romance plot again.

My present decision for this one is to keep it and file it into action, but I don't really have high hopes for it. The blunt rejection of a plot type was novel, but not remarkable these days, it's being done more frequently it seems. Other than that, I don't see much especially unique, although several things are a tiny bit original.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

[New][October 2013] Tokyo Ravens


Summary: Tsuchimikado Harutora was born into a prestigious Onmyoji family, but he can't see Spirit Energy. Therefore, he's been enjoying a peaceful daily life with his friends at an Onmyo branch school. One day, his childhood friend Tsuchimikado Natsume, heir to the head family, suddenly appears.

First Impression: Flashy high budget animation action. Sci-Fi rules oriented Fantasy.

First Opinion: There's a right way, and a wrong way to dump a truckload of information on an audience, and mindlessly reciting a hundred very detailed and lengthy names is not a right way to do it. Very fast into the episode they quickly dump out a bunch of names that are borderline Science Fiction complicated. For me, that's a plus because it means someone somewhere put a lot of thought into this world. Where there's more detail and more thought, there will be more quality, if for no other reason than the time required to create the excess details. For others though, this first episode better not have expected everyone to have picked up or retained anything they just said, because that's just silly.

Things start slow and somewhat solidly grounded within the usual Anime settings, high school, group of friends, vague hints of the protagonist having some past events and issues. When the action kicks off into high speed at the tail end of the episode though, things go bat-shit bonkers. The animation kicks in some 3D computer animations, things get very flashy, very detailed, and most of all: Very Crazy. The sudden introduction of the 3D computer animation made me think of Ghost in the Shell, the only memorable previous instance I have of something similar. The sudden tone shift in animation may throw a few people off, but I've always found to be at the minimum interesting, if not at least hilarious when it fails hard.

This show looks like it's going to be trying really hard to fit into a slot somewhere around the area of Action. They slap the Romance elements onto the back-burner so hard I think they'll have to walk backwards for a while to see where they're going.

Monday, October 7, 2013

[New][October 2013] Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta



Summary: In a town where humans and demons co-exist, it takes more than a normal police force to maintain the peace. Enter the Hiizumi Life Counseling Office, a fantastic foursome of unique teenagers, each gifted with an amazing super power.

First Impression: I'm lost, but this is an action oriented Drama. Maybe some Slice of Life too.

First Opinion: So...I'm honestly going to be judging this by the previous one...because I'd be lying to myself if I tried to do anything else. On that note: This is obviously in a different animation studios hands, although I lack the resources or interest to find out the specifics. Even for someone like me, who usually doesn't pay attention to graphics of any kind, having a previous point of reference to compare it to shows that this new... season? Instance? Retelling? Remake? Whatever the heck this is, it's art and animation are a lot more...hyper. It's much more action oriented to be sure, very flashy and bombastic. The characters are also... I'm going to phrase it as 'less mellow'. They come off as 100% more outgoing than the previous rendering. Ao especially, is just way less...broody than I remember her being. Maybe I'm just remembering wrong.

I'm going to go out on a limb, and try to take this instance of Yozakura Quartet on its own, try to forget the previous one. Sure, we're in the same place, same setting, same original cast, and probably even the same emotional and drama plots, but everything feels way different right out of the gate, so bringing in some predispositions from former relations feels like adding deadweight onto the show it doesn't deserve just yet. I'm going to at least try. No promises.

[New][October 2013] Gingitsune



Summary: Gintaro is a fox spirit that has been protecting the small Inari temple since the Edo era. Makoto's family possesses the power to see the gods' agent, but the ability is limited to one living relative at a time. With the help of fox spirit's power, Makoto and Gintaro help the people of their community, in spite of their many differences.

First Impression: Very light hearted. Slice of Life'ish.

First Opinion: Gintaro is...Not standard of what you'd expect anything Fox themed to be like. Maybe they're going to tie that to him being from the Edo era, but...well it was hilarious for me. They start the show out in a position that could have played on sorrow and tragedy easily but...quickly brushed over it and skipped ahead. That felt rather awkward, but really I have to admit that trying to get the audience to care about the sorrows of a character that literally has only been on screen for 5 seconds is a bit much, so I'm going to say 'good move'. I'm not in a position to say much about this one, as I personally love Foxes, but here's my two-bits: This looks like a very slow, light-weight drama show. If you're not the kind to let yourself be interested in stories that aren't action packed or deeper than the ocean, you may want to just pass over this one. If Slice of Life is your kind of show though, pick it up.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

[New][October 2013] Yuusha ni Narenakatta



 Summary: The story revolves around Raul, a boy who did not become a Hero, since the demon lord was already defeated just before his Hero exams. His dreams dashed, Raul spends his days working at a magic shop in the capital.

First Impression: Comedy and Slice of Life appear to be the core right now, but there's likely going to be some romance in the future.

First Opinion: Wasn't there just one like this last season? I hadn't seen that one yet, so I can't say anything on that front, but what I do know is there is a hell of a lot of Demon-Hero anime is coming out lately. For now, this is pretty interesting. They almost completely scrap anything to do with the generic fantasy setting thing with Demon Lord and Hero, and quickly reset the tone down to everyday life. In fact, the Demon/Hero thing so far just seems to be a free character background plot dump, that saves them having to animate and explain the characters backgrounds in detail. Personally, I think this is a good idea, as it will provide an entry point of interest for a lot of people, but still gives it plenty of room to be original with its material, unlike say...Hagure Yuusha.
For now, this is on my list, but with so many other nice things, this will likely be one I don't keep up with week to week.

[New][October 2013] Golden Time

This statement is about to become humor in a few seconds

Summary: Tada Banri, a newly admitted student at a private law school in Tokyo, found himself completely lost after the opening ceremony, trying to find his way to the freshman orientation. At that moment, he ran into another lost freshman from the same school, Yanagisawa Mitsuo, and they hit it off at once. Somehow arriving at their intended goal just on time, there appeared in front of the two a beautiful girl holding a bouquet of roses.

First Impression: Drama Romance roller coaster.

First Opinion: H'omigosh. Omigosh. I have an informed opinion for the first time...ever! I know this one, I've been reading its manga as its been slowly translated into English. So here's my best advice, and informed opinion:
If you like the Slice of Life and/or romance anime, you will very easily find this one very refreshing and original, but I must warn you: Take nothing at face value. Things start off simultaneously cut-n-paste, and out of place original in the first episode. If you find anything you like, put this one on your list because it's gonna roller coaster you in multiple directions, emotionally.

[Aside]
I just wanted to take a moment to say that the animation studio doing this so far has done amazing work, turning one manga chapter into one anime episode. That has a long running record of not going well. Especially in mangas like this one, that have a lot of thinking instead of talking and doing, it's generally considered taboo to put thinking into TV, shows, Movies, Et C.
[End Aside]

[New][October 2013] Nagi no Asukara


Summary:
Hikari Sakishima and Manaka Mukaido are Sea Dwellers and childhood friends. When their school in the sea is closed they are forced to attend a land school.

First Impression:
Romance and Drama are going to be central here. A little bit of Slice-of-Life with a light spice of fantasy.

First Opinion:
This one's going to be much more mellow than the other releases, a good way to wind down before or after them. It seems the central tone will be romance, but as with any high school setting for a Japanese anime, it's gonna be slice-of-life too, especially with the light fantasy setting. I'm looking forward to it, they've already painted a very colorful world so far, with some at least standard characters. Haven't got enough to fully judge the quality of the characters, the heart and life of a show like this one.

[New][October 2013] Kill La Kill

Yes I have actually, concept-wise

Summary: The story is set on a high school that the student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin rules by force. Wielding a giant Basami scissors sword, the wandering transfer student Ryuuko Matoi brings about upheaval on the campus.

First Impression:
Action. Radical hyper-humor. Reminiscent of the overdramatic style of Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, with Panty and Stocking's art style.

First Opinion: It never ceases to amaze me how unbelievably boring some websites summary's can make a show sound. This show is off the hook BONKERS. Unless you're absolutely sure you had hyper stylized art and comedy, I recommend you watch the first episode to try it out for how trippy it is, if nothing else. This is clearly going to be the most absurd show in my lineup. Even if Outbreak Company's comedy style is more to my taste, I do love these kinds of comedy action shows.

[New][October 2013] Outbreak Company

OMG This face was perfect

Summary: Kanou Shinichi is a thoroughbred Otaku. However, he does not have any special power except for his broad knowledge, sharp insight, and impeccable instinct about Moe and its products, from manga, to anime, to games, to light novel, to figures. Suddenly he finds himself in a fantasy world with a task...as a Diplomat.

First Impression: Grade A original Comedy.

First Opinion: This is a keeper. I'm going to enjoy the hell out of this one. So far, I don't see anything of Harem in here, and what fan service is technically there, is all old school fan service, the stuff that was Service when I was still young in my anime ways. Feels Good Yo, a nostalgic enjoyable sensation, that doesn't feel like some money grubbing company's trying to seduce me via my crotch to love their cheap product.
I was gasping for air half way into this first episode, I'm gonna have to make a note to close doors when I start this one, or everyone within a three wall radius is going to be annoyed by my guffawing.

[New][October 2013] IS: Infinite Stratos 2



Summary: Second Season to the guy all alone in a metal suit, in a world of women in metal suits, Denser-than-leading his way through a cluster of girls that like him.

First Impression: More harem humor.

First Opinion:
Harem with robosuits and a high flying opinion about its own plot. That's about it. For me this shows worth will ride entirely on how the plot goes. I've had more than I could stand of harem well before the first season even came out. The first episode is...unique in this regard though. I can't say I've ever seen anything like condensing a swimsuit episode into half of an episode. It bespeaks good things if they're willing to do what is essentially a slap-in-the-face to fan service lovers. The logic that would normally go into it, is that some pressing need for more space later justifies the theoretical reputation damage it would cause...but this is the first episode. Just what are they trying to skimp for?
In any case, I find it in good taste, but that's just me.

[New][October 2013] Strike the Blood



Summary: The Fourth Primogenitor: The world's strongest vampire that should only exist in legends. Accompanied by twelve Kenjuu and spreading calamity, this phantom vampire appeared in Japan. For the observation and obliteration of this Fourth Primogenitor, the government and Lion King Organization decided to dispatch an attack mage known as a Sword Shaman.

First Impression: Better than the Summary sounds. Original pieces and a solid foundation for an action or drama setting so far.

First Opinion: Vampires have been beaten right back into life. Nobody could just leave the undead rotters alone. Personally, nothing ever will beat Trinity Bloods triune race setup, just for nostalgia reasons, but I still recognize original effort when I see it. So far, the tone for the anime is extraordinarily serious in context. Not only do they get technical enough to layout a vampire drinking his own blood as a placebo for his hunger, but the main heroine actually acknowledges an accidental flashing of her underwear as accidental and doesn't fly off the handle over it. .. After flying off the handle and beating the shit out of a thug that flipped her skirt. So like I said, in context. I'm placing this one on my list of High hopes.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

[New][October 2013] Kyoukai no Kanata


Summary: Although Akihito Kanbara appears human, he is half youmu and invulnerable to wounds because he can heal quickly. One day, Akihito meets freshman Mirai Kuriyama when it seems she is about to jump from the school rooftop.

First Impression:
Standard Fantasy, Refreshing Main Character

First Opinion: Setting wise this couldn't be more basic, but I like the first main character, Akihito, already. He literally recites cliche's in rejection of them. I enjoyed it thoroughly all of the first episode. I'm partial to surreal settings, so the 'Suspension of Disbelief' is strong in me. I can't give a impartial judgement of the story so far, it will largely depend on whether you like your fantasy or realism. If you like your surreal settings, nothing out of the ordinary at present. If you like your realism, you may find a few things off-putting very fast, and gaining momentum.

I find it a little strange that she takes the time to explicitly make a scimitar sword, and not something more basic(like a needle for her first use), but the first episode showcases her using it fluently, and gives her a character setting which would afford training for it. Trivia Time: In case none of you have ever tried to swing around an actual metal sword, let alone a scimitar, that shape on the end really makes swinging it awkward if you don't know what you're doing. Even if it is made of blood and lightweight, having that backcurve on the tip puts a bit more weight on the end than anywhere else, which affects swinging it. It's a benefit if you know what you're doing, a hindrance if you don't.
...
Then again maybe I'm being far too picky and the author just likes how it looks. Yeah, that's probably it. I'm going to go drivel a bit of my brain out, I'm getting far too technical.

[New][October 2013] Coppelion TV



Summary: In 2016, a meltdown of a nuclear power plant creates a big catastrophe in Tokyo. 20 years later, the city has become a ghost town due to the high levels of radiation. From that area a distress signal is received. The Self Defense forces dispatch three girls from the special unit Coppelion to search for survivors.

First Impression:
Interesting, perhaps Drama centered?

First Opinion: This looks like it could be an interesting story. The first stones they're laying down for the foundation of the world story are fairly solid, especially the news broadcast near the end. They've got a nice big set-piece to work with, and they set the opening tone nicely with the man in trouble after the seriously out-of-place three girls in what is clearly a massive ruin. I'm gonna look forward to this one for now.
Minus one thing.

School uniforms.

Why the HELL are they wearing school uniforms into a ruined city!? Ok, so the National Defense Academy school-thing is their home, that doesn't mean that it's at all reasonable for them to be deployed wearing skirts. Skirts dammit. Come the end of the first episode, it makes my argument even better, that they should at the minimum be wearing light survival equipment.
  So they don't need the special equipment, sure I get it, so they can wear whatever they want, and comfort is obviously nice, but they clearly are being sent in for a long time, so why don't they at least have weather prepared clothes on? Jeans in case they, y'know, trip over the rubble that will be every damn place? Shirts that at least look like they might keep out the wind? How bout some GODDAMN BOOTS? Instead of the dress shoes?
  Really I'm just raving right now, but if you tried this kinda thing anywhere but the anime industry everyone would call them out on account of something like this. This is something that would only be allowed without an explanation like it is right now, because we have this lovely thing they can justify it with called:
Fan Service.

'Hey why are they wearing these impractical uniforms into a rescue operation?'
'Because, Fan Service'
'Oh, okay sounds good'

Inu to Hasami: Pleasant Comedy


In case anyone notices, Apologies for this thing bouncing back on to the top of the posts. I can't figure out how I caused it, or how to fix it.

Last seen:
Episode 6
  To be perfectly honest, it took me 3 episodes to fully comprehend that Inu to Hasami was a comedy-centric anime. That's more of a problem with me being thick, than a flaw in the shows design. I'm pretty sure the term 'Slap-stick Comedy' applies here. While there are shows that are pure comedy, and shows that are purely intense drama, Inu to Hasami falls in a lovely niche right in the middle, just a few notches towards the comedy side. I've been going to it frequently to rub my mood the right way after dealing with idiots elsewhere.

  Some of you may have noticed (or maybe my hermit is playing up again, and it's common knowledge now), that lots of seriously framed and paced stories in shows are receiving varying doses of comedy in them. Some part of this, is the idea that you can't be all-serious all the time, or it starts to cave in on itself and become absurd.
  The other half of it though, is that people are people, are people, and we've always found various ways to cope with extreme situations. It's beyond an accepted and proven fact, that psychological stress can have negative effects on you physically. So the trend of spicing serious and drama with comedy is actually a bid to increase realism, to make characters seem more human, and less one-dimensional. On the other side of the coin, Inu to Hasami spices comedy with gratingly down-to-earth serious moments and dialogue. Typically this causes an almost audible *clunk* of tone shift in the viewers immersion, but Inu to Hasami has never really thrown me when they shift tones. As a matter of fact, I've often felt they shifted tones right when one side or the other was about to become too exaggerated.

  Which brings me to my next point: I don't seem to enjoy the humor of exaggeration like I used to anymore. Perhaps I've just seen too much of it at this point, and it all sounds like something I've heard before, but when Inu to Hasami uses over-the-top, or exaggeration comedy, it just doesn't get me laughing like I feel it should. When they're doing the slap-stick skits, I'm either chuckling it up, or straight up laughing. They also haven't done a single verbal exchange where Harumi was cutting in playing straight-man where I wasn't chuckling fit to burst the entire time.
  From the last episode I just completed, they finished the most recent plot arc, and toward the end of it is when I was really feeling the exaggeration going over my head. Just gonna stop to say one thing here: 'Tuna-Eater'. Honestly, I'm chuckling now as I typed that, but when it was on-screen, I just had this kind of moment: , where I could see my past self in my head, jabbing an upturned hand towards the screen going 'What the hell is this?!', laughing the entire time, and yet I don't feel like they were doing the jokes poorly. T'was a weird feeling.
  On a completely different note, there are some really tasteful details in the show, that I just personally love. I love the little detail they have where they'll exit out of a scene and play Harumi howling, and I love the howl they chose for it, it fits so well. Other than that, I love the detail on the rendering of the dog sometimes. The gambit with details, is that you could invest alot in them, and have no one even notice. But the payoff, is when someone like me notices and really appreciates it, sometimes it just adds that little lovely bit to the scene, that the dogs animation seems so fluid. Maybe that's just me.
  I think writing for here is starting to affect the way I watch anime...I've never paid attention to details of animation before now... oh well, it can't hurt to notice more details, I'm fairly sure.