Anime - Kono Dio Da!

[majestic]

3 hours ago, KP the meanie zucchini said:

Anyways, I guess @majestic is going to see the shift from Mad Scientist Kyouma to PTSD Okabe. Tu...tu...ru

Okarin is a grade A moron. He is doing everything to protect Mayuri except asking the one person who handily defeated all of the attackers alone to set up an ambush.

 

This sub plot is already going on too long, and it’s been only one and a half episodes.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

3 minutes ago, majestic said:

Okarin is a grade A moron. He is doing everything to protect Mayuri except asking the one person who handily defeated all of the attackers alone to set up an ambush.

 

This sub plot is already going on too long, and it’s been only one and a half episodes.

Well...real spoilers ahoy

Mayushii is fated to die in this world line branch, even if Moeka's hit squad isn't involved. So even if John Titor ambushed them and wiped them out, Mayushii would get hit by a car or have a heart attack.

[InsaneCommander]

13 minutes ago, majestic said:

Okarin is a grade A moron. He is doing everything to protect Mayuri except asking the one person who handily defeated all of the attackers alone to set up an ambush.

He is a moron, but things change when he watches his friends' lives are affected and endangered. So at least his behavior serves as a contrast to how he feels later (what you are already seeing).

Good plan, considering how good that person is at doing this. But KP said how it would turn out.

Spoiler

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by InsaneCommander

[majestic]

Heh.

I paused the episode to post like 30 seconds before they explain that. Great. Anime is working hard on squandering my last bits of good will.  

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

14 minutes ago, majestic said:

Heh.

I paused the episode to post like 30 seconds before they explain that. Great. Anime is working hard on squandering my last bits of good will.  

Oh just you wait. Things get a lot stranger and more techno-babbly. On the bright side, no more Hounin Kyouma laughs.

Until Kurisu does it.

[majestic]

I just realized how easy it is for any given sci-fi piece of entertainment to run into something that is my personal version of irrational dislike for a topic that can't quite be explained in any logical fashion and it's pretty bad because it's really... not even consistent.

When Doctor Who, for instance, has these fixed points in time that will always happen regardless of what action is taken by any given time traveller (or other agent), then that doesn't bother me at all. It fits Doctor Who, where time travel always just does what it needs to do. In Steins;Gate, based on the many worlds time travel plot, the idea of a fixed point in time that is as harmless as what is going on right now is quite a bother. It's silly and kills my immersion. The anime is dangerously close to breaking through my suspension of disbelief here, and the story is the only thing that makes me like it so far.

Spoiler

Well, and the fact that they're killing off the only character I like doesn't help.

Doctor Who in total doesn't do the many worlds thing though. Just a single timeline that can be changed with certain limits. And a super stupid episode about time guardians that eat the universe when there's been too much change (whatever that was).

It's the same - and that we talked about before here, or in the TV thread - when sci-fi shows elect to make higher powers "real", like in the new Battlestar Galactica where at the end they ran out of ideas and with no better explanation possible they made Head!Baltar and Head!Six actual real angels of God. Why? What? Way to go. Leave actual gods out of my sci-fi stuff, please. I mean "God" gods, not Asgardians or something.

Or the ascended Ancients of Stargate, which for no particular reason don't bother me either, even though they are literal gods. See? That makes no sense.

[InsaneCommander]

I didn't like this either. Why
 

Spoiler

would an event be forced to happen no matter what? If you eliminate the cause, things should follow a different path.

And although not the only character I like, she is the last one I would like to see suffer like this.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I think Steins;Gate is internally consistent but......I can't really explain without heavy spoilers.

[InsaneCommander]

The (second) last episode of Steins;Gate 0 has a huge reveal, or at least a confirmation, with big implications. So I'll wait until you guys finish it to discuss it.

Btw, the last episode of Steins;Gate 0 takes place between episodes 12 or 13 iirc. But don't watch it until you finish the series because you would be spoiled. It is just a Valentine's day special and they mess things up, with some characters apparently aware of twists and reveals that only happened later. Probably just a funny episode, with no intention of making sense completely.

[Bartimaeus]

Director's cut of episode 22 of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Spoiler

Man, the original version of this episode was rough enough, but the director's cut version adds literal several extra minutes of Asuka being broken, including a prolonged sequence between her and her mother where Asuka begs for her mother to kill her so long as she would simply recognize her as her daughter...which she does not. Not, uh, not a fun time.

Here's a "fun" English vs. Japanese comparison: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/vuk3g7if7u2vbl0/teZiBPNmvc.mp4 & https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/wozn5myx0oyagv3/HuKVJYBMPd.mp4

 

[majestic]

See, that reminds me, I never saw the original cut, only the Director's Cut. At least I read that was the one available on Netflix, or am I mixing things up?

I didn't get to watch much recently. A combination of a lot of work and having to watch live feeds from our parliament. It's pretty fun at the moment.

[Bartimaeus]

5 minutes ago, majestic said:

See, that reminds me, I never saw the original cut, only the Director's Cut. At least I read that was the one available on Netflix, or am I mixing things up?

I didn't get to watch much recently. A combination of a lot of work and having to watch live feeds from our parliament. It's pretty fun at the moment.

Not sure, I can't watch the Netflix version because they redubbed it with an entire new cast. It's hard for me to even listen to the Japanese because of how weird and different it is, never mind an entire new English dub. What's up with this show and re-dubbing stuff? Even these "director's cut" versions of episodes are new recordings compared to what originally aired and have new scripts, at least for the English. Anyways, that was my first time seeing that "fun" sequence...I found the English much more brutal, but I would, wouldn't I?

Edited October 12, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

6 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Not sure, I can't watch the Netflix version because they redubbed it with an entire new cast. It's hard for me to even listen to the Japanese because of how weird and different it is, never mind an entire new English dub. What's up with this show and re-dubbing stuff? Even these "director's cut" versions of episodes are new recordings compared to what originally aired and have new scripts, at least for the English. Anyways, that was my first time seeing that "fun" sequence...I found the English much more brutal, but I would, wouldn't I?

I just looked it up, and yeah, it has the director's cut. But yeah, I know what you mean. The English dub of Rebuild was impossible to endure for me after getting used to the original.

Heh. One of our members of parilament just said: "Congo isn't in Africa, it's in here!"

Yeah, nothing like open racism from our far right.

[Bartimaeus]

...The thought of which naturally made me go investigate to compare for this particular scene. Nope, that just won't do - I'd rather listen to the Japanese before that. This reminds me that I should investigate whether anyone ever created a hybrid of Death, because there was a DVD release of Death in the original English dub from way back when, but the BD was only released with the new English dub, and while Death is pretty dull, it is still semi-a part of the original show.

2 minutes ago, majestic said:

Heh. One of our members of parilament just said: "Congo isn't in Africa, it's in here!"

Yeah, nothing like open racism from our far right.

Before Trump, even a far-right U.S. politician saying something like that publicly would be shocking. Maybe not quite so much anymore... Then again, we have a two party system that kind of requires everyone in the party to kowtow to the party line, which means politicians aren't usually elected on the basis of their virulent racism, which is not the case for a multi-party system with more radical parties.

[majestic]

17 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

...The thought of which naturally made me go investigate to compare for this particular scene. Nope, that just won't do - I'd rather listen to the Japanese before that. This reminds me that I should investigate whether anyone ever created a hybrid of Death, because there was a DVD release of Death in the original English dub from way back when, but the BD was only released with the new English dub, and while Death is pretty dull, it is still semi-a part of the original show.

Well, that is a cup that passed by me, lucky me that went with the Japanese original. I don't know if the German dub as as many versions as the English one.

32 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Before Trump, even a far-right U.S. politician saying something like that publicly would be shocking. Maybe not quite so much anymore... Then again, we have a two party system that kind of requires everyone in the party to kowtow to the party line, which means politicians aren't usually elected on the basis of their virulent racism, which is not the case for a multi-party system with more radical parties.

Par for the course for our Freedom Party. They also really like making racist slogans, like Heimatliebe statt Marokkanerdiebe (lit. "Patriotism instead of Moroccan thieves!") - the German one rhymes, of course. They had a party leader who openly thought the employment policy under Hitler was great, and a whole bunch of other nasty stuff that really is no wonder once you look at their history. They were founded by the leftovers of the Austrian NSDAP after the end of World War 2, tolerated (more like backed) by the US in order to draw votes away from the communist party and had more than a couple of former SS officers in their ranks.  

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Steins;Gate 0 13 and 14. Brainwashing and stuff lmao. Mayushii also tuturus via text.

58 minutes ago, majestic said:

Heh. One of our members of parilament just said: "Congo isn't in Africa, it's in here!"

Yeah, nothing like open racism from our far right.

 

53 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Before Trump, even a far-right U.S. politician saying something like that publicly would be shocking. Maybe not quite so much anymore... Then again, we have a two party system that kind of requires everyone in the party to kowtow to the party line, which means politicians aren't usually elected on the basis of their virulent racism, which is not the case for a multi-party system with more radical parties.

I think globally, the mask coming off so to speak is increasingly a component of right-wing politics. In actual policy I don't think it's going to immediately get too much different (for example Trump was really just a more vulgar edition of Bush Era ghouls, so much that the guy who stole the 2000 election also tried to steal 2020) but it's going to gear up for some not so creeping authoritarianism being normalized and pushed through. Basically the dream of rich guys who think killing kiddos is a-ok and can't use question marks.

[majestic]

Blood-C turns out to have a couple of (for me ) recognizable voice actors.

The cafe guy is Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon Crystal. Saya is Rue from Princess Tutu. Saya's father is AC/DC Esidisi from JoJo's (among other things), the twin girls from Saya's class are Chibiusa/Black Lady from Sailor Moon Crystal.

In terms of the episode I can't say much more than @Bartimaeus already did. Curiously weird introduction sequence with pretty terrible ENGRISH in the song. Not sure the teacher should show up dressed like that in front of teenagers, but hey, I guess some concessions are in order here and there. Aside from the opening scene that looked a bit uncanny, the art isn't half bad. I mean, for something that is from 2011, this looks nice. Even if the character models are a little giraffe-ish.

It's also already noticably CLAMPy in certain things.

All in all it's off to a good start. It might turn sour a ways down, but so far so good.

Edited October 12, 2021 by majestic

[InsaneCommander]

Today was a holiday here, so I decided to binge watch LoGH. It was well worth it.

The story built up and by episodes 71 and 72 there was one of the best battles so far. If not the best.

Just because they keep talking about the two great military genious, it is easy to forget what others, more experienced strategists can do. And numerical disadvantage be damned.

[Bartimaeus]

6 hours ago, majestic said:

Blood-C turns out to have a couple of (for me ) recognizable voice actors.

The cafe guy is Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon Crystal. Saya is Rue from Princess Tutu. Saya's father is AC/DC Esidisi from JoJo's (among other things), the twin girls from Saya's class are Chibiusa/Black Lady from Sailor Moon Crystal.

In terms of the episode I can't say much more than @Bartimaeus already did. Curiously weird introduction sequence with pretty terrible ENGRISH in the song. Not sure the teacher should show up dressed like that in front of teenagers, but hey, I guess some concessions are in order here and there. Aside from the opening scene that looked a bit uncanny, the art isn't half bad. I mean, for something that is from 2011, this looks nice. Even if the character models are a little giraffe-ish.

It's also already noticably CLAMPy in certain things.

All in all it's off to a good start. It might turn sour a ways down, but so far so good.

Yeah, considering how wretched the trailer looked, it was surprisingly fine. Well, I'll disagree with you on the art style which I think is bordering on hideous, of course, but whatever, .

[majestic]

3 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Yeah, considering how wretched the trailer looked, it was surprisingly fine. Well, I'll disagree with you on the art style which I think is bordering on hideous, of course, but whatever, .

Feels like a forced perspective change, you know. I mean... it could look like:

Yeah Honoka, your face is really similar to mine when I look at this. 

Or...

Hello, I'm Tomoyo, and I once was a real character in a much better looking show. Nice to meet you.

Or...

Chii, why do I look like a melon?

Or... (and I apologize for that one profusely):

I'm sure the Amikoto shippers loved this scene. 

Compare...

Really. Blood-C looks fine. This is fine. Really. It's fine. At least the backgrounds are kind of nice!

 

[Bartimaeus]

I looked at all of those, and I was like, "Yeah, thing is, I actually like Sakura: Clear Card more still..." Then I actually looked back up and was like "wait, actually, no I freaking don't, they look like horrific aliens". All of these look pretty bad to me, but if I had to pick one that looks the most terriblest, it is Love Live...followed by probably Crystal (especially if you're looking at season 1 Crystal which I don't think is the particular screenshot you included), then Clear Card, then...I guess Last Tour, then Blood-C. So I guess you're right.

[majestic]

17 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

So I guess you're right.

You know, without having watched the others, yeah, I would readily agree that Blood-C is borderline bad, but in this day and age "It could be worse!" is sadly a mark of quality on its own. How depressing. I think I need to watch something that looks good soon.  

edit: Out of the examples that aren't Blood-C, Girls' Last Tour is the only one I really enjoyed, and that is very much in spite of its looks. 

Edited October 13, 2021 by majestic

[Bartimaeus]

The one thing I appreciate about Last Tour is the fact that it's clearly a more toon-esque style, which naturally makes it less offensive to me than bad attempts at non-toon styles...even if I still don't like it.

PSA: Circular avatars are still dumb.

vs.

Kind of makes it look like she's not wearing any clothes because it cuts out her shoulder - thanks, I hate it.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

I want to officially log a protest against your avatar change. Not that I don't appreciate Miyu, but avatar changes are bad for my mind. It'll be a few days until it's no longer weird, circular or not.  

Edited October 13, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

15 minutes ago, majestic said:

I want to officially log a protest against your avatar change. Not that I don't appreciate Miyu, but avatar changes are bad for my mind. It'll be a few days until it's no longer weird, circular or not.  

In this world, is the destiny of mankind controlled by some transcendental entity or law? Is it like the hand of God hovering above? At least, it is true that man has no control, even over his own will.