Anime - Kono Dio Da!

[majestic]

7 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Yeah, I would've preferred that Arwyn got cut out entirely rather than let her have Glorfindel's part. Not that I particularly like Glorfindel or anything, but Arwyn is the worst character in the entire movie series.

Lindsay Ellis isn't entirely wrong when she says Glorfindel isn't necessarily a good character to include in a film already laden with too many, because he really doesn't do anything after that, but replacing him with Arwyn to force her appearance in Fellowship was a little, well, forced. I don't know, perhaps it would have been less distracting if someone else had played her. I've never once believed that she's an elf.

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

Whisper of the Heart is depressing in an unexpected way - at least it was for me.

Yes. Very much so. I'm not sure it was meant to be depressing, but that's how it was.

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

It's a film driven by the protagonist's desperation to find out who she is in the world, and what exactly she should be doing to give her life meaning while the rest of her peers still have that child's mindset of simply living in the moment and just skirting by...and the film does it in such a perfect way that it makes you really feel like you are literally her - but as an adult version that still hasn't figured it out, and probably never will. What a sickening feeling it is when she's able to work her butt off and find some - not all of, but some - of her own personal meaning and some concrete goals to go fulfill, while you the viewer are still listlessly wandering around in the metaphorical dark sometimes questioning why you're even alive to begin with.

...At least, that was my experience with Whisper of the Heart.

Speaks to the strength of the movie that my experience was similar, but stemming from a different root.  

For me that was mostly seeing her work up that drive and determination at an age where she really should just be a child. I realize that this is highly colored by personal experiences and very much a projection, but back when I posted about it after watching, I said that I wanted to yell at the screen, tell her to take more time. Just because Seiji is in the process of runining his childhood (or already has) doesn't mean she needs to follow suit.

The metaphorical dark to wander in, well, I had that at the age of 20. It was over by 22, but it sure wasn't the best of times. On the other hand, which times were the best? Sometime between 0 and 6, I'm sure. Probably because I don't remember much of that time.

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

But unlike you, I've seen it twice, and I loved it even more than the first time I watched it, .

That might be, but I really don't want to experience that feeling again*, and I doubt knowing what will happen will change the outcome. I'm much more likely to rewatch Perfect Blue to see and pick up on clues I might have missed the first time around. Although... after listening to Tomoyo some more since then, I think that's going to be even weirder.

Well, Mima is a good deal less squeaky unless she gets excited, but still...

Speaking of knowing what to do with your live, it's also a part of K-On!, when Yui and Ritsu really have no idea what they want to do after high school, while the others have figured it out already. Also had one of the best jokes in the series, with that scene when Yui comes too late to the office. The comedic timing in it is also really good at times. I mentioned it in my complain post about Komi Can't Communicate that there's a majorly delayed joke about Azusa's cat ears, I think that's even in the very last episode, one of the bonus OVAs...

Spoiler

The girls are filming a recruitment video for the K-On Club, and Yui wants Azusa to wear the cat ears and go NYAAAAAAAAAAAN and she really, really doesn't want to do it, then they film for a while and at the very end they ask her what she wants to say. She looks at the camera for the just the perfect amount of time and then just goes nyan in a resigned way.

 

*Very hard to explain. Feels like all the walls closing in, except it's not having a problem with the current situation, but the expectation that this will never again change. There's just no way back, and at any such given times, that's all I want to do. Go back. Yeah, I'll just go lie down before I think so more and don't need to rewatch it to throw me back into a nostalgic mood leading to nothing but melancholy and restless sleep, and potentially one of the school nightmares I still get occasionally.

Edited October 24, 2021 by majestic

[Bartimaeus]

32 minutes ago, majestic said:

I don't know, perhaps it would have been less distracting if someone else had played her. I've never once believed that she's an elf.

It would've also been less distracting if her character wasn't 100% "I am the big emo" after they actually got to Rivendell. Constantly lounging around looking depressed and talking with that dumb breathy voice of hers is not my idea of a good time.

35 minutes ago, majestic said:

For me that was mostly seeing her work up that drive and determination at an age where she really should just be a child. I realize that this is highly colored by personal experiences and very much a projection, but back when I posted about it after watching, I said that I wanted to yell at the screen, tell her to take more time. Just because Seiji is in the process of runining his childhood (or already has) doesn't mean she needs to follow suit.

That's what really makes it worse, when you see a literal child struggling going through this while you, as an adult, still haven't figured it out...

38 minutes ago, majestic said:

That might be, but I really don't want to experience that feeling again*

If you make me care about someone or something, and then you also successfully (<- key word here) stab me in the heart with them, then you have undoubtedly created lasting scars on me that I'm not soon to forget. It's precisely why I stuck with NGE even though I had a number of issues with it in on my first run through it - their personal struggles, pains, and tragedies were (are!) everything in that show. Maybe having spent a few too many years suffering from somewhere between mild and severe depression that that kind of emotional turmoil and consequent catharsis is the most wonderful feeling in the world...

[majestic]

12 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

That's what really makes it worse, when you see a literal child struggling going through this while you, as an adult, still haven't figured it out...

It's interesting because for me that was a reversed process. I always* knew what I wanted to do with my life, until I stood there and realized that it's simply not going to work out, having to struggle against my nature to achieve what I thought was my goal in life. That might sound like far fetched silly philosophy, but in losing that fight, I ultimately won, atlhough I realize that I got really lucky that coasting on the river of life without the will to steer against the stream ended up carrying me to a pretty good place.

Eh, but I posted enough about that already, suffice it to say that figuring "it" out is all nice, but no guarantee for anything. 

12 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

If you make me care about someone or something, and then you also successfully (<- key word here) stab me in the heart with them, then you have undoubtedly created lasting scars on me that I'm not soon to forget. It's precisely why I stuck with NGE even though I had a number of issues with it in on my first run through it - their personal struggles, pains, and tragedies were (are!) everything in that show. Maybe having spent a few too many years suffering from somewhere between mild and severe depression that that kind of emotional turmoil and consequent catharsis is the most wonderful feeling in the world...

That makes sense, when you look at NGE in its function of being representative of Anno's struggle against depression. It also very neatly explains why Rebuild falls flat, because that shifted everything to his struggle with the inane NGE fandom, which is decidedly less interesting, and has a much less relatable personal stake. I mean seriously, how many people on the planet really have to engange with that toxic a fanbase on a regular basis? Certainly not me**. Plus Mari and the seizure inducing action that the team likes to sell as the creative vision behind NGE rounds that out. Sure guys, you do that.

I agree on the feeling of catharsis, for me that's... Violet and her struggles. It just worked.

*It changed, once. When I was really young I thought I'd go into electical engineering.

**I also don't really know what depression is, but I still related to the struggles of the characters. I thought I did, once, but that turned out to be a stupor induced by too high blood sugar levels. In spite of having gotten better in time, my basic emotional level is more or less still nothing for the most part, and the way I understand it that's not the case for depression - I'm not under any strain or stress in that state. The closest approximation is a state of grand, cosmic ennui, except without the feelings that accompany ennui. Which means it's not really an approximation. Does that make sense?

Whisper of the Heart caused the longest change in that state in recent memory, while watching Violet go through something similar was very impactful. More so than Rei in NGE was, to be honest.

Edited October 24, 2021 by majestic

[majestic]

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.
 

Spoiler

Fate attempts to seal the last six remaining Jewel Seeds on her own, a task that proves to much for her. Captain Mercury orders everyone to wait until Fate fails and the problem solves itself. A sensible approach, but Nanoha defies orders and runs off to save her. Presea meanwhile, who is watching from afar, is highly displeased and launches a major magical Palpatine attack (well, it's purple, not blue) against both Captain Mercury's space ship and Nanoha and Fate, during which three Jewel Seeds each go to the two parties vying for their control.

Fate leaves for home while Nanoha gets a dressing down, but since the results were much better han anticipated Sailor Lindy is willing to let it rest. Ominously she warns Nanoha that this won't happen again. 

Meanwhile, back home, Palpatine is really, really unhappy, and once again chains up Fate to whip her, asking her if she's really so hell bent on causing her grief with her constant failures.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Samurai Champloo episode 7

It continues to be great. I don't know why I didn't watch this sooner, so far I've liked every Watanabe anime I've seen. The recommendation for Carole & Tuesday still stands.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood 2+3. A Letter from the Past and Youth with Dio.

I think Phantom Blood is both the most normal and the worst part of JoJo, probably because JoJo is consistently more boring than Dio. But it is still good and very weird. This is the jump off point for where JoJo starts going really off the rails, and soon (spoiled because @InsaneCommander hasn't seen it yet)

Zombie Jack the Ripper will pop out of a horse and get blown up with Hamon

[Sarex]

27 minutes ago, KP the meanie zucchini said:

Carole & Tuesday

I didn't catch that recommendation, I'll give it a go.

[Bartimaeus]

1 hour ago, majestic said:

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.
 

  Reveal hidden contents

Fate attempts to seal the last six remaining Jewel Seeds on her own, a task that proves to much for her. Captain Mercury orders everyone to wait until Fate fails and the problem solves itself. A sensible approach, but Nanoha defies orders and runs off to save her. Presea meanwhile, who is watching from afar, is highly displeased and launches a major magical Palpatine attack (well, it's purple, not blue) against both Captain Mercury's space ship and Nanoha and Fate, during which three Jewel Seeds each go to the two parties vying for their control.

Fate leaves for home while Nanoha gets a dressing down, but since the results were much better han anticipated Sailor Lindy is willing to let it rest. Ominously she warns Nanoha that this won't happen again. 

Meanwhile, back home, Palpatine is really, really unhappy, and once again chains up Fate to whip her, asking her if she's really so hell bent on causing her grief with her constant failures.

 

 

How much are you looking forward to all of the sequel TV series and movies?

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

1 hour ago, Sarex said:

I didn't catch that recommendation, I'll give it a go.

It's really good. All things considered it falls on the sweet side and has very little violence.

[Sarex]

Finished Porco Rosso. I was really under the impression that Totoro and Porco Rosso where more kid oriented movies, but there really is something for everybody in them (although Totoro would be more child friendly (nowadays at least)).

51 minutes ago, KP the meanie zucchini said:

It's really good. All things considered it falls on the sweet side and has very little violence.

That got me even more interested tbh.

[majestic]

2 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

How much are you looking forward to all of the sequel TV series and movies?

Surprisingly, much more than to the sequels to Love Live!, the Magic User's Club TV anime, and more than finishing Lady Asuka or that Korararagemimamimi-Thing with the travelling cat ears that I randomly started watching on Amazon Prime Video. I'm not going to mention watching and - for the most part - even liking this to anyone that I know in real life, and that is really only because of episode five so far.

When it's not showing lolicon content, it's quite nice. Not great, because it's a disjointed, schizophrenic mess that tries to waffle in tone between darker than Galaxia level Sailor Moon villainy and the bubbly sweetness of Cardcaptor Sakura, but I have watched much less interesting things with worse characters recently. Really, that lolicon moment is all that's standing in the way of a mild recommendation for a somewhat messy and in terms of genre conventions and premise wholly derivative magical girl series.

Spoiler

I'm saying Galaxia here because the last episode had a hint that Presea Testerossa might have found something bad in the dimensional space she was researching, and Fate keeps insisting that her mother used to be a sweet, wonderful woman before she became Palpatine, so I'm guessing she brought something with her from her little research project that caused a couple of planets to explode.

If that turns out to be true it also did the Sailor Moon villain thing. Which would be hilarious.

Right, there's one thing I forgot to mention, Fate's and Nanoha's magical techno devices narrate what they're doing in the best Command & Conquer computer voices. Nanoha gets EVA and Fate CABAL, and I have to laugh like an idiot every time she activates it, because it keeps saying RAISING HEART, SET UP. Fate's thingy is called Bardiche, and not very surprisingly looks like one.

Now... if they just had not set me up that nude content bomb in the changing room. Really. SHOOTING MODE. Targetting Episode 5 changing room scene. DIVINE BUSTER!

I haven't really mentioned the soundtrack yet, which sounds a bit like generic JRPG #3241.

All that said, the one thing I'm really not looking forward to is how the newer series look. The original from 2004 is already not as well animated as it could be and looks slightly more modern than it could, but it's not entirely awful. Scenes from the other series do look a lot worse though. Eh...

Edited October 24, 2021 by majestic
Second time I wrote Carcaptor instead of Cardcaptor. The hell...

[Bartimaeus]

Galaxy Express 999. The basic premise is that it's set a couple of centuries in the future in an utterly dystopian world ruled by those that have transferred themselves into robot bodies so they can live forever, and the humans who are actually still human are basically the poors. The Galaxy Express 999 is the space train that is said to take its passengers to the promised land, essentially, where they can become robots. The story opens up with a boy and his mother going out in a snowstorm to see the space train depart, for it only visits Earth once a year, but they are caught on the way by android human-hunters that murder his mother for sport. Another very sketchy woman rescues the boy and tells him that she can get him onto the 999...but only if he lets her go with him. Them departing on the 999 is how the episode ends, with promises of wacky adventures on the way to their...but not before the boy grabs a gun and takes a minute to avenge his mother in a hail of gunfire.

The first episode was alright, but I'm not entirely sold on this. If I had to guess, this will probably be a little too much...boy action adventure stuff for me, at least until the show finally gets to the intended destination.

4 hours ago, majestic said:

All that said, the one thing I'm really not looking forward to is how the newer series look. The original from 2004 is already not as well animated as it could be and looks slightly more modern than it could, but it's not entirely awful. Scenes from the other series do look a lot worse though. Eh...

The 2005 one looks similar-ish, but the 2007 already looks quite bad, and then it gets so much worse from there.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

Nanoha and Fate have a nice JRPG like duel until Nanoha decides she's had enough and just flat out tells EVA to turn into the Ion Cannon an obliterate her.

Well, Fate got really lucky that the Nanoha Ion Cannon has a stun setting, because somehow she survives that blast.

Well... Fate is also often the victim of her attire, having only that bikini unitard to wear makes it sort of easy to add in some quick fanservice here and there, although that's mostly harmless.

The twist hinted at by the last episode I watched might possibly be something else, by the way. I'm not sure yet, but apparently...

Spoiler

Presea's daughter perhaps perished in the accident, and whatever Fate is... isn't her daughter, or else they're both posessed by some cosmic space horror. Fate has memories of her mother calling her Alicia, and last episode Presea said Alicia is running out of time. I originally thought Alicia would be the controlling cosmic space horror thing behind it all, but maybe not.

  

16 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

The 2005 one looks similar-ish, but the 2007 already looks quite bad, and then it gets so much worse from there.

Here's to hoping that they kept the seizure inducing battle scenes to a minimum. I'd rather take those if it means there are no more super creepy nude scenes, but ideally, no to both!

Edited October 24, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

One more episode of Samurai Champloo.

4 hours ago, Sarex said:

That got me even more interested tbh.

I knew nothing about it going in and was pleasantly surprised. You may not like all the music though.

[Gorth]

Following an old tradition, renewing threads....

Continued here (the last few hours of posts moved there)

Thread close