Anime and Manga - How do you Live? Edition

[majestic]

On 12/8/2023 at 10:17 PM, PK htiw klaw eriF said:

ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ

I actually started watching Diamond is Unbreakable a couple of days before you mentioned it, Netflix recently added it to the library (before there was only Phantom Blood, Battle Tendency, Stardust Crusaders and Stone Ocean). Don't know exactly what it is with JoJo's, but every time I am watching an episode I am having a blast with it, and wonder why I don't go through it at a faster pace, and then I just don't... dunno, I only watch like an episode or two a week, for some reason.

The episode with THE LOCK was the first one in a while that I really did not like. The last time that happened was in Phantom Blood which had a bit of a rough start in my opinion. Eh, well, can't keep it up all the time, huh?

[Lexx]

Too much JoJo at once can get exhausting. It took me a long time to finish Stardust Crusaders as well.

[Gorth]

While waiting impatiently for Frieren episode 15 to arrive, passing time with watching Heavenly Delusion. A series I started watching a while ago, but work, life, other stuff got int he way, so it got put aside for a while. Now up to episode 4. Liking it so far... a dystopian mystery / adventure story, following (so far) a couple of parallel stories in a world where civilization collapsed a decade ago, following some on the outside and some on the inside of a high tech enclave, seemingly secluded from the outside world.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

2 hours ago, majestic said:

I actually started watching Diamond is Unbreakable a couple of days before you mentioned it, Netflix recently added it to the library (before there was only Phantom Blood, Battle Tendency, Stardust Crusaders and Stone Ocean). Don't know exactly what it is with JoJo's, but every time I am watching an episode I am having a blast with it, and wonder why I don't go through it at a faster pace, and then I just don't... dunno, I only watch like an episode or two a week, for some reason.

Well on the bright side, by the time you finish Stone Ocean the next part will be out and we can all watch JoJo doing a western in an alternate universe.

2 hours ago, majestic said:

The episode with THE LOCK was the first one in a while that I really did not like. The last time that happened was in Phantom Blood which had a bit of a rough start in my opinion. Eh, well, can't keep it up all the time, huh?

It's probably because the antagonist is close to an anime version of Bruno. I don't recall being negative to the episode but it's been a while and it's definitely not as good as the previous episode or succeeding one.

Anyways they're off the boat in Spy x Family. Anya doing many more faces.

[Gorth]

Finished Heavenly Delusion episode 6...

I'll have to watch the whole thing a second time, because only now does a few things from the first couple of episodes start to make sense. A guy from inside the sheltered high tech sanctuary that somehow managed to get "outside" teamed up with another "guy" who came was originally from the outside. I say "guy", because he got attacked and almost completely eaten by a "man eater" monster, leaving only his head and upper chest, everything else got devoured. Last thing we saw was his sister racing to his rescue before fading to black. When he wakes up again, his consciousness is trapped inside his sisters body. He reasons and unknown figure simply called "The Professor" is to blame for his involuntary body swap (which doesn't stop him from getting the hots for himself admiring his female body in the bathroom mirror). He now works as a body guard for those who pay him. In this case, the guy from the sanctuary that managed to get outside. They now both look for a place simply called "heaven" while trying to survive a post apocalyptic society, where might is right (and his gun, which is almost out of ammo now helps giving him the edge in a fight). Also revealed, the newly born inside the sanctuary has no resemblance to human babies, but looks like the offspring of those man eater monsters that now roam the world, eating any and all humans they can corner. Might have something to do with his decision to run away? The story hasn't told so far, leaving some large gaps between the past and the present....

 

Now where is my next episode of Frieren?

[Sarex]

3 hours ago, Gorth said:

Now where is my next episode of Frieren?

Should be out today.

[Gorth]

1 minute ago, Sarex said:

Should be out today.

Yay

[Sarex]

Frieren ep.15. This anime is so good if for nothing else but for reminding me of all the small stories that were like little gems in the manga.

[Gorth]

4 hours ago, Sarex said:

Frieren ep.15. This anime is so good if for nothing else but for reminding me of all the small stories that were like little gems in the manga.

Just finished watching episode 15... Since the party is now broke, "Lord Stark" and Fern getting schooled in noble etiquette in order to do a job

...and Sein getting to show off a bit, as being the right choice for the party in the beginning of the episode.

No idea how many episodes are left, crossing fingers and hoping it's more than 16!!!

 

edit: the ending... Frieren trying to decide which grimoire to pick as her reward

[Sarex]

It's 28 episodes in total, but the manga is still ongoing, so there will be season 2.

[InsaneCommander]

 

[Sarex]

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I'm in. Looks glorious. 

[Gorth]

Nothing new I guess... one of the worlds leading platforms of intolerance, misogyny and racism has decided to "cancel Frieren"

(yes, twitter, x whatever stupid name that particular platform wants on its gravestone)

Just because she's very racist, labeling demons as beasts mimicking human speech and thinks they should be eradicated on sight. Elon Musk probably feels bad for the poor, persecuted demons

 

A few things I learned about the main character... she's NOT a morning person

 

 

...and she's teaching her apprentice the same low tolerance attitude towards demons

Sigh... and now waiting for it to become Friday night so the next episode can get released 

[Gorth]

Frieren episode 16...

The party meets an old dwarf, that if probably a century past his best by date (400 years old, dwarves life expectancy appears to be around 300 years). He's spent the last few century defending a little village. The reason? His human wife loved the village. She died centuries ago though and now he can't even remember her face or her voice.

Sein, the priest of the group, is still searching for his childhood friend and they meet "a stubborn old woman" that claims to know where he went. Asking the rhetorical question, why would the villager call her a stubborn old woman, the answer comes in the next scene when she introduces herself as a stubborn old woman We get a bit of backstory, explaining the backgrounds of Sein and his friend. The party does all kinds of chores for the old woman and gets rewarded with the name of a city, where she last knew Seins friend was headed.

Only complaint about this episode?... too short. Could have watched this for 2 hours

Also, this seems to be the end of an arc, next arc, episode 17 picking up next year.

Edit: In the last few episodes it's sort of becoming obvious, that Frieren is subtly (and not so subtly) pushing the two youngsters, Stark and Fern towards each other. Like some ancient master schemer. Sein, the other "adult" in the group thinks it's definitely the way to go for them 

 

In episode 15, the group gets hired for an unusual task. Stark looks like the twin to a now deceased noblemans son and they get hired to pass him off as said son for a while, to boost the country's morale. The son being somewhat of a military hero until he got himself killed in battle. The engagement is for one soiree, after which the nobleman would like a longer term contract. Of course, a noblemans son can't just attend a public event alone, so Fern gets rounded up and forced to learn manners too... welcome to romance "Frieren style"

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Spy X Family s2 finale - Anya faces get a backseat to Bond faces, with Twilight laughing at the skinny wet dog. I guess I don't have a problem with the dog episodes but was kinda disappointing to see Anya and the School stuff to finish off. At least they're off the boat.

Paprika (2006). Wow, what an experience. It's sad that Kon died so young, the man easily had several more projects like this in him and the world is less without them. Anyways the film itself is stunning with the parade sequences alone having more artistic merit than whole series, it's one of the better portrayals of dreams in cinema which makes a very strange overlap with Dust Devil (1992) that I just watched (no watch @Bartimaeus, you will hate it). Hands down reccomend, no caveats.

[Sarex]

8 hours ago, PK htiw klaw eriF said:

Paprika (2006).

I've been circling around that one for a while now.

[Bartimaeus]

15 hours ago, PK htiw klaw eriF said:

Paprika (2006). Wow, what an experience. It's sad that Kon died so young, the man easily had several more projects like this in him and the world is less without them. Anyways the film itself is stunning with the parade sequences alone having more artistic merit than whole series, it's one of the better portrayals of dreams in cinema which makes a very strange overlap with Dust Devil (1992) that I just watched (no watch @Bartimaeus, you will hate it). Hands down reccomend, no caveats.

Though I've warmed up a little to it over time, Paprika has such a

Spoiler

big dumb "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD"-type plot

that feels so weak and distracting compared to how uncomfortably personal the rest of Kon's films get: always going to make Paprika a bit of a tougher watch for me in comparison. Maybe if I re-watch it every five years for the rest of my life, I'll eventually be able to force myself to love it.

Edited December 24, 2023 by Bartimaeus

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I started watching Psycho-Pass.

I like it, it's a mystery set in a cyberpunk dystopia with socioeconomic philosophical commentary coming out every episode. So far it's solid seinen, the kind of stuff a lot of western live action shows would love to be able to pull off but can't because they get cancelled after 1 season.

[Gorth]

While waiting impatiently for Frieren to pick up again in 2024, I finished Heavenly Delusion. Very interesting show and the story took a turn from dark to pitch black. Waaay too complex to describe in a single post, so if you like bleak horror and doomed post apocalyptic societies where people experiment on people and have to survive by fighting off those failed experiments, children have children, betrayal, suffering, secluded societies, murder etc... I guess it's just something that appeals to Nordic people

A very interesting story so far, but the jury is of course out because the season didn't end per se. If it has a great second season it may be one of my favourite stories so far, if it doesn't continue, it's a meh experience (because none of the story threads gets wrapped up at all)

As for Frieren, I think I heard somewhere it will continue on 5th of January

 

[uuuhhii]

another mahjong anime

how is this genre still exist

would there be a new uno anime or is gintama all one could expect

 

[InsaneCommander]

On 12/30/2023 at 9:24 PM, Gorth said:

As for Frieren, I think I heard somewhere it will continue on 5th of January

It's great that there are more episodes of Frieren. I heard good things about Solo Leveling, so I'll check it out on Saturday, but besides that I'm not sure there is anything good this season. Unless you are interested in Fluffy Paradise or The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash.

[Sarex]

17 minutes ago, InsaneCommander said:

It's great that there are more episodes of Frieren. I heard good things about Solo Leveling, so I'll check it out on Saturday, but besides that I'm not sure there is anything good this season. Unless you are interested in Fluffy Paradise or The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash.

Solo Leveling is a Korean manga or manhwa. What carries it is the artwork and how well it translates to an anime idk.

The biggest issue with it is that

Spoiler

the MC is overpowered and doesn't really face any challenges. But that is usually the case with Chinese and Korean stories and to a significant degree even Japanese stories.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

1 hour ago, InsaneCommander said:

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash

Only if they also meet a catgirl from the strongest race.

[InsaneCommander]

2 hours ago, Sarex said:

What carries it is the artwork and how well it translates to an anime idk.

Then I guess that is what people were talking about.

Anyway, there is also Delicious in Dungeon.