Forum - View topicShelf Life - Highlights and Skylights
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Nagisa
Moderator
 Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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Minor point: the SEED main character's surname is Yamato, not Yamamoto.
Great column (as usual, I mean). I was surprised to see Komugi end up in the Perishable section, though. |
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king_micah
 Posts: 994 Location: OSU |
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For a dissenting opinion on Shelf Life, I must say that I find Saikano to be melodramatic, overrated and guilty of Lolicon. I know Bamboo adores it, but many don't. I watched Saikano in Club with about 20 people. All of whom were unimpressed. Ultimately we felt the character designs to be too perverted to work. Bamboo and several members of the board disagree. I do feel if some one is wanting to buy Saikano they should know many people do no adore it.
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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I'm sure people are aware that the words I write are just the humble opinions of one person. It's impossible to have a show that *everyone* adores, so I think it's fairly safe to assume that many people will rely on their own judgements when it comes to purchasing anime. ;p Though I've never been able to see the character designs as perverted at all. So that may have something to do with it. |
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jmays
ANN Past Staff
 Posts: 1390 Location: St. Louis, MO |
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I'd strongly recommend against watching a show like Saikano with a big crowd--one idiot making a stupid comment can ruin the whole mood. You know how it is at movie theaters. As for character designs, hell, they're all drawings. It's just a matter of whether you buy into that world. If you do, you're in for quite a brutal ride.
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one3rd
 Posts: 1818 Location: アメリカ |
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The main characters are supposed to be the same age, but somehow Shuji looks too old and Chise looks way too young. I can see how one might feel that something isn't quite right with that.
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lianncoop
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 1705 Location: Indiana |
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I think it's just the hair. If they made his hair brown...I think it would be less of a *bump* to get over.
I think the complete opposite in character designs just emphasizes the fragility and smallness of Chise and makes it all the more dramatic that she is what she is. |
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Godaistudios
Posts: 2075 Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment) |
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That may be the first time I've seen anybody suggest that the character designs were purposely contrasted for Saikano in order to emphasize those points.
Kinda makes sense, really... |
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Kazuki-san
 Posts: 2251 Location: Houston, TX |
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Why couldn't you come to your senses about Miami Guns before I went out and got Vols 2 and 3?
 . In all seriousness though, MGs has made me chuckle one time.. I think.. and it was barely a chuckle even.
Your column was excellent, as always. I usually already own everything that's shelf worthy, and I also mostly consider them all shelf worthy as well. Which either means you have good taste, or we both have horrible taste.  Although I'm sure it's the former and not the latter.
Keep up the good work Bamboo. Can't wait till next week! |
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lianncoop
Past ANN Contributor
Posts: 1705 Location: Indiana |
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It's because I'm insightfully awesome like that...hahaaha...j/k. I dunno...it's just what came across to me. Probably just coincidence. |
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king_micah
Posts: 994 Location: OSU |
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The contrast and fragility make it worse in my mind. Often fragility is an element in anime and hentai that exploit young women. It's part of power and dominance games that are rather sick. That's why I dislike it when people go on and on about Saikano's designs not being lolicon but being 'perfect'.
But I know there are some dramatically different viewpoints. If you want to judge for yourself, look at the avatars of Miagi and Bamboo. |
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jmays
ANN Past Staff
Posts: 1390 Location: St. Louis, MO |
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No way. Sure, hentai likes to use small, cute, vulnerable girls, but the tiny girl with awesome powers is just as common--much more so if you discount hentai. If you know of somewhere in the show that supports your power/dominance ideas, please mention it. |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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But that's the thing. Chise is a weak and fragile girl. Her only wish is in life is to become stronger. And so it's completely ironic that this frail little girl is the Ultimate Weapon. The entire series is about two things: Staying in love in a time of war and chaos, and learning what it means to be human. Chise is a gentle girl that's both innocent and fragile. Yet she's being used as the Ultimate Weapon-- something that contrasts so greatly with her physical frame that it's almost beautiful. That someone so small and innocent could cause so much destruction. As her boyfriend, Shuuji would like nothing more than to protect her, but he can't. And that's what both scares and frustrates him. He's so much bigger and more mature-looking than her, but even so, he *can't* protect her. Instead, this frail little girl is protecting him, and the only thing he can do is reassure her time and time again that no matter how strong and inhuman she becomes, she's still a fragile, innocent girl deserving to be proteted from the cruel world and wretched position that she's been thrown into. |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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Also, sure, you can see the strong man + little girl thing as a mark of hentai and domination-- but why not see it for the simpler, purer version? That the stronger man is supposed to protect the weak girl, only in this case, he can't. You see him frustrated time and time again, angry at himself for not being able to protect his girlfriend from the atrocities that she's faced. Because regardless of her small frame, she's an angel of death that can bring destruction to entire cities. It's the biggest contrast and example of role reversal they could possibly have. Often in anime, you see that sometimes the smallest, most innocent packages are the deadliest.
Sure, big guys can tie up little girls and rape them. OR they could protect them. |
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Haiseikoh 1973
 Posts: 1590 Location: Waiting for the Japanese 1000 Gunieas. |
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My god, you put Ikki Tousen in Perishble Items without mentioning the stupidest one-liner from it?
"Boobie-Bombs!!" |
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areaseven
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 1486 Location: Makati, Philippines |
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Wow. I was looking forward to renting Miami Guns when I logged in and read this issue of Shelf Life. What a waste of a potentially good show.
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