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Spastic Minnow
Bargain Hunter
Exempt from Grammar Rules
Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 4629
Location: Gainesville, FL
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:35 pm
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One observation about your view of MGX. I'm pretty sure its well determined that there is definitely something to Urabe's spit "powers," its not just mental trickery (although I guess it could also be partially hormonal, as the only ones affected are those that feel a connection to her). The moment it became absolutely conclusive to me was when she tasted Tsubaki's spit and proved she read his mind with a specific detail of his wet dream (mentioning the hat). And episode 4's spontaneously sympathetic wounds prove it doubly so.
Lessee, personal rankings...
Yes, I am watching it all, it's an excellent season.
Top Tier
1 (-) Mysterious Girlfriend X
In the words of Frank Drebin... "I've got nine more."
2 (-) Lupin III - A Woman Called Fujiko Mine
3 (-) Kids on the Slope
4 (-) Sankarea
5 (-) Space Brothers
6 (-) Tsuritama
Second tier
7 (-) Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
8 (-) Sket Dance
9 (-) Accel World
10 (-) Folktales from Japan
11 (-) Huouka
12 (-) Acchi Kocchi
13 (-) Polar Bear Cafe
14 (-) Medaka Box
15 (-) Is This A Zombie? Of The Dead!
16 (-) Haiyore! Nyaruko-san
Third Tier
17 (-) Bodacious Space Pirates
18 (-) Natsu-iro Kiseki
19 (-) Saki: Achiga-hen episode of side-A
20 (-) Hunter x Hunter
Bottom tier, could easily drop
21 (-) Kuroko's Basketball
22 (-) Jormungand
23 (-) Kimi to Boku. 2
I was fine with all of the first season, a little boring- but occasionally heartfelt. This season is cross between Dramamine and wanting to punch Chizuru in the face.
24 (-) Sengoku Collection
Harmlessly cute until ep.4, which was just insultingly bad. Stick with the moe, guys.
* Eureka 7: Ao - on hold- wait for marathon mode.
Knight in the Area
The only reason I kept watching this last season was because the rest of the season wasn't all that hot either. Not the case anymore.
The other shows didn't get past an episode, if I could even stomach a full episode.
P.S.
congrats on getting through four episodes of Upotte!
Last edited by Spastic Minnow on Wed May 02, 2012 4:40 pm; edited 1 time in total
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tcdelaney
Joined: 05 Oct 2011
Posts: 169
Location: Mittagong, NSW, Australia
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:39 pm
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Fencedude5609 wrote: |
tcdelaney wrote: | but since then I've dropped Saki (I think it's tagline should be "it's no Chihayafuru") and Sengoku Collection. |
Saki isn't really trying to be what Chihayafuru was though. |
Sure, I get that. What I was trying to convey there is that whereas Chihayafuru was an interesting show about a game/sport that I don't know/care much about, with interesting characters (even if I felt a bit manipulated by the first few episodes), Saki: Episode of Side A tries to be so, but for me fails miserably.
In particular, I found the characters edged just a bit too far into their stereotypes: too earnest; too shy; too cold (literally) - it just didn't feel like the writers cared about them enough to give them real personalities.
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Fencedude5609
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:41 pm
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tcdelaney wrote: |
In particular, I found the characters edged just a bit too far into their stereotypes: too earnest; too shy; too cold (literally) - it just didn't feel like the writers cared about them enough to give them real personalities. |
Did you watch the first season?
Anyway, I'm not going to try and claim that Saki is anywhere near on the level of Chihayafuru, because it isn't, but its also not trying to be.
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RyanSaotome
Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:42 pm
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tcdelaney wrote: |
Fencedude5609 wrote: |
tcdelaney wrote: | but since then I've dropped Saki (I think it's tagline should be "it's no Chihayafuru") and Sengoku Collection. |
Saki isn't really trying to be what Chihayafuru was though. |
Sure, I get that. What I was trying to convey there is that whereas Chihayafuru was an interesting show about a game/sport that I don't know/care much about, with interesting characters (even if I felt a bit manipulated by the first few episodes), Saki: Episode of Side A tries to be so, but for me fails miserably.
In particular, I found the characters edged just a bit too far into their stereotypes: too earnest; too shy; too cold (literally) - it just didn't feel like the writers cared about them enough to give them real personalities. |
Saki isn't trying to be a show about a game. Its a show about cute girls who happen to play a game. Theres a difference... kinda like how K-On isn't a show about music as much as a show about cute girls who happen to play music.
You probably went into it with the wrong mindset.
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Fencedude5609
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:45 pm
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RyanSaotome wrote: |
Saki isn't trying to be a show about a game. Its a show about cute girls who happen to play a game. Theres a difference... kinda like how K-On isn't a show about music as much as a show about cute girls who happen to play music.
You probably went into it with the wrong mindset. |
Its a yuri anime with mahjong undertones.
Really, the girls could be playing ANYTHING, Mahjong is just what Kobayshi Ritz chose, probably off the top of her head.
She just wanted an excuse to draw cute girls being lesbians.
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dragon695
Joined: 28 Nov 2008
Posts: 1377
Location: Clemson, SC
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:46 pm
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Zac wrote: |
Mad_Scientist wrote: | I notice you didn't mention Bodacious Space pirates at all. Are you no longer following it, or maybe just putting it on hold since there's so much else airing right now? |
She forgot that one, as well as Saki Side A. They'll both appear in the next column.
I just want to point out that this column is 8000 words long. |
Kudos to BD for her Herculean effort! That's 32 pages of very thoughtful prose!
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tcdelaney
Joined: 05 Oct 2011
Posts: 169
Location: Mittagong, NSW, Australia
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:48 pm
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[quote="RyanSaotome"]
tcdelaney wrote: | Saki isn't trying to be a show about a game. Its a show about cute girls who happen to play a game. Theres a difference... kinda like how K-On isn't a show about music as much as a show about cute girls who happen to play music.
You probably went into it with the wrong mindset. |
I may have chosen my words carelessly - I would say that Chihayafuru isn't a show about a game, but a show about high-school kids who play a game. The game is the reason they are gathered together, and the mechanics and intricacies of the game permeate the show, but without the characters the show would be nothing.
I suspect I did go into Saki with the wrong mindset. I haven't watched the first season - part of this was to be a taster to see if I wanted to - but my understanding was that this was only loosely connected to the first season anyway (I could well be wrong here).
As a whole, "cute girls doing cute things" is rarely a good hook for me - there needs to be a story and personalities to go along with it.
Last edited by tcdelaney on Wed May 02, 2012 4:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Spastic Minnow
Bargain Hunter
Exempt from Grammar Rules
Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 4629
Location: Gainesville, FL
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:49 pm
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Unfortunately Saki: Achika is also failing very much in comparison to the original show. The original had many things going for it, developed characters revealed through play, freaky mahjong powers, a sense of real competition with their rivals... and um... yuri aspects and copious well-done fan service.
Four episodes into this one and I haven't even bothered to learn a name. It hasn't dropped to the cut list yet because I'm still hoping this situation improves.
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Fencedude5609
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:57 pm
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Spastic Minnow wrote: |
Four episodes into this one and I haven't even bothered to learn a name. It hasn't dropped to the cut list yet because I'm still hoping this situation improves. |
Achiga suffers from having to rush through a lot to get to the Nationals (its manga has a similar issue) but go forward it should be more like the first season.
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Fletcher1991
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 514
Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:01 pm
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Where is Hyouka? KyoAni is kind of a big studio, weird your not covering it. I also don't remember seeing it in any of your reviewers preview guides. Is there a reason you guys are leaving it out? I realize its not being simulcasted but there are other shows you guys reviewed that are not either.
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HitokiriShadow
Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:05 pm
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Fletcher1991 wrote: | Where is Hyouka? KyoAni is kind of a big studio, weird your not covering it. I also don't remember seeing it in any of your reviewers preview guides. Is there a reason you guys are leaving it out? I realize its not being simulcasted but there are other shows you guys reviewed that are not either. |
You just answered your question. The Stream only covers shows being streamed, and Hyouka isn't.
Hyouka started way too late to be part of the Spring Preview guide, which finished about a week before Hyouka aired. And two weeks before AKB0048, which is my big disappointment. I really would have liked to see the various reviews of the first episode of that.
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RyanSaotome
Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:12 pm
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HitokiriShadow wrote: | Hyouka started way too late to be part of the Spring Preview guide, which finished about a week before Hyouka aired. And two weeks before AKB0048, which is my big disappointment. I really would have liked to see the various reviews of the first episode of that. |
AKB0048 so far has filled my expectations of what it would be: A glorious trainwreck. I am looking forward to seeing how it unfolds. It could end up being the Guilty Crown of this season, meaning all kinds of plot twists that make no sense and a really high budget production.
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dragon695
Joined: 28 Nov 2008
Posts: 1377
Location: Clemson, SC
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:15 pm
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RyanSaotome wrote: |
Mad_Scientist wrote: |
ANN_Bamboo wrote: |
Saffire wrote: | Is Sengoku Collection supposed to be an X? The end of the rant sounds like you're done with it, but it's still got a ranking arrow. |
Oops, that one slipped by me. That one is supposed to be an X. I guess that will free up room for Saki, Bodacious Space Pirates, Eureka 7 AO and Sankarea. ._. |
And Nyarko-san as well! |
I hope she does that one too. Its my second favorite show of the season after Fate/Zero 2. |
It's crap and needs to be swiftly thrown on the rubbish heap much like Sengoku Collection was. One episode was enough to know it wasn't funny nor was the sideways use of Lovecraft mythos anything good. Much like Sengoku Collection in these stupid references existing for no good reason, just because.
RyanSaotome wrote: |
tcdelaney wrote: |
Fencedude5609 wrote: |
tcdelaney wrote: | but since then I've dropped Saki (I think it's tagline should be "it's no Chihayafuru") and Sengoku Collection. |
Saki isn't really trying to be what Chihayafuru was though. |
Sure, I get that. What I was trying to convey there is that whereas Chihayafuru was an interesting show about a game/sport that I don't know/care much about, with interesting characters (even if I felt a bit manipulated by the first few episodes), Saki: Episode of Side A tries to be so, but for me fails miserably.
In particular, I found the characters edged just a bit too far into their stereotypes: too earnest; too shy; too cold (literally) - it just didn't feel like the writers cared about them enough to give them real personalities. |
Saki isn't trying to be a show about a game. Its a show about cute girls who happen to play a game. Theres a difference... kinda like how K-On isn't a show about music as much as a show about cute girls who happen to play music.
You probably went into it with the wrong mindset. |
Ah, you mean its just for Type B otaku, as you would say?
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A Mystery
Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1888
Location: Netherlands
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:21 pm
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Wow, you have seen A LOT of shows. I totally love the Stream, I've been waiting for it . The only ones I've seen are Kids on the Slope and Mysterious Girlfriend X. I'll definitely keep the first one, the second one... as long as I'm enjoying it. I'm interested in Sankarea and Tsuritama, so I'll probably pick those up. Space Brothers has gotten only positive reviews, but I feel like it's not really my thing... or maybe I just have to force myself to try it .
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Fencedude5609
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:22 pm
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dragon695 wrote: |
Ah, you mean its just for Type B otaku, as you would say? |
Seeing as how I don't know (and honestly don't care) what a "type b" Otaku is, so I have no idea.
I have noticed that you sure like to sling that term around as a pejorative though.
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