Forum - View topicREVIEW: Speed Grapher DVD 1
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Wyvern
 Posts: 1601 |
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I actually thought the ending of Speed Grapher was way sillier than the begining. But maybe the TV version is better than the DVD-the TV version didn't have all the gratitous sex and stuff you mentioned (it's implied that lots of people at the club are doing it, and there's some brief glimpses of people kissing and rubbing aginast each other, but no actual sex) so maybe it comes off as a lot less exploitive.
spoiler[The ending, though, is just ridiculous. Suitengu suceeds in carrying out his plan to completly destroy the Japanese economy. Flash foward to a year later, and EVERYTHING'S EXACTLY THE SAME. Okay, now people prefer to use Euros in their daily transactions, but overall society seems identical to how it was. No social collapse, no big war, no depression, no nothing. I really don't think there'd be so little impact if all the money in Japan caught fire and burned up (which is basically what happened.) This seems like a good example of the "trying to be adult but coming off as immature" problem mentioned in the review.] |
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v1cious
 Posts: 6230 Location: Houston, TX |
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spoiler[what are you talking about? it was pretty much a third world country, i mean look how they're living now. the only person who had money was the one Suitengu sent away.] Last edited by v1cious on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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The Xenos
 Posts: 1519 Location: Boston |
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I've seen a number of eps and I rather enjoyed it, rediculousness and all. I rather enjoyed the crazy powers and gratuatous sex. I also dug the setting where the rich are richer and running everything (and having kinky orgies) while most everyone else are pretty much servents.
I rather enjoyed the crazy kinky villians. That one with the paino guy with the hands, the S&M rubber man ballet dancer and what he did to that little girl, the diamond lady. I dunno, it seemed like an R rated superhero tale with socio-economic overtones. I will admit it seemed to be turning into typical monster of the week after a while. Oh and I'm a bit of a photobug myself, so that was kinda interesting. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Here's my question: Why do you think it's necessary to come in and offer your opinion of the final episodes? Do you think you're offering some kind of service? Can you just not wait until we actually review the final episodes, or is it really necessary to come in and tell us we're all totally wrong because we haven't seen the entire series yet? Is it a waste of time to even publish reviews of the first R1 DVDs when we have an army of people apparently waiting to come into the thread for the first DVD and boast about how "I've already seen the whole thing  here's my take on the whole series also I watched it all fansubbed so my opinion is more valid than the one in the review" etcetera?
Christ we get it, you saw the whole series already and you just can't WAIT to give us your opinion on it and tell the critic that he or she is "WRONG because if you watch through episode 20 (which I have seen by the way ) it totally gets better!".
Enough. We're talking about the first four episodes. I don't really care if you've already downloaded it all or whatever. |
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Elchfaenger
Posts: 12 |
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There are a few things in this review, I agree with, like the art not being top notch or the case scenes being poor. I also heard that the OP on the DVD is different from the TV version, which might be bad.
But there are many things I disagree with. Strongly! First of all I don't think that this anime wants to be taken seriously so bad. There were many characters which don't indend to be serious (Bob already mentioned, Ginza as well) Second, you should not expect realism in any way. This is fiction! Some ideas may look crazy at the moment (like the leather covered nose) but turn out to make sense later on. I think these "crazy" ideas are what makes Speed Grapher worth watching. This is no crime thriller, not about some tough guy fighting a corrupt system, as it may seem in the beginning, this is more sci-fi/horror like, with strange monsters and stuff. Finally, you can't argue about taste, but just branding this as "silly" is unfair. And don't get me wrong, this is no "it-gets-better-later"-argumentation, if you don't like it, drop it. But you really should give it a try!
Oh and about this: Would you, if you get interested in Speed Grapher, read the review of the second DVD first? No, you wouldn't! Its the first review that counts. And this, being one sided to me, could keep many from watching this series, which is a shame. So forgive the fans of this series for defending it. |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6902 Location: Kazune City |
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 But I agree, this does seem to happen on every 1st volume review thread... people come in and dispute the review of the first 3-5 episodes on the grounds that "the other episodes that 'aren't available' are so much better, so this review is biased." Like the staff has said, they're discussions of the review content and however many episodes, not battlegrounds of opinion between fansub watchers and DVD watchers. That's my impression, anyway.
And reviewing these first discs isn't a waste of time--the This Ugly Yet Beautiful World review got me curious enough to watch some of the episodes I had and then buy the DVD because of the technical merits mentioned in the review.
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mufurc
 Posts: 612 |
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My question: Why did you single out Wyvern from all the people who came in and offered their opinion on the second half of the series? How was his (her?) post different from other people going "The second half rocked pretty hardcore" or "The latter portion of the series is much better, actually" etc? Or did they just use their psychic powers to guess the second half, and haven't actually seen it fansubbed? Oh, stupid question. Shouldn't miss a chance for a fansub flamewar, right? Silly me.
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Wyvern isn't really the issue here, but that post was simply my breaking point. Every single time we post a volume one review, even if someone agrees with it, they have to come into the thread and talk about how they "saw the whole thing already and this review is right/wrong". It's obnoxious. I'm convinced they're simply bragging.
If they want to defend the show, then defend those first four episodes. Argue what the review is arguing. These annoying attempts to invalidate the entire review with "I watched the fansubs, it gets better around episode 22, this review is wrong!" are specious in their reasoning anyway; that the show suddenly becomes watchable 8 hours later doesn't mean these first 4 episodes are good. Episode 23 could be a masterpiece, but does that make episodes 1-4 good? No, it doesn't. When we do finally review the later episodes, perhaps the critic's opinion will change. Screaming at the top of your lungs that the show gets better and the CRITIC IS WRONG ARRRGGGHHH isn't doing anyone any good at all. I don't care one whit about the fansubs, this isn't an anti-fansub rant. I'm just sick of the "I saw the fansubs and the show gets better!!!!" responses. They're not even discussing what the review is talking about. So enough. |
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Deltakiral
 Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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That said this thread is a little out of hand, it wrong for people to complain to Zac about how he is wrong about the series just because he felt the first volume was medicore. I haven't recieved my first volume yet, and it has been a while since I watch the first four episodes. But I am a betting man that says that Zac review is pretty much spot on.
EDIT:
I agree that is a good point, I feel the same way about Blood+ the beginning of that series was just ok for me but now in these later episodes there are some really interesting things are happening. And of course Zac gets the right to change his opinion, many of us have judge something early on and then realized how great that show/movie/book/game was in the long run. Till next time, Delta Kiral Edit: Zac just posted something so I thought I might respond to somethings he (I think he is a he, I am sorry if your not.) mentioned. Last edited by Deltakiral on Sun Jul 09, 2006 1:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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??? I thought Wyvern's statements supported the review, if anything. Hence the "This seems like a good example of the 'trying to be adult but coming off as immature' problem mentioned in the review" line. Seriously, why choose that comment out of all the other ones (the comments that are actually derogatory towards the review) to get irked at? I mean, yeah, it's a comment about part of the series that is irrelevant to this review, but at least he agrees with you. I'm not trying to be argumentive; I'm just confused. Last edited by Cloe on Sun Jul 09, 2006 1:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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HitokiriShadow
 Posts: 6251 |
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The problem is that it is still discussing the end, which the reveiw is not about.
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mufurc
Posts: 612 |
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However, it's still not about fansubs. No-one said "hey, I watched the !!!FANSUBS!!!, so I know what's gonna happen, neener-neener!"
If there's a discussion about the first episodes of a series, anime or not, and someone says they're not good, it will inevitably end in people saying "it gets better later on." I agree that it's annoying, but it's pretty much inevitable. If Zac reviewed a series that's fully available in the US, people would've reacted the same way. IMO in this case it's rather pointless blaming fansubs and people who watch them. Ah well, if Zac says it wasn't an anti-fansub rant, I believe him - it just seemed to me as one (knowing how trigger-happy some people on this forum are when it comes to fansubs). |
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Elchfaenger
Posts: 12 |
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Ok, to make this clear: I hate this "it-gets-better-later" stuff. It sounds like a lame excuse for having watched a series that wasn't worth it.
BUT: What really bothered me about this review: The author pretty much said "There are features which I don't understand after 4 Eps, so the whole thing ist silly". How stupid is that? Where is the tension if everything is crystal-clear at the end of every single Ep? That was the point I was trying to make. Oh and of course root for Speed Grapher, but based on the first Eps. I loved them!
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DriftRoot
 Posts: 222 Location: NH |
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Mmm...the review of the first four episodes is pretty accurate, but I'd preferred to see a little more optimism, or at least objectivism; the author seems to have thrown in the towel on the entire series based on the first DVD, which can be a mistake. I wonder if the "It’s impossible to recommend purchasing this show" line will be withdrawn at a future date from this review if later DVDs get a better review.
Yah, I watched the whole thing fansubbed... it's a strange beast, I still don't understand where they got the title "Speed Grapher" from, except maybe it sounds cool and kind of techie. However, this is one of those shows that succeeds brilliantly in one area it's trying really hard to shine: being inane, melodramatic, freakish and uniquely bizarre such as to leave a bad taste in one's mouth. I give Speed Grapher credit for this, if not much else. It was worth watching this series just to continually be surprised by what it (attempts) to pull off. |
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Killer 7
Posts: 68 Location: "America,F&&k Yeah"! |
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After watching the first 15 eps, i actually enjoy the series and compelled to watch the rest. (regardless of Zac's negative review.) SG has a somewhat original premise and it's not just about some guy blasting people with his camera it explores the corruption and scandals within a hedonistic secret society(think;eyes wide shut.) and a photgrapher's crusade to set their most prized possesion ..free.
The supporting characters are a bit out there like the tracker with the nose mask as Zac mentioned,the sterotypical gay guy and Saiga's sexy stalker girlfriend ginza..i think.. (god, i can't remember these Japanese names for shite.) in the 16th episode,we're treated to a filler that lists the assets and liabilities of the Tenozu group. interesting in the fact that it's never been done before.at least from what i have seen. I love the opening intros (both of them) but unfortunetly, the duran duran song (girls on film) will be omitted from the funimation release. OUCH! for that alone, i really can't see myself buying the dvds.That song fits the series like icing on the cake. otherwise a good series that offers something different instead of the oh so cutsey comedies and giant mecha stuff. different streaks for different freaks,after all many liked Superman returns, the rest of us hated it. |
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