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EP. REVIEW: Dimension W


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manapear



Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 1528
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 3:10 pm Reply with quote
bs3311 wrote:
Main character though older is very meh, basically another Jet but trapped in a skinny body. Funny how people beg for no boring teen main character, yet all this anime does is give us a boring adult.

Plus not only the robot chick feels like a slap in the face for maturity compared to characters like Gally/Alita, but the twist for her is so predictable. Animation is very stale with long close up shots with a weak stylistic idea to move the body of the character along a 2 colored plane. The story has already been done, the usually serious detective/bounty hunter with the inexperienced/gullible youth. And the fanservice on the her is incredibly forced. Opening is dull (The dance has nothing compared to PS02's WTF ending) and the ending forgettable.

All in all, this season is stale. And this show was the final nail in that coffin. I prefer to go read Battle Angel Allita for a better female character and sci-fi setting, or the OVA for a more fleshed out male character who is also the creator for Gally/Alita.


This says a lot to me.



I was kind of exciting for this, but saw comments on the main thread about fanservice (a few too many), so I got wary. I guess the show isn't as special as it looks? That's a shame.

How bad is the fanservice in the first ep? Can I skip the first and understand what's going on pretty okay? Or am I better off just skipping this show and hitting up my backlog? x'D
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HelloBucket



Joined: 07 Apr 2015
Posts: 477
Location: Upstate New York
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 3:36 pm Reply with quote
It's weird to call an anime a breath of fresh air at the same time you're listing off all the things it reminds you of. It feels more like "nostalgic" would be a better fit.

I'm pretty skeptical that this is anything better than a generic battle harem. It hasn't risen above pointless fanservice. It still features a completely formulaic male lead. It's certainly not better animated or directed (the fight against the two female robots being the biggest offender). Worst of all, it doesn't feel any smarter, which doesn't given me hope there's going to be any depth to the darkness. It feels like a shallow copy of better things. This last point hurts the most because at least a generic battle harem would at least have some charm and cheer but Dimension W seems to have traded this away for nothing.

As much as I'd love to see more stories featuring adults and grittier sci fi settings, they need to be used effectively to matter. I see no reason to accept vinegar when I'm thirsty for wine.

on the topic of the coils...

One thing I will give the show is that I don't think it will simply be "coils are evil". So far every person who has any knowledge about the underlying mysteries of the show has continued to use them... just not official New Tesla ones.

Worse, if coils are fundamentally evil, it would mean already weak protagonist was essentially right from the start. He's boring but I'm hoping they wouldn't dare make him that boring.
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 3:45 pm Reply with quote
manapear wrote:


I was kind of exciting for this, but saw comments on the main thread about fanservice (a few too many), so I got wary. I guess the show isn't as special as it looks? That's a shame.

How bad is the fanservice in the first ep? Can I skip the first and understand what's going on pretty okay? Or am I better off just skipping this show and hitting up my backlog? x'D


The fan service is a bit weird imo. The show is virtually free of it except with the loli cyborg where pretty much every single shoot of her is a fan service shoot, lots of butt shoot and slow pan of her chest. There's, thankfully, no naked scene or "oops I tripped and landed on your boob" scene. Just one part where she's in her underwear and bunch of little robot crawl all over her.
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sunflower



Joined: 04 Sep 2005
Posts: 1080
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:17 pm Reply with quote
HelloBucket wrote:
I'm pretty skeptical that this is anything better than a generic battle harem. It hasn't risen above pointless fanservice. It still features a completely formulaic male lead. It's certainly not better animated or directed (the fight against the two female robots being the biggest offender). Worst of all, it doesn't feel any smarter, which doesn't given me hope there's going to be any depth to the darkness.



I don't see how this is harem anything. I mean, there's mainly one robot they're using for fan service, but one does not a harem make, especially when she isn't falling for anyone much less the lead.

If you remove the fan service there's still plenty of story there, about the lead's background, everyone's background really and how they're all interconnected, and about the crisis you can feel looming. Just because you're not interested doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I think it is smart because of how it's not putting information out in front to spoon feed watchers. The backgrounds are rich and detailed and leave me wondering about the world that ended up that way, as do the side characters we've been introduced to. Again, you may not care, but they're still there.

I'm not saying this is a great anime, and since it's only the second episode who knows if it will even be a good one. But there's plenty of potential from where I'm sitting, and the last thing I'm experiencing with it is a jaded ennui.
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zrnzle500



Joined: 04 Oct 2014
Posts: 3768
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:26 pm Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
manapear wrote:


I was kind of exciting for this, but saw comments on the main thread about fanservice (a few too many), so I got wary. I guess the show isn't as special as it looks? That's a shame.

How bad is the fanservice in the first ep? Can I skip the first and understand what's going on pretty okay? Or am I better off just skipping this show and hitting up my backlog? x'D


The fan service is a bit weird imo. The show is virtually free of it except with the loli cyborg where pretty much every single shoot of her is a fan service shoot, lots of butt shoot and slow pan of her chest. There's, thankfully, no naked scene or "oops I tripped and landed on your boob" scene. Just one part where she's in her underwear and bunch of little robot crawl all over her.


Did you even see the second episode? Because the fanservice is toned down. In the second one most shots of Mira are not fanservice and there was only one or two butt shots, one of which was obscured by darkness. And what makes you call her a loli. By height, build and bust, she could easily be in at least her mid teens (15-16) so unless you consider any girl under the age of 18 a loli, she doesn't seem to me to be one. Certainly the promo image does make her seem lolish but in the show she seems decidedly not so.
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HelloBucket



Joined: 07 Apr 2015
Posts: 477
Location: Upstate New York
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:34 pm Reply with quote
sunflower wrote:
I don't see how this is harem anything. I mean, there's mainly one robot they're using for fan service, but one does not a harem make, especially when she isn't falling for anyone much less the lead.

You're misinterpreting slightly. My point is that I don't see how the show is better, as a show, than a generic battle harem show, not that it is a battle harem show.

sunflower wrote:
I think it is smart because of how it's not putting information out in front to spoon feed watchers.

I'm feeling pretty spoon fed. Though, that isn't really one of my complaints since I don't mind subtlety but don't really demand it either.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11532
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 6:15 pm Reply with quote
bs3311 wrote:
...The dance has nothing compared to PS02's WTF ending...

Heh, a lot of people have been complaining about that dance. I love it, not only because I can't get enough of animated dancing, but because to me it seems to reveal the character a bit, unlike the random (but undeniably awesome) dancing of Death Parade's OP or BBB's ED. By "random" I mean you'd never see those characters actually dancing together like that, not that their dances say nothing about them. In Mabuchi's case, it feels like we've caught him in an unguarded moment of retro pleasure, until he remembers the ubiquitous surveillance cameras and shuts down. Despite his hard-boiled shell, the boy's still got some dancing shoes tapping away in his heart. :D
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bs3311



Joined: 07 Nov 2011
Posts: 416
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 8:33 pm Reply with quote
manapear wrote:


This says a lot to me.

I was kind of exciting for this, but saw comments on the main thread about fanservice (a few too many), so I got wary. I guess the show isn't as special as it looks? That's a shame.

How bad is the fanservice in the first ep? Can I skip the first and understand what's going on pretty okay? Or am I better off just skipping this show and hitting up my backlog? x'D


There are a few moments, not caused by the character herself. She is still innocent, but the animators leave long shots or pans on her rear and semi nude body. Especially in the end. Though some say that the 2nd episode tones done on them, but that doesn't hide the fact that there are still shots like those. It probably wont annoy a regular viewer, but someone like me who studies film and analyzes frame work whether its movies or anime. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth while checklisting, "old school." tropes without feeling like homages. I say watch an episode every 2 or 3 weeks.


Gina Szanboti wrote:
not only because I can't get enough of animated dancing, but because to me it seems to reveal the character a bit, unlike the random (but undeniably awesome) dancing of Death Parade's OP or BBB's ED. By "random" I mean you'd never see those characters actually dancing together like that, not that their dances say nothing about them.


Those dances cant touch the soul sucking horror of those cgi birds expressions wiggling their tail feathers. With the robot avatar, it seems charming due to how its played by a female player (Prez). So while the girl tries to roleplay as a dude, this unwraps her girly side and how it horribly contrasts with her character. A common issue with any mmorpg with over exaggerated poses or attire. Show is very average to below, but that ending and that character have potential.
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manapear



Joined: 02 May 2014
Posts: 1528
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:29 am Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
The fan service is a bit weird imo. The show is virtually free of it except with the loli cyborg where pretty much every single shoot of her is a fan service shoot, lots of butt shoot and slow pan of her chest. There's, thankfully, no naked scene or "oops I tripped and landed on your boob" scene. Just one part where she's in her underwear and bunch of little robot crawl all over her.


Hmmm. Yeah, that's weird. Okay, thanks for the description and heads up~.

bs3311 wrote:
[here are a few moments, not caused by the character herself. She is still innocent, but the animators leave long shots or pans on her rear and semi nude body. Especially in the end. Though some say that the 2nd episode tones done on them, but that doesn't hide the fact that there are still shots like those. It probably wont annoy a regular viewer, but someone like me who studies film and analyzes frame work whether its movies or anime. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth while checklisting, "old school." tropes without feeling like homages. I say watch an episode every 2 or 3 weeks.


I can't say I study film, but I do try and pay attention to and note the framing of shots and directing of scenes, so that does say a lot to me.

Thanks~!
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Wrangler



Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 1346
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:14 pm Reply with quote
I'm so happy the adaption has been able to live up to the beautifully done manga.

I only have one fear, where this going to go.

Manga itself stop short. Has only recently started to be republished. Question is, who involved in printing and is original/artist-writers still working on it? Anime can only go far before running out running room.
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AnimeAddict2014



Joined: 16 Feb 2015
Posts: 925
PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 2:50 am Reply with quote
i thought episode 3 should be out already.. it feels like a long time waiting for a new episode from this series.
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Themaster20000



Joined: 05 Aug 2014
Posts: 866
PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 8:55 pm Reply with quote
Wasn't so big on this episode. While I agree we needed a downtime episode away from the action,not whole happened in this other than seeing Mira try to be accepted by scociety, with some expository dialogue sprinkled in. The characters don't have enough meat to them to carry an episode like this yet. It wasn't boring episode by any means,since the world-buildling is still great.
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Valhern



Joined: 19 Jan 2015
Posts: 916
PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:52 pm Reply with quote
There are manly two things that caught my attention in this episode.

The first one is when Kyouma arrives Claire's mansion or whatever it is called. When he sees the robot servant he freezes for a second there. I highly believe he remembered Mira since, technically, they are the same, but Mira doesn't quite look like that, eh, Kyouma? He could have just thought "Well damn now they use robots even for greeting" but the chance stands.

The other one is related to the sucession of events, the post-credit scene indicates that there will be something happening not in order with the manga, or maybe I'm just remembering bad when that scene actually appears, but my guess is that they're trying to set a very strong mid arc, instead of a smaller one, but I hope they don't since I really loved the arc they apparently could skip.
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
Posts: 3442
PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 12:07 am Reply with quote
I feel the way they treat Mira being a robot is really inconsistent.

There always mentioning that if it get out that Mira is a robot they'll all be grabbed by NT. But robot exist in society (we just saw one), so why is it such a big deal? Beside it's really obvious she's one since she has the tail and ear that she barely try to hide. Plus she has her coil in plain sight and they mentioned in previous episode that there are technology that can detect coil powered machine.
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Valhern



Joined: 19 Jan 2015
Posts: 916
PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 12:54 am Reply with quote
meiam wrote:
I feel the way they treat Mira being a robot is really inconsistent.

There always mentioning that if it get out that Mira is a robot they'll all be grabbed by NT. But robot exist in society (we just saw one), so why is it such a big deal? Beside it's really obvious she's one since she has the tail and ear that she barely try to hide. Plus she has her coil in plain sight and they mentioned in previous episode that there are technology that can detect coil powered machine.


Mira is not just any robot. Upon inspection they can find out it was a robot made by Yurizaki himself, and obviously New Tesla would have means to know this since the engineer (I always forget his name) dug this up pretty quickly, plus she has footage video of New Tesla killing Yurizaki's daughter and wife, all the more reason for them to dispose of Kyouma and the rest. Her coil has never been in plain sight except when naked, the only thing that might visually tell right away she is a robot are her extra ears, which she explains they are actually some sort of hairpins; and the tail, which not necessarily says anything, could as well be an accesory. Kyouma did not realize she could be a robot until she performed some superhuman feats.

I don't remember all that accurately, but it is for sure that they talked about the detection of coil powered machines, in there they should have explained why Mira being detected is not actually a danger. And in any case, she's been living with Dr. Yurizaki just fine, it must mean the Dr. designed herself especially to decieve New Tesla or it just doesn't matter, although it would be a bit of a plothole if so since it rises other problems, for the time being it just works.
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