Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
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Themaster20000
 Posts: 865 |
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It just comes off like Tetsuo is just throwing whatever he finds 'cool' onto the screen at this point (am sure he got the idea for those bikes after watching Fury Road). The action still isn't that engaging. It was so one-sided this week and the animation has been taking a huge hit lately (surprised that hasn't been mentioned at all in the review). Now we have our obvious bad guy character,but he ain't schlockly enough. I get they wanted to do an obvious bad guy,but why even bother trying to pass him off as a hero if your going to go that route so fast; kinds of reminds me a bit of Seymour from FFX (especially with the bad guy hairstyle). I do get a laugh at Tetsuo's attempt's at symbolism (about as subtle as Zack Snyder when it comes to that).
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MiloTheFirst
Posts: 429 |
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Hey now, I am seeing a lot of people jumping into the "let's hate on jacob" bandwagon for no reason. please, let's be rational here, criticize ideas not people. Personally I can't take seriously a comment that compares any show of this season specially kabanari to Big Order (like, come on!), personally I think even comparing its quality to guilty crown is still going too far.
Even though I am very critical of this particular episode and I think the reviewer was very lenient and/or negligent on judging the direction this particular time, I don't see how belittling anyone would help prove any point. It just makes one look as much of an asshole as the crew of the kotetsuyou. on another note. Am I the only one who is pretty ok with Biba? I mean he is obviously up to some shady scheme, but he is definitively not a douchebag. for instance he might have enjoyed killing his former retainer but he didn't go out of his way to do so, he even gave him an opportunity to just retreat, he let him decide whether to back off or face him on deadly battle. when he met mumei he save her from the random dude that killed her mother then let her decide for herself whether she wanted to fight for survive or acept her fate. Mumei did indeed asked to be turned into kabaneri out of fear of being forsaken, but it was her own responsibility to have such feelings and the decisions she took because of it. Sure the guy is transporting living kabaneri but they clearly look heavily restrained, and it was implied that (most) of his crew is aware of it, if they somehow breakout his own train would be the first on danger and as I said apparently the tripulation signed up for it. My point the guy might be cruel and selfish but he is most definitively not an asshole |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11477 |
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That's an awful lot of responsibility to put on the shoulders of a child. Especially one who's been backed into a corner by emotional manipulation. No, I'm afraid I have to agree with the first version of your last sentence. 
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MiloTheFirst
Posts: 429 |
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Remember they are barely on the dawn of industrial revolution, at that time children were expected to be as self sufficient as adults, it was just "common sense" at that time, sure if we judge it by XXI century standards after all the discoveries on psychology and education of course it is irresponsible to let her take full responsibility for her thoughts and actions but this is not the world or time period the series take place on |
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Valhern
 Posts: 916 |
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I thought that the action was more than engaging. Motorcycles, team-up, ninjas. It was cool as all hell. I was really tired of the usual Mumei shooting everything, thus why I really liked when Kurusu took action and used his samurai skills for once. I wouldn't like for them to sacrifice the story for the sake of innovating action scenes, so I expect it stays more or less like this.
Dawn of the industrial revolution? With a snow piercer train and motorcycles? Surely. Cargo trains started in early 19th century, and I think it could carry passengers around the second phase (some people don't consider it a second phase, but whatever), that means, middle 19th. At least in Europe, I forgot how much it took until it reached Japan, but my guess is...a while. Also, nowadays childs and teenagers alike are put on the same level as an adult a lot of times, most parent haven't studied modern psychology and pedagogy. Plus, it's not that easy to determine exactly where a steampunk series is set on, they usually take and mesh together both old and new technology, and it just works. |
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MiloTheFirst
Posts: 429 |
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While you are completely right in saying that it is not easy to determine the temporal setting of a steam punk since the genre involves social development branching out from what we have seen in our timeline, that doesn't mean we can't speculate about it for the sake of casual chatting. Firstly, I thought it was implied that I meant "japanese industrial revolution" (my fault if it was not apparent), which surely as you speculated began with the introduction of railroads around 1870 a good one hundred years after it had started in britain (motorcycles started being "publicly" develop less than 20 years after that btw) my reasoning for stating it was the "dawn" of it is that meiji reformation clearly have not occurred yet, it is precisely because the military government was overthrown (which btw is apparently just about to happen since it seems to be Biba's intention) that the civilian society decided to begin the westernization hence importing railroads. This is where the steampunk element becomes apparent, in our world's japan first the military government was disbanded then railroads and steam machine appeared, in this story is the other way around, this is clearly a commentary on how the fear of a imminent destruction by a foreign (alien) invasion can help maintain an autocratic government in power, once you give power to the people (in the form of knowledge and technology, and maybe semi-zombification) the people stop fearing the government. that is the thing, I can understand fear of kabane delaying meiji reformation for up to 20 or 30 years which still leave up very close to the introduction of industrialization of japan on a side note, anyone else noticed the iron walls symbolizing japan's self-blockade from the rest of the world and the kabane symbolizing foreign countries invasion (as in the forced trade treaty) putting in risk their own culture and sovereignty (once the kabane break into the walls the inhabitants become part of them)?, then how both ikoma and biba suggesting to go outside the walls and fight the kabane as a parallel to japan joining international trade and having to become competitive in an effort to maintain the sovereignty? it doesn't even end there, the fact that both ikoma and biba study the kabane to develop new weapons resembles japan strategy of sending their scholars to western nations in order to learn their ways and strengthen their military, economy and political power. then finally biba's survival of the strong philosophy might later turn out to be another parallel to japanese imperialism which started near the same time period |
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killjoy_the
 Posts: 2466 |
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Give yourself more credit, your reviews more than often dip into the core of the show. I can't say I'm liking the show as much as you, but you're always picking up on the things that make this show consistent. The thing about the pseudo-feudal system and how it ties into the character's philosophies, for instance. Hell, often when reading your reviews I just wish I was enjoying the show as much as you, because they sound smart when you talk about them. |
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meruru
Posts: 474 |
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Am I the only one that think Biba is like a more evil pink haired version of Folken from Escaflowne? Some of the shots looked right out of Escaflowne, with the creepy experiments, and Mumei's backstory has some parallels to Nariya's and Eriya's.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11477 |
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I get your point about the differences in viewpoint in the setting, but the way you wrote it sounded like you thought he wasn't a jerk because you felt she was responsible for her own decisions, and it sounded a bit blame-the-victim to me. I'm still not sure I agree that even from his viewpoint that doesn't make him a manipulative asshole, but from an outside pov, it certainly does.
That's an interesting take on it. You might be on to something... |
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Alabaster Spectrum
Posts: 528 |
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I can't wait to see Jacob try to spin this episode as some sort of masterstroke ostensibly for the benefit of one of the sites key sponsors when they inevitably release the overpriced sub only boxset over here. Shit was straight mediocre cliche writing as it comes where almost every single turn was as predictable and hammy as it gets and not even in the kind of funny sort of way of the first few episodes. They should have just stuck to the zombies instead of introducing generic bishonen JRPG villain #11773. Like maybe the one pleasant surprise was Mumei not being completely rock stupid and seeming to figure out that her Aniki is a generic supervillain but somehow given the writer at hand I don't expect it to last in a way that is really stupid and makes little sense because he loves his random betrayals and people that do things that make absolutely no sense for the sake of edge and angsty "drama". I'm not saying it's the worst stuff in the world but if it's worth another A+ rating again then you might as well just give the whole show an A+ right now and just be done with the episodic reviews.
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Merengues.Pop
Posts: 22 |
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Just when you think that things can't get any more ridiculous Kabaneri delivers in such incredible way... Main character getting hogwashed into doing really stupid without thinking, check. Random act of cruelty from bishounen villain, check. Random villain's goon turning into a titan or black cloud or whatever and blowing up a wall, check. Another main protagonist getting pwned by some random mustache twirling dude with little to no effort, check...... Now tell me how is this not a clone of AoT.
The show still looks good, but as the plotline dives more and more into generic half baked shouting-my-way-to-victory shounen. |
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Alabaster Spectrum
Posts: 528 |
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Honestly if this show isn't the final death of peoples faith in Aniplex originals feat. Hiroyuki Sawano shrieking vocal soundtracks or at the very least an increased wariness any time these names pop up if it doesn't improve again at all in the final episodes it's just never going to happen ever and it's going to really suck for the remainder of the decades potential for this medium. If the show keeps up like it's been for most of it's second half especially every single party involved should be seen as giant flashing "warning danger" sign for any upcoming original animation production from this point on, not a reason to say oh cool I'll watch this show for X person now because they may have been involved in a good show or two years and years ago. It's just too many times in a row that these parties especially (Talking Aniplex, Ichiro Okouchi, Hiroyuki Sawano and friends) have gathered for a big budget original series and the end result has just been absolute feel bad crap with horrible characters and plot lines that can't even keep up their own form of internal consistency. I'm not a person that asks much but anime needs to start doing better than this again for it's original productions if it's going to have any hope of remaining a relevant medium in it's own right and keeping it's fans trust and faith in it as such. They also might as well just cancel the noitaminA block altogether at this point if it's just going to keep up like this because it would mean it no longer serves it's initial function which was to create a block for expanding anime's viewing audience beyond the typical young male otaku demographic. Now it seems to be one of the most overtly commercial blocks for serving that exact purpose so it's like what's the point? Personally I blame the decision to exclusively team up with Sony Music Entertainment as the sole provider of content for the block. If you're really looking to make a block for expanding late night anime's appeal beyond it's traditional niche male otaku audience why would you team up with a commercially interested party that stands for the exact opposite of your goal. Either said goal is an outright lie or for some reason they've just given up on it. 
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Pierrot.
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This was the worst episode of the series so far. The characters were acting like complete morons, generic villains and plotline getting all over the place. I was heavily reminded of the second half of Guilty Crown and surprise surprise. Both shows have the same director and writer. I should have seen this crap coming.
Anyways, I can't wait to see Jacob telling us a kabane shooting a hyperbeam or cutting huge cables with a small kunai is exactly what we wanted to see. 
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Dang, you two are like my biggest fans. Senpai has noticed you already, you don't have to try so hard.
I just noticed Alabaster Spectrum's inability to choose between contradictory narratives. At first I was a shallow dummy who gave the show high marks just because it has explosions in it, and now I'm only giving the show high marks because Aniplex pays for them? Everyone can tell your hate-on is arbitrary at this point, you could at least give yourself the benefit of picking a consistent story. |
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2263 |
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Ep. 9
So, we've gotten to the point where main bad has come out and fully revealed himself for what he is. For the most part the episode worked for me, because it was straight forward and reasonably executed with only a minimum of hand waving moments. I wish there had been more time to demonstrate brother Biba's charisma bringing people under his sway. It would make him seem more powerful and more of a threat, and it would help me seeing why others are complicit with his atrocities (letting the Kabane in, human experimentation, gunning normal people down, etc.). The speed at which the show sometimes travels leaves parts of it not completely satisfying. It definitely has AOT qualities with the way the walls cage people in and a desire for freedom. I have to say that there were several times when AOT annoyed the heck out of me and I absolutely hated Guilty Crown, but so far Kabaneri has gone down a lot smoother. I think this is the second or third episode with less screaming and that by itself distinguishes it from AOT. I would like to see them resolve brother Biba's rebellion in the next 3 episodes and then maybe get a second season dealing with the Kabane, their origins and a final resolution. I worry that they are going to try to jam that in the final 3 episodes and maybe not give it enough room to breathe. Some minor beefs: -Mumei seemed to recognize with the previous smoke monster that the one controlling it was not a Kabane. I wish that they had explored this a little more especially since her fellow companion gets turned into one this episode. -More Yukina please! LOL 
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