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Complaint about moderator hypocrisy

I'm simply commenting on what I am seeing in the anime. That's what this forum thread is for

ChibiKangaroo wrote:

I'm simply commenting on what I am seeing in the anime. That's what this forum thread is for

And like normal skirting the line between stating your "opinions" and being condescending towards users with differing opinions. You can refuse to acknowledge or consider anyone else's opinions and do this big circular dance like normal, but being condescending and belittling won't be tolerated. Something you've been told before several times. I suggest you reel it in some before you fully step over that line in this discussion.

I'm generally in agreement with the review. AMB is well done but feels like it could be better through the first two episodes.

Regarding Elias, I see why some of his mannerisms and concept were a little off putting to some viewers. He has a patronizing way about him and makes weird comments about Chise that you would expect from someone who is not very sympathetic. Yet, at the same time, he seems like a genuinely good guy...

...I don't want to go on too much longer now, but I wanted to also briefly comment on the "super deformed mode" discussion. I also generally agree that it came across as somewhat stilted here.

This show has a lot of good and not so good going on at the same time. I like the music and the fantasy setting, and the concept of being a mage's apprentice is always something that I think makes for great storytelling.

However, I agree that Chise is a weak point for this show as of now. Her level of passiveness is in my opinion a negative...

I would not say that Youko was dragged around as much in the first three episodes. She was more put into dangerous situations by others and then we, the audience, watched her react to that. (Also, after Keiki brings her to the alternate world, he is separated from her for a long time so she is basically on her own, trying to survive in what appears to her to be a totally insane world.) So her character was developed differently, because she was more "reacting" to her surroundings rather than just being present and observing...

I'm just going on what has been done so far. Yes, we are only 3 episodes in but I've seen better at this point in a show.

We're talking about my opinion on the show. So yea, if it isn't doing what I feel it should be doing, I am going to say that it is flawed. Is that really so controversial? It might work for you. That's great, so you might think it is not flawed. Then we can all give the reasons why we think it is not working or working, and we can have a grand old time debating whether any of that makes sense. But that's what goes on here. I gave several specifics on what I think it is not doing well, and gave examples where I thought another show did it properly. That's all I can do. As I said, maybe Chise becomes a more well fleshed out character later. That would certainly improve my outlook on the show at that point, but doesn't change how I feel now.

The crystal flowers scene was the main thing that stands out for me but it is one of these things where they take something that is claimed to be dangerous but make it beautiful instead. It sort of creates the impression that EVEN her potential mistakes are breathtakingly lovely. See what I mean? That's the reason I kind of don't see that as an important revelation of her danger. I will admit that an attempt was made by showing the crystals embedded in the other woman's arm, but I don't think we really are left to fear that Chise's beauty will be similarly scarred. If anything, she might be dangerous to Angelica, which just makes her even more OP in that sense.

I will agree that the crystal scene presented some danger, and that's why it stands out to me more than anything else. I just think it was somewhat undercut by the beauty of it. Had it been something more disturbing I think that scene would have conveyed a more powerful effect.

^

Based on that, I am going to just chock this aspect up to poor translation of the materials for my purposes. If the other materials show frightening apparations appearing to her, that would have fixed this particular issue for me.

@Terrible90sDub

Thanks for this. It was very well expressed and I didn't even think about a couple of the points you made. It sort of ties into what the reviewer ssid also I think about how the camera rarely focuses on Chise emoting or otherwise reacting. Some may say thats just a choice of the production crew to create a specific atmosphere that they want to create, possibly set up Chise as a total void to emphasize her suffering, but maybe it's just too much. I often say that anime has a tendency to go way over the top with things, and that is often a serious flaw. Maybe in their pursuit of establishing a severely depressed character they did that, and the lack of complexity for her could make her seem more like a caricature in that context.

Again, thanks for the comment. It was good to hear a new perspective.

^

I think that is a good interpretation, but her problems seem to go far beyond people not liking her. If it was that simple, this show would essentially already be over. And I wouldn't say that depression is that simple of a problem either. It often has more to do with crushing self-loathing than just others not liking you. But I think that interpretation sort of supports the position of Alexis and Terrible90sDub in some ways because the criticism seems to be that Chise's character is not complex enough.

I liked the idea of the talking cats. Any time a show introduces some kind of fantastical element and does it relatively well, that is a positive in my book. Also, as usual the visuals and music were quite good. However, as usual, Chise was also the weak point. As someone else mentioned, she has a habit of being kidnapped. It has happened in four out of five episodes now. The faeries, the dragon master dude, the female sidekick of the sorcerer, and now the sorcerer himself, have all kidnapped her at one point. I am seriously starting to question Elias' competence as her guardian or owner or betrothed, whatever it may be. Especially given that he placed a "tracking collar" on her, how can he be allowing her to be kidnapped this many times???

I suppose that makes sense in universe. It does seem a little strange for me for a fantasy show in general, but I guess that is how it has been set up, particularly with this whole "sleigh beggy" business. Personally, I do prefer magic that takes a bit more effort on the part of the mage so as to not make them seem too over powered.

^ I'll say this, your explanation is good and perhaps I should be more precise. I said earlier that this show has established a world where things can "make sense" in world when that would often seem like "cheating" in other stories. I like that they are doing something different here, but it still seems like cheating. I would have to assume that Chise could do virtually anything she wished with little to no knowledge or training. Since she is a Sleigh Beggy, she could just indicate to a faerie (or similar creature) what she wanted to happen and it would be so. It seems like a somewhat limitless power without much effort. Perhaps it is only limited by her own life, that she can only do it so much before she is dead. Though again, that has not been clarified as far as exactly how long she could live if she can "control it," and the mechanism of control seems unclear as well.

So all that to say, perhaps I was wrong to say doesnt make sense without qualifying that.

I haven't seen anything in the first 5 episodes that would cause me to disagree with what you are interpreting. Like I said, I assume you have good knowledge about the source material. I'm just saying that hasn't been established as the main theme yet. These are undercurrents that are going on under the surface while the primary things we are seeing is Chise traveling around with Elias to magical areas, learning about her powers, and interacting with magical creatures and such. If Chise suddenly had said in episode 5, "you know what, I'm not depressed anymore. Thanks for fixing me Elias." Then I might say ok it seems like that was the theme, at least to some extent. But we haven't seen such a drastic change in her way of thinking. We've just had perhaps hints of her learning things that will maybe ultimately result in her becoming not depressed (with knowledge of spoilers from manga/OVA).

^ I actually love the fact that you try to debate with facts and science based arguments, and we could probably have an enjoyable time continuing, BUT I suspect we will get some comments if we continue since this is a bit off topic. But thanks for the thoughtful discussion.

That's too bad. The potential world building here deserves better in my opinion. Or at least, if the exploration of Chise and Elias as persons was more balanced, this could be an interesting character study more along the lines of a Beauty and the Beast.

She has grown in many ways, which I already acknowledged. But the main defining characteristic at the outset was her lack of emotional development. Supposedly, this show was supposed to address that over the course of the series.

I agree that the setup is similar and both appear to deal with similar issues. What I am saying is that in one case, the character ultimately acted in what appears to be a somewhat realistic manner by adapting to their circumstances, and in the other the character didn't, and entered the "indefinite blank stare" state as a result.

If people simply avoided slinging insults and turning "conversations" into shouting matches often with nerd rage tantrums we'd have to step in far far less.

Take a Valium and relax before you give yourselves aneurysms.

Sorry but Professor X is on vacation so you're stuck with us non-mind readers. Please excuse us pathetic and unqualified noobs.

I also don't really care if you think I'm a good mod or not.

Um, I completely understand that you wanted to be thorough and provide lots of evidence, but your post is so long that I kind of got lost (or rather lost interest) halfway through. Did we really need a blow-by-blow with big blocks of quotes? Most of your post is just AMB stuff you said to other people rather than your specific concerns with Psycho 101's moderating style.

(just trying to offer constructive criticism)

(and I give you marks for not being baited by Blood-)

Your thread OP demonstrates the manner in which your posts in the AMB thread are making it tiresome for people. Obsessive repitition of a point of view is never persuasive. I think of religious hucksters on city street corners: passers-by just wish they would go away.

I've just read through all your posts in the thread. If I consider them individually they are well within the rules of this forum. Whether they are insightful or patently wrong when they argue against the norm is immaterial. The issue arises with the ceaseless nitpicking and re-statement of one point of view. Sure, others have encouraged your behaviour with their responses (and I give you marks for not being baited by Blood-) but the obsessive justifications too often head down the soapboxing path. I think again of those street corner missionaries. People end up wishing you would go away.

Letting other people have the last word in an argument is not an admission of defeat or a sign of weakness. Make your point; make it clearly. It's on the record. People can always read it. Move on. AMB has parallels with The Twelve Kingdoms? Chise could have been realised better by the makers of the anime? Your arguments are interesting to read. Once.

I appreciate contrary views. I react negatively when I'm hammered with them. Relax. Have confidence in your opinions. Consider not how to justify yourself; but rather, how to make the AMB thread (and other threads) a stimulating read for everyone. I'd like to see you continue as a valued member of the ANN community.

But again, that is a different question. Perhaps it could be said to be relevant to this thread in that maybe that was Psycho 101's real reason for going after me, not the reason that was given in his response. But if that is the case, then I think the false reasons should stop being used and we should talk about the real issue.

... the truth is I don't care about you. I don't know you so I don't care one way or another. The same as I don't care about 99.99999% of the users here personally because I don't know them. They,and you, are random people on an internet forum that once I log off from I don't spend 1 second thinking about. If you have a problem with me then by all means please PM Zac or Tempest directly. Go ahead.

The issue arises with the ceaseless nitpicking and re-statement of one point of view... the obsessive justifications too often head down the soapboxing path. I think again of those street corner missionaries. People end up wishing you would go away... I appreciate contrary views. I react negatively when I'm hammered with them.

I tried to pull my punches but now I'll be more blunt: you're a right, royal pain in the neck and people are fed up with you.

Now you're doing to my posts what you do to others'. Let me quote myself:

I wrote:

The issue arises with the ceaseless nitpicking and re-statement of one point of view... the obsessive justifications too often head down the soapboxing path. I think again of those street corner missionaries. People end up wishing you would go away... I appreciate contrary views. I react negatively when I'm hammered with them.

I tried to pull my punches but now I'll be more blunt: you're a right, royal pain in the neck and people are fed up with you.

I think it is more of a "results" thing than an "intent" thing. I have no doubt that the mods receive complaints about your posts. I'm not sure how aware you are of the extent of negative feeling towards your posting style... it's broad and deep. I know this both from past observation as well as access to the Community Forum where some of your, *cough* fans congregate. It's almost kind of impressive how much dislike you engender considering you actually stay within legal posting requirements (imo). You would certainly make the mods lives easier if your crimes where more obvious, like mine.