Forum - View topicThe Fall 2008 Anime Preview Guide
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Mohawk52
 Posts: 8202 Location: England, UK |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18434 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Kinda irrelevant. The stereotypical look is still English, hence the description applies. |
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Brack
 Posts: 291 Location: UK |
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I found Mōryō no Hako to be rather disappointing. Compared to Requiem From The Darkness and other recent shows in this vein (Mononoke, Hakaba Kitaro), it was rather underwhelming as a piece of animation. Even the CLAMP designs seemed smothered in a pedestrian interpretation of them.
The story is strong, but if I'm watching a cartoon, I want better visual storytelling, particularly of the sort that can only exist in animation. |
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pparker
 Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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With Michiko To Hatchin finally subbed, we have a season. My summary picks. Anything can still happen, but for now:
DEFINITELY WATCHING: Kurozuka (Amazing visuals, artistic bloodiness, plus knowing where the story goes) Casshern SINS (Again, awesome visual, amnesiac brooding anti-utopia, could be a genuine classic) ef ~A Tale of Melodies~ (Best writing of any show so far, no competition there, plus great visual/directing style [requires season one]) Kannagi (Love the animation and the characters, engaging story slowly revealing and has barely started, more chars to come) Kemeko DX (Will watch for the wacky comedy factor alone, don't care what anyone thinks  )
Macademi Wasshoi! (Same as Kemeko DX, needing some over-the-top Excel Saga-type action humor, been too long since Dokuro-chan) Nodame Cantabile - Paris Chapter (Of course.) Clannad ~After Story~ (Like ef~, will marathon this with first season, but unlike ef~, still not sure why I like it enough to watch it) HOPEFULLY: Michiko To Hatchin (Can't be sure with one ep, but wins if story and visuals continue at this quality, and if it doesn't turn El Cazador) Mouryou no Hako (I love the art and the WTF mystery, but this genre is either done really right or it isn't worth watching at all) Toradora! (Total tsun Ep 3, can textbook tsundere-lead rom-com be successful sans sci-fi/fantasy/otaku angle? Now par with Akane-Iro) Akane-Iro ni Somaru Saka (Nice light comedy so far, will probably stick with it unless it becomes melodramatic or just boring) Chaos;Head (Could be a Higurashi [well, that would be stretching] or Tsukihime [game-only], or could be crap, need more eps) Toaru Majutsu no Index (If action and characters balance well... looks Shana-like for visuals/action, many chars to develop yet per OP) Shikabane Hime (Have to include because it's Gainax, not overly impressed yet, but they're saving a lot on the digital color ink cost  )
Everything else == no-interest genre or < 6/10. |
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Leebo
 Posts: 660 Location: Somerville, MA |
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Maybe you're being facetious, but I don't understand what you're trying to imply. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18434 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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I cannot agree with you at all here. While I gave ef a decent rating, I can name at least three series this season that have better writing. |
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pparker
Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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Yeah, I'm joking about the 50% dark screens, and the blackened tones. Half the time these old eyes can't see what's happening. |
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pparker
Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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Well, for cleverness and density of dialogue, I honestly haven't seen anything better. Admittedly some of it relies on references to season one. What 3 are you referring to? I've written my share of unproduced screenplays, so I'm curious. |
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Peasantman
Posts: 6 |
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Ga-Rei zero has intrigued me, I watched the first episode spoiler[and It seemed kinda typical at first until the twist of everyone dying] The second episode spoiler[ was a little better than the first, but much of their weapons seem sort of cheesy, like a guy that fights with a machine gun suitcase, or the guy that has drill gauntlets. The battle scene with kagura and yomi was pretty badass, but in the end it kills off a main character again] I have a feeling they have not produced an OP because they are afraid to give anything away.
Cashern sins is very flashy and dark, I'll definitely stick to it. To Aru Majutsu no Index looks to be very intriguing. And despite all the criticism I will stick with Tytania. I really like Ga-rei so far. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18434 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Toradora! for certain, arguably Casshern Sins, and possibly Moryo no Haku, too. (Though I want to see another episode or two before committing on the latter.) There are three or four others I'd put on the same "respectable, not great" writing level as ef. Of course, I am definitely not an ef fan in the first place, so opinions will, obviously, vary on that. Last edited by Key on Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:03 am; edited 1 time in total |
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CCCLub
Posts: 1 |
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I'd just like to say first that this guide is really awesome. It totally helped me find what I might like, and made me aware of some series I hadn't heard of. Great Work!
That said I would offer just one criticism. I realize that you guys must be pretty savvy (maybe even cynical) having seen so much anime. Still, I think it would be nice to recognize some of these series in the format that they exist. Not all of them will be intellectual or particularly well written. Most shounen can be pretty cheesy, and it would be hard to stand it up against a lot of things. Still, if you're looking for, or enjoy that particular kind of anime then some of the reviewed items would score higher as per their "class". Perhaps more focus on the things that they do right in comparison to there ilk, rather than a comparison on whole. Maybe even categories of review for each title? Such as animation, dialogue, character depth, etc. Thanks again for all your great work. |
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Mohawk52
Posts: 8202 Location: England, UK |
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pparker
Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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Based on your reviews, I respect your opinion and usually agree. In this case, maybe I'll go halfway. I was afraid you were going to say Toradora! It's better than the average teen romance, but it hasn't transcended the genre. That's why I see ef~ as in a different class, because it did exceed normal bounds. I think the same about Higurashi and to a lesser degree School Days, though for different reasons. Toradora! avoids some of the tropes and attempts to handle those it doesn't in a unique fashion. But they are there, an example being in Episode 3 the spoiler["locked in a shed" scenario. From my limited experience and a quick Google, I found 6 instances of that device used in anime TV series, from Please Teacher to two separate series this season. To transcend, cliches and standard tropes should be avoided or else re-worked very cleverly, probably with conscious self-reference in a comedy (e.g., Clannad used "locked in a shed" last season, but prefaced the scene with a bit about a "Get-Locked-In-A-Shed-With-A-Girl-You-Choose Charm"). Why lock the characters in a shed at all, except to set up the inevitable "discovery and misunderstanding" scenario? They sidestepped the "misunderstanding", but left in the tsun responses, which by the way never let up once in episode 3. ] Also, the now-tired, fanservice "urusai" references definitely need to end. I've watched Toradora! 3 or 4 times now. It's entertaining, but not nearly great. I am a big Kugimiya tsundere fan, so if this show was anywhere near greatness, I would be on board because I fully intended to be. Anyway... so much for that. Casshern SINS's dialogue is sparse and elegant, like good C code. Overall the story is well paced and directed script-wise. Comparing ~ef , Casshern SINS and Mouryou no Hako is like trying to compare Gladiator, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Gosford Park. I could compromise and say Casshern and ~ef are equally good in their own genres thus far. I agree that Mouryou no Hako looks intriguing, but it's too early to tell. I would still rank Kurozuka above it based on first episodes. And that is it. Last edited by pparker on Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18434 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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As soon as I realized you were talking about ep 3 with your spoiler, I stopped reading. I have been trying to catch up on some important reviews that got temporarily set aside while we were doing the Guide, so I haven't gotten to that episode yet. Thus, my comments are entirely based on the first two episodes only, and based on those, Toradora! showed me the capacity to go well beyond the norm for its genre. If it can't sustain that, it won't be a surprise to me, as episode 2 nailed things exactly right to a degree that rarely comes along in anime, especially that genre. Even if only for a while, it broke beyond its gimmicks to create something greater. What I have seen of ef (and I'll freely admit I have seen nowhere near all of it) has not left that same impression on me. Maybe ef shines brighter when the whole is considered, but it doesn't have as strong a start and didn't seem all that special beyond the odd gimmickry. |
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pparker
Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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Oops, added the ep to the spoiler. I should have stated more strongly the requirement that you watch the first season of ef~. It won't make sense otherwise, and absolutely requires familiarity with the source material up to that point (I haven't played the game, so I don't know which arcs are where, so for me its season one pre-req). From your point of view, I completely understand how you would have that opinion. ef~ is something you have to watch closely, too, and watch all of it, otherwise you get lost. If you don't like this type of thing, you won't have the patience anyway (like me with most shonen stuff )
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