Forum - View topicFigure 17; Worth Watching?
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Okay, I'm invoking Tony K.'s exception to the ban on recommendation threads, listed here:
Basically, I saw Figure 17 in my local DVD/music/game store yesterday, at a price which I can both afford and am willing to pay, but I'm not sure if I should buy it or not. I checked ANN's Encyclopedia and the genres listed are Action, Drama, Science Fiction and Slice of Life. Then I checked under the corresponding genre-specific recommendation threads, but the series was only listed under the Slice of Life thread, albeit twice. Now given that - generally speaking - I like more to my Anime than just Slice of Life (no matter how well done), I was wondering if the show succeeded in the other three genres. And generally, is this show worth buying? If you've watched it, what did you think of it? Thanks in advance. |
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murph76
 Posts: 3291 Location: Akron, OH |
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I really enjoyed Figure 17. It's on my to-buy list, as soon as a good sale comes along.
Personally, I thought the series was mainly a drama driven by a science-fiction premise. It does have a good amount of action -- almost every episode features a battle of some kind against alien monsters. But much of the story is focused on the painfully shy Tsubasa and her growth once she gains her outgoing alien "twin," Hikaru. It does get fairly slice-of-life at school and at home, but the sci-fi plotline is never far away and is never neglected by the series. Is that what you were looking for? |
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hissatsu01
 Posts: 963 Location: NYC |
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It's an excellent show. It may feature young main characters but thankfully doesn't pander. I wouldn't really characterize it as slice of life: there is an ongoing plot and a very conclusive (and good, if bittersweet) ending. It's more a matter of Tsubasa/Hikaru living life while at the same time dealing with the sci-fi aspect of the story at the same time. There are some real tearjerker plot developments along the way, mostly towards the end. It's also very well animated and was done on 35mm film - which is a rarity for a TV series - where they found the budget is a mystery. I also felt that the double length episodes allowed for telling more of a complete story in each episode. The longer episode length and higher animation quality give it more of an OVA feel. I paid a pretty low price for the series set, but I like it more than many series for which I paid more than twice the price. Buy it.
Last edited by hissatsu01 on Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:28 am; edited 3 times in total |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Yeah, that does help. Thanks. If anyone else has something they'd like to add then by all means, feel free. I'm still not entirely convinced. The art style is kind of putting me off, though Fantastic Children was a good Anime despite having an unusual style. Hmmm . . . |
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Prede
 Posts: 388 |
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If you asking if this series is good to watch as a hardcore science fiction show, with excellent fight scenes. Then the answer is no. The fights while good, are nothing you haven't seen before, and all the sci-fi stuff seems to be there more for more allegorical reasons then for the plot. Although it's still very well written, and very intresting. But I must admit the emphasis is on the day to day life of Tsubasa (and Hikaru), so going into this expecting a great science fiction story may not be the best thing to do. Think more Shingu then Ghost in the Shell SAC.
This is a story that focuses well in on it's main character, and her day to day life. It's character driven, and overall very well done. It's a story about her, not really some crazy science fiction plot and it's not about the action scenes either. Although there are battles in most episodes. It's very much a slice of life/drama type show, but one that I think would appeal to those who dislike that genre, because the action scenes keep it from ever getting to slow. By episode 2 or 3 or will find you really have grown to like these characters, and probably won't be anoyed if an episode or two goes by without a fight, because their day to day life is so well portayed, and anything but boring. If you dislike sclice of life shows, this may not be the best thing for you to watch, but it's better then say Piano. This is very much a story about a little girl, coming out of her shell, and becoming more self confident and outgoing, and it's also a little about how you could become more self confident and outgoing. It's very touching at times, and incredbly deep. Despite the rating of 7+ by Media Blasters, I don't think I'd ever want to watch this when I was a child or with a child. They just wouldn't get the themes, and ideas behind what's being shown and probally wouldn't be too interested in it, although there's really nothing objectionable in the show or anything like that. It's deep, yet slow paced and relaxing. I'd compare it to say Kino's Journey or Haibane Renmei, more then something like To Heart, Kanon, or Azumanga Daioh . The odd pacing of the 45 minute episodes is something that really comes off as strange, at least at first. But you quickly adjust to it. And it alows the story to be told in such a way, that really makes everything come together. Nothing is rushed, and everything happens at the right time. I don't think this show could be this good, without the 45 minute episodes. Normal lenght episodes would hurt the pacing a lot. The art style seems a little weird at first, but you get used to it as well and grow to love it. It make look a little childish, but the story isn't really for kids. The first episode or two seem a little dated looking, but it gets better as the show goes on. The animation is great, although the art is very simple at times. The music on the other hand is amazing. Really this is one of the better soundtracks out there. The only problem is there are few too little themes to play, but what they have is top of the line stuff. Great, touching, and wonderful music. The dub is pretty good too. It's perhaps my new favorite show, and although I'm not finished watching it yet I'd already rate it a 9 or 10 out of 10 (unless it goes down the tubes which I doubt). It's really that good. And it's criminally underwatched. A very deep, touching, and cute little story. |
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Keonyn
 Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
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Well, I'll echo some of the points already made, but so be it.
As mentioned, while the synopsis describes it as some kind of sci-fi show involving brawls with aliens, that really is not what it is. That plays a role, but it serves more as the cause of the situation the show is really about, and not as the actual focus of the show. It's really a slice of life show about a young girl who is an only child, and how she suddenly finds herself with a twin, and how this effects her life and how she grows as a result of this. It's a beautiful show that is really down to earth and involves a lot of emotional moments and typical elements from the life of a child. It's more a character piece than anything, showing how Tsubasa grows as a result of the situation thrown on her. It's very slow paced though, and not a series you'd want to marathon with 45 minute episode lengths. It's very touching, and if you don't mind slower paced emotional character pieces, then this show really is top notch. The sci-fi portions aren't completely absent, and that does come up to add a bit of intrigue to the show, while also playing a major role in the beginning and end. Overall though, it's a show about these two girls lives after being thrown together, and how it impacts who they are. |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Thankyou Keonyn, Prede and hissatsu01 for replying. And of course murph76. Because of all of your comments I have decided to go and buy it. I don't know if I'll like it, but from what I've heard here it seems interesting enough to at least give it a chance. Hopefully the only copy in the store hasn't been snatched up yet; fingers crossed.
Cheers. |
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Veers
 Posts: 1197 Location: Texas |
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I'll just add my copypasta from my MyAnime list, since I still think this sums up my thoughts on the show pretty well without getting spoilery. Maybe this will help stave off that post-purchase, pre-viewing uncertainty:
Figure 17 is a tad hard to describe. It's like a slice of life sci-fi magical girl story with no magic; a story of courage and friendship and innocence and how life and death effect them. I wanna say it's what you'd get it of you mixed Miyazaki-like storytelling with Yotsuba and Nanoha, but without any fanservice. It follows a sort of monster-of-the-week format, but the show really isn't about the fighting as much as it is a character development story about Tsubasa dealing with both the changes in her life up to and after she gains this power and with her newfound friendship with Hikaru. Set in rural Hokkaido, Figure 17 also is quite unique in its setting of a modern farming community and the show's watercolor background art made for lots of nice scenery. While there were a few parts of the story that felt a little... odd/rushed/cheap/unresolved/unnecessary which ultimately prevent me from rating this show very high, overall the characters were very well written and the main relationships were very interesting to watch develop. Tsubasa's friendship with Hikaru was especially touching; one of the best, most sincere friendships I've seen in an anime. After a wonderfully cheesy first episode full of really annoying music followed by two really slow (aka boring) episodes, Figure 17 decided to get interesting and had me gripped until the end. I know the episodes are long, so being patient for the first third of the show to get finished with may seem like asking a lot, but for me it was well worth the wait; Figure 17 told a moving story I'd recommend to fans of character-driven stories that don't mind the very young age of the main characters (fear not, while one girl is shown nekkid from a distance once, there isn't a shred of fanservice in the show--I was referring more to some people's preference for stories with main characters older than 10). While Figure 17 does have some sci-fi and does have some fights (which range from boring to quite intense to just plain wtf), the focus is really on the two girls, and though they really shine, the plot suffers for it. In my opinion it was a worthy trade. Milage will vary. |
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Prede
Posts: 388 |
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Really? I found the soundtrack in this anime to be wonderful! I love it to death! My only bone to pick with it is there aren't enough themes. It feels very much like there are 3 or 4 songs in the entire show. But that's ok, because each one is so amazing, has so much emotion and feeling behind it, that you want to hear the songs a lot.
Both girls are also shown taking a bath naked, in the last episode I saw (still watching the show). I was getting worried at first, but this show stays clear from anything fanservicey. And it's truly for the better. |
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Veers
Posts: 1197 Location: Texas |
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Prede
Posts: 388 |
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Perhaps I only remember it because I just saw that episode. Also I was thinking "Boy I hope they don't do anything with that" and they didn't. |
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