Forum - View topicANNCast - No Matter How I Look At It, It's Just A Podcast
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gedata
 Posts: 617 |
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people, stop giving Kotaku hits
that is all |
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DmonHiro
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Did you just spend 40 minutes talking intensely about WataMote? GOOD.
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Penguin_Factory
 Posts: 732 Location: Ireland |
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I really enjoyed both this and the Penguindrum episode. Any chance you guys will consider doing more series-specific podcasts in the future?
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Happiness for Subaru
 Subscriber Posts: 242 |
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I think another series-specific episode would be great too. The format is right: there were just enough voices and it was guided by talking points. The problem is likely timing...people are busy and if it's something airing it's probably going to be talked about frequently anyway, like Flowers of Evil.
Great episode. |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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If the show is being cruel to the character in this specific circumstance, then I take it as the writer/artist being cruel to herself, meaning you're still laughing with her self-deprecation. The character feels extremely genuine, like it came from a personal place and from experiences that you cannot contrive without having lived them in a real world. Sure, some of the gags are exaggerated, but the mindset and world view are definitely real enough. I hope more gets made so we can see her (manga spoilers) spoiler[budding rivalry born out of oddly placed spite with another girl she knew from middle school, but doesn't really remember correctly, she manufactures ind her mind a situation that doesn't exist, and is currently playing out in the new chapters. With that and the prequel manga required to understand where this conflict came from, it's getting hard to cheer on and support Tomoko. It's kind of like "oh, she's actually an awful person inside, crippling social anxiety or no."] But the show bombed something fierce; 1,200 units?, so I don't imagine they'll make more unless the manga can somehow take up the slack.
I'm kind of split on the relation with Tomoki, he just seems perpetually embarrassed and emotionally drained by her and wishes she'd go away. I like how his character is always show as weary and and aggravated whenever she's in his room, and that he's just merely tolerating her presence until she goes away because he doesn't want any guff from the parents. Last edited by walw6pK4Alo on Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:00 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Quark
 Posts: 710 Location: British Columbia, Canada |
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Watamote: the show that is both incredibly depressing and hilarious. I don't think I've ever identified with a character as much as I do Tomoko.
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Fronzel
Posts: 1906 |
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Kind of surprised the discussion never mentioned the OP and ED songs, which are great at expressing the series in microcosm. The OP is an overwrought resentful fantasy of being badass enough to rise above the people she envies and the ED is a brutally direct airing of her problems to a sugar-pop beat combined with some of Tomoko's self-delusion which only comes crashing down. The way it shows her using technology toys to avoid thinking about her problems is also pretty clever.
As far as Tomoko being genuinely unappealing, physically, I was actually a little annoyed they gave her pretty green irises. She's still bug-eyed and has those discolored bags underneath, but they could stand to be more plain I think. In the manga (I don't want to be That Guy about adaptations, but...) her eyes are generally just black circles or a creepy-looking mass of squiggles, which I understand wouldn't animate (at least not on this budget) but I still think they moved a bit in the wrong direction. Last edited by Fronzel on Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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bemused Bohemian
Posts: 404 Location: central Mizzou (Moral Oralville) |
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I agree with those of you who felt Watamote could have ended at episode 10 although episode 11 did give the viewer hope that one of her nobler characteristics will serve her well when she leaves adolescence.
I don't want to see a Season 2 of this because it would be more of the same darkly comic humor without enough material to draw from. What I would like to see is a 1 hour long OVA about how she fared once she matriculated past the high school traumas, teen angst twilight, and entered early adulthood. I'm sure some of these anime episodes were, as you suggested, semi-biographical or friend observation based. An OVA could help us appreciate her endeavor to improve her situation via her transformation wrought by hard work and adulthood. |
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Fronzel
Posts: 1906 |
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An OVA has been announced, but it's one of those limited-edition manga pack-in deals, so it's just going to be more scenes from the manga animated.
I'm hoping it might include a really heartbreaking chapter about her being invited to a class party after the school festival. |
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5507 Location: Iscandar |
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Thanks for this podcast. It was very informative and insightful. I watched WATAMOTE and liked some parts of it, but I am not a big fan of it. However, this podcast has given me some interesting things to ponder.
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Parsifal24
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My sentiments exactly just downloaded the podcast and plan on listening to it real soon, Having now listened to the podcast I thought a lot of the points made were good, as concerns WataMote's satirical aspects were interesting as I didn’t really see it as satire when I was first watching it. Also I think the series did a better job at making Tomoko sympathetic in showing her struggle and fail. But also be a victim of her own delusions of what High School is or should be like while also seeing that it comes from having been fed a false narrative by society the whole “high school is the best years of you’re life” lie. I find also that the visual look of the series helped such as the almost always present semi-transparent box Tomoko appears to be trapped in, or the jagged angles it sometimes gives off. Also as concerns Tomoko's relationship with her little brother the change that happened from when he was younger and idolized his big sister to now was another part that seemed natural compared to that kind of relationship being fetishized like what happened in Oreimo. Overall it's a series I relate to greatly and I hope it at least sells well over here also I think the Manga that was referenced in which there's Yuu's other friend was a character was the spin off series of WataMote TomoMote not the actual series I could be wrong though. Also I thought the idea that WataMote is a sort of “anti-Moe” series was actually pretty spot on if your definition of Moe is stuff like Clannad, Air, or Strawberry Marshmallow of K-On! But there are also hordes of people (I am among them) on 4chan, Animelist, and various forums that think Tomoko is just the most Moe thing they've seen in forever precisely becuese she's so messed up she get's the little victory here or there than falls flat on her face just makes you want to root for her while also simultaneously realizing that “Oh man that's me!” Also I think if you were to compare Watamote to something the first Genshiken series would be a better comparison than Welcome to The NHK which I've never read or watched precisely because the entire attitude seems to be one of misanthropic hatred as opposed to the kind of bemused sympathy in WataMote. Last edited by Parsifal24 on Sat Oct 12, 2013 8:42 am; edited 1 time in total |
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David.Seth
 Posts: 453 Location: near SF |
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I enjoyed these episodes as well, and I wouldn't mind more of them. I guess I like it when Zac or Justin get into a discussion about a particular show/movie, since it offers a view point from someone who can articulate it well. On previous episodes they talked a little about Flowers of Evil or Evangelion 3.0 and it was just interesting to hear their take. I don't think I want these type of episodes all the time, but once in a while would be great. edit: I was a little suprised when I read what this episode was about, considering Zac made it pretty clear a few eps ago that he didn't like the show (I think it was just his first impressions though). edit2: What is the piece of music that plays at the very beginning of the podcast? Not the New Division song, the music that plays when Zac is giving his disclaimer? |
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Sylpher3
Posts: 85 |
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Great podcast dedicated to Watamote. You guys truly understand the dark themes this show is portraying. I’m glad you appreciated it and made very accurate analyses about its characters and dynamics.
I actually wish you would have gone beyond the show and delved deeper into the subject matter (social anxiety). As was said, there are people, including anime fans, who could very well relate to Tomoko. People who suffer or have suffered from social anxiety on a daily basis which impacted their lives. So my question would be: How do you “cure” (Tomoko’s) social anxiety? How should one deal with the inner turmoil and loneliness, how can one improve, how can you accept it, how can it be prevented? The show didn’t give an answer to that (well, maybe a flimsy one at the end) and since you understand the subject matter, it would have been interesting to hear your take on it (Although I’m not sure whether you guys are qualified enough for it or have an expertise in this particular field). Also, will there be a series review for Watamote? |
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Roxas4ever
 Posts: 152 |
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No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys Fault I Enjoyed This Podcast.
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Soundmonkey44
 Posts: 1243 |
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I actually just finally got around to checking out WATAMOTE because of this podcast. And I will say, I can relate to Tomoko, I don't think i've ever been as bad as her, but that fear of social interaction, that hatred of those around you, abit delusional, abit demented, you really can't help but feel sorry for her. Of course it probably doesn't help i'm also one of those people that always ends up rotting for underdog characters in cartoons & anime. Sure Tomoko is self-defeating for the most part, but still, you can't help but hope things get better for her someday. I really hope theres a second season, but if not, i'm glad Yen Press is releasing the manga stateside so we can see if anything at all improves after the point where the anime left off.
As for how to "cure" her condition. I don't think theres any simple way. I guess I would start with a Hug, it doesn't solve problems, but the episode where Tomoko got hugged by her friend from middles school and that gal in the mascot costume, those both seemed to temporarily cheer her up a bit. Other then that it would be good if she akcnowledged she had a problem, and if her parents did so as well and tried to help her out. But as this is an anime/manga, something like that probably won't happen, or if it did not till a series finale. But ahh i'm rambling. Anywho WATAMOTE is probably my favorite anime of the year ATM along with Eccentric Family. *what can I say as I get older I just get more attracted to slice of life shows* |
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