Forum - View topicSomeday's Dreamers (Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto)
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Dargonxtc
 Posts: 4463 Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋 |
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Well I have been watching anime in a fast format so I didn't get to go through the Japanese dub yet, but I must say I enjoyed this anime very much. It isn't my intent to disrespect anyone, in fact everyone whom I mention I respect immensely. Please keep all of those things in mind. And some reviews are only on single volumes, so it is'nt fair, but good to illustrate a point.
Please look here. I disagree on pretty much all of those points. Except the animation part. But it is JC Staff quality and nothing more. Nothing less. Too me this is a deep look at mahou shoujo, in its very accepted form. I thought it was fresh look on the life of a found out Magical girl(because the whole World knows they exist). "They tried a little too hard to make this thing seem laid-back; the result is a string of uninteresting things happening to uninteresting people." I think in a world where magic is real and everyone knows it, this is true. But the fact is they end up dealing with issues that everyone deals with, and in this case, I think they do it well. And on top of that they play down the magic, which I liked; there is no replay button. "Add in repetitive, slow piano music, and you have an instant cure for insomnia." I disagree, the first volume really made me want to know what happened to the lead. The music fit. Slow for sure, but it was right. "Yume's powers are ten times more potent than anyone else’s, solely because she's a cute young girl" This is not true, at all. But if you had not seen beyond the first volume I can see someone coming to that conclusion. "Yume's English voice actor fails to supply any depth to her decidedly bland character" I disagree. "Angela is a conundrum; she’s supposed to be British. I have no idea if her voice actress actually is British, but the accent sounds completely fake." I agree. Although I think see does come around toword the end. But that is not excuse. "They’ll spend a few extra seconds showing characters standing around in the rain for no reason other than to increase the ‘coquettish and sedate' feeling of it all." It is to show depth. I know you were younger when you wrote this but how many fanboys do we all have to hear about the same thing about NGE. And I am not knocking NGE either. It is hard to explain without giving to much away, but I think this show has a lot of heart. Maybe so much that if you don't pay attention you might miss it. Please read here. "It’s a quiet series that revels in its soft and beautiful artwork and its slow storyline. As Yume continues onward with her apprenticeship, she meets a cast of new friends that help her on her journey to becoming a mage. With the introduction of a determined boy named Kera, the story really gets a chance to thicken as he dives into his past and his motivations for becoming a mage. Aside from character building and subdued adventures, there’s still not much going on, but the pace is so relaxing that it’s nice to kick back and watch something like Someday’s Dreamers to ease up the stress in your life." But there is going on. But on a whole I agree with this. "Be warned though, it is rather slow and won't appeal to many people." I really can't agree with this. I didn't think I would like this at all, and I ended up enjoying it very much. I can't think people are that inpatient. But I am probably wrong on that. ---------------------- It is a touching series on many levels. It was shown late at night for varied reasons, but I think at its core it is a heart-warming series. I grade it between a B+ to A-. Please discuss. Its not your average mahou shoujo. And please remember, to disagree is not the same as disresepecting. |
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Lynx
 Posts: 39 |
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Ah, Somedays' Dreamers. I remember gaining interest in the show before it began airing via pictures on the official website. The artwork really is nice and caught my attention right away. Animation wise they definitely did a great job.
Overall I liked the show but I can see from the point of view for those who didn't. None of my friends who've borrowed it have ever finished the whole thing because of its slower pacing. I, on the other hand, found it more relaxing to watch. On the note of the music, I'd have to completely disagree with the review. I found the soundtrack beautiful, especially many of the piano medleys. I still listen to it when I want to hear calming songs. |
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cardcaptormanda
 Posts: 237 Location: United States |
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I finally got around to watching this last month, and I was actually pretty disappointed. Maybe my hopes were too high, but there was very little about this series that I truly enjoyed. I kept watching, waiting for it to get better, waiting for something interesting to come up, waiting for the series to get good, but even when some important event did happen, I found that I just didn't care. By the time the last episode was over, I was dismayed that I had waited for nothing.
It wasn't the slow pace that bothered me, although "too slow" is a criticism I often hear about this and similar series, and they definitely aren't for everyone. I usually tend to really like slow and calm slice-of life anime like this, but… I can't really put my finger on what it was that made this series so unlikable for me. I couldn't feel anything for any of the characters, and everything was just so…flat. So lifeless. Nothing got through to me emotionally. There was just something that kept this from being good, but I'm not sure what. This series wasn't terrible, but it's not something I would recommend to someone, and I kind of wish I would have used my time to watch something better. As a side note, I don't know if I would really call this mahou shoujo. Yes, it features a girl with powers, but that fact by itself doesn't automatically make something part of that genre. Last edited by cardcaptormanda on Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:32 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6902 Location: Kazune City |
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I've seen this review in the past, and I think it temporarily dissuaded me from buying the series. But, I found it for super-cheap (cost me more to ship the Vol.1 + Box than to buy it), and bought it anyway. I watched Someday's Dreamers back in August, and I liked it, not surprisingly. It almost seems like Zac was looking for an opportunity to hate on some slow anime, and beyond that, one section is blatantly inaccurate:
So, I do have a soft spot for these slow slife anime, but the music and animation were good-quality for the type of series that it was. The character animation isn't stellar, but the backgrounds and effects are lovely and detailed, enough to make those still/panning shots worth looking at and reflecting over. Sure, there are quite a few stills and pans, but virtually all anime is guilty of that crime--action anime just puts speed-lines behind everything and suddenly it's exciting and kick-ass  There were maybe too many "magic activation" recycled sequences, and some character movements were stiff, but that's not too bad.
The music is repetitive sometimes, but overall it's great for the relaxing mood that SD wants to set, and the OP/ED are powerful as well. I broke with tradition and watched the first episode in English so that I could evaluate the dub without preconceived notions. It wasn't quite on the level of the Japanese acting, but I found it acceptable/not "omg this is so bad I have to hit that audio button." Yume's Japanese VA gives one of the most "natural" performances I've ever heard--it's not really TypicalAnimeVoice#209. But, I would agree that Someday's Dreamers isn't for everyone--there's a type of fan who can get into series like this, and many fans who prefer more action, comedy, fanservice, and overall "pizazz" in anime won't fall into that category. There's nothing wrong with that; it's just that coming-of-age stories filled with apologizing, pondering, crying, and "important life lessons" don't have universal appeal. To me, it hit the right sentimental chords, and overall, it was a decent premise and a compact, complete story in 12 episodes. I'd watch it again, and though I'd recommend it, I wouldn't do so without some reservations. |
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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 ) Still, I can honestly say that I have, in person and in England, heard the accent Shereen Hickman, Angela's English VA, used. Although the one I heard was a tad more nasal sounding, which makes it sound even MORE like a fake accent. It is real though.
I really enjoyed Someday's Dreamers myself. It's a touching story, in my opinion, and the quiet nature of it really makes the series more enjoyable to me. It feels like a normal slice of life story but with this added zest with the magic angle. The character designs aren't for everyone, but I loved them. Especially Yume with her flyaway hair. Such a cute and, at the same time, very kind design. Watching her, seeing her struggle with the uncertainties of her gifts, it really touched me and the ending reinforced what I felt was the central theme of the whole series. The idea that life is worth living, that dreams are worth pursuing, and that making connections is what gives us ture power. I would definately not recommend Someday's Dreamers to anyone who doesn't like slow, quiet stories. I wouldn't recommend the manga at all. It felt very different from the anime. It was darker, which I kind of liked, but I missed the characters that weren't there (like Smiley, Runa, and Angela) and I hated the way it ended. The way Yume in the manga used her powers on spoiler[Oyamada to show him that he had to start living his life inspite of the fact that he couldn't use his gifts to save the woman he loved,] was just terrible. It was so cruel in my opinion. It did not feel like the Yume you'd come to know in the earlier chapters at all. Now, the anime had her use her gifts in a way which felt perfectly in character. It was still emotionally jarring, but not in a sadistic way like the manga. Also, I hated the way the manga ended in general. spoiler[Having Oyamada together with Milinda just seemed totally forced.] The anime ending for Someday's Dreamers hinted at a possibility that spoiler[Yume and Oyamada might end up together] somewhere down the road. That felt much more in line with the rest of the series. At the very least the last scene with Yume spoiler[crossing the street with ease], showed that she had become a stronger, more mature person. I've watched the anime several times and my opinion remains unchanged. It's a good series. Soft, gentle, and warm, much like an embrace. Spoiler-tagged, just in case. 
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Noggy
 Posts: 88 |
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I think that Someday's Dreamers is a series that you really can't go into having high-ish expectations like cardcaptormanda seemed to. I wouldn't say the show has moments that are so overwhelmingly great and will win somebody over on the spot.
I had read nothing at all about the series before I watched it the first time. I just thought the premise was interesting enough. I just kicked up my feet and didn't expect all that much, so in that way the series was a bit of a surprise to me. Yes, I didn't think the show was great, but I didn't think the series did anything particularly bad. Being slow paced isn't necessarily a bad thing, but that review is right about this show being an acquired taste. If your not in the mood to watch this type of show, chances are very high you'll end up hating it. Like I said, the show's not really great, but it's not bad either. It's a charming series that leaves a good taste in your mouth (well, atleast it did for ME). To me, Someday's Dreamers is a benchmark of being "good", a 7/10 or whatever type of rating system you want to use. Or atleast that's what I did when I first started rating what I've seen in "My Anime" But this sudden talk about this has made me want to watch this for a second time, and not be a pirate and buy the DVDs this time. I know the series is pretty cheap, but I'd like to thank you people for spending my money
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Dargonxtc
Posts: 4463 Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋 |
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Wow, thanks for all the great well thought-out replies. I unsure why all of you say it is slow, still? I must have been in the mood or something when I watched it
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OMG a family member has died(just had a call from hell), I was going to respond to everyone, but I can't right now.....sorry |
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Richard J.
Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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Again, my prayers are with you. |
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