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Angel Beats! (TV).


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darkchibi07



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 5515
PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:56 pm Reply with quote


Angel Beats! (TV)

Genres: action, comedy, drama, fantasy, romance
Themes: amnesia, fighting, girls with guns, high school, life after death, music, school, tragic past

Plot Summary: In a world after death, angels fight for their fate and their future. Yuri, the leader of the Shinda Sekai Sensen, rebels against the god who destined her to have an unreasonable life. On the otherhand, Tenshi, the chairperson of the student council for the world after death, battles against the SSS members. SSS members utilize armed weaponry to battle it out against the angels harnessing supernatural powers.
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So here we go, an anime original by Visual Arts/Key with the collaboration with Aniplex, and this time P.A. Works will be the ones animating it (and in the back of my mind, I have never seen an Aniplex title done by KyoAni; I wonder why is that).

Since we got nothing to base this series on, we'll have to see how this will hold up in the season. From the synopsis, it does seem to have a darker and edgier plot than what Key usually does (except for Planetarium). Of course, I'm rather cautiously optimistic considering I really don't know what to expect.
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TJR



Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 223
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:20 am Reply with quote
darkchibi07 wrote:
and in the back of my mind, I have never seen an Aniplex title done by KyoAni; I wonder why is that


It has a lot to do with the relationships between production companies (in a loose sense, there's kind of a benefactor/beneficiary relationship between financier and studio, not to mention personal ties between producers). KyoAni is closely tied to Kadokawa and TBS/Pony Canyon, so you can think of these as business alliances.

Aniplex is a major competitor to both, which is possibly why there's no working relationship with KyoAni. Some studios are large and powerful enough to be truly independent, but others are linked to particular companies that they depend on for work. Production capacity is also limited, so they're likely to prioritize offers from their longtime collaborators.

These types of relationships also affect personnel appointment. I notice many people wondering why so and so (who may even admit to hating a genre they're working on or a source they're adapting) got appointed director, but the answer is sometimes simple. They're tight with producers at a studio, who hire them out of loyalty or friendship.
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LaFreccia



Joined: 12 Apr 2006
Posts: 324
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:41 am Reply with quote
Very Happy
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15576
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:03 am Reply with quote
I watched the first episode, and I liked it. Plusses are that the cast is not heavilly lent on one gender, it seems relativly funny, some serious parts (death?) and the graphics are nice. Particulary with the graphics in the spoiler[concert scene, which was kins of makeing me think "Live Alive"], but it is only the first episode, so will be unlikely to see something like that often.

Also like to point out the "Key coffee" Smile , apparently they sell coffee now, even had the logo. The random spoiler[dancing American guy, he sounded pretty much like someone from a video game, at least the VA is actually American] (took a squiz at the each characters voice roles).

Anyway it looks like this will be something I will be watching, no surprise really from the hype.
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Hentai_JP



Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 605
Location: Toronto, ON
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:30 am Reply with quote
KyoAni adaptations of KEY works are good because each story gets two-three shots before it's refined. Visual Novels are first, then Toei adaptations and finally KyoAni cleans up all that mess and produces, with great effort, something truly brilliant. It takes time to make a perfect version of a story... for same reason we see Rebuild of Evangelion movies being made.

This time there was no "source material", and I am a little disappointed at what I see in first episode. "Unrefined" story is what we'll get, I wonder if they'll run to KyoAni again begging for a rematch...

That said there is no way I am dropping this series. I've been looking forward to this for far too long, and I am sure it's going to be involving after a few episodes.
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:43 am Reply with quote
So is this Air/Clannad with guns? Guess I'll check it out for myself.
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Miranox



Joined: 13 May 2009
Posts: 247
Location: Montreal, Canada
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:24 pm Reply with quote
DragonsRevenge wrote:
So is this Air/Clannad with guns? Guess I'll check it out for myself.


It's more like Haibane Renmei with guns. The characters are in a similar situation. Supposedly after dying, they wake up in a strange, isolated world they can't escape. The difference is that instead of helping townspeople they have to fight angels, though they still live normally when they can. It's an interesting premise so we'll have to wait and see if they build a decent story around it. All I can say about this anime so far is that it has potential.
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DragonsRevenge



Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 1150
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:11 pm Reply with quote
Hmm... curious. Well, I got it queued.
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:00 pm Reply with quote
darkchibi07 wrote:
From the synopsis, it does seem to have a darker and edgier plot than what Key usually does (except for Planetarium). Of course, I'm rather cautiously optimistic considering I really don't know what to expect.

And it is Planetarium for which I wait. The post-mortal setting and angelic characters featured in Angel Beats!, as is suggested by the plot synopsis, might be a little too fantastic for me to absorb from the outset. Key have, of course, used supernatural elements to great effect in the past. This involved a gradual exposition however, with initial episodes suggesting nothing beyond the mundane. If not gradually introduced, I can struggle to warm to content of a more outlandish nature.
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guet



Joined: 17 Jan 2008
Posts: 492
Location: Sparta
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:04 pm Reply with quote
I really enjoyed the first episode myself.

Yeah, Yuri looks and acts like Haruhi, the story looks like it could go anywhere at this point, and the insert concert did seem a bit random (but fairly well done).

However, I laughed out loud a few times, I enjoyed the over-the-top scenes of violence, it's not hard on the eyes, and I'm actually kind of interested in the whole rebellion idea. I'll stick with this one to see where it goes.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:50 pm Reply with quote
It seems very good for Key, as in the main focus isn't about moe girls dying of Aids, or which one is already dead, or which one is a fox spirit. TK alone makes it fun.

Hentai_JP wrote:
This time there was no "source material", and I am a little disappointed at what I see in first episode. "Unrefined" story is what we'll get, I wonder if they'll run to KyoAni again begging for a rematch....


I have zero idea what you're talking about. The production values were fine. Besides, the only re-do of those other Key shows was the new Kanon. The Clannad and Air movies were more or less simultaneous with the TV shows, on purpose I'd imagine.
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BlazingEdge



Joined: 19 Jan 2010
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:40 pm Reply with quote
I like everything Key's put out so far, and Angel beats looks incredible. I'm incredibly excited for this show to starts.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 12:28 am Reply with quote
So basically the story is about a SOS Brigade knockoff (complete with a not-as-obnoxious version of Haruhi as their commander) who rebels against a system in order to stay alive. And yet, they do so by stealing meal coupons?

Living for life's own sake is kind of dull, don't you think? It seems obvious to me that they aren't in the "afterlife" (a misnomer of a term since, if I have it right, in Buddhism no such thing exists). No, I believe they are in purgatory, specifically a purgatory designed to get people to accept their fate, possibly cleanse their sins or whatever, and finally be reincarnated. All of which could make a very interesting plot, provided that every episode isn't just about the "mission of the week".

The members of the SSS (barring the brash Yuri) were really boring and somewhat inane, so I'm certainly not sticking them around just for them. I was pleased that Yuri wasn't as annoying as Haruhi, and she did seem to have a softer side. Basically, I didn't hate her like I thought I would (although I did dislike her). As for Otonashi, I KNEW his Seiyuu was the same guy who did Koyomi in Bakemonogatari. It seems like he's another Seiyuu (along with the likes of Jun Fukuyama and Mamoru Miyano) who always sound the same no matter the role. As for their nemesis, Angel, well she has as much personality as Rei Ayanami. That is to say, wet cardboard.

Finally, the visuals were quite good, and I did like the sound of the concert. Somehow the song made for oddly suiting battle music, which is, um, odd.

So this first episode was inventive and intriguing, and possessed (much) greater depth than I thought possible from having read the summary. If it can avoid being too much of a clone and a slice-of-life show, and actually be intelligent and engaging, then it will be a keeper. I will watch at least the next two episodes but I will do so carefully; if it looks like it is slipping then I will drop it for sure. After all, with so many shows that I want to watch this season, I don't have much time to waste on the maybes.


Last edited by dtm42 on Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 7994
Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 12:38 am Reply with quote
From the first episode, I'm liking it a lot. Not only is the story interesting but it's also pretty humorous.
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wedgeofpie



Joined: 19 Aug 2008
Posts: 20
PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 5:22 am Reply with quote
I really don't know if I can get in to this or not. Stylistically it's very pretty, the concert in particular looked and sounded gorgeous. The majority of the cast seem pretty one dimensional from the get go, but then they did just dump them all in at once. As for the main girl, I'm never going to remember her name since every ounce of her just screams Haruhi in to my brain whenever she's on screen.

I guess I'll have to see how the concept pans out, since it's a little confusing thus far. spoiler[For one thing, if the Angel is the one who erases people why didn't it do just that to Otonashi instead of stabbing him in the chest? On another note, that was a pretty convuluted strategy they used, just to get a free meal. Never mind the guns, where did they get all those wind turbines from?]
Did anyone else notice the heartbeat monitor thing in the Angel Beats motiff? Kind of put me in mind of a hospital...
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