Forum - View topicThe Making of a SHAFT Heroine
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Juno016
 Posts: 2430 |
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It's worth noting SHAFT's close relationship with studio Gekidan InuCurry, which despite being extremely prominent in Madoka Magica, is also the main studio behind a lot of the abstract stop-motion and some live shots in SHAFT's other works. InuCurry rarely works with any other studio and isn't the main studio behind any anime on their own (music videos and commercials are their forte), but they do have to be recognized as their own separate entity.
It's just really cool how well their unusual style fits together so well with SHAFT. I don't think any other studio would know how to make use of their work, but SHAFT gives them freedom to just do what they want on screen because they trust them to have similar goals. Especially in Madoka. |
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Sahmbahdeh
Posts: 713 |
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Most of my favorite Shaft characters are in the Monogatari series, largely because it's by far their longest, most well-developed franchise, which allows for more character development resulting in stronger, well-rounded, more appealing characters overall.
I haven't seen that many Shaft shows, actually, as I find the aesthetic in most of their shows to be unnecessary and distracting, and not suited for the story being told, Nisekoi being the prime example of this. I think it works in Monogatari and Madoka Magica, for example, because it jives with the stories being told and the overall atmosphere the shows are going for. And otherwise, the subject matter of most Shaft shows just doesn't appeal to me. I do want to watch Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei, however, but simply haven't gotten around to doing so. |
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yuna49
 Posts: 3804 |
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I recommend 3-gatsu no Lion ("March comes in like a lion"). Simbo is in top form in this show, and his style is less distracting. I've not read the manga, but from a quick glance he seems to be conforming to the manga-ka's style, especially in terms of the character models:
When Simbo does go "over the top" in this show, it always seems to fit the context of the story. This has become one of my favorite shows in quite some time. The second season is even richer than the first. I'm not sure I see why any of this has to do with "the making of a SHAFT heroine" though. If anyone is a "heroine" in 3-gatsu it would be Kawamoto Hinata standing behind her imouto Momo in the picture above. She's a pretty far cry from Mina Tepes or Akemi Homura. |
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WingKing
Posts: 617 |
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The only Shaft series I've watched to completion are Rec, Madoka, and Gourmet Girl Graffiti, and two of those three are pretty conventional shows. Aka Onda from Rec would be my favorite main heroine from those three shows, and while I don't remember any particular avant garde styling in that series, I get what Kim is saying about the emphasis on framing and design in still shots, because she often gets a similar treatment of being seen through Matsumaru's eyes.
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invalidname
 Contributor Posts: 2484 Location: Grand Rapids, MI |
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OK, one more time, it's Mekakucity Actors. Two words, not three. There is no "Mekaku City". It is a pun on "mekakushi", meaning "blindfold".
Sources: Mekakucity Actors official website, Crunchyroll show page. |
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StarFan13
 Posts: 353 |
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My Favorite Characters of Shaft. You know What Here's 6
1. Madoka Kaname 2. Homura Akemi 3. Mami Tomoe 4. Sayaka Miki 5. Kyoko Sakura And 6. Kyubey All of Names above are From Puella Magi Madoka Magica |
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nobahn
 Subscriber Posts: 5151 |
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StarFan13--
The only thing that I might question on your list is Kyubey; but I fully realize that others can justifiably disagree with my opinion:
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TasteyCookie
 Posts: 423 |
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With Shaft being my favorite studio, (KyoAni being a close second) I have many favorite characters from their series. All of the core Monogatari cast is highly memorable. And while understandably not everyone's favorite, I love their take on Nisekoi. The larger than life settings and over expressive characters is why I love the manga, and the Shaft style kept that over the top aesthetic. Probably my second favorite work from them and Chitoge is forever best girl.
March Comes in Like a Lion is definitely developing to be a favorite as well. Shaft's style makes for some breathtaking imagery, especially during emotional peaks. The comedy doesn't hit as often as other Shaft shows however. |
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johnnysasaki
Posts: 948 |
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If it was a certain someone, that person would skip the Monogatari series crying it's pretentious pedophiliac mysoginistic shit in this text.
Thankfully,it's someone who actually sees it more than that... |
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jdnation
Posts: 2125 |
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The style and story of the Monogatari series is awesome!
I found it to be something akin to an anime-filtered Sandman kind of series with its lore and presentation. It's a shame there's no reasonably priced DVD collection of it all. Understandably it'd be hard to dub, and it's a show more for those who are already well entrenched anime japanophile fans due to everything it portrays and covers. I'll have to check out Fireworks. |
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TnAdct1
Posts: 120 |
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No contest for me when it comes to the best girls in a SHAFT anime: Nodoka from Negima!? and Yuno fron Hidamari Sketch.
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Sakagami Tomoyo
 Posts: 947 Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
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Favourite SHAFT characters, bloody hell. I have a hard enough time picking favourite anything, but every SHAFT title I like consists mostly of characters I love for one reason or another. Even if I tried to narrow it down to a top 5 in each title, I'd feel like I was doing the other characters a disservice.
Still, if there is a single character that comes to mind when I think SHAFT anime, it's Senjougahara Hitagi.
"Reasonably priced" is a very subjective thing, but I don't have any problems with the pricing on the Australian DVD sets of the various Monogatari series. But if you're after a set that's absolutely all-inclusive... good luck with that. |
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jdnation
Posts: 2125 |
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That, and the thing that irked me the most was that it isn't coded for my region. If I'm going to pay a higher price, then I at the very least require a localization effort. I checked out most of the show thanks to Crunchyroll, so for the time being it's available to me. Though it'd be nice to also get the films and other missing bits on there. The first series on Crunchy is only the first season, missing the second, and not in HD, though that's due to the original release not being in HD either, so it's understandable. It's a pipe dream, I know, but I'm wishing for a total-complete ultimate blu-ray boxset put out locally in North America someday in the far future. |
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dm
 Subscriber Posts: 1478 |
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Probably my favorite Shinbo-directed character is Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko, more the TV series than the OAV series. That's pre-Shaft Shinbo, though --- he was working with JC Staff when that was made.
As to favorite Shaft heroines --- probably Rebecca Miyamoto from Pani Poni Dash, if not for Hitagi Senjougahara. Favorite Shaft heroes would be Deishuu Kaiki from Koimonogatari. It's nice to see some appreciation for SHAFT's visual experimentalism (though, truth be told, I think it's turning into cliche in many of the later Monogatari series). I've had friends complain about the "total lack of animation". Another aspect of Shaft's productions is that the soundtracks are frequently quite interesting in their own right. Everyone knows the Madoka soundtrack, of course, but a lot of the music from Pani Poni Dash was both diverse and evocative. The use of almost-leitmotif in sound design Hidamari Sketch is also pretty striking. |
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harminia
 Posts: 2064 Location: australia |
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Just a note that in the blurb for this on home page/side bar you've written "Monogararararagi"
sorry, I stuttered. I mean: "Monogarari" instead of "Monogatari" anyway my fave heroine of theirs is probably.... hmmm... Umi from Katteni Kaizo, I guess. Does she count? |
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