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Forum - View topicShelf Life - Wag the Dog
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Fronzel
Posts: 1906 |
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I rather liked Working!. It meet be because when I started the first episode I thought "this looks like a boring slice-of-life romance series" and was happy to find out that it was a nearly pure comedy instead. I also liked the slight mean-spirited edge most of the jokes have.
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Megiddo
 Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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The problem I had with Working! is that I did not find Inami hitting Souta remotely funny, at all. And for the first 5 or 6 episodes that seemed to be what the focus of the show was. If the time was more evenly split among other characters or even if Inami just didn't have the same joke over and over I probably would have liked it more.
As far as Allison and Lillia goes (and yes, there's a reason why it's called that instead of Allison and Will), I thought it was slightly above average. The main problem though is that I knew it came from Keiichi Sigsawa, who also penned (and continues so) Kino's Journey. So seeing something akin to 'Young Indiana Jones Adventures' from someone who was able to create such fascinating vignettes in Kino's Journey was probably the most disappointing thing to me. Also, awesome to see Nerima Daikon Brothers (particularly the dub) get some love in the Shelf Obsessed section this week. |
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AnimeMaine
Posts: 123 |
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Not much disagreement, but I would rate Wagnaria shelf worthy and the first half of Allison & Lillia rental shelf (I have the second half, but have not watched it yet.)
I have already watched Wagnaria twice, and am considering getting a copy for my teenage niece. I enjoyed watching the subtle change in Inami and Souta's relationship over the 13 episodes. I got the feeling that Popura was supposed to be the main character, but that the author realized that Inami was a more interesting character as time went on. I am definitely looking forward to season two. Allison & Lillia was fun. I decided to order it based on the description of the anime and it didn't disappoint. However, I probably won't watch it again any time soon. And it would be lower on my list of anime to watch with my wife or relatives than Wagnaria. As another person has noted, there is a reason for the title. I won't give it away, but I knew the reason before I bought the anime and knowing the story behind the title had no effect on my enjoyment. |
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Taiyz
 Posts: 202 Location: Canada |
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After reading the end of your review of Allison and Lillia, it's got me thinking that the 13 episode sets don't really work for it.
While it seems straightforward to release each "generation" separately, the original airing made the first half's ending a lot less jarring because of how quickly the latter half picked up, being only a week later. |
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Meygaera
 Posts: 324 Location: Maryland |
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LOL at the out of order Full Metal Alchemist dvd cases.
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JohnnySake
 Posts: 587 Location: Auburn Hills, MI |
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Wow, it's a rare shelf life (for me anyway) when two of the three titles I have seen and had good experiences with. Wagnaria was alot of fun, more than I had initially expected. I too was annoyed with Inami hitting Souta as much as he did. (She is lucky he was so understanding about it, especially when he learned the genesis of her behavior.) Although that interaction might have grated on me after awhile, everyone else and their antics really made the show for me. Popura was so cute and energetic, she was always putting a stupid grin on my face.
I'll be curious to read what else Erin has to say about the ending of Allison & Lillia. I too really enjoyed the show, all through the episodes, however I was more than little annoyed at the final eps. spoiler[Allison finding out that she was pregnant but didn't want to tell Will because he was about to join the secret service? C'mon honey, tell him, this is *important*!] After than incident the final episode kinda showed what happened in the intervening years, spoiler[but Allison never told Lillia who her father was, and once again... for pete's sake, he sitting right there!!] Ugh, a great show that sucked me in enough to marathon the eps, but the ending left me stressed out. I'm definitely looking forward to the second season. Great reviews Erin! 
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Happiness for Subaru
 Posts: 242 |
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One-Eye
 Posts: 2267 |
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Those boxes by NIS look terrific and I think they are fairly priced. I'm kicking myself a little bit for not having gotten the Toradora set, but I read there were issues with the DVDs for that series which made me hold off.
God I love Durarara!! I enjoyed it much more than Baccano (raises shields to maximum strength). The minute I finnished watching the show I went looking for it and pre-ordered the minute the DVDs became available for pre-order, which is not something I do often. The review just makes me want to go watch it again. Heck, I think I'll go do just that!
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Gewürtztraminer
 Posts: 1028 Location: Texas - Its like whole other country. |
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Parts of Working had me seriously rolling.
Other parts, auto-assault on the male character. Really. This trope needs to die. Sheesh. The setup for it here was good, but still just end this story crutch. please. Up through 12 on Allison and Lillia. I like it but I get the feeling that it is going to disappoint me. |
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here-and-faraway
 Posts: 1529 Location: Sunny California |
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I'm trying to plug through it, but I'm really put off by the hitting too. I really, really, really hate Inami. Not that any of the other characters are particularly charming, but to me, she drags the show down.
Allison and Lilia is easily one of my favorite releases of the year. I agree that the characters are extremely well-written. The plot might be a little predictable, but it runs smoothly and the characters are incredibly endearing.
I couldn't agree with you more. I'm getting really, really tired of writers who add this kind of ending onto a show. I recently finished Toradora!, which had a similar kind of twist at the end and got really po'ed. I'm all for stories with conflict, but adding a conflict AFTER the climax for no good reason other than to jerk the audience's feelings around seems like sloppy storytelling. I never thought of it as a cultural bias - I'll have to think that one over. I just got volume 2 of Allison and Lilia. I can't wait to see what happens next... |
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JiseiHakushaku
 Posts: 19 Location: Kentucky, USA |
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I have had yet to see Working!!, but I don't really have much of an interest in it, personally. Though, if I wasn't more focused on other titles, I'd probably pick it up just for that beautiful NISA box set. I love their boxes despite their odd sizes and even have a special set up for them in mind. /NISA box freak moment
The review of Allison & Lillia interests me. I tend to at least enjoy these sorts of things, so I'll probably order it soon once I get some LEs out of the way. I'm really, REALLY glad to see Durarara!! part 2 get such a great review here. I love this series, the box it's released in, the dub, and it being on Adult Swim. I hope my part 3 comes in the mail soon. |
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bemused Bohemian
Posts: 404 Location: central Mizzou (Moral Oralville) |
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Watched Durarara on CR over the course of 1 week about a month ago. Liked it and the majority of the story's characters so much I ordered the 3-dvd set to rewatch. Agree, it's nice Adult Swim picked this fare up (now if AS will just bump Bleach and rebroadcast FLCL forever).
As for the ability to grab a military plane aka Allison and Will and fly anywhere on the flimsiest of pretense why not ignore this anime sideshow and focus instead on real world fantasy by becoming a lobbyist and befriending the House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. I'm reasonably certain she'll extend to you unparalleled patron hospitality on MATS (also known as Government Airways) taxpayer indebtedness notwithstanding. |
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bglassbrook
 Posts: 1244 Location: Gaithersburg, MD |
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A whole lot more so than I am. They really need to get around to translating the character names in the OP. If it keeps mostly rewinding and playing back from another perspective, then I will have long since stopped trying to care who they are. Durarara seems to be moving at an almost Mushishi pace (even caught myself drifting off a few time while watching this week's episode,) which seems fairly discordant for a show that puts off action vibes. So for those that like it, is there a fairly safe bet for the hook/crook decision point? As to Zoe's comments with the shelf collection, why are you hoping Immortal Rain goes back in print? You already have all the volumes. |
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Big Hed
 Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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Well, if you haven't already bought the standard set, RACS still has a few copies of LE 1 going for a mere $138.98. 
@ bemused Bohemian: please, let's not and say we did.
The pace picks up after the sixth or seventh episode, and stays more or less that way thereafter. Personally though, I really enjoyed the slow star and in retrospect think it serves as a good foundation for the craziness that follows. |
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Megiddo
Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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The biggest drawback to DRRR!! I feel is the constant narration. It really bogs the show down. At times (when there is no narration) the pace can seem quite fast and in that time it can be really enjoyable.
I was definitely let down by the show though. To think that sort of show came from the creator of Baccano! sure was disappointing to learn. Oh well, it made the author (and Brains Base) a lot of money, which I can't be mad about. |
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