What anime are you watching right now? May-Nov '13

[Merridian]

I'd put Sora no Woto on equal footing with Haibane Renmei. At the time SnW aired I didn't, but the last time I watched it again, its atmosphere, slow pace, and development easily made its mark as strongly as my last HR run-through.

[AR-99]

Caught Studio Bones' Sword of the Stranger. Very good actions sequences and the Chinese warriors in particular are worth watching. I'm not fully familiar with Rurouni Kenshin but it definitely influenced SotS.

I'm also now fully caught up with One Piece and Shippuden so they can be added to the weekly viewing list.

[Catamari]

I finished WataMote. I just feel so bad for Tomoko. I knew a girl like her, in high school. Well, maybe not as perverse, but similarly anxious socially. This is a good show, but I didn't really like it. Going in, I was hoping for something like Azumanga Daioh, just a little more dark. WataMote kinda blindsided me and hit me over the head with a 2-by-4.

[Violet Shadow]

Actually I began watching Michiko to Hacchin since I have read it's as good as Cowboy Bebop.

[caragnafog dog]

Someone I know recently saw the 5th KnK film and doesn't know what Araya's larger goal was.

SPOILER: Show

He wondered how reaching the Root and observing all humans past, present and future would give their deaths meaning.

I think Araya's place in the film and the series is quite clear for the most part, but I don't know the answer to this question.

[Xard]

Actually I began watching Michiko to Hacchin since I have read it's as good as Cowboy Bebop.

Michiko to Hatchin was such disappointment in the end, unfortunately. It had terrific potential, great premise and good start and it proceeds to waste it all mainly thanks to unfocused, noodling script and at times downright amateurish direction. I don't think I've seen many as confusingly put together action scenes as that highway fight in one episode.

Cowboy Bebop #2 it ain't. Bitchin music choices though, makes me sad Watanabe didn't actually direct it. Maybe it then could've been Cowboy Bebop #2.

Yesterday I watched (most of) Sora no Woto in an /a/ stream.
The first time I saw it, a while ago, I thought it was great and gave it 8/10. Shortly after, upon some reflection, I decided to upgrade my rating to 9/10. After last night's stream, watching it again and really paying attention to the characters and the beautiful soundtrack, I've decided to include it in my very short list of 10/10 anime.

Stop that. I can't call myself the pre-eminent SnW fan on this board anymore if you go that far.

SPOILER: Show

He wondered how reaching the Root and observing all humans past, present and future would give their deaths meaning.

I think Araya's place in the film and the series is quite clear for the most part, but I don't know the answer to this question.

Well, your friend hit a philosophical nerve there but Araya's motivation for it is clearly explained so I don't think that's the issue your friend is having. He might think it's a issue in Kara no Kyokai but he's really having issue with idea that could possibly make lives (and deaths) meaningful as a proposition per se. Without going at it in here I think he's absolutely right. Such value bestowing ability through such actions is utter non-sequtur and details of nasuverse metaphysics don't seem to have bearing on that.

Of course given that Araya's supposed level of wisdom and esoteric knowledge means he should be able to see sophomoric issues with concept yet leave them unaddressed can be construed as something akin small characterization flaw, but hey, maybe we're wrong and Araya knows where it's at.


Je t'aime



Oh Oshii you old ragged dog.

This could've been good if non-brilliant short film. It's beautifully animated by production I.G (same goes for art) and features one of the best uses of Oshii's good old basset hound as main character. It features heartfelt theme about need for connection and love and in very oshiiesque fashion plays out story of human needs through non-human pair: dog and killer gyroid who are seemingly only remaining creatures in abandoned though decidedly-not-apocalyptic-looking Tokyo. The lonely poor dog meets the robot, remembers good old times of playing ball and keeps returning day after day with different ball hoping she joins the play. Nothing happens untill one day he brings one very special ball...


There are two opposite ways Oshii fucked this small and unpretentious (ignore french name) story up.

Possibility 1: Oshii did this sincerely and turned in tragedy about communication failure (or impossibility of communication or...) that's unbeliavably schmaltzy and at worst corny. Instead of sad it comes off as melodramatic and slightly bizarre. I can even point the moment when the story goes from pretty decent and vaguely involving (though overbearing sentimental cloying BGM had been there from start) to oy-fucking-hell-am-I-watching-Oshii-film-or-not unintentional lulzfest:

That FUCKING AWFUL song by that shitty "rock band" GLAY starts to play and film turns into B-Tier Clannad After Story montage without emotional connections to support such montage. I mean, it's pretty bad when even (not all that well written) only MAL review around picks it up:

About the music, it could be considered as a sore. It's your good old melodramatic love song. In the cinema, the western public (that most certainly isn't used to anime) burst into laughter. Because it sounded so kitsch.

Seriously:



If Oshii was sincere he turned in heavyhanded and clumsy work wasting some moderate potential. I refuse to believe Oshii would voluntarily use music by GLAY. It was probably imposed on him or something. That must be it, yeah.

As bad as this option is...

b) Option 2: Oshii is being his subversive self and we're supposed to see through this shit. See, this is how corny and cloyingly sentimental Japanese films of this type (though they feature humans and less SF weirdness) are! Laugh at the pathetic fools falling for this.

Frankly, this certainly would make way more sense knowing Oshii and his oeuvre and how atypical in atrocious way the film goes about its way. The increasingly syrupy BGM is there from start before kicker (that fucking song) comes to boot.

Only problem is that this reading is even worse and if correct the film becomes downright contemptible: the end in this scenario is to be interprepted as Oshii's mean-spirited laugh on humanity's expense and cheapshot putdown on very real, basic emotional needs everyone has. As such Je t'aime becomes exercise in worthless, offputting pseudo-detached ego masturbation Miyazaki usually means when he says he despises nihilism above all. The Sky Crawler's unintentional nihilism of fairly different breed was just depressing, this was just disgusting.

This interpretation is actually better in line with Oshii's miserable, bitter old man personality he projects more often than not in his statements. Only reason why I'm going with reading 1 instead of reading 2 and promptly throw Je t'aime on heap of vaguely rubbish things is that I can't imagine Oshii subjecting his beloved basset hound to such contempt.


5/10

[caragnafog dog]

Well, your friend hit a philosophical nerve there but Araya's motivation for it is clearly explained so I don't think that's the issue your friend is having. He might think it's a issue in Kara no Kyokai but he's really having issue with idea that could possibly make lives (and deaths) meaningful as a proposition per se. Without going at it in here I think he's absolutely right. Such value bestowing ability through such actions is utter non-sequtur and details of nasuverse metaphysics don't seem to have bearing on that.

Of course given that Araya's supposed level of wisdom and esoteric knowledge means he should be able to see sophomoric issues with concept yet leave them unaddressed can be construed as something akin small characterization flaw, but hey, maybe we're wrong and Araya knows where it's at.

No, he and I think his characterization is very much intact, we just don't understand exactly how his endgame would solve his problem. Maybe I didn't make myself clear or maybe I'm misinterpreting what you posted: Araya's goal is to reach the root and observe all deaths, past, present, and future, we know that much. The question would be how they derive any meaning from being "observed", and how Araya would take satisfaction in that. It's not a question of physics, really, and there are a few answers that are acceptable but not completely satisfying.

Sorry if you already answered that question in your post and I couldn't tell.

EDIT: Nevermind. Upon rereading your post you make it clear that how his endgame would accomplish his goals isn't integral to the story as long as the motivation makes sense. The rest can be assumed to be in Araya's rock-hard skull.

[Violet Shadow]

Michiko to Hatchin was such disappointment in the end, unfortunately. It had terrific potential, great premise and good start and it proceeds to waste it all mainly thanks to unfocused, noodling script and at times downright amateurish direction. I don't think I've seen many as confusingly put together action scenes as that highway fight in one episode.

Well, I have read it's made by the same studio of Samurai Flamenco but I'm only at the beginning though.

[The Eva Monkey]

Guys. Kill la Kill. Wtf, seriously?

It's a Hiroyuki Imaishi directed action series about clothes and scissors. Just... what?

[UrsusArctos]

Seems like an attempt to go further beyond the impossible than Gurren Lagann, but yeah...it's now in weirdsville.

Which is incidentally why I couldn't bear to watch Girls und Panzer. Such a beautifully detailed assortment of historic vehicles mixed with an utterly ridiculous story and out-of-proportion girls. Nuts!!!

[Squigsquasher]

Guys. Kill la Kill. Wtf, seriously?

It's a Hiroyuki Imaishi directed action series about clothes and scissors. Just... what?

And the problem is...?

[Mr. Tines]

out-of-proportion girls.

You mean the standard issue candy-apple shape (skinny body with over-large head) anime girls? That's something you just have to filter, unless you want to watch even less anime than I'm managing to do these days

That aside, GuP was a competently enough done, emotionally fluffy, school sports story, just with added tank porn by way of fanservice. So long as you don't try and conflate the levels, it's a harmless enough watch.

[Fireball]

You guys need to watch more anime if you think this is weird.

Which is incidentally why I couldn't bear to watch Girls und Panzer. Such a beautifully detailed assortment of historic vehicles mixed with an utterly ridiculous story and out-of-proportion girls. Nuts!!!

For shame, McAuliffe. It's a show that tries to have fun with the world it builds but never forgets to treat its premise with a sincerity that makes you believe this could actually work. In short - it's great fiction.

[Merridian]

Guys. Kill la Kill. Wtf, seriously?

It's a Hiroyuki Imaishi directed action series about clothes and scissors. Just... what?

Saying this on an Eva forum is weirder than the show is itself, dude.

[The Eva Monkey]

You guys need to watch more anime if you think this is weird.

I have seen enough weird anime to last me a lifetime. It doesn't make it any easier. Japan you so crazy.

[Dataprime]

Been watching Kill la Kill off and on other than that I'm not watching much because
this anime season blows. I'll wait until next year to see if anything is good.

[Fireball]

I have seen enough weird anime to last me a lifetime. It doesn't make it any easier. Japan you so crazy.

It's girls beating each other up in revealing outfits

Granted there is clever subtext to it but it's basically Rival Schools meets Saint Seiya/Utena: The Go Nagai Edition.

Been watching Kill la Kill off and on other than that I'm not watching much because this anime season blows. I'll wait until next year to see if anything is good.

This season is actually pretty good for me. KlK, Ippo, Gundam are all great so far. If it weren't for the CG, Ars Nova would be the bomb too; tsundere heavy cruiser and all.

[A.T. Fish]

Guys. Kill la Kill. Wtf, seriously?

It's a Hiroyuki Imaishi directed action series about clothes and scissors. Just... what?

Sentient clothing isn't really new, nor are strange weapons, though when you mix it all together with healthy doses of fanservice the result can be overwhelming.

Been watching Kill la Kill off and on other than that I'm not watching much because
this anime season blows. I'll wait until next year to see if anything is good.

I don't know what you're into but this season certainly has shows for all tastes. Apart from Kill la Kill I'm also enjoying Kyoukai no Kanata and Kyousougiga a lot. On the moe side of things the ones that stand out are Non Non Biyori and Outbreak Company.

[caragnafog dog]

I really like this season. The 2 shows I am 100% invested in and hype for every week are Kyousougiga and KLK but I also like Non Non Biyori, Kyoukai no Kanata and Galilei Donna. Despite everything I also look forward to watching Valvrave every week.

[Dataprime]

I don't know what you're into but this season certainly has shows for all tastes. Apart from Kill la Kill I'm also enjoying Kyoukai no Kanata and Kyousougiga a lot. On the moe side of things the ones that stand out are Non Non Biyori and Outbreak Company.

Nothing really stands out to me this season that's all. Looking into 2014 I doubt I will find
much of anything to like but, then again who knows right?