symbv wrote: Now this looks extremely promising! If Ep.6 is not the best as you seemed to be saying, then I really need to check this movie series.....
Ep 6 is the breather between the narrative mind-bludgeoning of
Paradox Spiral (Ep 5) and the somewhat depressing climax/denouement of Ep 7. Whole set of films are excellent, and as good as its best parts are, KnK is undoubtedly an example of bringing together a unified whole that is greater than the sum of its individual pieces. I’m rewatching it with a friend of mine currently, for the first time in about half a year or so, and man… it holds up incredibly well to my first viewing. In some respects it’s even better, actually.
I don’t want to ruin anything, so I’m not going to tell you anything about it aside from some superficial things. Its animation is god-tier gorgeous, between the fluidity of motion and attention to detail to make even Production I.G. jealous, and jaw-dropping background art to rival some of the best I’ve seen from the last decade. What makes it even more delicious is the fact that each work is still directed remarkably well. The Epilogue is a little stale formalistically, but… well that’s what happens when it’s all dialogue. But the others? Christ. First film is one my favorite speaking strictly on formalistic grounds; it does an incredible job sculpting the atmosphere and setting the tone for the works that follow. Plus it has DAT SOUNDTRACK.
But the fifth film is where it’s at, man.
Paradox Spiral is one of the best anime films I’ve seen from the last decade—I’d probably put it in the top 10, if I were to make such a list. I don’t know for sure, but the point is that it’s fucking awesome. The narrative is a bizarre collage of several stories, all formed around the pillar of this central “experiment” by this complete psycho that does whatever the hell he wants. The parts of the film that aren’t mindgasm tension-release scenes or chaotic action sequences are masterfully-edited montages and perfectly placed dialogues. It’s fantastic, cramming mindbending dualistic craziness into knife fights and robots like nobody’s business. Severed limbs, spiraling apartment complexes, absurdist protagonists, revelations everywhere, Type-Moon magic insanity, Shiki & Touko being boss, shit is beautiful.
Seventh film is the second best of the set, primarily because it resolves the romantic tension that comprised the strong undercurrent of the whole series. It’s good, too. Whole series is good—whole series is awesome—but damn, No.5 is a breed apart.
I know it probably isn’t saying much, but if I were to put together a list of the top 10 animus of last decade—films, series, OVAs all on the same flawed list—the KnK films would likely get an entry. I don’t know exactly where, but IMO it’s certainly one of the best anime pieces to come out of the 2000-2009 decade. Its animation and direction are all pretty near perfect, and its narrative—arguably the only place that can be criticized, and even then only on what are IMO rather minor points—is a well-crafted, somewhat nonlinear, solidly-presented piece of work with its share of ups & downs.
symbv wrote: Why is Type-Moon=Tsukihime and Nasu=Fate Stay/Night?
I know what they are about but have not seen the anime. I have the Tsukihime manga though. I know Merri is FSN-fag but he is also fag for Tsukihime and kara no kyoukai too?
;____;
Don’t bother with Tsukihime anime. /a/nons are a little extreme when they obnoxiously proclaim that there IS no Tsukihime anime, but in all honesty—even without comparing it to the VN—it sucks. It’s not quite utterly and totally unwatchable, but it’s unbelievably boring given how awesome the subject matter had the capacity to be. The Fate/Stay Night series doesn’t fare much better either, I’m afraid—dull visuals and bad directing made an otherwise interesting story very tedious to watch. BUT, FSN has the Unlimited Blade Works movie, and for DEEN, it was pretty impressive. Action out the ass, and entertaining action to boot. It’s pretty incomprehensible to anyone who didn’t already know the UBW story, but whatever.
But Kara no Kyoukai! Man! ufotable put bitches in their place. I'm certainly looking forward to their upcoming Fate/Zero adaptation. :)
Azathoth wrote: And kind of for FSN as well: Araya Souren and Tomoe, at least from how they're portrayed in the film, are prototypic of Kotomine and Shirou respectively.
In character design, but the characterization is a lot different. Shirou isn’t as much of a victim, and Kotomine isn’t quite as much of a stoic hardass. Stoic, sure, but man, dat curry.
WANT SOME?! He was also a bit more ambiguous than the Araya Souren “in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m fucking EVIL” attitude. Other thing is that Tsukihime deals directly with Mystic Eyes thing, while FSN lacks just about everything else in the Nasuverse except for fucking creepy-weird teethpenisworm magic shit. ughgahghghehghhghh. Heaven’s Feel seems like it was Type-Moon at its creepiest.
Spud wrote: Just watched the first episode of Cyber City Oedo 808
that OVA rocks. Try to find Goku: Midnight Eye 1 & 2 (lolinternet probably, no western DVD release exists of it anyway) afterward for more Kawajiri cyberpunk greatness. There’s other stuff in that vein I can rec if you’re interested.
One thing I really liked about that OVA was its cityscape. There are quite a few cyberpunk OVAs from around the same time that was produced, but that one had a really alien, desolate, gargantuan sense of scale in its setting. I don’t recall many others like that.
LiLi wrote:In other words, the lolwtfgirly stuff is EXACTLY what makes this series attractive for the fans?
Oh you mahoushoujololimoutobois you!
hell yeah! I mean, between that and Ozma being a badass whenever he's on screen! And Sheryl being hot. And stuff.
Star Driver is awesome, btw.
symbv wrote:Many fans in Japan are saying the same things. Not sure what it is about and what focus it wants.
