General Anime/Manga Discussion 13.5: Recap Episode

[Terraoblivion]

Am I gonna have to start watching another show this season?

Probably. I'd say that if you're only going to watch one show this season it should be Rolling Girls or Shirobako. So I'd definitely say that it's worth watching. Few shows do bright, colourful and over the top as well as it does, especially not while also having a real story to it. Even if that story is mostly between the lines of the plots of individual arcs. It also gives a very clear sense of the creators enjoying themselves and the project, which is also nice.

[Mx.Silver]

But yeah, DRRR doesn't really hold up to its former glory

Have you watched the first series again recently? Because I did and I wouldn't say the current series is all that different in terms of quality. That may itself have led to a 'too much of the same' problem for some, of course.

I'm not sure it's a show that benefits from a one episode per week viewing schedule however. Few anime series do after all, (which is one reason I don't usually watch shows as they're airing).

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Probably. I'd say that if you're only going to watch one show this season it should be Rolling Girls or Shirobako. So I'd definitely say that it's worth watching. Few shows do bright, colourful and over the top as well as it does, especially not while also having a real story to it. Even if that story is mostly between the lines of the plots of individual arcs. It also gives a very clear sense of the creators enjoying themselves and the project, which is also nice.

Well, I've already been watching Shirobako for a while (I'm one week behind because I don't have a CR subscription any more), so that tells me a lot about the expected quality level. I may have to give this one a crack as well.

[Tengu_temp]

I respect lee, but to be honest, i think he's wrong on that one. It makes you a one-trick pony. Yeah, you shouldn't only try out a hundred skills, but being adapt at 100 skills is certainly better than being excelling at one, I'd say.

A one-trick pony is better than a zero-trick pony. Which is what you'll be if you spread your focus too thin and pick lots of techniques you barely practice instead of picking a few and mastering them.

Also, Bruce Lee was a kung-fu master. You, as far as I know, are an amateur. I think he knows what he's talking about here more.

[Nerd-o-rama]

The quote's not about being adept, it's about being an unfocused dilettante vs. a master of a single technique. There's a middle path between the two extremes that Lee himself ascribed to, he was just commenting on which extreme was more of a threat.

Other metaphors in this vein include: "If you strike every tree in the forest once with an axe, by the time you are finished, you will not have felled a single tree" and "If you chase two rabbits, you will suddenly start sobbing when you remember Leonard Nimoy is dead lose them both".

[Kato]

Have you watched the first series again recently? Because I did and I wouldn't say the current series is all that different in terms of quality. That may itself have led to a 'too much of the same' problem for some, of course.

I'm not sure it's a show that benefits from a one episode per week viewing schedule however. Few anime series do after all, (which is one reason I don't usually watch shows as they're airing).

I'll admit, I haven't. And maybe it really doesn't hold up too well anymore. I also think I saw it not as it aired, which may have helped... Still, not that the new season is "bad" it just feels less compelling than the original so far. To me, anyway.

A one-trick pony is better than a zero-trick pony. Which is what you'll be if you spread your focus too thin and pick lots of techniques you barely practice instead of picking a few and mastering them.

Also, Bruce Lee was a kung-fu master. You, as far as I know, are an amateur. I think he knows what he's talking about here more.

The quote's not about being adept, it's about being an unfocused dilettante vs. a master of a single technique. There's a middle path between the two extremes that Lee himself ascribed to, he was just commenting on which extreme was more of a threat.

Hah, what do you know, Tengu? maybe I'm Chuck Norris Oh, wait...
No, being serious and just to finish this without derailing the thread too much: As the point came up in relation to Try Fighters, Jun was clearly more than adapt in all other techniques where Sekai was much closer to the one-trick pony. Aaaand in all fairness, Jun would/should have won this fight. And I think that would also be the result of a similar match in real, but that's just my guessing. Even a professional like Lee can be wrong, or if Nerd's assessment of the quote is true, just misunderstood by me. (Though, I guess the statement isn't about being adapt but... yeah, I guess I always misread it. But still! )

Spoiler: btw new Try episode

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Kind of disappointing. Not terrible, but... well, it could have been better. Seriously, what a pro to leave an opponent unfinished, just so she can get back up. But I guess even then, it would have still been two vs one...

[Tengu_temp]

Actually, in a real fight, in real life? It's often better to know one technique really well, than several techniques decently. You might be a one-trick pony, but a lot of the time, that one trick is all you need.

The fight with Junya was bull**** though, because the series didn't treat his dabbling in other fighting styles as losing his focus and spreading himself this - it treated it as morally wrong. Which is stupid. GBF was already bad about moral myopia at places, and GBF Try is even worse about it. And the fact that the grand tournament had one semi-decent fight so far (against the triplets), and might at most have one more (against Minato), is discouraging as hell. Try started strong but is a pale shadow of the original GBF at this point.

[kamikasei]

New Try:

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That was a lot better than it could have been, and actually managed to make me think they might surprise me and actually have Lucas win... but in the end, he couldn't even take out one enemy Gunpla. That's pretty cheap. Gunpla Academy simply aren't interesting opponents, and showing them as incapable of losing even one machine against the single strongest player so far (or so he seemed to be presented...) just puts them in "boringly strong" territory. It's especially annoying because Lucas' fight was clever and interesting to watch - he had a ton of tricks up his sleeve, but they were all reasonably legit - while it seems a safe bet the final victory will come through another ridiculous hotblood powerup rather than clever tactics or teamwork.

Maybe there's a tiny sliver of hope that Try Fighters will pull an OotS and specifically not fight against their individual match-ups on the other team? That could be entertaining, at least for avoiding the Fumina/Shia chick-fight.

[Closet_Skeleton]

Actually, in a real fight, in real life? It's often better to know one technique really well, than several techniques decently. You might be a one-trick pony, but a lot of the time, that one trick is all you need.

Depends how long the fight is. As things drag out the advantage would move towards variety.

Though I believe the Bruce Lee quote is specifically 'kicks' not techniques. Knowing a hundred ways to kick people isn't that valuable at all, but a person whose entire style consists of 1 super death kick but no grapples or footwork would be pretty limited in a real fight.

[HamHam]

Bad Yuri Kuma! Bad! Don't pull this "have the characters say something but mute the dialogue" crap.

Not sexy.

Shooba da doo.

[mallorean_thug]

Has anybody else watched the first Gundam the Origin OVA yet? I just finished it and thought it was pretty great. Wish they could have gone with full 2D like Unicorn, but the 3DCG's about as good as it gets so . . .

[Kato]

Bad Yuri Kuma! Bad! Don't pull this "have the characters say something but mute the dialogue" crap.

Not sexy.

Shooba da doo.

That's last weeks, right? When is the new one due, it seems like it should be out by now..

Has anybody else watched the first Gundam the Origin OVA yet? I just finished it and thought it was pretty great. Wish they could have gone with full 2D like Unicorn, but the 3DCG's about as good as it gets so . . .

*raises hand*
I actually put it off when I first saw it but you got me curious.

Spoiler

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It's actually... pretty good but there are still things which make me wonder "why did you do that?"

Like... magic glowing Baby Sayla - no, I can't be bothered to remember her name. Something like star, Asteria? Astaria? Asterix? - ... Is she magic? And, I guess it's a cultural thing, but why are their parents so fixated on her? It seems if I was Casval I would hate my annoying little sister, but Casval is too good for that.
Obviously, the main focus was to make Ramba look awesome (and his father like an idiot. Why was that again? ) I'd say the blue jeep was a bit much - has there ever been an explanation why he has a fetish for blue? Wasn't it just that Goufs are blue, opposed to Zaku green? - but... otherwise they did a good job. I have to admit I forgot who Hamon was, though.
Dozle... is apparently a comic character. Not comic relief, a comic character. How else would he survive that explosion? Or make his face turn red. Or... well, I guess you can do that stitches ripping thing if you want to... it was still a bit over the top, imo.
What else... Kycilia was pretty cool. Even though the gratitious nudity moment was... unexpected?
And... did that... old lady ever appear in the previous canon? I can't recall her at all, to be honest. Was she in something I missed?

Otherwise... the climax was a bit... eh. "Oh no, it shot our comrade! Let's try to retreat in confusion instead of shooting back! Oh no, he shot us again! Maybe we should try to fight back? Oh no..." Yeah, Casval & Co should have been pretty dead there and then but then we'd have a time paradox. And Chibi Sayla's "don't hurt the poor people (trying to kill us" was also grating to me, but... well, she's proto-Relena/Laxus/that chick from 00, I know. It doesn't make it better, though.


Still, with all that, it was definitely an intersting watch and I'm looking forward to more. Maybe then a bit older kids.

[cobaltstarfire]

We've gotten to Steins;Gate and Samurai Flamenco recently.

We've caught up with Kamisama Kiss (calling it that cause the english name doesn't set off the filter) I think I am more interested in this one than the guy, but he's not bothered or bored by it. It's kind of weird to me because some bits of it just makes me think of Inu Yasha, only less of a slog, and more supernatural slice of life.

Of Steins;Gate we've watched about 2 episodes and so far I'm intrigued, I think the guy is too. My thoughts on it so far are "is this guy crazy, blacking out, time traveling, or all three?" If he is time traveling it must be of the sort where one doesn't typically remember the old past, except for him.

Samurai Flamenco, we started watching just to give us something a bit easier on the head when there isn't anything to watch but it or Steins;Gate. We've also watched 2 of this one and are finding it entertaining, and weird. I also have to note that I like the animation/art style for this one. (same for Nozaki-kuns)

[kamikasei]

Be aware that both Steins;Gate and Samurai Flamenco develop quite differently than they may appear based on the first few episodes. Of course, that's usually most important to note if you're not liking the look of them after the beginning, so if you're enjoying them so far, have fun!

[Hazzardevil]

I watched a few episodes of Steins; Gate (I hate this misuse of punctuation) when the dubbed episodes were first coming out. I recall liking it, but I got to the end of the episodes that had been dubbed, about episode 5 I think and then never went back to it. I suppose I should watch it at some point.

Also, has anyone watched Legend of the Galactic Heroes?
It gives me an excuse to post silly images:

Spoiler: Legend of the Galactic Heroes

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It is the most 80s thing I've ever watched and comes so very close to be racist at times. But it's also very good and makes interesting and rather accurate points we can't discuss here.
Also, those last two pictures are before and after some scenes were redrawn. Now that I've seen what came before I will never complain about the changes.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Be aware that both Steins;Gate and Samurai Flamenco develop quite differently than they may appear based on the first few episodes. Of course, that's usually most important to note if you're not liking the look of them after the beginning, so if you're enjoying them so far, have fun!

Also get back to us with reactions.

[cobaltstarfire]

Also get back to us with reactions.

Oh I certainly will.

With Steins;Gate I'm not sure what it's going to do at all, with Samurai Flamenco I'm kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, whatever it is. Something about how everything in it is framed so far is telling me about the same thing you guys have said here about it.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Spoiler: Samumenco

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Is it in poor taste to make a joke about "going ape"?

[HamHam]

Aldnoah:

Today's lesson, don't point a gun at someone if you aren't willing to use it.

[Rodin]

Aldnoah:

Today's lesson, don't point a gun at someone if you aren't willing to use it.

Shame, too. A gunshot there might have solved everything. Wouldn't be undeserved, either.

[Duck999]

Aldnoah:

Today's lesson, don't point a gun at someone if you aren't willing to use it.

Or have you finally realized: The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed

Different lessons, but similar ideas. If you have a gun, you should be prepared for what it will cause.

[Kato]

Aldnoah:

Today's lesson, don't point a gun at someone if you aren't willing to use it.

Well, it might have worked if Slaine wasn't one of the people who knes Princess Pacifist wasn't going to use it... Seriously, if you want to bluff, don't bluff your BFF so poorly.

Spoiler

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btw, so, did the last guy they killed just kill off all his copies at the end of every battle? Did they draw straws or something? And if you have technology to DUPLICATE MATTER why the eff do you have any problem with anything you ******. Gosh, this show gets me raging with its stupid science sometimes.

[HamHam]

Well, it might have worked if Slaine wasn't one of the people who knes Princess Pacifist wasn't going to use it... Seriously, if you want to bluff, don't bluff your BFF so poorly.

Spoiler

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btw, so, did the last guy they killed just kill off all his copies at the end of every battle? Did they draw straws or something? And if you have technology to DUPLICATE MATTER why the eff do you have any problem with anything you ******. Gosh, this show gets me raging with its stupid science sometimes.

It's pretty clear that Aldnoah is all Encounter powers that can't be used for anything actually practical outside of combat because... magic!

Meanwhile, a certain other princess shows Asseylum how it's done.

Shock!

Yona Shock!

Spoiler: Yona ep 22

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I am super hyped that Yona just took Kumuji out. Zero hesitation. And then the twist at the end OMG

[Duck999]

Well, it might have worked if Slaine wasn't one of the people who knes Princess Pacifist wasn't going to use it... Seriously, if you want to bluff, don't bluff your BFF so poorly.

Spoiler

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btw, so, did the last guy they killed just kill off all his copies at the end of every battle? Did they draw straws or something? And if you have technology to DUPLICATE MATTER why the eff do you have any problem with anything you ******. Gosh, this show gets me raging with its stupid science sometimes.

Yeah.

Spoiler

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I really hate their failed logic sometimes. If he can make physical copies out of thin air, even if they were not all "the real one," he has impossible ability. To top it off, he creates copies of himself. Okay... Then why did he say at the beginning of the battle that they didn't shoot the right one, if all of them are the right one?

[Terraoblivion]

I have to say, the most recent episode of Yona was hugely satisfying. It also makes for a nice further step in Yona's development.

[Terraoblivion]

Also, the latest episode of Rolling Girls proves that you don't need even rudimentary skills at literary analysis. The guy blogging the show thought the episode was a low-key, character-driven and plot-less one with Nozomi and Ai arguing being one of the two central parts of the show. Instead their argument lasted maybe a minute and the episode mostly focused on developing the main plot, including revealing what's up with Chiaya and what her mom is planning and setting up what looks like the final, main conflict. I'm really not sure what episode he watched.

[Alent]

On LH:
I kind of wish they'd just parked the series when they ran out of books after Gold of the Kunie, it would let the station save to afford a non-deen studio. At least there's only 3 more episodes left.

Aldnoah:

Yeah.

Spoiler

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I really hate their failed logic sometimes. If he can make physical copies out of thin air, even if they were not all "the real one," he has impossible ability. To top it off, he creates copies of himself. Okay... Then why did he say at the beginning of the battle that they didn't shoot the right one, if all of them are the right one?

I thought his comments about "right one" was a sardonic joke he said aloud for his own amusement.

Spoiler

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I was hoping that Nao's solution was going to be to find a way to have to shatter the armor in a way that revealed the cockpit of ONE Kataphract without destroying it to make it a "Schrodinger's Kataphract Cockpit", rather than there be a bajillion of him. (that presumably collapse and unify when everything's over?)

If you're EVERYWHERE by Quantum teleportation, why would you ever fail to leave a backup original in your landing Castle, anyway?

I was, truthfully, more annoyed by Nao's Bloodshot fake eye than the nameless Baron's private afterlife invasion force.

I need to get caught up on Yona, I fell behind a month or two ago and haven't had a good chance to sit down and marathon it.

[Kato]

Spoiler

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If you're EVERYWHERE by Quantum teleportation, why would you ever fail to leave a backup original in your landing Castle, anyway?

Because, opposed what they want you to believe because they can come up with fancy scientific stuff they understand kind of well enough to turn into magic weapons, the writers of Aldnoah are actually pretty stupid. Or maybe it's just the characters. Not entirely sure.

Spoiler: new Try

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Wasn't terrible, wasn't amazing. I guess it's nice Yuuma actually was allowed to fight and finish him on his own. I would have looked for more in the episode but I didn't really expect it. Oh, well.

sidenote: Finally taking the time to watch Unicorn, an episode a day. I'm halfway through now and I'm actually curious enough to finally finish it.

[Tengu_temp]

I'm actually considering watching the latest GBF Try episode on its own, even though I skipped the last two - it's not like anything surprising happened during it. And Minato is one of the remaining high points of the show.

[Closet_Skeleton]

Also, the latest episode of Rolling Girls proves that you don't need even rudimentary skills at literary analysis.

For what? Blogging in general?

Sorry, this sentence makes no sense to me. Unless you just mean that a (what? who! where?!) blogger was useless which isn't surprising. But blogging doesn't automatically mean literary analysis.

Neither does writing blurbs for books, those are almost always wrong on basic plot points.

I'm really not sure what episode he watched.

If he's anything like my dad he fell asleap. If he's more like me he was probably paying more attention to the pasta he was eating.