General Anime/Manga Discussion 16: In Another Thread With My Smartphone

[Silfir]

Astra of course was amazing, though apparently there's stuff missing from it that the manga had in that excluding feels weird, from what I've read. Need to read the manga to be sure myself.

I've read the manga, and I couldn't tell you off-hand what it is that's supposed to be missing. I think the anime made some changes so they could cram the entire story into a 12 episode run - like maybe the characters figure out an extra detail right away that they spent a little more time on in the manga, maybe they switched around who said what during one of the group meetings to make things flow better, maybe they made something more explicit that the anime makers figured the watchers could figure out on their own...

They already cheated for extra runtime in multiple ways - both the first and the last episode are double length, and they get some extra room by only using the opening (which is a low-key banger, no less) and ending theme in some episodes. In the others, that time was filled with more plot, or to give the existing plot more time to breathe. Whatever cuts were made I'm sure were entirely justifiable.

You'll never see an adaption made of anything that's already good that everyone will be entirely happy with. There are people (lots of them) who complain about the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, because no matter how well-made those movies are, they got Faramir wrong/cut Tom Bombadil/did any number of other things, and they can't forgive that. The only cases in which nobody complains is when someone takes a fairly average work and adapts it into something amazing.

[Pendulous]

I gave my "meh" review of this season already, but I'd rather talk about a show I'm currently watching. Tamayura is severely undernoticed as one of the most wholesome iyashikei out there. It's about a girl, who at a young age, enjoyed taking photos with her dad. After he dies, she puts the camera away, and a few years later, picks it back up. It doesn't really play on the whole grief thing (like, say, Shounen Maid, which takes place immediately after Chiho dies), since she has pretty much moved on. But there is still emotion oozing from every moment. Fuu is a shy girl, to an extent, but she gets a whole lot of energy anytime she sees an opportunity for a shot. Maon is an even shyer girl, who tends to communicate through whistling. Her friend Norie is energetic, wants to own a bakery, and is able to translate to the other girls Maon's feelings with her whistling (don't worry, she talks too). Chihiro is Fuu's childhood friend, who Fuu moved away from before the show begins. She's a crybaby, and gets really emotional over anything that happens to Fuu. The show has a weird airing. There are four short OVA's, combined into two, that begin the series. Then there are two regular length seasons, and then four movies. I'm only halfway through season 1 (Hitotose), but so far I am in love. Something about this adorable girl who takes photos as a hobby but also in remembrance of her dad, the pretty scenery and beautiful music that has to go along with any good iyashikei, that just gets to me. I've been super stressed, so I've been going through it slower than I expected, but this is already making its way to one of my favorites. Oh, and the show really loves the phrase "na no de", which they translate to "so yeah". It's at the end of every episode title, and the characters, mainly Fuu, say it a lot. There's something so charming about it.

Between this, Amanchu, and Yuru Camp, I think I've found an even more niche genre that would sit upon my favorites.

[gomipile]

So, I watched the trailer for Oresuki, and I think I'm on board with the premise.

It's about time we had a season with an anti-harem comedy. I just hope it holds up.

Not that I have anything against harems on principle. They can be done well or poorly, like most tropes. But I do love a good deconstruction/parody of just about any popular trope.

[LaZodiac]

I've read the manga, and I couldn't tell you off-hand what it is that's supposed to be missing. I think the anime made some changes so they could cram the entire story into a 12 episode run - like maybe the characters figure out an extra detail right away that they spent a little more time on in the manga, maybe they switched around who said what during one of the group meetings to make things flow better, maybe they made something more explicit that the anime makers figured the watchers could figure out on their own...

They already cheated for extra runtime in multiple ways - both the first and the last episode are double length, and they get some extra room by only using the opening (which is a low-key banger, no less) and ending theme in some episodes. In the others, that time was filled with more plot, or to give the existing plot more time to breathe. Whatever cuts were made I'm sure were entirely justifiable.

You'll never see an adaption made of anything that's already good that everyone will be entirely happy with. There are people (lots of them) who complain about the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, because no matter how well-made those movies are, they got Faramir wrong/cut Tom Bombadil/did any number of other things, and they can't forgive that. The only cases in which nobody complains is when someone takes a fairly average work and adapts it into something amazing.

The only specific thing I know off the top of my head that they removed is Luca's sexuality (though keeping in his being intersex makes that entirely okay I think since the subtext is still there). Just small character stuff that would make it a little stronger, seems like.

Also FMA Brotherhood would have a word with you on that... though considering it's FMA that's unfair a comparison.

[Pendulous]

So, I watched the trailer for Oresuki, and I think I'm on board with the premise.

It's about time we had a season with an anti-harem comedy. I just hope it holds up.

Not that I have anything against harems on principle. They can be done well or poorly, like most tropes. But I do love a good deconstruction/parody of just about any popular trope.

Oh right. Let the new season previews commence.

My Hero Academia season 4: Of course. Let's see if Funi can keep a same-day dub the whole season, since they only made it halfway last year (I know, it's not all on them, just hoping).

We Never Learn season 2: Not gonna lie, completely forgot how season 1 ended. Probably not very conclusive since we got this announcement pretty quickly while it was finishing up.

Chihayafuru season 3: I don't think I'll be watching this now, as people are predicting that Sentai holds off on the dub given it's technical challenges, making it hard to do on a weekly basis.

Chuubyou Gekihatsu Boy: Not a fan of chuunis in general, so let's see if this one holds out.

Hataage! Kemono Michi: Predicting this will end two ways. First, it will be general isekai trash and be super boring. Or B of all, the already confirmed simuldub will improve on the humor and at least make it interesting (see Hensuki)

High Score Girl season 2: Again...not yet. Whenever Netflix gets around to it.

Ascendance of a Bookworm: I'm curious if the girl will still have the mind of her old self, or that of her new age. i'm hoping the former.

Houkago Saikoro Club: Can't not be hyped for cute girls playing board games...

Kandagawa Jet Girls: ...and also racing on jet skis.

Kono Oto Tomare! season 2: Technically a split cour, but can't wait. Was the biggest surprise of two seasons ago.

Mairima****a! Iruma-kun: Has a feeling of Rosario Vampire, maybe a little Gabriel Dropout. Either way hoping for some fun.

Oresuki: As mentioned. Feel like it's been awhile since I've seen a legit romantic comedy that wasn't a harem, so I'm always looking out for a good one. Guess MMO Junkie was the last one.

Rifle Is Beautiful: Completing the CGDCT trifecta for the season.

Cautious Hero: Sounds fun. A lot of my favorite isekai are the ones that don't take themselves seriously, and this one already sounds that way.

Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!: See above.

Also got a Yuru Yuri OVA coming, so yay.

[Aotrs Commander]

Watched epsidoes 7-9 of Angel Beats

Spoiler

Show

Okay, so we're doing the "redeem the nutter" thing from last time, are we? Okay, fine, whatever; he's still Clearly Evil, but apparently Otonashi attracts all the boys, so...

Anyway, they use his hypnoric powers to kick-start Otonashi's memories.

So, he was a young chap lacking any direction at all, who basically had nothing at all except trying to entertain his dying sister in hospital. Oh, yeah, I see where this is going.

And he takes her out at Christmas to see the lights and... Huh, I'm not actually 100% if she actually popped her clogs there (I mean, to be honest, if she was gonna go, it's probably better than in the hospital bed, right) or thereafter, and he falls into a depression. He sees a child being releases from hospital, and his expression turns and...

... He decided to become a doctor?!

...

Okay, I did NOT see where this is going!

And then he tragically dies in a train crash, there we go!

Anyhoo, after he recovers, being a bit of a loss after not having their enemy to fight, the Battle Front decide to Shenanigans and go fishing. Otonashi carts Tachibana along for the ride (OH NO BREAKING THE RULES) and she someone manages to reel in the giant monster fish with ther super strength and, before it can eat everyone, slices into chunks like a boss. They now have too much food, so they hold a cook-off for the normal students so as not to waste it (apparently, the NPC teachers don't have a rpoblem with this), Tachibana and Otonashi move to a first-name basis and then Yurippe turns up having being sliced-up by Angel depite Tachibana beign right there and oh no, nows there's angry violent clones.

Second epsidoe is dealign with said angry violent clones, because apprently Tachibana REALLY sucks at rules-smithing and set up her ability nto allow clones to make clones. Yurippe manages to hack into her system change the settings to the clobnes have a ten-second timer before they meld back into Tachibana, but her clones kidnap her before they can get her to use it. So they all have to go back down to the guild and hilariously sacrifice themselves again one-by-one to pin Angel Clones down (I... yeah, you did try and lampshhade it how she's small so despite her strength judo locking holds work, but... I don't... think it works like that?)

Anyway, Otonashi gets there and Tachibana activate her cloen ability, which will then pull all the Evil Clones back into her and... Oh dear, that was a lot of clones, and Naruto will tell you what happens if you disperse a whole load of clones at once.

Net episode, everyone is wondering why Tachibana won't wake up and who she'll be when she does, and while they're whittling about that, Otonashi has a big flashback to the crash. Turns out he didn't die, it was just a big enough disaster that he and a load of folks were trapped for about a week in the section of underground. He took charge, being the doctor and did his best despite quietly, I think, bleeding out internally. He loses the one guy who was most injured (i mean, he was a student working in unsanitary conditions for days, can't fault his best efforts). Their supplies run out, but right just before the end, he signs off his organ dnar card, and that makes everyone else do it (apparently that's a thing in Japan?), so that at least in death, his life will mean something. Of course, just at the point he's dying, they break through to the tunnel, but we don't know what happens after that because He Ded.

He wakes up, Tachibana is awake and fine and puzzled as to why, having found his peace (because he at least managed to leave his organs to do sommat good, and to be useful is all he reallt wanted), he hasn't disintegrated. And they realise it's because he wants to help everyone else find their peace, 'cos this is "Disturbed Youngster Purgatory" (as if this wasn't already clear), so he had Angel resume her Being The Enemy - to distract Yurippe - while he works to try and get everyone sorted so they can all go together. Because, as he points out, Tachibana is ALSO kind of a dumbass, which she rather charmingly agrees with.



Well, if nothing else (if it DOES have a lot else), the show is throwing some interesting curves in where it's going!

[Rynjin]

Where's the best place to jump into the Lupin the 3rd anime? I've seen Castle of Cagliostro, and loved it, but the anime series itself has not really aged well to my tastes, based on my attempt to watch it from episode 1.

Is it best to stick with the movies or is there a particularly good jumping on point for the anime series?

[LaZodiac]

Where's the best place to jump into the Lupin the 3rd anime? I've seen Castle of Cagliostro, and loved it, but the anime series itself has not really aged well to my tastes, based on my attempt to watch it from episode 1.

Is it best to stick with the movies or is there a particularly good jumping on point for the anime series?

Pick a season and go, basically. There's merit in basically all of them, and they're only even vaguely interconnected.

I'd recommend starting with the two more recent ones, 5 and 6 if I recall correctly, because they're lifted up to a more modern sensibility (and also kick ass).

[BWR]

Where's the best place to jump into the Lupin the 3rd anime? I've seen Castle of Cagliostro, and loved it, but the anime series itself has not really aged well to my tastes, based on my attempt to watch it from episode 1.

Is it best to stick with the movies or is there a particularly good jumping on point for the anime series?

While a good movie, "Castle of Cagliostro" is not a great Lupin III movie, primarily because characterization of certain characters is off. Start with the most recent series, "Lupin III part V". While it shakes up the established formula a bit, it is basically perfect except for one scene. The art, the characters, the balance of humor and seriousness, the stories, the opposition: damn near flawless.
Note that between the main storylines there are homage episodes that are in the style of the older series, so the difference in tone may be a bit jarring if you don't like the older stuff. Part IV is also good, if not quite as good as Part V, but there is no real need to watch 4 before 5.

If series 1 (Green jacket) wasn't your cup of tea, try series 2 (Red jacket). I think it's better and pretty firmly fixes the now classic rather comedic take on Lupin rather than the darker humor of the original manga, which Green jacket was to a large degree based on.

I haven't watched a lot of the movies, but some of the more recent stuff like "Blood Seal - Eternal Mermaid" is good. I hate "Green vs. Red" so my personal recommendation is to never watch it and if you do pretend it never happened.

There is a new movie coming out, sadly as a crappy modern cg cartoon rather than the more traditional styles they have used so far.


There are a couple of spin-offs focusing on the supporting cast. "A woman called Mine Fujiko" is a lot darker and more psychological than most Lupin stories, not surprising since it's written by the original author. It's quite good.

The ones about Jigen and Goemon are generally good but I suspect primarily of interest only to the dedicated fan.

[LaZodiac]

SADLY????

Have you even watched the trailers? The Lupin CG Movie looks perfect!

[lord_khaine]

Watched epsidoes 7-9 of Angel Beats

One of the things i found most exceptional with the serie, were funny enough the intro music.

[BWR]

SADLY????

Have you even watched the trailers? The Lupin CG Movie looks perfect!

If you don't like that particular style it is a sad thing. Content-wise it looks good and I'm gonna watch no matter what. I'm kind of a sucker for Lupin.

[ellenate]

SADLY????

Have you even watched the trailers? The Lupin CG Movie looks perfect!

anime cgi is gar-


*looks at trailer*


that's some damn good cgi... I think they are even giving disney a run for their money.

[LaZodiac]

If you don't like that particular style it is a sad thing. Content-wise it looks good and I'm gonna watch no matter what. I'm kind of a sucker for Lupin.

True, and I prefer hand animated stuff. But this movie looks like it's hand animated while being CG. They're doing a hell of a good job of getting that exact style and it rules.

anime cgi is gar-


*looks at trailer*


that's some damn good cgi... I think they are even giving disney a run for their money.

Damn straight it is.

[-D-]

anime cgi is garbage

Anime is not how you spell Berserk.

Ufotable uses loads of CGI but you never notice it, cause it's awesome. Seriously, Demon Slayer is the prettiest anime I've seen and Fate Zero is still my favorite by a mile.

[Pendulous]

Bang Dream and Hi Score Girl both have weird CGI. Bang Dream especially since it was only for season 2. Seeing the difference in season 1 is jarring. CGI does not work for more slice of life shows, at least for 100% of it. CGI shots are fine, like the ship in A Place Further than The Universe.

[ellenate]

Anime is not how you spell Berserk.

Ufotable uses loads of CGI but you never notice it, cause it's awesome. Seriously, Demon Slayer is the prettiest anime I've seen and Fate Zero is still my favorite by a mile.

bad cgi and anime go together like peanut butter and jelly.

[-D-]

bad cgi and anime go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Looks at Black Panther train scene. Yeah, right.

The thing is, Anime and CGI go hand in hand. Some percent of CGIs are bad. And you glibly conclude bad CGI is inseparable from Anime.

In a way you are right. In the same way increasing number of Cats causes Climate change.

[Rynjin]

...Was Black Panther an anime and I missed it?

[BWR]

Just in case this CG discussion was in any way directed at me:
I have no problem whatsoever with CG. It's an amazing tool when used right. I dislike bad CG, sure, but I dislike bad special effects or animation in every variety. I'm not complaining about the new Lupin movie having CG in it - there has been plenty of CG in Lupin before.

I m just not overly fond of this particular style of it, and I dislike it extra since it doesn't fit as well with the rest of the Lupin animations.

[-D-]

...Was Black Panther an anime and I missed it?

No. But maybe it was a PS2 port.

To clarify. I was debunking the anime and bad cgi are connected at the hip argument.

[gomipile]

For better or worse, computer assisted graphics has been used to greater or lesser effect in anime since the 80s.

The best of it in hand-drawn-style series is barely noticeable. And then you've got 3d series like Land of the Lustrous and Kotobuki that are fully CG and are gorgeous some of the time, or at least look good within their own style most of the time. There are infamously bad 3d rendered anime, and infamously bad CG inserts in 2d anime, of course. And there have long been both good and badly drawn 2d anime series, too.

It's a tool. Just a tool. What matters is how it's used, not whether it is used.

[gomipile]

So, I watched the first episode of Oresuki, and it's way better than I was even hoping.

Spoiler

Show

The series explicitly shows that the MC is a full-on toxic "nice guy." And the stalker knows about and loves him for his dark side.

I am 100% on board with the entire premise now.

Also, Himawari and Cosmos both flubbing their lines and getting flustered while the MC was helping them talk to Sun-chan was adorable.

And the bench in the library. I lost it laughing at that bit. The way that whole scene was composed was hilarious.

[-D-]

It's a tool. Just a tool. What matters is how it's used, not whether it is used.

Yep. Implying this is somehow to be blamed on/related to Anime is disingenuous.

[ellenate]

Implying this is somehow to be blamed on/related to Anime is disingenuous.

Don't tease us, come on! Expound, expound...

[John Cribati]

Bad CGI is everywhere.

Now, you could say (and ellenate probably meant to say) something like "the majority of anime that attempt to use CGI do so poorly." That is a valid statement of opinion.

Worded the way it was, though, it seemed that -D- interpreted it to mean "only anime has bad CGI" and responded "this scene in Black Panther also had bad CGI," which would be a valid counterpoint to that argument.

[ellenate]

Worded the way it was, though, it seemed that -D- interpreted it to mean "only anime has bad CGI" and responded "this scene in Black Panther also had bad CGI," which would be a valid counterpoint to that argument.

heck of a leap.

[uncool]

Bad CGI is everywhere.

Now, you could say (and ellenate probably meant to say) something like "the majority of anime that attempt to use CGI do so poorly." That is a valid statement of opinion.

Worded the way it was, though, it seemed that -D- interpreted it to mean "only anime has bad CGI" and responded "this scene in Black Panther also had bad CGI," which would be a valid counterpoint to that argument.

It could also have been interpreted as "The use of CGI is disproportionately bad in anime", with Black Panther being used as an example to show that bad CGI is so common even outside anime that even if you restrict yourself to highly-beloved movies, it appears.

In which case, the argument is never really going to be resolved, because no one is going to commission a study of all anime and all other media to see which has a higher proportion of bad CGI.

[Rodin]

As we transition between seasons, I'll review the one show I watched and haven't yet discussed: A Certain Scientific Accelerator.

In a word? Meh.

This didn't feel like "The Accelerator Show". He's just kind of along for the ride. He isn't challenged by the villains. He doesn't grow as a person. He just sort of tags along and periodically wrecks bad guys. Outside of a flimsy (and quickly dropped) connection to Last Order, the plot doesn't even involve him.

Now, I get that it's hard to write plots that will challenge Accelerator. I really do. He's the strongest for a reason. But surely there ARE ways to do this! Railgun manages to challenge Misaka plenty by putting her in unfavorable fights against multiple opponents, or by making it so the villains don't fight her directly. The plots are always closely connected to her or her friends.

For Accelerator, we just get a bog standard "meddling with dark forces you don't understand" plot that feels like it's straight out of a Naruto filler damsel- of- the-week boilerplate. Shouldn't all these science minded people be really interested in the fact that magical necromancy is a thing? Instead, they just sort of gloss over the whole magic aspect and it's treated like any other experiment. And none of it relates to Accelerator!

Final verdict: The first half of the season is worth watching just to see Accelerator stomp up and down on people's faces. After that it just gets dull.

They had a teaser of another arc at the end, but I'm not sure if I'll bother. The whole show felt like it was just going through the motions, and the only saving grace is that Nobuhiko Okamoto brought his A game to the voice acting.

[-D-]

Now, you could say (and ellenate probably meant to say) something like "the majority of anime that attempt to use CGI do so poorly." That is a valid statement of opinion.

No. I disagree with this statement too. I think majority anime that uses CGI does it good, because you don't notice it. What you see is few bad ones, and go with - "Oy, mate is that bad CG".

My point is, and was most today anime use CG without you noticing. Extrapolating few mistakes here and there to all of anime, is like saying "Hollywood is synonymous with overacting" .