General Anime Discussion: Area 11

[userpay]

So looking for inspiration for a possible PrC and I need some anime to use as an example, namely where magic and mechs/battlesuits are used together. The only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Strike Witches and that's probably on the low power side.

[Mercenary Pen]

So looking for inspiration for a possible PrC and I need some anime to use as an example, namely where magic and mechs/battlesuits are used together. The only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Strike Witches and that's probably on the low power side.

Do Magic Knight Rayearth, Aura Battler Dunbine and Vision of Escaflowne count?

In other news, I finished Mouretsu Pirates a couple of days or so ago, and I'm quietly hoping there will be a follow up series.

[Prime32]

So looking for inspiration for a possible PrC and I need some anime to use as an example, namely where magic and mechs/battlesuits are used together. The only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Strike Witches and that's probably on the low power side.

Nanoha is borderline...

[Tengu_temp]

So looking for inspiration for a possible PrC and I need some anime to use as an example, namely where magic and mechs/battlesuits are used together. The only one I can think of off the top of my head would be Strike Witches and that's probably on the low power side.

In addition to what Mercenary Pen said, there's also Sakura Taisen and Lord of Lords Ryu Knight. I haven't seen any of these shows though, so I don't know how good they are.

Nanoha doesn't have mecha, but it's extremely mecha-inspired, with references as far as the eye can see.

[Prime32]

Nanoha doesn't have mecha, but it's extremely mecha-inspired, with references as far as the eye can see.

Well it has AI-assisted magic, (dimension-)spaceships, mecha mooks, sentient computer programs, magic cyborgs, powered armour...

[Terraoblivion]

In other news, I finished Mouretsu Pirates a couple of days or so ago, and I'm quietly hoping there will be a follow up series.

So far a movie has been announced at least, something I was really happy about.

[Soras Teva Gee]

@Soras - so, basically, if someone is offended by the fact that all women in a show are portrayed as incompetent and/or plot devices, it's their own fault they're offended and they should get over it? And somehow, being a fan of MLP FiM makes saying such stuff okay?

Its complaining about cases like Fate/Zero that give things like this a bad name. There's far worse to deal with. And the degree at which Fate/Zero becomes misogynistic is the day Lucky Star is sexist for having only one male character who doesn't interact with the main cast and takes pretty heavy abuse too. I've no interest in seeing that day come because it means freedom of exspression has been abandoned in favor of political correctness and quota thinking.

You know what I was extending a little sympathy to the view but I'm not going to anymore. Fate/Zero is fine, there is nothing wrong with it as far as gender consideration is concerned.

All the women die, well its in the model of an old school tragedy so yes everyone dies. I don't feel they get put through so much worse then the men that this even becomes a consideration. What are we suppose to measure out points of pain and suffering and ensure their equitably distributed... that's a load of garbage.

The women are not competent? Hardly. Saber never actually looses a fight. We see bit characters like Natalia who is competent enough to take on some of the most dangerous creatures in the Nasuverse. Iri probably manages the stress of the Grail War better then anyone, especially given her situation being more hopeless then anyone. Heck even Aoi has admirable traits given that she has exactly zero options.

It ain't all sunshine for sure, but this is a the Nasuverse. You go outside the concept of normal and terrible terrible things happen to you whatever your gender.

What they should have added a Rin/Bazett/Barthomeloi Lorelei/Ciel/Akiha/etc archetype to the mix. I frankly think ideas like that suspicious and lead to hollow characters of no real weight. Or perhaps are the story is supposed to hold back on certain characters that are women then? Bah to that too.

[Terraoblivion]

Yes, Saber is shown to be so competent that the only reason she didn't die in her first fight in the show is that Lancer is ridiculously honorable. I can really see how you get a strong, competent character out of that. Especially when it's someone who is officially described is quite a bit more powerful than the rest.

And, really, gender ratios are equal to brutalizing all representatives of an entire gender in a story? Or including them, only to turn them into trophies, tools and objects of angst for the others? Do you just not get the concept of portrayal as mattering and think it's all a question of numbers? For example you mention Natalia and really, what is her role in the story? It is to give an excuse for Kiritsugu's training and to give him something to angst over. Sure there are probably a lot of cool stories that could theoretically be told about her, but they aren't. Instead she's stuffed into a fridge for the sake of trying to pretend that Kiritsugu is even a little bit compelling as a character.

In general, there's a middle ground between complete and utter equality that is harshly enforced and not having the slightest standards at all. I have no problem with shows being heavily dominated by men or women as long as there isn't an overwhelming trend towards one gender being underrepresented. I do have a problem when members of one gender universally gets treated horribly in a work. That's what I've had a problem with all along, you're the one who has obsessed over numerical representation and nothing else.

As for it not being that much worse than the men? What show have you been watching. Of all the female characters in the show only Rin makes it out both alive and unbroken. In comparison Waver has grown to be a stronger, more mature person. Kirei and Gilgamesh have set themselves up as epic villains. Zouken is hanging out being as awful as always and got most of what he wanted. Hell, even Kiritsugu got off lighter than the surviving non-Rin girls and women. He sure as hell treated having every little thing he ever believed in crushed way better than Saber did learning that one guy had some confused, jumbled feelings about her and it's hard to argue that he comes out worse than Aoi or Sakura.

[Poison_Fish]

Soras, I'm going to summarize your entire statement there as the exact equivalent of the same statements from certain members of the fighting game community. "Sexism is fine in the fighting game community, because that's how the community is. There is nothing wrong with it". You also go the "but it's freedom of expression", while misinterpreting the difference between analysis and enforcement. You are reaching some pretty high conclusions of what direction such a discussion is, and your answer is to deny the discussion itself? I'm going to ask that you reconsider these specific statements. They've been done to death and they are not a path you want to actually start going down in a discussion.

What you fail to consider when looking at Fate Zero in question is agency among the female characters. How much is done for themselves for their own gains vs. how much is it due to advancement of some other male character. As stated before, Rin seems to be one of the few female characters in the series with any sort of agency. Compare to

Spoiler

Show

Iri and Maiya who focus on Emiya, Aoi to Tokiomi, Sola-Ui to Lancer, Sakura to phallic bugs, etc.

Additionally who says you dictate precisely what the Nasuverse is? Gen is not the final authority on the matter and Nasu himself remains heavily inconsistent in his own interpretations of his verse. Which means interpretation is precisely fine. You seem to be arguing that interpretation is not ok. So, how about that freedom of expression?

[Soras Teva Gee]

Yes, Saber is shown to be so competent that the only reason she didn't die in her first fight in the show is that Lancer is ridiculously honorable. I can really see how you get a strong, competent character out of that. Especially when it's someone who is officially described is quite a bit more powerful than the rest.

Factually wrong.

Saber and Lancer fought evenly and scored essentially identical wounds on one another, but Lancer was using his ace to deal an unhealable wound. Both of them made full efforts to kill each other but Lancer has an advantage in his weapons are well suited to dueling to balance out his marginal stats. But most importantly the fight was by no means over when Rider showed up. Then everyone showed up and it ended with Beserksalot and Lancer double teaming Saber, and Rider ending it second time by backing Saber up.

As I can hardly fault Saber for not casually EX-CAIBUR!!!ing opponents left and right and people stopping to talk a bit in a fight is hardly limited to Fate/Zero I have trouble finding genuine fault in her tactics here. She still forced Lancer to use his NPs without using firing up her own something she's done to everyone but Herakles thus far. Now Lancer was clever and got a good hit on Saber with the proper weapon to hit, but that is so help me the best anyone manages excepting deliberately OPed Gil.

And, really, gender ratios are equal to brutalizing all representatives of an entire gender in a story?

Everyone is brutalized in the story.

Or including them, only to turn them into trophies, tools and objects of angst for the others?

The only one that suits even remotely is Aoi, who has virtues I don't think you recognize. Now she's not a particularly deep character, but frankly I'd blame that more on this being a prequel and the plot being more then a bit of a mess. Aoi is there to die (effectively) and explain why Rin fell under Kotomine's care and not her mother's before F/SN. In the end though she just play a traditional role though that still carries weight in the culture, I can't argue with that too much for a tertiary character. The passive mother type is pretty omnipresent in fiction everywhere.

(The story does its problems let's be clear here. Rin's wasting of my time with her meaningless side story being one of them, she's easily the least important actual character floating around. I could probably have done without the Tohsaka family simply because they amount to unnecessary cruft in the story, all three of them)

Do you just not get the concept of portrayal as mattering and think it's all a question of numbers?

Given that this is a kill 'em all series I don't see some meaningful difference between say a human being beaten off-screen by a Servant and being sniped in the head. Because that is a numbers game since it requires death to be broken down quantfied into better or worse. As far as I'm concerned dead is dead, only Kariya experienced the sort of physical tortures to merit any sort of consideration as being ergregious.

Perhaps I simply lack the expected oversensitivity to violence towards women that permeates Western culture. Actually I'm sure I do, as I believe political correctness to be among the most vile cultural forces and strive to reject it.

For example you mention Natalia and really, what is her role in the story? It is to give an excuse for Kiritsugu's training and to give him something to angst over. Sure there are probably a lot of cool stories that could theoretically be told about her, but they aren't. Instead she's stuffed into a fridge for the sake of trying to pretend that Kiritsugu is even a little bit compelling as a character.

Something which would be essentially no different were their genders reversed. I simply don't insert that quality into the story. She just happened to be female and was good at her job but in their line of work that only goes so long. Its has nothing to do with her being female and everything to do with the underlying theme of deconstructing the concept of the "hero" continued by Shirou.

Now on Kiritsugu's being a compelling character. I can actually agree there, at least as far as him not being suitable for being the nominal protagonist.

In general, there's a middle ground between complete and utter equality that is harshly enforced and not having the slightest standards at all. I have no problem with shows being heavily dominated by men or women as long as there isn't an overwhelming trend towards one gender being underrepresented.

Given how heavily the gender balance skews in my experience overwhelming is the rule not the exception. That's not just anime but fiction in general.

I do have a problem when members of one gender universally gets treated horribly in a work. That's what I've had a problem with all along, you're the one who has obsessed over numerical representation and nothing else.

Getting choked out quickly is not being treated horribly in Fate/Zero. Not by the demands that anybody not in F/SN end up dead anyways. In a happier work it would be plenty horrible of course but treated horribly here is... well pretty much the Matou family. Which as relevant to Fate/Zero is really just Kariya who is male, Sakura is really F/SN.

Of all the female characters in the show only Rin makes it out both alive and unbroken.

Rin also is the least important actual character in the show who is there only as a waaay too long cameo and has to come out alive just like Saber, Kotomine, and Gil all have to show up ten years from now.

Only Waver is original to Fate/Zero and comes out alive. And he's easily the least consequential Master even below Casters', he does one arguably useful thing in tracking Caster that still comes to nothing anyways. Had his gender been switched you'd undoubtably be complaining about how "she learns can't do anything but be with a man" or some such.

In comparison Waver has grown to be a stronger, more mature person

.

Yeah his entire character get to get to where say Iri already is.

Hell, even Kiritsugu got off lighter than the surviving non-Rin girls and women. He sure as hell treated having every little thing he ever believed in crushed way better than Saber did learning that one guy had some confused, jumbled feelings about her and it's hard to argue that he comes out worse than Aoi or Sakura.

Kiritsugu, for a man who wore essentially one determined expression all series, that change in the last episode is a immeasurable display of his utter despair. And as F/S ends he has nothing, utterly nothing, not even of himself left while F/SN begins he gets only the barest shred of salvation in the form of Shirou's survival that gives him something to push on a bit longer before finally submitting to the Grail killing him.

Saber meanwhile got affirmation that her purpose to use the Grail to undo her life was noble and nessecary, fixing the leaks in the dam Rider poked so Shirou can break down the barrier in Fate.

Hmm, I seem to be mentioning those elements that were already fixed in stone going into Fate/Zero quite a lot.

And Sakura has to wait until Heaven's Feel

[Kato]

Everyone is brutalized in the story.

In very, short, I'll agree with Soras based on that one sentence. Yes, F/Z lacks female characters, but overall the cast is treated very poorly and to find a character that doesn't suffer terribly is a hard piece of work.

There are very few who are not... lacking in certain parts, like Rider (excluding maybe wits) Waver doesn't really grow as much, he just becomes terribly attached to Rider. If Waver was a girl people would complain how she doesn't get anything done without him. If Maya was a boy who'd followed Kelly because he practically owes his life to him and died trying to service him I don't think people would complain as much.
Yes, Gilgamesh treating Saber as a trophy is a **** move, but then again a big part of Gilga's character is being a ****. You're not supossed to think what he does is good.
Ilya following Kelly because she adores him... well, it comes down to how much you like love stories. I personally don't but that's just your average one. I guess it could have worked the other way round, with her being the strong one and Kelly being the broken one after he lost his love but... well, missed chance on that one. Also, it wouldn't have send quite the depressing message the show tries to send (for whatever reason)

[Tengu_temp]

Perhaps I simply lack the expected oversensitivity to violence towards women that permeates Western culture. Actually I'm sure I do, as I believe political correctness to be among the most vile cultural forces and strive to reject it.

You do realize you're pretty much saying "I believe we shouldn't treat minorities as equals" here, right?

[kamikasei]

...I believe political correctness to be among the most vile cultural forces and strive to reject it.

Why?

(This is a position I generally see arising from utterly indefensible roots in reaction to something that exists only as a phantasm in the "rejector's" mind, so I'm curious whether you can surprise me.)

[Soras Teva Gee]

You do realize you're pretty much saying "I believe we shouldn't treat minorities as equals" here, right?

First women are hardly a minority. Actually a small majority in many places.

Second I support exactly that.

Third I do not support say... Mr. Popo from Dragon Ball Kai releases being recolored blue and the halos on the dead characters being removed because "it might be offensive" or just about anything that follows that line of thought.

Why?

(This is a position I generally see arising from utterly indefensible roots in reaction to something that exists only as a phantasm in the "rejector's" mind, so I'm curious whether you can surprise me.)

As relevant to media it means exactly one and only one thing: censorship.

Which I object to as a rule. Yes regardless.

[Terraoblivion]

As relevant to media it means exactly one and only one thing: censorship.

Care to enlighten me about how I'm censoring anything? Last I checked I was just a grad student in a country where the show has not even been released. I'm pretty sure that I'm not capable of enacting such far reaching policies and was in fact just saying that I wished people were more willing to judge a work based on how it treats groups without hegemonic privilege.

Also, if you're so against censorship I'm sure you'll fight the very real censorship that prevents you from buying tv spots explaining how the meat in the burgers at McDonalds comes from African children. I mean, there's a clear violation of free speech there. Just like there is whenever you try to broadcast the nuclear launch codes.

[kamikasei]

As relevant to media it means exactly one and only one thing:

That's not even interestingly wrong. That's just unimaginative.

Although virtually no one I know who could be accused of "political correctness" actually talks about "political correctness" (like "reverse racism", it's one of those giveaway phrases), one other obvious thing discussion of -isms and such issues in media means is people thinking more carefully about what they're saying. Which you'd think anyone concerned with conveying meaning through expression would want more of, not less. And indeed, in this discussion it's been you who wanted to stop people expressing ideas, not the people you wanted to stop. Apparently for you to be free to speak and others to be free to point out where you're wrong is dangerous censorship, but those who think a work conveys bad or harmful ideas should simply be silent rather than countering them. One of these things results in limiting speech, the other results in expanding awareness.

Your attitude is that of someone who, facing less hardship in his own life, not only doesn't care to learn about the hardships of others but views being informed about them as an attack on his own blithe ignorance. That is not a good person to be, nor a good attitude to hold. You're not going to get much sympathy for it.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Care to enlighten me about how I'm censoring anything? Last I checked I was just a grad student in a country where the show has not even been released. I'm pretty sure that I'm not capable of enacting such far reaching policies and was in fact just saying that I wished people were more willing to judge a work based on how it treats groups without hegemonic privilege.

And actually doing anything about your (here baseless) judgements would involve content restrictions. Our mutual positions of mutual irrelevance is why I generally keep my moth shut when I run across things that offend me personally and let them wash past me.

Of course here the objections are baseless.

Also, if you're so against censorship I'm sure you'll fight the very real censorship that prevents you from buying tv spots explaining how the meat in the burgers at McDonalds comes from African children. I mean, there's a clear violation of free speech there. Just like there is whenever you try to broadcast the nuclear launch codes.

You aren't going to shame me with ridiculous examples. My answer is still yes I would not stop them airing from a point of censorship. Though neither would have an easy time finding a network to sell them the time.

The second I must note would not cause any actual launches if that's what you are suggesting. You cannot launch a regular missile with just a code much less a nuke, there is no Big Red Button in real life of any nature. The launch codes are not a command but a safety measure.

I cannot get into this beyond that factual note because it involves actual IRL politics and actual cases involving the leak of classified information and the media. Thus runs headlong into board rules.

(Actually I deleted comments on the first case too for the same reasons. My answer yes in both cases though)

[Poison_Fish]

And actually doing anything about your (here baseless) judgements would involve content restrictions. Our mutual positions of mutual irrelevance is why I generally keep my moth shut when I run across things that offend me personally and let them wash past me.

Of course here the objections are baseless.

Just because you declare something baseless does not mean it is baseless. Just like how it's been said before where you can't actually dictate what the Nasuverse is by yourself, you also can't eliminate someones claims because you feel like it. You haven't really addressed the question of agency, and you've been rather avoidant of several other claims. Also, I'm disappointed at how unimaginative you are when the only conclusion you can reach is content restrictions as for "doing something". Perhaps you have not heard of writing better characters in the future?

You aren't going to shame me with ridiculous examples. My answer is still yes I would not stop them airing from a point of censorship. Though neither would have an easy time finding a network to sell them the time.

The second I must note would not cause any actual launches if that's what you are suggesting. You cannot launch a regular missile with just a code much less a nuke, there is no Big Red Button in real life of any nature. The launch codes are not a command but a safety measure.

I cannot get into this beyond that factual note because it involves actual IRL politics and actual cases involving the leak of classified information and the media. Thus runs headlong into board rules.

(Actually I deleted comments on the first case too for the same reasons. My answer yes in both cases though)

You know what is pretty easy to shame you for? That you are in fact all for censorship. Shall I quote you?

Its complaining about cases like Fate/Zero that give things like this a bad name. There's far worse to deal with. And the degree at which Fate/Zero becomes misogynistic is the day Lucky Star is sexist for having only one male character who doesn't interact with the main cast and takes pretty heavy abuse too. I've no interest in seeing that day come because it means freedom of exspression has been abandoned in favor of political correctness and quota thinking.

("Complaining leads to abuse. Don't complain")

When I want to advance the lot of females in entertainment I'd rather do it by supporting a show like Friendship is Magic that is actually taking proactive steps forward. Stuff like what your doing is as far as I'm concerned just poisoning the fun for others, its a political debate trying to grind its axe on a show that's greatest sin is just not caring enough about political correctness to appease the would be editors of the universe.

("I'm more progressive then you are. You shouldn't discuss because you ruin others fun.")

What's that? I'm taking what you would say and claim it's going to a specific conclusion? Why, who was doing that earlier? Let's recount the event: "F/Z has some problems in it's writing due to specific gender being stuffed in a fridges, lack of agency, etc." "You are wrong, baseless, and the only conclusion you can reach from your statements is extreme censorship."

Do you realize how silly it sounds?

[Soras Teva Gee]

Just because you declare something baseless does not mean it is baseless.

Annnnnnddddd? Point? As I've explained why in this discussion already.

You know what is pretty easy to shame you for? That you are in fact all for censorship. Shall I quote you?

Hardly censoring would be utilizing mod powers to edit a post.

This is having an argument. If you listen to me it becomes your own choice, I have no ability to make one do anything here.

Do not confuse the two.

[Poison_Fish]

Annnnnnddddd? Point? As I've explained why in this discussion already.

You haven't addressed agency at all. You haven't even given a good explanation for it being baseless besides you disliking it. Sorry, again, "Because I say so" does not work. Stop trying that. It'll get you nowhere other then pitiful attempts at ego inflation.

Hardly censoring would be utilizing mod powers to edit a post.

This is having an argument. If you listen to me it becomes your own choice, I have no ability to make one do anything here.

Do not confuse the two.

There is no confusion. However your operational definition of censorship is rather laughable considering how you continue to ignore your own words. I shouldn't be surprised considering what you've been claiming as far as a representation in statistics and your own language: "Advancing the lot of females".

[Terraoblivion]

If the only options you can see are "rampant misogyny" and "active censoring" then you have a serious problem. Other things than censoring can obviously be done, like people starting to see misogyny as a serious problem in a show and not praising the misogynistic ones highly. Consumer boycotts would be a more radical step that was still possible without censorship. I mean, you don't see many movies praising neo Nazis and Klansmen, despite it being perfectly legal to make them.

For that matter, why is censorship of misogyny worse than the censorship of two men kissing or women enjoying sex that the MPAA already imposes? Doing either of those things lead to a higher rating than a man and a woman kissing or a man being shown to enjoy sex.

Also, my examples weren't there to shame you. It was to show the absurdity of using censorship as a magical win button. Government censorship already happens and that's a good thing because we wouldn't want people to accuse us of horrible crimes or for all military secrets to be wide open to whoever wants them. You still need to argue your position.

For that matter, censorship really only entered the topic because of you. You're the one who accused me of it and you're the one whose reaction to hearing bad things about something you like was to tell me to shut up and stop ruining your fun. You don't have the power to actually censor, so instead you try to frame even raising issues as being morally wrong and something people shouldn't do. That's really close to censorship in both intent and practice, especially when you speak from a position of privilege to someone who complains about that position having a negative impact on their lives.

[Tengu_temp]

First women are hardly a minority. Actually a small majority in many places.

It's not about numbers, it's about treatment. And in pretty much all cultures on Earth, except maybe some tiny tribes, women are still being discriminated against more than men.

Third I do not support say... Mr. Popo from Dragon Ball Kai releases being recolored blue and the halos on the dead characters being removed because "it might be offensive" or just about anything that follows that line of thought.

That's not normal political correctness, that's taking it to the extreme. Everything is bad when taken to the extreme. Normal political correctness is about treating people who are different than you with respect and trying to understand the problems they go through. You know, the opposite of saying "it's not my problem so I refuse to acknowledge that it might be your problem, shut up about it and stop ruining my fun".

[Kato]

It's not about numbers, it's about treatment. And in pretty much all cultures on Earth, except maybe some tiny tribes, women are still being discriminated against more than men.

Okay, I was going to say: "Guys (and ladies) let's stay away from the real world politics and talk about anime but... you do know what the word "minority" means, right?
No, no, I won't get myself into this mess any further...



So, new anime season. Anyone found anything amazing already?
I'm sure I'll at the very least follow Yuru Yuri 2 just because I loved the first season even though episode one was kind of meh. And maybe Champione... mythology magic sounds pretty neat.

[userpay]

@Those who helped with my question about mecha/magic

Thanks a lot for the help! I also remembered another anime that I watched (can't remember if I finished it though), Senhime Zesshou Symphogear, that kinda fits if you were to replace magic with music.

[Poison_Fish]

Okay, I was going to say: "Guys (and ladies) let's stay away from the real world politics and talk about anime but... you do know what the word "minority" means, right?
No, no, I won't get myself into this mess any further...

Actually Tengu is using minority correctly. Minority when in reference to the social realm is not just a numbers game. It's entirely defined by a distinction from the majority along with a lack of power comparatively to the majority. So, women, people of color, etc. Some media examples would be aliens in the Empire of Star Wars or Darcsens in Valkryia Chronicles, or spacenoids in UC Gundam.

[Tengu_temp]

And, to stay more on-topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kh7uBEJbnE

In unrelated news, I'm looking forward to RnL season 2. That show is not excellent, but it is consistently fun and feel-good, and I'm sure the second season will continue that trend. Even if its opening and ending theme are not as good.

[Drascin]

And, to stay more on-topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kh7uBEJbnE

*twitch*

Playing SRW has made me kind of hate that robot.

[Prime32]

And, to stay more on-topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kh7uBEJbnE

Spoiler

Show

It's... Combattler V. But it's awesome. What madness is this?

What series are you watching right now? I'm keeping up with Accel World, DOG DAYS', Gundam AGE, and Sword Art Online (already read vol1 of the LN and enjoyed it). Tentatively watching Hagure Yuusha no Estetica - too early to tell if its plot/action will amount to anything.

[Tengu_temp]

Feeling torn by the fact that Combattler manages to be cool? Good, that's what I aimed for.

Not watching anything lately due to lack of motivation. When I get it back, I'll finish Steins;Gate and then probably go with the Getter OVAs or something.

[Kato]

Spoiler

Show

It's... Combattler V. But it's awesome. What madness is this?

What series are you watching right now? I'm keeping up with Accel World, DOG DAYS', Gundam AGE, and Sword Art Online (already read vol1 of the LN and enjoyed it). Tentatively watching Hagure Yuusha no Estetica - too early to tell if its plot/action will amount to anything.

Wait, Dog Days is still running? From the others... only AGE at the moment. Though I like to call it SAW since two weeks ago...

And, to stay more on-topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kh7uBEJbnE

For some reason it looks like a try to get a new TTGL done... awesome action with manliness to stick it together... Not sure if that works another time but I guess I might give it a try.

In unrelated news, I'm looking forward to RnL season 2. That show is not excellent, but it is consistently fun and feel-good, and I'm sure the second season will continue that trend. Even if its opening and ending theme are not as good.

Oh, right, I noticed it started again but didn't watch it yet. But to be honest the main reason I liked season one were the villains, not the heroes.