The word that you are looking for is iyashikei. It's a term used to describe quiet, slow-moving, character-driven shows which have a soothing effect on the viewer. Record of a Yokohama Shopping Trip is a good example of this. Many slice-of-life shows fall into this category, but many of them do not.
If you want a good iyashikei show I'd recommend Kamichu!, it's devoid of most of the undesirable anime tropes, and it has just enough going on to keep it "relaxing" instead of "boring".
Also there's one purely comedic episode, which is also a parody of Fight Club. Don't ask, because I don't know.
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
Anyone ever start a series, realize it was going to take way too damn log to actually conclude or manage anything in the way of story structure, and then abort?
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
I can watch both. :P
I've been meaning to watch Fate Stay Night for a while now, even though I sort of knew it wasn't exactly a masterpiece.
I can definitely feel the hentai vibes from the original visual novel. It definitely feels like most the female cast should be having tons of sex with the main character for the most part.
The sex scenes could be excised from the VN (and in fact were, for the PS2 release) and it would still make sense. And you also wouldn't have to suffer Nasu's atrocious sex scene writing.
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
You'd still have a bunch of girls who bend over backwards for the main character if given half the chance.
Now, I'm not one for "If a man and a woman are on screen together for more than five minutes than they both must want to fuck the shit out of each other", but when one girl spends all her free time with the male lead and the other saves his live multiple times when it's quite likely in her best interest to let him die or even kill him herself, it's kinda hard to believe that they don't want the d.
Smee, Maiman, Doktar, Pavelier, Button-Lee, Juan Ovyu
HE'S LIKE A DEVIL BOY! HE LOVES GIVING OTHERS TROUBLE HE SPREADS PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE HE MADE MY LIFE TELLIBLY MISERABLE HE IS MY FRIEND BUT ALSO MY ENEMY GO TO HELL, OZU!
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
Anyone ever start a series, realize it was going to take way too damn log to actually conclude or manage anything in the way of story structure, and then abort?
In hindsight, it probably seemed like I was talking about Fate/Stay Night here when I was really just asking a question.
I think that's Urobuchi in his purest form: 90% of the most interesting parts of any given work of his cannot be discussed without spoiling the plot to the uninitiated.
So I've been reading Lone Wolf and Cuband Liar Game recently and both are absolutely fantastic, albeit for completely different reasons.
Lone Wolf and Cub is a great jidaigeki period piece about Ogami Itto, the Shogun's executioner who is framed by the Yagyu so they can steal his post and has his whole clan destroyed as a result. He then takes up the job of an assassin, with his 3 year old son daigoro, to build up funds to take revenge on the Yagyu, charging 500 Ryō a head and the reasons for asking for his services. The pacing can be a little slow at points, with the beginning of the series starting out as episodic assassinations while only barely touching on the main arc, but those episodic bits are kind of fun in and of themselves. The plot builds to a head for an initial climax (or local max, if you will) around chapter 50, but then goes back to the episodic assassinations for a while and it kind of threw me for a loop, just because after this big climax, even though the story obviously isn't over it just feels a little hollow compared to the the previous chapters. It does recover it's strength after a few chapters though.
As for characterization, there are enough little moments of subtlety and introspection that I wouldn't call the main characters flat or 2-dimensional my any means, but it hasn't felt like the characters are incredible dynamic or deep either. Ogami Itto more or less keeps his stoic demeanor thorough out the whole series (that I've read up to this point, still not done with), only breaking that stoicism a select few times. When he does break it however, it's rather powerful. The story, as a whole is very well researched and an accurate depiction of the culture from that time period, from what I can understand. Also, the art is phenomenal, particularly the author's skill at shading and contrast between light and dark. Plus, the character designs are wonderfully realistic.
Liar Game is follows the story of Nao Kanzaki, an incredibly clumsy, honest to a fault and straight forward person who unwittingly opens a mysterious package and discovers her admittance into the Liar Game, where players compete with each at lying. At the start of the game, at least for the first round, you and your opponent are loaned 100 million Yen and you have to try and steal that money from each other. At the end of the round, the Liar Game officials come to collect the money. If you managed to steal the money from your opponent, you can keep the extra 100 million and go on to the next round, but your opponent has a debt of 100 million Yen thrust upon them. Just opening the package is taken as assumed consent of playing the game and to drop out of the game costs 50 million Yen.
I've only started reading this series, so I can't really comment too much on it, but if you're a fan of psychological thrillers, this manga is absolutely fantastic. I'm only 30 chapters in and I'm completely hooked. The characterization and mind games are both really well done.
Forgot to mention: For those of you that can view it, the dub of Kino's Journey can now be seen in its entirety on Hulu. Do yourselves a favour and watch it at your nearest convenience, please. It is lovely.
Comments
If you want a good iyashikei show I'd recommend Kamichu!, it's devoid of most of the undesirable anime tropes, and it has just enough going on to keep it "relaxing" instead of "boring".
Also there's one purely comedic episode, which is also a parody of Fight Club. Don't ask, because I don't know.
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
HE LOVES GIVING OTHERS TROUBLE
HE SPREADS PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE
HE MADE MY LIFE TELLIBLY MISERABLE
HE IS MY FRIEND BUT ALSO MY ENEMY
GO TO HELL, OZU!
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
God do I love it.
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
KoTH apparently has a very devoted Japanese fanbase.
they're like the opposite of people like me who watch LuckyStar and whatnot.
Lone Wolf and Cub is a great jidaigeki period piece about Ogami Itto, the Shogun's executioner who is framed by the Yagyu so they can steal his post and has his whole clan destroyed as a result. He then takes up the job of an assassin, with his 3 year old son daigoro, to build up funds to take revenge on the Yagyu, charging 500 Ryō a head and the reasons for asking for his services. The pacing can be a little slow at points, with the beginning of the series starting out as episodic assassinations while only barely touching on the main arc, but those episodic bits are kind of fun in and of themselves. The plot builds to a head for an initial climax (or local max, if you will) around chapter 50, but then goes back to the episodic assassinations for a while and it kind of threw me for a loop, just because after this big climax, even though the story obviously isn't over it just feels a little hollow compared to the the previous chapters. It does recover it's strength after a few chapters though.
As for characterization, there are enough little moments of subtlety and introspection that I wouldn't call the main characters flat or 2-dimensional my any means, but it hasn't felt like the characters are incredible dynamic or deep either. Ogami Itto more or less keeps his stoic demeanor thorough out the whole series (that I've read up to this point, still not done with), only breaking that stoicism a select few times. When he does break it however, it's rather powerful. The story, as a whole is very well researched and an accurate depiction of the culture from that time period, from what I can understand. Also, the art is phenomenal, particularly the author's skill at shading and contrast between light and dark. Plus, the character designs are wonderfully realistic.
Liar Game is follows the story of Nao Kanzaki, an incredibly clumsy, honest to a fault and straight forward person who unwittingly opens a mysterious package and discovers her admittance into the Liar Game, where players compete with each at lying. At the start of the game, at least for the first round, you and your opponent are loaned 100 million Yen and you have to try and steal that money from each other. At the end of the round, the Liar Game officials come to collect the money. If you managed to steal the money from your opponent, you can keep the extra 100 million and go on to the next round, but your opponent has a debt of 100 million Yen thrust upon them. Just opening the package is taken as assumed consent of playing the game and to drop out of the game costs 50 million Yen.
I've only started reading this series, so I can't really comment too much on it, but if you're a fan of psychological thrillers, this manga is absolutely fantastic. I'm only 30 chapters in and I'm completely hooked. The characterization and mind games are both really well done.
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
I know nothing else.
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
op-perch-tuna-ty : Opportunity
Shore - Sure
Hershell/Himshell/Yourshell/Myshell - Herself/Himself/Yourself/Myself
Cod - God/Could
Eeling - Feeling
Whale - Well
Reelly - Really
Min-now - Know
Sea - See
Gillarious/Gillarity - Hilarious
Splashing/Swimming/Floating - Hanging/Being/Etc
Cull - Kill
Carping/Glubbing - Talking/Chatting/Etc
Kelp - Help
Salmon - Seldom/summon
Debait - Debate
Sardinonic - Sardonic
Cullshit - Bullshit
Krilling - Killing
Doofish - Doofus
Shingle - Single
Appiers - Appears
Crayative - Creative
Haddock - Had
Waded - Walked
Roe - Row
Beach - Bitch
Buri - Bury
Knot - Not
Manta - Meant
Outraygeous - Ray
Cuttle - Cuddle
Codn’t - Couldn’t.
Aboat - About
Pike - Like
Melan-Coley - Melancholic
Pacific - Specific
Crabby - Crappy
Crappie - Crappy
Porpoise - Purpose
Halibut - Hell of it
Ruff - Rough
Plaice - Place
Discus - Discuss
Water - What are
Koi - Coy
Betta - Better
Shellfish - Selfish
Bluefish - Sad
Tail - Tell/Trail
Fintastic - Fantastic
Fintasy - Fantasy
Fin - Find
Otter-wise - Otherwise
Sole - Soul/Sole
Floundering - Fumbling
Lobsta - Lotsa
Clam up - Shut up
Aquainted - Acquainted
sea-rious - serious
bereef - believe
anemone - anyone
sea eeled - sealed
brisling - i dont know
shrimply - simply
mackerel - mack
bereef - believe
bouys and gills - boys and girls
sturgeon = surgeon
mullet = mull it
brill-iant = brilliant
shoal = show
clam-ering = clamoring
batter = better (this one is a stretch but ehh)
moray-eel = moirail
grunter = grunt (or someone who grunts, i guess)
shad = tad
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis