Holy shit, Texhnolyze just went full Kafka and it was literally one of the most horrifying things that I have ever seen in a television show. For all the body horror, human tragedy and moral void in this series, it was the single quietest episode so far that actually made me want to recoil.
Like, I sort of saw it coming, but then you get to the lip of the pit and you actually look down...
I swear I am barely a fifth of the way into Texhnolyze and it is one of the darkest things that I have ever seen yet also... somehow perfect? As in there is really nothing wrong with it and it is doing exactly what it intends to do without a hitch or a hiccough. And I get the feeling that it's just going to keep getting darker while still being this well-executed.
Also, first time since the final arc of Fullmetal Alchemist that I have seen a female character make a sleazy advance on a helpless male person that was played for horror and repulsion yet devoid of misogynistic animus. Kudos, show. You made me wince. In a responsible way.
That is a great show. "Happy Family Planning" and the anime production episode are seriously the best things ever, but even setting those aside it's just brilliantly put together.
Observation: One of the main themes in Nichijou strongly resembles the melody to the verse of Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric?", which is appropriate since Nano is best character.
Most recent anime seasons have been fairly uninspiring. I can probably count on both hands the number of shows that I have actually wanted to see in the last two years, including one or two that actually surprised me.
Haibane Renmei is one of the most soothing things that I have seen in a long time despite the fact that the first episode has a pair of wings burst out of a girl's back in a disturbingly realistic fashion. Incidentally, this speaks less to what I have been watching (though I have been watching some rather frenetic and grim things) than the fact that it is such a peaceful programme. It is like drinking really fine unsweetened green tea.
I am about a quarter of the way in. I know that it gets darker in tone and I can already see the purgatory thing pretty clearly, but that doesn't change the fact that it has such a serene tone at this point.
in other news i cannot stop watching Haibane Renmei and it is just fucking destroying me
for some reason i was expecting something kinda cutesey and slice-of-life-y
but instead i got a quiet fantasy/drama that perfectly hits almost all of the underlying fears/worries/neuroses/obsessions that i rarely if ever talk about with others
So I watched the first couple of episodes of Michiko to Hatchin
It's a show about a girl with a super abusive (adoptive) family who gets taken away from her misery when her escaped convict mother comes crashing into their house on a bike and kidnaps her
They then go on an adventure to find Hatchin's mother while avoiding the cops and her foster family who wants her back for the child support money
As far as I've seen it's a pretty fun show that hits all the right cords both in terms of comedy and touching moments
It's also an anime which doesn't take place in Japan, or America even, rather taking place on a fictional island that has Brazil as a strong cultural influence, which is pretty interesting
So I watched the first couple of episodes of Michiko to Hatchin
It's a show about a girl with a super abusive (adoptive) family who gets taken away from her misery when her escaped convict mother comes crashing into their house on a bike and kidnaps her
They then go on an adventure to find Hatchin's mother while avoiding the cops and her foster family who wants her back for the child support money
As far as I've seen it's a pretty fun show that hits all the right cords both in terms of comedy and touching moments
It's also an anime which doesn't take place in Japan, or America even, rather taking place on a fictional island that has Brazil as a strong cultural influence, which is pretty interesting
Also, the opening is pretty bitchin'
It's pretty good for the most part. Some episodes are hit or miss, but it's worth it just to get to the last 4 episodes.
up next on my to-watch list: Princess Jellyfish and
You should totally watch Shirokuma Cafe. It has the VA of the Medicine Seller from Mononoke play a talking Polar Bear who runs his own cafe and loves bad word puns.
^ I have heard really good things about that show and most of the complaints directed at it just strike me as very "you are not allowed to have fun"-ish, so maybe someday.
Watched the first arc of Mononoke. It was... something, that's for sure.
:D
It gets even better after the first arc, so I'll be interested in seeing what you think when you finish. Also, before you watch the last arc, you should watch the last 3 episodes of Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales, which has the original story that led to Mononoke getting it's own TV show, since the last arc in Mononoke is a retelling of that story (sort of).
I usually say moe stuff is garbage as some kind of self-deprecating joke, but reading this review and encountering certain fan behaviors associated with those shows and similar media is making me increasingly annoyed with them.
First off, the idea that someone could have an emotionally fulfilling relationship with a fictional character does not make sense to me given the inherently one-sided nature of that "relationship." Honestly, obsessions with fictional characters generally do not seem healthy to me.
The "waifu" talk about characters in games is similarly annoying in my mind, especially in light of the rather unfortunate views about women among some people who play games. Granted, this type of behavior is not limited to anime/manga and games; I have also seen it related to characters in MLP and other western animated shows.
That is all probably just preaching to the choir though. I guess I only mention it because I feel like the type of talk mentioned above is prevalent enough that reading anime and games sites often requires wading through a bunch of it, something that can be frustrating when it bugs you.
To make a long story short, I guess I understand a little better why some people dislike seeing anime avatars, especially anime avatars featuring young girls, on forums, YouTube, and the like. While I still think that sort of prejudice is largely unwarranted, the types of behavior mentioned in this post (among other things) definitely make me less inclined to want to tell people I like anything anime-related.
There is also the added layer of infantilisation in moe media that the reviewer touches upon which can be really uncomfortable. It does a disservice to women by putting forth this weird ideal of pathetic fragility and ill-serves male viewers in a host of smaller ways, not the least of which being the implication that a basic power disparity is essential to relationships.
I have no problem with cute characters and designs, but I do have a problem with how the portrayal tends to be crafted and used. It's kind of sleazy.
I have never actually seen anyone use the term "waifu" in a non self-depreciating sense. Also a lot of "moe anime"....isn't, like the examples people always cite are Lucky*Star, which is a sitcom, and K-On! which has its share of creepy fans and is not great, but is a pretty typical comedy as well.
in unrelated news
I started watching the newest Precure series (something about the original puts me off and I can't place my finger on what), and I have made the following observations.
hair in this universe is some shiny metal/plastic substance that can be freely shaped to the hair-haver's whim
Terribad and Kindabad are the best possible names for evil henchmen
Cure Lovely's idea of spreading love all over the world is punching the fuck out of everyone.
what the fuck is that weird like, not-quite-CG style they switch to sometimes? It's weird.
Lucky Star is basically anime!Seinfeld, yes, although the character designs and stereotypes definitely play on moe culture for the sake of humour. K-On! is... well, it's not a sappy drama, but it's definitely pandering to that crowd. When I think of the sleazy side of moe, though, I generally think of stuff like Kanon or a lot of the carbon copy tripe that bubbles up from the void each year.
In fact other than Kanon itself (which I know absolutely nothing about other than its status as "the third one" in this argument), I cannot name a single show in the described vein.
Basically all I am getting at is that I am not sure what is being discussed when "moe anime" is brought up. Even stuff that appears outwardly shloozy at first glance like YuruYuri has merits.
I guess there's My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute. But isn't even that a comedy? My assumption was that the problem there was a contingent of the fanbase taking what was supposed to be a stupid comedy as genuine.
being a comedy doesn't preclude parts being meant seriously
example: I've watched a few episodes of my little sister can't etc. at one point some online fanficish bullshit by the sister gets an anime adaptation and there's an episode revolving around editing interference and stuff. obviously this is a ridiculous fantasy, like some Eragon shit, but the jokes aren't mocking the idea of some teen's garbage getting a tv show, that's just taken for granted as serious.
I stopped watching around there, forget why I started in the first place, it was just so pandering. it still had irony! just not in the right places for me to feel that nobody on the production team actually wanted to fuck their sister
being a comedy doesn't preclude parts being meant seriously
example: I've watched a few episodes of my little sister can't etc. at one point some online fanficish bullshit by the sister gets an anime adaptation and there's an episode revolving around editing interference and stuff. obviously this is a ridiculous fantasy, like some Eragon shit, but the jokes aren't mocking the idea of some teen's garbage getting a tv show, that's just taken for granted as serious.
I stopped watching around there, forget why I started in the first place, it was just so pandering. it still had irony! just not in the right places for me to feel that nobody on the production team actually wanted to fuck their sister
I get this with anime a lot really
I have never actually seen Oreimo. So that could well be the case (is that even on anymore? I don't keep up with these things).
Like I don't doubt that this idea of horrible Sankanku nerd-pandering moe must come from somewhere, I just don't know where.
Comments
When did this happen in FMA?
Satoshi Kon continues to be a mad genius.
anyway monthly girls nozaki kun is funny as hell
im gonna have to watch it a few more times but
it might just be my fave anime ever
And yeah the opening is bitching.
also Princess Jellyfish is very, very fun. highly recommended.
It gets even better after the first arc, so I'll be interested in seeing what you think when you finish. Also, before you watch the last arc, you should watch the last 3 episodes of Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales, which has the original story that led to Mononoke getting it's own TV show, since the last arc in Mononoke is a retelling of that story (sort of).
^ and Ninja'd
idk what I was expecting but this show is strange.
also every piece of music in it is amazing.
First off, the idea that someone could have an emotionally fulfilling relationship with a fictional character does not make sense to me given the inherently one-sided nature of that "relationship." Honestly, obsessions with fictional characters generally do not seem healthy to me.
The "waifu" talk about characters in games is similarly annoying in my mind, especially in light of the rather unfortunate views about women among some people who play games. Granted, this type of behavior is not limited to anime/manga and games; I have also seen it related to characters in MLP and other western animated shows.
That is all probably just preaching to the choir though. I guess I only mention it because I feel like the type of talk mentioned above is prevalent enough that reading anime and games sites often requires wading through a bunch of it, something that can be frustrating when it bugs you.
To make a long story short, I guess I understand a little better why some people dislike seeing anime avatars, especially anime avatars featuring young girls, on forums, YouTube, and the like. While I still think that sort of prejudice is largely unwarranted, the types of behavior mentioned in this post (among other things) definitely make me less inclined to want to tell people I like anything anime-related.
in unrelated news
I started watching the newest Precure series (something about the original puts me off and I can't place my finger on what), and I have made the following observations.
I don't know of anyone who watches that stuff.
In fact other than Kanon itself (which I know absolutely nothing about other than its status as "the third one" in this argument), I cannot name a single show in the described vein.
Basically all I am getting at is that I am not sure what is being discussed when "moe anime" is brought up. Even stuff that appears outwardly shloozy at first glance like YuruYuri has merits.
I guess there's My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute. But isn't even that a comedy? My assumption was that the problem there was a contingent of the fanbase taking what was supposed to be a stupid comedy as genuine.
example: I've watched a few episodes of my little sister can't etc. at one point some online fanficish bullshit by the sister gets an anime adaptation and there's an episode revolving around editing interference and stuff. obviously this is a ridiculous fantasy, like some Eragon shit, but the jokes aren't mocking the idea of some teen's garbage getting a tv show, that's just taken for granted as serious.
I stopped watching around there, forget why I started in the first place, it was just so pandering. it still had irony! just not in the right places for me to feel that nobody on the production team actually wanted to fuck their sister
I get this with anime a lot really
Like I don't doubt that this idea of horrible Sankanku nerd-pandering moe must come from somewhere, I just don't know where.