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I've avoided madoka for years out of spite because a friend of mine with absolutely terrible taste in movies anime TV you name it always loves talking about how great madoka is.

Guess I'll give it a shot?

 

Give it the 3 episode test, it's really good but I can imagine some people might have a problem with the presentation.

 

Also watched Anohana finally and man I feel conflicted. I definitely enjoyed it, but I feel like the drama was way too heavy handed sometimes, like they were really trying to nail home the emotional gravitas at the expense of just telling a touching story. Like I don't really have a problem with hyper emotional characters, but at a certain point it just becomes grief porn, you know?

 

The movie is total garbage, though. Zero progress or closure in the newly animated parts, and half of it is just reused clips from the show, as though it didn't already lean on flashbacks heavily enough. Is this a common thing with anime movies?

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Give it the 3 episode test, it's really good but I can imagine some people might have a problem with the presentation.

 

Also watched Anohana finally and man I feel conflicted. I definitely enjoyed it, but I feel like the drama was way too heavy handed sometimes, like they were really trying to nail home the emotional gravitas at the expense of just telling a touching story. Like I don't really have a problem with hyper emotional characters, but at a certain point it just becomes grief porn, you know?

 

The movie is total garbage, though. Zero progress or closure in the newly animated parts (why is Anaru so torn about confessing to Jinta when she already confessed), and half of it is just reused clips from the show, as though it didn't already lean on flashbacks heavily enough. Is this a common thing with anime movies?

 

I'd say give it 5. I think it's around the 5th or 6 episode before shit really hits the fan. and oh boy does it hit the fan.

 

Btw spoilers for peeps who haven't watched Anohana. tag dat yo! (I have yet to watch all of it, and I felt that was spoiled for me :3 I'm also super sensitive to spoilers)

 

Yeah, it seems to be a common thing with anime movies. Pretty sure you can thank EVA for that. The first movie was pretty much a 1:1 retelling of the first 5 episodes or so, just with a different sea. I've heard the Madoka movies are the same, but I've yet to watch them.

 

also, I usually give things 2 eps before I drop it. 

 

I think I'm going to drop Mekaku City Actors as that show is sooooooooo pretentious. Fucking shaft.

 

Also on the list of great shows - Yondemasuyo Azazel-san! It's hilarous. 

 

 

Also DMC - Detroit Metal City is a great fucking show. It so perfectly lampoons the legends that form around metal acts in a hilarious way. Also the music is done by Maximum the Hormone. The opening is awesome: 

 

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Also watched Anohana finally and man I feel conflicted. I definitely enjoyed it, but I feel like the drama was way too heavy handed sometimes, like they were really trying to nail home the emotional gravitas at the expense of just telling a touching story. Like I don't really have a problem with hyper emotional characters, but at a certain point it just becomes grief porn, you know?

 

Yay, even though I don't have your internal conflict, I still think this is an excellent encapsulation of why I ended up despising Ano Hana. By the final act of the show, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion so that the characters and the audience wouldn't miss a single shred of grief-stricken pathos. It really did feel like the writers didn't believe in their own story, which was good but not exactly Shakespeare, and so just put all the burden on the voice actors to sell it with tears.

 

I'm also guilty of Twig's "my friend with shit taste loves this anime" syndrome with Ano Hana, though. He was obsessed with its power to make him cry, to the point that it was impossible for him to believe that I didn't when I got around to seeing it myself.

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Yeah, the VAs sold that shit hard, though. Even Menma with her whole squeeky moe thing.

 

Btw spoilers for peeps who haven't watched Anohana. tag dat yo! (I have yet to watch all of it, and I felt that was spoiled for me :3 I'm also super sensitive to spoilers)

 

Ahh sorry, I just took it out since it wasn't important.

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Dang I liked Anohana. But I can totally see where you guys are coming from. Guess it just didn't bother me so much. I definitely don't think it was like super great or anything, but it was good! )';

 

I've also been watching Haikyu!! because, what can I say, I've got a weakness for sports anime. I don't know what it is. The formula's always pretty much the same, and I don't even really like sports all that much, but I'll watch almost any sports anime and enjoy the hell out of it.

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I've also been watching Haikyu!! because, what can I say, I've got a weakness for sports anime. I don't know what it is. The formula's always pretty much the same, and I don't even really like sports all that much, but I'll watch almost any sports anime and enjoy the hell out of it.

 

Yes. It's fantastic. I don't think it's as great as Kuroko, but it's getting there. You should check out Yowamushi Pedal too, it's fab. I tried Baby Steps, which is about tennis, but didn't like it because the main guy has a serious mental problem that should probably be delt with instead of it being laughed off.

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Been watching Jojos, as a number of people have recommended to me. Never read the manga, but the new show is quite good. Also, managed to make a Nazi a likeable character, while still being a crazy Nazi. German engineering is the greatest, apparently.

You should check out the Jojo's OAV from the 90's (it randomly drops you into the back half of the 3rd series with no context, which almost makes it better). I think the new show has almost caught up, but that older version is unironically one of my favorite animes ever. 

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Time for another random Complaint about Anime and/or Japan in General.

 

The fuck is up with the little sister complex? Jesus.

 

I watched the first five minutes of No Game No Life and turned it off after getting a panty shot and an OH SO CUUUUUUUUTE montage of the little sister being overtly and disgustingly adorable for her bigger brother. I stopped it and quit.

 

I watched the first five minutes of The Irregular at Magic High School (okay I was bored and picked it on a whim 'cause it seems to be semi-popular on Crunchyroll), and the little sister is just OBSESSED with her older brother and blushes and gets super excited when he praises her. At least she disappeared pretty quickly, though. I'll keep watching this episode, not expecting much, although really I know basically nothing about the show so far besides there's some sort of weird magic future cold war going on? Seems like it's going to turn harem pretty quick, though. DOLLARS TO DONUTS SAYS THE LITTLE SISTER GETS SUPER JEALOUS OF ALL THE CHICKS HANGIN' ALL OVER MC'S SEXY BOD. I will say I appreciate that the main character is not overly incompetent or overly confident. He seems like a nice balance, a really chill, composed dude without being super distant, which is pretty uncommon in anime, that I've seen anyway. (I'm at 8 minutes now. I guess I'm really bored to be typing all this, huh?) OH SHIT DUDE HAS A SECRET. A DARK TERRIBLE SECRET THAT MEGANE-GIRL WHO CAN READ PEOPLE'S AURAS MIGHT DISCOVER. WHAT IS IT? Oh and now there's a bald monk with a schoolgirl fetish. Okay, okay. This anime is like all of the cliches and tropes I hate most rolled into one with no redeeming qualities. I guess... I should stop.

 

Errrugh. Horf. Blargh.

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I did warn you of that with my review of NGNL earlier Twig. I do agree though, it's a weird meme to have. And really off-putting.

 

As for why, I'm not really sure.

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Yeah I know you did but I figured I'd give it a shot. Oh wellllll.

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I did warn you of that with my review of NGNL earlier Twig. I do agree though, it's a weird meme to have. And really off-putting.

 

As for why, I'm not really sure.

The only thing I've seen which even suggests a reason behind this whole thing was the issue of orphaned siblings being adopted by different family's after WW2

that is brought up in Up On Poppy Hill

. If you have a culture in the post war years where you have multiple instances of people who are romantically involved for years (possibly even having children) suddenly finding out they are related it might fuck up the nations moral compass a bit.

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After a half-year hiatus while I waited for nubles to get his act together, I finally gave in and finished Space Battleship Yamato 2199 with a different fansub group. Man, what a show! I really owe Rodi for mentioning it in a way that made me give it a chance. It's like nationalist propaganda from the future, with the best space battles I've seen in anime. Sure, it's still a bit hamstrung by its obviously dated 1970s plot, but I was never bored or frustrated while watching it and laughed with glee more than once. I hope it gets a Blu-ray release here, although I wonder if the abysmal sales of the movie will scare off any licensors...

 

The only thing I've seen which even suggests a reason behind this whole thing was the issue of orphaned siblings being adopted by different family's after WW2

that is brought up in Up On Poppy Hill. If you have a culture in the post war years where you have multiple instances of people who are romantically involved for years (possibly even having children) suddenly finding out they are related it might fuck up the nations moral compass a bit.

 
That's a really interesting angle. Most analyses of the imouto plague that I've read have focused on the fact that incest fantasies have become popular enough in the ecchi space to start bleeding into the mainstream. You take your standard fantasy between imouto and onii-chan, add a bunch of stock characters to act as rivals in love, and market it as a perfectly normal love comedy. Eventually, and I can't actually provide any evidence for that, I think there's something of a pororoca effect, where little sisters being appearing in non-incest anime because they're seen as an important landmark in any love comedy. It's still weird to me, especially with a show like Ore no Imouto where the also-ran Kuroneko is a better partner and a better person than the titular little sister, but gets kicked to the curb so that Potato-kun can fake-marry her.

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It is interesting and it definitely makes some sense. It also just shows how much of a societal limitation incest is (which, of course, developed because it results in poor genetic development in offspring). But I guess that's a different discussion. To expand on it a little, the exceptionally creepy part is that it's almost always a LITTLE sister, which also taps into the gross pedo angle that so many anime employ. The gross pedo angle is something that can be hilariously creepy (ymmv), as in Azumangah Daioh, but when it's treated as a totally normal Thing that just happens in Japan, it's absolutely repulsive. Man...

 

In other news, Nanana's Buried Treasure is something I've grown to really enjoy. The main character is a bit of a pervert and a bit of an asshole, but not in a totally repulsive way. It's a lot more believable and... I dunno, almost charming than I expected it to be. And of course he's hunting for magical treasures on a constructed island to help a dead girl's ghost pass on. I mean, I'm really liking it a lot. It's definitely near the top of my favorites for the season. It's got plenty of likable characters and an interesting premise and a fun plot. I recommend it. (Full disclosure, MC has a crush on an adoptive older-sister figure, but it's a lot more believable and less weird than the imouto nonsense we've been talking about. At least, I think it is.)

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Yes. It's fantastic. I don't think it's as great as Kuroko, but it's getting there. You should check out Yowamushi Pedal too, it's fab. I tried Baby Steps, which is about tennis, but didn't like it because the main guy has a serious mental problem that should probably be delt with instead of it being laughed off.

Haven't seen Kuroko, yet, but I plan to. Been watching Yowamushi Pedal, though, and it's great! I'm at the training camp arc! EVERY SPORTS ANIME IS THE SAME AND I CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!

 

My first sports anime was Eyeshield 21. I actually wouldn't mind rewatching it, but it's super long so I doubt I will.

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I once saw a comparison somewhere that the Japanese animation industry is kind of like what the American animation industry would be like if everything were run by bronies.

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I once saw a comparison somewhere that the Japanese animation industry is kind of like what the American animation industry would be like if everything were run by bronies.

Hah! I like that. I also hate it. ):

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Haven't seen Kuroko, yet, but I plan to. Been watching Yowamushi Pedal, though, and it's great! I'm at the training camp arc! EVERY SPORTS ANIME IS THE SAME AND I CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!

 

My first sports anime was Eyeshield 21. I actually wouldn't mind rewatching it, but it's super long so I doubt I will.

 

People keep pushing Cross Game on me, saying that if anyone is able to like any sports anime, that one's it.

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Haven't seen Kuroko, yet, but I plan to. Been watching Yowamushi Pedal, though, and it's great! I'm at the training camp arc! EVERY SPORTS ANIME IS THE SAME AND I CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!

 

My first sports anime was Eyeshield 21. I actually wouldn't mind rewatching it, but it's super long so I doubt I will.

 

Yes. The training arc is great. Some stuff is so fucking retarded though. Like when one guy says that he is a dam, created to block you or some shit, only to then have a the background fade out and be replaced by an image of an actual dam. like we don't know what a fucking dam is. I find that Yowamushi annoys me slightly in a lot of weird ways like that. There is some exposition and back-story that seems to be there just because a person is in the race. And they all have back stories and they all want to win. I'm not complaining about back stories, but I do wish they were slightly better handled so they don't feel so fucking tropey. I don't think everyone needs a reason to win a race. It's a race. By definition people want to win it.

 

I like sports anime because it's like a fighting anime, but no-body dies, and people grow and change a lot faster and better.

 

But seriously check out Kuroko coz it's the best sports anime since sports.

 

Also have you watched the latest episode of Hunter x Hunter (130)?

I fucking called it on Kite being dead. Next episode will be a doozy. gon is gunna be fucked. up.

 

People keep pushing Cross Game on me, saying that if anyone is able to like any sports anime, that one's it.

 

I have watched the first episode of this, and I might have watched it under the wrong circumstances, but it wasn't great. It was very slow. I have heard it's great though, so maybe it's just me.

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Hahaha I don't remember the dam thing or maybe I haven't seen it yet but that sounds like the best thing. I love that kind of stupid. As for backstories, I dunno, that's a pretty common staple of sports anime. Sportsime? Spanime? Sponime? SPORTS ANIME. EA SPORTS. BIG. Anime.

 

Ugh I'm sorry I don't know what just happened.

 

I have watched the latest HxH episode. I'm ready for Gon to kick some ass goddamn.

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So I just watched the first episode of the original Sailor Moon subbed... So many emotions and nostalgia, either I'm a total fanboy or this show is still amazing.

 

After seeing how terrible the original US version is I kinda want to watch it too, but since we are getting the old series redubbed, that would mean I would end up watch the show three times? Not a bad thing, but probably not good for my sanity. XP

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I'm only four episodes in, but so far Kokoro Connect is actually really good? It's maybe the first body-switch comedy that's used the conceit to ask interesting questions. Awkward teens switch bodies and discover each others' secrets thereby, exploring how we deceive the people about whom we care with good intentions and what happens when that deception falls apart. I actually like it so much that I'm almost certain it can't keep it up, so I'll be posting again here about it soon!

 

 

Actually, my biggest problem with it right now is that Toyosaki Aki is using her Yui voice from K-On! on a character who otherwise has nothing in common with Yui and that's really distracting. New character, new voice!

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So yesterday I finished the original Full Metal Alchemist. Of the two, I think I enjoyed Brotherhood more overall, though FMA had some good things going for it.

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I really don't like FMA. Something just didn't sit right with me at all. The jokes were all off, and the story was meh. I found it so weird that everyone's shouting at him 'YOU'RE A DOG NOW. NOTHING BUT A FUCKING DOG' and him to be like 'OH COOL'. Idk. It was a long time ago, and brotherhood is annoying because the first episode was darn good, but then to go back straight to the boring ass origin story that's really not that great just killed any interest for me. Idk. Something just didn't connect for me. Maybe a world thing of being kinda medieval, people have cars and robot hands but not fucking TV's? idk. :(

 

Hahaha I don't remember the dam thing or maybe I haven't seen it yet but that sounds like the best thing. I love that kind of stupid. As for backstories, I dunno, that's a pretty common staple of sports anime. Sportsime? Spanime? Sponime? SPORTS ANIME. EA SPORTS. BIG. Anime.

 

Ugh I'm sorry I don't know what just happened.

 

I have watched the latest HxH episode. I'm ready for Gon to kick some ass goddamn.

 

True, backstory is a common staple of many genres. I just wish there wasn't so much of it when it feels like it's not really needed. 

 

Guh Gon will kick ass good. I can't wait.

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Maybe a world thing of being kinda medieval, people have cars and robot hands but not fucking TV's? idk. :(

I can see where that might bother people, but I kind of like it. Naruto did a similar thing - one of the few good things about Naruto, as much as I used to love it ): - where technology existed in the world, but it took a different path because "magic" also existed. I think it's neat when creators bother to actually take that sort of thing into account, even if it's only on the surface level.

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Guh Gon will kick ass good. I can't wait.

HOLY SHIT Gon

 

looks like one more episode before the fight begins in full force ARGH shonen tropes

 

WAIT SHIT'S HAPPENING NOW (i'm only a little over halfway through the episode)

 

DAMN GON DAMN

 

(that hair)

 

I'm actually really glad I'm watching this animated instead of reading the manga. In part because I know the art got bad and in part because this is pretty well done.

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