[Silencer]

Somewhat related to my above post, in that I have found something like the musical equivalent to a light novel. XD I was tossing up throwing this into the music thread, however it fits better here, 'cuz...

Right, so I was watching Angel Beats! the other day (a pretty good show, actually) and had only kinda noticed that it was Key Visual Arts production (which really should have been a tip-off to the ending, uwah...). But what caught me was as I was looking at the information about the anime on an online store I was visiting (I tend to do that with anime I like...instantly go and see how much I can get it for...>.>) I noticed something very interesting. You see, this video I've put below, is a production of the label Flaming June. Which is basically a guy called Jun Maeda's thing. And I really, really like this song (if you can't read the lyrics, find a translation, but it is pretty tragic basically). Luckily I'd only found this out recently or else the link might not have been made so swiftly (though I WOULD have noticed at some point). In the description of Angel Beats! it had the typical "from the director of this, producer of that blah blah" and it went to "and written by Jen Maeda (CLANNAD, Air, Kanon)". I think my heart stopped for a second, while the penny dropped and I not only realized why I enjoyed Angel Beats (and again, why I should have seen the end bloody coming) but why I loved the song below. It all came together. One man. And he holds the cheat codes to my emotions. Jun Maeda is now my God, obviously.

But yes, enough about me and my shocking realizations. Enjoy!

[LinearPhilosopher]

isn't that what you call an Animated music video?

[Silencer]

In a broad sense, yes. Most of the AMVs I've seen though are "series of clips from an anime put to music". Whereas this is "animation drawn specifically for the lyrics of the song by a professional company". LITERALLY an Animated Music Video - rather than the vast majority of them which are amateur works. My point was that this one is basically brilliant enough to deserve its own special place in the world. (IMNSHO)

[Silencer]

Well, SAO is finally finished. It is kinda sad that I have to use the word "finally" there, for what SHOULD have been the best anime this year. Honestly, the part I liked the most out of the final episode was them bringing back "Crossing Fields" (the first OP) as the ED. Yeah. I got more enjoyment out of the bloody ED than the rest of the episode!

Ah well.

[QuickTidal]

I just started SAO....on ep 3....and I'm really enjoying it, so I won't ask you specifics why...and I'll merely chime in with my own thoughts after I watch the whole season...which is my goal for the Christmas break.

[LinearPhilosopher]

Yeah how about we just pretend SAO anime never exsited.

@quick. Be prepared to be very dissapointed as the show progresses.

[QuickTidal]

Gods dammit. Then can someone give me a new anime to watch on Crunchy Roll that IS quality?

[QuickTidal]

Okay, so I read a few pages back and saw exactly what you both were pointing out about SWORD ART ONLINE...and you're right, it's got some glaring stuff wrong, beginning with a rushed pacing, and wish fullfillment protag...gave up at ep 6.

However the last few pages of this thread DID yield some good info. I started watching SHIN SEKAI YORI, and that first ep...WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. GOING. ON?! I adore Anime (or any other media) that just throws you the hell in the deep end like this. That opening 2011 sequence with people appearing and others around them just exploding into smears of blood, then jumping a thousand years in the future where youths have kinetic powers they control...yeah, I'm so in for this.

So thanks for the recco folks!

And thanks for helping me see there was no reason to continue with SOA.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 23 December 2012 - 08:44 PM

[Silencer]

QuickTidal, on 23 December 2012 - 08:43 PM, said:

Okay, so I read a few pages back and saw exactly what you both were pointing out about SWORD ART ONLINE...and you're right, it's got some glaring stuff wrong, beginning with a rushed pacing, and wish fullfillment protag...gave up at ep 6.

The unfortunate irony of this is that, I feel, it was somewhat unavoidable. I don't actually know which studio did SAO (I know it was A-1 Pictures in there somewhere, but not sure if they actually did the work or were just producing kind of thing as sometimes happens) but the fact that I'm uncertain is telling. Throw on top of that the fact that a LOT of the pacing from the novels came from Kirito's POV moments and background detail - which are essentially useless as of the second you can see everything that is going on around you - and you have the beginnings of a serious problem.

Chuck in the fact that Kirito, as a "wish fulfilment protagonist" as it were, is actually one of the STRENGTHS of the novels (don't ask me how that works...but for some reason it does...did...whatever) in a very rare case of "Tropes are Not Bad" for something like that, and you are looking at a potential train wreck. I really should have seen that coming, but I think I was just blinded by my love for the novels at the potential of having it animated. And they fucked up the storyline ENTIRELY by throwing the sidestories in there in sequence for no reason. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu~

But yes. There are precisely three...no, four episodes of SAO worth watching. Episode 1 is one of them. It is actually not half bad. The others are climactic moments/dramatic climaxes which require one to actually have invested in the characters sufficiently before they work; which doesn't happen in the anime. Fail.

Oh, and the combat scenes in this...wtf...is that really the best they could do? O.o

Quote

However the last few pages of this thread DID yield some good info. I started watching SHIN SEKAI YORI, and that first ep...WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. GOING. ON?! I adore Anime (or any other media) that just throws you the hell in the deep end like this. That opening 2011 sequence with people appearing and others around them just exploding into smears of blood, then jumping a thousand years in the future where youths have kinetic powers they control...yeah, I'm so in for this.

So thanks for the recco folks!

And thanks for helping me see there was no reason to continue with SOA.

You, sir, are now in for a treat. It only gets better from episode one. Well, mostly. But yeah.

[QuickTidal]

Silencer, on 23 December 2012 - 10:38 PM, said:

You, sir, are now in for a treat. It only gets better from episode one. Well, mostly. But yeah.

I trust your recco sir as we seem to like the same types of stories. So I'm looking fwd to continuing it, and then I can finally do another Anime Wednesday post!

[LinearPhilosopher]

QuickTidal, on 23 December 2012 - 05:53 PM, said:

Gods dammit. Then can someone give me a new anime to watch on Crunchy Roll that IS quality?

I just went to hte canadian version. Good shows:
Blast of Tempest (this show is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, can't wait for the finale)
I don't know what to think of Muv luv TE, it had its moments of awesome but dragged a bit.
Code Geass
Gundam 00
Fate Zero
Madoka Magica
Angel Beats
Gundam Wing
School days:P
i heard kids on the slope was good
humanity has declined is on my reccomended list
Gankutsuou
pale cocoon (its one 20 minute episode, seriously go watch it)
durarara

Done. Come back to me when you've finished.

If you want 2 reccomendations. Go with Blast of Tempest, then go to funimation's site or wahtever site you want and watch Psycho-Pass.

Im waiting on shin sekai yori so i can marathon it. I hope silencer does the same with psycho-pass.

This post has been edited by BalrogLord: 27 December 2012 - 03:27 AM

[QuickTidal]

On episode 6 of SHIN SEKAI YORI...and LOVING the hell out of it...(Also, Balrog, I've thrown BLAST OF TEMPEST into my CrunchyRoll rotation now too, haven't watched any yet)

I get utter chills now when this plays at the end of the SSY episodes...ADORE this song.

http://youtu.be/nRZUWjD9wws

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 29 December 2012 - 04:58 AM

[Silencer]

Yup it's glorious. I actually love the music for the series more than almost anything else - and the fact that it doesn't have an OP is both (to me) really representative of how the series is as a whole and just weird enough in itself that it's (for some reason) cool.

I'd link the particular theme I like but apparently the video I found of it on YouTube has disappeared due to copyright claims. XD Suffice it to say it's the song that plays over the opening of the third episode (also awesome itself for its art-shifted style) and/or Saki's trip to the temple in the first epi. Veeeery haunting music.

I'm watching Blast of Tempest too - though I've fallen behind on that because while it was very interesting, it wasn't anywhere near as stand-out as Shin Sekai, and I had other stuff to watch. I'll have to catch up on that now, though.

I'll definitely get around to Psycho-Pass once it's done, BalrogLord.

[QuickTidal]

So lined up now is SHIN SEKAI YORI Eps 7-14 (which will catch me up to current)

then I'll skip over to try out BLAST OF THE TEMPTEST...and PSYCHO-PASS looks excellent too, so I'll hit up Funimation to watch that as well.

EDIT: Finished up to Ep 13 of SSY.

Spoiler

Very solid stuff, every time I thought I had a grip on what was going down, it got flipped on me. The biggest revelations since the Library Episode and they come from Satoru's Grandmother! It's funny, the show plays up how the kids are being pretty much railroaded by the adults, and kind of being quarantined into little encampments which either run tickety boo, or you're out...but then you get eps where an adult will spill a little info about Ogre's or Karmic Demons and I absolutely SHUDDER at the thought of what COULD happen...so then I side with them. I go back and forth. LOL.

Off to try out BLAST OF THE TEMPEST now.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 30 December 2012 - 01:02 AM

[QuickTidal]

Hey, do you guys have crunchyroll premium accounts, or do you watch with commercials for free?

[QuickTidal]

So, one episode of BLAST OF TEMPEST...just one...was all it took. DAMN that was a stellar ass opening ep!

SSY had been so cerebral and thinky meatz blasting (and with an eye to avante garde animation style jumps), so chasing it with something so stunningly animated, action packed and interesting as well...plus the orchestrated music throughout? This is WIN.

And the Shakespeare references all mixed up into a bowl!

Let me see if I've got everyone straight:

Mahiro: Hamlet

Yoshino: Romeo

Aiko: Juliet

Hakaze: Prospero

Who did I miss? Who is Frauline meant to reference?

Taking Hamlet's need for vengeance and giving it to avenge the death of his sister who is essentially Juliet? Fucking GENIUS!

Wow, two shows in a row guys...I owe you both!

Off to watch MOAR!

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 30 December 2012 - 02:20 AM

[LinearPhilosopher]

QuickTidal, on 30 December 2012 - 01:48 AM, said:

<br />So, one episode of BLAST OF TEMPEST...just one...was all it took. DAMN that was a stellar ass opening ep!<br /><br />SSY had been so cerebral and thinky meatz blasting (and with an eye to avante garde animation style jumps), so chasing it with something so stunningly animated, action packed and interesting as well...plus the orchestrated music throughout? This is WIN.<br /><br />And the Shakespeare references all mixed up into a bowl!<br /><br />Let me see if I've got everyone straight:<br /><br />Mahiro: Hamlet<br /><br />Yoshino: Romeo<br /><br />Aiko: Juliet<br /><br />Hakaze: Prospero<br /><br />Who did I miss? Who is Frauline meant to reference?<br /><br />Taking Hamlet's need for vengeance and giving it to avenge the death of his sister who is essentially Juliet? Fucking GENIUS!<br /><br />Wow, two shows in a row guys...I owe you both!<br /><br />Off to watch MOAR!<br />

&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;<br /><br />There's the antogonist Samon, i'm not that familiar on all of Shakespeare's plays(need to get around to reading the tempest and hamlet) but i'd say he's a close fit for Iago from Othello.

Im a bit annoyed that the weekend releases are delayed this week. Jormungand came late, and Still waitng on Psyco-pass and blast of tempest.

This post has been edited by BalrogLord: 30 December 2012 - 02:39 AM

[Silencer]

QuickTidal, on 30 December 2012 - 01:48 AM, said:

So, one episode of BLAST OF TEMPEST...just one...was all it took. DAMN that was a stellar ass opening ep!

SSY had been so cerebral and thinky meatz blasting (and with an eye to avante garde animation style jumps), so chasing it with something so stunningly animated, action packed and interesting as well...plus the orchestrated music throughout? This is WIN.

And the Shakespeare references all mixed up into a bowl!

Let me see if I've got everyone straight:

Mahiro: Hamlet

Yoshino: Romeo

Aiko: Juliet

Hakaze: Prospero

Who did I miss? Who is Frauline meant to reference?

Taking Hamlet's need for vengeance and giving it to avenge the death of his sister who is essentially Juliet? Fucking GENIUS!

Wow, two shows in a row guys...I owe you both!

Off to watch MOAR!

You're welcome.

As for CrunchyRoll, let's just say that I'm on a free membership only but for some reason the ads don't play for me. Probably to do with my country. Hehe. (That and because I know I'm going to buy the shit out of SSY once it is finished and released in NZ [Collector's edition without a doubt] I am also obtaining permanent copies. *ahem*)


Oh, and is anyone else still watching K? It just finished yesterday/the day before for its first season run. Apparently season 2 is already greenlit. But the thing is...it started off really well, but then it seemed to sort of...slump, in the storytelling department partway through, and the final few episodes didn't really have any grip to them. The "bad guy" ended up being fairly generic and there was no sense of danger at all - especially not after the revelations in episode 10 or 11. There wasn't any...depth. Despite all the set up, all the mystery in the first half, it just washed itself out with nothing exceptional to follow on and pretty much every "mystery" resolved in one fell swoop.
The art was still lovely, and the setting intrigues me, but for a new, straight-to-anime IP it felt really let down by the sudden shift in direction. Maybe the second season will pull it back into the "pretty good" category but I think it falls squarely into "potential, but a let down" right around now.

[QuickTidal]

@Balrog, yeah, I think all the shows are delayed till Jan 8th for the Christmas break (I think either because a lot of the translators are off for the holiday, or perhaps the shows are preempted a week on Japanese TV?). I'm wondering if that means we'll get two eps next week, or if the whole sched was delayed a week.

@Silencer, yeah I was thinking hard about getting a membership because the ads are getting a bit overwhelming (they run that CrunchyRoll ad twice in a row on every break), and it would be nice to watch things higher def...and $7 isn't that bad at all for over 30 shows streaming. I might do it for a few months and see how I digs it.

I was going to check out K....but the more I heard about it, the more I heard it began REALLY well, but fizzled a bit like you said (I guess that's a benefit of coming at it so late)

Do you guys ever comment? I've done so once or twice.

Anyways, I'm absolutely ripping through BLAST now, and will probably be done the existing eps by tonight...so I'll stomp on over to Funimation and check out PSYCHO-PASS....after that it's back to Balrog's above list for MOAR!

[Sindriss]

Just reread some glorious one piece arches (thrillerbark, enies lobby), just so good. And the manga is also continuing with satisfactory progress. Life is good.