[Whisperzzzzzzz]

This outfit is so blatantly impractical:

[Maark Abbott]

 Whisperzzzzzzz, on 26 July 2015 - 01:42 AM, said:

What about commie subs? I generally think they're not bad.

I can't view the link so for the moment (as I'm at work) I'm going to picture these in my mind as subtitles by Vladimir Putin.

[D'rek]

Yeah, I just caught up on Rokka last night, and some of the character designs are really dumb. Flamie and Goldov being the worst. Those two are so bad that it has started rubbing off on the other designs and I now find myself disliking Adlet's hanging pouchy things, Nache's bunny ears, etc.

The naming scheme is even worse... Maura Chester? HANS HUMPTY?! If I weren't intrigued by the plot (which, at the end of episode 4, has finally got to the point in the series synopses that intrigued me so much, yay!) the dumb things like the names and designs would have had me dropping this show soooooo quickly.

If Hans Humpty dies from falling off of a wall, though, everything will be forgiven.







In other news...


HOLY SHIT SHIMONETA WHAT THE FUCK YOU CAN'T DO THAT OH GOD SHE'S ACTUALLY DOING THAT AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[QuickTidal]

 Whisperzzzzzzz, on 27 July 2015 - 03:01 AM, said:

This outfit is so blatantly impractical:

I'm going to guess that because of the eyepatch she is unaware that someone put a big flowery fascinator on her head...and sliced off a whole section of the front of her outfit. There is literally no other explanation. LOL

[Maark Abbott]

Up to about Ep 15 in AoT. Have to say I'm not enamoured of the second opening theme... Seems a little too 'chirpy' for the ultra GRVMDVRK tone of the rest of the series thus far.

Also: taking recommendations for what to go onto next. Preferably something where I can substitute vowels for a capital V and pretend I'm holding an invisible orange.

[D'rek]

 Maark, on 27 July 2015 - 02:47 PM, said:

Up to about Ep 15 in AoT. Have to say I'm not enamoured of the second opening theme... Seems a little too 'chirpy' for the ultra GRVMDVRK tone of the rest of the series thus far.

Why would the second OP need to be so grim? It comes in just after they actually make some progress for once. Doesn't the triumphant pseudo-military-chant-like bits fit perfectly with that and the beginning of the characters' military service?

 Maark, on 27 July 2015 - 02:47 PM, said:

Also: taking recommendations for what to go onto next. Preferably something where I can substitute vowels for a capital V and pretend I'm holding an invisible orange.

I don't know what that means, so I'm going to say you should watch +tVc NVVsVn

[Maark Abbott]

 D, on 27 July 2015 - 03:24 PM, said:

 Maark, on 27 July 2015 - 02:47 PM, said:

Up to about Ep 15 in AoT. Have to say I'm not enamoured of the second opening theme... Seems a little too 'chirpy' for the ultra GRVMDVRK tone of the rest of the series thus far.

Why would the second OP need to be so grim? It comes in just after they actually make some progress for once. Doesn't the triumphant pseudo-military-chant-like bits fit perfectly with that and the beginning of the characters' military service?

 Maark, on 27 July 2015 - 02:47 PM, said:

Also: taking recommendations for what to go onto next. Preferably something where I can substitute vowels for a capital V and pretend I'm holding an invisible orange.

I don't know what that means, so I'm going to say you should watch +tVc NVVsVn

I suppose so. Still, GRVMDVRK. Perhaps something that isn't so majorly jaunty would have fit better in my mind.

The invisible orange claw is a pose many metal singers assume, and it's vastly comical. Form a claw with your hand as if you're holding an orange, and then gurn like you're Jens Kidman. Now you're GRVMDVRK.

I've been recommended Hellsing on these grounds. Anything that's on Netflix is preferable though as I can get ti it easily.

[D'rek]

 Maark, on 28 July 2015 - 10:49 AM, said:

I've been recommended Hellsing on these grounds. Anything that's on Netflix is preferable though as I can get ti it easily.

Hellsing is extremely dark and gory, has fairly good animation, has fantastic music, has extremely interesting secondary characters... but has a boring and forgettable plot and tediously focuses on Seras as the main character despite her not being nearly as interesting as several others.

Seems like the universal recommendation is to watch Hellsing Ultimate, which I have not seen but supposedly it puts Alucard as the main character and has a much better story... but not as good music.

Either way, you'll definitely fulfill your GVRVMDVVVRVK requirements with it.

[Maark Abbott]

 D, on 28 July 2015 - 01:59 PM, said:

 Maark, on 28 July 2015 - 10:49 AM, said:

I've been recommended Hellsing on these grounds. Anything that's on Netflix is preferable though as I can get ti it easily.

Hellsing is extremely dark and gory, has fairly good animation, has fantastic music, has extremely interesting secondary characters... but has a boring and forgettable plot and tediously focuses on Seras as the main character despite her not being nearly as interesting as several others.

Seems like the universal recommendation is to watch Hellsing Ultimate, which I have not seen but supposedly it puts Alucard as the main character and has a much better story... but not as good music.

Either way, you'll definitely fulfill your GVRVMDVVVRVK requirements with it.

Excellent. I'll have a look into it - if I can stomach Edding plots, it should be easy enough.

On that note, dark, edgy and gory with fantastic music tend to be the sort of thing that'd hook me in. Any others you'd point me towards?

[D'rek]

 Maark, on 28 July 2015 - 04:31 PM, said:

On that note, dark, edgy and gory with fantastic music tend to be the sort of thing that'd hook me in. Any others you'd point me towards?

Berserk
Blood+
Claymore

...are the first three that immediately come to mind. AFAIK, none of them have exceptional music (not bad, just not great) but they've certainly got dark, edgy and gory in spades. Definitely sounds like you'll love those three.


You might also like:

Darker than Black - not as edgy and a lot less gory, but it is action-packed and the superpowers might be a nice change after several series of guns and swords

Future Diary - more tropey (ie shy male high school protagonist) but not shy at being gory or edgy and has great music. The tone and plot shift around a lot, you'll have a hard time predicting what will happen next.

Afro Samurai - 100% style and gore. Music by RZA and the titular character is voiced by Samuel L. Jackson. What could go wrong?!



Now go watch all those back-to-back-to-back for maximum VGVRVVVVVVVVVMVVV. You'll want a light, happy breather in the middle, so watch Kafka Inaka Isha, Ein Landarzt (Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor) when you get halfway for a nice bit of relaxation.

[Dolmen 2.0]

 D, on 27 July 2015 - 02:28 PM, said:

In other news...


HOLY SHIT SHIMONETA WHAT THE FUCK YOU CAN'T DO THAT OH GOD SHE'S ACTUALLY DOING THAT AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yup.

That just about sums it up.

[Dolmen 2.0]

Watching alot of anime this last week.

Toradora, kekkai sensen and Shimoneta being the more enjoyable.

Kekkai Sensen could easily be a favorite of the season. Lots of stuff I like, cant put them all down here but I'm only five episodes in and im not sure we hit the main plot as yet. Will report back once i get an idea where they go with the vampire angle. Seems a lot more interesting than i thought it'd be when i read the synopsis.

Toradora is actually surprisingly complicated relationship anime. Can't explain it properly. It's kinda sol meets boy meets girl meets girl meets girl. Despite the child like MC (which really bothers me) it got into interesting relationship territory. I hope i can keep my man card for saying so. Worth a scuz if you can handle lovey dovey.

Shimoneta is the antidote.

That is all.

[D'rek]

 Dolmen 2.0, on 29 July 2015 - 12:54 AM, said:

Kekkai Sensen could easily be a favorite of the season. Lots of stuff I like, cant put them all down here but I'm only five episodes in and im not sure we hit the main plot as yet. Will report back once i get an idea where they go with the vampire angle. Seems a lot more interesting than i thought it'd be when i read the synopsis.

Agreed, the synopsis and basic premise are pretty generic - a bunch of superpowered folks deal with dangerous situation of the week in a sort-of-weird-real-world. There's about a million anime with the same premise. But the particular setting and style of Kekkai Sensen makes it work and distinguishes it a lot from all the others with the same premise. Something about Cthulhu hamburger joints just plain works. Personally, I think the key is the sense of contest mayhem and insanity going around while the characters and businesses are so adapted to it that it's normal to them.

Interestingly, it seems most of the 'main plot' was made up for the anime, and the manga (or was it LN?) that it is based on has very little ongoing plot between issues. Furthermore, apparently the main character in the manga is Klaus while Leo plays a less prominent role. Generally, I think the changes done by the anime are all smart changes, so good on the studio (Bones) for taking the initiative on that.


On the other side, this just reminds me that the last episode *still* hasn't come out!

[Maark Abbott]

 D, on 28 July 2015 - 06:30 PM, said:

 Maark, on 28 July 2015 - 04:31 PM, said:

On that note, dark, edgy and gory with fantastic music tend to be the sort of thing that'd hook me in. Any others you'd point me towards?

Berserk
Blood+
Claymore

...are the first three that immediately come to mind. AFAIK, none of them have exceptional music (not bad, just not great) but they've certainly got dark, edgy and gory in spades. Definitely sounds like you'll love those three.


You might also like:

Darker than Black - not as edgy and a lot less gory, but it is action-packed and the superpowers might be a nice change after several series of guns and swords

Future Diary - more tropey (ie shy male high school protagonist) but not shy at being gory or edgy and has great music. The tone and plot shift around a lot, you'll have a hard time predicting what will happen next.

Afro Samurai - 100% style and gore. Music by RZA and the titular character is voiced by Samuel L. Jackson. What could go wrong?!



Now go watch all those back-to-back-to-back for maximum VGVRVVVVVVVVVMVVV. You'll want a light, happy breather in the middle, so watch Kafka Inaka Isha, Ein Landarzt (Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor) when you get halfway for a nice bit of relaxation.

Samuel L Samurai is one I'm peripherally familiar with. Probably the best place to start.

[Dolmen 2.0]

 D, on 29 July 2015 - 02:51 AM, said:

 Dolmen 2.0, on 29 July 2015 - 12:54 AM, said:

Kekkai Sensen could easily be a favorite of the season. Lots of stuff I like, cant put them all down here but I'm only five episodes in and im not sure we hit the main plot as yet. Will report back once i get an idea where they go with the vampire angle. Seems a lot more interesting than i thought it'd be when i read the synopsis.

Agreed, the synopsis and basic premise are pretty generic - a bunch of superpowered folks deal with dangerous situation of the week in a sort-of-weird-real-world. There's about a million anime with the same premise. But the particular setting and style of Kekkai Sensen makes it work and distinguishes it a lot from all the others with the same premise. Something about Cthulhu hamburger joints just plain works. Personally, I think the key is the sense of contest mayhem and insanity going around while the characters and businesses are so adapted to it that it's normal to them.

Interestingly, it seems most of the 'main plot' was made up for the anime, and the manga (or was it LN?) that it is based on has very little ongoing plot between issues. Furthermore, apparently the main character in the manga is Klaus while Leo plays a less prominent role. Generally, I think the changes done by the anime are all smart changes, so good on the studio (Bones) for taking the initiative on that.


On the other side, this just reminds me that the last episode *still* hasn't come out!

Really? I can't see Klaus in a lead role? he's pretty OP. Awesome, quirky and funny as he is I really like him in the background as the go-to cavalry when things get hairy. Leo makes a much better lead. I can associate with him.

Thinking further on it I think Bones may have been mixing and matching a few ideas in previous shows and Kekkai Sensen seems to be the platform where they get that right mix of ideas together? Its really hard to point a finger at a particular thing that works, I like it in the way I liked Darker than Black. something about the execution of the plot rather than the originality of it.

[D'rek]

 Dolmen 2.0, on 29 July 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:

Really? I can't see Klaus in a lead role? he's pretty OP. Awesome, quirky and funny as he is I really like him in the background as the go-to cavalry when things get hairy. Leo makes a much better lead. I can associate with him.

Yup, agreed completely.

I'm not sure to what extent it goes in the manga, given the big cast it might be that each issue focuses on another member of Libra, but Klaus stays as the most central. Not sure.

 Dolmen 2.0, on 29 July 2015 - 11:21 AM, said:

Thinking further on it I think Bones may have been mixing and matching a few ideas in previous shows and Kekkai Sensen seems to be the platform where they get that right mix of ideas together? Its really hard to point a finger at a particular thing that works, I like it in the way I liked Darker than Black. something about the execution of the plot rather than the originality of it.

Darker than Black is an interesting comparison. One could say that both shows have prominent action sequences, but are actually more focused on the characters than the action.

Heck, Kekkai Sensen episode 10 has a huge battle take place off-screen, because it's more important to spend time with Leo and co. deciding where they will eat lunch. That would be awful in a show like Attack on Titan where the setting and culture is both realistic and pretty much the same everywhere within the show, but in KS' case they can have every restaurant, city block and tertiary character be a bit special, and therefore a lunch adventure becomes awesome.


That being said, the actual execution of the main plot elements is not very good, IMO, unlike the great execution of the side bits. There's a lot of random things that happen with almost no explanation that were very needlessly confusing. Establishing in the first couple episodes what, exactly, Libra is, what the Eyes of the Gods actually do, what actually happened to Michaela, etc, would have helped a lot in understanding what the heck is going on.

Oh well, it's still a super-fun ride and I love all the random references to other shows/comics/movies they put in (Hellboy, Trigun, Pacific Rim, Sopranos, several western restaurants, that Schwarzenegger movie, etc).

[Maark Abbott]

AoT 21 (spoiler tags in case anyone else is a slowpoke like me and hasn't seen it):

Spoiler

Well, I'm pretty certain that the FT is my little angry Scottish friend as they look the same and are both angry and punchy and kind of small.

[D'rek]

 Maark, on 30 July 2015 - 10:57 AM, said:

Spoiler

my little angry Scottish friend

Huh??

[Maark Abbott]

 D, on 30 July 2015 - 01:07 PM, said:

 Maark, on 30 July 2015 - 10:57 AM, said:

Spoiler

my little angry Scottish friend

Huh??

But seriously,

Spoiler

it's pretty obvious who the FT is. And the Colossal/Armoured. Coincidence that they look like certain characters? I think not.

I'm also warming to the second theme a little bit. It made a lot more sense when I considered it from the viewpoint of Dragonforce.

[D'rek]

 Maark, on 30 July 2015 - 02:03 PM, said:

 D, on 30 July 2015 - 01:07 PM, said:

 Maark, on 30 July 2015 - 10:57 AM, said:

Spoiler

my little angry Scottish friend

Huh??

But seriously,

Spoiler

it's pretty obvious who the FT is. And the Colossal/Armoured. Coincidence that they look like certain characters? I think not.

I'm also warming to the second theme a little bit. It made a lot more sense when I considered it from the viewpoint of Dragonforce.

Spoiler

I can't think of any characters that are "little angry Scottish" though...?

But yes, you're probably right in your guesses.