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Demosthenes

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There sure were lots of "sequels" this season. Was pretty disappointed with Wixoss sequel (end of first half was quite awesome cliffhanger) but on reflection the sequel was kinda "more of the same" overall. Thought Psycho-Pass sequel was quite flawed in several areas. Mostly happy with how Log Horizon has gone.
 
Outside of sequels, best new show for a general audience was "Your Lie in April"... though if you've been around the anime block a few times and feel that you've kinda seen it all then maybe best was "Gonna be Twintail", depending on what works for you. This show was quite a surprise for me, since if you read the basic premise it seems like the sort of thing you'd just want to toss in the bin... but actually it's quite good and manages to subvert your expectations nicely while being lots of fun. However, it did dip quite a bit around eps 5-10, particularly in animation quality.
 
One interesting show was "Rage of Bahamut: Genesis" since for the first few minutes I was "whee, epic fantasy with high production values!" but quickly became disappointed with the show, mostly because the characterisation felt quite generic - the most interesting character was the zombie girl. However, I decided to keep watching and the ending was decent.

 

The stand-out show for this season though was "Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works". If you've seen Fate/Zero but not the "Fate/stay night" anime from the last decade then this would be a sequel though technically Fate/Zero is a prequel (and based on a novel rather than a visual novel so has a different feel). Now, it certainly didn't hurt that this show had a big budget (I saw a number of "Unlimited Budget Works" jokes) but the thing that made it a joy for me was the characterisation,  starting with the delicious double-length "episode 0". Shame we have to wait 3 months for the second half but it'll be worth it.

 

Incidentally...a few months ago when reading some F/SN background notes I got an idea for how Shardplate is made in the Stormlight Archive because of some interesting similarities between magic systems. Unfortunately, explaining would possibly be a big spoiler for UBW.

 

Looking ahead to the next/current anime season, there's not been anything I was particularly excited about. Hopefully there's some nice surprise out there for me...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Finally finished Hunter X Hunter a little while back. Great show, some of the arcs cough chimera ant cough were much too long and dragged but over all it was great and I really enjoyed the final arc. I'll probably watch the movie that comes  after in a while, but probably not soon.

Also My Little Monster was amazing, but there was no ending!!!! I hate it when anime/manga schedules mess with each other...

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Shirobako is so darn good. The very end of the most recent episode I saw coming a mile away, funny story. Sucks for them.

 

I started watching Yowapeda and really like it. Main character is a kid who for years has ridden his bike 60 miles round trip to Akihabara every week to buy anime stuff. I used to ride my bike 25 miles round trip every week to go to my favorite bookstore. So, I identify with him. I also like watching the Tour de France, so a cycling anime is perfect for me. And this one is well done.

 

We're now caught up on World Trigger. It's not quite as compelling as something like early Bleach, but I do like it. Not that I want to scare anyone away with the "Magical Boy" comment I made above. But when their neighboring-dimension-technology uniforms appear on them, it reminds me so much of Sailor Moon. Chika is also refreshing as a character type—quiet unassuming short girl, totally flat-chested, and killer with a sniper rifle. I do get annoyed by the lips drawing style sometimes.

 

We finished Captain Earth at last. The first episode of that was really very good, but it was a largely mediocre show. There was one loose end that was finally subtly explained in the absolutely last 5 seconds of the last episode, which was a very nice surprise for me. But I can't recommend it unless you just love mecha transformation sequences. I don't really feel like I wasted my time, but it wasn't something I'd watch again.

 

Celestial Method had a very lame ending. Episode 11 was really, really good, episode 12 was terrible, and episode 13 was meh. (Or was it 10, 11, and 12?) It really felt like they got to the end of the season and didn't know how to finish it up.

 

When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace had quite a good ending. I wonder if they'll make more sometime. But you have to be in the right mind for this show. Some of the episodes are simply about relationship stuff, and it turns into one of those harem shows where by the end all the girls realize they're in love with the one guy, and he is still completely clueless but nice to all of them. I really liked his Chuunibyou  origin story when it was finally revealed. And how they solved the final confrontation was excellent.

 

Your Lie in April has finally dropped the bombshell about the girl's health problems, though I could see that coming since she collapsed at that one concert. And it also gave many more shades of grey to the kid's mom, which I appreciated. Though it still sends a kind of bad message to kids whose parents abuse them. But it's very Japanese. The main kid is also having a lot of character growth, which is good, though I hope he doesn't backslide now.

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I started watching Yowapeda and really like it. Main character is a kid who for years has ridden his bike 60 miles round trip to Akihabara every week to buy anime stuff. I used to ride my bike 25 miles round trip every week to go to my favorite bookstore. So, I identify with him. I also like watching the Tour de France, so a cycling anime is perfect for me. And this one is well done.

 

I love me some Yowapeda. It's surprisingly addicting. I'm a little cold on the Inter-High arc, though, since that's where the Shounen-style battles start in earnest, and you see less of Onoda. It's still fun, though.

 

 

Durarara!! x2 anyone?   :D Wasn't expecting it at all and now it's getting 36 episodes >_<

 

Ah man. That was a trippy show. I didn't know it was getting another run. Something else I don't have time to watch! :)

 

 

In other news, I continue to watch One Piece. I'm up to episode 255, which puts me right in the middle of Water 7. The writing and animation really stepped up in this arc (1080p resolution helps with the animation, of course). Even the stupid Davy Back prelude served to set the thematic stage for the rest of the story. Don't get me wrong, it still sucked, but I do appreciate it a little now from a story structure standpoint.

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36? I thought it was suppose to have only 10. Oh, well. I liked the previous season, but the this season is a real dissapointment so far. I don't like it.

 

Its gonna be 3 sets of 12-13 episodes. Not gonna lie, there were stuff so far that I didn't enjoy much but I'm sure it still gonna be better then a lot of stuff we'll get this year. + we're just 2 episodes in so...

 

I love me some Yowapeda. It's surprisingly addicting. I'm a little cold on the Inter-High arc, though, since that's where the Shounen-style battles start in earnest, and you see less of Onoda. It's still fun, though.

 

 

 

Ah man. That was a trippy show. I didn't know it was getting another run. Something else I don't have time to watch! :)

 

 

In other news, I continue to watch One Piece. I'm up to episode 255, which puts me right in the middle of Water 7. The writing and animation really stepped up in this arc (1080p resolution helps with the animation, of course). Even the stupid Davy Back prelude served to set the thematic stage for the rest of the story. Don't get me wrong, it still sucked, but I do appreciate it a little now from a story structure standpoint.

 

Davy Back is last filler arc and I hate that one :D W7... I got some mixed feelings about that one because reasons :D Can't believe you getting so far without enjoying it :P

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Davy Back is last filler arc and I hate that one :D W7... I got some mixed feelings about that one because reasons :D Can't believe you getting so far without enjoying it :P

 

Davy back is only half filler, unfortunately. There were a few non-canon fights, but the arc itself was in the manga. Or so I'm told.

 

After I'm done with Water 7, I'd be curious to hear your reasons. I've found it to be excellent so far. And I did take back my negative comments. It's not perfect, but it's a really fun and imaginative show.

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Davy back is only half filler, unfortunately. There were a few non-canon fights, but the arc itself was in the manga. Or so I'm told.

 

After I'm done with Water 7, I'd be curious to hear your reasons. I've found it to be excellent so far. And I did take back my negative comments. It's not perfect, but it's a really fun and imaginative show.

Yeah, you're right it has canon stuff too but meh...

W7 is great. I simply had a hard time watching it because original Russian dubbers dropped it there and new ones were horrible. + it was in a better quality and my pc couldn't handle it :D :D oh and new dubbers stopped doing it halfway through W7 and I had to wait several months for second half... 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Started some shows I hadn't tried before.

 

Yona of the Dawn. 3 or 4 episodes in, enjoying it. Yona has very good reason to be pretty much catatonic at this point, but she will probably get out of that soon, since they've shown us a flash-forward. The most recent episode I saw had a strange audio mix issue where the music was too loud and the dialogue too soft when music was playing. I can't remember if this happened in the other episodes.

 

Aldonoah Zero. 5 or 6 episodes in. Seems to have a very high budget and the result of that is excellent. The plotting and characters on this are very good. People are making very clever decisions. However, the worldbuilding and infodumping is a bit lazy and stretchy. I don't understand the timeline of things that happened between 1970 and now.

 

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun. 5 or 6 episodes in. This series is a scream. Pretty much just comedy. Aside from Tonari no Seki-kun (which is easy to swallow in small portions), we haven't really watched a pure comedy series before (unless you count FLCL and I don't think you can). All the other comedy series we've tried have simply been too random and we weren't able to last a whole episode (Gintama) or only a couple (some show with a robot maid girl and guns?) But Nozaki-kun is more focused. Each episode (or sometimes each half of the episode) has a focus that lampoons something about shoujo or relationship manga. Very, very funny.

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Fairy Tail is a fun show to watch when I don't want to take something too seriously. I also watch the dubbed version for the same reason. But we're not too far in (finished the arc where they fight that other guild). Don't feel like watching it very often.

 

Recently we finished watching Tonari no Seki-kun. Very funny show. If you've got a few minutes to kill, throw one of these in. Each episode is only a few minutes long. It's not a good one for binging because it can be repetitive.

 

I'm 3 episodes from the end of Glass Mask and still love it.

 

Your Lie in April is getting a bit too depressing for my tastes. I hope it turns around.

 

Still enjoying Yowapeda.

 

Also, since I have a Crunchyroll membership and they started letting all premium members (instead of just all-access members as previously) read their manga, I'm reading a lot of Crunchyroll manga. I stopped the Attack on Titan anime after one episode but I've read about 9 volumes of the manga and love it. Incredibly brutal but amazing storytelling.

 

I really enjoy reading Orange, about a girl who gets a letter from herself 10 years in the future, and she tries to change the past so one of her friends doesn't commit suicide.

 

Also I am reading Fuuka, which has a huge shocker after a few dozen chapters. Honestly, I'm still astonished by that.

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Attack on Titan requires binge watching. I was able to watch ep 1-6 back to back then I watched ep 7-13 each week and it sucked. I waited for ep 14-25 to finish then binged them and I enjoyed it. It's just to slow a show waiting each week.

I'd agree with that. I watched it weekly when it was new, but I wouldn't do it that way again for sure.

 

Finally got around to starting Cowboy Bebop, I understand now why everyone who knows I love Trigun has been recommending it to me, totally fits into what I love.

 

Still working on Eureka 7. Can't decide if I like or hate the show.

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Agreed with Euraka seven

Log Horizon is really thought provoking, but they keep setting up giant scenarios and then having the characters ignore the fighting/chaos going on to talk and do some character development stuff. Admittedly, that's mostly a season two thing, but meh. 

 

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Attack on Titan requires binge watching. I was able to watch ep 1-6 back to back then I watched ep 7-13 each week and it sucked. I waited for ep 14-25 to finish then binged them and I enjoyed it. It's just to slow a show waiting each week.

Really need to get to watching this show.  If it can suck my husband into binge watching, I would be very happy with that outcome.  I'm must more likely to binge watch things and he's a one episode at a time guy.  This sounds like it might help his desire to watch more episodes in a row.  

 

I'd agree with that. I watched it weekly when it was new, but I wouldn't do it that way again for sure.

 

Finally got around to starting Cowboy Bebop, I understand now why everyone who knows I love Trigun has been recommending it to me, totally fits into what I love.

 

Still working on Eureka 7. Can't decide if I like or hate the show.

Cowboy Bebop = love. :)

 

Hmm...Eureka 7 is a show I've put off watching for years.  My curiosity is peaked by your comment.

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I would strongly suggest going for subs, the dubs are seriously grating to me( and I normally prefer dubs no matter what). It's kind of a strange mix between 70's(?) culture, mecha and shojo anime. The pacing, it's bad, I can't really say anything else. It is interesting and does discuss philosophy(in the 2nd half anyway) but it isn't balanced by very awesome action. There's too much talking during the fighting, and not enough meaningful action behind the talking if that makes sense. It's really pretty difficult to accurately describe it though, best just to try it and decide for yourself.

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This week's episode of Log Horizon was super confusing for me. I don't understand at all what Plant Hwyaden is doing, or their relationship with their employers. But I usually really enjoy this show.

 

Your Lie in April's episode indeed reversed the depressing course. Yay!

 

How in the world did Aldnoah Zero get such a high budget? It has crazy high production values. We're on episode 8 or so. And we're at a similar place with Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, which is just very funny. The episode about drawing backgrounds was eye-opening.

 

World Trigger is fun to watch and the annoying lips thing has showed up with less frequency. We're caught up on that.

 

Also caught up on Shirobako, which I really like, even if it can be stressful to watch sometimes.

 

And we're in day 2 of the Inter-High on Yowapeda. Great stuff.

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Hated Aldnoah Zero. What's up with these emotionless, cool characters who solve every problem with ease and don't even try to get any development... Fact that he's more on the side of cute then handsome makes me hate it even more for some reason and I feel weird about it   :D :D :D Kawaii is killing anime ;((

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Cowboy Bebop was amazing (The opening song, Tank!, is my new goal as a musician). I'm almost done with the first season of Code Geass. Has anyone else seen it? It's an interesting idea and plot and seems to flow nicely. I've also finished all the Naruto and am somewhat unimpressed with the ending. 

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The two series I'm currently following are Tokyo Ghoul and Aldnoah.Zero.  And I'm enjoying both... but for markedly different reasons; they're sort of foils for each other in a way:

 

Tokyo Ghoul is the show that has interesting ideas and characters... but is a bit muddled by somewhat mixed execution, in terms of technical details; the animation has been a bit lackluster at certain points, some goofy censorship, odd pacing, etc.  Though the soundtrack is phenomenal and deserves special mention in my book.  The whole reason started watching this show is because the opening is really good; and the rest of the soundtrack has been good as well.

 

Aldnoah Zero, on the other hand, is a show with great execution (the season 1 finale notwithstanding), but just doesn't seem to be interested in doing much with it.  I've found it a bit like SAO... the parts not involving the OP main character are actually the best parts.  It really doesn't help that the show reminds me so much of Code Geass... but compares so unfavorably to it.  But if you go into it expecting a fairly simple plot and fun robot battles you probably won't be disappointed... but I feel it had the potential to be much more.

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The two series I'm currently following are Tokyo Ghoul and Aldnoah.Zero.  And I'm enjoying both... but for markedly different reasons; they're sort of foils for each other in a way:

 

Tokyo Ghoul is the show that has interesting ideas and characters... but is a bit muddled by somewhat mixed execution, in terms of technical details; the animation has been a bit lackluster at certain points, some goofy censorship, odd pacing, etc.  Though the soundtrack is phenomenal and deserves special mention in my book.  The whole reason started watching this show is because the opening is really good; and the rest of the soundtrack has been good as well.

 

Aldnoah Zero, on the other hand, is a show with great execution (the season 1 finale notwithstanding), but just doesn't seem to be interested in doing much with it.  I've found it a bit like SAO... the parts not involving the OP main character are actually the best parts.  It really doesn't help that the show reminds me so much of Code Geass... but compares so unfavorably to it.  But if you go into it expecting a fairly simple plot and fun robot battles you probably won't be disappointed... but I feel it had the potential to be much more.

Yeah, it wasn't bad. But disappointing because it could have been much better. And main character...

Tokyo Ghoul is great. Stopped watching anime because of censorship and went with manga instead but some of the soundtracks I know of are real good. btw manga has much better pacing and there are some  very cool stuff missing in anime if my information is correct. 

Another good anime that got ruined with censorship is Terraformars imho. Why censor anime adaptation of a seinen manga. Especially when there are lots of shounens with as much gore and violence in them and they don't get censored.

And why are they using these strange big white things :| mosaics too mainstream or wut :D: D 

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