Anime Chat Thread

[NotValidAnymore]

Like a good christian.

Religion is too complicated for me.

[Neichus]

Humanity Has Declined - Fairies/10

I'm feeling pretty lucky: the last few series I've watched have been good ones. HHD continued this trend with a very unusual, but enjoyable, experience. I find myself struggling to hit the right tone for this review.

HHD is on one hand a very dark show: set in the future when human society is in disrepair. There wasn't an apocalypse that ended our reign. Instead we just stopped caring and our time has passed. At the same time, it is hilarious. The series doesn't mope about, but instead comments on society in a sharp Voltaire style of satire. Taken together they actually make a very potent package: the setting and themes give the show true content but the comedy keeps it from dragging and is able to approach the topic in novel ways.

The strangest thing approaching the series from the outside are the fairies. In fact, just reading an outline you'll get out of it that "fairies like sweets, MC makes sweets, they have adventures." Just watch the intro for confirmation. I was thoroughly skeptical at first but by the end I was sold. They are humanity in mock: given extreme levels of intelligence and ingenuity, they spend most of their time motivated by the simplest of things. I don't really want to say any more, because the show develops the theme far better than I could here.

The Good: The innominate main character is driving force behind the show and also its major highlight. HHD would be nothing without her. She is the last sane person, surrounded by a farcical cast of characters who are all too human. Her reactions and monologues are just gold because of it. It reminds me of a story from Nasreddin:

-One late evening Nasreddin found himself walking home. It was only a very short way and upon arrival he can be seen to be upset about something. Alas, just then a young man comes along and sees the Mullah's distress.
-"Mullah, pray tell me: what is wrong?"
-"Ah, my friend, I seem to have lost my keys. Would you help me search them? I know I had them when I left the tea house."
-So, he helps Nasreddin with the search for the keys. For quite a while the man is searching here and there but no keys are to be found. He looks over to Nasreddin and finds him searching only a small area around a street lamp.
-"Mullah, why are you only searching there?"
-"Why would I search where there is no light?"

It is only through the observer that the peculiar strangeness of human behavior can really be remarked on, and she performs this role magnificently.

On top of this, she is interesting in her own right. She is highly intelligent, capable, and polite. But under this hides a person who is also just a bit cynical and lonely. The series develops this gradually, and by the end she felt like a fairly fleshed-out character despite how little time is spent actually dwelling on her directly.

The humor in HHD is also top-notch. Like the use of fairies, I was at first skeptical. When the robot-bread commits suicide in the first episode, I was more weirded out than amused. If it had just stuck to these I would have been unimpressed. But the series really takes off over time with its humor as you acclimate to its world. It's kind of like watching Monty Python for me: the first time through it's more strange than humorous, but given time it sinks into your psyche and becomes really funny. I had to pause it a few times I was laughing so hard. Completely out of context, but having to retcon their manga to be a rendition of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the fairy saluting to "God Save the Queen," and the statue of the MC handing out the book of names were some of my particular favorites alongside the numerous one-liners from the MC and fairies.

I also want to remark on Y. I didn't like her at first. I thought she was just a bit obnoxious and unduly eccentric, there only to be a foil to the MC. But by the end of the series that had completely turned around. Usually when a show tries to go back and make me like a character I'm dubious, but I felt they did this marvelously in Y's case. What makes her so good isn't a big sob story in her background. It's the realization that despite her oddities, she is genuine. It made me realize how shallow my first reactions had been, and nailed me right in there along with the girl collecting locks of hair. I was duly impressed by the simple efficacy of their approach to her character.

Finally, I was mesmerized by the ED and watched it every time I could. There was something about it that perfectly matched the series. At one time it is bright with an upbeat theme, but the background has the MC's shadow passing all of humanity, shedding a tear, and eventually lying down to have the grass grow around her. One of my favorites in a while.

The Bad: There were no significant flaws about the series. It is definitely surreal at some times and so might turn people off, but nowhere near as strange as some anime series get.

I was also a bit iffy on the "Voyager/Pioneer" episodes. They seemed the weakest to me overall, and I couldn't quite figure out what their point was.

All-in-all, though, it's a series I would definitely recommend. It's just like a sweet: bright candy coating on the outside, dark chocolate in the center...and definitely attracts fairies.

[Digglett]

Humanity Has Declined - Fairies/10

The Bad: There were no significant flaws about the series. It is definitely surreal at some times and so might turn people off, but nowhere near as strange as some anime series get.

All-in-all, though, it's a series I would definitely recommend. It's just like a sweet: bright candy coating on the outside, dark chocolate in the center...and definitely attracts fairies.

Humanity Has Declined was really enjoyable, I miss watching it a lot. Sort of want to go back and watch the episodes in chronological order.

[Hemoglobin]

Other than Tokyo ESP, I think everything of consequence has already aired. So what are you watching, dropped, and favorites based off your first impressions? You don't have to bother and make your list as elaborate as mine, I tend to get carried away on my lists.

Tier 1 (AotS Candidates)

#1 Zankyou no Terror (9/10)
#2 Aldnoah.Zero (9/10)

Tier 2 (Great start/Good Start/Expected to be a great show)

#3 Tokyo Ghoul (8.5/10)
#4 Barakamon (7.8/10)

Tier 3 (Not an amazing start, but has potential and will probably be a great show. This is basically the tier for shows that didn't do a fantastic job at introducing the series, but are almost guaranteed to be good.)

#5 Akame ga Kill (7.5/10)
#6 SAO II (7/10)

Tier 4 (Fairly decent start and shows potential, but could go either way)

#7 Ao Haru Ride (7/10)
#8 Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun (7/10)

Tier 5 (Very good chance I'll be dropping these shows)

#9 Majimoji Rurumo (6.5/10)
#10 Rail Wars! (6/10)
#11 Sabagebu! (6/10)

Confusion Tier! (Unranked and unsure. I really want to like this show so I'm being extremely lenient and giving it the benefit of the doubt. Pretty good chance I'll finish this show.)

#? Glasslip

Dropped

Bakumatsu Rock
DRAMAtical Murder
Fate/Kaleid S2
Locodol
Hanayamata
Himegoto
Jinsei
Love Stage
Shounen Hollywood
Momo Kyun Sword
Pri Para
Argevollen

[Maxweii]

W-what do you mean, "enjoying" it?? H-how else am I supposed to react to these kinda l-lewd thoughts? >_<

Thoughts lead to a-actions senpai....

[Zatheyll]

what has science done.

I laughed really hard.

Humanity Has Declined - Fairies/10

I seriously love your reviews. They're great.

Did you notice how the episodes were done out of order though?

ARENA 01: [Kurousagi] Takanashi Tōka
ARENA 02: Yui [Abstained] Yaya
ARENA 03: Shiomiya Shiori [Laura Bodewig]
ARENA 04: Dekomori Sanae [Aoyama Nanami]
ARENA 05: Takanashi Rikka [Shirakiin Ririchiyo]
ARENA 06: [Nōmi Kudryavka] Itsuka Kotori
ARENA 07: Yūki Mikan [Abstained] Kirigaya Suguha
ARENA 08: Chocolat [Roromiya Karuta]
ARENA 09: Haqua du Lot Herminium [Abstained] Kuriyama Mirai
ARENA 10: [Yukihira Furano] Kuroyukihime
ARENA 11: [Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko] Azuki Azusa
ARENA 12: [Yoshino] Charlotte Belew
ARENA 13: [Yatogami Tōka] Momo Belia Deviluke
ARENA 14: [Yukinoshita Yukino] Tobiichi Origami
ARENA 15: Chitanda Eru [Shokuhō Misaki]
ARENA 16: Nyarlathotep [Nibutani Shinka]
ARENA 17: Himeragi Yukina [Abstained] Yūki Asuna
ARENA 18: [Natsume Rin] Tokisaki Kurumi
ARENA 19: [Kafū Chino] Erza Scarlet
ARENA 20: Suō Amane [Abstained] Matsunaga Sara
ARENA 21: [Shiina Mashiro] Charlotte Dunois
ARENA 22: [Makise Kurisu] Hasegawa Kobato
ARENA 23: Kasugano Sora [Katsura Hinagiku]
ARENA 24: Yui-nyan [Sengoku Nadeko]
ARENA 25: [Aisaka Taiga] Iwasawa Masami
ARENA 26: [Akiyama Mio] Honma Meiko
ARENA 27: [Tōwa Erio] Nakamura Yuri
ARENA 28: Illyasviel von Einzbern [Victorique de Blois]
ARENA 29: Konjiki no Yami [Nagato Yuki]
ARENA 30: [Kashiwazaki Sena] Suzumiya Haruhi
ARENA 31: Kirishima Shōko [Abstained] Shana
ARENA 32: Eucliwood Hellscythe [Hirasawa Yui]
ARENA 33: [Yuzuriha Inori] Mikazuki Yozora
ARENA 34: Kōsaka Kirino [Nakano Azusa]
ARENA 35: Aragaki Ayase [Senjōgahara Hitagi]
ARENA 36: Tachibana Kanade [Saber]
ARENA 37: Last Order [Misaka Mikoto] (Seriously though, what the hell?)
ARENA 38: Gokō Ruri (Kuroneko) [Oshino Shinobu]

[Digglett]

Might drop:
Akame ga Kill!
I trust you all enough to know my reasons for this list to look the way it does, to not elaborate on them.

Thought you enjoyed the first episode? Was it the spoiler for the side chapter?

[Zatheyll]

Thought you enjoyed the first episode? Was it the spoiler for the side chapter?

Side chapter will never be adapted anyways.

It's like hating SAO for 16.5.

[Digglett]

Side chapter will never be adapted anyways.

What I was going to say.

Yeah, the amount of potential violence is the only thing that makes me put Akame in that section. It's also the reason why I dropped Tokyo Ghould already.

Even with 23.5 not being adapted, the series still has a fair amount of gore in it. So.. I can see you dropping it anyway.

[Neichus]

I seriously love your reviews. They're great.

Did you notice how the episodes were done out of order though?

Thanks.

And yeah, it was interesting to watch them go backward rather than forward with the "plot." Which there isn't really any plot, so much as character development and humor.

I actually liked the school episodes being at the end. At first I was groaning, because the school setting is utterly and completely overdone in anime. But with it being at the end of the series rather than the beginning, it put everything in perspective. You could see how the MC developed from being a bit of a chip-on-shoulder loner to the person she is today: not exactly a happy fun-time person, but matured and balanced. And I already remarked on how Y became 10x better because of those episodes. I think it's because we already knew how the people turned out, so rather than being overly dramatic we saw it for what it was: a formative period of change in their lives.

Ooop, fix spoiler tag!

[Sesto]

Glasslip - I don't understand why they revealed the future stuff so nonchalantly. That was just really dumb and felt like it came out of nowhere.

[Deleted]

Eh, i wouldn't put it on the same level as Saw.

[Lightcaller]

Other than Tokyo ESP, I think everything of consequence has already aired. So what are you watching, dropped, and favorites based off your first impressions? You don't have to bother and make your list as elaborate as mine, I tend to get carried away on my lists.

I'm going to make my list, even if I think it is a bit too early. Rokujyouma no Shinryakusha, Tokyo ESP and Seire Tsukai no Blade Dance are the shows that start over the next few days.

Watching
Aldnoah.Zero
Barakamon
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!
Futsuu no Joshikousei ga [Locodol] Yatte Mita.
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
Hanayamata
Jinsei
Momo Kyun Sword
Rail Wars!
Re:␣Hamatora
Sabagebu!
Space Dandy S2
Sword Art Online II
Tokyo Ghoul
Yama no Susume S2

Might drop
Glasslip

Dropped
Akame ga Kill

[Chelly]

Persona 4 golden animation is up in case anyone cares. Almost the same as the previous adaption, but now with Kana Hana voicing the worst girl Marie

[Digglett]

Really depends. I don't care about people being cut in half or stuff like that, that's still well within my comfort zone. But unnecessary over the top torture porn is not something I enjoy to watch. Censoring might also come into play later on, so we'll see about that.

Eh.. some scenes can be that way. I think most will be blacked out anyway.

[Deleted]

Only watched Akame and Aldnoah. Really short on time this season that I can't even try episodes...

Dropped Tokyo Ghoul on the first censor. xD

[NotValidAnymore]

The feeling when you want to like a show because of it's characters and setting, but can't enjoy it due to the story and actions of the characters in it, it's the worst.

Humanity Has Declined - Fairies/10

Your reviews are amazing!

This show is actually one of the few "dark" shows I could actually enjoy. I found it funny and charming. I'm so glad it was recommended to me a few months ago!

It isn't really worth trying to figure out anyway

Yeah. The idea of religion has always eluded me. I don't have anything against people following them, though.

Thoughts lead to a-actions senpai....

Y-you're the one planting ideas in my h-head!

[Digglett]

It remains to be seen. If I have serious problems with what happened in an episode I'll think about dropping it.

If that does happen, can't see it happening anytime too soon. Can't recall an early chapter with suuuuuper gore. Unless they add anime original scenes, which would just be more to censor.

[Maxweii]

Like a good christian.

We get a very 'fun' nun who brings her car to the shop now and then. Tried to lecture me once

[Yami]

Post pictures of riding in a Osprey along side a C-130 or don't post that is the question.