Anime Thigh Thread II

[BloodyAngel12]

Konosuba never fails to cheer me up when im down.

Darkness will always be best girl.

[Sesto]

White Album 2 was great, literally the only value of Dagashi Kashi is its doujins

[Suicidal Panda]

White Album 2 was great, literally the only value of Dagashi Kashi is its doujins

And none of us read those things am I right? *shifty eyes*

[Schirmy]

Hotaru falls into the category of, "won't watch that shit but will fap to her character".

[Sesto]

Fate/Apocrypha 06 - Okay, maybe I take my statement back because the art is kind of getting worse. Definitely not A-1's best.It was nice to see that expanded flashback with the knights and their Grand Order designs. Also the actual first look at what Morgan le Fay looks like in Fate.



Also we Holy Grail Grand Prix part 2 now.

[BloodyAngel12]

What on God's green Earth is a "doujin"?

Im pretty unfamiliar with the term.

[Artorius]

White Album 2 was great, literally the only value of Dagashi Kashi is its doujins

[Val the Moofia Boss]

How are you liking the game so far?

Only played game 1 of trails in the sky so far,which I really liked, and I am tempted to get trails of cold steel now. But I'm not sure whether to buy it now, or wait till the next steam sales. A lot of people seem to say that the writing of the main storyline is, and the main cast, is worse and a lot more prone to anime tropes than the trails in the sky games.

Twenty hours in, and I haven't enjoyed a game this much since last year's Banner Saga 2, and a JRPG this much since Xenoblade Chronicles.

I haven't noticed any bad writing; so far it's actually been quite intriguing. The first game is quite clearly setup for the later grand adventure, but the story being told right now is no less entertaining. If anyone accused Cold Steel of "bad writing", it's probably because they saw the anime cliche of "main character falls on girl's breasts" trope in the first 30 minutes and decided it was bad (but Cold Steel didn't even play the trope straight: she fell on him, and he was genre-savvy enough to "keep his hands where she can see him", and the girl disliking him isn't out of the accident but because she's being thrown into a dangerous situation with eight other people she doesn't know, so she's tense).

My most favorite part of the game is how the town feels so "real"; EVERY SINGLE NPC in Thor's Military Academy and the town of Trista has their own unique storyline that progresses with the passing of the day, even the janitor. Part of the fun is just running around the area keeping up with everyone and occasionally getting caught up in their shenanigans. Don't even get me started on the continually updated library of world building, the field trips that take us all across the empire that simultaneously progress the mystery story, show how the world is changing, and show us more world building.

When it comes time to fight, it's basically Final Fantasy but more strategic: in addition to turn based combat with a party and multiple monsters, you also have to take into account the positioning of your character (some abilities a cone shaped, follow a line, or are shaped like a circle) and which turn each character/monster involved gets (a huge part of gameplay is using your crafts to cancel an enemy ability or outright delay their turn, and predicting which ability you will need by starting the cast ahead of time).

The English dub is legitmately great; there are no weak links here. Early on, it might seem Laura and Fie are, but after a few hours it becomes apparent that's how their characters are supposed to sound like: Laura is a noble who was brought up speaking in a very specific, almost monotone manner of voice, and Fie is just really sleepy and doesn't really care half the time. Rean, Ms Valestein, Tora, Rufus, are just amazing. (BTW, Ms Valestein is the best fictional teacher I've ever met!)

Music is great; not all the tracks are memorable, but some absolutely are.

I haven't had any crashes yet. Occasionally, when I alt+tab out of the game, the game was slow down considerably, but I was able to easily fix that by saving and restarting the game, costing only twenty seconds. I recommend you turn off the Steam overlay, as that seems to trigger the alt+tab thing.



Anyways, it's $4 off this week on Steam, so if you want go ahead and get it. The port for Cold Steel 2 is being worked on.

[Neichus]

Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna (Earth Maiden Arjuna) – 6/10

“Arjuna” is a special kind of series: the sort that irritates me so deeply I finish it out of spite just to have the opportunity to eviscerate it in a review, my ire sharpened by the superficial similarity of its message to my own views.

The series follows Juna, an average Japanese high schooler (what else would she be?) who dies in a motorcycle accident* while on a drive with her boyfriend-but-not Toshio. On passing away she is confronted by the creepiest fairy in existence who identifies himself as Chris (Krishna). He tells her that she is the Avatar of Time he’s been looking for, and that he will restore her to life if she agrees to help save the world. She agrees, wakes up in the hospital with a Yin tattooed on her forehead, is inducted into a secret military organization that is guarding the planet, and promptly runs off to a nuclear plant to fight giant bad CGI worm monsters by turning into a pink Hindu magical girl and summoning a bad CGI robot named Asura (no, I’m not kidding). I guess it was India’s turn to have its mythology plundered for names.

*The near-death experience scene before she flatlines was what originally drew me to watching the series, having seen a clip of it elsewhere. Hope springs eternal is all I can say.

“They’re all laughing at your costume.”

Fortunately for the series, the plot doesn’t really matter, for its entire purpose is to use Juna’s newfound attunement to the Earth’s spirit to explore every single grievance the director has with modern society. With an approach that makes Captain Planet seem subtle by comparison, we are introduced to the evils of nuclear power, pesticides, fertilizer, pharmacology, meat packing, food waste, groundwater pollution, GMOs, genetic modification in general, social and global inequality, dependence on technology, hospital birthing practices, and intellectual estrangement. All of this was thoroughly contrasted with the harmonious, natural state of planetary oneness that Juna begins to experience.

Herein lies the issue. I have no objection to the many of its ideals or criticisms, at least in the ecological realm. Modern civilization is not sustainable in its current form. Our economic system is built on a relentless quest for more, our short-term weakness for convenience overriding deeper concerns about what these mean for ourselves or the planet. At some point reality is going to catch up with us in the form of global warming, ecological collapse, exhaustion of resources, or some other external factor.

Or giant spiritual embodiments of the unrest of the planet will get us. Yes, that’s it.

However, like all such ecological daydreaming, Arjuna offers nothing substantial in the way of answers. Take for instance the segment where they stay with the old man in his mountain shack. He left behind the city and his career to live up in the hills in harmony. He points out that he doesn’t till his fields or weed his gardens, and yet get what he needs. It’s an idyllic world that he has retreated to…and one which is both a contradiction and impractical. As nature-loving as he is, he seems to have overlooked the crucial fact that rice paddies are not the native ecosystem. He or somebody else had to clear the trees, flatten the land, and divert the water. What organisms remain are not those that would have flourished originally, but those which can best abide by human disruption. Yes, it’s better than an over-tilled, pesticide-drenched giant monoculture field, but let’s not delude ourselves that farms are natural either.

“To see one’s self in a kernel of corn.” It’s almost Blake-worthy.

But more damningly, this is a selfish solution. With seven billion and counting, there is simply no way to support the current population on such a dream. We would overrun the land worse than we do now if everybody farmed with such a gross level of inefficiency. Even if we did want to abandon our current civilization, and the vast benefits it conveys, humanity could not pursue this path. To retreat, to run away, and then imply that everybody else’s suffering could be eased if they just did the same is insulting.

But what sticks in my craw even more is its insistence on pseudospiritual nonsense. In its haste to reject the errors of the present it regresses backward, adopting the methods of the past. Ley lines, telepathy, chakras, ancient ruins, and all manner of complete rubbish make a showing. There is an unabashed indulgence in the naturalistic fallacy, erroneously harping on how humans don’t even know what to eat out in the wild because of our disconnect from nature. As she becomes more attuned to the world, Juna begins to “hear the voices others cannot,” including those of babies in the womb, and seeing the colors of people’s emotions. It’s the whole New Age package unironically presenting chakra centers alongside images of the Mandelbrot set, with no comprehension of the latter.

This was in reference to gut bacteria. I do not believe that woman has ever been to medical school.

After this, is there anything left of this series? Well, to be fair there are a few slightly redeeming elements. The animation is good for the most part, except for the poorly-aged CGI and disruptive interjection of real photography. The backgrounds deserve recognition as quite beautiful on multiple occasions, even those that are cityscapes. The direction is also quite reasonable, and there are a few genuinely creepy and intriguing scenes where Juna’s sanity wavers.

While the characters are unremarkable, their interplay has a few high points. Cindy’s faking of friendship and manipulation of Juna to consummate her relationship with Toshio, and so monopolize Chris’s affections, would have actually been a clever scene in a series that focused on such interactions. The love triangle between Juna, Sayuri, and Toshio was comparatively pointless, and its associated theme of the insufficiency of words was implemented weakly.

However, my favorite part was easily the final half of episode six where they met with their math instructor Sakurai. The first part where the teacher grills Juna on why people do things (“Because it’s easier”)* is interesting, if a little simplified. The final conclusion, that convenience does not beget quality or happiness is true, if unsubtly executed. But then in one of the best expressions of intellectual estrangement I have ever watched, their teacher helplessly attempts to convey his love of mathematics.* His desperation is palpable and personally relatable. As Juna and Toshio walk away from the apartment Juna speciously remarks that, “[To change the world takes] each and every one of us feeling the beauty in our hearts. If each and every one of us changes, we all change.” To which Toshio immediately replies, “What happens if you’re the first one who changes?” and a cut to Sakurai sitting alone in his apartment.*

Also +1 for quality insect drawings.

Earth Maiden Arjuna is a series that sought to say something, and say something it did, loudly and with greater partisanship than FernGully. It would have been served well by trimming down: the whole apparatus of S.E.E.D. eliminated, the magical girl transformation and combat erased, and Chris’s role minimized to that of a teacher. Extraneous topics such as natural midwifery and medical practices should have been pruned in favor of a purer ecological focus; trying to hit too many targets at once inevitably causes misses. Obviously this opinion comes from somebody who doesn’t subscribe to the return-to-nature program as a complete package, but what else can I say: people producing compost is natural too.

For the record, there are no ants that glow blue.

[bals]

db super 102 dem magical girls transforming. I really thought master roshi would be stuck fighting the chubby the one. 17 is being really cool even though he shouldn't be nearly as strong as he is. 18 and his rapport is pretty great.

ff15 boyband edition ending well I guess there was like an outline to a story for this game. barely remember anyone besides Natsu because he talks all the time. story part is really short and meh. the open world part would be better if it wasn't so completely empty and you're not stuck on loading screens/car constantly. combat has some cool stuff but also some really bad stuff. why is there no ap?

[Sesto]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...ldwide/.119801

awesome!!!!!!!

[Asetotti]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...ldwide/.119801

awesome!!!!!!!

Sarcasm?

Distribution outside Japan to start in spring 2018

fuck Netflix.

[Millhi]

Sarcasm?

fuck Netflix.

Hope so

Anything netflix original = good
the rest they do= bad

[Asetotti]

Hope so

Anything netflix original = good
the rest they do= bad

Netflix """"original"""" is super bad
with """"original"""" I mean shows like Knights of Sidonia that they only claim to be Netflix original through twist of words

[Millhi]

Netflix """"original"""" is super bad
with """"original"""" I mean shows like Knights of Sidonia that they only claim to be Netflix original through twist of words

Netflix using the original branding is retarded anyway.
Those are just licensed works so they fall under the bad things netflix does and should stop doing

Devilman crybaby is a good example of a netflix original and they should just focus on doing these sorta works. Series produced by Netflix and released worldwide at the same time everywhere. Giving studio's a deadline that's not weekly per ep is better for the industry in a whole so they can take their time.

[Schirmy]

Cowboy Bebop: Started watching this with a friend, really great so far. The jazzy soundtrack is beyond perfect.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Cowboy Bebop: Started watching this with a friend, really great so far. The jazzy soundtrack is beyond perfect.

What'd you think of episode 5?

[bals]

Trying to remember why I have Nano's birthday on my calendar for today when it's back on March 7th but noticed this from a year ago

nintendo removed all the nintendo power magazines from the internet archive
I really can't believe how draconian nintendo is about their products. don't see how that can hurt them at all.
they also got the fan remake of metroid 2 removed, although that is more in line with what they have always done. still seems silly though

makes a little more sense since they're doing an official metroid 2 remake (but they still are draconian shits.)

[Pendulous]

Watched the first few episodes of Sakura Quest. Weird premise, not much comedy, but not bad.

[Enjeh]

Visual for the Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku anime adaption.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DGnZq6vUIAEMkpH.jpg:large

Director: Shin Oonuma
Studio: Silver Link.