Starman2112's recent activity
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 (edited )LinkI tend to rate every show I watch very highly. I like English dubs and I usually overlook flaws that others see, so for a little while I was worried that I simply don't have taste. I started Elfen...I tend to rate every show I watch very highly. I like English dubs and I usually overlook flaws that others see, so for a little while I was worried that I simply don't have taste.
I started Elfen Lied the other day, and I'm happy to say that I do have taste, and this tastes bad. I'm only a few episodes in, so I can't make any real judgements yet, but so far this show just feels gross to watch. This is the first time I've seriously considered breaking my streak and leaving a show unfinished
If the dog dies on-screen, this show gets a 3 at most
Edit: I don't want to just complain, so I'm going to talk about another show me and my friends have been watching: Castlevania. Some would say it isn't anime, and I would ignore them. The first season is the weakest, but it still does a good job setting up the characters and the stakes in a way that later seasons are able to build on perfectly. Everyone in the show has a distinct personality that makes their character growth (or lack thereof) believable and meaningful. As I write this, it occurs to me that the vampires don't really grow or change at all throughout the series, which I'm choosing to interpret as a deliberate commentary on their species—long-lived, but stagnant, unable to adapt to the ever-evolving human race.
You could write a whole essay about the differences between Hector and Isaac, how one betrays his principles and the other remains loyal, how the narrative punishes one and rewards the other, and how their experiences cause both of them to grow. I'm not an essayist, so the most I can do is gesture broadly at it and say "look at that! Isn't that neat?"
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Comment on DebunkBot in ~science
Starman2112 Link ParentHonestly, I think this had the opposite effect than was intended for me. Being made to restate and refine my position on the topic I picked only served to strengthen my (admittedly lightly held)...Honestly, I think this had the opposite effect than was intended for me. Being made to restate and refine my position on the topic I picked only served to strengthen my (admittedly lightly held) belief in it
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Comment on DebunkBot in ~science
Starman2112 (edited )LinkI tried discussing a relatively serious conspiracy theory with this bot, and it quickly became rather unfun when I realized it seems to be programmed to offer any alternative explanation for the...I tried discussing a relatively serious conspiracy theory with this bot, and it quickly became rather unfun when I realized it seems to be programmed to offer any alternative explanation for the theory you explained at the beginning. I wish I could go back and discuss something more fun with it. I'm going to try again with something less serious. Next time I try this, I'm going to discuss the secret life of the Thane of Whiterun with this bot. I'm pretty sure that guy works for the Dark Brotherhood and the Riften Thieves Guild...
To assume that all these incidents point to the Thane being a member of the Dark Brotherhood or the Riften Thieves Guild requires a certain degree of speculation that goes beyond the evidence at hand.
Talking to this machine about my suspicions of the Thane has really illuminated how it's programmed to cast doubt on literally anything you talk about with it. I'm going to have to think of something with harder evidence than "this guy walks around in Dark Brotherhood attire talking to the guards about Sithis all the time"
Another neat interaction
In one of my replies, I said that I get an uncanny feeling from the Thane—sometimes, when he looks at me, I see murder in his eyes. It's like in another life, he decided to kill me.
The bot responded with
And intriguingly, your reference to another life suggests an awareness of multiple potential realities or paths one could take. In the context of Skyrim, it's fitting—you might be aware of the 'Dragonborn's' ability to make different choices leading to vastly different outcomes. We could even think of it as a metaphor for how we perceive others: the momentary 'murderous look' could be an errant thought, a trick of the light, or a reflection of how we imagine they could be, as opposed to their true nature.
This is an interesting bot. As obvious as its programming is, it really feels like a human is trying to gaslight me.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 (edited )LinkR.O.D: Read Or Die was pretty fun. It made its way onto my list when I saw this fight somewhere a couple years ago, and only just got around to actually finding and watching it. It follows Yomiko...R.O.D: Read Or Die was pretty fun. It made its way onto my list when I saw this fight somewhere a couple years ago, and only just got around to actually finding and watching it. It follows Yomiko Readman, a substitute teacher who also works for the British government fighting supervillains. They have some evil plan or another, but more importantly, they stole her book.
I love everything about this OVA. I love everything about almost every OVA, but this is my favorite one I've seen so far. 9/10, highly recommend if you're as into turn-of-the-century anime as I am.
Also started R.O.D: The TV last week. It takes place a while after the OVA, with Yomiko Readman having been missing for four years. Explaining what the show is about would be hard, so I'm just gonna say it's a ton of fun to watch. Unless the last four episodes turn out awful, this one's getting a 9/10 as well.
Edit: the last four episodes did not turn out awful! 10/10. I feel a unique adoration for this series. I have a hard time putting words to feelings, but it's an affection I haven't felt for a cast of characters to this degree before. I'm sad that this show is over.
I feel like my ratings are too high. I enjoy what I watch too much. Can someone recommend an absolutely awful single season anime? I don't want anything offensive, I just want to remind myself that there are bad shows out there. The last time I saw an anime that I don't think fondly of was Banana Fish, over a year ago.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 Link ParentIs it safe to assume you've seen the most popular examples of good dubs? Cowboy Bebop, Baccano, Steins;Gate, Stand Alone Complex?Is it safe to assume you've seen the most popular examples of good dubs? Cowboy Bebop, Baccano, Steins;Gate, Stand Alone Complex?
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 Link ParentI've only seen around 60 shows, but I'm gonna try and think of what I consider "the good stuff." No spoilers, just compressing text to save space: Mushishi For Ghibli vibes, I'm gonna recommend...I've only seen around 60 shows, but I'm gonna try and think of what I consider "the good stuff." No spoilers, just compressing text to save space:
Mushishi
For Ghibli vibes, I'm gonna recommend Mushishi. One of a few shows I'll call a masterpiece. The pacing is slow and deliberate, and unlike a lot of slower shows, not a single frame is wasted. There isn't a single action sequence in it, so if you're looking for something exciting, it might not be the best fit.
Ghost in the Shell
For something more exciting and just as much a masterpiece, Ghost in the Shell. It changed the way I rate shows, because I can't rate something 10/10 if it doesn't stand up to GITS. The watch order might be intimidating because there are movies and TV shows that are unrelated to each other, but I recommend putting Standalone Complex as high on your watch list as possible.
Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate is a bit less heavy on the talking, though the show doesn't really "start" until you're 13 episodes in. Not that the first half of the show is bad, but it feels like it isn't really going anywhere until suddenly it's very clear that it's going somewhere.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is your dad's favorite anime. Action, hot chicks, sci-fi, jazz. If you're into anything in this show, it's easy to tune out whatever you're not there for.
Fullmetal Alchemist
As far as shounen goes, Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the most famous anime for a reason. The 2003 anime was an attempt at adapting the manga, but when they caught up to the manga, they decided to continue the show in its own direction. I really like where the 2003 anime went with the story, but the 2009 adaptation is much more faithful to the source material. Either way, both shows are good, highly recommend either or both.
Gurren Lagann
By all rights, I should hate Gurren Lagann; I don't often like shounen, I don't like excessive sexualization, I don't like shows where things just happen without explanation, but there's something about this show that brings out the kid in me. The only show where a character can scream the name of the super move they're doing and I'm shouting along with them. I'm a complete sucker for stories about the indomitable human spirit.
From the New World
Last recommendation, a show that merits much discussion: From the New World. It's the show that I've spent the most time thinking and talking about. What is a human? What makes someone human? Is it in their DNA? Their culture? Their appearance? I was still realizing more about the show and revising my opinions months after finishing it.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 LinkErgo Proxy has been on my list since before I had a list. Another one whose name has existed in my mind since I was a kid, but I never got around to watching until now. It's a little bit of Ghost...Ergo Proxy has been on my list since before I had a list. Another one whose name has existed in my mind since I was a kid, but I never got around to watching until now. It's a little bit of Ghost in the Shell, mixed with a dash of Witch Hunter Robin, and a heaping helping of Wolf's Rain.
I love a show that makes me think while I'm watching it. I really love a show that makes me think even when I'm not watching it. I like series that question the concept of personhood, and I love ones that assert that machines can have souls.
The antitheist themes are interesting. A portrayal of "gods" that are cruel and vindictive, even more distressed by the things humans fear like mortality or lack of purpose, is fascinating.
The show is very heavy on the discussion of raison d'etre, and the effects of a lack thereof. Humans, machines, and gods alike need a reason to exist, and being forced to exist without reason drives them mad. Only those who can provide a raison d'etre to themselves can survive without some external force bestowing meaning upon them.
The end is confusing, I'm still not sure I understand the timeline of events, but I'm giving it a 9/10. It's no Ghost in the Shell, but it's up there.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
Starman2112 Link ParentThe fact that it's forced on the player undercuts the common interpretation that the game is a criticism of players thoughtlessly pulling the trigger in video games, but I think it still supports...The fact that it's forced on the player undercuts the common interpretation that the game is a criticism of players thoughtlessly pulling the trigger in video games, but I think it still supports Geller's interpretation that it isn't so much a critique of war games, or the player, but of the real actions taking place in real life. In his words, the use of white phosphorus specifically (as opposed to regular bombs or nuclear weapons or napalm) in a game about killing civilians is a "very fucking deliberate choice."
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 LinkNo spoilers, just compressed Eat-Man As I was watching Eat-Man, I didn't enjoy it at all. The animation is middling at best, often hanging on or repeating frames in what appears to be an attempt...No spoilers, just compressed
Eat-Man
As I was watching Eat-Man, I didn't enjoy it at all. The animation is middling at best, often hanging on or repeating frames in what appears to be an attempt at cinematography, but ends up just padding episode time. The story is absolutely opaque, inscrutable in a way that lacks the charm of other shows that don't waste time explaining themselves. It's like someone else is watching something in the same room as you, and you're occasionally glancing at the screen—you never get a full story. The only thing I liked about it was the music.
Eat-Man '98 was much better in most regards. I still didn't think it was very good, it's still a disjointed jumbled mess of sci-fi and fantasy, but at least the plotlines largely made sense.
All that being said, now that I've moved past it, I can't help but be fond of it. It reminds me of the various attempts I've made at D&D campaigns, a haphazard scattering of concepts and storylines that are never fully realized, and are probably better off left half-baked in the forgotten archives of my notepad.
I wouldn't recommend it, and I likely wouldn't watch it again, but I'm not upset that I did. I do adore Bolt Crank. Both series get 5/10.
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Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
Starman2112 Link ParentBasically. I have a microfiber cloth and lens cleaner I use daily, but aside from that I don't regularly do anything for them. If they get covered in something gross I'll wash them in warm water...Or do you just.. Not?
Basically. I have a microfiber cloth and lens cleaner I use daily, but aside from that I don't regularly do anything for them. If they get covered in something gross I'll wash them in warm water with dawn dish soap, but that happens maybe once every couple months
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Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
Starman2112 Link ParentAs with all things, it depends on a lot of factors. I probably wouldn't drive more than a few hours to help this guy out, and if I'm in a big hurry to get where I'm going, or I can't easily afford...As with all things, it depends on a lot of factors. I probably wouldn't drive more than a few hours to help this guy out, and if I'm in a big hurry to get where I'm going, or I can't easily afford to buy him a new air pump, I'll wish him luck and head out. But if going to the store and getting this guy an air pump is a realistic possibility, then not doing that isn't an option. Except...
He hasn’t told you his name, or anything about him self, but you get the feeling he’s here illegally. Your sketch meter is steadily rising.
Is my sketch meter rising specifically in regard to thinking he's here illegally? Because if anything I'm more inclined to help; living in a conservative state, I could be one of the nicest people this guy can talk to. Is my sketch meter rising because I'm worried this is a setup to a robbery? If so, then depending on how freaked out I am, either I ditch him and hope someone else helps, or I hand him the air pump through a barely open window with the doors locked and the engine running
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Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
Starman2112 Link ParentBig fan of any shade that can be called lavender or lilac (#CCCCFF makes my brain produce the good chemicals), but my favorite individual color is #FF5B00. It's so deeply saturated, and it says... -
Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 LinkNo spoilers, just compressed Bubblegum Crisis and Crash Bubblegum Crisis is so 80s and so stylish and I'm so here for it. I love clunky cyberpunk. The Iron Man suits are rad, the soundtrack kicks...No spoilers, just compressed
Bubblegum Crisis and Crash
Bubblegum Crisis is so 80s and so stylish and I'm so here for it. I love clunky cyberpunk. The Iron Man suits are rad, the soundtrack kicks ass, and the dub is surprisingly good. Super impressed with the English music—they hired a band to re-record every song in English (and there's a new one every episode), so it sounds amazing.
Super fun watch, hard to find flaws in it. The only thing I really want is a more developing plot rather than 8 standalone stories. Easy 9/10, easy addition to the rewatch pile.
Speaking of a more developing plot, that's what we get in 1991's Bubblegum Crash. Unfortunately, that's about all we get. The music is still just as good, but everything else is a bit of a downgrade. It seems like they totally forgot that there are human-like boomers already, and that Priss specifically was friends with two of them. Because of the lower production quality and continuity issues, I'm giving it a 7/10. A downgrade from fantastic is still pretty good.
Honestly kinda sad to be done with this already. I really like the Knight Sabers, and I want so much more of them
AD Police Files and Parasite Dolls
Parasite Dolls takes place in the same universe, but is a very different show. Less bubblegum, more bleak. It's interesting to see a darker take on the interactions between humans and boomers, though it veers a bit too far into edgy territory at times. I really liked the animation and English voice acting. I'm gonna give it a 7/10.
AD Police Files was supposed to be a prequel, but being cancelled three episodes in leaves it as unrelated to the main series as Parasite Dolls is. It doesn't have the particularly good animation or voice acting that brought Parasite Dolls up to a 7, and the story leaves a lot to be desired. It's getting a 5/10, and it's only that high because I know it isn't the studio's fault that it never got an ending.
Three wildly different shows, despite ostensibly taking place in the same universe. If you're like me and you feel a need to see every sequel and spinoff when you watch something, there's no need to worry about them here. If you want to see a bunch of chicks in Iron Man suits blowing up robots to sick 80's beats, watch Bubblegum Crisis, and optionally Bubblegum Crash. If you want a gritty police drama with just a hint of Detroit: Become Human, watch Parasite Dolls. I don't recommend AD Police Files, as it was never actually finished, and what we have is kind of a mess.
I won't be watching Protect and Serve or Tokyo 2040, at least for a while. Not interested in reboots.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 (edited )LinkKey the Metal Idol. It's weird. I liked it. It shares a shelf with Serial Experiments Lain and Boogiepop Phantom in my brain. It's certainly a product of its time, but that's underselling it a...Key the Metal Idol. It's weird. I liked it. It shares a shelf with Serial Experiments Lain and Boogiepop Phantom in my brain. It's certainly a product of its time, but that's underselling it a bit—because it was an OVA with months between episode releases, the production quality was relatively high. Also worth noting that translating music is very hard, and while the English versions of the few songs in this show aren't perfect, it's super impressive that they were able to make servicable translations at all.
I gotta bump the score up considering this was 1994. To call it experimental is an understatement. I'm giving it a 9/10.
Minor spoilers for Key the Metal Idol
There's something about series where the viewer is lead to believe something that isn't necessarily true, but the series never really pretends that it is. On a rewatch, the nature of Key's particular situation is fairly obvious, it just never explicitly tells you what's happening until the final two movies.
If you find yourself asking how Key is floating, or why she suddenly shows some emotion sometimes, or why there's a strong emphasis on the color pink, you're asking the right questions, and the show is gonna answer them.
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Comment on D&D: How do NPCs die? in ~games.tabletop
Starman2112 Link+1 to "it depends." Generally, if it's a character players are trying to kill, I won't bother with death saves because the players could just attack them a couple times, but if it's someone the...+1 to "it depends." Generally, if it's a character players are trying to kill, I won't bother with death saves because the players could just attack them a couple times, but if it's someone the players don't want dead, they will get death saves. This holds true for anything from NPCs to monsters. I've had a kobold make death saves before because the party wanted to interrogate it
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Comment on Game Changer - The Opening Song from "Welcome to Mountport" (2022) in ~music
Starman2112 LinkDropout is the only company I'll shill for free, and the only streaming service I actually pay for. Just Game Changer alone would be worth the $6 a month The best bit is always gonna be Brennan's...Dropout is the only company I'll shill for free, and the only streaming service I actually pay for. Just Game Changer alone would be worth the $6 a month
The best bit is always gonna be Brennan's expertly improvised closing remarks and Zac's surgical timing in this clip, but every Noise Boys episode is worth watching at least twice
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 LinkI remember when I was a kid watching Cartoon Network, I would see ads for Adult Swim shows and be so envious of the people who got to stay up late watching them. To me, the distilled embodiment of...I remember when I was a kid watching Cartoon Network, I would see ads for Adult Swim shows and be so envious of the people who got to stay up late watching them. To me, the distilled embodiment of Adult Swim was Samurai Champloo.
12 year old me never got to see it, but 28 year old me just did. Samurai Champloo was great. The show is full of juxtapositions that highlight the qualities of everything in it. Not just the hip hop aesthetic and the Edo period setting, but also the differences between the main characters themselves—Jin is stuck in the past, a part of him having died with his master; Mugen is stuck in the present, having never been able to set down roots in the first place; Fuu has her eyes on the future, the only one with a clear goal in mind.
I'm not going to lie, it kind of bothers me that so many loose ends are left untied. So many characters seem like they're being set up to make a return later in the series, only to disappear forever. That being said, I do appreciate how the series ends with a resolution to all three of the main trio's backstories all in one arc.
Spoilers for the end of Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop
There's also something to be said about how stressful the ending is. Usually I can at least kind of anticipate how a story is going to end, but this show had me second-guessing what was going to happen the entire way through the last episode. This is due both to the way the series doesn't shy away from killing people, and the fact that it shares so much of its DNA with Cowboy Bebop, and if you know how that ends, you know why I was worried.
After their last fights, I was certain that Mugen and Jin died, especially given the parallel between Mugen's near-death experience in Misguided Miscreants and his experience after being blown up again.
I'm happy with the ending we got, though I may have shed a couple tears watching them walk away from each other during the credits.
I give it a 9/10. It's almost flawless, but it doesn't speak to my soul or give me a ton to think about outside of the show itself. And because I don't think I'm legally allowed to review the show without mentioning it, the music is the biggest reason the rating is so high. This show has put more songs on my playlist than any other anime.
For the next watch, the dice landed on Key the Metal Idol. Two episodes in, it's... Definitely a 90s anime. Don't love the nudity, but at least it's largely not sexualized. The concept is fun, if not very realistic. It's janky by modern standards, but this premiered before I was born, so I can't judge it too harshly for how it's aged. Who knows, this could be a 10/10. I do love a story about artificial personhood
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 Link ParentA large part of why I loved Planetes. I want to live in Ghost in the Shell. I want to live in Alien. Enough millimeter thick transparent touchscreen displays, I want to cut the ∆v of my space ship...I've brought this up before but this aesthetic of guys using corded phones and incredibly bulky looking + dated computer equipment while smoking cigarettes/cigars/pipes is something that is right up my alley. That interesting retro futurism mix of technologies that people envisioned 40+ years ago is great.
A large part of why I loved Planetes. I want to live in Ghost in the Shell. I want to live in Alien. Enough millimeter thick transparent touchscreen displays, I want to cut the ∆v of my space ship in half with 40 lbs CRT monitors and mechanical keyboards
Anyway. At the rate I watch anime, it would take me about a month and a half to watch this, and it seems like you're on track to take about a year, so I think I'm gonna start it in January next year so I can finish the show at the same time as you. I don't usually get into mecha anime as a genre, but this show sounds interesting
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Starman2112 (edited )LinkFinal Raildex update. This turned into a wall of text, so I'm casting Compress Text at 7th level Index Finished Index, for the fourth and probably last time. Generally more positive feelings...Final Raildex update. This turned into a wall of text, so I'm casting Compress Text at 7th level
Index
Finished Index, for the fourth and probably last time. Generally more positive feelings towards the latter half of the show than previous rewatches. The excessive fanservice dies down a bit, which is a welcome change.
Miracle of Endymion
The movie is... fine. It highlights that part of Index that I dislike the most—because everything is magic, anything can happen and you just have to accept it. Aside from that, the movie is mostly alright.
I cannot fault the localizers for trying their best at translating the songs. It's obviously not great, but they get an A for effort. Not every movie can be Belle.
_______ is a character who was cursed with immortality as a child, and has lived in the body of a little girl for nearly a thousand years. And the movie avoids sexualizing her! Maybe the only decent use of the "older than she looks" trope I've ever seen. You might think this is a callback to that vampire thing from the first season. Don't worry, she's not a vampire. Himegami is still as irrelevant to the plot as ever.
I'll avoid talking much about the impossibility of constructing a space elevator (let alone at 35° latitude) and just assume that Aleister Crowley used magic to make it work
Fun enough watch, 6/10.
After the movie, the series gets mid fast.
The Academy City Invasion arc introduces the Right Seat of God. I like Vento as a villain. I really like her character design, and her English voice actress sounded like she had a lot of fun with the role. This arc also ends with a hint towards Accelerator's other powers, but because the series is allergic to explaining things, we don't get to know anything about them.
The Document of Constantine arc had nothing really happen, aside from introducing the rest of the Right Seat of God: Terra, a forgettable green douchebag; Acqua, a level 20 Oath of Devotion Paladin, and Fiamma, a redhead in pajamas. They're all interesting in their own right, and I will be stealing ideas from them for use in my D&D campaign.
The Battle Royale arc was fun. Couldn't possibly keep up with who's fighting who and why, but I like any story arc about Accelerator.
The British Royal Family arc is. There. The concept of Curtana is interesting, in a sort of "half-baked idea for a magic sword" kinda way. I'm sure I can workshop a sword that cuts through four dimensions to leave 3-dimensional cross-sections into a workable concept in D&D if I try hard enough
The WWIII arc is supposed to be the big finale to this part of the story, but I just don't have feelings about it. The only parts of the third season that I really liked were anything that didn't have to do with Touma. Hamazura and Accelerator's stories are so much better. The stakes are more clear, the problems are more understandable. Some villagers fighting Russian mercenaries is way more interesting to me than a story about a magic floating rock that does a magic thing to bring an angel to earth so that some magic can happen and Pajamaman can take over the world.
Gotta love the end of the series introducing a ton of new characters and concepts. You rarely see a show fail to tie up loose ends this badly. Hopefully we get an announcement about a fourth season next year, because it seems like they actually flesh out the idea of magic gods in the manga instead of letting it be another one-off "I don't gotta explain shit" magic system like miracles or the Right Seat of God
Overall, Index season 1 gets a 5/10, because aside from excessive fanservice, it's extremely okay. Season 2 gets a 3/10 solely because I hate the Daihasei Festival Arc that much. Season 3 gets a 6/10 because while I actually really like Hamazura and Accelerator's stories, the end leaves a lot to be desired.
Don't let this dissuade you from watching the series if you want to—it is rather important for Railgun's story to make sense, and this is my review on my fourth rewatch. Anyone would grow to hate a show they don't already love after watching it four times.
Railgun T
Picking up right after the Daihasei Festival arc, I am so happy to be back to watching Railgun. Indian Poker is maybe the most forgettable Railgun arc, but the episodes with Frenda and Saten are some of my favorites. Especially Frenda's fight with the sniper. Best fight in the franchise.
It is pretty sad to see Fre nda stop hanging out with Saten, but also she's genuinely an evil person so it's probably for the best
The Doppelganger arc is peak. You know I'm a sucker for stories about artificial people, and the Doppelganger is such a cool character.
One thing I love about this show is that it doesn't hesitate to show off how strong a Level 5 esper is. Most of the contests of brute force that Misaka finds herself in are no contest at all unless she's up against another Level 5, and the driving force of the conflicts are issues of information gathering. It's fun to watch her fights for the same reason that it's fun to watch Boogiepop fight. It would be boring if that was the entire show.
One thing I didn't like on the first watch was the kaiju fight, because that kind of power output is beyond anything Misaka has been shown to do so far, but on rewatching the show, it occurred to me that this is after the Level 6 experiment in the Daihasei festival arc. It may not have succeeded, but I can handwave away issues of power scaling with the knowledge that she was basically God for a few minutes.
End of Railgun T spoilers
On rewatches, it's extremely visibly obvious that the Doppelganger is using some kind of mold to control things. Like, it's all over everything she controls, the characters just don't mention anything until the last episode.
I really like the implication at the end of the series that the Doppelganger actually did have a soul. Again, I'm a sucker for stories about artificial personhood, and this is the apotheosis of an artificial person. Yet another concept to steal for my D&D campaign
All in all, Railgun season 1 gets an 8/10, seasons 2 and 3 both get a solid 10 from me. There's nothing I don't love about this show after the first half of the first season. You would think rewatching the show as many times as I have would dilute my love for it, but I've only grown to love it more and more. I look forward to next August, I can't wait to watch this series again without watching Index in between.
Tomorrow, I watch something new for the first time since May 7th. Can't wait to roll the dice and see what comes up next
Finished Elfen Lied yesterday. I feel better about it than I did last week. I can see why some people love it as much as they do, but I still didn't really like it. I liked the characters a lot. Lucy especially is interesting, sort of a Paarthurnax or a The Dark Urge—I'm into a story about redeeming the irredeemable. The overall story is interesting, but there was just too much child nudity and torture, often mixed in a really uncomfortable way, for me to give it more than a 4/10.
I throw no shade at anyone who likes this show. I'm in no position to judge. This just wasn't my cup of tea
For the next show, I threw some dice, they landed on Slayers, but I don't feel like devoting two entire months to a show I don't really know anything about. So instead I'm watching Revolutionary Girl Utena. If you've seen Slayers, what did you think? Is it worth watching the entire series?