Well_known_bear's recent activity
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Comment on Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster released on Steam in ~games
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Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
Well_known_bear LinkOsaka University finds that plush toys feel cuter when held by someone. Study based on sample of around 400 Japanese and American people.Osaka University finds that plush toys feel cuter when held by someone.
Study based on sample of around 400 Japanese and American people.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentI read an interesting article the other day where a Kadokawa light novel editor-in-chief said that their main readership within Japan was in their 50s-60s, although he believed the overseas...I read an interesting article the other day where a Kadokawa light novel editor-in-chief said that their main readership within Japan was in their 50s-60s, although he believed the overseas audience was younger.
This came as a bit of a shock to me as a lot of light novel content is very shounen coded with mostly young characters (putting aside the recent 'middle aged guy protagonist' boom). I wonder how much the character age is a factor in terms of sales.
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Comment on Hisense TVs show ads during normal operation in ~tech
Well_known_bear Link ParentI own an LG TV and already block all of their domains via my router (I would jailbreak it too if I could!) Once they have my money for the TV, I am unconvinced that they have any incentive to push...I own an LG TV and already block all of their domains via my router (I would jailbreak it too if I could!) Once they have my money for the TV, I am unconvinced that they have any incentive to push anything to it which doesn't enshittify it.
You need only look at the remote control which has 6 large unreprogrammable buttons for 'services' to know what sort of people are running these companies.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear (edited )LinkBeen reading Asano Inio's current serial, MUJINA INTO THE DEEP. In a broad sense, it's a story about a dystopian near-future Japan in which the aging population has gotten out of control and...Been reading Asano Inio's current serial, MUJINA INTO THE DEEP.
In a broad sense, it's a story about a dystopian near-future Japan in which the aging population has gotten out of control and everyone over 85 is stripped of their human rights and moved to a containment area to die off. This opens the door to a whole class of people (Mujinas, literally 'badgers') who have for one reason or another renounced their 'human rights card' and become objects. Crimes against Mujinas are not judiciable, and by the same token, neither are crimes committed by them, leading to many of them becoming assassins, mercenaries and so on, but at the same time, the freedom afforded to them has given rise to an admiration for their 'rooftop culture' (named after the rooftops where Mujinas hang out to avoid being tracked by the surveillance which is now everywhere) which has spread among the younger population.
In practice, it's a bit of a weird mix between full blown action katana fights on rooftops and human drama / society commentary. The latter is the more compelling element, with a focus on the dregs of this awful society and the humans that exploit them (a bit reminiscent of Yamikin Ushijima-kun at times), including a plotline about the political origins of the Mujina that is clearly inspired by modern day news stories like the Epstein files.
If you can stomach the abundant sex, violence and just overall bleakness of the story, there's some compelling writing here. I really liked in particular the juxtaposition of the Mujinas and the 'human' characters (who frequently lead just as if not more miserable lives) and the contemplation of whether it's better to live as a cog within a society that provides for its participants but also demands that they continuously consume and sustain the system or essentially as an animal outside it.
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Comment on Khara releases Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th anniversary special on Youtube in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentThe bit at the start is just some manzai comedy for which the bowtie is commonly worn. I see this as just a silly bonus episode which breaks the fourth wall. Nothing about it is canon. The...What's the trope significance of the comedy duo with a bowtie? Is Shikinami supposed to be the comic foil while Sōryū is the straight man?
So I guess this means canonically, there's nothing romantic between Shikinami and poor Kensuke? Or simply not brought up to Sōryū?The bit at the start is just some manzai comedy for which the bowtie is commonly worn.
I see this as just a silly bonus episode which breaks the fourth wall. Nothing about it is canon.
Can folks who understand Japanese help me with her reaction to the dream about her mom praising her telling her she's a good girl and a genius? Seems a bit traumatic....
The different skits are each an attempt to find a way of being for her character that she can accept. In this case, she isn't convinced because she doesn't see herself in the way her mother describes.
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Khara releases Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th anniversary special on Youtube
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Comment on Andy Nguyen has successfully ported Linux to the PS5, running GTA 5 Enhanced with ray tracing in ~tech
Well_known_bear LinkImagine a future where Sony brought back Linux support for the PS6. There would be a kind of beautiful symmetry between duelling PS + Linux vs Xbox + Windows platforms. I expect the big winner in...Imagine a future where Sony brought back Linux support for the PS6. There would be a kind of beautiful symmetry between duelling PS + Linux vs Xbox + Windows platforms.
I expect the big winner in that situation would be Steam, though.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentI'm a fan of Asano Inio in general, and the first 2/3 of Oyasumi Punpun is arguably his best work (also quite liked Dead Dead Demons Dedededededestruction and Umibe no Onna no Ko), but the last...I'm a fan of Asano Inio in general, and the first 2/3 of Oyasumi Punpun is arguably his best work (also quite liked Dead Dead Demons Dedededededestruction and Umibe no Onna no Ko), but the last third leading into the ending didn't feel nearly as strong to me and is a bit of an orthogonal turn away from the mix of wonder and despair that made the first parts so good. Would be interested to hear what you think!
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Comment on Xbox confirms 'Project Helix', its next-gen console that will also play PC games in ~games
Well_known_bear LinkI'm curious as to whether MS will move towards keeping at least some of their games exclusive to Xbox now that Sony and Nintendo are both following that playbook. Creating a solid install base is...I'm curious as to whether MS will move towards keeping at least some of their games exclusive to Xbox now that Sony and Nintendo are both following that playbook. Creating a solid install base is going to be their top priority coming off their present situation.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentI enjoyed the cooking show. It's silly but wholesome and you can learn a bit of cooking if you follow along. Prisma Illya has some neat ideas but also a lot of fan service and awful episodes, so...I enjoyed the cooking show. It's silly but wholesome and you can learn a bit of cooking if you follow along.
Prisma Illya has some neat ideas but also a lot of fan service and awful episodes, so it's kind of difficult to recommend. The Sekka no Chikai movie (which is about Shirou and barely has Illya at all) is great though.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentBig fan of El-Melloi despite it absolutely not working as a detective show. The answer to every mystery is always literally 'a wizard did it'. The real appeal of the show definitely lies in...Big fan of El-Melloi despite it absolutely not working as a detective show. The answer to every mystery is always literally 'a wizard did it'. The real appeal of the show definitely lies in soaking up the Type-Moon-ness of it all.
Will you also be watching the less serious shows like Prisma Ilya and the cooking show?
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentSakura Quest is actually part of a larger series of PA Works shows about working (the so-called "Oshigoto series")! I enjoyed all of them, although Shirobako and Hanasaku Iroha are the clear...Sakura Quest is actually part of a larger series of PA Works shows about working (the so-called "Oshigoto series")! I enjoyed all of them, although Shirobako and Hanasaku Iroha are the clear standouts.
The shows are:
- Hanasaku Iroha
- Shirobako
- Sakura Quest
- Shiroi Suna no Aquatope
- Komada Jouryuujo e Youkoso (movie)
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Well_known_bear (edited )LinkBeen a rough week (for me and for the world at large too) which has left me in no mood to watch anime, but I was glad to see trailers for: Rilakkuma - Short anime about the well known bear will be...Been a rough week (for me and for the world at large too) which has left me in no mood to watch anime, but I was glad to see trailers for:
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Rilakkuma - Short anime about the well known bear will be done by Production IG of all studios. Looks very chill.
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Yuru Camp S4 - Possibly the best executed 4 girl slice of life show in history. Despite now also possibly being the longest running one, this trailer looks great (notwithstanding the change in production studio).
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Suikoden - It's actually Suikoden II on the inside. Probably won't actually watch this since I know the game, but I'm glad Konami is throwing its hat into making anime. It's apparently directly produced by Konami Animation.
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Comment on LLMs can unmask pseudonymous users at scale with surprising accuracy in ~tech
Well_known_bear LinkI do my best to use different usernames across platforms, but it sounds like this approach works by picking up on consistencies in personal details, connections and interests scattered here and...I do my best to use different usernames across platforms, but it sounds like this approach works by picking up on consistencies in personal details, connections and interests scattered here and there across the whole internet.
It's easy enough to say that you should just never share any kind of personal information online, but humans are social animals and it's in our nature to empathise and share anecdotes. If this is the new status quo that we have to bear in mind when posting anything online, it makes me wonder what sort of chilling effect it might have on online discussions in forums like ~talk.
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Comment on What is the One Piece? Eiichiro Oda has put an answer to paper and hidden it 651m under the ocean. in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentThat's fair. I feel like the long serialisation and all the elaborate backstories and theories really have me overthinking everything about this series!That's fair. I feel like the long serialisation and all the elaborate backstories and theories really have me overthinking everything about this series!
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Comment on What is the One Piece? Eiichiro Oda has put an answer to paper and hidden it 651m under the ocean. in ~anime
Well_known_bear Link ParentSure. My thinking was more that it feels odd to play up the 'we have the answers planned out in advance!' angle. I mean, that's what the readers have assumed all along (based on the author's own...Sure. My thinking was more that it feels odd to play up the 'we have the answers planned out in advance!' angle. I mean, that's what the readers have assumed all along (based on the author's own earlier comments), right?
I guess someone could dive down there and find out early...
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Comment on What is the One Piece? Eiichiro Oda has put an answer to paper and hidden it 651m under the ocean. in ~anime
Well_known_bear LinkMy gut reaction is that this feels like a bit of an unnecessary stunt. Oda has long maintained that he had a concrete idea of what the One Piece was from the outset, going as far as to confirm it...My gut reaction is that this feels like a bit of an unnecessary stunt.
Oda has long maintained that he had a concrete idea of what the One Piece was from the outset, going as far as to confirm it was an actual object and not just 'the friends we made along the way'. Where's the need for this kind of stage magician showmanship when it's about to be revealed in the manga anyway?
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Shigeru Miyamoto x Shigesato Itoi (1989)
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Well_known_bear LinkCastlevania: Symphony of the Night Went back to check out the original search action Castlevania after seeing the announcement about the new one. I've never been big into the series, but jumping...Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Went back to check out the original search action Castlevania after seeing the announcement about the new one.
I've never been big into the series, but jumping in at this point was easy enough after watching the Netflix show and a bunch of playthroughs of the older games on Game Center CX. Apart from some quality of life issues stemming from it being a PSX game, it still holds up really well.
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The pixel art has aged very gracefully and features all sorts of charming little details. Sparks fly off the walls when the elevator tears up the tower. A skeleton's head will bounce comically around on the floor after you shatter its body. A good portion of the items you can pick up appear to just be jokes, like shoes which just increase your height by a few pixels. In contrast, the polygonal effects look their age and stick out like a sore thumb.
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The usual Castlevania physics are here (plunging like a rock with nearly zero horizontal momentum, out of control knockbacks at the slightest touch, etc) but tolerable due to the lower than usual difficulty. Since you can level up and gear up, brute forcing your way through is often feasible, especially if you're using the busted holy water subweapon.
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The controls are a bit odd in that dash and shield are both on the face buttons (whereas they would normally be triggers in a modern game), but this is easy enough to remap for yourself. The only thing I couldn't ultimately get used to is that the dash is backwards - Alucard will backstep instead of dashing in the direction you input. I ended up just using the jump or shield 9 times out of 10 instead.
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If you die, you get sent right back to the title screen and have to go through the rigmarole of reading the memory card, loading your game again, etc. which would be unforgivable in a modern game. If you're playing on an emulator, though, you can easily get around this with save states.
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The voice acting in the English release is absolutely atrocious, but enjoyable in a period appropriate Resident Evil 1 kind of way.
I'm in the 'second map' now and plan to chip away at it a bit at a time.
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Big fan of the original game. I played the original (OK, strictly speaking, the Japanese "For the Sequel" re-release) on the 3DS and it was the closest I've ever come to feeling like I was playing a new 'classic' Final Fantasy game of the kind they used to make before FF7.
I've played both of the sequels and while the gameplay loop is still solid, I don't think either of the stories or gimmicks are as well executed as in this one.
For anyone else who loves this series and wants more while hanging out for Bravely Sword to maybe eventually come out, check out Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light on the DS. It's the progenitor to the Bravely Default series in all but name and has a very similar system and style of storytelling.