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What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga)
What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was cool, something that was bad, ask for recommendations, or anything else you can think of.
If you want to, feel free to find the thing you're talking about and link to its pages on Anilist, MAL, or any other database you use!
I binged Avatar:the last airbender, and then watched first two seasons of Legend of Korea.
Avatar is undoubtedly one of the best ever, and LoK comes close, really really close. But what killed it for me is the seasonal arcs of villains and general lack of continuity between them.
Nevertheless, Avatar is forever green, and I am glad to have finally watched it.
I am by no means someone who is particularly interested in anime, but as of about two months ago, a friend of mine convinced me to give it a shot, as well as some recommendations. I'm not knowledgeable about anime in the slightest, so consider anything I say the opinion of a relative outsider.
Starting with Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma. I feel like suggesting this one first was an interesting decision. The gist of it is good chefs make good food, and if the food is good enough, the diner orgasms (food-gasms?). In a competitions, two chefs battle it out to make the judges rant about the chef's skills for longer. It's completely ridiculous and personally found it hilarious, although I imagine it probably doesn't help the reputation that I hear sometimes associated with anime about everything being sexualised to hell and back.
Next off was My Hero Academia. I found it pretty good, although from what I've heard, a lot of the things that happen are subversions of tropes in older anime, so I guess I'm missing out on that part. I don't have too much to say about it, but I had a fun time with it regardless.
I watched the dubbed version of Cowboy Bebop. This was one of the few that I watched without recommendation from someone else, and I'm really glad I watched it. It was very melancholy-feeling, and was a nice experience after going through several seasons of yelling. Out of all of the series that I have watched so far, this is probably the one I like the best.
After Bebop, I watched Darling in the Franxx. And while Food Wars plays off the nudity as humorous, Franxx takes itself really seriously, which left me a little more uncomfortable with the teenagers piloting mechs through the means of fucking each other doggystyle. Beyond that though, I thought it was pretty alright up until the end.
Minor Spoilers
I wasn't really sure how to take the protagonist's love interest (or daaaaaaarrrrling) turning into a massive unicorn spaceship, but I kinda spaced out at that point. I still think it's alright, but the ending isn't exactly the strongest.I did quite enjoy KonoSuba. It's a pretty funny parody (I think) of JRPGs. I think that the masochistic paladin bit was probably one of my favourite bits, although I think one thing that may be an issue is the tendency to reuse jokes. The mage passes out, the healer is incompetent, and the paladin gets horny when taking damage. And while these never seemed to me to be too overused, I think they might have the potential to be. Overall one I also quite enjoyed.
I watched a few episodes of One Piece. For whatever reason, it didn't particularly grab me, and I might have continued just for the sake of completion if not for the daunting 800 or so following episodes.
Next up is No Game No Life. It didn't exactly start out the strongest; I didn't find the first 1-2 episodes particularly appealing, but it gets better. One issue I have with the show is for whatever reason, I found it rather jarring whenever the characters suddenly switched between being dead serious and trying to be funny. I haven't really had this problem with any other series, so I'm not sure why it's an issue here. Another issue I had is the "don't worry, we've erased nipples and genitals, so it's technically not pedophilia. It just didn't strike me the right way. It's a decent enough series, but I don't really feel that strongly about it.
Finally, the most recent series I watched was the first season of Sword Art Online.
Minor Spoilers
I'll start off by saying I would have been perfectly content if the show had ended after they beat the first game. I didn't particularly hate the second half, although I probably could have done without the awkward cousin romance plot. However, I see that there are more seasons afterwards, and I don't feel particularly motivated to watch themAgain, I'm new to anime in general, so my experience before the last two months were limited to viewings of the movies Akira and Ghost in the Shell. Any other recommendations would be appreciated!
Welcome to the discourse. I guess what is recommended as the staple anime has been almost completely rotated out since I started. (And whoever gave you Darling in the Franxx gave you a dud.)
As far as stuff I liked that you might like, this is where the chart comes in handy. It's doesn't have the newest stuff on it, but the recommendations are still solid.
If Cowboy Bebop worked really well for you, you may want to try other shows by the director, Shinichirō Watanabe. His credits include Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Carole and Tuesday, and Space Dandy. All pretty good.
If you also liked the general idea of how Anime interprets superheroes, you might also want to look into One Punch Man by ONE. If you're more into how academia mixes with superpowers, try his other work, Mob Psycho 100.
Finally, if there was anything in Darling that jumped out of you, it was probably the work of Studio Trigger. If you want to get into their shows, I'd recommend Little Witch Academia to start off with, as it is the least horny of their shows but still retains a lot of their energy. (Trigger shows typically have a bit of an issue where everyone is horny for everybody else, and that can conflict with the genre they take on.) Their movie Promare is also horny, but the leads are unambiguously adults (and men) so it works a whole lot better.
I lied, one more, the best show I watched recently is "Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!" about three high school girls who want to animate and make short films, and goes into a lot of how Anime works, in production, in reception, why creators create and why fans are fans. Also the opening theme is a bop.
Thanks for the recommendations!
I'm not entirely sure what was the methodology behind getting suggested the anime that I did (although personally I think my friend suggested things that they had watched recently/liked better), but what would you consider a "staple anime"?
I hit the scene about 2013, so Bebop, Stein's:Gate, Madoka Magica and, HunterxHunter were in vogue, and Evangelion (when it was difficult to watch) and Death Note were the classics. What people were talking about was whatever was airing on Toonami, as opposed to now, where the stuff that's getting talked about is... also airing on Toonami.
Not this week but from last my time here.
Non-ongoing
Rewatched because of Ukrainian translation:
First time
Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu
If you look at a lot of anime movies or serial, this one will seem completely predictable to you, because it belongs to the numerical group of animes, where a couple connects under fireworks.
Thatʼs why I hoped that a story would touch me. But the story is not impressive, it even exposes unnecessary and unexplained coincidences, one of the most notable:
Minor spoiler
When the boy becomes a half-cat.Hello world
Such a combination of words is very familiar to programmers, but there is almost nothing programmatic here, except that it seems to you that you are reading someone elseʼs code, which is glued together anyway, and you have to sort it out, It is common for scientific inventions and time jumps, but it is difficult to understand here, because time jumps in such cases mostly become time holes. And all this is supported by the usual Jappanese «ganbare!».
The point is, there is a corporation that records everything. Itʼs not as bad as it usually is, because it just exists here. There is a very shy boy and an assertive girl who, as we know, «died» from lightning, so the «avatar» wants to return to her. The development of «love» is weak here, but easy and simple to watch. But when the rescue began — itʼs mess. Sometimes «memories-effects» are used here, but, in my opinion, itʼs not so good thing for movies, it is better to apply for TV series.
A lot of 3D graphics were used here. It looks normal, if not so colorful. But itʼs kinda «system», that means not real thing, so itʼs not terrible. Iʼm used to such graphics — I have experience with «animes» such as RWBY, so I have almost no problems.
Nihon Chinbotsu 2020
Itʼs very strange movie which remind me a movie Final Destination.
But itʼs not so good as them, sadly.
Wolfʼs Rain
Hard spoiler for OVAs
But this anime is better.Yes, OVAs (4 series) here are important for story. Sometimes a story is kinda little mess but not so bad. Itʼs about wolves which want unknown Paradise so badly that even I wanted to know or to be there. Atmosphere and pictures are good. I knowed about the anime a long time, I even listened many song (which are very good) many times from there but I dunno why I did not start early. Maybe itʼs mood but I started after the song at night. No regrets.
Lupin Sansei: Cagliostro no Shiro
I already whatched Lupin Sansei: Part 5 so I started this. I love light comedy, adventure, detective stories, even they are old but in good picture and music — they are here, because of Miyazaki.
Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa
And yes, itʼs also from Miyazaki. To be honest, I prefer Isao Takahata but anyway I just must finish this. Itʼs nice tale about peace.
Ongoings
For now I interesting or promised in
So I've been reading Space Brothers. I got the entire series as part of a humble bundle. I don't typically consume slice-of-life style manga but I must say I've really enjoyed this series so far. The characters fell like pretty real/normal people who happen to be going through interesting things in their lives.
It's nice for a low-key read.
Watched the first few episodes of Deca-Dance. That was sure a thing until it was something completely different. If you're at all interested I'd watch the first episode blind, but if you want my opinion, I do like the initial premise, and the second episode was able to keep my attention on character interaction alone.
Also watched the first few episodes of BNA, very much a Trigger show, but this new socially aware bend to their productions is interesting to see play out, since social issues are nuanced, and Trigger typically is... not.
Week 2 is here, and I've gotten farther along with getting started with the old stuff. I decided that I'm going to watch 1 episode a week even with the 20+ episode shows, since that is the way it was original shown and I want to try and stick with it. And just from the first episode of many of these 2010 shows, I think I'm gonna like this season. It feels different than previous seasons and without many currently airing shows to watch I have more time and less rush to finish the 2010 stuff.
2020 Summer Week 2
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! Ep 2
The various adventures of these two idiots is so much fun to watch. They just have this fun enjoyable relationship that grows over time that is great. The side characters are really what makes the show though. Side characters slowly encouraging them to get together, or just sitting on the sidelines watching and laughing at their antics.
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax! Ep 2
Something I’m noticing that I never did when I originally watched this show, I think. Is just how awkward many of the conversations end up feeling between characters. I’m guessing this is purposeful and supposed to be showing teen romance and stuff like that, but personally I hate it. It always feels like they do it to drag out content, why have characters come-out and say what they want when they can delay that conversation 3 more episodes?
The relationships between characters also don’t get me as excited at the moment compared to other romance shows. And I think it comes from being a harem. In some other modern romance shows I’ve watched or manga I’ve read, I was really excited and looking forward to the couple finally getting together. With this show, I know that when the main couple gets together multiple people are going to be emotionally hurt essentially and it lessens that excitement. Once again, I know the whole reason for this, but I can’t help but just not like it.
2010 Summer Week 2
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Ep 1
If anything, this feels like a super generic shounen action show. The first episode doesn’t do anything special or interesting really at all, just kinda works. As a whole thus far it doesn’t disappointment me massively, but I also haven’t fallen in love with it at all. I really don’t match the right audience for this show, so will be interesting to see how long I can stay vaguely interested in it.
I do like the OP and the ED though, they aren’t bad. And the ED art with the little chibi 2D characters are pretty cute, while the non-chibi stuff is simply fine. Visually the rest of the show I feel is actually a step above what I think of for 2010 and looks fairly good. The characters don’t seem too bad, and I can already see some of the various inter-personal conflicts that they are going to build and since it is a longer show they have plenty of time to develop nicely.
Amagami SS Ep 1
It has been many years since I last watched a show like this. A dating sim adaption in which they actually adapt each girls route in completion essentially. I actually really like the idea, instead of going the route where you try and shove all the girls into one big common route of some sort you get to explore each girl completely. At the same time, you please everybody so that everybody’s favorite girl ends up winning and all the girls get a good happy ending. Overall, I think I’m actually going to really enjoy watching this show over the next two seasons.
Cat Planet Cuties Ep 1
Of everything I possibly thought that this show could be, this is not it. I was expecting a normal harem ecchi show just like every other but with an alien. I wasn’t expecting literally every other character to be some form of secret agent or spy. And I wasn’t expecting it to open with a girl in combat armor assaulting a ship and having it blow up. But I am willing to work with the show and see where this goes, because I think it might have some potential. Just at the moment I’m not guaranteed that it will work.
The Tatami Galaxy Specials Ep 1
Well I decided I liked Tatami Galaxy to bother watching the Specials, and this was really strange. The group gathered around telling stories, and for some reason in this one the crew was out on a mission to destroy Octopus Ozu. I don’t really understand anything in it, was various people adding to the story randomly as it was told? But hey it was 7min long and I enjoyed it.
K, no one is posting to this. I want critical reviews of the first epsisode that you've watched for summer season. I'm talking Re:Zero s2, deca-dence, etc. I'll be seeing siblings again in a couple days and I need a new show to hook them on.
Your best bet is to travel the archives for @ThyMrMan 's posts since he's pretty regular on what he's following, otherwise I'd recommend checking out ANN or Anifem for their preview guides.
Unfortunately this isn't the season to look to me for airing shows because many of them just don't seem to appeal to me. I'm only going to be watching Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Uzaki-chan. Eventually I might watch ReZero, but I didn't love the first season and was more convinced/forced to watch it with friends so not watching it right away.
Disclaimer: I don't know what qualities you look for.
I watched one episode of Deca Dense and God of Highschool each.
Deca Dense was rather disappointing. Instead of 2D animation, they used cgi for all the major bits.
The framerate dropped noticeably in parts, and the premise was somewhat lacking.
Tower of Highschool was a lot better. The plot appears to be phenomenally stupid, but I loved the
animation in the first episode. The fighting that occurred had actual good choreography, and there was
just a lot of eye candy, despite the protagonist's eyes. I'm not going to get my hopes up though,
I feel like there will be a pretty big drop in animation quality later on, and the story can't hold it.
I watched like 15 min of Deca Dense and decided it wasn't the show for me and didn't even bother marking it as dropped. I just wasn't seeing anything in it that would keep me overly interested.
Tower I think I've read a couple chapters of the webtoon and than at some point just kinda dropped it. Guess it didn't hold my attention enough to actually keep up with it, though I don't remember why it didn't.
Deca Dense unravels a premise twist at the end of the first episode that it explores in episode 2, but if the characters aren't doing it for you now, it doesn't really affect their dynamic.
I just started on Netflix's BNA, and I really like it so far. I especially like the animation style -- it's a good combo of fun and artful -- and the plot is turning out to be pretty interesting so far. I started watching it because of some Fedi thread.
I tried to watch K-On but the oversexualization of 14-year-olds really threw me off. That's something that takes me out of the plot of those shows.
I’m currently “rewatching” Avatar: The Last Airbender (I day rewatching in quotes because I’ve seen bits and pieces of it when it was originally airing but I never sat down to watch the entire thing like I did with shows like Gravity Falls, Boku no Hero (which I need to get back to) and now this one).
Edit: I’m up to Book 1, Chapter 6