Sunday 27 August 2017

In This Corner of the World

Doing a little catching up on these, sorry that this isn't right after having seen the film.

In This corner of the world takes place in Hiroshima and Kure between 1933-1945.

I shouldn't need to say much more then that... we pretty much all know what happens in those time stamps in that place... however this film isn't really about that.

We follow Suzu from being an airheaded child who enjoys drawing and the occasional sweet to being an airheaded adult.  She ends up marrying a gentleman in the next town over and despite not being what is considered traditional wife material she does her best even though as the war drags on the rations get smaller.

Now i can't really talk about this film without spoilers... even though it's not really a spoiler since it's history... either way i'm just going to be frank about everything. If you want my opinion and nothing more then i enjoyed it, it's a cute bubbly film with some truly depressing undertones.

Possibly my favourite aspect of this film is the animation, the best word i can think to describe it is bubbly and happy.
These people are living their day to day life and dealing with a situation that for the most part is out of their control. Showing how they deal with Air raids the first time versus the tenth time is interesting. seeing how they made do with little to no supplies is interesting. seeing how these characters change from children without a care to adults dealing with a constant war is interesting. The whole theme of the film is no matter what life goes on.

However in the theater there was this constant feeling of dread as we go closer and closer to August 1945.
So when it happens... and the tone of the film only changes minorly... that's when i was personally thrown a bit off.
It treats the fact that the main character has pretty much lost all her family as a somber note but even just compared to something that happens earlier in the film it's not nearly as sad.
It shows her friend whom we know are dying of radiation poisoning as just a throw away line.
and then the last thing is does is both a complete 180 in tone that is like whiplash followed immediately by another 180 so we just go back to the happy bubbly stuff.

Now... I really did enjoy this film, but I certainly wasn't expecting a happy romp.

But in the end this isn't about the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it's about life going on and as far as that goes it is a really well made film.

I know it's still playing in theaters around me, I also know in the showing i saw there were only 8 people.... and 5 of us were a group of friends so... yeah maybe go support anime in cinema if you have the ability.

But yeah I enjoyed it even if it was not what I expected.

Saturday 26 August 2017

Fractale

I finished this a while ago but I was very sick and didn't feel up to writing a ramble.

So fractale is about a world where humans are free to live their existences through personas called Dopples. Clain however is a young boy who would rather play around with older tech and refuses to use a Dopple. One day during the daily prayer he spots a young nun running from some Sky bandits. After helping her escape he spends the day with her and is given a bead before she runs off. This bead contains a dopple who can not only interact with the real world but also distort the tech around her. Thanks to this Clain's life is thrown into chaos and he ends up being one of the most important people in deciding the fate of the world.

This show reminds me of a much happier/lighter version of Last Exile. Though unlike last exile it takes more of a middle ground route which i think helps it in some regards and hurts it in others. I almost wish it was two cours instead of one just so things like dopples, data drug, the church could be explained because once we get into the story those things exist but are not the main focus (well the church is kinda sorta)

Also if you do plan on watching the show don't look at the promotional art... there is one major detail difference between the promo art and show and i think it's to hide a spoiler.

The good:
Art, animation and music are all really well done, the intro song is still stuck in my head.

The not so good:
Pacing is a bit slow which is disappointing considering how much goes unexplained.

The bad:
The conclusion left something to be desired for me but the rest of the show is worth a watch.

You can watch Fractale over on Chrunchyroll! 

Alright i have a few movies i have to write about and another show and then its back to doing these right after i finish the thing in question!

Friday 4 August 2017

First Impressions: Summer 2017

As the temperature begins to climb it's time for yet another new season of anime.

So lets start this song and dance and hopefully there will be some good shows to talk about.
but first.

Ground rules


1. I will TRY to give every show on Crunchyroll and Daisuki (which actually announced it would be closing down come september so that is a little disappointing) a chance but that doesn't mean i am obligated to watch a full episode. If i stop early i will give a time stamp and reason for stopping. I will not be looking at shows on Netflix or Amazon's anime Strike because the former won't simulcast and the latter doesn't understand that 16 bucks a month for anime is ridiculous.

2. No shows that are under 20 minutes in length, i don't like waiting a whole week for a 3 min gag. there are some exceptions but it's rare.

3. No shows with Brother, Sister, Father or Mother in the title... too often it goes into incest... which i really do not like.

4. If the show is a second season of a show i didn't watch before I'm not going to talk about it here.

5. No card game shows, i may give them a chance but they really aren't my thing.

6. All opinions are my own and based solely on what i have seen. I tend to go into these shows completely blind. If i don't enjoy the show after 1 episode or even quit out of an episode early I'm not saying the show is bad... just that i didn't enjoy it.

Returning Shows.

My Hero Academia

The second season continues as we follow the fledgling heroes on their internships. I am glad the tournament arc was short and sweet since it's my least favourite aspect of Shonen anime. This show continues to be wonderful and I'm looking forward to more and hoping it doesn't get stupid down the road.

New Shows

Hina Logic - from Luck & Logic

I swear there was another show called "Luck & Logic" I honestly have no idea if the two are connected but based on the title i assume they are?
According to MAL they are... it's like a spin off or something?
Yeah it seems like your typical Moe school show with magical powers of some sort, i don't remember what luck and logic was about but i know i watched an episode... I'm not wasting my time on this cutesy fluff that seems to insist on it's establishing shots being at skirt level.


Fox Spirit Matchmaker

UH... so it's a gag anime about reincarnation with really choppy animation.... I was hoping this would be the one to get me to watch something by this company but i don't think I can stomach it.

A Centaur's Life

....
*it opens on a centaur kissing a succubus devil girl person*
Maybe I'm just too old for this shit?
Ok but seriously... we are thrown in with nothing.... just here are two humanoid monster girls kissing cause a guy demon dude tricked the centaur into doing it.
Who are these people? why am i supposed to give a shit. apparently he was the one supposed to be kissed but even then I'm supposed to find this sexual harassment funny?
In the end, it's just another moe show (though with monster people and yuri themes i guess) and I'm going to have to pass...
Please let the season get better from here....

Restaurant to Another World

Well this one starts with suwabe so.. it can't be that bad. (also once again knowing it's him right away makes me so happy... i practised a long time to be able to pick out his voice.)
You want to see food animated in stunning quality? this show is for you.
the first half was a bit... plot less but the second half was intriguing enough where i think I'll give it a few more episodes.
It'll probably continue to be an episodic show about creatures from another world enjoying this restaurant and the demon girl working part time.
but yeah you know all those anime girls eating food gifs that have been around? this will possibly add more (even though the way they are eating isn't too over the top.... well the dragon licking stew out of a big pot was a bit over the top by i digress)
Enjoyed what i saw, we'll see if it continued to be good.


SAIYUKI RELOAD BLAST

I guess this may be more accurate to put in the Returning shows section? but I'm putting it here.... cause even though i saw a lot (maybe even all?) of the original runs of Saiyuki.... i don't remember a damn thing about it
well other then the little dragon... it can turn into a jeep....
yeah the rest is a haze... though i remember enjoying it enough i guess?
I will say i really hate this trend of using camera techniques in anime... extremely shallow depth of field, focus atmospheric perspective... it's just unnatural looking when animated.
everything else is fine, it's just a very bloody time but at least they seem to me on thier way? (i think it's an ongoing joke that they will never actually make it?) but yeah i'll probably keep watching since i don't think i'll have much to watch this season at this rate.

Knight's & Magic

*twitches at the title*
Horrible grammar aside... this is yet another story of a young nerd dying and being sent to a magical fantasy world....
only so far unlike the others it doesn't seem like he was sent back as himself but instead as a young boy..... and so far no harm of loli girls so.... maybe they will actually be good.
Anyways ignoring the fact that he has essentially killed the consciousness of the soul of the child that was in that body before he vows to grow up and becom a knight runner (the closest thing the nerd could ever do to becoming a mach pilot)
I will say that this one episode has like... half a seasons worth of plot... still i think it could be an interesting sit. Ernesti, despite his new consciousness loving Robots/Knights he is simply too small to pilot one.... while advancing through the grades faster then any student he can't help his physical limitation and works hard to change how the knights are made.
I hope it continues to be entertaining.


Katsugeki TOUKEN RANBU

Another anime based off that mobile game?
well i couldn't get into the other one (hanamura) cause it was so damn cutesy and pointless but this one looks a bit darker (both actually darker and metaphorically darker) so lets see.
The plot seems the same. there is an army trying to re-write history, these personifies weapons go to stop them.
The animation is odd.... like it's mostly 3d but you'll have the occasional 2d image and they just don't mesh... that or it's all 3d and some bit are just far flatter then others.
Either way this show still seems like a glorified history lesson with very pretty character design.... but i still don't care so pass.

Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun

It's a soccer anime about a clean freak... cause when i think soccer i think clean... not grass stains and slides and sweat... (actually i think about the first time i played soccer how badly i twisted my ankle... but i digress)
This reminds me of that sakamoto anime where the dude was perfect... I don't get the appeal of these kinds of shows.
And i'm sorry someone with his level of Germaphobia wouldn't leave the house... let alone play a team sport. (had the pickes something solitary like Track maybe I would have bought it but this is just insufferable)

Elegant Yokai Apartment Life

It's like Maison Ikoku but all the tenants are yokai (minus the main)
needless to say this was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it so far. I hope it continues to be a fun cute episodic show about living with yokai in harmony...
Also i watched the second episode and we learn that the ordinary human may not be so ordinary after all... I think i'm going to have a good time.

Tsuredure Children

Hmm... children isn't one of my banned words...
oh it's only 12 mins long so i think i'll be able to pass this one. It doesn't seem like a bad show, just dealing with highschool drama type things... but I don't like waiting week to week for half a show.

AHO-GIRL

oh thank god this is another 12 min show... i don't know if i could stand a show litterally called Idiot girl.
Like she's stupid... and eats bananas..... thats the joke...

Netsuzou Trap -NTR-

a show that isn't behind a paywall for a week?
well it's only 9 minutes and literally starts with a girl trying to reach up another girls skirt despite her being uncomfortable.
Japan.... seriously... get your shit together.

Fastest Finger First

It's an anime about quizzes....
like not the sit down in class type of quiz... the how much random bullshit do you just happen to know kind of quiz.
So yeah it's a sports anime about quizes... it seems fine but it's not really what i enjoy.

Convenience Store Boy Friends

Do... convenient stores in japan need advertising? Cause all the ones i went to were doing really well...
Anyways it's a story about highschool drama (mostly concerning relationships) but the convenience store is like a focal point since everyone passes it on the way to school.
The character design is realyl nice but the animation is stiff and flat... and in the first episode they didn't focus enough to try and make me care about the characters they introduced... hell half of them are montages. perhaps it could be good but right now it just seems like shoujo fluff trying to convince people that convenience stores are just the best.... and to be fair they are a life saver in japan so i don't get why they have a show focusing on that.... i was kinda hoping it would be like "WORKING!" but no... these are just students who happen to pass by this place a few times a day.

18if

apparently this is based off a game.
... the dude is wearing a speedo that talks out of the crotch.....
well.... at least i can pinpoint that this is the WTF show of the season cause... seriously wtf.
Also i can't complain about the last show having flat stiff animation cause this one is far far worse.
I would love to give a summary of what it's about but uh.... dreams? and witches i guess? witches dreaming?
Look if this show isn't trying make sense i'm not going to try and validate it.


CHRONOS RULER

CG in anime has come a long way..... it still looks pretty strange but hey... it's getting better I guess?
So it's a serious anime about humans making contracts with demons and having their time stolen... those demons are fought by two men who can control the flow of time. they can't go back into the past or into the future but they can change the current flow.
and for some reason they are the comic relif?
I think this is a really cool concept but it just kinda falls flat... it's not like sad situations can't be done well with humor... Crono Crusade did a decent job of it (at least i remember it working despite the incredibly sad undertone of the story... perhaps this is just trying to hard? I may give it another episode but something tell me i'm done.

Angel's 3Piece!

*looks at the promo art* . . . i don't wanna...
no you don't understand.... the whole Moe girl band thing leaves such a sour taste in my mouth... but lets try to not judge a book by it's cover right?
Shut in youtube musician gets called out by someone claiming to like his music... only it's 3 ten year old orphans... they want his help putting on a concert in the church they live in.
At first i was like "hey this isn't bad... it's a fairly innocent in it's concept"
but then the shit started to pile up.
1. for whatever reason the anime wanted to frame these 10 year old girls in skirt length shots and close ups of their lips. eventually they added knee camera shots as well.... not uncommon for anime but really fucking creepy when the characters are literally 10.
2. he goes to the church and these girls just happen to have/know how to play some expensive vintage musical equipment. first off lets forget that these instruments are sized for adults and not freakishly small people... where the hell did they learn how to do all that?
3. literally the last line of the show is "if you help us out I'll let you touch me a little"
JAPAN..... wtf.... like i get that next episode she'll probably clarify to say "I'll let you pat me on the head" (or at least that's what i hope cause dammit japan that is gross) but considering the sexual nature this show is framing these children in it's really fucking creepy...
this is just a new low... just so incredibly gross.
at one episode i think this is one of the worst anime i have ever seen... right up there with school days and amnesia.


In Another World With My Smartphone

Another show where i dude is killed and sent to another world... but this one is different because he has a smartphone... sure he can't call people from his original world but he can talk to god on it...
no seriously.
and unlike the other died and sent to another world anime this season... this one has a harem of moe same faced girls with only different eyes colour and hair to tell them apart... (even has twins and a walleyed girl)
Ok it's a little funny that this kind damn near literally has god-mode enabled.... still the titular smartphone has barely been used.
It's a sent to another world show with a comedy spin (and a harem) so if that sounds like a good time then you'll probably enjoy this... I've seen worse.
I wont be continuing personally.

MAGICAL CIRCLE GURU-GURU

wait this is a new show? when crunchy announced it i thought it was a catalogue title...
I'm getting a... Kadocha vibe... like there is no actually connection (as far as i can see) but the feeling is there.
I did find out that is is based off an older show (not surprising at all.)
I am loving the mix of game would and anime.... or how the characters randomly go 8 bit.
It's very cute but it's a little too goofy for me. still seems like a fun and cute spoof on the child heroes in so many JRPGS

Classroom of the Elite

A school with 100% employment and college entrance rate is truly a prized things. To attend this school of the Elite students must follow certain rules.
1. they must live in the dorm.
2. they will not have much contact with the outside world but this school provides everything on campus from food to clothing to entertainment.
3. They will have no money but instead be allotted 100 000 points at the start of each month (a point is equivalent to 1 yen)
This government run facility seems almost too good to be true.
so no surprise when that's exactly the case.
It's a neat concept... i was almost expecting a more... danganronpa approach but i think that may have been too obvious... my biggest issue is that none of the characters are like able yet
the main character's trait is that he is dull and melancholy... may give it another episode but honestly not very impressed with this first one.

My First Girlfriend is a Gal

Starting off with a censored panty shot.... classy
Look you wanna watch a good show featuring "Gals" Super Gals is pretty darn good.
This is just a bunch of busty women providing fanservice... the first episode is called "my first time begging for it" it's just... a little gross and a whole lot of objectifying.
Also.... I doubt there's that much PDA in japanese high schools.... theres not even that much in North american ones...
it's not like the main character likes anyone... he just wants to lose his virginity... and considering how 'Gals' are viewed in japan... yeah this show is just all kinds of gross. Pass pass pass. (not to mention as i was closing the viewer they were talking about forcing themselves on the character that looks like a child simply because she looked young.... )

The Irresponsible Galaxy Tylor

oh good it's a 3 minute show... It's a spinoff of Irresponsible Captain tylor... a show i haven't seen but have heard good things about (it's quite old)
anyways i avoid three minute shows... though i will note this seems to be getting a lot of hate in the comments and on MAL... seems like the show ended on a cliffhanger and this is not what people were hoping for.

Ikemen Sengoku: Bromances Across Time

....bromances....
bro... mances....
oh thank god it's a short show...
it's also fully CG and perma chibi... except the into... I'm guessing they are based off a game or something.

Nora, Princess, and Stray Cat

Short Gag show about a human turned into cat by princess of the underworld... but yeah pass since it's only 3 mins. (a min of that is intro song too)

GAMERS!

What do you do when the most popular pretty perfect girl in school talks to you, a normal average nerd who enjoys the company of 2d characters a bit too much, in the middle of a game store.
Why you freak out of course...
And when that same pretty perfect girl tells you she's revived the gaming club and wants you to be a member?
Freak out more!
SO this is a rom com about a gaming club.... and honestly when i saw the title i was dreading it a little. However it was incredibly sweet AND it's really refreshing seeing characters who are nerd be portrayed as fairly normal... they aren't slobs and they aren't being gross towards others... they are just gaming and trying to share that passion with each other.
I'm hoping to keep up with this one as it got a few big laughs out of me.

The Reflection

It's a story where people suddenly gained super powers. some becoming heroes... some villains... The unique thing about it is how it's animated. Because the lines are think and the colouring is fairly flat it gives the appearance of a moving comic book (not nearly as detailed as some current comic books but if you saw you would understand what i mean. The use of colour is interesting and because the animation is 'simplistic' in rendering you get some really neat angle and fluid fight scenes.
However... this first episode was really boring so no matter how cool the art style is i don't think I'll continue.... I like the almost simple rotoscoped style but not enough to continue. I'm seeing a lot of people mentioning it looks cheap, it does but i think it's an interested attempt at something new.
....... Stan lee does the narration for the next episode bit.... ok didn't expect that.....
but yeah not a bad show just not my cup of tea.

And yeah... looks like 4 weeks into the new season that's all I'm going to get my hands on.

I would love to watch the shows on amazon but.... IBM not paying that ridiculous price for a handful of shows i may or may not like.

I think this season is going to be pretty good, My hero Academia is really enjoyable and the surprise of Gamers is a pleasant one.

With Sony having purchased a large portion of funimation hopefully this gives them the power to stop amazon and netflix from scooping all the hyped up shows (especially since the latter wont even simulcast) and i just hope we continue to have access to some great anime.

Also sorry this took so long to post, i was waiting for crunchyroll to announce any stragglers but they haven't so i figured this is the best time to post.

What are the shows you are enjoying this season? or perhaps there are some backlog shows you are catching up on (mine right now is Fractale). Let me know in the comments!