Manga/Anime You Read/Watch

[quote=lifebaka][quote=YayaFTW] Right now I'm gonna watch [url=http://myanimelist.net/anime/21561/Ryuugajou_Nanana_no_Maizoukin_(TV)]Ryuugajou Nanana no Maikouzin[/url] which seems entertaining, but I'm ready for the worst. [/quote] Biggest issue with that one is that it never went anywhere. Sure, things happen, but we open with guy promising to help girl with her problem and then never make any progress on that. Which is a problem, because that's the actual plot, and everything that does actually happen is merely subplot. I have a big problem with series that pull this nonsense, because they're failing at some of the most basic bits of storytelling. I understand why anime get created in this way (creative decision by committee makes it difficult to have a consistent creative direction, there has to be room for more seasons, etc.), but ultimately it results in intelligent and creative shows falling flat instead of shining. A giant portion of what this show could have been was squandered, and in the end it wasn't anything special. [quote=Latest Legend] [i]Rail Wars![/i]... [/quote] Having seen the second episode, I can honestly say that it appears highly mediocre. It's just... Not doing anything really original. There just doesn't feel like there's any real substance here, after you strip away the tropes and such. It's not bad, exactly, just... Uninspired. Which is why I'm unsurprised to find out that it's adapted from a light novel. [quote=Searz] Tokyo Ghoul is average. Akame ga Kill! is bad. They both suffer from the same problem honestly. They're trying to be dark, but handle the dark themes pretty poorly. [/quote] I don't know about the manga, but my experiences with the anime so far (one episode of [i]Akame ga Kill![/i] and two of [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i]) are kinda' the opposite. [i]Akame ga Kill![/i] is, as far as I can tell, the better of the two. Mostly this is because it spends faaaaaar less time shoving its dark themes in the audience's face than [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i] does. There's a little bit where it kinda' overplays its hand on "oh look at how terrible this is," but it also follows that scene up with a very sudden bit of revenge-violence; if it had belabored the decision to take revenge, it would've been a terrible sequence, but as is it's only kinda' poorly handled. [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i], on the other hand, has spent two episodes belaboring the fact that it wants to deal with dark themes. And rather than dealing with them and moving on, instead shoves the audience's face in them, as if it wasn't clear that the themes and such are dark. Because it thinks it needs to tell us that it's being dark, that the audience won't pick up on that, that if it doesn't strut around in those leather pants and black eyeliner no one will be able to see just how dark it is. Seriously, [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i] is getting really bad in its infantile handling of dark themes. It doesn't understand that it's not darkness that people react to, but contrast between darkness and light; terrible things by themselves end up being powerless, it's only if terrible things are put into context with lots of happier things that they have any real impact. These are, for example, why both [i]Madoka[/i] and [i]Fullmetal Alchemist[/i] are effective in dealing with dark themes. They don't spend too much time wallowing in darkness, like angsty teenagers, and have happy and light themes and sequences to contrast their darker elements. [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i] wants to be like that, but doesn't know how, and instead of really being dark is just ending up being [b]edgy[/b]. If you're truly interested in a show that seems like it's going to handle dark themes well, look no further than... [i]Zankyou no Terror[/i] was incredible. This came out of nowhere; I haven't seen people hyping this or anything, and then it goes and gives a masterful first impression. Animation is great, which makes the action and destruction scenes look really good. CGI in most of the shots with lots of individual moving parts, but well enough done that you might not notice it if you aren't looking. Overall, the art is beautiful. And the plot... It seems to be about Japanese domestic terrorists, so that's immediately interesting. There's also some weird stuff going on and a couple of badass main characters and young people going to and being at high school; I am so pumped to watch the rest of this show. This was just wow. Definitely a must-watch. [b]Official lifebaka Rating:[/b] [u]Watch this show[/u] / 10 [i]Majimoji Rurumo[/i] was all right. Supernatural comedy featuring a male lead who thinks about sex too much, light romance elements. Might turn out to be more of a romcom later, but I think it'll focus more on the supernatural stuff. Overall it's fairly well done, for what it is, which is to say that I don't think terribly much of it. Art style is nice, animation's good enough for a low-action series, and it's got a solid sense of pacing so that none of the jokes fall particularly flat. Still, it's a pretty niche sort of anime in the first place, so it's really only worth your time if you like this kind of silly comedy show. [b]Official lifebaka Rating:[/b] Shmeh / 10 [i]Persona 4 - The Golden Animation[/i] seems all right. This is hard for me to really judge objectively, because I've played the game on my Vita recently and have this problem where I remember things really well. So I can't help but compare it to the game, and that's gonna' cause me to be harsh on it. Still, there weren't too many problems. Mostly there were some issues with pacing, compressing stuff that takes like an hour of the opening bits of the game into a more digestible twenty minute episode. Plus they spent a bit much time on a meh action sequence where Yu gets his Persona, and they spent some time doing the first relationship level with Marie (spoiler alert, this is gonna' have something to do with her). There's also a minor issue with the tone being a little inconsistent, as some of Yu's actions feel a little silly without the context of them being a player-driven choice. Overall, the story was originally written for a much longer format, and it shows. I'll see how this goes. [b]Official lifebaka Rating:[/b] Not a replacement for the game / 10 [i]Rokujouma no Shinryakusha[/i] is pretty stupid. Harem comedy with a bunch of supernatural shit all crammed in: a ghost, a magical girl, people who live underground, and aliens. All girls, of course, plus a high-school-age female landlady and probably other girls at school, too. They do provide an amusing reason for at least the supernatural girls to be all over the guy, though; they all want the apartment he's in for some reason, so they have to get him to give it up. Episode 1 only sets this all up, with all the supernatural girls showing up all at once and demanding the room and silliness ensuing, but where this is headed seems pretty obvious. So... Pretty stupid, but exactly the kind of stupid that we watch anime for. Give it a go if you're into stupid harem comedies, this seems like a solid one. [b]Official lifebaka Rating:[/b] Harems are dangerous, kids / 10[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=Latest Legend] Well I've only watched 1 episode and read 2 chapters so far, so I can' say anything about the stereotypes yet. So far I think it's enjoyable though. I guess you're right about the fighting scenes being mindless garbage, they indeed contain nothing at all.[/quote] Oh it gets worse. Trust me, [b]it gets worse[/b]. [quote=Latest Legend] Don't worry, I'll even both of you out with my undying [s]fanboyism[/s] optimism.[/quote] ...Good luck with that. [quote=lifebaka] I don't know about the manga, but my experiences with the anime so far (one episode of [i]Akame ga Kill![/i] and two of [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i]) are kinda' the opposite. [i]Akame ga Kill![/i] is, as far as I can tell, the better of the two. Mostly this is because it spends faaaaaar less time shoving its dark themes in the audience's face than [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i] does. There's a little bit where it kinda' overplays its hand on "oh look at how terrible this is," but it also follows that scene up with a very sudden bit of revenge-violence; if it had belabored the decision to take revenge, it would've been a terrible sequence, but as is it's only kinda' poorly handled.[/quote] It gets so much worse. I'm not sure where the first episode ends, but I think it would be fairly safe that the anime does 2-3 chapters per episode. 10 chapters in (3-5episodes) there are a plethora of problems with it, most being glaringly obvious. I mean, when there's this clutz girl that can't even seem to fucking walk properly, but is somehow able to backflip and cut people into pieces when convenient then you know there's a problem. I'm seriously almost getting gag-reflexes at the stupidity. It tries to do so many things but fails completely at most of them. [quote][i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i], on the other hand, has spent two episodes belaboring the fact that it wants to deal with dark themes. And rather than dealing with them and moving on, instead shoves the audience's face in them, as if it wasn't clear that the themes and such are dark. Because it thinks it needs to tell us that it's being dark, that the audience won't pick up on that, that if it doesn't strut around in those leather pants and black eyeliner no one will be able to see just how dark it is. Seriously, [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i] is getting really bad in its infantile handling of dark themes. It doesn't understand that it's not darkness that people react to, but contrast between darkness and light; terrible things by themselves end up being powerless, it's only if terrible things are put into context with lots of happier things that they have any real impact. These are, for example, why both [i]Madoka[/i] and [i]Fullmetal Alchemist[/i] are effective in dealing with dark themes. They don't spend too much time wallowing in darkness, like angsty teenagers, and have happy and light themes and sequences to contrast their darker elements. [i]Tokyo Ghoul[/i] wants to be like that, but doesn't know how, and instead of really being dark is just ending up being [b]edgy[/b].[/quote] The anime adaptation might differ, but I thought that the manga at least had some redeeming qualities. I will say though that it certainly wasn't good. [quote][i]Zankyou no Terror[/i] was incredible.[/quote] The synopsis didn't particularly interest me, but I might give it a look when it's done (I don't follow stuff as it airs). Anything where they start with "In an alternate version of ..." gives me a bit of an allergic reaction.[/quote]

[quote=xIchi]Dropped Rail Wars 2nd episode at 0:30 I think. This series takes itself way too serieous (taken from the last episode) is super clicheéd, while not offering any interesting stuff. Oh and I think the plot is Oppai and Ass So to join lifabaka's raiting system: Oppai and Ass/10 AgK manga indeed goes thorugh the trouble of not going into the conflicts and themes it sets up, but it doesn't become horrible as Searz is trying to present it. Same for Tokyo Ghoul, this one actually becomse pretty good following into the later chapters. Here again I think Searz is looking too much into the 'darkness' of the show, because this theme will be dropped very soon. It will only be needed in the first few episodes to portray the MC's suffering as he turns into a Ghoul. What I like about both AgK and Tokyo Ghoul are actually the characters, again, the sterotypes in AgK aren't as distinct as Searz is presenting it. If you look at other MCs and other 'events' AgK and TG both offer more interesting developements. Btw, I am officially trying to make 'events' happen, as most animes rely on thoese events just like eroge games with their routes. Events like tripping and groping breast, get slapped and called pervert. Events like misunderstandings (boy goes into city with girl A cause she needed his help to choose a present for her little brother and then they meet girl B and she thinks those 2 are going out and proceeds to not listen and run away etc etc.)[/quote]

[quote=lifebaka][quote=Searz] The synopsis didn't particularly interest me, but I might give it a look when it's done (I don't follow stuff as it airs). Anything where they start with "In an alternate version of ..." gives me a bit of an allergic reaction. [/quote] Wow, the MAL synopsis is written really badly. The "In an alternate version of the present" line only means "THIS SHIT ISN'T REAL AND WE THINK YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW THAT". I blame Funimation for how bad it is. [url=http://anilist.co/anime/20661]The synopsis on AniList[/url] is better. Still, don't trust the synopsis. Sure, it explains what the show is about, but every single season there's a show that has a boring-sounding synopsis that ends up being pretty good (or, in this case, amazing). I'd never have watched half the shows I end up really enjoying if I wasn't dedicated to trying things out even if the synopsis doesn't immediately grab me. Although seriously, what isn't incredibly interesting about Japanese domestic terrorists? [quote=xIchi] So to join lifabaka's raiting system: Oppai and Ass/10 [/quote] The Official lifebaka Rating System[sup]TM[/sup] is the best rating system on the market. I recommend it for all your rating system needs. It also cures cancer! [quote=xIchi] Btw, I am officially trying to make 'events' happen, as most animes rely on thoese events just like eroge games with their routes. Events like tripping and groping breast, get slapped and called pervert. Events like misunderstandings (boy goes into city with girl A cause she needed his help to choose a present for her little brother and then they meet girl B and she thinks those 2 are going out and proceeds to not listen and run away etc etc.) [/quote] Liiiiiiiiiike, in real life? 'Cuz if so, that's a terrible idea. That shit only works 'cuz anime takes place in a fantasy world.[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=xIchi] Btw, I am officially trying to make 'events' happen, as most animes rely on thoese events just like eroge games with their routes. Events like tripping and groping breast, get slapped and called pervert. Events like misunderstandings (boy goes into city with girl A cause she needed his help to choose a present for her little brother and then they meet girl B and she thinks those 2 are going out and proceeds to not listen and run away etc etc.)[/quote] Plz post videos. @lifebaka Yeah, that's a lot better. Doesn't grab me, but makes it seem like it could be good.[/quote]

[quote=xIchi][quote=lifebaka] [quote=xIchi] Btw, I am officially trying to make 'events' happen, as most animes rely on thoese events just like eroge games with their routes. Events like tripping and groping breast, get slapped and called pervert. Events like misunderstandings (boy goes into city with girl A cause she needed his help to choose a present for her little brother and then they meet girl B and she thinks those 2 are going out and proceeds to not listen and run away etc etc.) [/quote] Liiiiiiiiiike, in real life? 'Cuz if so, that's a terrible idea. That shit only works 'cuz anime takes place in a fantasy world. [/quote] I did not mean it that way, lol. I meant the term as usable discussion term. Cause I hate those events. The video would be like this tho: 1. Go up to the girl you like / find attractive 2. Kick her down with a high kick 3. Even though I am so athletic, I did a high kick, I still stumble and fall onto her 4. Grab her boobs and keep groping them, while pretending to not know what I am touching 5. Slowy look down (obviously I have my eyes closed and when I open them I am looking up) just to realize I am groping her 6. Don't take my hands off until she slaps me and calls me a pervert. 7. ??? - part that otakus don't know cus they have 0 social skills or know anything about starting relationships 8. She starts to see my 'nice' sides aka. common sense 9. Profit[/quote]

[quote=Joxuu]I just realized Akame ga kill had only one episode out so far. It was OK, worth watching. Will be waiting for more episodes.[/quote]

[quote=Bryun]Need some more anime to watch, any recommendations? I'm currently watching these: HunterxHunter Fairy Tail Haikyu!! The Irregular at Magic High School Naruto Shippuden Glasslip Sword Art Online 2 Hamatora Akame ga Kill! -The new anime for this season are really lackluster =/ I tend to like shows with supernatural powers for some reason x_x[/quote]

[quote=XeresAce]start watching tokyo ghoul D: The two episodes that are out rn are pretty cool xD Oh and Psycho Pass s2 is gonna be out this fall, so you probably should watch s1 since it's pretty amazing. And the kara no kyoukai movies if you haven't yet :3[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=Bryun] Need some more anime to watch, any recommendations?[/quote] Nanatsu No Taizai? Haven't seen the anime, but the manga is pretty solid. Nothing special, but most of your mentions aren't all that good either, so it's probably right up your alley. Tokyo Ghoul probably isn't worth watching unless you really wanna see something dark and edgy.[/quote]