The Anime Thread- Summer 2015

[Boxx93]

I just watched the Dissapearence of Haruhi Suzumiya, the theatrical sequel to the Haruhi seires and HOLY SHIT!!!

 

Very few times a theatrical movie adaptation of a TV show can surpass the quality of the TV show itself, an I do mean very few times. This is one of them.

 

The entire Melancholy series was a build up to the Disappearence movie, and boy did it pay off. The playful tone of the show was toned down alot to make a strong contrast to a world without Haruhi and therefore the movie became more mature. All the characters from the show are given major development (Especially Yuki Nagato and Kyon), the story execution was fantastic, the animation was also fantastic, and all the little details from the show are connected here in many brilliant ways. And Nagato having emotions was the highlight of the movie for me.

 

It almost makes me want to forgive Kyoto Animation for Endless Eight (I wont)

 

Anyway, I loved the movie and I highly recommend it.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Boxx93

[Infernus]

Compelled by Erased, I started watching, and finished, the Stein's Gate series, including the special, in the past week. Wow. Really really good. The story and the characters were all perfect. The story was confusing at the start, very confusing the first 2-3 eps, but the desire to get answers and the intriguing quirkyness kept me going. And man am I thanful for that! Starting from ep 12, I was taken in into one of the best and most intense rides ever. A great surprise was that I was expecting a pure sci-fi with a great story but the show turned out to be highly character-based too. And the great thing was that I loved every single character. The last 5 episodes were specially awesome and intense. After a long time (I think the first time since Grave of The fireflies which I watched last to last year), I actually cried watching something. I kept holding back my tears, as I often do, but it kept firing me with the feels until I had to let go ....

 

At parts I did feel like asking for a little more explanation (it is based on a Visual Novel and cuts some parts leading to a few things not getting clear even after the end, but on searching a little, after completing, I got answers to a few remaining questions on the net, and I think a lot of things will get clearer on rewatching) and a few parts may feel a little melodramatic for a Sci-Fi (but the great characters and the fact that these parts still remain consistent with the characters, does not let these moments take away anything from your enjoyment), but overall I'd the rate the show as among the finest.

 

One important thing to note is that this contains lots of Chekhov guns and thus really merits a rewatch and although I only rewatched the first episode (for now) it was enough to show this is gonna get even better on a rewatch. I'll give it a 9-9.5 for now but I think a rewatch may get this to a perfect 10, as I spot more Chekhov's guns (which is always cool) and as things become more clear.

 

P.S. A tip I'd give to anyone planning to watch this, for a clearer understanding of all thats happening, is to keep a pen and copy with you for the last 12 episodes and keep making a brief timeline to keep track of what happened when and what day its now (and this should be really easy since you'll get time correct to the centisecond before most scenes). I myself didnt do this and it got quite difficult for me to keep track of these things. So I'd advise doing this for a more complete, and easier, enjoyment. 

 

I hope though that this doesnt make it seem like this anime's going to be a chore to get through. You may not do this and will still enjoy the show. This is only if you want to get a clearer understanding of all that is happening.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Infernus

[eXtacy]

4 hours ago, Infernus said:

Compelled by Erased, I started watching, and finished, the Stein's Gate series, including the special, in the past week. Wow. Really really good. The story and the characters were all perfect. The story was confusing at the start, very confusing the first 2-3 eps, but the desire to get answers and the intriguing quirkyness kept me going. And man am I thanful for that! Starting from ep 12, I was taken in into one of the best and most intense rides ever. A great surprise was that I was expecting a pure sci-fi with a great story but the show turned out to be highly character-based too. And the great thing was that I loved every single character. The last 5 episodes were specially awesome and intense. After a long time (I think the first time since Grave of The fireflies which I watched last to last year), I actually cried watching something. I kept holding back my tears, as I often do, but it kept firing me with the feels until I had to let go ....

 

At parts I did feel like asking for a little more explanation (it is based on a Visual Novel and cuts some parts leading to a few things not getting clear even after the end, but on searching a little, after completing, I got answers to a few remaining questions on the net, and I think a lot of things will get clearer on rewatching) and a few parts may feel a little melodramatic for a Sci-Fi (but the great characters and the fact that these parts still remain consistent with the characters, does not let these moments take away anything from your enjoyment), but overall I'd the rate the show as among the finest.

 

One important thing to note is that this contains lots of Chekhov guns and thus really merits a rewatch and although I only rewatched the first episode (for now) it was enough to show this is gonna get even better on a rewatch. I'll give it a 9-9.5 for now but I think a rewatch may get this to a perfect 10, as I spot more Chekhov's guns (which is always cool) and as things become more clear.

 

P.S. A tip I'd give to anyone planning to watch this, for a clearer understanding of all thats happening, is to keep a pen and copy with you for the last 12 episodes and keep making a brief timeline to keep track of what happened when and what day its now (and this should be really easy since you'll get time correct to the centisecond before most scenes). I myself didnt do this and it got quite difficult for mebto keep track of these things. So I'd advise doung this for a more complete, and easier, enjoyment. 

 

I hope though that this doesnt make it seem like this anime's going to be a chore to get through. You may not do this and will still enjoy the show. This is only if you want to get a clearer understanding of all that is happening.

 

I like Steins Gate mostly because it does time travel properly avoiding all paradox's by having the main character switch timelines/universes. Its got a fantastic cast of characters and especially the English dub is great, which makes it such an easy watch because it is dialogue heavy. It did start of slow. Matter of fact I watched the first episode and did not like it (because it was confusing and bit boring) - shelved it for half a year then came back and gave it another go. Was a good choice because it hits its strides several episodes in. Until then the humor is what kept me going before story kicked into high gear. One of my favorite anime and  considered one of the best of all time (ranked #2 on MAL only behind Full-metal Alchemist Brotherhood).

Edited February 7, 2016 by eXtacy

[Infernus]

13 hours ago, eXtacy said:

 

I like Steins Gate mostly because it does time travel properly avoiding all paradox's by having the main character switch timelines/universes. Its got a fantastic cast of characters and especially the English dub is great, which makes it such an easy watch because it is dialogue heavy. It did start of slow. Matter of fact I watched the first episode and did not like it (because it was confusing and bit boring) - shelved it for half a year then came back and gave it another go. Was a good choice because it hits its strides several episodes in. Until then the humor is what kept me going before story kicked into high gear. One of my favorite anime and  considered one of the best of all time (ranked #2 on MAL only behind Full-metal Alchemist Brotherhood).

 

I only saw the Sub version. Is the english Dub really good? Coz some of the most funny parts were those where Okabe tried to speak English, wouldn't that humour be absent in the Dub version?

 

And yeah I agree, I too loved the way they handled Time Travel. Both the D-mails and Time Leap were highly unique and interesting concepts and the butterfly effect was portrayed very well too. 

Edited February 8, 2016 by Infernus

[eXtacy]

31 minutes ago, Infernus said:

 

I only saw the Sub version. Is the english Dub really good? Coz some of the most funny parts were those where Okabe tried to speak English, wouldn't that humour be absent in the Dub version?

 

And yeah I agree that I loved the way they handled Time Travel. Both the D-mails and Time Leap were highly unique and interesting concepts and the butterfly effect was portrayed very well too. 

 

Yes the dub is that good. I have not watched the sub version

Edited February 8, 2016 by eXtacy

[SchumacherFTW]

Just caught up on Erased, this show is absolutely brilliant thus far! Loving it! 

[CelestialFairyIX]

What are your guys' thoughts on Grimgal so far?  I actually like how the show focuses on aspects that other anime in its genre wouldn't generally go in depth into.  The animation has been simply stunning, the score and music is quite divine and would love for them to release a soundtrack so I can practice how to play some of the songs, the first few episodes have been really compelling, and I'm starting to fall in love with the characters.  Of course, I am the type of person who says they like a show and ditches it once something ire that I truly despise occurs (A.K.A. Attack on Titans)... buuut I usually come back just in case! Haha!  

[eXtacy]

On 15/2/2016 at 7:22 AM, CelestialFairyIX said:

What are your guys' thoughts on Grimgal so far?  I actually like how the show focuses on aspects that other anime in its genre wouldn't generally go in depth into.  The animation has been simply stunning, the score and music is quite divine and would love for them to release a soundtrack so I can practice how to play some of the songs, the first few episodes have been really compelling, and I'm starting to fall in love with the characters.  Of course, I am the type of person who says they like a show and ditches it once something ire that I truly despise occurs (A.K.A. Attack on Titans)... buuut I usually come back just in case! Haha!  

 

I really like it. A lot of people say its slow but for me the characters feel real and that gets me quite invested.

[Infernus]

Completed watching Zankyou No Terror (Terror in Resonance) this past week. Really good. It had a great fast paced story, well-created and developing characters, an intriguing sense of mystery throughout and a genuinely great OST. For just an 11 episode anime it has quite some characters and sub-plots but each of those beautifully converge near the end to bring forward a great story. A few characters and their actions/motives might seem unrealistic and a major character's worth to the story may be questionable at first glance but a deeper thinking of the situation and the pasts and their effects on each other would show you otherwise. The anime is small, just 11 episodes long and still has a clearly conclusive end so I'll definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a complete story in a quick watch. All in all a great show. 8.5-9/10

Edited February 24, 2016 by Infernus

[SchumacherFTW]

Just finished watching the Date A Live movie, and while it was fun enough, it would have worked better as an extension of the second season. I've seen 5 anime theatrical adaptations so far, 2 have worked (K-ON, Psycho Pass), 1 was OK (Fairy Tail) and 2 were pretty disappointing (Date a Live and the turd that was the Love Live movie). Seems like they either don't generally dedicate enough resources to crafting an interesting story, and just cruise by on fan service and good will for the most part. 

[Boxx93]

I finished watching 2 anime series recently: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and Fate/Zero

 

In the case of Fullmetal Alchemist I really liked it. It was a very good balance of Comedy and Drama with some really good action sequences. Even though the anime drags a few parts here and there, when shit goes down, it really goes down. I liked all the characters (Roy Mustang is a fucking badass!!!) and the story and mithology of Alchemy was very well executed. The movie "Sacred Star of Milos" was also a really entertaning story with also great action sequences (especially the last fight between Ashely and Julia Crichton) but the animation style thew me off. Overall its an 8 out of 10 for me.

 

Now with Fate/Zero. Boy, I fucking love this anime. I know there is two Fate/Stay Night adaptation witch are the sequel to this story, but I decided to watch this first in order to keep the tension throughout the series not knowing who lives and who dies in Fate/Stay Night. And boy did it work. The whole thing is essentially a Battle Royale between Magus and the Church for the Holy Grail and 7 Masters who summons 7 Servants through some sort of magical circle must fight for it. What I really loved about this series is that it does not have a clear main character and not all of the players are 100% good or bad and therefore you dont really know who is gonna win at the end (unless you have watched Stay Night I suppose). Everyone has a motivation for having the Grail and everyone has different views about Good and Evil so the conversations between the characters become a clash of Ideologies. In many ways this show reminds me alot of Game Of Thrones, except that this one has very little profanity and nudity. Rider, Saber and Lancer are the standouts, Gilgamesh while being kind of an asshole, its the fun kind of asshole. All OPs and EDs are great. The animation of the fight scenes are absolutely spectacular to watch, the chorus of the Soundtrack is incredibly epic and it gets you pumped for the fights. The twist and turns the story takes are unpredictable and exciting (again, I have not watched Stay Night yet) and the way the show ends is also brilliant because it stays true to the characters motivations set out before, and its also surprisingly very hopeful considering the outcome of the Fourth Holy Grail War, its just brilliant. I know the first episode is a 40 minute info drop out but it was necessary to understand a few this that happens later on the show. AND NO HIGH SCHOOL SETTING IS A PLUS!!!!!!

 

Anyway, I absolutely loved Fate/Zero and its the first flat out 10 out of 10 I have ever given to an Anime.

[Boxx93]

Ok I just finish watching both versions of the Fate/Stay Night story (Deen and Ufotable).

 

Lets start with the 2006 one. At first I was really enjoying it, maybe because I was still hyped up for Fate/Zero, but as the series went on it just kept falling apart. The Main Character, Shirou is just a whiny little bitch that I just cant stand watching, every single decision he makes just makes every single situation worse both for him and his allies. His relationship with Saber was really akward and his way of thinking is simply idiotic. "People die when they are killed"... yes, he fucking said that. The only saving grace of this turd is Rin Toshaka who sadly gets very little developement whatsoever. Saber herself who I really loved in Fate/Zero gets her character ruined in this series. No one else stands out. The animation is pretty average at best. The first OP is nice though. And of course the ending is complete and absolute bullshit. I hate it when series like these start very well and then they crash hard.

 

5,5/10

 

Now with Unlimited Blade Works, I had hopes after the shit that was the Deen version because the people who worked in Fate Zero worked on this remake too. And Thank god for that. The very first episode is a version of the first couple of episodes of the original version from the perspective of Rin in 40 minutes, already loved that because Rin is my favorite character of the original, other thing that pleased me is that this time Rin gets WAY more character development in this version. Then the next episode is another 40 minutes of the same episode from the perspective of Shirou. Props to Ufotable for making him a much better character this time around. Now, the rest of the series is not the Battle Royale that Zero was with the Holy Grail but more about the personal Journey of our Heroes: Shirou and Rin (they make a very lovely couple BTW) and I am OK with that, this series didn`t needed to be better than Fate Zero, It just needed to be good on its own. The other characters this time around where much better developed (especially Caster and Rider) except Sakura who sadly still gets the shaft in this franchise, one of the minor flaws of this series. About the animation....MY GOD THE ANIMATION IS FUCKING ORGASMIC. Those fight scenes, those 360 shots, man. Now I know why this show is nicknamed Unlimited Budget Works. The soundtrack is also marvelous to hear. And the finale was also very satisfying. This show was outstanding to watch from the first episode to the last and a massive improvement over the original.

 

9/10

Edited March 22, 2016 by Boxx93

[eXtacy]

Been a while since I posted in here, in a weeks time I will do a seasonal review and a preview what to look out for next season!

[eXtacy]

Alright here's seasonal roundup! I can recommend a total of 5 new shows for you anime fans to check out.

 

#5 Ajin - If you can get over the off putting full CGI than your in for a tense supernatural/creature horror. In many ways this show is similar to Tokyo Ghoul.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/31580/Ajin

 

#4 Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash - A bunch of people awake to find themselves in a fantasy world that functions similarly like an online role playing game. Sounds fun, right? No this is a serious take on what it would be like. These people behave like actual people with real emotions. There is raw drama and a realistic visceral fight scenes.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/31859/Hai_to_Gensou_no_Grimgar

 

#3 KonoSuba - This is the comedy version of Grimgar. Our main protoganist is given a second chance at life in a new world but with a catch he must defeat the demon king. He gathers a team of misfits and hilarity follows. Seriously, its really funny.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/30831/Kono_Subarashii_Sekai_ni_Shukufuku_wo

 

#2 Erased - This show was absolutely excellent. Its about 29 old failed manga artist with the ability to reverse time a few moments before a tragedy enabling him to change fates. Do not miss this one

http://myanimelist.net/anime/31043/Boku_dake_ga_Inai_Machi

 

#1 Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu - It was a toss up between this and Erased but this comes out on top due to its consistency in story quality to the very end. It is about the art of Rukago, which is Japanese story telling. A master takes in a couple of apprentices and we watch them develop over many decades.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/28735/Shouwa_Genroku_Rakugo_Shinjuu

[SchumacherFTW]

Spring season has absolutely nothing that jumps out at me to watch. If there's something that pops up on Crunchyroll, I may check I out, but I'm just counting down now for Shokugeki no Soma to come back. Literally my most anticipated anything of the year. 

[Boxx93]

I have a question.

 

Attack On Titan Season 2 premieres in Summer or Fall of 2016?

[eXtacy]

4 hours ago, Boxx93 said:

I have a question.

 

Attack On Titan Season 2 premieres in Summer or Fall of 2016?

 

Attack on Titan Season 1.5 airs this season

 

 

But in all serious if it is airing this year it will be fall

[SchumacherFTW]

7 hours ago, eXtacy said:

 

Attack on Titan Season 1.5 airs this season

 

 

But in all serious if it is airing this year it will be fall

1.5?

[eXtacy]

1 hour ago, SchumacherFTW said:

1.5?

 

Same studio and director that did Attack on Titan with a very similar looking premise, so people have called it Attack on Titan season 1.5

[SchumacherFTW]

Watched the first episode of Ace Attorney, and my first thought, five seconds in was "what show does this guy not do a voice for?!" Attack on Titan, Seven Deadly Sins, Highschool DXD (shameless fan here). He's everywhere!