| Re: Midseason thoughts on new fall season shows [message #355487 is a reply to message #355484] |
Thu, 23 November 2017 09:31  |
Dave Baranyi
Messages: 1057
Registered: January 2012
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On Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 6:38:31 PM UTC-5, Chris Buckley wrote:
> Here's my mid-season thoughts, written as a followup to my initial
> impressions.
>
My comments are below, underneath your comments on the series that I'm still watching.
> On 2017-10-10, Chris Buckley <alan@sabir.com> wrote:
>> I've seen an episode of most of the new season shows I might be interested
>> in. Here's my quick reactions to them, in decreasing order of probability
>> I'll finish out the season watching each.
>>
>> Shows I expect to watch all of:
>> _Children of the Whales - Kujira no Kora was Sajou nu Utau_: I hadn't
>> heard anything of this, but it looks very nice from the first episode.
>> A fantasy featuring a society which has split itself from the mainland
>> onto a whale/island in a sea of deserts (with most of the island population
>> not knowing the real story.) I like stories that make you think, and the
>> main conflict here is obviously a clash of philosophies.
>
> A major disappointment (seen 7). Yes, it is a philosophical clash,
> but not one that makes you think. A pacifist island vs warrior outer
> world, with both sides treated very simplistically and
> unrealistically. The minor characters completely change their
> lifelong philosophies at the drop of a hat. Time and again things
> happen just because it's convenient for the plot for them to happen,
> not because there's any reason or likelihood of them happening.
>
I dropped this after three episodes and everything that I've read subsequently has convinced me that it was a correct move on my part.
>
>> _The Ancient Magus Bride - Mahoutsukai no Yome_: This is the most
>> anticipated show of the season (based on the manga and OVA's released
>> several months ago). It should be quite good, a quieter character
>> oriented show (which I also like), with a well thought out world with
>> elements that are purposefully both positive and negative (like fairies).
>
> A minor disappointment. We're 7 episodes in, and we're being told that
> the main character is changing, not being shown why she's changing.
> The changes are unbelievable just based upon what we've seen. Nice,
> but nothing to grab me.
>
I'm still watching this. It's cute, but not overly compelling. The best thing is that the anime is downplaying the angst that makes the manga impossible for me to follow.
>>
>> _Fireball Humorous_: A series of shorts (Dave says there's only 3? Boo!)
>> about a very quirky female robot girl. I enjoyed the earlier series of
>> her a few years ago - this is a prequel series.
>
> Still only seen the first one.
I found the second one the other day. Still as wonderfully bizarre as ever. ("C" is for "Convenience Store Bento"...)
>
>> _Just Because_: A high school slice of life that is very character oriented.
>> The first episode shows that a lot of thought has been put into it.
>
> Still watching (seen 6), still about the same. More angst and less
> events than I would have expected.
>
>>
>> Shows I'll watch more of, but may drop:
>>
>> _Net-juu no Sosume_: Main character is a 30-year old female NEET, playing
>> a male character on-line, meeting a cute female character on-line (being
>> played by a real-life male). Might be good as a nice, quiet, enjoyable
>> series, but won't be deep.
>
> Enjoying this (seen 7), but is not deep.
>
>>
>> _Kino no Tabi_: Looks like a well-done sequel to the 2003 _Kino's Journey_.
>> I think I'll have the same reaction as to the original - good, with occasional
>> excellent episodes, but I'm more interested in novels than short stories, and
>> this is very much a short story series.
>
> Dropped. Not particularly well-done, unfortunately. I didn't get a sense
> of consistency for the main character, and that's a major lack in a short
> story anime.
>
>> _Kekkai Sensen & Beyond_: another sequel series from a year or two ago: I
>> liked it, but have started and never finished rewatching it twice!
>
> Dropped. Just wasn't interested in trying to figure out the world again.
>
>> _Houseku no Kuni_: A different original world, with the main characters
>> being (breakable, and mendable) jewels, in conflict with invaders who
>> value them only as jewels. Reasonable, but could be good or could be bad.
>
> Enjoying this one so far (seen 7). Very different, with an appealing
> flawed main character. The world is still being built even now; we don't
> have a good idea of what's really going on.
This is the most intriguing series that I'm following this season. I didn't expect much, but I find it to be some of the most imaginative story telling I've seen in an anime in quite some time.
>
>> _Inuyashiki - The Last Hero__: A terminally ill 58 year old is rebuilt
>> by passing aliens who accidentally killed him, but they only had
>> weapon spare parts on hand. The first episode was definitely
>> emotionally driven, and done well in that aspect- you feel the despair
>> of the main character - but I have no idea how they will continue. It
>> could be one of the best shows of the season, or I could drop it after
>> one or two more episodes!
>
> The jury is still out on this one (seen 6)! Meant for very mature
> audiences and often unpleasant (from the creator of _Gantz_ and it
> shows). Neither the good guy nor the bad guy is handling their new
> superpowers well. It's interesting just as a more grounded
> psychological study of what happens when you're given superpowers.
>
>> _Juuni Taisen_: Another conflict to the death among a dozen characters
>> with various powers. The first episode was interesting primarily because
>> the main character was so unlikable. We'll have to see where it goes from
>> here!
>
> On the verge of dropping it (seen 7). No main character and no
> discernible theme. Individual characters are interesting, but you
> can't attach yourself to them because they might get killed off next
> episode!
>
>> _Hozuki no Reitetsu_: A comedy sequel that I like individual pieces of, but
>> for my tastes would be much better as a series of shorts. (That's my
>> reaction to most comedies - may be good in small doses, but not in longer
>> pieces without something else to be thinking about.)
>
> Dropped. As expected a comedy that is not my thing.
I'm still watching this. It's not as hilarious as the first season but I'm still having lots of fun with it.
>
>> _Blend S_: A comedy cute girl series which has the girl waitresses all playing
>> roles opposite to what they are really (eg, a shy, apologetic girl being a
>> sadistic waitress). A nice setup for interesting issues, but I doubt the
>> director will go that way, so I expect to be dropping it.
>
> Dropped. Nothing there.
>
>>
>> Shows I've already dropped:
>>
>> _Shoujo_shuumatsu Ryouka_: two girls in a post-apocalyptic world. The
>> setup as described in the first episode has too many holes in it - I
>> kept on thinking "that would never happen". Again, I could see checking
>> in on the show's reviews later to see if they supplied a different
>> background, but I'm not optimistic.
>
> I've been keeping an eye on this, since others think it is the anime of the
> season, but my sense of disbelief is too large. I can accept pretty
> much any ridiculous setup to begin with, but then the characters have to
> act consistently with that setup. They don't here.
>
> Chris
The other new shows that I'm still watching and enjoying are "Garo" and "Infini T Force".
"Garo" is a beer and popcorn anime and is being done well enough to keep me popping the popcorn.
"Infini T" is very retro in many ways, but surprising in many other ways. I'm enjoying it a lot.
Dave Baranyi
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