General Anime Thread

begone thot!  

Is RIFL on break?

@dt  

 
Oh shit, this is airing January. Didn’t notice because the announment didn’t have a pic to go with it.

@dt  
I read the manga of that. It’s fun and cute~

@dt  

 
This is also airing this Winter.

@dt  
Also, that Shielder anime is very different from FGO. For one thing, the whole story is just wholesome VR RPG, about a girl who just wants to play the game without getting hurt (because the game includes pain receptors or something).

@Zeb  
@Scrabbleman
 
Sounds great, honestly. I’ve long been tired of video game anime with high stakes, I’d like to watch one where they just play the game for fun.

@dt  
@dt  
I may look into giving these watch.

 
MHA ep 69. For an episode that’s just everyone sitting around a table and talking, this was pretty well directed. Good storyboarding and direction, managing to keep up the tension and keep me engaged through all the exposition.
 
I especially liked the sequence at the start of the second half. Instead of just starting where they left off, they have a scene that recontextualizes the situation visually, without any narration, and adds more emotional weight to the meeting. Like that shot of Nighteye feeling hopeless. Liked the after-credits with Eri as well.
 
It’s why, even with its occasional issues, I put MHA way above-average for shounen action. In an episode that’s purely exposition, it’s strongest moments are ones where no one is talking. It acknowledges that there are consequences to a hero’s actions. That being a hero isn’t about rolling up to the “bad guy’s” place and start punching, being a hero is about giving people hope.
 
 

 
Beastars ep 7. This 3DCG show puts out of the better 2D sequences of the season, with Haru’s lovely dream sequence. Following that up with Louis shedding his antlers was rough. I honestly didn’t know that was a thing.
 
During the scene with Juno, I realized that Beastars takes advantage of innate rigidity in the CG models to weave seamless transitions between cuts in ways which you don’t really see all that often in anime. On top the allegories you can draw from the designs, it’s taking advantage of both the design and the medium to add a lot to its story about the awkwardness and confusion in adolescence.
 
 

 
RIFL ep 7. Art was kinda wonky again, but still a fun ep. Not sure I’m okay with the implications in the “route” scene, though. At least Sensei plans to wait until they graduate, but it’s still a bit problematic.

So, here are my current rankings after Week 9 of Fall 2019.
 

 
Beastars and Stars Align are the class on my season. I’m putting Beastars a bit ahead right now because I can stomach its more unpleasant moments better. Benefits of furry CG, I guess.
 
Bookworm shows what isekai can be when it isn’t just an awkward power fantasy or cheesy wish-fulfilment and actually just tells a fucking story.
 
MHA is still building up, and it’s already showing some great direction. Hope it pays off.
 
Azur Lane is the studio’s first anime, and it shows. Production management issues aside, I actually liked the direction Enterprise’s development was going (even if it was going a little slow), so for the show to turn into whatever it’s doing on now is a bit concerning, but maybe the payoff will still be good.

 
Ochikobore Fruit Tart’s first key visual. I don’t think there’s an air date yet.

Myanimelist is a fucking joke.

Manga recommendation
 
The Misfortunes of Local Knight Hans
 
Basically, it’s a story about a knight named Hans who has to deal with isekai’d people from Japan, all of which have amazing and fantastical powers. Since there’s no way to go back, he helps them find a place in the kingdom.

@Scrabbleman
 
That sounds really interesting

@TenaciousDreamer2nd  
What makes you say that?

Is there an up-to-date version of Gendou somewhere?

@Kongou
 
When they censor your comments, but openly allow others to say far worse than what you’ve said with zero restriction or censoring, they out themselves as nothing but a hypocritical piece of shit.

KnY movie looks great.
 

The Lost Deep Web Anime - Tales From the Internet [Whang!]
 
So did anyone watch a video about someone finding a supposed lost anime on the Deep Web.

 
Azur Lane 8. Good ep, especially the second part. This cut by Weilin Zhang is particularly lovely.
 
They’re managing to pay off all the commentary on war and conflict. The idea that “conflict is the core of humanity” is a little too cynical (even for me) but I do agree that it is the core of a lot of our philosophies and systems. And I liked Belfast’s message to Jav, that you should not let the norm dictate your decisions. If you feel like something is wrong, you should act on it.
 
This show deserves better.
 
 

 
Bookworm ep 9. Main makes a new friend, and the mechanics of the Devouring are explained a bit more. Makes it clear why most kids don’t live through it, its upkeep seem pretty impossible.
 
There also seems to be this interesting commentary on capitalism. There’s the attitude of “making as much of it whenever, wherever, however you can” that Main (at least initially) rejects, Frieda enjoying simply hoarding money, and the implication that only rich kids can survive the Devouring leading to the perception that only nobles have magic. I wonder if they’ll make Main earn enough on her own to save herself, or do the Disney thing of having a nice rich person save her.
 
 

 
Stars Align ep 8. Fuck subtlety.
 
The show opens with couple of scenes that show how parents and schools sometimes often make decisions that only benefit them and not their kids. Cuz, y’know, fuck them kids.
 
It’s pretty refreshing to watch a show tackle gender identity point-blank. Even ZLS chose to be somewhat subtle about it. Hoshiai uses the right terminology, explains the characters feelings, how it’s good to put yourself in another’s shoes, and even how Maki can sympathize with his mom’s FTM friend because LGBT issues really are just human issues, that we’re all struggling to find happiness and meaning in our lives in our own ways. It flat-out spells it out for the viewer, like it’s an edutainment show, and I greatly respect that.
 
On top of that, they had a great scene with Mitsue as well, being told by her family that her passion isn’t something “respectable people” do. She’s found a group of other dorks who accept her, even when she’s a huge grump all the time. Normies never did anything for her, so why should she become one.
 
For a show that’s tackling a several shows worth of ideas, it’s handling them pretty damn elegantly and respectfully, and it never feels like it’s just going through a checklist. I only wish it got more eps so its ridiculously ambitious director could do more.

Drifting Dragons seems interesting, looks like a fantasy anime about cooking dragons. Got Netflix’d, unfortunately.