Anime of the 112th United States Congress [Winter 2011]

[MightiMidget]

I've been meaning to try Hourou Musuko, and I will...eventually! Maybe today! I'm just following almost everything which leads to difficulty finding time. ops:

[Mouse2010]

Fractale suddenly took a turn for the disturbing.

I didn't find it disturbing, but I did find it surprising. I wasn't expecting them to go that direction. I have to say that I'm more interested in it now that we have a better sense of what's at stake in the story.

Before, most of my quesitons were about the world (such as "what's up with these doppel thingies?) and they weren't urgent questions. Now I have some more pressing "What's going to happen next?" questions. That's the kind of story I like, I guess: the kind with some narrative tension/suspense.

[Falx]

The disturbing part for me was [spoiler] the people sitting/standing looking like they're having seizures while staring at the "stars." Something about the eyes creeped me out.[/spoiler]

[blkmage]

Care to expand on what these are for those of us who aren't inclined to dig around for your Angel Beats post(s)?

One of the big things that ruined Angel Beats! for me was the mood whiplash, which I'm seeing here. The story still flows well enough that it's not disjointed like AB!. And the character of the resistance movement is similar enough to the SSS in AB! that it contributes to the same kind of mood whiplash.

[SPOILER]I will say I did like the update/prayer scene because it finally added that hint of something wrong to this otherwise nice and fun world.[/SPOILER]

[Mouse2010]

@Falx -- yes, that makes sense. That part of ep. 3 was creepy! But for me, that was part of what made me think, "Oh, this is finally getting interesting. There's something really important (story-wise) going on here."

[LadyRushia]

Level E
Still solid and still funny.

Dragon Crisis
It's still typical and I never liked the controlling fiance type.

Fractale
Getting more interesting. I was wondering when the dystopia part would kick in.

[mechana2015]

Gosick = Win
Fractale Ep 3: WOT. I like the shift but... WOT.
Level E: I'm liking it quite a bit.

[ChristianKitsune]

Gosick = Win
Fractale Ep 3: WOT. I like the shift but... WOT.
Level E: I'm liking it quite a bit.

Agreed. XD

[LadyRushia]

Oh, and I'm still planning on watching Wandering Son. I'm just waiting for a time when my roommate and I can watch it together, but I highly doubt I'll drop it.

[TWWK]

LOVING Wandering Son - my thoughts on episode 2: Graceful Takatsuki

[TheSubtleDoctor]

So, how bout that curve ball in Level-E episode 3?

[blkmage]

So, how bout that curve ball in Level-E episode 3?

trollface.jpg

So I watched Houkago no Pleiades. Things it is not about include cars or Subaru, Inc. It was essentially a magical girl show condensed into about twenty minutes. That is, magical girls with staves that make engine noises when flying amongst the stars and who go around collecting engine shards that look kind of like stars.

It looked alright. The backgrounds and effects were pretty nice and the music was alright. I'm left kinda baffled at what the entire point of the thing was though.

More talking about other things:

I read on another blog that Fractale initially set us up for the obvious network of technology that lets us laze away is bad thing, but then
[SPOILER]the 'good guys' start killing people. Yes, at first they're just gunning down priests, which is of arguably ambiguous morality, but then they proceed to start gunning down regular people. HMMMMMM[/SPOILER]

I've mentioned before how this is my least favourite part of Kimi ni Todoke, but I've found my revisiting of this arc through the anime to be interesting. I know what's going to happen already, but I've noticed some interesting conversations that characters are having that I remember reading, but didn't come to mind until I watched it again. In particular, I'm fairly impressed with Yano's character, who, in addition to being extremely perceptive, is able to handle the situation that they're in appropriately.

[Atria35]

GOSICK still remains interesting. As I mentioned in another forum, I think that watching primarily for the mysteries would be a mistake. They're secondary to and vehicles for character development and relationships.

I'm not sure how I feel about using actual footage of WWI for the third episode. In some ways I feel there was a sense of it being used with the right intentions, but it became something that toes the line of disrespectful in execution.

And KnT really surprises me. I am liking the second season a bajillion times more than the first- and I rated that a 7/10!

[MightiMidget]

Level E ep. 3 --- rofl. XD I was like "okay. so what." for the first half, and am now cracking up.

EDIT: and episode 3 of Dragon Crisis was...weird, and probably one of the most rushed/confused/disjointed things I've seen in a while, but hey.

[blkmage]

GOSICK still remains interesting. As I mentioned in another forum, I think that watching primarily for the mysteries would be a mistake. They're secondary to and vehicles for character development and relationships.

I think one of the reasons why I'm so willing to give GOSICK the benefit of the doubt is because it shares a lot with Bungaku Shoujo, which is another light novel series in which a guy is dragged around by an eccentric girl and they end up solving mysteries. Hopefully, GOSICK will get more interesting in either the mystery or relationship department. I've been hearing things about the execution and adaptation of the anime that make me wonder if I should track down the light novels and compare the two.

[LadyRushia]

Dragon Crisis
Dropped. For so many reasons. The couple got together way too quickly, the villain doesn't have enough motivation (sorry but "lol im evil and i want powrz so b mai waifu nao" doesn't cut it), and no one's explained what the LOL a "Lost Precious" or a "Breaker" is or why they're needed/wanted/whatever.

Level E
You know, in any other circumstance I would've found that cop-out really REALLY obnoxious, but for some reason it works for me. I just hope that something serious will happen now that the "fake plot" that tends to set the wheels spinning on shonen series is over.

[TWWK]

Wandering Son is quickly becoming one of my favorite anime. Really, really beautiful show. I'm also enjoying Infinite Stratos, which hasn't really done a thing but introduce characters so far...but, it's fun! I'm still stuck on episode 1 of Fractale...dunno if I'm willing to spend my time to return to this series.

[Atria35]

Wandering Son is quickly becoming one of my favorite anime. Really, really beautiful show. I'm also enjoying Infinite Stratos, which hasn't really done a thing but introduce characters so far...but, it's fun! I'm still stuck on episode 1 of Fractale...dunno if I'm willing to spend my time to return to this series.

It gets better. It really does. There's a character that gets introduced in the second episode that really makes the show for me!

[blkmage]

Apparently English subs for Houkago no Pleiadas are available on the official YouTube channel.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Apparently English subs for Houkago no Pleiadas are available on the official YouTube channel.

Yeah, saw the ANN post about this. That was a fun little romp that was quite pretty to look at. Definitely an enjoyable diversion.

[MightiMidget]

Houkago no Pleiades was a cute little story, and yes, also pretty to look at. Not a waste of 20 minutes. =)

[LadyRushia]

Wandering Son is delightful. I like how there's so much implied history between the characters and how the subjects are treated seriously but not dramatically.

[TWWK]

It gets better. It really does. There's a character that gets introduced in the second episode that really makes the show for me!

Hmm...okay, will watch the second episode, but ONLY because you recommended it.

[MightiMidget]

[quote="TWWK (post: 1457460)"]Hmm...okay, will watch the second episode, but ONLY because you recommended it. ]

Atria is right. The first episode I found boring, but stuck with it 'cause it's short. (My infamous last words to myself) The second episode was a little better, and the third episode finally had me curious. =)

[blkmage]

This week in Kimi ni Todoke: I remembered why ginga bishounen and this entire arc makes me angry.

[Falx]

Kent is the devil.

[MightiMidget]

Ep. 4 of Zombie was actually somewhat sweet and almost not fanservicey. Woot.

[blkmage]

I wouldn't call Kent the devil, but I would say he's pretty infuriating because he's there for no other reason than to create misunderstanding. He's the anti-Yano. Yano is extremely perceptive and understands the situation, but she knows enough to not intervene unnecessarily. Kent, on the other hand, doesn't understand the situation, but thinks he does, and tries to fix a problem that isn't there. Which is why he's not really the devil, because I don't think he actually likes Sawako. He only wants to help her, which, if you'll notice, is what he assumes Kazehaya is doing.

[TWWK]

Atria is right. The first episode I found boring, but stuck with it 'cause it's short. (My infamous last words to myself) The second episode was a little better, and the third episode finally had me curious. =)

I'm now two episodes in and I'm...mildly interested.

[CrystalChalice]

KnT2 Episode 5:

Words aren't enough to express how I feel about Kento now, but these smileys here will do: