December 8th, 2015
Durarara!! Recommendation
Anime Relations: Durarara!!, Durarara!! Specials, Durarara!!x2 Shou, Durarara!!x2 Ten, Durarara!!x2 Ketsu, Durarara!!x2 Shou: Watashi no Kokoro wa Nabe Moyou, Durarara!!x2 Ten: Onoroke Chakapoko
Hey guys! Sloaner here today with a recombination of one of my favorite series: Durarara!! Since the synopsis on MAL doesn't do the series any justice I thought it would be helpful if I tried to explain the awesomeness that is Durarara! :)
You can read the original blog with images here
This post is spoiler free!
First of all, I will say that Durarara takes a little while to get into. It starts in a way that convinces you into thinking that you are watching some slow, but still enjoyable slice of life series with maybe a little bit of the supernatural thrown in. DO NOT BE FOOLED- THAT SERIES IS A LIE. I found that the series stepped up a significant amount in episode seven, and then in episode twelve it completely explodes into something that is exciting, engaging, and incredibly unique. The second season (we will get the third of three parts (Ketsu) of the second season next winter, so around January), continues where the original series lets off, but with slightly differing themes. Overall, the series captures the unique in such a casual (and unexpected) way, that you can't help but become a little hooked.
First I will mention that the animation is well done and the art style is unique and somewhat fantastical. The openings and endings are always fun and jazzy. I also like the OSTs and listen to them often. Here is a link to a playlist to the OSTs. Original Opening. Original Ending. Original Second Opening. Original Second Ending.
One of he most interesting aspects of the show is the flawless portrayal of connections between all the characters. Whether it be between gang interactions, school life, or work, the characters Durarara follows are interesting and their connections push the plot to have both constant development and depth. Durarara is a story told by the characters it features, each episode is narrated by a different character (although there are some repeats), allowing the viewer to become closer with the character. The cast features characters with a wide range of personalities and backstories. I actually find it hard to compare characters from Durarara with characters from other animes because of the uniqueness of Durarara characters. Not only are the main characters awesome, the supporting cast is also quite unique and engaging. It is difficult to choose a true main character because the anime features each of the groups quite often.
The story is almost completely character driver, being that there is no predetermined or mutual goal, and the story flows based on the characters' actions and decisions. Stories that rely almost completely on characters to push the story can be a hit or miss, but Durarara is one of those animes that hit the nail right on the head, so to speak. I will now and try to supply a synopsis of the series (trying to avoid spoilers of possible) in the most complete way I can manage.
One day, a teen named Ryuugamine Mikado moved to the city of Ikebukuro from his slow old town, by invite from his (childhood and ) best friend Masaomi Kida. From the very first episode you can tell Ikebukuro is very special: from color gangs to supernatural beings, the city is brimming with excitement. Mikado is entranced with the city and vows to try and keep up with the happenings of Ikebukuro to keep his life interesting. Mikado and Kida soon become friends with a girl named Sonohara Anri. The trio is unaware of the deep dark secrets that they are hiding from each other, and how their futures are destined to intertwine.
There are several color gangs in Durarara: among them are the the Dollars, Yellow Scarves, and Blue Square. The main gang, called the Dollars, is considered "colorless" as the gang hosts an unknown number of people with no criteria, all of which chat on a BBS feed online. Another color gang in Ikebukuro is the Yellow Scarves. They are quite organized and have a large presence in the city. The series follows these gangs, although it focuses mostly on the Dollars.
Another presence in the city is the Headless Rider, who we later learn is named Celty. Celty is a dullahan (from Irish myth) and she has lost track of her head. She only knows that her head is somewhere in Ikebukuro. Celty lives with a doctor named Shinra, who is heavily involved with the underground world of Ikebukuro.
Shizuo is another character who tends to be an attraction in Ikebukuro. He is a man the seemingly had limitless strength and is known throughout Ikebukuro for his incredibly short temper. Shizuo's fights with Izaya are seen by many throughout the city, as they try to kill each other every time they cross paths. Shizuo and Izaya went to the same high school as Shinra, and their rivalry began after a conflict they had in school. Izaya is an information broker who normally reside. Izaya is the character that pushed the plot most out of the cast. His knack for causing chaos can be quite entertaining. Izaya causes all these characters to converge in a wildly interesting way, which is action filled, dramatic, and a slight bit comedic.
Kadota and his crew are old friends with Kida and well known for their contributions to a certain gang. They are involved in a multitude of gang fights and often help out other characters.
Simon is also very interesting, although not key to the story. I deeply enjoy Simon, mostly because he is very straightforward and impossible to fool.
Wow. It is hard as hell to describe this simply wondrous series. Through twisting character relations and unexpected plot twists, Durarara is always suspenseful and simply addictive.
Don't forget that the new season is currently airing! You can watch Durarara legally on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
I hope you check out this gem up! It is one of my favorites :)
You can read the original blog with images here
This post is spoiler free!
First of all, I will say that Durarara takes a little while to get into. It starts in a way that convinces you into thinking that you are watching some slow, but still enjoyable slice of life series with maybe a little bit of the supernatural thrown in. DO NOT BE FOOLED- THAT SERIES IS A LIE. I found that the series stepped up a significant amount in episode seven, and then in episode twelve it completely explodes into something that is exciting, engaging, and incredibly unique. The second season (we will get the third of three parts (Ketsu) of the second season next winter, so around January), continues where the original series lets off, but with slightly differing themes. Overall, the series captures the unique in such a casual (and unexpected) way, that you can't help but become a little hooked.
First I will mention that the animation is well done and the art style is unique and somewhat fantastical. The openings and endings are always fun and jazzy. I also like the OSTs and listen to them often. Here is a link to a playlist to the OSTs. Original Opening. Original Ending. Original Second Opening. Original Second Ending.
One of he most interesting aspects of the show is the flawless portrayal of connections between all the characters. Whether it be between gang interactions, school life, or work, the characters Durarara follows are interesting and their connections push the plot to have both constant development and depth. Durarara is a story told by the characters it features, each episode is narrated by a different character (although there are some repeats), allowing the viewer to become closer with the character. The cast features characters with a wide range of personalities and backstories. I actually find it hard to compare characters from Durarara with characters from other animes because of the uniqueness of Durarara characters. Not only are the main characters awesome, the supporting cast is also quite unique and engaging. It is difficult to choose a true main character because the anime features each of the groups quite often.
The story is almost completely character driver, being that there is no predetermined or mutual goal, and the story flows based on the characters' actions and decisions. Stories that rely almost completely on characters to push the story can be a hit or miss, but Durarara is one of those animes that hit the nail right on the head, so to speak. I will now and try to supply a synopsis of the series (trying to avoid spoilers of possible) in the most complete way I can manage.
One day, a teen named Ryuugamine Mikado moved to the city of Ikebukuro from his slow old town, by invite from his (childhood and ) best friend Masaomi Kida. From the very first episode you can tell Ikebukuro is very special: from color gangs to supernatural beings, the city is brimming with excitement. Mikado is entranced with the city and vows to try and keep up with the happenings of Ikebukuro to keep his life interesting. Mikado and Kida soon become friends with a girl named Sonohara Anri. The trio is unaware of the deep dark secrets that they are hiding from each other, and how their futures are destined to intertwine.
There are several color gangs in Durarara: among them are the the Dollars, Yellow Scarves, and Blue Square. The main gang, called the Dollars, is considered "colorless" as the gang hosts an unknown number of people with no criteria, all of which chat on a BBS feed online. Another color gang in Ikebukuro is the Yellow Scarves. They are quite organized and have a large presence in the city. The series follows these gangs, although it focuses mostly on the Dollars.
Another presence in the city is the Headless Rider, who we later learn is named Celty. Celty is a dullahan (from Irish myth) and she has lost track of her head. She only knows that her head is somewhere in Ikebukuro. Celty lives with a doctor named Shinra, who is heavily involved with the underground world of Ikebukuro.
Shizuo is another character who tends to be an attraction in Ikebukuro. He is a man the seemingly had limitless strength and is known throughout Ikebukuro for his incredibly short temper. Shizuo's fights with Izaya are seen by many throughout the city, as they try to kill each other every time they cross paths. Shizuo and Izaya went to the same high school as Shinra, and their rivalry began after a conflict they had in school. Izaya is an information broker who normally reside. Izaya is the character that pushed the plot most out of the cast. His knack for causing chaos can be quite entertaining. Izaya causes all these characters to converge in a wildly interesting way, which is action filled, dramatic, and a slight bit comedic.
Kadota and his crew are old friends with Kida and well known for their contributions to a certain gang. They are involved in a multitude of gang fights and often help out other characters.
Simon is also very interesting, although not key to the story. I deeply enjoy Simon, mostly because he is very straightforward and impossible to fool.
Wow. It is hard as hell to describe this simply wondrous series. Through twisting character relations and unexpected plot twists, Durarara is always suspenseful and simply addictive.
Don't forget that the new season is currently airing! You can watch Durarara legally on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
I hope you check out this gem up! It is one of my favorites :)
Posted by delaneysloane | Dec 8, 2015 3:53 PM | 0 comments
November 30th, 2015
Comparative Analysis | Attack on Titan vs. Seraph of the End
Anime Relations: Shingeki no Kyojin, Shingeki no Kyojin OVA, Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku, Owari no Seraph, Owari no Seraph: Nagoya Kessen-hen, Shingeki! Kyojin Chuugakkou
A lot of people have been talking about how similar Attack on Titan and Seraph of the End are as of late and I agree. I decided to write a blog comparing the most basic similarities of the two.
Warning: This a very long post!
COMPARISON ONE: The trio with a hot head guy, somewhat quiet yet badass girl, and seemingly helpless dorky guy.
Both AoT and Seraph have trios containing these three types who are the main protagonists: Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, verses Yuuichirou, Shinoa, and Yoichi.
Eren vs. Yuu: I think Eren and Yuu are pretty similar in this area, but Eren is leading by a hair. Their personalities are slightly different as Eren is a bit more of a hothead while Yuu is a little bit more controlled. Their reasons for wanting to fight are also extremely similar: Yuu wants to kill all of the vampires, and Eren wants to kill all of the titans. I like Eren better because he is a more real-to-life character. For example: Eren goes through phases of denial and great fear when he transform into a titan, while Yuu doesn't give too much other that a slightly surprised reaction when he finds out that the Hyakuya sect was involved in human experimentation. Eren's processing of the information before accepting and questioning his condition seems more realistic than just skipping directly to an irrelevant question seems to be much more human.
Mikasa vs. Shinoa: These two are not nearly as similar as Yuu and Eren are. It is really hard to judge Shinoa's character as her personality seems to switch around a lot. From what I have seen, I prefer Mikasa to Shinoa, but not by a large margin. Mikasa is one of those characters that I am incredible partial to. I love the contrast between Mikasa's shared strength and weakness when it comes to Eren. While Mikasa is able to be strong for Eren and fight for his sake, she is also held back emotionally by her strong attachment to Eren. This shows the strongest during the attack on Trost, when Eren was thought to be dead. As much as i enjoy Mikasa's character, I also really like Shinoa's personality. Sadly though, her character seems a little wasted as she seems to make up most of the comedic relief of the show. Shinoa seems to be single-handedly pushing the plot forward, as almost every action of hers leads to a core discovery.
Armin vs. Yoichi: This is the matchup that really tips the scale for me. Yes, Yoichi does not get as much screen time, but it is easy to tell that Armin is a much deeper and more enjoyable character. While Yoichi just seems like a useless weakling (a role that anyone could play), Armin is an extremely intelligent and hard working character. I dislike Yoichi because he is the poster child for the "weak" character that has been let into the main protagonist faction out of some minute or minor deed. Armin had to work hard for years in order to just stay in the training corps, and faced being kicked out due to his physical weakness, Armin is one of the most mentally strong characters in AoT (alongside Erwin, Hange, Levi, and Pixis). Compared to Yoichi, who was is inconsistent in character, for he switches off from being the strongest to the weakest character in nearly identical situations. Yoichi's character is not only inconsistent, but it also lacks fundamental purpose to the anime as a whole, as he doesn't seem to add too much at all to the plot overall.
COMPARISON TWO: A supernatural enemy with larger forces, strength, and an appetite for humans.
Both AoT and Seraph have supernatural enemies that have a larger effective forced (compared to the trained protagonist units), are physically stronger than humans, and want to consume specifically humans.
Vampires vs. Titans: To clarify, the "titans" include titan shifters. I am including the titan shifters in this because similar to the vampires, both have defined personalities and bonds (unlike the average sludge-brain titan). I find the titans (and shifters) to be way more terrifying.
Titans are much larger than the vampires in Seraph and the humans: this gives the titans both an advantage and a weakness all in one trait. While being large helps the titans destroy things and gives them overwhelming strength, their largeness also disables them from entering small spaces, and, because they are much larger than their surrounding and have predator (only frontal) vision, titans are easier to take down with 3DM gear.
Normal titans are morally impactful because they move completely on instinct, without any intelligence or intent. The fact that humans can be so helpless against nearly brainless creatures is a huge hit to humanity's moral. Abnormal titans are also terrifying because their quirks are both unknown and unpredictable, adding to the insult to humanity's ability. Titan shifters have specialized abilities and intelligence, making them seem like an invincible enemy. The existence of shifters also inspires suspicion and anticipation from the government of normal citizens acquiring titan-shifting abilities, effectively redirecting political interest.
It seems much easier to kill vampires (of every level) than it is to kill titans. With Vampires, you (assuming proper armor) can still take them out and get into a one on one sword fight, in which the duel is battled on the same grounds as a normal sword fight. The only thing that sets vampires apart from humans, physically, is their increased strength and agility. The way that humans are portrayed is simply over powered, and the vampires are incredibly stupid an unaware, which seems inaccurate, as vampires are also hunted by the Four Horsemen of John. On the other hand, even normal titans are significantly harder to kill (almost impossible without 3DM gear) and can regenerate entire limbs with time. There is little likelihood that your fight with a titan will be not be interrupted, increasing the risk factor of starting a fight in the first place. Additionally abnormal titans are even more difficult to kill as they seem to have a greatly raised agility. Titan shifters are a whole other story. They are effectively larger humans, with the same ratio of strength and size. A larger, malicious, human has the same strengths of normal titans, in addition to human strengths, yet the titan shifters have fewer weaknesses, as they have the basic knowledge of how to protect themselves.
The way titans kill humans is just pure brutal. The vampires suck humans dry or till organ failure due to lack of blood happens, and also have decapitation and attacks with physical weapons. This one is pretty close to me but seeing normal titans crush, rip apart, and consume people, only to dump the bodies (or throw them up) later. Titan shifters are also more interesting because they are humans with true emotions, allowing them the ability to understand their own actions.
COMPARISON THREE: Main protagonists want to join an elite soldier group that will allow them to fight against the monsters and get revenge/kill them all.
Eren and Yuuichirou are trying to join the elite organizations that fight off the monsters. Eren wants to join the Scouting Legion/Survey Corps and Yuu wants to join the Moon Demon Company.
I personally prefer Eren's situation in this case, mostly because Eren had to earn his position, while Yuu was, in essence, only let in because he was a "special" case. Eren trained for three years and his hard work put him in the top ten of his class. When he joined the Survey Corps (pre-Trost), Eren was still only considered an obnoxious and naïve kid who has a lot of enthusiasm and skill when it came to killing titans. Eren was only ever a normal solider, and received no special treatment throughout his training. It was only later that Eren became a "special case" due to government's discovery of Eren's special titan shifting ability. Even when Eren was provisionally let in to the Survey Corps, he was treated like a monster and had to constantly watch himself and work to win the others' trust. Yuu's case is fundamentally different because from the time he emerged from the Vampire hole, he was already promised a spot in the Company. Yuu's only task/the only work he had to put in was to gain a "friend." While Eren had to learn all of the basic skills and qualify to be a solider through several tests, Yuu only had to prove that he could be compatible with just one other human being. Eren's journey is much more meaningfull and significant to his full development as a character.
COMPARISON FOUR: The setting of inside the wall and training.
The setting of hiding inside the perimeter of a protective wall is incredibly similar between the two. I feel like Attack on Titan addresses the implications of this being and issue thousands much better. Seraph mentioned the wall, and how "free" people don't live outside of it, but there really is not much said about what the wall means. On the other hand, AoT clearly explained throughout the series the ideology behind the wall, and by showing the psychological effect of the wall being broken, the viewer is better able to understand the full effect of the terror from the wall being broken. "We live like cattle!" (priests that worship the walls). Another part of the setting is the training aspect that the shows have. Attack on Titan shows the almost all the training in the first couple of episodes, While Seraph of the End has moments of training every couple of episodes (the gaining of the dark swords, the sword level up, ect). I actually don't like how Seraph uses the training episodes as an excuse to add character development. I think that gaining a new skill does not necessarily progress the characters themselves, and is kind of a cop out of supplying perhaps a more meaningful learning moment.
COMPARISON FIVE: Giant slaughter in the first scenes of the series.
Both series sport a gory first episode that establishes a sense of purpose for the main character.
I actually like both of these of on a fairly equal level. I prefer Seraph's first episode because it clearly establishes the premise of the show (not that AoT's premier doesn't), and it outlines the emotional torment of Yuu. I prefer AoT's premier because it set a baseline for the relationships between characters, and because it focused more on the context of the series as a whole.
Well you have heard my reasons for liking AoT better! I still like Seraph of the End as a series of this type, I just prefer Attack on Titan in comparison. Feel free to comment your thoughts :)
Warning: This a very long post!
COMPARISON ONE: The trio with a hot head guy, somewhat quiet yet badass girl, and seemingly helpless dorky guy.
Both AoT and Seraph have trios containing these three types who are the main protagonists: Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, verses Yuuichirou, Shinoa, and Yoichi.
Eren vs. Yuu: I think Eren and Yuu are pretty similar in this area, but Eren is leading by a hair. Their personalities are slightly different as Eren is a bit more of a hothead while Yuu is a little bit more controlled. Their reasons for wanting to fight are also extremely similar: Yuu wants to kill all of the vampires, and Eren wants to kill all of the titans. I like Eren better because he is a more real-to-life character. For example: Eren goes through phases of denial and great fear when he transform into a titan, while Yuu doesn't give too much other that a slightly surprised reaction when he finds out that the Hyakuya sect was involved in human experimentation. Eren's processing of the information before accepting and questioning his condition seems more realistic than just skipping directly to an irrelevant question seems to be much more human.
Mikasa vs. Shinoa: These two are not nearly as similar as Yuu and Eren are. It is really hard to judge Shinoa's character as her personality seems to switch around a lot. From what I have seen, I prefer Mikasa to Shinoa, but not by a large margin. Mikasa is one of those characters that I am incredible partial to. I love the contrast between Mikasa's shared strength and weakness when it comes to Eren. While Mikasa is able to be strong for Eren and fight for his sake, she is also held back emotionally by her strong attachment to Eren. This shows the strongest during the attack on Trost, when Eren was thought to be dead. As much as i enjoy Mikasa's character, I also really like Shinoa's personality. Sadly though, her character seems a little wasted as she seems to make up most of the comedic relief of the show. Shinoa seems to be single-handedly pushing the plot forward, as almost every action of hers leads to a core discovery.
Armin vs. Yoichi: This is the matchup that really tips the scale for me. Yes, Yoichi does not get as much screen time, but it is easy to tell that Armin is a much deeper and more enjoyable character. While Yoichi just seems like a useless weakling (a role that anyone could play), Armin is an extremely intelligent and hard working character. I dislike Yoichi because he is the poster child for the "weak" character that has been let into the main protagonist faction out of some minute or minor deed. Armin had to work hard for years in order to just stay in the training corps, and faced being kicked out due to his physical weakness, Armin is one of the most mentally strong characters in AoT (alongside Erwin, Hange, Levi, and Pixis). Compared to Yoichi, who was is inconsistent in character, for he switches off from being the strongest to the weakest character in nearly identical situations. Yoichi's character is not only inconsistent, but it also lacks fundamental purpose to the anime as a whole, as he doesn't seem to add too much at all to the plot overall.
COMPARISON TWO: A supernatural enemy with larger forces, strength, and an appetite for humans.
Both AoT and Seraph have supernatural enemies that have a larger effective forced (compared to the trained protagonist units), are physically stronger than humans, and want to consume specifically humans.
Vampires vs. Titans: To clarify, the "titans" include titan shifters. I am including the titan shifters in this because similar to the vampires, both have defined personalities and bonds (unlike the average sludge-brain titan). I find the titans (and shifters) to be way more terrifying.
Titans are much larger than the vampires in Seraph and the humans: this gives the titans both an advantage and a weakness all in one trait. While being large helps the titans destroy things and gives them overwhelming strength, their largeness also disables them from entering small spaces, and, because they are much larger than their surrounding and have predator (only frontal) vision, titans are easier to take down with 3DM gear.
Normal titans are morally impactful because they move completely on instinct, without any intelligence or intent. The fact that humans can be so helpless against nearly brainless creatures is a huge hit to humanity's moral. Abnormal titans are also terrifying because their quirks are both unknown and unpredictable, adding to the insult to humanity's ability. Titan shifters have specialized abilities and intelligence, making them seem like an invincible enemy. The existence of shifters also inspires suspicion and anticipation from the government of normal citizens acquiring titan-shifting abilities, effectively redirecting political interest.
It seems much easier to kill vampires (of every level) than it is to kill titans. With Vampires, you (assuming proper armor) can still take them out and get into a one on one sword fight, in which the duel is battled on the same grounds as a normal sword fight. The only thing that sets vampires apart from humans, physically, is their increased strength and agility. The way that humans are portrayed is simply over powered, and the vampires are incredibly stupid an unaware, which seems inaccurate, as vampires are also hunted by the Four Horsemen of John. On the other hand, even normal titans are significantly harder to kill (almost impossible without 3DM gear) and can regenerate entire limbs with time. There is little likelihood that your fight with a titan will be not be interrupted, increasing the risk factor of starting a fight in the first place. Additionally abnormal titans are even more difficult to kill as they seem to have a greatly raised agility. Titan shifters are a whole other story. They are effectively larger humans, with the same ratio of strength and size. A larger, malicious, human has the same strengths of normal titans, in addition to human strengths, yet the titan shifters have fewer weaknesses, as they have the basic knowledge of how to protect themselves.
The way titans kill humans is just pure brutal. The vampires suck humans dry or till organ failure due to lack of blood happens, and also have decapitation and attacks with physical weapons. This one is pretty close to me but seeing normal titans crush, rip apart, and consume people, only to dump the bodies (or throw them up) later. Titan shifters are also more interesting because they are humans with true emotions, allowing them the ability to understand their own actions.
COMPARISON THREE: Main protagonists want to join an elite soldier group that will allow them to fight against the monsters and get revenge/kill them all.
Eren and Yuuichirou are trying to join the elite organizations that fight off the monsters. Eren wants to join the Scouting Legion/Survey Corps and Yuu wants to join the Moon Demon Company.
I personally prefer Eren's situation in this case, mostly because Eren had to earn his position, while Yuu was, in essence, only let in because he was a "special" case. Eren trained for three years and his hard work put him in the top ten of his class. When he joined the Survey Corps (pre-Trost), Eren was still only considered an obnoxious and naïve kid who has a lot of enthusiasm and skill when it came to killing titans. Eren was only ever a normal solider, and received no special treatment throughout his training. It was only later that Eren became a "special case" due to government's discovery of Eren's special titan shifting ability. Even when Eren was provisionally let in to the Survey Corps, he was treated like a monster and had to constantly watch himself and work to win the others' trust. Yuu's case is fundamentally different because from the time he emerged from the Vampire hole, he was already promised a spot in the Company. Yuu's only task/the only work he had to put in was to gain a "friend." While Eren had to learn all of the basic skills and qualify to be a solider through several tests, Yuu only had to prove that he could be compatible with just one other human being. Eren's journey is much more meaningfull and significant to his full development as a character.
COMPARISON FOUR: The setting of inside the wall and training.
The setting of hiding inside the perimeter of a protective wall is incredibly similar between the two. I feel like Attack on Titan addresses the implications of this being and issue thousands much better. Seraph mentioned the wall, and how "free" people don't live outside of it, but there really is not much said about what the wall means. On the other hand, AoT clearly explained throughout the series the ideology behind the wall, and by showing the psychological effect of the wall being broken, the viewer is better able to understand the full effect of the terror from the wall being broken. "We live like cattle!" (priests that worship the walls). Another part of the setting is the training aspect that the shows have. Attack on Titan shows the almost all the training in the first couple of episodes, While Seraph of the End has moments of training every couple of episodes (the gaining of the dark swords, the sword level up, ect). I actually don't like how Seraph uses the training episodes as an excuse to add character development. I think that gaining a new skill does not necessarily progress the characters themselves, and is kind of a cop out of supplying perhaps a more meaningful learning moment.
COMPARISON FIVE: Giant slaughter in the first scenes of the series.
Both series sport a gory first episode that establishes a sense of purpose for the main character.
I actually like both of these of on a fairly equal level. I prefer Seraph's first episode because it clearly establishes the premise of the show (not that AoT's premier doesn't), and it outlines the emotional torment of Yuu. I prefer AoT's premier because it set a baseline for the relationships between characters, and because it focused more on the context of the series as a whole.
Well you have heard my reasons for liking AoT better! I still like Seraph of the End as a series of this type, I just prefer Attack on Titan in comparison. Feel free to comment your thoughts :)
Posted by delaneysloane | Nov 30, 2015 7:32 PM | 0 comments
November 3rd, 2015
My Opinion | Sports Anime
Anime Relations: Eyeshield 21, Slam Dunk, Kuroko no Basket, Kuroko no Basket 2nd Season, Yowamushi Pedal, Free!, Diamond no Ace, Haikyuu!!, Baby Steps, Ping Pong the Animation, Free! Eternal Summer, Yowamushi Pedal: Grande Road, Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season, Baby Steps 2nd Season, Haikyuu!! Second Season, Diamond no Ace: Second Season, Prince of Stride: Alternative, Yowamushi Pedal: New Generation
A lot of people, for what ever reason, have very mixed feelings about Sports anime. I have watched quite a few series after just one caught my eye and have been hooked on the genre ever since. I feel that I have to explain some of the great aspects of sports anime because people are definitely missing out!
If you want to check out the original blog (with images) : https://sloaneranime.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/my-opinion-sports-anime
Here's a little list of of sports anime series that I have watched/am watching:
[list]
[*]Haikyuu (volleyball)
[*]Ace of the Diamond (baseball)
[*]Kuroko's Basketball (basketball)
[*]Eyeshield 21 (american football)
[*]Yowamushi Pedal (cycling)
[*]Free! (swimming)
[*]Baby Steps (tennis)
[*]Ping Pong The Animation (ping pong)
[*]Slam Dunk (basketball)
Humor
Every single sports anime I have watched up to this point has had some of the greatest humor. Most of the time it is also good humor, as opposed to "oh no I fell on this girl and grabbed her boob" type of humor. In other words,the anime does not rely on ecchi scenes to keep it going strong. Most sports animes also use exaggeration animation to add to the humor of even the most basic of things. Some of the funniest animes I have seen have been sports animes. Most of the time, in animes like Ace of the Diamond, Kuroko's Basketball, and Haikyuu, the show uses exaggeration and irony to throw in humorous moments. Other animes, like Ping Pong, have a smart and witty humor that makes you smile from the inside out.
Animation
Sports animes most always have pretty rad animation, even some of the older ones. Many scenes that are the equivalent of epic sword fights in other animes create the same intense atmosphere and mirror various moments. Also, many great sports animes get signed on to awesome companies like Madhouse and Production IG. There are some amazing moments in sports anime, like the zone in Kuroko's Basketball, Sena's Devil Bat moves in Eyeshield 21, and Smile vs Peco in Ping Pong. I find it fantastic how people can create anime that is exciting and action filled, without using magic, weapons, or super powers!
Lack of Death
In all of the sports animes I have watched, no character has ever died. (I believe there are some in which a character has died but it is by no means common. There are deaths that occur in the character's past (like maybe a parent, guardian, or friend) but for most sports animes, death is not a key factor. In other animes, character deaths add to the plot or give a sense of disaster. Sports anime is different because characters do not actually die, but instead they suffer a different kind of loss. This suffering can be derived from a variety of things such as personal conflict, failure to help team, to hurt team in some way, or to be overpowered by an enemy. The equivalent of death in sports anime is represented most often by a teammate getting injured, being kicked off the team, or graduating from the school/program (it has the same feeling but the "dead" character is able to return if needed). For example, Chris, from Ace of the Diamond, is "killed" in the sports anime world because he suffers an injury and later graduates. Even though Chris is not really around anymore, his character is still able to play a role in the anime, as he helps characters to develop. Click to see my Character Analysis of Chris.
Antagonists
Sure the protagonists are great, but I have yet to see an anime of this genre lacks consistent and deep antagonist character development. Some of these antagonists could have their own animes. I can't chose one anime as an example that doesn't do a great job at developing their antagonists from the list I have given. Seriously! I think all the animes given have developed a fantastic amount of depth in their antagonist.
Team Aspect
Most all sports animes revolve around team activities. Similar to a troupe or guild, the teams all have interesting characters that have their own problems to overcome but still are willing to help each other out. On most given teams theres a leader (usually not the main protagonist), best friend who supports the main protagonist, and a protagonist (usually has a unusual talent but is unpolished). There is pretty much always a rival, but it depends whether or not the rival is on the same team or an opposing team. These are probably my favorite things about sports animes. The team that surrounds the protagonist can have a lot of influence on the course of the anime. With so many moving parts it is always exciting when a team gets involved.
I hope you will check some sports anime because it is one of my favorite genres. Also, look out for Prince of Stride next season :)
If you want to check out the original blog (with images) : https://sloaneranime.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/my-opinion-sports-anime
Here's a little list of of sports anime series that I have watched/am watching:
[list]
[*]Haikyuu (volleyball)
[*]Ace of the Diamond (baseball)
[*]Kuroko's Basketball (basketball)
[*]Eyeshield 21 (american football)
[*]Yowamushi Pedal (cycling)
[*]Free! (swimming)
[*]Baby Steps (tennis)
[*]Ping Pong The Animation (ping pong)
[*]Slam Dunk (basketball)
Humor
Every single sports anime I have watched up to this point has had some of the greatest humor. Most of the time it is also good humor, as opposed to "oh no I fell on this girl and grabbed her boob" type of humor. In other words,the anime does not rely on ecchi scenes to keep it going strong. Most sports animes also use exaggeration animation to add to the humor of even the most basic of things. Some of the funniest animes I have seen have been sports animes. Most of the time, in animes like Ace of the Diamond, Kuroko's Basketball, and Haikyuu, the show uses exaggeration and irony to throw in humorous moments. Other animes, like Ping Pong, have a smart and witty humor that makes you smile from the inside out.
Animation
Sports animes most always have pretty rad animation, even some of the older ones. Many scenes that are the equivalent of epic sword fights in other animes create the same intense atmosphere and mirror various moments. Also, many great sports animes get signed on to awesome companies like Madhouse and Production IG. There are some amazing moments in sports anime, like the zone in Kuroko's Basketball, Sena's Devil Bat moves in Eyeshield 21, and Smile vs Peco in Ping Pong. I find it fantastic how people can create anime that is exciting and action filled, without using magic, weapons, or super powers!
Lack of Death
In all of the sports animes I have watched, no character has ever died. (I believe there are some in which a character has died but it is by no means common. There are deaths that occur in the character's past (like maybe a parent, guardian, or friend) but for most sports animes, death is not a key factor. In other animes, character deaths add to the plot or give a sense of disaster. Sports anime is different because characters do not actually die, but instead they suffer a different kind of loss. This suffering can be derived from a variety of things such as personal conflict, failure to help team, to hurt team in some way, or to be overpowered by an enemy. The equivalent of death in sports anime is represented most often by a teammate getting injured, being kicked off the team, or graduating from the school/program (it has the same feeling but the "dead" character is able to return if needed). For example, Chris, from Ace of the Diamond, is "killed" in the sports anime world because he suffers an injury and later graduates. Even though Chris is not really around anymore, his character is still able to play a role in the anime, as he helps characters to develop. Click to see my Character Analysis of Chris.
Antagonists
Sure the protagonists are great, but I have yet to see an anime of this genre lacks consistent and deep antagonist character development. Some of these antagonists could have their own animes. I can't chose one anime as an example that doesn't do a great job at developing their antagonists from the list I have given. Seriously! I think all the animes given have developed a fantastic amount of depth in their antagonist.
Team Aspect
Most all sports animes revolve around team activities. Similar to a troupe or guild, the teams all have interesting characters that have their own problems to overcome but still are willing to help each other out. On most given teams theres a leader (usually not the main protagonist), best friend who supports the main protagonist, and a protagonist (usually has a unusual talent but is unpolished). There is pretty much always a rival, but it depends whether or not the rival is on the same team or an opposing team. These are probably my favorite things about sports animes. The team that surrounds the protagonist can have a lot of influence on the course of the anime. With so many moving parts it is always exciting when a team gets involved.
I hope you will check some sports anime because it is one of my favorite genres. Also, look out for Prince of Stride next season :)
Posted by delaneysloane | Nov 3, 2015 1:32 PM | 0 comments
Character Analysis | Chris Yu Takigawa
Hey guys! Today I have a character analysis for you! The character I choose to do is one of my favorites, Chris from Ace of the Diamond. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on Chris (the real bae btw) :)
Find the original blog here : https://sloaneranime.wordpress.com/2015/10/26/character-analysis-chris-yu-takigawa/
Basic Info
Male | 17 | Catcher | Manager
Bats Right | Throws Right
Height and Weight Unknown
Appearance
Wavy Brown Hair | Brown Eyes
Eyebrow Game Strong
First Seen in Episode 7
Personality
Chris is very soft-spoken and he rarely raises his voice. At the beginning of the series Chis had a very gloomy aura and many people disliked him because of his lack of enthusiasm. Many pitchers have also had trouble understanding what Chris wanted, and they gave up on pitching. Chris can be very stubborn, especially when it comes to keeping his body healthy. His stubbornness is also seen when he has to deal with rowdy pitchers like Sawamura. At his core, Chris is very caring and he wants his team to be successful. He also greatly values the opinions of those around him.
Backstory
Chris' love for Baseball is born from his father, a professional Baseball player, nicknamed Animal. In middle school, Chris was well known for being the best pitcher of his age in the league. He was regarded as a protege and had a lot of pressure put on him to preform. Miyuki has an incredible amount of respect for Chris because Chris was the only catcher he couldn't beat in middle school. When Chris entered high school he immediately was put on the first string. Unfortunately, the constant playing put too much pressure on Chris' body. Chris broke his shoulder and was bummed down to the second string while he desperately tried to recover. In Chris' final match of his high school career, he re-injures his shoulder.
Analysis
When Sawamura first finds out that Chris is going to be the catcher who trains him, he throws a fit and asks Miyuki to catch for him instead of Chris. Chris responds in a strict and angry manner, as he forces Sawamura to shake his hand and accept the partnership. Chris is introduced as someone who is very unlikable, especially to the viewer. Chris' gloominess makes Sawamura think that Chris doesn't want to be on the team. Sawamura becomes very condescending towards Chris because of this. Sawamura is further angered at Chris because he leaves early every day.
What Sawamura doesn't know is that Chris goes to physical therapy in the afternoon. Chris' physical therapy is conducted by his father, who still wishes that Chris become a professional baseball player. Sawamura is unaware of Chris' circumstances and eventually snaps at Chris, telling him "I never want to be like you." Chris' reaction, in which he is not defensive and actually agrees with Sawamura, confuses both the viewers and Sawamura.
Here, Chris' takes a hit, as everything he has been working for has been attacked and called useless. Sawamura does not know what to think of Chris' reaction and continues to complain about how Chris leaves practice early. At this stage, their partnership is hanging on by the seams, as they both seem very fed up with each other. Both lack a basic amount of respect for each other.
Revelation comes to Sawamura when he says Chris should quit the team in front of Miyuki. Miyuki, who is usually devious and lacks empathy for others, defends Chris. Miyuki's actions reflect the deep amount of respect that he has for Chris, especially as a catcher and member of the team. Sawamura learns from the scout lady about Chris' injury, but still doesn't fully understand why Chris tries so hard.
The scout lady drives Sawamura to where Chris is doing his intense physical therapy. Sawamura obtains an immediate respect for Chris after seeing him work hard. After a short confrontation, in which Sawamura apologizes for the stupid things he says, the two relight their partnership in a positive light. All of the sudden, the viewer is able to understand Chris and gain a respect for his character.
Sawamura is inspired by Chris, and takes the advice and training instructions given to him seriously. Sawamura goes out of his way to try and earn Chris' respect for him, going so far as to follow Chris around at school. In these scenes, Chris is shown giving advice to Sawamura and the rest of he team. His actions are a testament to his dedication for the team.
A bit later in the series there is a practice game against another team. The head coach asks Sawamura to pitch for the first three innings. The game is incredibly important, as it decides who will get to join the first string for the upcoming tournament. It is Sawamura's last chance to get on the first string and have more games to play. Despite this, Sawamura starts off having a bad game, the the catcher is unable to keep up with his new pitching form.
Even though his shoulder is not perfectly healed yet, Chris accepts a request from the coach to join the game. In this moment, Chris' eyes come back to life. Chris' spirit is reawakened when he is given a chance to play the game he loves with the team he loves just one last time. Chris immediately gets Sawamura back on track and mentors him from behind home plate. The game shifts toward Seido's favor right away.
There is just one thing left on Chris' mind: "I wish my father would have come to see my final game of my high school career." Despite Animal's anger towards Chris being on the school team in the first place, he comes to see Chris play. At first Animal is angry when he sees Chris playing on the field and almost shouts at Chris to get off of it. However, Animal remembers Chris' and his own love for baseball, and he decides to cheer Chris on, despite his reservations.
Chris is even further inspired by his father's appearance, and he gives a shout out to the team. In the moment, Chris betrays his quiet and collected character out of pure excitement and joy. The team responds to Chris' cheer and increase their own energy. This shows how much the team respects Chris as a player.
Just when things are going swimmingly, Zaizen, a player who used to be friends with Chris, tells his team how to bring him down. The players on the other team start coming after Chris by making him throw many a time. All the throwing inflicts a large amount of pain on Chris' shoulder, and his show of skills soon become very unsteady. Despite the incredible pain he is going through, Chris continues to play, even though too much throwing could mean Chris would have to quit baseball forever.
In the end Sawamura is able to get the winning strikeout from Zaizen. The result of their successful partnership comes from the great skill Chris possess, as well as the complete trust that Sawamura has in Chris. Chris was able to draw out Sawamura's potential. In turn, Chris' love of baseball and his determination to recover from his injury was reawakened.
Afterwords, the two players selected to move to the first string are announced: Sawamura and his friend Kominato are moved up. Many people on the first string, especially Sawamura and Miyuki are crushed to find that Chris lost his chance to playon the team he loves in his final year. The head coach, out of respect for Chris, asks him specifically to be the manager of the team. The respect that both the coaches and other players have for Chris, as well as Chris' dedication and determination, earned his a spot on the first string. Even though he would not get a chance to play in nationals, Chris would still be able to come and watch it up close and personal.
Why I Love Chris
For those who don't know, Chris is one of my favorite supporting characters. His determination is an inspiration to me, and really any player or person who has had to work around an injury or difficult. I can relate to Chris' character because I have also had many issues with my shoulder/elbow in softball. Chris is (most likely) the character that I respect the most out of all anime characters. Not to mention, Chris' sense of humor (which I didn't really mention in here) is perfect. My favorite Chris moment was when he cheered from home plate to the team after hearing his father cheer for him and his voice cracked, resulting in the cutest thing: Chris blushing (I included a gif muaha)
To be pushed down after being the best. To spend hours trying to get a chance to return. To get a chance, only to use that chance to lift others up. To then have to watch what you lifted fly why you are chained to the ground.
This is why Chris Yu Takigawa is one of my favorite characters.
Well I hope you enjoyed my blog! (however ranting and long it was)
Find the original blog here : https://sloaneranime.wordpress.com/2015/10/26/character-analysis-chris-yu-takigawa/
Basic Info
Male | 17 | Catcher | Manager
Bats Right | Throws Right
Height and Weight Unknown
Appearance
Wavy Brown Hair | Brown Eyes
Eyebrow Game Strong
First Seen in Episode 7
Personality
Chris is very soft-spoken and he rarely raises his voice. At the beginning of the series Chis had a very gloomy aura and many people disliked him because of his lack of enthusiasm. Many pitchers have also had trouble understanding what Chris wanted, and they gave up on pitching. Chris can be very stubborn, especially when it comes to keeping his body healthy. His stubbornness is also seen when he has to deal with rowdy pitchers like Sawamura. At his core, Chris is very caring and he wants his team to be successful. He also greatly values the opinions of those around him.
Backstory
Chris' love for Baseball is born from his father, a professional Baseball player, nicknamed Animal. In middle school, Chris was well known for being the best pitcher of his age in the league. He was regarded as a protege and had a lot of pressure put on him to preform. Miyuki has an incredible amount of respect for Chris because Chris was the only catcher he couldn't beat in middle school. When Chris entered high school he immediately was put on the first string. Unfortunately, the constant playing put too much pressure on Chris' body. Chris broke his shoulder and was bummed down to the second string while he desperately tried to recover. In Chris' final match of his high school career, he re-injures his shoulder.
Analysis
When Sawamura first finds out that Chris is going to be the catcher who trains him, he throws a fit and asks Miyuki to catch for him instead of Chris. Chris responds in a strict and angry manner, as he forces Sawamura to shake his hand and accept the partnership. Chris is introduced as someone who is very unlikable, especially to the viewer. Chris' gloominess makes Sawamura think that Chris doesn't want to be on the team. Sawamura becomes very condescending towards Chris because of this. Sawamura is further angered at Chris because he leaves early every day.
What Sawamura doesn't know is that Chris goes to physical therapy in the afternoon. Chris' physical therapy is conducted by his father, who still wishes that Chris become a professional baseball player. Sawamura is unaware of Chris' circumstances and eventually snaps at Chris, telling him "I never want to be like you." Chris' reaction, in which he is not defensive and actually agrees with Sawamura, confuses both the viewers and Sawamura.
Here, Chris' takes a hit, as everything he has been working for has been attacked and called useless. Sawamura does not know what to think of Chris' reaction and continues to complain about how Chris leaves practice early. At this stage, their partnership is hanging on by the seams, as they both seem very fed up with each other. Both lack a basic amount of respect for each other.
Revelation comes to Sawamura when he says Chris should quit the team in front of Miyuki. Miyuki, who is usually devious and lacks empathy for others, defends Chris. Miyuki's actions reflect the deep amount of respect that he has for Chris, especially as a catcher and member of the team. Sawamura learns from the scout lady about Chris' injury, but still doesn't fully understand why Chris tries so hard.
The scout lady drives Sawamura to where Chris is doing his intense physical therapy. Sawamura obtains an immediate respect for Chris after seeing him work hard. After a short confrontation, in which Sawamura apologizes for the stupid things he says, the two relight their partnership in a positive light. All of the sudden, the viewer is able to understand Chris and gain a respect for his character.
Sawamura is inspired by Chris, and takes the advice and training instructions given to him seriously. Sawamura goes out of his way to try and earn Chris' respect for him, going so far as to follow Chris around at school. In these scenes, Chris is shown giving advice to Sawamura and the rest of he team. His actions are a testament to his dedication for the team.
A bit later in the series there is a practice game against another team. The head coach asks Sawamura to pitch for the first three innings. The game is incredibly important, as it decides who will get to join the first string for the upcoming tournament. It is Sawamura's last chance to get on the first string and have more games to play. Despite this, Sawamura starts off having a bad game, the the catcher is unable to keep up with his new pitching form.
Even though his shoulder is not perfectly healed yet, Chris accepts a request from the coach to join the game. In this moment, Chris' eyes come back to life. Chris' spirit is reawakened when he is given a chance to play the game he loves with the team he loves just one last time. Chris immediately gets Sawamura back on track and mentors him from behind home plate. The game shifts toward Seido's favor right away.
There is just one thing left on Chris' mind: "I wish my father would have come to see my final game of my high school career." Despite Animal's anger towards Chris being on the school team in the first place, he comes to see Chris play. At first Animal is angry when he sees Chris playing on the field and almost shouts at Chris to get off of it. However, Animal remembers Chris' and his own love for baseball, and he decides to cheer Chris on, despite his reservations.
Chris is even further inspired by his father's appearance, and he gives a shout out to the team. In the moment, Chris betrays his quiet and collected character out of pure excitement and joy. The team responds to Chris' cheer and increase their own energy. This shows how much the team respects Chris as a player.
Just when things are going swimmingly, Zaizen, a player who used to be friends with Chris, tells his team how to bring him down. The players on the other team start coming after Chris by making him throw many a time. All the throwing inflicts a large amount of pain on Chris' shoulder, and his show of skills soon become very unsteady. Despite the incredible pain he is going through, Chris continues to play, even though too much throwing could mean Chris would have to quit baseball forever.
In the end Sawamura is able to get the winning strikeout from Zaizen. The result of their successful partnership comes from the great skill Chris possess, as well as the complete trust that Sawamura has in Chris. Chris was able to draw out Sawamura's potential. In turn, Chris' love of baseball and his determination to recover from his injury was reawakened.
Afterwords, the two players selected to move to the first string are announced: Sawamura and his friend Kominato are moved up. Many people on the first string, especially Sawamura and Miyuki are crushed to find that Chris lost his chance to playon the team he loves in his final year. The head coach, out of respect for Chris, asks him specifically to be the manager of the team. The respect that both the coaches and other players have for Chris, as well as Chris' dedication and determination, earned his a spot on the first string. Even though he would not get a chance to play in nationals, Chris would still be able to come and watch it up close and personal.
Why I Love Chris
For those who don't know, Chris is one of my favorite supporting characters. His determination is an inspiration to me, and really any player or person who has had to work around an injury or difficult. I can relate to Chris' character because I have also had many issues with my shoulder/elbow in softball. Chris is (most likely) the character that I respect the most out of all anime characters. Not to mention, Chris' sense of humor (which I didn't really mention in here) is perfect. My favorite Chris moment was when he cheered from home plate to the team after hearing his father cheer for him and his voice cracked, resulting in the cutest thing: Chris blushing (I included a gif muaha)
To be pushed down after being the best. To spend hours trying to get a chance to return. To get a chance, only to use that chance to lift others up. To then have to watch what you lifted fly why you are chained to the ground.
This is why Chris Yu Takigawa is one of my favorite characters.
Well I hope you enjoyed my blog! (however ranting and long it was)
Posted by delaneysloane | Nov 3, 2015 1:28 PM | 0 comments