March 7th, 2014
Why I love Kazami Yuuji (and you should too)
Anime Relations: Grisaia no Kajitsu
- He is not a faggot.
- He calls his females friends "woman".
- He runs 16 km every morning.
- He runs in the morning!?
- He is ashamed of the sad state of adolescence.
- He is classy.
- He likes beans.
- He is not a picky eater.
- He read books.
- He read books!?
- He asks a girl for her three sizes with a straight face.
- He does not hold back.
- He teases Chizuru.
- He is a tsundere.
This list will likely get bigger after I play the sequels of the game.
- He calls his females friends "woman".
- He runs 16 km every morning.
- He runs in the morning!?
- He is ashamed of the sad state of adolescence.
- He is classy.
- He likes beans.
- He is not a picky eater.
- He read books.
- He read books!?
- He asks a girl for her three sizes with a straight face.
- He does not hold back.
- He teases Chizuru.
- He is a tsundere.
This list will likely get bigger after I play the sequels of the game.
Posted by Niyawa | Mar 7, 2014 5:21 PM | 1 comments
January 29th, 2014
Almighty Rules
Anime Relations: Boku no Pico
1. Don't fap to doujins of anime/manga you've never watched/read before.
2. Don't believe you'll find a 3D version of any character you love, they're 2D because they can't be real.
3. Don't watch game/VN anime adaptations without playing said game/VN, ever.¹
4. Don't overgeneralize content by genre. Making assumptions are acceptable as long as you keep them for yourself.
5. Don't assume said anime/game/VN will be good because it was made by your favorite director/studio.
6. Don't jump in any hype trainwreck, or hype related-things by any stretch of the imagination.
7. Don't follow these rules strictly unless you hate anime.
As for a more specific explanation of said rules, read them below.
1. It's very easy to get your head filled with remorse and bad intentions when watching something you've already "relieved" yourself with. This doesn't make watching said anime any less fun, it simply may cloud your judgment later. In the worst case scenario, you won't be able to concentrate on the story of said anime since you can't think of anything else when watching "that" character. Our brains are easy to trick, but surprisingly very stubborn as well... keep that in mind.
2. Hurm, reality check. 3D is 3D, 2D is 2D. There are things only 3D can do, and there are things only 2D can do. Don't trick yourself in thinking you'll find a real version of anyone you like/admire. I can guarantee you within margin of error that the closer you'll get to that objective is meeting the VA of said character.
3. This is obvious once you experience it once. Game and VN adaptations tend to be very sloppy and don't hold up when quality is concerned with their original content. 9 times out of 10 you'll enjoy said adaptation much more if you played the game or VN first. Worst case scenario you'll hate the adapted version, so do yourself a favor and put those anime in hold-on until you've managed to play the game first. If said game with adaptation can't be played (like, no translation) then you can overrule this.¹
4. Don't judge the quality of any anime or manga by the cover. It's easy to miss a masterpiece, or maybe just that fun thing you could have watched a long time ago if you weren't stubborn about the "contents" you've never watched in the first place. A good example is Grisaia no Kajitsu, a game where you expect full-retard harem cliches, but instead gets a much, much richer experience.
5. This should be self-explanatory.
6. Hype is one of the greatest enemies of rational judgment. If someone convinces themselves that the next thing will be "big", there are only 3 ways this will end:
- If you are lucky, it might not be that bad at all, if not...
- It will likely not meet your expectations, in worst case scenario...
- It will actually suck but you will be too embarrassed to admit it and turn yourself into a fanboy out of nothing.
As a fellow human being, I can understand being excited when you expect a good thing to happen, just keep yourself in moderation so it doesn't come down to "we told ya" later.
7. No really, just to be safe, I feel like I should mention this is just a random rambling, don't take it too seriously for your own sanity's sake.
2. Don't believe you'll find a 3D version of any character you love, they're 2D because they can't be real.
3. Don't watch game/VN anime adaptations without playing said game/VN, ever.¹
4. Don't overgeneralize content by genre. Making assumptions are acceptable as long as you keep them for yourself.
5. Don't assume said anime/game/VN will be good because it was made by your favorite director/studio.
6. Don't jump in any hype trainwreck, or hype related-things by any stretch of the imagination.
7. Don't follow these rules strictly unless you hate anime.
As for a more specific explanation of said rules, read them below.
1. It's very easy to get your head filled with remorse and bad intentions when watching something you've already "relieved" yourself with. This doesn't make watching said anime any less fun, it simply may cloud your judgment later. In the worst case scenario, you won't be able to concentrate on the story of said anime since you can't think of anything else when watching "that" character. Our brains are easy to trick, but surprisingly very stubborn as well... keep that in mind.
2. Hurm, reality check. 3D is 3D, 2D is 2D. There are things only 3D can do, and there are things only 2D can do. Don't trick yourself in thinking you'll find a real version of anyone you like/admire. I can guarantee you within margin of error that the closer you'll get to that objective is meeting the VA of said character.
3. This is obvious once you experience it once. Game and VN adaptations tend to be very sloppy and don't hold up when quality is concerned with their original content. 9 times out of 10 you'll enjoy said adaptation much more if you played the game or VN first. Worst case scenario you'll hate the adapted version, so do yourself a favor and put those anime in hold-on until you've managed to play the game first. If said game with adaptation can't be played (like, no translation) then you can overrule this.¹
4. Don't judge the quality of any anime or manga by the cover. It's easy to miss a masterpiece, or maybe just that fun thing you could have watched a long time ago if you weren't stubborn about the "contents" you've never watched in the first place. A good example is Grisaia no Kajitsu, a game where you expect full-retard harem cliches, but instead gets a much, much richer experience.
5. This should be self-explanatory.
6. Hype is one of the greatest enemies of rational judgment. If someone convinces themselves that the next thing will be "big", there are only 3 ways this will end:
- If you are lucky, it might not be that bad at all, if not...
- It will likely not meet your expectations, in worst case scenario...
- It will actually suck but you will be too embarrassed to admit it and turn yourself into a fanboy out of nothing.
As a fellow human being, I can understand being excited when you expect a good thing to happen, just keep yourself in moderation so it doesn't come down to "we told ya" later.
7. No really, just to be safe, I feel like I should mention this is just a random rambling, don't take it too seriously for your own sanity's sake.
Posted by Niyawa | Jan 29, 2014 5:23 PM | 0 comments
January 28th, 2014
Archive: Test Guide (2014/06/07)
Anime Relations: Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou
I originally made this based on nand's guide, but after he stopped updating it I felt the necessity of an updated one. Most of this was written from scratch by getting important tips and information from other guides as well. The guide is updated on-demand, based on the releases of new components versions or any new features that will help in making a better playback experience.
Ctrl + F is your friend.
Playback quality.
madVR provides custom scaling algorithms to make sure you're getting the best video quality possible in both upscaling and downscaling scenarios. It comes with a variety of other features like debanding, NNEDI3 and more advanced options for specific purpose playback and other tweaks including color calibration and smooth motion for a judder-free experience.
Optimized performance.
Pretty much all media players out there are using CPU for decoding and rendering, and this is not optimal. madVR takes advantage of your GPU raw power, making sure you're using your hardware to its utmost potential by having your CPU concentrate on decoding the video while your GPU renders it. This enables a very solid yet smooth playback experience unmatched by any other setup.
Reliable media support.
LAV filters is an open-source media splitter and decoder solution with a wide support of containers and formats. Unlike other alternatives like Haali, LAV gives you the latest and greatest features in the decoding department like VP9 and HEVC support, with frequent updates thanks to its active development while maintaining the project vision of fast and quality decoding playback.
I'd like to put a disclaimer however, that all of this is a potential increase. Depending on your previous setup, you might believe the work to keep this updated might not be worth trying the setup in the first place. So I invite you to read this post I made here on this thread that explains in detail how madVR works and what you should (realistically) expect from it. If you're already convinced, let's go to the next step.
First, uninstall ALL instances of MPC-HC, CCCP, ffdshow, madVR, Haali, K-lite, CoreAVC etc. you might have on your system. This is a clean guide that requires a "codec-free" system to make sure everything will work accordingly, and ideally should have no other pack installed either. This will also help avoid any conflicts between previous installations or otherwise bad registry entries that might affect playback later on.
This is for reference of your hardware only. Said specs aren't absolute, so don't use it as your shopping guide. CPU performance is not demanding even for very low end systems so those recommendations are more of a scale based on performance rather than actual raw power needed. Any relatively decent dual core should be able to decode 1080p without problems. madVR should work with any GPU that supports D3D9 and PS3.0, and while madshi recommends at least 128 MB of dedicated VRAM, madVR can work with onboard GPUs without issue.
The guide itself is intended for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users only. Older OS releases have outdated drivers and may have more bugs or issues I won't be able to help with. I won't take any responsibility for troubleshooting playback issues with any other system that wasn't mentioned.
If you want something that works, but don't want to give in to codec packs that don't focus on quality such as CCCP, K-lite, etc. Then you should use KCP instead. You can check out the official forum thread for more information regarding the topic and the download link. The pack comes with:
Note: This thread is not intended for KCP troubleshooting. I am close to actual development of the pack, but issues with KCP in specific should be directed at haruhichan.com official forum thread.
I've also been asked too many times about things like "should I use ReClock" or "is MPC-BE better than MPC-HC". This section was created to give you some quick insight on how those the components here work and what are their purposes.
MPC-HC - The main player used in this guide. MPC-HC is usually the top choice for many users looking for a good experience thanks to it's relative simple design yet flexible amount of options. Those who like simplicity yet powerful setups will usually end up in here. Players like PotPlayer and KMPlayer are good alternatives but they do come with more unnecessary features that most of the time doesn't help with the playback experience.
LAV Filters - As explained earlier, this is an open source media splitter and decoder. LAV will demux your files based on their metadata and then decode whatever stream it finds, while respective some options like preferred video, audio or subtitle sources. This is useful in case you want to use containers like .mkv which enables you to have dual-audio, for example. This is already included with MPC-HC.
madVR - This will be your main render. It's focus is on quality over anything else, and thanks to it's large array of features it's possible to completely revamp the level of quality one can expect from their usual playback experience. Algorithms enable sharp yet accurate upscaling, and automatic color profile recognition helps you achieve a high level of color accuracy even without calibration.
XySubFilter - A fork of the DirectVobSub project. There isn't much to say for this particular component aside from this is your subtitle lifeline. It enables fast rendering of many subtitle formats including .ass, .pgs and .srt. The speed and accuracy of subtitle representation compared to internal rendering solutions is very noticeable, so this is a must on the setup.
ReClock - It allows for less jittery audio while adapting media for more smooth playback (e.g 23.976 > 24.000 / 24 hz). The tricky part about this component however is that it only truly makes a difference if your display supports multiple refresh rates and your media is 25fps. Any modern LCD display should have 60 hz by default, which is good for desktop use but it's bad for video playback because 24/25fps doesn't go well with 60 hz like 30fps does. If your display can't adapt itself to an equivalent number of current media playing (i.e 24fps > 24/48/72 hz) then ReClock is likely not for you. It still has many other features for audiophiles which some of you might be interested like WASAPI exclusive and bitstreaming, but if you don't know what those are, likely you don't need any of them. ReClock by itself is not an component needed for our purposes, but the jitter free audio supposedly helps with smooth motion so this will be here for a while.
MPC-BE - Has a more modern visual than MPC-HC, but functionality is relatively the same. Nothing dramatically changes from MPC-HC aside from this not including LAV by default and the revamped interface. Some believe it's more stable too but you'll have to see for yourself.
Now that you are acquainted with the components, go ahead to the next step.
Note: Make sure you download the 32-bit instances of all the apps below. madVR doesn't support 64-bit.
Optional.
You can skip any optional component. LAV already comes with MPC-HC, but you'll need to download and install it if you want to use MPC-BE however.
Note: Unlike MPC-HC, BE will ask you to download the DirectX End-user Runtime in case you haven't done so. This is not strictly necessary but you should save yourself any future issue and install it as well.
1. Install MPC-HC.
2. Install LAV filters (if you're going to use MPC-BE). Untick the x64 if you want, as you'll only use the x86 ones. (optional)
Note:If you choose to follow this step, you'll need to go to MPC-BE in "Options" > "Internal Filters" and disable everything in "Source", "Video" and "Audio" decoders so LAV can be used properly.
2. Make sure you're logged in as Administrator or "Run as Admin" before installing. Extract madVR somewhere sensible before installing it. Like your programs folder. Run the "install.bat" inside the folder and do not delete the extracted folder afterwards, madVR depends on it to keep working.
Protip: If you want to update madVR, just extract the new folder and overwrite the files of the old one.
3. Install XySubFilter. "Next" like there's no tomorrow.
4. Install ReClock. Uncheck everything but "Program Files" and "Install DSound / Wave support". (optional)
1. Open MPC-HC's Options Menu and in "Playback" disable "Use the built-in subtitle renderer". Otherwise you won't be able to use XySubFilter.
On MPC-BE, the option to disable internal subtitle renderer is in "Subtitles". Do the same as above. You'll also want to enable "Auto-zoom" so the video opens up with the default media resolution.
2. Under "Output" in "DirectShow Video", select "madVR" and if you're going to use ReClock, set it here as default audio renderer.
1. Restart MPC-HC and play back any file. You should notice the madVR icon in the system tray, time to use it. Right click on it and click "Edit madVR Settings" to access the next window. Remember you can also turn off madVR icon in the system tray if you don't like it.
2. This might not be safe to use in some hardware. Under "rendering" > "smooth motion" you can enable it for a much more smooth playback without judder. Especially noticeable with 24p in monitors with 60Hz. However, it does comes with it's downsides.
3. Under "scaling algorithms", select the one that fits you best. I made this graph based on a "performance x quality" range of your hardware. Use Lowest for Minimum, Low to Mid for Preferred and High to Highest for Recommended.
AR = Anti-ringing, LL = Linear Light.
4. Under "rendering" > "general settings" disable the "fullscreen exclusive mode". I recommend leaving this off unless you are having playback problems, it also messes up MPC-HC's interface.
Protip: If you have issues with smooth motion, disable "use a separate device for presentation" and restart playback. It's likely to fix it (I'd recommend leave it on though, it halves my rendering time, meaning more speed).
1. Make sure all boxes in "Audio Settings" are unchecked since we don't need them. In "Sound pre-buffer", choose anything from 100ms ahead. This will cause a "cut" effect in audio at price of more stability. Usually 100ms will do, but if you get hiccups, keep adding more 25ms until you get to a sweet spot. It's possible to use lower values such as 50 ms, but I can't guarantee the stability with them. For reference, DirectSound uses about 26ms. In "Format" > "24 bit int padded to 32" and "Quality" > "Best Sync Interpolation".
Note: You can use WASAPI Exclusive if you want audio with relatively more quality, however, it uses a lot more of the CPU and it mutes everything elsewhere so you might want to consider testing it yourself if it's worth or not.
2. This time, all the boxes in "Video Settings" should be checked, we need them. Adjust "Assumed frame rate when not found" to your liking. I usually watch 24p content over anything else so that one is my preference.
3. In "Advanced Settings" tab, make sure everything under "VSYNC Correction" is unchecked. Hit the "OK" and play any video on MPC-HC. You might also customize the other options to your will, but I advise not to unless you know what you're doing.
Protip: Enabling the option "Give high priority to CPU player" will increase performance to make sure ReClock won't hiccup with low ms (do not take this as certain). You can also do this by going in MPC-HC's "Player" Menu and checking "Process priority above normal".
4. Go to the filters list through right-click and click on "ReClock Audio Renderer". In the following window make sure all the boxes are unchecked. You can lock the logic if you want but it doesn't really seem to make any difference as far as I know.
If you want to use DXVA2 for decoding, just go to LAV Video Decoder Options through the Start Menu icon or "Filters" list. Also, hardware acceleration is not compatible with 10-bit videos, you probably already know that. Also, I'm not sure if this is available with internal filters, you might need to install the external version of LAV for that.
Select the best fit for you based on the following criteria.
Note: CPU SSE 4.1 capable and Windows 7 SP1 or ahead are recommended for (copy-back).
Protip: Smooth motion usually has issues with DXVA, so use it with caution.
1. Play any 10/8-bit .mkv file and use Ctrl+J to enter the OSD. If it doesn't show up or looks different, double check output configuration.
Note: It's okay to drop a few frames at the start of the video, seeking and switching between fullscreen and windowed mode. Just make sure it doesn't drop or delay anything in constant playback.
2. Finally, check the "Filters" list (in the right click menu of MPC-HC during playback). It doesn't need to look exactly like the image below, just make sure the filters you installed are being used in their respective situations.
Say thanks if it worked so this guide can gain credibility. Any positive/negative comments or suggestions are welcome as long they're polite. Guide originally inspired by Ryuumaru. Mostly based on nand’s original research and Google, and updated by Niyawa.
Changelog
- Updated: Everything.
- Changed: Some details in steps should be easier to follow now. Major rewrite in many sections.
- Changed: LAV installation is now optional. They're internal filters in MPC-HC, so install them separately if you plan to use MPC-BE.
- Changed: Removed JanWillem32 build. XySubFilter resolved basically every gap it needed to be fully functional.
- Removed: LAV installation. From now on we're using MPC-HC's internal LAV.
Ctrl + F is your friend.
Why should I use this guide?
Playback quality.
madVR provides custom scaling algorithms to make sure you're getting the best video quality possible in both upscaling and downscaling scenarios. It comes with a variety of other features like debanding, NNEDI3 and more advanced options for specific purpose playback and other tweaks including color calibration and smooth motion for a judder-free experience.
Optimized performance.
Pretty much all media players out there are using CPU for decoding and rendering, and this is not optimal. madVR takes advantage of your GPU raw power, making sure you're using your hardware to its utmost potential by having your CPU concentrate on decoding the video while your GPU renders it. This enables a very solid yet smooth playback experience unmatched by any other setup.
Reliable media support.
LAV filters is an open-source media splitter and decoder solution with a wide support of containers and formats. Unlike other alternatives like Haali, LAV gives you the latest and greatest features in the decoding department like VP9 and HEVC support, with frequent updates thanks to its active development while maintaining the project vision of fast and quality decoding playback.
I'd like to put a disclaimer however, that all of this is a potential increase. Depending on your previous setup, you might believe the work to keep this updated might not be worth trying the setup in the first place. So I invite you to read this post I made here on this thread that explains in detail how madVR works and what you should (realistically) expect from it. If you're already convinced, let's go to the next step.
Prerequisites
First, uninstall ALL instances of MPC-HC, CCCP, ffdshow, madVR, Haali, K-lite, CoreAVC etc. you might have on your system. This is a clean guide that requires a "codec-free" system to make sure everything will work accordingly, and ideally should have no other pack installed either. This will also help avoid any conflicts between previous installations or otherwise bad registry entries that might affect playback later on.
Requirements
This is for reference of your hardware only. Said specs aren't absolute, so don't use it as your shopping guide. CPU performance is not demanding even for very low end systems so those recommendations are more of a scale based on performance rather than actual raw power needed. Any relatively decent dual core should be able to decode 1080p without problems. madVR should work with any GPU that supports D3D9 and PS3.0, and while madshi recommends at least 128 MB of dedicated VRAM, madVR can work with onboard GPUs without issue.
The guide itself is intended for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users only. Older OS releases have outdated drivers and may have more bugs or issues I won't be able to help with. I won't take any responsibility for troubleshooting playback issues with any other system that wasn't mentioned.
Easy installation with KCP
If you want something that works, but don't want to give in to codec packs that don't focus on quality such as CCCP, K-lite, etc. Then you should use KCP instead. You can check out the official forum thread for more information regarding the topic and the download link. The pack comes with:
- The standard of this guide. MPC-HC lite, LAV filters, madVR and xy-VSFilter.
- 5 Presets. Lowest to Highest to match madVR scaling algorithms for performance vs quality.
- Easy interface. KCP settings will give you quick access to filters configuration.
Note: This thread is not intended for KCP troubleshooting. I am close to actual development of the pack, but issues with KCP in specific should be directed at haruhichan.com official forum thread.
Step 0: Setup Methodology
I've also been asked too many times about things like "should I use ReClock" or "is MPC-BE better than MPC-HC". This section was created to give you some quick insight on how those the components here work and what are their purposes.
MPC-HC - The main player used in this guide. MPC-HC is usually the top choice for many users looking for a good experience thanks to it's relative simple design yet flexible amount of options. Those who like simplicity yet powerful setups will usually end up in here. Players like PotPlayer and KMPlayer are good alternatives but they do come with more unnecessary features that most of the time doesn't help with the playback experience.
LAV Filters - As explained earlier, this is an open source media splitter and decoder. LAV will demux your files based on their metadata and then decode whatever stream it finds, while respective some options like preferred video, audio or subtitle sources. This is useful in case you want to use containers like .mkv which enables you to have dual-audio, for example. This is already included with MPC-HC.
madVR - This will be your main render. It's focus is on quality over anything else, and thanks to it's large array of features it's possible to completely revamp the level of quality one can expect from their usual playback experience. Algorithms enable sharp yet accurate upscaling, and automatic color profile recognition helps you achieve a high level of color accuracy even without calibration.
XySubFilter - A fork of the DirectVobSub project. There isn't much to say for this particular component aside from this is your subtitle lifeline. It enables fast rendering of many subtitle formats including .ass, .pgs and .srt. The speed and accuracy of subtitle representation compared to internal rendering solutions is very noticeable, so this is a must on the setup.
ReClock - It allows for less jittery audio while adapting media for more smooth playback (e.g 23.976 > 24.000 / 24 hz). The tricky part about this component however is that it only truly makes a difference if your display supports multiple refresh rates and your media is 25fps. Any modern LCD display should have 60 hz by default, which is good for desktop use but it's bad for video playback because 24/25fps doesn't go well with 60 hz like 30fps does. If your display can't adapt itself to an equivalent number of current media playing (i.e 24fps > 24/48/72 hz) then ReClock is likely not for you. It still has many other features for audiophiles which some of you might be interested like WASAPI exclusive and bitstreaming, but if you don't know what those are, likely you don't need any of them. ReClock by itself is not an component needed for our purposes, but the jitter free audio supposedly helps with smooth motion so this will be here for a while.
MPC-BE - Has a more modern visual than MPC-HC, but functionality is relatively the same. Nothing dramatically changes from MPC-HC aside from this not including LAV by default and the revamped interface. Some believe it's more stable too but you'll have to see for yourself.
Now that you are acquainted with the components, go ahead to the next step.
Step 1: Downloading the Apps
Note: Make sure you download the 32-bit instances of all the apps below. madVR doesn't support 64-bit.
- MPC-HC (v1.7.6) New!
- madVR (v0.87.10) New!
- XySubFilter (v3.1.0.697) New!
Optional.
- LAV filters (v0.62.0) New!
- ReClock (v1.8.8.4) New!
- MPC-BE (1.4.2) New!
You can skip any optional component. LAV already comes with MPC-HC, but you'll need to download and install it if you want to use MPC-BE however.
Note: Unlike MPC-HC, BE will ask you to download the DirectX End-user Runtime in case you haven't done so. This is not strictly necessary but you should save yourself any future issue and install it as well.
Step 2: Installation
1. Install MPC-HC.
2. Install LAV filters (if you're going to use MPC-BE). Untick the x64 if you want, as you'll only use the x86 ones. (optional)
Note:If you choose to follow this step, you'll need to go to MPC-BE in "Options" > "Internal Filters" and disable everything in "Source", "Video" and "Audio" decoders so LAV can be used properly.
2. Make sure you're logged in as Administrator or "Run as Admin" before installing. Extract madVR somewhere sensible before installing it. Like your programs folder. Run the "install.bat" inside the folder and do not delete the extracted folder afterwards, madVR depends on it to keep working.
Protip: If you want to update madVR, just extract the new folder and overwrite the files of the old one.
3. Install XySubFilter. "Next" like there's no tomorrow.
4. Install ReClock. Uncheck everything but "Program Files" and "Install DSound / Wave support". (optional)
Step 3: MPC-HC Configuration
1. Open MPC-HC's Options Menu and in "Playback" disable "Use the built-in subtitle renderer". Otherwise you won't be able to use XySubFilter.
On MPC-BE, the option to disable internal subtitle renderer is in "Subtitles". Do the same as above. You'll also want to enable "Auto-zoom" so the video opens up with the default media resolution.
2. Under "Output" in "DirectShow Video", select "madVR" and if you're going to use ReClock, set it here as default audio renderer.
Step 4: Filters Configuration
madVR
1. Restart MPC-HC and play back any file. You should notice the madVR icon in the system tray, time to use it. Right click on it and click "Edit madVR Settings" to access the next window. Remember you can also turn off madVR icon in the system tray if you don't like it.
2. This might not be safe to use in some hardware. Under "rendering" > "smooth motion" you can enable it for a much more smooth playback without judder. Especially noticeable with 24p in monitors with 60Hz. However, it does comes with it's downsides.
- There will be a slightly decrease in video sharpness (may be noticeable, your eyes are your judge).
- Increase in GPU usage. If you have dropped frames when using it, disable it or tune your algorithm settings manually.
- May not be appropriate for all type of content. Anime in general are not like films so the effect might not be pleasing.
3. Under "scaling algorithms", select the one that fits you best. I made this graph based on a "performance x quality" range of your hardware. Use Lowest for Minimum, Low to Mid for Preferred and High to Highest for Recommended.
AR = Anti-ringing, LL = Linear Light.
4. Under "rendering" > "general settings" disable the "fullscreen exclusive mode". I recommend leaving this off unless you are having playback problems, it also messes up MPC-HC's interface.
Protip: If you have issues with smooth motion, disable "use a separate device for presentation" and restart playback. It's likely to fix it (I'd recommend leave it on though, it halves my rendering time, meaning more speed).
ReClock
1. Make sure all boxes in "Audio Settings" are unchecked since we don't need them. In "Sound pre-buffer", choose anything from 100ms ahead. This will cause a "cut" effect in audio at price of more stability. Usually 100ms will do, but if you get hiccups, keep adding more 25ms until you get to a sweet spot. It's possible to use lower values such as 50 ms, but I can't guarantee the stability with them. For reference, DirectSound uses about 26ms. In "Format" > "24 bit int padded to 32" and "Quality" > "Best Sync Interpolation".
Note: You can use WASAPI Exclusive if you want audio with relatively more quality, however, it uses a lot more of the CPU and it mutes everything elsewhere so you might want to consider testing it yourself if it's worth or not.
2. This time, all the boxes in "Video Settings" should be checked, we need them. Adjust "Assumed frame rate when not found" to your liking. I usually watch 24p content over anything else so that one is my preference.
3. In "Advanced Settings" tab, make sure everything under "VSYNC Correction" is unchecked. Hit the "OK" and play any video on MPC-HC. You might also customize the other options to your will, but I advise not to unless you know what you're doing.
Protip: Enabling the option "Give high priority to CPU player" will increase performance to make sure ReClock won't hiccup with low ms (do not take this as certain). You can also do this by going in MPC-HC's "Player" Menu and checking "Process priority above normal".
4. Go to the filters list through right-click and click on "ReClock Audio Renderer". In the following window make sure all the boxes are unchecked. You can lock the logic if you want but it doesn't really seem to make any difference as far as I know.
DXVA
If you want to use DXVA2 for decoding, just go to LAV Video Decoder Options through the Start Menu icon or "Filters" list. Also, hardware acceleration is not compatible with 10-bit videos, you probably already know that. Also, I'm not sure if this is available with internal filters, you might need to install the external version of LAV for that.
Select the best fit for you based on the following criteria.
- CUVID for NVidia GPUs.
- DXVA2 (copy-back) for AMD or older/others GPU brands.
- QuickSync for Sandy Bridge architecture or newer.
Note: CPU SSE 4.1 capable and Windows 7 SP1 or ahead are recommended for (copy-back).
Protip: Smooth motion usually has issues with DXVA, so use it with caution.
Step 5: Confirmation
1. Play any 10/8-bit .mkv file and use Ctrl+J to enter the OSD. If it doesn't show up or looks different, double check output configuration.
Note: It's okay to drop a few frames at the start of the video, seeking and switching between fullscreen and windowed mode. Just make sure it doesn't drop or delay anything in constant playback.
2. Finally, check the "Filters" list (in the right click menu of MPC-HC during playback). It doesn't need to look exactly like the image below, just make sure the filters you installed are being used in their respective situations.
Feedback
Say thanks if it worked so this guide can gain credibility. Any positive/negative comments or suggestions are welcome as long they're polite. Guide originally inspired by Ryuumaru. Mostly based on nand’s original research and Google, and updated by Niyawa.
Posted by Niyawa | Jan 28, 2014 1:55 PM | 0 comments
January 24th, 2014
Specials, Extras and Shorts catalog
Anime Relations: Boku no Pico
My list used to be very big but truth is that half of it were some useless specials and fanservice shorts that never really meant anything. Thus from now on I only add specials, extras and shorts (if they're meaningful for the main series) that have 24 minutes or more (some exceptions to lower rutimes if I feel it's necessary). Below you can find what I've watched that isn't included. I'm confident I forgot to add some entries but that should cover most of it.
I was originally going to put links, but I'm not up for that much work.
As for the table, it's very simple. Everything is organized from A to Z.
A-Channel: +A-Channel
Accel World Specials
Amagami SS OVA
Amagami SS+ Plus Specials
Angel Beats!: Another Epilogue
Ao no Exorcist Specials
Aria the Natural Special
Aria the Origination Picture Drama
Azumanga Web Daioh
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Specials
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Christmas Special
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Matsuri Special
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Spinout! Sore ga Bokura no Nichijou
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Episode 0
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!: Depth of Field - Ai to Nikushimi Gekijou
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Lite
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Picture Drama
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 Picture Drama
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 Special Edition Zero Requiem
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2: Flash Specials
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Special Edition Black Rebellion
Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai. Recap
Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou Specials
Death Note Rewrite
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - 4-Koma Theater
Fullmetal Alchemist: Reflections
Gintama: Jump Anime Tour 2008 Special
Girls und Panzer: Shoukai Shimasu!
Guilty Crown Kiseki: Reassortment
Higashi no Eden Soushuuhen: Air Communication
Higashi no Eden: Falling Down
High School DxD Specials
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls Picture Drama
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls Specials
Ikoku Meiro no Croisée Picture Drama
Ikoku Meiro no Croisée: Yune & Alice
Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi Special
Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita Specials
K-On!: Ura-On!
K-On!!: Ura-On!!
Kaichou wa Maid-sama!: Goshujin-sama to Asonjao♥
Kaichou wa Maid-sama!: Omake dayo!
Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Flag 0
Kamisama Dolls Specials
Kotoura-san: Haruka no Heya
Kowarekake no Orgel Special
Kyoto Animation: Suiei-hen
Ladies versus Butlers! Specials
Ladies versus Butlers! Tokuten Disc Music Clip
MM! Specials
Mahou Shoujo Sonico★Magica
Maken-Ki! Specials
Manyuu Hikenchou Picture Drama
Manyuu Hikenchou Specials
Maria†Holic: Run Run Riru Ran Ran Rara
Mashiroiro Symphony: Airi ga Anata no Kanojo ni!?
Mayoi Neko Overrun! Specials
Mirai Nikki
Morita-san wa Mukuchi. Specials
Naruto x UT
Naruto: Shippuuden - Konoha Gakuen Special
Natsuiro Kiseki: 15-kaime no Natsuyasumi
Natsuiro Surprise
Panty & Stocking in Sanitarybox
Perfect Day
Princess Lover!: Magical Knight Maria-chan
Ranma ½: 1994 Music Calendar
Ranma ½: Battle ga Ippai 29-nin no Korinai Yatsura
Ranma ½: DoCo Music Video
Rinne no Lagrange Specials
Seikon no Qwaser Picture Drama
Seto no Hanayome Fan Disc
Seto no Hanayome OVA Specials
Shakugan no Shana II (Second) Specials
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) Specials
Shakugan no Shana Movie Special
Shakugan no Shana S Specials
Shakugan no Shana Specials
Shinryaku! Ika Musume Specials
Shinryaku! Ika Musume: Ika Ice Tabena-ika?
Shinryaku! Ika Musume: Kore ga Umi e no Ai Jana-ika!
Shukufuku no Campanella Specials
Softenni Specials
Tiger & Bunny Pilot
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Specials
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Entenka no Satsuei Model mo Raku Ja Arimasen wa ne.
Toaru Majutsu no Index II Specials
Toaru Majutsu no Index Specials
Toradora!: SOS!
Working'!! Announcement Specials
Yuru Yuri: Doushite, Tomaranai, Tokimeki, Doki Doki, Paradox, Eternal
Zero no Tsukaima: Princesses no Rondo Picture Drama
I was originally going to put links, but I'm not up for that much work.
As for the table, it's very simple. Everything is organized from A to Z.
A-Channel: +A-Channel
Accel World Specials
Amagami SS OVA
Amagami SS+ Plus Specials
Angel Beats!: Another Epilogue
Ao no Exorcist Specials
Aria the Natural Special
Aria the Origination Picture Drama
Azumanga Web Daioh
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Specials
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Christmas Special
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Matsuri Special
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Spinout! Sore ga Bokura no Nichijou
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Episode 0
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!: Depth of Field - Ai to Nikushimi Gekijou
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Lite
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Picture Drama
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 Picture Drama
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 Special Edition Zero Requiem
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2: Flash Specials
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Special Edition Black Rebellion
Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai. Recap
Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou Specials
Death Note Rewrite
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - 4-Koma Theater
Fullmetal Alchemist: Reflections
Gintama: Jump Anime Tour 2008 Special
Girls und Panzer: Shoukai Shimasu!
Guilty Crown Kiseki: Reassortment
Higashi no Eden Soushuuhen: Air Communication
Higashi no Eden: Falling Down
High School DxD Specials
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls Picture Drama
Hyakka Ryouran: Samurai Girls Specials
Ikoku Meiro no Croisée Picture Drama
Ikoku Meiro no Croisée: Yune & Alice
Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi Special
Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita Specials
K-On!: Ura-On!
K-On!!: Ura-On!!
Kaichou wa Maid-sama!: Goshujin-sama to Asonjao♥
Kaichou wa Maid-sama!: Omake dayo!
Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Flag 0
Kamisama Dolls Specials
Kotoura-san: Haruka no Heya
Kowarekake no Orgel Special
Kyoto Animation: Suiei-hen
Ladies versus Butlers! Specials
Ladies versus Butlers! Tokuten Disc Music Clip
MM! Specials
Mahou Shoujo Sonico★Magica
Maken-Ki! Specials
Manyuu Hikenchou Picture Drama
Manyuu Hikenchou Specials
Maria†Holic: Run Run Riru Ran Ran Rara
Mashiroiro Symphony: Airi ga Anata no Kanojo ni!?
Mayoi Neko Overrun! Specials
Mirai Nikki
Morita-san wa Mukuchi. Specials
Naruto x UT
Naruto: Shippuuden - Konoha Gakuen Special
Natsuiro Kiseki: 15-kaime no Natsuyasumi
Natsuiro Surprise
Panty & Stocking in Sanitarybox
Perfect Day
Princess Lover!: Magical Knight Maria-chan
Ranma ½: 1994 Music Calendar
Ranma ½: Battle ga Ippai 29-nin no Korinai Yatsura
Ranma ½: DoCo Music Video
Rinne no Lagrange Specials
Seikon no Qwaser Picture Drama
Seto no Hanayome Fan Disc
Seto no Hanayome OVA Specials
Shakugan no Shana II (Second) Specials
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) Specials
Shakugan no Shana Movie Special
Shakugan no Shana S Specials
Shakugan no Shana Specials
Shinryaku! Ika Musume Specials
Shinryaku! Ika Musume: Ika Ice Tabena-ika?
Shinryaku! Ika Musume: Kore ga Umi e no Ai Jana-ika!
Shukufuku no Campanella Specials
Softenni Specials
Tiger & Bunny Pilot
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Specials
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Entenka no Satsuei Model mo Raku Ja Arimasen wa ne.
Toaru Majutsu no Index II Specials
Toaru Majutsu no Index Specials
Toradora!: SOS!
Working'!! Announcement Specials
Yuru Yuri: Doushite, Tomaranai, Tokimeki, Doki Doki, Paradox, Eternal
Zero no Tsukaima: Princesses no Rondo Picture Drama
Posted by Niyawa | Jan 24, 2014 8:23 PM | 0 comments
November 21st, 2013
Rating Methodology
Anime Relations: Danganronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei The Animation
I still believe that value in entertainment media is not something that you can simply quantize with numbers, especially in regards to creatures like humans where their first impression of something, and ability to put things in stereotypes is so predominant. Whenever possible I try to not pay attention to that and simply focus on what said anime has and doesn't has to offer, as that will usually be a more useful metric in regards to "is it worth watching or not". I'll still leave this methodology here for those interested in what I'd do if I were to review something that forced me to give it an score, so take that as you will.
When talking about specific elements of an anime, I need to remember us all that there's no such thing as perfect. Even my favorite of favorites have something I disliked or feel that could've been improved somehow. That leaves me with one option, give merits to same elements of said anime that I was talking about.
+ = Good/Positive
- = Bad/Negative
· = Neutral
This rating was originally made for reviews (when I used to write them). Now I have a quick 50/50 (objective/subjective) internal rating of my own to keep this balanced and fair as possible. I won't rate something I know it's bad 6 or above unless I firmly believe the good side of it reflects its merit in a just and humane way, neither will I rate something that is good 4 or lower because it had elements which I didn't personally enjoy, yet with a mindful reasoning behind it. Anything with 5 is likely really average or it's too mixed for me to make any other conclusion out of it.
Story
A very important element, if not the most important. Story however, depends on what said anime wants to achieve. Genre or demographics for example, will give a very different meaning to each story depending on what show we're talking about. You won't focus too much on the storyline if you're watching a slice of life, as storyline will matter a lot if we're talking about drama or supernatural.
Plot - Very important if you want to make things interesting throughout the whole development.
Tone - A naive mistake is to believe that comedy always work in every scene, that isn't always the case.
Structure - Many likes to leave the viewer wondering "what happened" or lost in thought for no legit reason.
Pace - Heavily close to structure. Making sure every piece fits together is important, but so is the transition between them.
Setting - None of the above will matter if your story is boring to begin with.
Characters
When talking objectivity, it's hard to draw a specific line between a "good" or "bad" character. Stereotypes are the worst things you can expect from them, but sometimes the best too. Usually if you managed to make me care about anyone, then the writer at least did a decent job. If I see them as fap material though... don't expect too much.
Realism - Makes them easy to relate and care about. An unrealistic character doesn't necessarily make a bad one though.
Personality - A writer should spend time making his folks worth my tears, laughs and above all, my time.
Individual - Everyone has a personality, but those have patterns (a.k.a stereotypes). Making them unique is the key.
Development - It's important to make clear that the events changed and influenced your character in a way or another.
Humanity - Make me care for an alien that's destroying my planet and I can stand back while saying you're doing it right.
Animation
We're talking about anime, so this isn't rocket science. We want it beautiful and fluid it as it can be, there aren't any limits whatsoever. However, we live in times where budget and time restraints are making more difficult for us to raise the bar of quality. While the majority of the world cares about lip-sync, we just want that our characters don't appear with a poker face in the middle of an important event.
Background - It's not rare to see bunch of people with the same silhouette and hair color in this situation anymore.
Lightning - Gradients that are fucked up won't work. Make something believable or it will just hurt to look at.
Consistency - Spending the whole budget on the first episode and making everyone else disappointed next week has become a norm these days.
Style - Make stuff connect with the theme. I mean seriously, pfff, Another is one of the best examples you'll ever get.
Quality - None of the above will matter if nothing was drawn properly in the first place.
Soundtrack
Unfortunately, this is the element most people miss. OSTs tend to be very easy to not pay attention to when you're focused in other aspects of the show such as the characters interactions or an interesting storyline. What's funniest about this is how an OST can differ to the actual quality of said show in particular.
Simple - Managing to bring life to a scene without feeling heavy or unnecessary, yet dynamic is the key to a good music.
Voice Acting - Either it's a cute Kana or badass Sugita, being able to like and appreciate a character's voice is extremely important.
Special Effects - A good rain sound is always welcome when it's raining. I'm done with cicada cries though.
Timing - A good track starts and finish in the best scene possible. It shouldn't be repetitive if possible.
Noticeable - Remember that track that is outstanding alone... but in the actual show it doesn't stand out? Hmn.
Enjoyment
It's basically how much I liked what I just watched. This is different for everyone so I won't bother with specifics. If you want an idea however, it goes in a range of 1-10 but no math. The number that appears in my mind will likely win, like a gut feeling. It sounds unfair, but subjectively relies on one's own experiences, values and morals to make any sort of judgment. I like to believe the entropy in that has yet to be calculated.
Verdict
I use 1-10 for ratings, giving me a better and accurate result when converting my feelings to numbers.
I hate math so I won't explain further but it would be along these lines:
Story (5+5+5+2+6 / 5 = 4.6) + Character (4+6+6+4+5 / 5 = 5) + Animation (8+8+5+6+6 / 5 = 6.6) + Soundtrack (6+7+7+6+6 / 5 = 6.4) + Enjoyment (5) / 5
The result is the Ultimate Universal Rating = 5.5 (from 5.52).
I don't have any specifics when it comes to rating manga or visual novels and games in general because I never tried to review any of those.
It should be noted however that the final result isn't a general absolute average, and the score might be more or less depending on my final verdict based on the overall combination of all elements being made from a more emotional standpoint, this is an attempt to evaluate things that numbers just can't do, making the real final result a more accurate one depending on the list's owner.
PS: I'm not an elitist and I don't plan to become one. This is here merely to give an idea of how I rate my anime when reviewing and nothing else. I don't use this tiring and unnecessary rating for my list, and right now I don't believe that will change.
When talking about specific elements of an anime, I need to remember us all that there's no such thing as perfect. Even my favorite of favorites have something I disliked or feel that could've been improved somehow. That leaves me with one option, give merits to same elements of said anime that I was talking about.
+ = Good/Positive
- = Bad/Negative
· = Neutral
This rating was originally made for reviews (when I used to write them). Now I have a quick 50/50 (objective/subjective) internal rating of my own to keep this balanced and fair as possible. I won't rate something I know it's bad 6 or above unless I firmly believe the good side of it reflects its merit in a just and humane way, neither will I rate something that is good 4 or lower because it had elements which I didn't personally enjoy, yet with a mindful reasoning behind it. Anything with 5 is likely really average or it's too mixed for me to make any other conclusion out of it.
Story
A very important element, if not the most important. Story however, depends on what said anime wants to achieve. Genre or demographics for example, will give a very different meaning to each story depending on what show we're talking about. You won't focus too much on the storyline if you're watching a slice of life, as storyline will matter a lot if we're talking about drama or supernatural.
Plot - Very important if you want to make things interesting throughout the whole development.
Tone - A naive mistake is to believe that comedy always work in every scene, that isn't always the case.
Structure - Many likes to leave the viewer wondering "what happened" or lost in thought for no legit reason.
Pace - Heavily close to structure. Making sure every piece fits together is important, but so is the transition between them.
Setting - None of the above will matter if your story is boring to begin with.
Characters
When talking objectivity, it's hard to draw a specific line between a "good" or "bad" character. Stereotypes are the worst things you can expect from them, but sometimes the best too. Usually if you managed to make me care about anyone, then the writer at least did a decent job. If I see them as fap material though... don't expect too much.
Realism - Makes them easy to relate and care about. An unrealistic character doesn't necessarily make a bad one though.
Personality - A writer should spend time making his folks worth my tears, laughs and above all, my time.
Individual - Everyone has a personality, but those have patterns (a.k.a stereotypes). Making them unique is the key.
Development - It's important to make clear that the events changed and influenced your character in a way or another.
Humanity - Make me care for an alien that's destroying my planet and I can stand back while saying you're doing it right.
Animation
We're talking about anime, so this isn't rocket science. We want it beautiful and fluid it as it can be, there aren't any limits whatsoever. However, we live in times where budget and time restraints are making more difficult for us to raise the bar of quality. While the majority of the world cares about lip-sync, we just want that our characters don't appear with a poker face in the middle of an important event.
Background - It's not rare to see bunch of people with the same silhouette and hair color in this situation anymore.
Lightning - Gradients that are fucked up won't work. Make something believable or it will just hurt to look at.
Consistency - Spending the whole budget on the first episode and making everyone else disappointed next week has become a norm these days.
Style - Make stuff connect with the theme. I mean seriously, pfff, Another is one of the best examples you'll ever get.
Quality - None of the above will matter if nothing was drawn properly in the first place.
Soundtrack
Unfortunately, this is the element most people miss. OSTs tend to be very easy to not pay attention to when you're focused in other aspects of the show such as the characters interactions or an interesting storyline. What's funniest about this is how an OST can differ to the actual quality of said show in particular.
Simple - Managing to bring life to a scene without feeling heavy or unnecessary, yet dynamic is the key to a good music.
Voice Acting - Either it's a cute Kana or badass Sugita, being able to like and appreciate a character's voice is extremely important.
Special Effects - A good rain sound is always welcome when it's raining. I'm done with cicada cries though.
Timing - A good track starts and finish in the best scene possible. It shouldn't be repetitive if possible.
Noticeable - Remember that track that is outstanding alone... but in the actual show it doesn't stand out? Hmn.
Enjoyment
It's basically how much I liked what I just watched. This is different for everyone so I won't bother with specifics. If you want an idea however, it goes in a range of 1-10 but no math. The number that appears in my mind will likely win, like a gut feeling. It sounds unfair, but subjectively relies on one's own experiences, values and morals to make any sort of judgment. I like to believe the entropy in that has yet to be calculated.
Verdict
I use 1-10 for ratings, giving me a better and accurate result when converting my feelings to numbers.
I hate math so I won't explain further but it would be along these lines:
Story (5+5+5+2+6 / 5 = 4.6) + Character (4+6+6+4+5 / 5 = 5) + Animation (8+8+5+6+6 / 5 = 6.6) + Soundtrack (6+7+7+6+6 / 5 = 6.4) + Enjoyment (5) / 5
The result is the Ultimate Universal Rating = 5.5 (from 5.52).
I don't have any specifics when it comes to rating manga or visual novels and games in general because I never tried to review any of those.
It should be noted however that the final result isn't a general absolute average, and the score might be more or less depending on my final verdict based on the overall combination of all elements being made from a more emotional standpoint, this is an attempt to evaluate things that numbers just can't do, making the real final result a more accurate one depending on the list's owner.
PS: I'm not an elitist and I don't plan to become one. This is here merely to give an idea of how I rate my anime when reviewing and nothing else. I don't use this tiring and unnecessary rating for my list, and right now I don't believe that will change.
Posted by Niyawa | Nov 21, 2013 5:49 PM | 0 comments
November 11th, 2013
Why "cute x (girls + things)" is not what you think it is
Anime Relations: K-On!
I'm often asked - actually, no one asks me about this but it's important for me to give my honest opinion on the matter.
After being a fan of the "genre" for almost 3 years now, it seems that the overall understanding about the topic changed quite a bit in that time. I don't particularly remember this being a "thing" until K-ON! arrived, but then again I've started with anime in 2009 so take of that what you will. The formula seems interesting on paper, but kinda boring on reality from a majority of perspectives. Why would we watch girls drinking tea and doing nothing productive the whole day and believe that's a fun thing? The very thought of slice-of-life is already very fragmented, but experienced viewers take it as easy to understand. It just doesn't seem to be something that would work, but it did.
When watching a show of cute girls doing cute things, I ask myself: "Why am I watching this?". I reply "I like it, it's fun" but I keep thinking for a little while, at some point I start to doubt that my own vision of reason is getting blurrier. Believe me, if you ever felt the same it's understandable. Let me tell you why I watch it again: because it's fun, that's not all though.
Now there seems to be a misunderstanding about "fun" and the actual meaning of it. Mostly, you're the boss in this department.
Let's say I'm having a talk with a friend about the topic, this particular friend of mine never really liked "cute x (girls + things)" because he believes it's boring. For him, the solely reason this exists is for pandering and sell bait for otakus, that sort of thing that is meaningless and just not worth your time. "You should watch something that might actually change your life, something that will give you a new reason to do things, cute x (girls + things) wouldn't give anyone that sort of feeling." that is what he firmly and strongly believes.
I say that is a flawed view, not his opinion, but his understanding of what this is supposed be. He didn't get it.
Let's go back and think about what is fun. You might just end this conversation and say "our tastes are different, deal with it" but the issue at hand is more complicated than that. This friend of mine, I believe he and a lot of other people have the wrong idea of what cute x (girls + things) is about. When I'm watching it, I don't do it just because it's fun. There are way too many feelings on the same place, at the same time. Watching them laugh, cry, talk about things as meaningless as the taste of their ice cream, their new bra, boys, childhood stuff and much more is what makes it interesting. I want to know what is happening in the lives of that character, what is happening in the lives of the friend of that character. What is happening in that world.
When I fell in love with Mio, it wasn't just because she was cute. Sure she is cute, and I also admit that her as a character can't be hold strongly as an argument for the quality of a show. However, if I were to look only at the bad side of people before deciding to be friends with them, my life would be boringly predictable. The same logic holds in this particular case. Why is that people only look at the bad side of cute girls doing cute things? You may not believe it, but K-ON is one of the few things that gave me energy to survive the day, especially when I was feeling depressed. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there watching those shows just to get a laugh. They're not looking for a way to increase their life knowledge or think about how to change anything, they just want to relax.
It's fun you know, just everything about it. The mood of the show lightens the mood of my own life. This is not limited to K-ON! though, Yuyushiki, Yuri Yuri, GJ-bu, Natusme Yuujinchou, Tamayura (sort of) and everything which has the intention of bringing heartwarming moments. They are all based mostly on that same logic yet I can feel a different feeling, about each one them. They all give me new perspectives of things that I might have watched or experienced, but never in the same way. They are all almost the same thing, but not the same thing.
There is also this misunderstanding that "cute x (girls + things)" is a simple formula. It's not. It's not easy. You can't just put a bunch of cute girls on the same place and call it a day. Every show that based itself on that particular characteristic needs to have its own aura, it's own reason for existence. It just can't work for everyone. I know some shows like this that are detestable, using themselves as some sort of airing slot just to fill time. I would understand why someone would feel these are meaningless.
So what point am I trying to make? You might have realized it already, but I'm somewhat bad at expressing myself on topics like this. All I ask is that the people that aren't particularly fond of this "genre" or "thing" to understand that the concept goes beyond the actual presentation. Yes, you might find it boring, that's okay. You don't need to like everything. However respecting someone's else view and opinion instead of creating a fact around something that can't be explained by words (like emotion) will just, maybe, not make you look stupid.
After being a fan of the "genre" for almost 3 years now, it seems that the overall understanding about the topic changed quite a bit in that time. I don't particularly remember this being a "thing" until K-ON! arrived, but then again I've started with anime in 2009 so take of that what you will. The formula seems interesting on paper, but kinda boring on reality from a majority of perspectives. Why would we watch girls drinking tea and doing nothing productive the whole day and believe that's a fun thing? The very thought of slice-of-life is already very fragmented, but experienced viewers take it as easy to understand. It just doesn't seem to be something that would work, but it did.
When watching a show of cute girls doing cute things, I ask myself: "Why am I watching this?". I reply "I like it, it's fun" but I keep thinking for a little while, at some point I start to doubt that my own vision of reason is getting blurrier. Believe me, if you ever felt the same it's understandable. Let me tell you why I watch it again: because it's fun, that's not all though.
Now there seems to be a misunderstanding about "fun" and the actual meaning of it. Mostly, you're the boss in this department.
Let's say I'm having a talk with a friend about the topic, this particular friend of mine never really liked "cute x (girls + things)" because he believes it's boring. For him, the solely reason this exists is for pandering and sell bait for otakus, that sort of thing that is meaningless and just not worth your time. "You should watch something that might actually change your life, something that will give you a new reason to do things, cute x (girls + things) wouldn't give anyone that sort of feeling." that is what he firmly and strongly believes.
I say that is a flawed view, not his opinion, but his understanding of what this is supposed be. He didn't get it.
Let's go back and think about what is fun. You might just end this conversation and say "our tastes are different, deal with it" but the issue at hand is more complicated than that. This friend of mine, I believe he and a lot of other people have the wrong idea of what cute x (girls + things) is about. When I'm watching it, I don't do it just because it's fun. There are way too many feelings on the same place, at the same time. Watching them laugh, cry, talk about things as meaningless as the taste of their ice cream, their new bra, boys, childhood stuff and much more is what makes it interesting. I want to know what is happening in the lives of that character, what is happening in the lives of the friend of that character. What is happening in that world.
When I fell in love with Mio, it wasn't just because she was cute. Sure she is cute, and I also admit that her as a character can't be hold strongly as an argument for the quality of a show. However, if I were to look only at the bad side of people before deciding to be friends with them, my life would be boringly predictable. The same logic holds in this particular case. Why is that people only look at the bad side of cute girls doing cute things? You may not believe it, but K-ON is one of the few things that gave me energy to survive the day, especially when I was feeling depressed. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there watching those shows just to get a laugh. They're not looking for a way to increase their life knowledge or think about how to change anything, they just want to relax.
It's fun you know, just everything about it. The mood of the show lightens the mood of my own life. This is not limited to K-ON! though, Yuyushiki, Yuri Yuri, GJ-bu, Natusme Yuujinchou, Tamayura (sort of) and everything which has the intention of bringing heartwarming moments. They are all based mostly on that same logic yet I can feel a different feeling, about each one them. They all give me new perspectives of things that I might have watched or experienced, but never in the same way. They are all almost the same thing, but not the same thing.
There is also this misunderstanding that "cute x (girls + things)" is a simple formula. It's not. It's not easy. You can't just put a bunch of cute girls on the same place and call it a day. Every show that based itself on that particular characteristic needs to have its own aura, it's own reason for existence. It just can't work for everyone. I know some shows like this that are detestable, using themselves as some sort of airing slot just to fill time. I would understand why someone would feel these are meaningless.
So what point am I trying to make? You might have realized it already, but I'm somewhat bad at expressing myself on topics like this. All I ask is that the people that aren't particularly fond of this "genre" or "thing" to understand that the concept goes beyond the actual presentation. Yes, you might find it boring, that's okay. You don't need to like everything. However respecting someone's else view and opinion instead of creating a fact around something that can't be explained by words (like emotion) will just, maybe, not make you look stupid.
Posted by Niyawa | Nov 11, 2013 3:13 AM | 1 comments