August 8th, 2013
これだけは気に食わん
Anime Relations: Free!
まぁ、Free! は確かに好きやけど、気に食わんことがあってさ...
お前ら、いい加減テントで寝ろ!！ったく...
お前ら、いい加減テントで寝ろ!！ったく...
Posted by coffeebanchou | Aug 8, 2013 9:47 AM | 0 comments
April 29th, 2013
Ranking and Observations - Spring 2013 Anime ('Ware Spoilers)
Anime Relations: Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru., RDG: Red Data Girl, Hataraku Maou-sama!, Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince, Karneval (TV), Devil Survivor 2 The Animation, Arata Kangatari, Suisei no Gargantia, Kakumeiki Valvrave, Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san, Aiura, Mushibugyou, Sparrow's Hotel
My current ranking of Spring 2013 anime as of 4/29/13:
Hataraku Maou-sama! :: 9/10 @ episode 4/13
Suisei no Gargantia :: 9/10 @ episode 4/12
Kakumeiki Valvrave :: 8/10 @ episode 3/12
Devil Survivor 2 The Animation :: 7/10 @ episode 4/13
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince :: 7/10 @ episode 4/24
Mushibugyou :: 7/10 @ episode 3/?
Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san :: 7/10 @ episode 4/13
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. :: 7/10 @ episode 4/?
Aiura :: 6/10 @ episode 3/12
Arata Kangatari :: 6/10 @ episode 2/12
RDG: Red Data Girl :: 6/10 @ episode 6/12
Sparrow’s Hotel :: 6/10 @ episode 3/?
Karneval :: 5/10 @ episode 2/13
Should be watching:
Shingeki no Kyojin
Observations:
Note: All comments are based on my subjective opinions and are meant purely as fun discussion/speculation. Beware of potential spoilers.
- I have yet to drop a show this season, which is a miracle in and of itself, considering how busy RL has been.
- I rarely watch mecha, but now I inexplicably find myself watching three mecha shows in one season. Gargantia is thought-provoking and subtly complex with great art design. As a linguaphile and student of Japanese, I’ve loved watching the clever portrayal of Led’s language-learning process (a similar technique is used to great comedic effect in the first couple episodes of Maou-sama!), especially since it involves Sugita Tomokazu as the voice of Chamber. The one thing that bugs me about this show is the fact that the trio of messenger girls doesn’t have a single pair of pants among them. You’d think it would occur to them that zooming back and forth across the fleet in tiny miniskirts (Where’s Roy Mustang when you need him?) is a tad bit impractical. But, hey, this is anime.
Valvrave surprised me with its quality animation and fantastic OP, and we’ve been able to watch Haruto start to come to terms with his transformation from pacifist, non-assertive high schooler into someone the rest of the world hails as a hero (and what he himself considers to be a “monster”). I’m curious to see which side of the conflict L-Elf ultimately gravitates toward.
Majestic Prince seemed horribly generic at first glance, but it has found some depth in portraying the way five young students with no memories of their own are forced to come to grips with their sudden prominence on the galactic stage. (On a more speculative note, I’m convinced that Akagi’s stomach woes are actually a case of dire foreshadowing, and I want to know why exactly the doctors want to reexamine Izuru. Saionji, the head mechanic, is also rather amusing. In other news, I fail to understand how Tamaki jiggling her boobs is helping the war effort.)
- As a fan of the SMT and Persona games, I honestly had higher hopes for Devil Survivor 2, especially after being so impressed by Persona 4’s anime adaptation. At this point, I’m hanging on purely to hear Kamiya Hiroshi as Hibiki.
- Comedy is my favorite genre, and with Gintama currently off the air and Ixion Saga DT wrapped up, this spring’s lineup has some big shoes to fill (at least as far as my love of comedy is concerned). However, Hataraku Maou-sama! is doing a fabulous job (pun intended), and each episode dishes out some good laughs. Having lived in Japan, watching Satan and Alshiel adjust to the Japanese lifestyle is endlessly amusing. Ono Yuuki, the voice of Alshiel (whom you may recognize as Kuroko no Basuke’s Kagami), is popping up everywhere this season (Kannagi in Arata, Inuzuka in Valvrave, Kugel in Gargantia), and I don’t mind in the slightest.
I’m finding OregaIru enjoyable, if mostly for the fact that Eguchi Takuya is voicing a protagonist very similar to Ixion Saga’s Kon. Hachiman’s pessimistic, against-the-grain view of the world is relatable, and his reactions to the Saika trap are hilarious. Sparrow’s Hotel was a surprise, considering I didn’t originally plan to watch it; Sayuri’s antics keep me laughing. Plus, there’s OnoD.
- I’m a sucker for anything pertaining to Japanese history, Shintoism, or traditional martial arts, so I actually had high hopes for Red Data Girl. Unfortunately, Mayura’s stunning transformation from badass-in-disguise to girl-weeping-on-her-brother’s-shoulder and back again left a bad taste in my mouth. Call me crazy, but I’m getting tired of the way many series portray stoic boys shedding not even a single manly tear over the greatest tragedy while their female counterparts fall to bawling pieces over every little thing. (Please refer to the shining example of the Kuroko no Basuke manga, in which we’ve seen the majority of the male cast [including most of the Kiseki] shed the manliest of manly tears.) I’ll probably keep watching, though, if for nothing else than to see more of Miyuki’s archery and Izumiko’s kagura dancing.
Hataraku Maou-sama! :: 9/10 @ episode 4/13
Suisei no Gargantia :: 9/10 @ episode 4/12
Kakumeiki Valvrave :: 8/10 @ episode 3/12
Devil Survivor 2 The Animation :: 7/10 @ episode 4/13
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince :: 7/10 @ episode 4/24
Mushibugyou :: 7/10 @ episode 3/?
Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san :: 7/10 @ episode 4/13
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. :: 7/10 @ episode 4/?
Aiura :: 6/10 @ episode 3/12
Arata Kangatari :: 6/10 @ episode 2/12
RDG: Red Data Girl :: 6/10 @ episode 6/12
Sparrow’s Hotel :: 6/10 @ episode 3/?
Karneval :: 5/10 @ episode 2/13
Should be watching:
Shingeki no Kyojin
Observations:
Note: All comments are based on my subjective opinions and are meant purely as fun discussion/speculation. Beware of potential spoilers.
- I have yet to drop a show this season, which is a miracle in and of itself, considering how busy RL has been.
- I rarely watch mecha, but now I inexplicably find myself watching three mecha shows in one season. Gargantia is thought-provoking and subtly complex with great art design. As a linguaphile and student of Japanese, I’ve loved watching the clever portrayal of Led’s language-learning process (a similar technique is used to great comedic effect in the first couple episodes of Maou-sama!), especially since it involves Sugita Tomokazu as the voice of Chamber. The one thing that bugs me about this show is the fact that the trio of messenger girls doesn’t have a single pair of pants among them. You’d think it would occur to them that zooming back and forth across the fleet in tiny miniskirts (Where’s Roy Mustang when you need him?) is a tad bit impractical. But, hey, this is anime.
Valvrave surprised me with its quality animation and fantastic OP, and we’ve been able to watch Haruto start to come to terms with his transformation from pacifist, non-assertive high schooler into someone the rest of the world hails as a hero (and what he himself considers to be a “monster”). I’m curious to see which side of the conflict L-Elf ultimately gravitates toward.
Majestic Prince seemed horribly generic at first glance, but it has found some depth in portraying the way five young students with no memories of their own are forced to come to grips with their sudden prominence on the galactic stage. (On a more speculative note, I’m convinced that Akagi’s stomach woes are actually a case of dire foreshadowing, and I want to know why exactly the doctors want to reexamine Izuru. Saionji, the head mechanic, is also rather amusing. In other news, I fail to understand how Tamaki jiggling her boobs is helping the war effort.)
- As a fan of the SMT and Persona games, I honestly had higher hopes for Devil Survivor 2, especially after being so impressed by Persona 4’s anime adaptation. At this point, I’m hanging on purely to hear Kamiya Hiroshi as Hibiki.
- Comedy is my favorite genre, and with Gintama currently off the air and Ixion Saga DT wrapped up, this spring’s lineup has some big shoes to fill (at least as far as my love of comedy is concerned). However, Hataraku Maou-sama! is doing a fabulous job (pun intended), and each episode dishes out some good laughs. Having lived in Japan, watching Satan and Alshiel adjust to the Japanese lifestyle is endlessly amusing. Ono Yuuki, the voice of Alshiel (whom you may recognize as Kuroko no Basuke’s Kagami), is popping up everywhere this season (Kannagi in Arata, Inuzuka in Valvrave, Kugel in Gargantia), and I don’t mind in the slightest.
I’m finding OregaIru enjoyable, if mostly for the fact that Eguchi Takuya is voicing a protagonist very similar to Ixion Saga’s Kon. Hachiman’s pessimistic, against-the-grain view of the world is relatable, and his reactions to the Saika trap are hilarious. Sparrow’s Hotel was a surprise, considering I didn’t originally plan to watch it; Sayuri’s antics keep me laughing. Plus, there’s OnoD.
- I’m a sucker for anything pertaining to Japanese history, Shintoism, or traditional martial arts, so I actually had high hopes for Red Data Girl. Unfortunately, Mayura’s stunning transformation from badass-in-disguise to girl-weeping-on-her-brother’s-shoulder and back again left a bad taste in my mouth. Call me crazy, but I’m getting tired of the way many series portray stoic boys shedding not even a single manly tear over the greatest tragedy while their female counterparts fall to bawling pieces over every little thing. (Please refer to the shining example of the Kuroko no Basuke manga, in which we’ve seen the majority of the male cast [including most of the Kiseki] shed the manliest of manly tears.) I’ll probably keep watching, though, if for nothing else than to see more of Miyuki’s archery and Izumiko’s kagura dancing.
Posted by coffeebanchou | Apr 29, 2013 3:39 PM | 0 comments
September 27th, 2012
Reaction to a Review of "Kuroko no Basuke" Episode 20
Anime Relations: Kuroko no Basket
Just my two cents, meant purely as fun discussion/speculation. Beware of potential spoilers.
Source: http://metanorn.net/2012/08/meta-mash-30#more-123317
Re: “Kuroko no Basuke” Episode 20
Quote: “The first half ended up being a bit boring because of all the hinting they [Hyuuga and Kiyoshi] did to try and get Kuroko to talk to Kagami. Thinking back, it makes sense when you realize it matches his personality. Kuroko is the type to rely on others, even for solving his problems. He was unable to come to a proper decision without his teammates telling him exactly what to do. Meanwhile, Kagami found a solution on his own. However, being the self-absorbed type, he didn’t tell anyone he was actually working on his teamwork as well. Their coping styles match their personalities…”
I remember being similarly frustrated after watching episode 20, but now, thinking back, I have a different take on the events of the episode/chapter of the manga. I do find it incredibly irksome when characters make a huge deal out of a trivial problem, usually inversely proportional to the actual severity of said problem, simply for lack of communication. However, there is a lot going on beneath the surface in this episode, and I think Kuroko’s background and motivations as a character justify his reaction (although perhaps not Kagami’s blockheaded reaction. He is "Bakagami" for a reason, after all).
When Kagami makes the comment about wondering if they have reached the extent of their potential as a team to Kuroko in the locker room after the Inter-High Touou game, an incredible sense of futility, betrayal, and abandonment must settle heavily on Kuroko’s shoulders. Why? Because he has been through this scenario before. He has experienced the “loss” of a partner, in Aomine. He has experienced his former teammates’ slow and painful loss of trust in him. Kuroko was essentially abandoned and alienated by the other members of Teikou’s team, who grew to consider their individual skills more important and effective than any sort of team-based play. Kuroko’s memory of this event is precisely the reason why Kagami’s comment, whatever the intent behind it, hits too close to home.
Kuroko, whose strength as a player lies in supporting his teammates, possesses a unique skill set that requires bonds of trust in order to function. The gradual breakdown of trust within the Teikou team and their single-minded pursuit of victory above all else eventually hounded Kuroko to the point that he quit the team, scarring him so deeply that he considered quitting basketball entirely. (That said, Fujimaki-sensei has yet to reveal the specific event that was the final straw for Kuroko.)
I have never viewed Kuroko as a passive character, as someone who is the “type to rely on others”: he actively made the decision to quit Teikou’s team, and it must have taken a lot of guts to defy Akashi and leave his teammates behind. At Seirin, he takes an active role in curbing Kagami’s initial urge to win by himself (which strikes Kuroko as eerily similar to Aomine’s attitude toward the end of middle school). Over the course of the series, Kuroko learns to take an active role in developing new skills of his own in order to counter opponents rather than simply relying on the “light” to his “shadow”. Even in episodes 19 and 20, Hyuuga and Kiyoshi are not “telling [Kuroko] what to do”—they are simply reminding him that although Kagami may be an idiot, he is not like the members of the Generation of Miracles. Kagami, much like Kuroko, is seeking a way to become stronger so that he does not have to use his partner as a crutch to compensate for his own shortcomings. Their trust in one another has not been compromised. History has not repeated itself. Although Hyuuga and Kiyoshi may not understand the extent of their actions, they are assisting Kuroko in laying his demons to rest, if you will, and giving him a push in the right direction.
All of this development culminates in Kuroko’s speech toward the end of the episode, in which he admits to Kagami that he desires (quite naturally) to become a good basketball player in his own right and defeat the Generation of Miracles with his own special brand of basketball, effectively bringing them to their senses and, in some cases, restoring their lost love for the sport. The key difference, after all, between Seirin and Teikou as teams lies in the fact that when Kuroko wins, he wants to be happy about his victory. When he, Kagami, and their teammates stand at the top, they will not be individuals thrust onto the same team by happy accident. Even as they grow and become stronger, their ultimate goal is to win together.
Source: http://metanorn.net/2012/08/meta-mash-30#more-123317
Re: “Kuroko no Basuke” Episode 20
Quote: “The first half ended up being a bit boring because of all the hinting they [Hyuuga and Kiyoshi] did to try and get Kuroko to talk to Kagami. Thinking back, it makes sense when you realize it matches his personality. Kuroko is the type to rely on others, even for solving his problems. He was unable to come to a proper decision without his teammates telling him exactly what to do. Meanwhile, Kagami found a solution on his own. However, being the self-absorbed type, he didn’t tell anyone he was actually working on his teamwork as well. Their coping styles match their personalities…”
I remember being similarly frustrated after watching episode 20, but now, thinking back, I have a different take on the events of the episode/chapter of the manga. I do find it incredibly irksome when characters make a huge deal out of a trivial problem, usually inversely proportional to the actual severity of said problem, simply for lack of communication. However, there is a lot going on beneath the surface in this episode, and I think Kuroko’s background and motivations as a character justify his reaction (although perhaps not Kagami’s blockheaded reaction. He is "Bakagami" for a reason, after all).
When Kagami makes the comment about wondering if they have reached the extent of their potential as a team to Kuroko in the locker room after the Inter-High Touou game, an incredible sense of futility, betrayal, and abandonment must settle heavily on Kuroko’s shoulders. Why? Because he has been through this scenario before. He has experienced the “loss” of a partner, in Aomine. He has experienced his former teammates’ slow and painful loss of trust in him. Kuroko was essentially abandoned and alienated by the other members of Teikou’s team, who grew to consider their individual skills more important and effective than any sort of team-based play. Kuroko’s memory of this event is precisely the reason why Kagami’s comment, whatever the intent behind it, hits too close to home.
Kuroko, whose strength as a player lies in supporting his teammates, possesses a unique skill set that requires bonds of trust in order to function. The gradual breakdown of trust within the Teikou team and their single-minded pursuit of victory above all else eventually hounded Kuroko to the point that he quit the team, scarring him so deeply that he considered quitting basketball entirely. (That said, Fujimaki-sensei has yet to reveal the specific event that was the final straw for Kuroko.)
I have never viewed Kuroko as a passive character, as someone who is the “type to rely on others”: he actively made the decision to quit Teikou’s team, and it must have taken a lot of guts to defy Akashi and leave his teammates behind. At Seirin, he takes an active role in curbing Kagami’s initial urge to win by himself (which strikes Kuroko as eerily similar to Aomine’s attitude toward the end of middle school). Over the course of the series, Kuroko learns to take an active role in developing new skills of his own in order to counter opponents rather than simply relying on the “light” to his “shadow”. Even in episodes 19 and 20, Hyuuga and Kiyoshi are not “telling [Kuroko] what to do”—they are simply reminding him that although Kagami may be an idiot, he is not like the members of the Generation of Miracles. Kagami, much like Kuroko, is seeking a way to become stronger so that he does not have to use his partner as a crutch to compensate for his own shortcomings. Their trust in one another has not been compromised. History has not repeated itself. Although Hyuuga and Kiyoshi may not understand the extent of their actions, they are assisting Kuroko in laying his demons to rest, if you will, and giving him a push in the right direction.
All of this development culminates in Kuroko’s speech toward the end of the episode, in which he admits to Kagami that he desires (quite naturally) to become a good basketball player in his own right and defeat the Generation of Miracles with his own special brand of basketball, effectively bringing them to their senses and, in some cases, restoring their lost love for the sport. The key difference, after all, between Seirin and Teikou as teams lies in the fact that when Kuroko wins, he wants to be happy about his victory. When he, Kagami, and their teammates stand at the top, they will not be individuals thrust onto the same team by happy accident. Even as they grow and become stronger, their ultimate goal is to win together.
Posted by coffeebanchou | Sep 27, 2012 9:07 PM | 0 comments
September 18th, 2012
Manga/Anime Favorites
Anime Relations: Gintama, Kuroko no Basket
Under Construction!
Manga Favorites
Manga Favorites
Posted by coffeebanchou | Sep 18, 2012 9:37 PM | 0 comments
September 1st, 2012
Member Cards
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Posted by coffeebanchou | Sep 1, 2012 6:16 AM | 0 comments