Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Leafsnail]

There's little actually objective when it comes to judging art, but sophistication is one of them. Did they make pokemon's repetitive storyline because that's what they wanted to do, or because they lacked the skill and/or vision to do anything else? My guess in the latter, specifically with vision. And that is why it sucks. Not the fact it's a kid's show; there are lots of awesome kids shows. Not the fact it's a mass media merchandise driven show; there are lots of good shows like that too. But rather, they don't convince me that they care.

I would've thought it's more because it's a cheap tie-in to shift more of their other merchandise (mainly games).  It doesn't need to be sophisticated, and their periphery demographic is kindof irrelevant since they already know about and probably play the games.  The purpose would be mainly to get kids to know about the brand so they can buy the next game.

[Techhead]

So anyone else catch Legend of Korra?

Bolin is 100 percent the Sokka of the group.

And overall, 'Holy Shit Snacks.'

I'm enjoying Legend of Korra, but  feel that the writing isn't as tight as the original series.

[IronyOwl]

So, I probably should have been expecting this with a shonen series, but Naruto is finally starting to piss me off with its bullshit main character powers. Which is incredibly ironic, given that they're fighting against a pair of people whose powers include being immortal.

Spoiler: Spoilery Details (click to show/hide)

This particular offense involves the author apparently forgetting or changing his mind about the shadow bind thing being a cheap trick and not an instant win button, as well as a case of having a good plan whose execution isn't explained in the slightest. More specifically, Shikimaru can apparently now:

1. Chase around some guy with his shadow bind thing, which completely immobilizes the target if it hits, while using said shadow to pick up and throw daggers that do exactly the same thing if they hit the victim's shadow, and still have time to run up and punch them which then activates the effect as well. Fuck you.

2. Get his face cut and use that to plant someone else's blood on the implement in question, which in turn switched the target of said cutter's blood magic stuff. Which would have been a good idea, save that they never showed or explained how the fuck he pulled that off. You can't just show a guy getting stabbed and then have him laugh and say "Actually that was this VIAL you hit!" with no explanation whatsoever beyond that was what he wanted to happen.

[i2amroy]

I don't think I'd want a "mature" storyline with pokemon, though. I'd just want a sophisticated production for one.

Gotta agree here.

Personally I liked the show much better back before they decided not he whole "never getting older" thing. I mean if you check back far enough I believe there is a canon "1-year pikachu anniversary" in there somewhere that they just sort of ignored after that. Personally I think it would have been better if they had of introduced a new character every few regions or so, after the johto region probably would have been a good time to do it. They could have written Ash a good send-off and then pulled us in with a new hero and a new region with the Hoenn episodes.

Also

So, I probably should have been expecting this with a shonen series, but Naruto is finally starting to piss me off with its bullshit main character powers. Which is incredibly ironic, given that they're fighting against a pair of people whose powers include being immortal.

I hate to say it but I find that most shonen animes suffer a steady drop in quality that just keeps going once they reach a certain point. I mean you can only "level up" or "unlock a new power" so many times before you either need to start bs'ing in new stuff or have everyone go demon-form super sayan bankai level at the drop of a hat just to start the battle, and then go up from there. Personally I find the best shonen animus rank in at no more then 3-4 seasons, with only one or two that go longer then that. I'm actually really surprised that naruto has managed to maintain it's quality level for this long at all (I mean they have what, like 12 seasons now and 3 movies?).

[Leafsnail]

Is it something to do with starting off at a fairly low level?

[Neonivek]

I mean you can only "level up" or "unlock a new power" so many times before you either need to start bs'ing in new stuff or have everyone go demon-form super sayan bankai level at the drop of a hat just to start the battle, and then go up from there

The best anime IMO to see what I will call "Powerup Degredation" would be Hitman reborn in the third saga.

Mind you the series is good, at least in my mind, but at a certain point they will throw power up after power up at you.

Inuyasha would be the worst but honestly its constant power ups isn't what brought the series down. It was the fact that nothing ever actually happened that did to the point where when something actually did happen no one noticed because they have long since ceased to care (It is the only manga/anime I can think of where even diehard fans thought it went on too long)

[ToonyMan]

I'm on chapter 4 of Higanbana, enjoying it thus far...I do have one problem though.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Chapter 1 was the only 'story arc' I read fully in the manga first.  It's still pretty good and I enjoyed all of Kanamori's amazing faces.  He even gets a moe tooth.


Chapter 2 was pretty good, I enjoy Higanbana...sometimes.  Takeshi earned a happy ending here too somehow.

Anyway here's the problem...




Chapter 3 referenced Umineko so much it was almost sickening.  Chapter 3 has been my favorite chapter so far because the ending is soul-crushingly depressing.


First fuck too!


Midori's last sprite was amazing.



But then...I start chapter 4 and see this...

OH MY GOD SAKUTARO WHY

Ryukishi you lame-o.

The music is really good of course, I like the intense horror one with bells.

[Neonivek]

Uhhhhhh... Is that a crossover game? Or did visual novels just get a lot more uncreative?

[ToonyMan]

It's a very obvious subtle lining, I finished chapter 4 just now so it was actually near the end really.  That felt really short compared to the first three.

EDIT:
Oh and because it completely left my mind I should mention I finished Turnabout Detective Girl after The Virtual Turnabout, part of the Judgement Seekers fan case series.  Now I'm caught up with that and The Contempt of Court.  Go Blackrune and Cardiovore.

I love this quote so much.

I swear I will play One Hell of a Turnabout and Turnabout Substitution eventually.

[Leafsnail]

Uhhhhhh... Is that a crossover game? Or did visual novels just get a lot more uncreative?

Every VN ever has callbacks to previous works.

[Nilum]

I've been playing Higurashi -- almost ready to start the answer arcs, actually --and despite having read the manga and watched all of the anime series previously, the story is still entertaining. I know the ending and all of the twists, which diminishes the experience somewhat given that it's essentially a mystery VN, but the execution is pretty good. Even Mangagamer's relatively shoddy translation/lack of proofreading isn't detracting much. I decided to go in without the art patches, and after a few days, I've warmed up to Ryukishi's drawings a lot. The hands don't even bother me anymore! Some of the poses, however:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'm looking forward to Umineko; I managed to dodge the anime, so the story'll be fresh. After that, I guess it'll be... the Toradora light novels. I was hoping to read the Baccano! novels (the author's To Aru Majutsu no Index guest story was great) but the translation seems like it stalled. Light novels in general are probably even worse than visual novels when it comes to being translated. Index, Haruhi, Fate/Zero and Toradora are pretty much the only ones I can list off the top of my head that I know have been finished or are at least up-to-date.

[Leafsnail]

I've been playing Higurashi -- almost ready to start the answer arcs, actually --and despite having read the manga and watched all of the anime series previously, the story is still entertaining. I know the ending and all of the twists, which diminishes the experience somewhat given that it's essentially a mystery VN, but the execution is pretty good. Even Mangagamer's relatively shoddy translation/lack of proofreading isn't detracting much. I decided to go in without the art patches, and after a few days, I've warmed up to Ryukishi's drawings a lot. The hands don't even bother me anymore! Some of the poses, however:

It was actually quite interesting reading them with foreknowledge of the twist - like watching a machine as all the parts click into place perfectly.  A machine driven by coincidence.

[ToonyMan]

I did the VNs first and I can say the anime and manga haven't come close, it's awesome.  You're about to start the second half which have all my favorite games too.  You are the bravest man to use original sprites Nilum.

EDIT:
I swear to you I will read the Baccano! and Index LNs in your honor.  I'm up-to-date with Haruhi and finished Fate/zero as well.

EDITX2:
I'm sorry is that the first Berserk movie subbed by Commie?  You rascals I already can't handle all your updates...

[Neonivek]

Uhhhhhh... Is that a crossover game? Or did visual novels just get a lot more uncreative?

Every VN ever has callbacks to previous works.

Really? What about Arthur's teacher trouble? (admittingly I think that genre is: Interactive Storybook and not visual novel)

[ToonyMan]

First Berserk movie was awesome.  I wish it was longer.  ;_;