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[Leafsnail]

The review specifically avoided criticizing NGNL for lack of originality though.

I don't know what that show is, but the recommendation sounds interesting. What is it?

It's the story of a man who's given the chance to clear his massive debts (and even make a bit of cash!) through a single night of gambling.  It's basically a "games" anime with high stakes, clever tricks and incredible tension.

(zawa)

e: also apparently Liar Game is updating again and may actually finish, so I'd also recommend that.  It has less suspense and soul-crushing despair than Kaiji, but the games are really cool and the "solutions" are absolutely brilliant.

[Criptfeind]

I had issues with reading the Kaiji manga, because the main character was so stupid, although I guess that's sorta the point to his character? I dunno, if you have issues with painfully clueless main characters (like I sometimes do) Kaiji might be painful? Maybe, I didn't get too far into it. It was a lot better then no game no life though. I wonder why the guy who made NGNL didn't just make it into some type of fetish pornography, it probably would have been better.

[Leafsnail]

He does get a lot better.  I'd suggest watching the anime as well, that would probably be easier.

[Reelya]

But whatever. You can hate something for not being original, or you can like something.

Originality wasn't my concern at all. I just think all the components were shitty.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

None of the characters are that interesting. The plot is extremely linear and predictable. Also, nothing they gain in games has real bearing on the games, e.g. if they blather on about how they gained such-and-such number of factories in one game, that never affects the ongoing plot since material force isn't allowed to influence events by the game-worlds rules. So they just say something like "having these factories is swell, we can pump out consumer goods making the peasants lives 1% better!". We're never going to have e.g. "having these factories is swell, now we can strategically utilize the extra resources to fulfill our goals!". And since everything comes down to linear one-on-one games, there's never going to be any sort of complex politics or drama rearing it's head.

We know they're always going to win every time, because, as they keep repeating, "Blank never loses" is the catchphrase of the series, therefore a truism, and they always bet the sky, which ensures they have to win to keep the series going. Since you know every game will end with "gotcha because Blank Never Loses" that takes a lot of the tension out. There are no "ups an downs" or plot twists or surprises, only deus ex machine last-minute wins that we could see coming, because they HAD to come to maintain series consistency. I also didn't really like the comedy elements. They're just not done very well compared to many other shows. Again, couldn't give two hoots about originality if it's done well.

So, overall, it's fun, but ultimately a weak series.

[Aklyon]

Huh, Liar Game updating again? That I've actually read some of.

[Kadzar]

It is by far not enough for me to write it off yet though... It is just interesting because a lot of people say that animes that don't follow the manga are worse for it, yet this is prime evidence that it isn't necessarily true. The only time this has ever happened was with full metal alchemist (where the "truer" version was the better version).

That is the only reason I am just so interested in comparing them.

I know this is from yesterday and a lot of conversation happened since then, but, fuck it, I was a the State Fair yesterday, and I don't feel like ignoring this.

I know FMA:Brotherhood is epic and awesome and has a great story, but I don't like how people just dismiss the first anime series. When recommending Fullmetal Alchemist to someone, I don't feel like I can in good conscience just say, "Brotherhood is better than FMA, so just ignore it and watch Brotherhood."

There are some storylines in FMA that Brotherhood just rushes past because it's trying to move onto bigger and better things; reveals are built up and teased out gradually in FMA where Brotherhood just comes out and says, "Yeah, this is how it is; now let's move onto the cool bits."

And the storyline unique to FMA is nothing to sniff at either. Though it does have some plot holes, it kinda makes you think about about the nature of loss and grieving.

Don't get me wrong, I like Brotherhood a lot, but I don't subscribe to the idea that the original anime was just one big mistake.

[Zangi]

This thing about FMA keeps coming up.

Original FMA, up to episode 25.
FMA: Brotherhood, episode 10 and beyond.
Episode 25(and some of 24) and episode B10 is the same episode, but I'd watch it anyways to ease into Brotherhood. 
There will of course be some contradictions since the original FMA did not follow the manga as closely as Brotherhood does.
24+25 have some clear contradictions with B10, it is where the Original FMA starts to go off in a different-ish direction.

The original's first 25 episodes are much more satisfying and fleshed out, compared to 1-10 of brotherhood.
Intro/End Songs of original are way better too. (My opinion)

[QuakeIV]

I fucking love attack on titan.

A show that for once depicts people's reactions to their comrades dying in battle realistically.

Emphasis on somewhat, but yeah.

[Neonivek]

Let me see realistic... that would mean that they mostly ignore it as it is happening in battle and they have a sort of dulled reaction afterwards with a stronger reaction down the road.

How close did I get?

The redeemer would indeed be like our lead from Fruit Basket (Mitsuki is sort of a minor one) or Nao from Liars Game.

While Nao is my favorite Redeemer period.

Yeah I came round on her eventually.  A reputation for honesty is actually an incredibly powerful asset if you're playing a series of semi co-operative games with largely the same people.

That and she is sort of the sleeping dragon of the series, possibly having one of the better growths I've seen in anime/live-action... especially since she seemed to initially be set up as a static character with just set attributes.

[Reelya]

Hardly realistic. Now, the Omaha Beach landing scene in Saving Private Ryan is much more realistic. Real soldiers being killed by machines guns and artillery fire act less freaked out than the Attack on Titan people - and the Titans can only kill you close and up front, rather than turn you into mincemeat at a distance. People under that level of threat just don't have the time to get freaked out, they're on an adrenaline rush and too busy worrying about their own survival.

Some people might go into shock and have panic attacks because of seeing deaths. But this isn't a "phase" that people get over, as it would be in an anime. Those people most likely now should be totally removed from the battle and probably have PTSD and are no longer fit for the frontlines.

I think storming WWII heavy fortifications on foot would be way scarier than running away from an angry unarmed giant.

I think coddled modern civilians confuse how they would react to nearby people dying with how people in a real battle actually would.

[Leafsnail]

Some people might go into shock and have panic attacks because of seeing deaths. But this isn't a "phase" that people get over, as it would be in an anime. Those people most likely now should be totally removed from the battle and probably have PTSD and are no longer fit for the frontlines.

Well they are totally removed from the battle, by way of being eaten.

[Redzephyr01]

I started watching DBZ.

[Sergarr]

I started watching DBZ.

Good luck, you'll need it.

[penguinofhonor]

I'm like halfway through Kill la Kill already.

First off, Jakuzure (the conductor Deva) is voiced by the same actress as Haruko from FLCL! She needs to be in everything.

Second, I just saw some kids from Kobe, Japan armor a tank with high quality Kobe beef. This show is amazing.

[KingofstarrySkies]

I started watching DBZ.

Take notes. It's chaotic. But hilariously awesome.