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Old 12-24-2014, 11:34 AM   #6651
Talon87
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Originally Posted by Doppleganger View Post
I haven't seen Death Billiards but yay LWA! About time more people saw it. It was really good!
Yuki was telling me the other day (before I even saw it) that you and bbb have already watched Little Witch Academia and really enjoyed it. I have no memory of this, but it's probably because the name is generic-sounding enough that if you don't already have it on your radar then it's quite easy for it to fall right back off again. (Or at least for me I'm supposing this to be the case.) I'm not surprised though that you guys already have seen it: while we all tend to be pioneers with certain discoveries relative to the others here, you and bbb are probably the most frequent pioneers of these sorts of projects.

I read last night about how they Kickstarted a second episode and about how there are considerations for either/or/both a feature-length film and a 13-episode television series. Personally, I think the tale of LWA -- or at least Akko's tale, specifically -- would be much better suited to a 2-hour film than to a thirteen-episode weekly television series. Honestly, what we already received in the 26-minute version is very good: it just wants for a little more padding (with respect to the temporal territory already covered) and an additional fifteen to twenty minutes of exploratory "epilogue" regarding Shiny Chariot, why the jeweled staff lost its glean, etc. (with respect to the temporal territory not yet covered). It's decipherable to a competent viewer with what we were given, but the satisfaction of on-screen exploration would be nice. A 90-minute to 120-minute film would handle this nicely. A 25x13-minute television series would, I fear, suffer too much for artificial padding and drawing things out way too much.
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Old 12-25-2014, 09:09 PM   #6652
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So I got a LootCrate subscription for Christmas, and this month's crate had a 30 day Crunchyroll pass. I'm still debating if I'm going to use it, but if I do I need stuff to watch. Something for the uninitiated watcher, maybe? Any mention of Naruto or Bleach or Onr Piece will be dismissed.
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Old 12-25-2014, 09:22 PM   #6653
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It looks like you haven't posted in this topic before, could you give us a short list of things you've seen?

Otherwise, I would recommend Naruto, One Piece and Bleach.
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Old 12-26-2014, 10:16 PM   #6654
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I excluded the first two because seen it already, and the third because I've heard some CREEPY stuff about it. But other than that, only thing I've really watched is FMA:B
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Old 12-27-2014, 12:44 AM   #6655
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Originally Posted by Myles Fowl II View Post
So I got a LootCrate subscription for Christmas, and this month's crate had a 30 day Crunchyroll pass. I'm still debating if I'm going to use it, but if I do I need stuff to watch. Something for the uninitiated watcher, maybe? Any mention of Naruto or Bleach or Onr Piece will be dismissed.
Just so you know, you can keep using CrunchyRoll even after your 30-day trial expires. The 30-day pass is giving you membership access, which means that you can do things like (for example) see episodes within hours of their airing in Japan instead of having to wait one week. (Most CrunchyRoll shows will make non-members wait a period of one week before they can view the latest episode.) So like, if you plan to use the pass to mostly watch old series, you probably won't need the pass's benefits much at all. Because near about anybody can view near about any of the old shows' episodes. It's the newest shows' newest episodes that are the problem for non-members.

Anyway: recommendations. The problems are:
  1. difference in experience
  2. differences in taste
  3. differences in personality
and us not knowing your side of the equation to most of these. Doesn't mean we can't make recommendations though.

CrunchyRoll apparently has Rozen Maiden, so there's one recommendation that I think would suit somebody with your experiences (and what little I know of your interests).

They also appear to have AnoHana, another series you could probably enjoy with where you are right now. It's a bit somber / serious, but that's fine! (Or well, you decide!)

They've got Nagi no Asukara. By a studio I'm quite fond of, and it was a series I quite enjoyed as well.

I dunno, I find myself unable or unwilling to recommend any of my 10/10s to you because of your age, lack of experience, and just generally not wanting to start you off on filet mignon.
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Old 12-27-2014, 12:57 AM   #6656
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Taste? I guess that is important...*facepalms repeatedly*
Romance genre is really not for me. I'm okay with it as a plot element, but not the plot itself. Stuff that can give me a good laugh is appreciated, as well as maybe an explosion here or there.
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Old 12-27-2014, 01:03 AM   #6657
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I can support Talon's recommendation for Rozen Maiden. It's fun! Don't ask why. *vanishes*
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Old 12-27-2014, 01:03 AM   #6658
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If Myles has only seen big shounen, that's a good way to set a foundation for what he wants to see.

My starter kit would consist of:

Rurouni Kenshin
Outlaw Star
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Black Lagoon
Fate/stay night (2006 anime)

Here you get a historical Japanese anime, a futuristic space anime, a futuristic Earth anime, a pulpy modern anime, and a modern fantasy anime.

These are more adult oriented than "kiddie" as-is the demographic for the so-called "big 3" shounen titles, but are still fairly familiar.

If romcoms are entertaining to you, that's an easier route to go through: Ranma 1/2 and School Rumble are good first time shows.
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Old 12-27-2014, 01:15 AM   #6659
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Having just come out of Fate mafia I think I'll head that way first. Thanks much! [/TomNook]
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Old 12-27-2014, 01:15 AM   #6660
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Not sure on what will please ye, but I guess I can regurgitate some shows you might like. I'll try to keep the shows recent and likely on CR.

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon - Pretty good action show with some very nice humor. The plot is a bit convoluted, but you can appreciate it without paying much attention to it.

Hitsugi no Chaika - Another good action show. It even ended recently. There's no powerlevel shounen bullshit in this show, which is pretty nice. Even useless grunts are a threat!

Sakurasou no Pet wa Kanojo (I can't be assed to remember the name) - Honestly, this show put a really bad taste in my mouth, but alot of newer fans really like this show.

Sword Art Online - Another show I don't really care for, but newer fans love.

I can't think of any other shows at the moment. I only liked the first two, but I can't really recommend my favorite shows, because they either require a strange sense of humor or a trip down the dark path of magical girl shows.

Speaking of Chaika, I finished the second season. The ending was dumb and rushed, but other than that, nice show. I won't say much more, since I'll just be repeating myself. Anyway, Hitsugi no Chaika Avenging Battle gets a 8.
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Old 12-27-2014, 03:24 AM   #6661
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Death Billiards

After Talon's high review I was eager to try this out. I was not as enthused by it - I felt like the writing pulled a Lost on the audience and rather than have an answer in hand and challenge them to draw a conclusion, they wanted our imaginations to get overactive. I didn't exactly care for the speech by the young guy, either. I mean, it was true...but so what?

Spoiler: show

DCD: BUT here is my prediction. If I'm right, I getto brag about it, but if not I won't say nothing. But I think the old man and the young man are the same person. They look the same, and have similar billiard skills.
McSweeney: so this Death Billiards thing is completed or ongoing?
DCD: It's just a one episode thing.
McSweeney: oh
McSweeney: also why are you speculating, have you seen some of it?
McSweeney: I know nothing about it so I can't comment at all
DCD: I'm about half-way through.
DCD: Knowing Talon, if he praises something there's some TWIST!
DCD: It was looking for potential trip-up points and it seems to me like the opening was deliberately misleading.
DCD: For example, the bartender asks
DCD: "How did you get here? Do you recall?"
DCD: And the guy says he was having a night with his girlfriend, and shows the girlfriend leaping on him.
DCD: Right away, it looked to me like a stab point.
DCD: He even mentioned he had a fight with her.
DCD: It just feels to be given Talon himself admitted he liked it, the twist wouldn't be that linear.
DCD: *me
McSweeney: He doesn't strike me as a lover of twists
McSweeney: he seems to like general themes
McSweeney: like: raising children
McSweeney: or romance
DCD: Should I tell you if this gets confirmed?
DCD: Or would you want to watch it?
McSweeney: sure I mean I have no stake in the thing
McSweeney: I have no clue
McSweeney: it's just one episode? How long?
DCD: 25 minutes
McSweeney: wow that's short
McSweeney: oh wait
DCD: They're making a lot of assumptions too. Reminds me of Kaiji.
McSweeney: this is part of some anime festival?
DCD: "This ball is connected to my body part!"
DCD: yes
McSweeney: DEATH BILLIARDS
McSweeney: title is pretty cool
McSweeney: I'll watch it
DCD: okay
DCD: if I get this right
DCD: end zone dance man


I did not get to dance in the end zone. The twist I dismissed as "too obvious" turned out to be 100% accurate, and the one I was gambling on wasn't. Boo.

Now, none of this is to say I did not like it - I thought it was solid, 8/10 material. But it didn't make it to that hallowed ground of the near perfect score.
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Old 12-27-2014, 04:25 AM   #6662
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DEATH BILLIARDS was pretty sweet, although I agree that the speech wasn't up to par with the stuff you find in the real deal Kaiji. I loved the general atmosphere and mystery.

Spoiler: show
My favourite part was the flashbacks showing the lives of the two men ("Hey, this is pretty unrealistic. How is the old man holding his own against the young guy in a stick fight-- oh. That's how.) As for who went where ... maybe it was a very straightforward game and outcome, and the young guy went to heaven simply because he won the game. I noticed that the elevator that the old guy took had a noh demon mask above it, but I don't think that necessarily means anything, because if it was THAT obvious which elevator went where, then the girl wouldn't have asked the white haired guy who went where. We also don't know what the old man said to the white haired guy ("Take pity on that poor adulterer and murderer, send me to eternal hellfire instead"?) and I don't know why the old man smirked as the elevator door closed; pleased with the assumption that he's going to heaven? Maybe he got sent to hell for THE SIN OF SMUGNESS!
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Old 12-27-2014, 04:55 AM   #6663
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I watched Death Billiards.

Spoiler: show
Everyone's wondering who went where, but what about the girlfriend? Shouldn't she go to hell for (attempted) murder? *shot for missing the point*


Anyway, not sure if you guys were aware, but it's apparently being made into a TV series called Death Parade airing in January.

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Old 12-27-2014, 10:22 AM   #6664
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@Yuki: I deliberately didn't mention that because I didn't want that knowledge to influence your viewing of the (originally) stand-alone episode. But yes, I found that out shortly after watching it myself. Looking forward to it but also worried about it -- I think the premise worked wonderfully as a one shot and risks getting stale as a thirteen shot. :\

@Doppel: Sweet Jesus Christ you were pretty condescending towards me. Serves you right you didn't get what you wanted! "If Talon likes it there must be some TWIST!" Yes. Because Minami-ke and Genshiken are all about plot twists. Or yes, because you yourself don't have a laundry list of shows you love featuring twists. C'mon, man. One, everyone loves a good twist. And two, everyone has things they love that feature no twist. It's a strange assumption to make of anyone that "loved it = had a twist" and it's an even stranger thing to see it coming in such smug, looking-down-from-on-high fashion from a guy whose list of favorite all-time stories includes the Muv-Luv series and Ever17.

All this aside, you formulated a theory early on, the episode didn't deliver you that theory, you personally preferred your theory to the reality, and so you got burned. That's not my fault. And it's not their fault either. But oh well. Can't be helped. We've all had this experience before. We've all seen stories where, halfway through, we think we know where it's heading. And then it doesn't go there, and we grouse that what we imagined was better than what the creators delivered. Personally, I'm not very keen on your own twist. (It's too strong a twist, to the point of over-the-top cleverness.) But clearly you liked it, and so I guess you have my condolences that you didn't get what you wanted.

@Mcsweeney: Perhaps the speech wasn't as great as some of anime's best. But I still think that for a twenty-six minute one shot everything we received was superb. I'll admit: me myself, the young guy's speech is where I tend to lose focus. It's a bit confusing / hard to follow compared with the rest of the writing. The other thing I find very confusing about that scene is:

Spoiler: show
When the strings are cut, he looks like a marionette whose strings have been cut; and he exhales the way someone dying exhales; and so I assumed that his life-threads had been cut, that he had been put to sleep for his own good. The subsequent reveal that he was still alive makes me question what the symbolism of that scene even is. Had he been meant for Hell but when the strings are cut it signifies that he's "passed the test" and is Heaven-bound? Was he dead but his speech earns him life anew, his breath being meant to symbolize a first breath in rather than a last breath out? Similar, was he in limbo re:his being dead and the speech is what tipped the scales in favor of his being deemed still alive / worthy of still living? Other?

But like a lot of the unanswered questions in this short, I felt that even that one was handled with class. It's rare for me to so enjoy something that offers such little definitive closure. But Death Billiards does a really classy job with it. It's a shining example in the "leaving it up to interpretation" column, a role model for other stories that seek the same approach to their own endings.
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Old 12-27-2014, 12:53 PM   #6665
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@Doppel: Sweet Jesus Christ you were pretty condescending towards me. Serves you right you didn't get what you wanted! "If Talon likes it there must be some TWIST!" Yes. Because Minami-ke and Genshiken are all about plot twists. Or yes, because you yourself don't have a laundry list of shows you love featuring twists. C'mon, man. One, everyone loves a good twist. And two, everyone has things they love that feature no twist. It's a strange assumption to make of anyone that "loved it = had a twist" and it's an even stranger thing to see it coming in such smug, looking-down-from-on-high fashion from a guy whose list of favorite all-time stories includes the Muv-Luv series and Ever17.
Did it really sound like that? That wasn't the intent! I disagreed with BPK's assessment just because it was a one-shot episode - usually, that's tight space for delivering a theme and where I was (the fight scene) that clock had run down to a measly few minutes.

Given the recent run of twist anime it just felt like a popular choice to surprise an audience.

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All this aside, you formulated a theory early on, the episode didn't deliver you that theory, you personally preferred your theory to the reality, and so you got burned. That's not my fault. And it's not their fault either. But oh well. Can't be helped. We've all had this experience before. We've all seen stories where, halfway through, we think we know where it's heading. And then it doesn't go there, and we grouse that what we imagined was better than what the creators delivered. Personally, I'm not very keen on your own twist. (It's too strong a twist, to the point of over-the-top cleverness.) But clearly you liked it, and so I guess you have my condolences that you didn't get what you wanted.
Well, I didn't exactly prefer my theory - it would be pretty unfair to compare an anime to an imagined story that never happened. The story was really good up until the 'climax' elevator scene, but that + no definite conclusion bothered me a lot. Not because I wanted an answer badly, but because I felt the producers didn't have one and threw a lot of imagery in the story specifically for audiences to pick apart. That's become an Evangelion-esque joke for something to fall back on when there's no longer a budget.

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Spoiler: show
When the strings are cut, he looks like a marionette whose strings have been cut; and he exhales the way someone dying exhales; and so I assumed that his life-threads had been cut, that he had been put to sleep for his own good. The subsequent reveal that he was still alive makes me question what the symbolism of that scene even is. Had he been meant for Hell but when the strings are cut it signifies that he's "passed the test" and is Heaven-bound? Was he dead but his speech earns him life anew, his breath being meant to symbolize a first breath in rather than a last breath out? Similar, was he in limbo re:his being dead and the speech is what tipped the scales in favor of his being deemed still alive / worthy of still living? Other?

But like a lot of the unanswered questions in this short, I felt that even that one was handled with class. It's rare for me to so enjoy something that offers such little definitive closure. But Death Billiards does a really classy job with it. It's a shining example in the "leaving it up to interpretation" column, a role model for other stories that seek the same approach to their own endings.
Spoiler: show
I personally didn't think the billiard balls or the strings had any deep significance. The bartender (or his assistant) clearly say that the balls aren't connected to life force, and given the one-sided nature of "losing" the balls it seemed apparent to me the young guy was just hallucinating. Similarly, I thought the strings were just a supernatural weapon employed by the bartender for binding a person to limbo personally. I doubt they had any significance as to going to heaven or heck.
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Old 12-27-2014, 01:33 PM   #6666
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Well, I didn't exactly prefer my theory - it would be pretty unfair to compare an anime to an imagined story that never happened. The story was really good up until the 'climax' elevator scene, but that + no definite conclusion bothered me a lot. Not because I wanted an answer badly, but because I felt the producers didn't have one and threw a lot of imagery in the story specifically for audiences to pick apart. That's become an Evangelion-esque joke for something to fall back on when there's no longer a budget.
I kinda felt this way? Seemed to be a lot of vague shoehorned symbolism at the end which was frustrating.

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Spoiler: show
I personally didn't think the billiard balls or the strings had any deep significance. The bartender (or his assistant) clearly say that the balls aren't connected to life force, and given the one-sided nature of "losing" the balls it seemed apparent to me the young guy was just hallucinating. Similarly, I thought the strings were just a supernatural weapon employed by the bartender for binding a person to limbo personally. I doubt they had any significance as to going to heaven or heck.
My theory was that...

Spoiler: show
The situation wasn't real and that it was some kind of social experiment. I also thought the young man was just hallucinating.

Made me laugh though when he shouted "My balls!" in the subs.

On another note, the twist reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode "A Game of Pool". Wonder if there was any inspiration.


Incidentally I read Dopple's spoiler text before watching but didn't really register it.

I also watched Cronus and Harmonie. Cronus had a cool if cliché concept but felt a little lackluster? Harmonie was pretty nice. A mix between sad and hopeful slice-of-life?

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Old 12-28-2014, 01:55 PM   #6667
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<3 you all. No one suggested terrible titan show to the newcomer.
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Old 12-28-2014, 07:48 PM   #6668
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<3 you all. No one suggested terrible titan show to the newcomer.
We came close.

Spoiler: show

Quote:
Originally Posted by AIM
McSweeney: Attack On Titan might be good for a newb even though I've never seen it
McSweeney: he said he likes explosions so
McSweeney: Madoka has explosions too though
DCD: I wouldn't recommend Shingeki for a newbie. It's definitely general audience fare, but still an unusual premise.
McSweeney: no way it sounds extremely newb friendly. You always hear casuals who don't really watch anime talking about it
McSweeney: it's like in the same vein as Death Note
McSweeney: "unusual premise" doesn't matter if it has wide appeal
McSweeney: but I can't fully endorse it since I haven't seen it.
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Old 12-28-2014, 07:56 PM   #6669
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Won't lie: I too considered recommending both Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online to Myles on the basis of their popularity with 1) his age group and 2) his anime experience group. But I refrained.

Do you hear that, Myles? If you end up watching those shows, you do it on your own time and without any of our approval!

@Doppel: Didn't recommend FSN, the most obvious choice for him, to Myles because he said he wants to watch CrunchyRoll stuff and CR doesn't have Studio Deen FSN. In fact, the only things they have are Fate/Zero (which he shouldn't watch with CR anyway, much less before playing FSN first) and FSN Unlimited Blade Works (as in the 2014 series). The latter was another one I considered recommending but ultimately refrained from. The reason being, I didn't think it right to recommend he start off with the middle path. I mean, he could. But he should really probably start with the Fate path, be it via the game or be it (at a bare minimum) via the 2006 Deen anime.
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Old 12-28-2014, 08:16 PM   #6670
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I have a higher opinion of the 2006 anime than a lot of people these days, and that's not even nostalgia driven. My opinion dimmed over time, but rose up again upon reflection of the current climate of TYPE-MOON fans and audiences interested in TM works.

A lot of them are very easily stereotyped as "if it's not EXACTLY like the original it suxx".

It's perhaps a lot more clear cut with Fullmetal Alchemist and the Brotherhood remake, but Akame ga Kill! is great example of why these fans are nothing but dumb and loud. Takahiro wrote an original 'route' for the anime and the manga fans HATED it. On its own merits, it was solid and fun, with some things better than the manga and other things worse. But the tankers of vitriol that sailed into Uraga Harbour was like the rabid ferocity from anti-4Kids One Piece groups from years ago. I thought the internet got more civilized over time as people got older, but stupidity is contagious.

DEEN's anime was not perfect, but it also adapted a fairly vanilla route that was also less exciting than the routes that came after it. For someone who knows nothing but shounen aimed at 10-13 year olds, the retooled FSN anime is appropriate for age 14-17. It's very much the ideal "step-up" from the starter anime. I wanted to avoid anything with extremely unusual premises because such shows are not representative of the bulk of anime, so a neophyte would be less interested in following shows season-by-season and only waiting until something gets hyped. That approach locks out a lot of shows that one could potentially get interested in.

I agree in full that F/Z and UBW are not ideal choices. They would be easy to impress a newbie, but the full gravity of their quality would be lost. Even re-watches I don't think is a good substitute for having a sense for how anime is supposed to be, then watching that. The true depth of appreciation would be wasted.

I dunno how Myles will get the Deen anime, but it's worth noting Rurouni Kenshi was on that CR list when I checked it.
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Old 12-28-2014, 08:37 PM   #6671
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The lack of FSN on CrunchyRoll is part of the reason I led with the Rozen Maiden recommendation. Rozen Maiden and FSN are both battles royales (or battles royal if you prefer the full Anglicization). Jun and Shirou, Shinku and Saber, the other Rozen Maidens and the other Servants in the Grail War ... it's a crude analogy but it works well enough because they both have similar frameworks. "I want to win the war so I can get the wish-granting vessel that will let me have one free wish." (FSN) "I want to win the war so I can become a real girl." (Rozen Maiden) "I will join with a human medium to win the war." (FSN) "I will join with a human medium to win the war." (Rozen Maiden)

Admittedly, part of it is simply that I adore Rozen Maiden.

Part of it is also that I acknowledge that Rozen Maiden isn't an objective 10/10. (See: not wanting to start Myles off on the filets mignons.)

And part of it is that I think the show genuinely appeals most strongly to Myles' demographic. I think the merits of the show shine stronger with the anime novice, the demerits bolder to the eye of the anime veteran. I think the premise is more fun for teens and very young adults than for other adults. Etc.
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Old 12-28-2014, 08:50 PM   #6672
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Yeah, I decided during the convo that "casual friendly" should not be the most important factor for a recommendation. Aren't we better than that? "Attack on Titan" is the recommendation he'd get if he asked this question on Bulbagarden.

My recommendation is Madoka, because I think it has something for everyone. It's 12 episodes of exciting twists with some action, complete with outstanding visuals and music. You might argue that it demands some familiarity with magical girl shows, because it kind of takes some of the genre's cliches and turns them on its ear (like non-threatening monsters of the week), but I don't think it's a big deal, and I'm sure he has SOME level of familiarity with something like Sailor Moon anyway.

Speaking of magic wielding girls ... I watched Little Witch Academia and this left a smile on my face. Awesome attention grabbing intro, and they somehow managed to pack a whole epic story into 25 minutes. Did Gainax have anything to do with this? Something about it made me think about them, like the hot blooded female protag, and some of the musical fanfares during the action scenes sounded Gainax-like lol.

Spoiler: show
I chuckled at the ending when it was revealed that the top student chick was actually tsundere for Chariot.
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Old 12-28-2014, 08:53 PM   #6673
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That is very funny that you mention Gainax, Mcsweeney. The studio that animated Little Witch Academia is called Trigger. When I told this to a friend in town, he pointed out to me ...

Spoiler: show
that Trigger was founded by a former director of Gainax who left the studio to do things his way. Wikipedia kindly sheds some additional light on the origins of Trigger. But yes, indeed! Gainax-trained men are at the very helm of this studio.
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Old 12-29-2014, 01:54 AM   #6674
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I thought "casual friendly" was exactly what he wanted. I wouldn't have suggested SAO and Sakurasou otherwise! I almost recommended Kyojin myself, but I decided not to. Though thinking about it, Chaika and Horizon were terrible recommendations for a newcomer.

It seems a plot for Urobuchi Gen's future work has been leaked. Details in the spoiler box!
Spoiler: show
Title: God's Choice

Idols have been a commonplace in Japan for years, but they are becoming too common, and audiences are becoming bored. Producers have decided on a new way of "spicing up" an idol's show. That is....God's Choice! On every seat, there are two buttons. One is a thumb's up, and the other is a thumb's down. If more audience members choose thumb's up, that means the majority of the audience enjoyed the show. However, if more chose thumb's down, a trap-door on the stage will open, causing the idol to fall into a grinder. Also if some seats are empty, those seats automatically decide thumb's down. After this gimmick was put in, more and more fans flocked towards idol concerts simply to watch an idol fall to her death. Some of the more beloved idols stayed alive, but others didn't last so long. Idol shows became a fight for survival, and anything below 100% is a quick trip to the grinder!


Yeah, this is mostly a joke, but I bet idol killing will be his next thing.

I'm rewatching Cromartie High School right now. I'll jabber on about that when I'm done with it. I also have season 1 of Love Live downloaded, so there's that to watch too.

I also decided to watch 3 things simply because of ufotable. Futakoi Alternative, Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight, and Majokko Shimai no Yoyo to Nene. All I know about these shows is that ufotable did them, and a few small things about Manabi Straight. Do I have high expectations for them? I have middling expectations admittedly. Hopefully they won't disappoint!
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Old 12-29-2014, 04:17 AM   #6675
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Damn it bbb, I thought that was real and you got my hopes up
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