Anime/Manga - Discuss Japanese cartoons and comics here; NO CULTURE WAR DOOMPOSTING!

[Save the Loli]

I also tried checking out the original Arlsan OVA series after enjoying the newer TV series, but it just made me want to go back and watch the series instead, couldn't even finish the first OVA. I'll admit that the OVA is really pretty and has a nice ost but my problem is that it felt really rushed and the "world" was really underdeveloped visually. The character designs were also just okay, some were way worse than others while others were fine, think my biggest problem was with OVA Arslan/Daryun/Narsus. The latter two just look pretty generic in the OVA while Arslan's design doesn't really fit my idea of his rather naive/timid nature, it would have made more sense as a design for him later in the series once he's grown as a person. I'll say I'm biased due to being a big fan of Arakawa and her character designs, but I just like the TV designs a lot more. It didn't help that the OVA basically started at the inciting incident while the first episode of the TV series took place 3 years before to introduce the main cast and world, which I found really helped the audience understand what kind of character Arslan is.

I watched the original OVA before the TV version and I think both stand on their own merits. I definitely disagree with you about the character designs since to me the OVA version has that perfect "Middle Eastern fantasy" feel they were going for. To me Arakawa's character designs don't fit the setting. And while it's pretty fucking badass seeing medieval/pseudo-fantasy battles animated in a crisp modern style (reminded me of the Lord of the Rings movies mixed with Dynasty Warriors), it's hard to beat the crazy psychedelic vibes of the original. It's like an old-ass JRPG meets some 60s Indian-influenced psychedelia. I think the newer version is more of my style in that regards but you can't beat the original OVA for uniqueness in the presentation.

My only problem is the OVA isn't as good with pacing and then just simply ends, the TV version does the ending better (plus you get the short second season afterwards). I also thought the OVA did the arc with Rajendra and the other Indians better, it's been a while since I watched it but I remember being distinctly disappointed with how the TV version did it since I was so impressed with the rest of the show to that point.

 

[Moguro Fukuzou]

Finished up watching a movie called Wata no Kuni Hoshi or in English "The Star of Cottonland" and it was incredibly cute throughout. It follows a kitten which takes the shape of a little girl for the audience (Humans in the movie still see cats as cats) with other cats featured also showing up similar. Animation is really nice and the story itself is pretty whimsical, does feel like it was aimed more at children but it's still a fun watch.

Reminds me somewhat of You are Umasou which is another movie targeted towards kids that is a real great watch. It features a surprisingly emotional message and some super well animated fight scenes that you might not expect just from the promotional poster.

I watched the original OVA before the TV version and I think both stand on their own merits. I definitely disagree with you about the character designs since to me the OVA version has that perfect "Middle Eastern fantasy" feel they were going for. To me Arakawa's character designs don't fit the setting. And while it's pretty fucking badass seeing medieval/pseudo-fantasy battles animated in a crisp modern style (reminded me of the Lord of the Rings movies mixed with Dynasty Warriors), it's hard to beat the crazy psychedelic vibes of the original. It's like an old-ass JRPG meets some 60s Indian-influenced psychedelia. I think the newer version is more of my style in that regards but you can't beat the original OVA for uniqueness in the presentation.

My only problem is the OVA isn't as good with pacing and then just simply ends, the TV version does the ending better (plus you get the short second season afterwards). I also thought the OVA did the arc with Rajendra and the other Indians better, it's been a while since I watched it but I remember being distinctly disappointed with how the TV version did it since I was so impressed with the rest of the show to that point.

Yeah, what stood out to me the most with the old OVAs was its unique flair in presentation and the newer Arslan TV definitely stuck to the more safe normal. I also know that my opinion towards the character designs are highly biased, TV Arslan's character design just checks a lot of aesthetic boxes for me and is super cute to boot. The design is just more appealing and, at least for me, OVA Arslan gave off too much of a schemer feel. Think my biggest problem was regarding the pacing since it just seem to zip through things rather than getting to know the characters, maybe they take time to develop in later OVA episodes, I just found the first episode lacking in establishing why I should care about the characters. Arslan TV spent a lot of time focusing on building up the group and I really grew attached to the gang by the end.

 

[Wingnut]

I read through the past 20 pages trying to find a recommendation, but I'm either retarded or illiterate and missed them. I need something light-hearted, as my usual Haruhi binge isn't cutting it right now.

Anime or Manga, something light-hearted slice of life would be good. I'm a bit of an old fag so anything newer than Haruhi should be good; I do keep up with Nagotoro and Uzaki though.

Anyone help me out, please?

Kaguya-Sama Love is War has some excellent moments where the characters play off each other if you haven't watched/read that. The OP of the first season is a banger too.
I'm not fluent on the manga but both seasons of the anime series were great.

 

[Medical Hawaii]

Hetalia is getting another season for some reason. I thought that shit died years ago.

well I'll be hornswoggled

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-10-24/hetalia-world-stars-manga-gets-anime-in-spring-2021/.165508

Spoiler: confirmed

Hetalia World Stars Manga Gets Anime in Spring 2021​

posted on 2020-10-24 11:19 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Cast, staff return for anime; manga also resumes, with new manga on December 4

---

A website and Twitter account opened on Sunday (which is October 25, "World Birthday") to announce that Hidekaz Himaruya's Hetalia World Stars manga is inspiring a new anime adaptation in spring 2021. The account also announced that the Hetalia World Stars manga will resume, and that Himaruya will launch a new manga with a secret theme in Shueisha's Jump SQ. magazine's January issue on December 4.

​

The new Hetalia World Stars anime has a returning cast, featuring Daisuke Namikawa as Italy, Hiroki Yasumoto as Germany, Hiroki Takahashi as Japan, Katsuyuki Konishi as America, Noriaki Sugiyama as England, Masaya Onosaka as France, Yasuhiro Takato as Russia, and Yuki Kaida as China. Hiroshi Watanabe, Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, and Mariko Oka all return as director, series script supervisor, and character designer for the anime, with Studio DEEN returning for animation production.
Himaruya's Hetalia World Stars manga is the latest manga in the franchise. The manga launched in Shonen Jump+ on the same day the online manga service launched, but it went on hiatus in April 2018. Shueisha has published four compiled book volumes for the manga.
Himaruya's original Hetalia - Axis Powers manga takes the archetypal characteristics of countries and regions throughout the world, and anthropomorphizes them as (mostly) bishōnen characters. Right Stuf released the manga in North America in collaboration with its former English-language publisher, Tokyopop, and its Japanese publisher Gentosha Comics.
Hetalia The World Twinkle, the sixth anime season inspired by Himaruya's manga, premiered in Japan in July 2015, and Funimation streamed the series as it aired. Funimation has released all the anime seasons and the Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! film in North America. The franchise has also inspired a series of stage musicals in Japan. The "final" musical ran in March 2018.

I've been following the news on the new Higurashi "remake" on Plebbit before deciding to watch it, but I'm still confused as to what it's trying to be; it sounds like they're just changing the specific scenarios a bit? Like basically more "worlds" or time fragments Hanyu is putting Rika into??
I'll probably wait til the whole arc is out before watching so I can get it all done in one sitting anyway.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

I've been following the news on the new Higurashi "remake" on Plebbit before deciding to watch it, but I'm still confused as to what it's trying to be; it sounds like they're just changing the specific scenarios a bit? Like basically more "worlds" or time fragments Hanyu is putting Rika into??
I'll probably wait til the whole arc is out before watching so I can get it all done in one sitting anyway.

I wish it was like an interquel where we got to see the other worlds Rika saw that she hinted at, though most of them seemed to practically have been exact duplicates of each other from what she said. (Like technically, "Cotton-Drifting" and "Eye-Opening" are the exact same worlds, you're just getting a different perspective. Seems to be hinted at that in "Cotton-Drifting", Shion actually succeeded in killing Rika, but even in the sound novel, Rika was stated to have a syringe on her person, so hard to say.)

I think you're better off waiting for it to finish. If needs be, you could totally rewatch/reread Higurashi to refresh your memory since Gou is expecting you to intimately know the world so you can point out the differences and ask yourself questions as to why these worlds are being deceitful.

Speaking of Higurashi, I'm in the middle of "Curse-Killing" in my play-through, and I just have to point to these two different moments in the same chapter to show why it is I love this arc so much.

One moment is Keiichi beginning to have a god complex (Hinamizawa Syndrome in effect), the other is Keiichi further embracing becoming Satoko's Nii-Nii (his "for my nakama" self taking the wheel). He's rather bipolar in this chapter, but it's why making a murder mystery series in first person of the killer is so brilliant in getting the "why" it led up to the crime, although this is the first chapter to do it. Yeah, he killed Rena and Mion in the first arc, but that was on impulse because he believed his life was at stake and he had blacked out. Here, we're getting the obsessive premeditation of taking another's life, and that's just as frightening since his mind's running a mile a minute but it's all he'll think about. This is the beginning of his downward spiral and he doesn't care because it'll make Satoko happy.

I'm secretly hoping Gou actually does this arc again but with the nuance of the sound novel (not that DEEN didn't do a fine job, but you could tell it was rushed and Keiichi's psychosis didn't translate to third-person smoothly). Hell, my biggest wish for it is that it'll actually show that mental breakdown he had in the classroom since Rena and Mion stated to his face that his eyes looked different when he made that mental note to kill Satoko's uncle. Thing is, I wouldn't know how different it'll play out because we already got that arc: "Massacre" happened not just because Keiichi gave Mion the doll, but because he actually fought harder to get under the child well-fare agency's skin to save Satoko. In the sound novel, he was already irritated at Ms. Chie for not trying harder, but he had already gotten into a fight with his friends over why it is no one--himself included--can put their money where their mouth is in getting Satoko out of her situation sooner.

 

[HexFag]

I wish it was like an interquel where we got to see the other worlds Rika saw that she hinted at, though most of them seemed to practically have been exact duplicates of each other from what she said. (Like technically, "Cotton-Drifting" and "Eye-Opening" are the exact same worlds, you're just getting a different perspective. Seems to be hinted at that in "Cotton-Drifting", Shion actually succeeded in killing Rika, but even in the sound novel, Rika was stated to have a syringe on her person, so hard to say.)

I think you're better off waiting for it to finish. If needs be, you could totally rewatch/reread Higurashi to refresh your memory since Gou is expecting you to intimately know the world so you can point out the differences and ask yourself questions as to why these worlds are being deceitful.

Speaking of Higurashi, I'm in the middle of "Curse-Killing" in my play-through, and I just have to point to these two different moments in the same chapter to show why it is I love this arc so much.
View attachment 1732736
View attachment 1732737
One moment is Keiichi beginning to have a god complex (Hinamizawa Syndrome in effect), the other is Keiichi further embracing becoming Satoko's Nii-Nii (his "for my nakama" self taking the wheel). He's rather bipolar in this chapter, but it's why making a murder mystery series in first person of the killer is so brilliant in getting the "why" it led up to the crime, although this is the first chapter to do it. Yeah, he killed Rena and Mion in the first arc, but that was on impulse because he believed his life was at stake and he had blacked out. Here, we're getting the obsessive premeditation of taking another's life, and that's just as frightening since his mind's running a mile a minute but it's all he'll think about. This is the beginning of his downward spiral and he doesn't care because it'll make Satoko happy.

I'm secretly hoping Gou actually does this arc again but with the nuance of the sound novel (not that DEEN didn't do a fine job, but you could tell it was rushed and Keiichi's psychosis didn't translate to third-person smoothly). Hell, my biggest wish for it is that it'll actually show that mental breakdown he had in the classroom since Rena and Mion stated to his face that his eyes looked different when he made that mental note to kill Satoko's uncle. Thing is, I wouldn't know how different it'll play out because we already got that arc: "Massacre" happened not just because Keiichi gave Mion the doll, but because he actually fought harder to get under the child well-fare agency's skin to save Satoko. In the sound novel, he was already irritated at Ms. Chie for not trying harder, but he had already gotten into a fight with his friends over why it is no one--himself included--can put their money where their mouth is in getting Satoko out of her situation sooner.

I sure hope you're playing with the OG sprites.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

I sure hope you're playing with the OG sprites.

I've been switching back-and-forth out of curiosity. The OG sprites are some fucking huge Lemmings, I tell you hwat.

Nah, what I'm doing is I'm playing it through with the updated graphics first, but then plan for later play-throughs, because I'm going to keep going back to them, to have the OG sprites. I'm pretty tech-illiterate, though, so I can't patch the music, but apparently you can't even do that anymore?

 

[HexFag]

I've been switching back-and-forth out of curiosity. The OG sprites are some fucking huge Lemmings, I tell you hwat.

Nah, what I'm doing is I'm playing it through with the updated graphics first, but then plan for later play-throughs, because I'm going to keep going back to them, to have the OG sprites. I'm pretty tech-illiterate, though, so I can't patch the music, but apparently you can't even do that anymore?

If you use the 07th mod, you can patch the music and get the infinitely better (in comparison to mangagamer) PS3 sprites along with a bunch of QOL features. I've been using it for Umineko and it's pretty good. Also it's all voiced, which helps when reading an 100+ hour VN.

Here's some footage if you're interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsnB6e66V8M

 

[Kari Kamiya]

If you use the 07th mod, you can patch the music and get the infinitely better (in comparison to mangagamer) PS3 sprites. I've been using it for Umineko and it's pretty good. Also it's all voiced, which helps when reading an 100+ hour VN.

Is it interchangeable/customizable, too, or does it completely overwrite everything minus the save file?

 

[HexFag]

Is it interchangeable/customizable, too, or does it completely overwrite everything minus the save file?

You can interchange certain aspects of the patch, such as if you only want voices or not (though it seems the voices-only patch isn't being fully developed on), the art, and I believe the OST is also interchangeable. Higurashi's version of the 07th mod is definitely more developed than Umineko, since you could only stick with one set of sprites. I recommend reading the FAQ and the stuff on the Installer on the website because I'm sure most of your questions will be answered.

 

[XYZpdq]

I finally got around to watching Akudama Drive and its a lot of fun. It has a wacky cyberpunk aesthetic that doesn't take itself seriously.

yeah six eps in I'm digging Akudama Drive a lot

 

[ZMOT]

I read through the past 20 pages trying to find a recommendation, but I'm either retarded or illiterate and missed them. I need something light-hearted, as my usual Haruhi binge isn't cutting it right now.

Anime or Manga, something light-hearted slice of life would be good. I'm a bit of an old fag so anything newer than Haruhi should be good; I do keep up with Nagotoro and Uzaki though.

Anyone help me out, please?

@Moguro Fukuzou already mentioned doga kobo, and while they are my favorite studio they sadly are only ever doing one season and then cut the supply off after getting you hooked. but since you watched haruhi what about the rest of kyoani's catalogue? can't go wrong with k-on (everyone is best girl), chuunibyou is masterpiece (rate me), and tamako market is a nice original inoffensive SOL. they also somehow manage to repeatedly drop absolute top grade insert songs and them move on like nothing happened.

also gives me a chance to shill Aharen-san wa Hakarenai

I really enjoyed Hakumei and Mikochi. It's a slice of life about two tiny women living together in a fairy tale-esque world with talking animals. The ending theme is one of my fave anime ending themes out there too.

>someone else watched hakumei to mikochi

I'd advice to get a fansub. tv subs did the bare minimum and only dialog, and the ED has some nice lore and trivia bits (could also come from the bluray release, not sure, but I doubt it). also usually looks better.

 

[Atatata]

Kanojo mo Kanojo is getting an anime, it seems. Surprising, since iirc the manga just started earlier this year. Made by the same author as Aho Girl, its about a retard with two retard girlfriends. So far, anyway.

Speaking of polygamy manga that started recently, I hope 100 Girlfriends gets an anime. Its fun.

 

[Scarlett Johansson]

I got Shield Hero. I'm curious bc ANN really hated this show yet the audience response says otherwise

 

[SteelPlatedHeart]

I got Shield Hero. I'm curious bc ANN really hated this show yet the audience response says otherwise

It’s because ANN wanted to say “claiming fake rape accusations happen is problematic and hurts #MeToo” and tried to get a mob after the show because of what happened in the first episode.

 

[Moguro Fukuzou]

I got Shield Hero. I'm curious bc ANN really hated this show yet the audience response says otherwise

Honestly, I'm a much bigger fan of the shield hero manga then the anime. They made Naofumi way too pretty boy in the anime compared to his depiction in the manga where you could physically see the impact all that garbage thrown on him had, plus I find the manga was better at action scenes. I've heard they also made some plot related changes to make Naofumi less fun as a character and make him more a "good guy".

With the manga design choice for Naofumi there was a lot more impact during scenes where he was actually feeling happy for once and wasn't acting as his usually grouchy self. I've yet to read the LN though I did read a lot of the WN, but I'd say that so far the manga is probably my favorite adaption of the story.

Also fun side fact about the manga artist, they're a huge Gundam fan and BanagherxAudrey shipper, when they aren't talking about Shield hero their twitter is usually full of fanart for the couple.

Spoiler: Their pixiv is a similar situation

These are their most recent illustrations and most of them are just BanagherxAudrey.

 

[Atatata]

It’s because ANN wanted to say “claiming fake rape accusations happen is problematic and hurts #MeToo” and tried to get a mob after the show because of what happened in the first episode.

They also had issues with its depiction of slavery. They wouldn't stop bitching about it and kept it up when Naofumi was introduced in Isekai Quartet, saying that they hoped the other characters would call him out, as if anybody other than maybe Emilia and by proxy Subaru would give a fuck about it. Nevermind the absolute idiocy to think that giant murder skeleton, Warcrime loli, and Panties thief would somehow find slavery morally reprehensible.

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

They also had issues with its depiction of slavery. They wouldn't stop bitching about it and kept it up when Naofumi was introduced in Isekai Quartet, saying that they hoped the other characters would call him out, as if anybody other than maybe Emilia and by proxy Subaru would give a fuck about it. Nevermind the absolute idiocy to think that giant murder skeleton, Warcrime loli, and Panties thief would somehow find slavery morally reprehensible.

I actually liked the depiction of slavery in Shield Hero. All the other heroes were very happy to only virtue signal about it, Naofumi actually saved a slave by participating in the business and that somehow makes him the worse person.

 

[Wingnut]

Honestly, I'm a much bigger fan of the shield hero manga then the anime. They made Naofumi way too pretty boy in the anime compared to his depiction in the manga where you could physically see the impact all that garbage thrown on him had, plus I find the manga was better at action scenes. I've heard they also made some plot related changes to make Naofumi less fun as a character and make him more a "good guy".
View attachment 1733969View attachment 1733972
With the manga design choice for Naofumi there was a lot more impact during scenes where he was actually feeling happy for once and wasn't acting as his usually grouchy self. I've yet to read the LN though I did read a lot of the WN, but I'd say that so far the manga is probably my favorite adaption of the story.

The darker parts of Shield hero were by far my favorite, where he's tortured by everything that's happening to him. It's always nice when there's more of an attempt at making an isekai than "generic looking boy is transported to another world and is all powerful". It seems the general consensus on places like plebbit was that these were the worst episodes but I wholly disagree. Sure, his revenge on the red haired bitch and her dad was super satisfying, but the struggle of fighting against the entire system was wholly more enjoyable than "let's go to an exp event on a random island!" in my opinion.

I actually liked the depiction of slavery in Shield Hero. All the other heroes were very happy to only virtue signal about it, Naofumi actually saved a slave by participating in the business and that somehow makes him the worse person.

It's like how they all got butthurt about the rape in Goblin Slayer. Despite the purpose of it being in the show is to drive home how terrible the kingdom/goblins are for allowing slaves/raping. It's not there because it's something they want to promote, it's pointing out a real problem in the world and you have a protagonist that is there to combat it.

 

[WinchesterPremium]

I got Shield Hero. I'm curious bc ANN really hated this show yet the audience response says otherwise

Only saw the anime, it was a Flavor of the Month a while back and doesn't really hold up that well IMO. It tries for a dark tone but doesn't really commit to it, so like

Spoiler: actual spoiler what

so like the slave racoon's entire backstory is that she and her village where taken as slaves by a sadistic noble who...just kinda whips and starves them. Not really any graphic or intense torture scenes, there was explicitly no raping going on, just kinda PG level violence like you'd expect from a particularly nasty circus ringmaster in a western cartoon or something. It tries to take itself seriously but it the world just has these absurd rules. He buys a slave who immediately grows up just because. He buys a chicken horse and it immediately becomes a loli just because. These arn't played as jokes. It tries to play these things dramatically. The world works on RPG rules with leveling nonsense that are actual physical things that everyone knows about, so they go around treating everything like a video game. Except when things don't work like a video game.

Like for example one of the plots is another Hero kills a dragon and its corpse ends up spreading diseases because he didn't bother to pick it up since he is still thinking of the world like a video game. Except like we see later they can totally turn corpses of the things they kill into items using their weapons because the world actually does work like a video game. And the video game stuff has no explanation - the world just works on video game logic because. With like video game menus and level up systems.

Its not the worst show I've ever seen, the stronger points are probably in the character interaction IMO, the world building could really use some work.