Winter 2016 Anime Discussion

[Jun Inoue]

Yep, episode 2 made it very clear.

Dimension W is gonna be one of the best anime this season.

[Nosebleed]

God, I'm so late on wathcing anime this season.

Second episode of gate might have been one of the most satisfying anime episodes I've seen in ages. Kuribayashi just got so many points from me for beating that asshole up, holy shit I can not tell you how pumped I was watching her throw punches in his face like that, I couldn't even sit in my chair and had to stand up to cheer.

The ending was a little bittersweet, but nonetheless this season is shaping up to possibly be even better than the first one.

[Jun Inoue]

Oh my, Grimgar seems to be the first "trapped in a fantasy/videogame world" anime that actually takes seriously the fact that these are supposedly normal people, not used to killing and fighting for their life.

Still, though, Ranta keeps being a retarded a-hole. First during and at the end of the fight scene, and later on the baths.

[havoc]

4 minutes ago, Jun Inoue said:

Oh my, Grimgar seems to be the first "trapped in a fantasy/videogame world" anime that actually takes seriously the fact that these are supposedly normal people, not used to killing and fighting for their life.

Still, though, Ranta keeps being a retarded a-hole. First during and at the end of the fight scene, and later on the baths.

yeah, this could become something quite special. Or fuck up in quite a special way.
Personally i really like the very slow pacing, it has been a long time since we had a show with a good slow pace you could relax with.

[Jun Inoue]

Schwarzermarken's 2nd episode is convincing me further that the Stasis are the bad guys of the serie, and the aliens just background. And they are Disney-like bad guys xD

[SilverLi]

I am a bit late too the party too. But I am watching a couple of shows this season.

Dagashi Kashi - I don't really know what to think about this show. It feels like a tribute to Miyu Matsuki and her role in Shimoneta as Anna Nishikinomiya. Yes I know it is far fetched and a bit insensitive. But that's the feeling I get from Hotaru. I can't really grasp the Dagashi culture either. An equivalent doesn't exist where I live.  But I am going to watch a couple of episodes before I decide what to do.
Divine Gate - This anime is really interesting. One of my favorites after 2 episodes so far. I like the characters and the art. They build up the whole setting in a good way. You don't really know what's going on and it is intriguing.  I like the cast too so far. Nothing is certain so far. 
Hai to Gensou no Grimgar - This art reminds me of Romanesque/Quartett somehow. perhaps it is the same artist. I don't know. I really like the art. That's my kind of art. It is weird and I think a lot could have a problem with it. But I also like the setting. Yes it is cliche with an "online world". But this is a different approach. They don't remember anything and they all are completely useless at what they do and they have a sense of mind about killing other creatures. Also tries to move forward together in a group. Nothing much has been revealed or told after 2 episodes. I like it. Let's see if it continues to evolve.
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo - If Gensou no Grimgar was cliche. This is even worse. Nothing much to say that the MC is useless in the beginning and most likely is going to evolve into something brutal later on. Hilarious death though.
Koukaku no Pandora - Yuri cyborgs? I don't know yet but damn I keep watching it because of this reason. Yes hit me if you want. Not much to say about the anime yet. I have only watched one episode and it didn't reveal much.
Musaigen no Phantom World - KyoAni and fanservice. Too much fanservice. I am watching it because I like the setting and description of the anime. But I think I am sadly mistaken. I don't think it will evolve much further. Except fanservice in all its kind. It is sad though.
PSO2 - I don't even. Someone is evaluating the online game PSO2. This is probably advertising about the game too.
Schwarzesmarken - Germans, mecha and the cold war? Sign me up.
Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu - An anime I think I personally is going to like the more I watch it. Looks like a typical anime. I really wish they continue on the route of creating a game and don't move towards any other genre or such. 

 

 

[ittaku]

As per every season, I'm watching most shows for now till I drop the more boring ones. My conclusion? This season's a stinker for new shows. Dimension W is the most promising though there's probably half a dozen other shows I'll end up watching to the end which will end up being only ok overall. The best shows currently airing are all continuations of previous seasons (heavy object, gate and assassination classroom).

[Abyssal Monkey]

3 hours ago, SilverLi said:

I am a bit late too the party too. But I am watching a couple of shows this season.

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar - This art reminds me of Romanesque/Quartett somehow. perhaps it is the same artist. I don't know. I really like the art. That's my kind of art. It is weird and I think a lot could have a problem with it. But I also like the setting. Yes it is cliche with an "online world". But this is a different approach. They don't remember anything and they all are completely useless at what they do and they have a sense of mind about killing other creatures. Also tries to move forward together in a group. Nothing much has been revealed or told after 2 episodes. I like it. Let's see if it continues to evolve.
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo - If Gensou no Grimgar was cliche. This is even worse. Nothing much to say that the MC is useless in the beginning and most likely is going to evolve into something brutal later on. Hilarious death though.

Both of these fall into the category of Isekai, so calling them online worlds is a bit off, and in particular with Grimgar, completely off.  Grimgar doesn't have levels, and is pretty much a grim tale of being dropped into a different world.  If I were to classify them, it would be as RPG-lite tales. Calling it "online world" because of class distinction is pretty silly when you consider that we do the same thing with modern military too.

Funny enough for Kono Subarashii, the reason why people enjoy it so much is because the main character is practically okay, but his party member drag him through the mud into being useless.  Even up through volume 5, he's still completely interfered with into being ineffectual. For all intents and purposes he is a hetare protagonist.

 

On to my rant about Grimgar.  I don't know what the fuck A-1 is doing anymore.  Compared to the novel, the pacing is fucking whacked.  First they cut and slim down a bunch of information in the first episode, and I mean quite a substantial amount.  Next in they do it at a fairly normal pace with the second half and first part of second episode.  They end the second episode with a fucking 4 minute insert with absolutely no story relevance and then the bath scene.  I was curious, so I watched the next episode spoilers. Oh hey, they're in goblin city, back to jumping ahead again.  What the fuck are you doing to this pace A-1, making it do short interval sprinting?  I'm really tempted to delegate this as a promotional piece rather than an adaptation simply for how much they are seemingly trying to prevent showing about half the book.

This show would be my AOTS (GATE doesn't count because it's a continuation), but they are pissing on it so hard I can't give it.

[SilverLi]

1 hour ago, Abyssal Monkey said:

Both of these fall into the category of Isekai, so calling them online worlds is a bit off, and in particular with Grimgar, completely off.  Grimgar doesn't have levels, and is pretty much a grim tale of being dropped into a different world.  If I were to classify them, it would be as RPG-lite tales. Calling it "online world" because of class distinction is pretty silly when you consider that we do the same thing with modern military too.

Funny enough for Kono Subarashii, the reason why people enjoy it so much is because the main character is practically okay, but his party member drag him through the mud into being useless.  Even up through volume 5, he's still completely interfered with into being ineffectual. For all intents and purposes he is a hetare protagonist.

 

On to my rant about Grimgar.  I don't know what the fuck A-1 is doing anymore.  Compared to the novel, the pacing is fucking whacked.  First they cut and slim down a bunch of information in the first episode, and I mean quite a substantial amount.  Next in they do it at a fairly normal pace with the second half and first part of second episode.  They end the second episode with a fucking 4 minute insert with absolutely no story relevance and then the bath scene.  I was curious, so I watched the next episode spoilers. Oh hey, they're in goblin city, back to jumping ahead again.  What the fuck are you doing to this pace A-1, making it do short interval sprinting?  I'm really tempted to delegate this as a promotional piece rather than an adaptation simply for how much they are seemingly trying to prevent showing about half the book.

This show would be my AOTS (GATE doesn't count because it's a continuation), but they are pissing on it so hard I can't give it.

Perhaps. I am horrible with naming a correct genre. I can't confirm or decline your rant because I haven't read the source material. But it is the setting with Grimgar I like. They don't have that specific system but they still act as a party and got different "classes". About Kono Subarashii you are most likely correct,. It was just my thought about what I think is going to happen, when someone got high stats in luck you never know. . I could be wrong.  

[Abyssal Monkey]

11 minutes ago, SilverLi said:

Perhaps. I am horrible with naming a correct genre. I can't confirm or decline your rant because I haven't read the source material. But it is the setting with Grimgar I like. They don't have that specific system but they still act as a party and got different "classes". About Kono Subarashii you are most likely correct,. It was just my thought about what I think is going to happen, when someone got high stats in luck you never know. . I could be wrong.  

I mean, kono subarashii is totally a harem, but it's hardly wish fulfilling.  It's kind of like the inverse of the harem genre I'd say.

Spoiler

He is constantly cock blocked by the girl's fighting over each other.  Like, that boy must be in pain down below from the amount of blue balling that goes on.  I actually feel sorry for him.

 

[Jun Inoue]

Welp, it seems like Reikenzan: Hoshikuzu-tachi no Utage is a children's show. Luckily, as long as you have that in mind, it can be an entertaining little thing to watch.

[Ceris]

10 hours ago, SilverLi said:

PSO2 - I don't even. Someone is evaluating the online game PSO2. This is probably advertising about the game too.
 

 

I play PSO2 every single day, and I can just say it's a mixture of an advertisement for the game and for fans of the game. Like, seriously, the idol concert is just blatant advertisement for the game. The idol, Quna, hadn't done in game concerts in months, and this week she's doing like 2-3 a day, just because of the anime. They even cut off the idol's song so that you'd be more interested in the game to go hear the full song

[Abyssal Monkey]

1 hour ago, Ceris said:

I play PSO2 every single day, and I can just say it's a mixture of an advertisement for the game and for fans of the game. Like, seriously, the idol concert is just blatant advertisement for the game. The idol, Quna, hadn't done in game concerts in months, and this week she's doing like 2-3 a day, just because of the anime. They even cut off the idol's song so that you'd be more interested in the game to go hear the full song

I remember playing open beta of PSO2. Back when only the interface was translated? Ahhhh yis.  Then SOJ went on a banning spree, and IP range blocking, which basically wiped the US population.  

 

From what I played though, I don't see how they intend to turn it into a good anime.  It didn't seem to have that strong of a story from just the sparse amount of dialogue and even fewer cut scenes.  Then again, I think they had only just released act 2 when I stopped playing

[Ceris]

The game actually has a good (?) story, from what I heard. there's currently 3 full sections of the story out and people tend to really like it. It starts off extremely slow, yes, but the story really picks up around the end of "Episode 1", and stays good in Ep2 and Ep3 (that's how the sections are named, by episode). We're getting Episode 4 released in a couple weeks.

This is all guesses from me, because I'm still in the part of the story that's going by at a snail's pace, about halfway through Episode 1, but my friend said "shit goes down" in a few mini parts soon.

Now, the real question is, are they going to implement any of this game's story into the anime, that we've yet to see. Though, some key characters from the story appear in the anime's opening, so there's hope.

[HotTrax]

Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm 2 - Well, at least the ending song is pretty good. 

 

 

Schwarzesmarken 2 I am liking the trust-no-one mentality, everyone acting crappy towards each other is great. 

Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut 02

Will start Dimension W sometime. 

 

[Abyssal Monkey]

I just watched Bahamut after waking up.  Is this going to be 2 episode volumes? WHAAAAAT? This terrifies me.  They skipped quite a lot in the second episode. The first episode wasn't entirely noticeable from what I remember, but they skipped the entire explanation about Lux's dragride in the second during that fight.  This bears ill tidings on the reliability of the adaptation.

That said, I'm still going to watch it, then wait for the LN to catch up.  It's still pretty okay in terms of fighting scenes.  It's not awful, but it still passes.  It seems Lerche doesn't know how to build up tension with the fights, and that's the biggest pit fall.  In the two fights they've displayed until now, the buildup has been like a minute, and then they execute it in under 3 seconds.  There is no payoff, it's akin to "yeah okay, I have this. SUPER MEGA BUSTER!!!" and then the fight ends.  I can't help but feel if they didn't mince that fight scene and actually had that talk in there for pacing, it would have played out much, much, better.

I guess the show is doing it's job, it's making me want to go back and reread the LN so I can at least rip the direction of the show to shreds.

[TheFantasm]

42 minutes ago, Abyssal Monkey said:

I just watched Bahamut after waking up.  Is this going to be 2 episode volumes? WHAAAAAT? This terrifies me.  They skipped quite a lot in the second episode. The first episode wasn't entirely noticeable from what I remember, but they skipped the entire explanation about Lux's dragride in the second during that fight.  This bears ill tidings on the reliability of the adaptation.

That said, I'm still going to watch it, then wait for the LN to catch up.  It's still pretty okay in terms of fighting scenes.  It's not awful, but it still passes.  It seems Lerche doesn't know how to build up tension with the fights, and that's the biggest pit fall.  In the two fights they've displayed until now, the buildup has been like a minute, and then they execute it in under 3 seconds.  There is no payoff, it's akin to "yeah okay, I have this. SUPER MEGA BUSTER!!!" and then the fight ends.  I can't help but feel if they didn't mince that fight scene and actually had that talk in there for pacing, it would have played out much, much, better.

I guess the show is doing it's job, it's making me want to go back and reread the LN so I can at least rip the direction of the show to shreds.

Out of curiosity, where do you read the LNs at?

[Jibril]

That's it. I'm dropping Bahamut. Hated the content that they cut.... I was really looking forward to Lisha's monologue and badassery... damn they even changed the bad guy's design from somewhat-douchy-looking mixed with cool-badass-aura to a full on creepy rapist pedophile of an asshole. Fuck that.

Hell I'll argue that Infinite Stratos is better than this in pacing and I hated that show MC with a passion... Looks like I'm just going to resume the LN instead.

Lerche should just focus one anime at a time. Between this and Assassination Classroom S2, it's way too clear where the budget goes.

[Abyssal Monkey]

4 hours ago, TheFantasm said:

Out of curiosity, where do you read the LNs at?

Here

2 hours ago, Jibril said:

That's it. I'm dropping Bahamut. Hated the content that they cut.... I was really looking forward to Lisha's monologue and badassery... damn they even changed the bad guy's design from somewhat-douchy-looking mixed with cool-badass-aura to a full on creepy rapist pedophile of an asshole. Fuck that.

Hell I'll argue that Infinite Stratos is better than this in pacing and I hated that show MC with a passion... Looks like I'm just going to resume the LN instead.

Lerche should just focus one anime at a time. Between this and Assassination Classroom S2, it's way too clear where the budget goes.

Pretty much.  I'm honestly completely flabberghasted that they are going for 2 episode volumes.  Looking strictly at the show, it makes the main character seem like he is meant to be some sort of side character who only appears for the fights.  They basically turned Phi into a throw in character instead of actually developing her, AT ALL.  How much of the first volume you think they've adapted?  It honestly feels like the number is hovering around 40% which is fucking abysmal. 

[TheFantasm]

So I just read those 2 volumes, and wow the amount of stuff they cut is pretty crazy. 12-episode adaptions of LNs are always doomed to fail, it seems.

[Nosebleed]

The Shogun Assassination Arc reaching an end is a bit sad, but I am expecting an epic battle next episode.
I am always impressed by how shounen protagonists can stand up with a bunch of objects stuck in their bodies.

Also 10/10 Ginpachi Sensei this week, thank you for keeping the story consistent.

[Jibril]

22 hours ago, Nosebleed said:

The Shogun Assassination Arc reaching an end is a bit sad, but I am expecting an epic battle next episode.
I am always impressed by how shounen protagonists can stand up with a bunch of objects stuck in their bodies.

Also 10/10 Ginpachi Sensei this week, thank you for keeping the story consistent.

Well with how this arc turns out, I think we can say we're going back to the comedy after the arc ended.... hopefully... we definitely need a breather.

[Nosebleed]

Well, that was a pointless episode of Phantom World.
Glad to see less focus on fanservice, but the series still hasn't redeemed itself for me, the memory transfer thing they pulled off this episode was really forced and didn't seem to serve much purpose. I'm getting this vibe that the show just likes introducing random cliché things as some sort of "satire" of the genre, yet it doesn't really work.
The only good parts about this episode was that spinning tornado double kick thing and the loli girl who I hope shows up soon to save the show.

16 minutes ago, Jibril said:

Well with how this arc turns out, I think we can say we're going back to the comedy after the arc ended.... hopefully... we definitely need a breather.

Agreed, I never expected Gintama to go so in depth with the main conflict, at least not so quickly. I want my dumb comedy back.
This is also a sad reminder of the rumors/allegations that the Gintama manga is entering its final arc.

 

[Abyssal Monkey]

Phantom world is being wonderful as usual. It is turning into EXACTLY the type of show I expected, and I'm enjoying it greatly.  Admittedly, its incredibly stupid, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

 

I really don't know about Gifting.  The DEEN quality assurance is really hitting the show hard.  There is also the issue that I feel the voices are slightly off.  Like Aqua and Darkness sound and look way, way too adult.  I really didn't know what I expected, DEEN does pretty meh work.  If I had to say anything, it is like the show is animated for 8 year olds, rather than 13+ like it should be.I'm for sure not finishing, but I am glad my opinion about DEEN still stands: average at it's best.

[Forgetful Frank]

On 1/17/2016 at 6:34 PM, Jun Inoue said:

Oh my, Grimgar seems to be the first "trapped in a fantasy/videogame world" anime that actually takes seriously the fact that these are supposedly normal people, not used to killing and fighting for their life.

Still, though, Ranta keeps being a retarded a-hole. First during and at the end of the fight scene, and later on the baths.

I haven't been keeping up with the latest anime in a while, I've just been watching the usual on-going ones. You've peaked my interest in this one though!

 

EDIT:

Could anyone be kind enough to give me a couple of new anime they're watching this season that you're enjoying? I'd be really grateful since after reading through this thread, you've all gotten me in the mood to watch some!

So far I've managed to add to my watch-list: Hai to Gensoi no Grimgar and Divine Temple