The last thing we watched, cartoon/animu edition

[BrawlMan]

Ninja Kamui Episode 9 - Good-bye Emma/Asuka. I'm sad.

I do genuinely love this show, because it's uncomplicated and really straightforward. NK reminds me of mid 2000s action anime, but in a good way. Plus, it's just nice to get a ninja anime that is not Naruto related nor referenced in any manner and goes for the 90s-2000s cyber ninja designs.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card. It was really good! The perfect cap to the series. Beautiful animation, touching romantic confessions, fun lighthearted comedy, everything that was great about the series is distilled into this movie. The only way it could have been better is if Xiaolang and Sakura kissed, but I guess you can't have everything. The first movie was good enough but didn't really have much impact, so I didn't have high expectations for this one seeing as pretty much everything was resolved at the end of the series, but wow, I loved it. We even got to see someone getting hurt as a consequence of using the Sleep card indiscriminately, which is a little nitpick I had with the series. And the end credit theme was great too.

Definitely don't finish the series without watching this movie.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Solo Leveling:

It's incredibly mediocre. Based on the first couple of episodes I thought it was going to be about the main character overcoming his physical weakness by being clever. I was initially kind of interested.

NOPE fuck me for thinking that.

This is an Isekai power fantasy fuckboy. The main character is going to be the most specialest boy that deserves to have ALL of the powers and will be the strongest and the fastest and the bravest. You thought Kirito from SOA was boring? Well here's Kirito 2.0.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2:

Plot? What plot? We don't got time for no plot! Time for 20 episodes of non-stop fight scenes. The entire season is basically just one long fight sequence. I'd probably be really impressed with it if I was 14. But I'm not. So I'm not.

Honestly, it's been so long since I saw season 1 that I barely remembered what each character's ability was supposed to be, so a bunch of the fights were just non-sense to me.

I have been told by someone reading the manga that it just gets worse from there.

 

[BrawlMan]

I have been told by someone reading the manga that it just gets worse from there.

They're not wrong.

Solo Leveling:

It's incredibly mediocre. Based on the first couple of episodes I thought it was going to be about the main character overcoming his physical weakness by being clever. I was initially kind of interested.

NOPE fuck me for thinking that.

This is an Isekai power fantasy fuckboy. The main character is going to be the most specialest boy that deserves to have ALL of the powers and will be the strongest and the fastest and the bravest.

I avoid any constant anime hype on YouTube and the thing looked too generic for even generic iseaki anime from some ads I saw.

You thought Kirito from SOA was boring? Well here's Kirito 2.0.

It's not true; it's not possible!

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Solo Leveling:

It's incredibly mediocre. Based on the first couple of episodes I thought it was going to be about the main character overcoming his physical weakness by being clever. I was initially kind of interested.

NOPE fuck me for thinking that.

This is an Isekai power fantasy fuckboy. The main character is going to be the most specialest boy that deserves to have ALL of the powers and will be the strongest and the fastest and the bravest. You thought Kirito from SOA was boring? Well here's Kirito 2.0.

Literally the only thing the original Manhwa had going for it was the genuinely amazing art. The anime is not nearly well animated enough to be worth watching.

Also somehow the story is more insufferable when animated... Perhaps because the pacing is faster.

 

[Summerstorm]

Hm, man, all that sounds terrible. Short question: I didn't watch much anime (or anything) the last... decade or so. Anything to recommendate the last few years?

I pretty much stopped when it just was too difficult to sift through the huge amount of shit to find something good. ( The 90%/10% rule seems to not be applicable for anime somehow)

I mean, many thing have at the core a great idea. Or something which could be fun or interesting, or classically sci-fi "deep". For example the whole Isekai - "i am now in a game or whatever" example: "Overlord", i think had a great core. The premise that you have "secret knowledge" and can apply your game tactics and your statistics, your unique perception and such while navigating a now political landscape as a "monster", while questioning what is real and what personhood means: Great idea. But we got big/small-boobed harem girls, asspull-powers, slow trodding plot, bullshit power fantasy. (I watched just a few episodes at the start, don't know what and if something changes)

Eh, back to the question: Any recommendation for a good, short series/movie the last years which is without the usual shonen-anime shit tainting all the innovative crazy stuff?

There was a time where i browsed all new releases, but after a while there was like one release a year or so... drowned out by just all the slice-of-life, generic-fantasy, generic fantasy, but we are in a game or generic fantasy and shit is "isekaid" and we are mentally handicapped.

I want to watch something weird, inventive or thought-provoking again. Some nice meaningful action would be nice too.

 

[BrawlMan]

Anything to recommendate the last few years?

Pluto is on Netflix and Ninja Kamui is on HBO Max. Pluto I strongly recommend as it's animated adaption the early 2000s AU Astro Boy manga. Ninja Kamui is a straightforward and uncomplicated action show that is fun to watch. Pluto is a complete story, and Ninja Kamui is almost done from the looks of it.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Heard good things about Scavenger's Reign. Can personally recommend Odd Taxi and Bang Brave Bang Bravern. Will always recommend Delicious in Dungeon

Even if you don't want to move on to the 24 episode show, the prologue to Mobile Suit Gundam: the Witch From Mercury is a fantastic piece of fiction in its own right and is free on youtube

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Hm, man, all that sounds terrible. Short question: I didn't watch much anime (or anything) the last... decade or so. Anything to recommendate the last few years?

I pretty much stopped when it just was too difficult to sift through the huge amount of shit to find something good. ( The 90%/10% rule seems to not be applicable for anime somehow)

I mean, many thing have at the core a great idea. Or something which could be fun or interesting, or classically sci-fi "deep". For example the whole Isekai - "i am now in a game or whatever" example: "Overlord", i think had a great core. The premise that you have "secret knowledge" and can apply your game tactics and your statistics, your unique perception and such while navigating a now political landscape as a "monster", while questioning what is real and what personhood means: Great idea. But we got big/small-boobed harem girls, asspull-powers, slow trodding plot, bullshit power fantasy. (I watched just a few episodes at the start, don't know what and if something changes)

Eh, back to the question: Any recommendation for a good, short series/movie the last years which is without the usual shonen-anime shit tainting all the innovative crazy stuff?

There was a time where i browsed all new releases, but after a while there was like one release a year or so... drowned out by just all the slice-of-life, generic-fantasy, generic fantasy, but we are in a game or generic fantasy and shit is "isekaid" and we are mentally handicapped.

I want to watch something weird, inventive or thought-provoking again. Some nice meaningful action would be nice too.

I'm currently watching and greatly enjoying Golden Kamuy. It's an anime that takes place after the Russo-Japanese war (something not commonly explored in media), and includes a lot about Ainu culture (something that Japan used to active suppress). It's a really unique show, and has some pretty great characters and action. It's not exactly short (there's 4 seasons out), but the seasons aren't super long either (12 episodes each) and the show maintains a good pace.

Seconded TheMysteriousGX in his recommendation of Odd Taxi, it's fantastic.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

just remembered how long 10 years was. Keep Your Hands Off Eizoken is a brilliantly animated show about students making an animation.

Carole and Tuesday is a show with great music about a couple gals breaking into the music industry, made by the main guy behind Cowboy Beebop. Gets a bit weird at the end, but that's how he rolls

At the start of this thread is Heaven's Design Team, still recommend that

The first half of Great Pretender is a fantastic Leverage type show with unique animation. Don't watch the second half

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

just remembered how long 10 years was. Keep Your Hands Off Eizoken is a brilliantly animated show about students making an animation.

I forgot about Keep Your Hands Off Eizoken. It's a very cute show that I really enjoyed.

In a similar vein, Bakuman is pretty good. It's a show about 2 friends trying to break into the Manga industry. It's pretty idealized, but it does a pretty good job showing what kind of insane stress and deadlines mangaka get put under.

 

[meiam]

Hm, man, all that sounds terrible. Short question: I didn't watch much anime (or anything) the last... decade or so. Anything to recommendate the last few years?

I pretty much stopped when it just was too difficult to sift through the huge amount of shit to find something good. ( The 90%/10% rule seems to not be applicable for anime somehow)

I mean, many thing have at the core a great idea. Or something which could be fun or interesting, or classically sci-fi "deep". For example the whole Isekai - "i am now in a game or whatever" example: "Overlord", i think had a great core. The premise that you have "secret knowledge" and can apply your game tactics and your statistics, your unique perception and such while navigating a now political landscape as a "monster", while questioning what is real and what personhood means: Great idea. But we got big/small-boobed harem girls, asspull-powers, slow trodding plot, bullshit power fantasy. (I watched just a few episodes at the start, don't know what and if something changes)

Eh, back to the question: Any recommendation for a good, short series/movie the last years which is without the usual shonen-anime shit tainting all the innovative crazy stuff?

There was a time where i browsed all new releases, but after a while there was like one release a year or so... drowned out by just all the slice-of-life, generic-fantasy, generic fantasy, but we are in a game or generic fantasy and shit is "isekaid" and we are mentally handicapped.

I want to watch something weird, inventive or thought-provoking again. Some nice meaningful action would be nice too.

That really depend on what you like.

Bocchi the rock and laid back camp are two really good slice of life/comedy show that try new things in their own way, but someone thats not into those genre would probably miss those interesting change.

There hasn't really been anything exceptional in the last year if thats only what your looking for, Frieren made a lot of wave but I have big reservation about it. This season doesn't really have anything that noteworthy, Tonari no Yōkai-san was pretty well done but thats kinda it imo.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Finished up Bang Brave Bang Bravern and god damn did that show need to be twice as long to cook properly. Like, I had fun with it but it absolutely floors it on the pacing. If you aren't up on super robot tropes I could see it being a really tough sell, though props for taking the usual homoerotic subtext and just making it text. It's definitely made by people that adore the genre, so the manic energy can be addicting.

Two episodes in to Delicious in Dungeon's second half/season and we have many more characters being introduced. They handled Kabru and his party well, (mirror universe Laios), reintroduced Shuro along with his squad of ninja gals (they're trying to rescue Falin too, unaware she got rescued a few episodes ago then went missing), and all three groups with their big personalities are set to clash

 

[BrawlMan]

X-Men 97: Episode 5 - Right in the feels....damn it, Gambit!

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Invincible Season 2's finale was just... weird. The whole bit with Angstrom was just lame, and frankly I found the cameos that people were so hyped up about made things worse.

All in all? Meh. It didn't come anywhere close to the first season, hell even the Atom Eve short.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Hm, man, all that sounds terrible. Short question: I didn't watch much anime (or anything) the last... decade or so. Anything to recommendate the last few years?

Ranking of Kings, though only the first season. It's kinda Game of Thrones with storybook visuals, but don't let that put you off (if you don't like Game of Thrones). It's really something special with remarkable lore, and incredibly imaginative for a series with such simplistic visuals. No DnD or Isekai tropes or trappings.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Invincible Season 2's finale was just... weird. The whole bit with Angstrom was just lame, and frankly I found the cameos that people were so hyped up about made things worse.

All in all? Meh. It didn't come anywhere close to the first season, hell even the Atom Eve short.

Post Omni-Man leaving Earth there isn't too much that can function as a real climactic event in the comic for a while other than Angstrom Levy, so they were kinda stuck with what they had. You can be sure Season 3 is going to be a lot more eventful though.

Also, loved everyone simping over Anissa.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Post Omni-Man leaving Earth there isn't too much that can function as a real climactic event in the comic for a while other than Angstrom Levy, so they were kinda stuck with what they had. You can be sure Season 3 is going to be a lot more eventful though.

Also, loved everyone simping over Anissa.

Yeah I've heard the arc in the comics wasn't amazing, but even from an animation standpoint, this season felt subpar. Considering they took that break in the middle of the season and just generally a long ass time after Season 1, I thought this season would have some eye candy. I guess the Atom Eve short got all the attention.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Yeah I've heard the arc in the comics wasn't amazing, but even from an animation standpoint, this season felt subpar. Considering they took that break in the middle of the season and just generally a long ass time after Season 1, I thought this season would have some eye candy. I guess the Atom Eve short got all the attention.

They also smushed a bunch of stuff that happens only after Omni-Man leaves Earth in the comics into Season 1 of the show. The whole reani-men plot happened when Nolan was already gone, for example. They also seemed to have ditched a side plot with Eve, though I won't say what, since they might choose to move that to Season 3.

This arc in the comics is actually pretty good, but the way Season 2 handles it feels very chopped. See, in the comics Amber doesn't know Mark's secret identity for the longest time, and him constantly leaving she attributes to him needing to help out his mom/be alone due to his father having "died". She even suspects him of dealing drugs but wants to give him space, again, because of his father's "death". When future Eve tells Mark she loves him Mark is still happily together with Amber, making that confession far more heavy and lingering than it was in the show. The relationship with Amber is also a lot more (or should I say actually) fun and lighthearted, like a highschool romance. We already kinda know who Mark is actually going to end up with and so does the comic, so it doesn't waste almost any energy in trying to create drama between Mark and Amber. Their relationship also ends amicable without the threat of death hanging over Amber. They just kinda grow apart, want different things, and hang around different people, so they end it.

They really mucked up Amber by trying to make her far more important than she actually was.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Finished Invincible Season 2. And everything is more or less as was after the midseason cliffhanger, which I thought was way more exciting. Nolan is still in prison, the invasion is still coming, Mark is still unable to fess up to Eve. They stopped the Martian invasion, except they didn't. They killed off a bunch of characters, except they didn't. Too much wheel spinning. The Boys all over. It gets to the point where maintaining status quo becomes untenable, so the writing has to bend over backwards to delay and distract what feels inevitable but never quite gets there.

And as ugly as Angstrom's death is... hasn't Mark already killed a bunch of stuff in battle? And while I understand his fear about becoming the same as his dad, the fear alone should be an indicator that he won't. Does anyone in the audience share the same anxiety as him? I'm sick of his grovelling. You fought a dude that maimed your mom, harmed your baby brother and was actively trying to kill you to the very end. You're morally in the clear. Get the fuck over it.