The last thing we watched, cartoon/animu edition
- Thread starter TheMysteriousGX
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Listen, the only halfway sensible place to start Fate is the actual Fate/Stay Night visual novel. And even that has a moment where the author just up and shows you a diagram to explain what the deal with a character is.
And this is what I was doing during the Oscars.
letterboxd.com
A ★★★★ review of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021)
"This is just my personal theory, but there is no curse more twisted than love." When the adaptation of the manga of Jujutsu Kaisen was being first developed, the creative force behind the first season in one Songhoo Park initially planned to adapt the prequel novel Jujutsu Kaisen 0 into the...
letterboxd.com
I re-watched Super Mario Bros. (2023) after not seeing since it came out in theaters, and just before the film comes out in a few weeks. I still think this film is great, and I have 0 problems with this movie being slightly less than 90 minutes. Too many movies have gone for the unnecessary 2+ hour mark, and most of them don't work. Everything about this film works: the animation, action, pacing, characters, writing, and humor. This film pays tribute to the games excellently without being distracting. So even if you're not a Mario nor video game fan, you can follow what is going on easily. The films only weakeness are some of those pop culture songs that play. Some of them fit, while others are uneeded. At least this movie actually plays songs from most of the mainline Mario games, and few Donkey Kong songs too. Unlike most of the Sonic films that either do small snippets or not at all. "Live and Learn" being the awesome exception.
Welp, I am ready for Mario Galaxy (2026).
Welp, I am ready for Mario Galaxy (2026).
I can't understand why the new Invincible season premiered with three episodes, all an hour long, all apparently more or less unrelated.
On one hand I guess it's nice that the three episodes aren't just one big episode, I hate that even more. But it's just confusing why they did this, especially when none of the episodes had a crazy sequences like Omni-man or Conquest going berzerk (which is what I was waiting for). Speaking of, they are clearly saving budget for more sequences later on in the season. I personally don't mind, but the poor animation quality of Invincible seems to be a meme these days.
So yeah, it was okay. Nothing to write home about either. I'm not really sold on Thragg's voice so far.
On one hand I guess it's nice that the three episodes aren't just one big episode, I hate that even more. But it's just confusing why they did this, especially when none of the episodes had a crazy sequences like Omni-man or Conquest going berzerk (which is what I was waiting for). Speaking of, they are clearly saving budget for more sequences later on in the season. I personally don't mind, but the poor animation quality of Invincible seems to be a meme these days.
So yeah, it was okay. Nothing to write home about either. I'm not really sold on Thragg's voice so far.
The last anime I watched? Purists might scoff at me listing it as an anime, but that would be the Donghua To be Hero X which I cannot recommend highly enough. I think it easily trounces anything that came from Japan in recent years.
I guess you can summarize it as a Chinese equivelent of My Hero Academia or the Boys. A Super hero show with lots of varied power and a look at the darker sides of super heroism. The premise of the world being that super hero gain their powers from the belief the public has of you. If they see you as a silent assassin and are a fan of this then you'll eventually grow completely mute. If the Public wants you to always stand tall you'll never fall in battle, but always standing tall also means you can't bend over to poop. And since social media algorithm decides a heroes career the system is ripe with corruption and abuse.
The most striking gimmick is the animation switching mechanic where a scene can transition from 3d to 2d. This assuredly is a gimmick since it disappears after the first few episodes, but that does make it land all the harder when the animation switching makes it triumphant return in the last few episodes.
Its an ensemble cast of 11 super heroes each with their own arc, powers, themesong and plotlines. Not every character is equal with some clearly having gotten the short end of the stick it terms of time and budget, but overall its a line the series walks pretty decent. Everyone(except dragon boy) has their place in the plot. The 11 stories being told aren't shown chronologically which can make it a bit harder to follow, but also makes it a more rewarding journey and lends itself to some interesting narrative direction, like the show essentially serving as its own prequel, complete with an end of season ''where are they now'' montage halfway through the show and leading up to the events of the very first episodes.
The show seems to have reviewed very well and was listed fairly high in all sorts of ''top anime of this year'' lists, but public awareness isn't to where it should be yet, so I encourage people to go look it out.
I guess you can summarize it as a Chinese equivelent of My Hero Academia or the Boys. A Super hero show with lots of varied power and a look at the darker sides of super heroism. The premise of the world being that super hero gain their powers from the belief the public has of you. If they see you as a silent assassin and are a fan of this then you'll eventually grow completely mute. If the Public wants you to always stand tall you'll never fall in battle, but always standing tall also means you can't bend over to poop. And since social media algorithm decides a heroes career the system is ripe with corruption and abuse.
The most striking gimmick is the animation switching mechanic where a scene can transition from 3d to 2d. This assuredly is a gimmick since it disappears after the first few episodes, but that does make it land all the harder when the animation switching makes it triumphant return in the last few episodes.
Its an ensemble cast of 11 super heroes each with their own arc, powers, themesong and plotlines. Not every character is equal with some clearly having gotten the short end of the stick it terms of time and budget, but overall its a line the series walks pretty decent. Everyone(except dragon boy) has their place in the plot. The 11 stories being told aren't shown chronologically which can make it a bit harder to follow, but also makes it a more rewarding journey and lends itself to some interesting narrative direction, like the show essentially serving as its own prequel, complete with an end of season ''where are they now'' montage halfway through the show and leading up to the events of the very first episodes.
The show seems to have reviewed very well and was listed fairly high in all sorts of ''top anime of this year'' lists, but public awareness isn't to where it should be yet, so I encourage people to go look it out.
I rewatched Yugioh season zero. I saw this for the first time around a decade ago and I thought it was great! I'd only ever seen the Duel Monsters anime and I was blown away that there was this entirely different aspect of Yugioh where they play a bunch of different games and Yugi is struggling with gaps in his memory where the other Yugi takes over. It's a little darker than Duel Monsters and it was really cool to see. Then I read the manga pre-duelist kingdom and it was even better.
Now, 10 years later I'm left with the conclusion, season zero... kind of sucks. Around half of it is filler, which is weird because they didn't even adapt all the material from the manga. Pretty much ever character who isn't Yugi has their coolest scenes axed. Joey, in particular, was a badass street fighter in the manga and I think there's only one scene in the entire anime where he even punches someone on screen. Mainly he is relegated to comic relief. Tristan likewise is almost entirely comic relief, they even added a whole new comic relief character for him to comic relief at. It sucks, because the manga was really awesome before it became entirely devoted to card games and it will never get a proper adaptation now.
I do still love the opening song, I didn't skip it once.
Now, 10 years later I'm left with the conclusion, season zero... kind of sucks. Around half of it is filler, which is weird because they didn't even adapt all the material from the manga. Pretty much ever character who isn't Yugi has their coolest scenes axed. Joey, in particular, was a badass street fighter in the manga and I think there's only one scene in the entire anime where he even punches someone on screen. Mainly he is relegated to comic relief. Tristan likewise is almost entirely comic relief, they even added a whole new comic relief character for him to comic relief at. It sucks, because the manga was really awesome before it became entirely devoted to card games and it will never get a proper adaptation now.
I do still love the opening song, I didn't skip it once.
I'm not going to say I'm *watching* Chiikawa, but it's playing in my house non-stop since my girlfriend uncovered fanart of her favorite anime dude Brundle'd into a flying squirrel.
As far as I can tell it's a show for babies about woodland critters stumbling on and subsequently eating food.
For some reason all the human "extras" - basically shopkeeps, vendors - look like steel plate gimps with Nemesis grins. They're all nice and helpful and soft-spoken but they fucking look like that. Maybe there's like an old yokai woodcut from Kamakura times that explains an in-joke. I don't get it.
If this shit was playing when I was growing up it totally would've been denounced as satanic.
As far as I can tell it's a show for babies about woodland critters stumbling on and subsequently eating food.
For some reason all the human "extras" - basically shopkeeps, vendors - look like steel plate gimps with Nemesis grins. They're all nice and helpful and soft-spoken but they fucking look like that. Maybe there's like an old yokai woodcut from Kamakura times that explains an in-joke. I don't get it.
If this shit was playing when I was growing up it totally would've been denounced as satanic.
Netflix Devil May Cry Season 2 is a much huge improvement over the first season. Especially in the combat and animations. If Season 1 is an entertaining 5/10, this a much better 8/10. I pretty much see this as an AU, as advertised and I am able to enjoy just good. This season is pretty much a lover letter to parts of DMC2, DMC3, DmC, DMC4, and even some part of DMC5. With the majority of not feeling forced/stapled together. There is clearly going to be a Season 3. Also, they made Arius actually cool and threatening!
Love Invincible Season 4. What an ending!
Love Invincible Season 4. What an ending!
Over the long weekend I watched one series on my backlog Crunchylist, and started another.
AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue - Pretty standard sports anime with a sci-fi sport that is a cross between tag, a race, and Quidditch. If you've seen any sports anime, you'll see everything coming and be able to guess the outcome of every single match before it even begins. It is pretty much also filled with stock Anime characters. The ditzy clumsy happy girl, the moody emo chick, the clingy underclassman who worships one of them, I could go on. But that's too harsh. For being "just another sports anime" it isn't a terrible example. It doesn't really do anything wrong... but it could have been as easily created as having an AI scrape Crunchyroll and telling it to make a sports anime about flying high schoolers. I have 4 Crunchylists. My backlog. Favorites. Good. And "Seen." Where I dump everything from "meh" to "so bad I only gave it 3 episodes. And Aokana makes me want to create another. Because it doesn't really deserve "Seen." But it doesn't deserve to be alongside anything in "Good."
The Maid I Recently Hired is Mysterious - I just wanted something light and funny. It... isn't that funny, but it is light. What it is... is adorable. Cute. If that is what you are craving, its really the only reason to watch it. I put it in "Seen" as well. I think the only reason I'd ever need to go back to it... Is after a Madoka rewatch to balance my mood out a bit.
AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue - Pretty standard sports anime with a sci-fi sport that is a cross between tag, a race, and Quidditch. If you've seen any sports anime, you'll see everything coming and be able to guess the outcome of every single match before it even begins. It is pretty much also filled with stock Anime characters. The ditzy clumsy happy girl, the moody emo chick, the clingy underclassman who worships one of them, I could go on. But that's too harsh. For being "just another sports anime" it isn't a terrible example. It doesn't really do anything wrong... but it could have been as easily created as having an AI scrape Crunchyroll and telling it to make a sports anime about flying high schoolers. I have 4 Crunchylists. My backlog. Favorites. Good. And "Seen." Where I dump everything from "meh" to "so bad I only gave it 3 episodes. And Aokana makes me want to create another. Because it doesn't really deserve "Seen." But it doesn't deserve to be alongside anything in "Good."
The Maid I Recently Hired is Mysterious - I just wanted something light and funny. It... isn't that funny, but it is light. What it is... is adorable. Cute. If that is what you are craving, its really the only reason to watch it. I put it in "Seen" as well. I think the only reason I'd ever need to go back to it... Is after a Madoka rewatch to balance my mood out a bit.
I never cared about Scoopy Doo, but I see a Cal Arts version on Boomerang in the break room at work and think that's messed up. The '70s clothes and van are an anachronism of the world. One of them just took a selfie with a smartphone.