Do you think ConRevo can earn a spot in the addendum at the very least? I think Earth-chan deserves it
It will. I just haven't updated my list since finishing it.
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Arjuna Chatrathi
Ask @B0bduh
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Similar to the Shirou ask, Ayato Amagiri from the Asterisk War is once called "unfathomable" for having ketchup on his face. Pretty accurate for a character without a set personality.
"I... I CAN'T READ HIM." "That's because he was barely written."
For VNs, have you tried out Gahkthun? The author is heavily inspired by Utena, and it might as well be the Black Rose Arc. And I thought you tried out Saya no Uta?
I have tried out Saya no Uta, but I've only gotten maybe an hour into it, so I don't really have a strong impression of it yet. Haven't tried out Gahkthun.
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If I put money towards a write-up now should I have any expectations as to when you'd get round to it?
I release three current projects writeups a week (Monday/Friday/Saturday), generally alternating between episodic writeups of a longer show and individual writeups of either other shows or full movies/games. I've been trying to prioritize writeups that are self-contained, so people can see more complete projects - thus I've hit all of the movies and full games I've been assigned, along with some of the self-contained manga. But I also slot in other single episodes where I can.
That's the release schedule I'm currently going with, though if you have any thoughts/suggestions, I'm always open to adjusting it!
That's the release schedule I'm currently going with, though if you have any thoughts/suggestions, I'm always open to adjusting it!
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Sunshine Marmot
Another Bystander
How much would it cost me to fund We Know The Devil? (Takes about 2-3 hours to get full completion depending on your reading speed)
$100, same as a movie or The Beginner's Guide.
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Aluido
Sunshine Marmot
Another Bystander
What do you think of the "three episode rule"?
Not terribly useful if you're parsing shows in terms of execution as opposed to overt plot events. The logic behind it is pretty much just "intro episodes likely won't get you to a show's big plot hook," and it's fine as far as that goes, but that's all it really covers. Most shows don't switch writers/directors after an episode or two, so the first episode is generally a pretty good gauge of what you're getting on those fronts.
That said, first episodes actually /can/ be pretty deceptive in the /other/ direction. First episodes generally employ a production's best team working with plenty of time, but as a production goes on, scheduling can get tighter, and episodes get either delegated to different sub-directors or outsourced altogether. The three episode rule won't necessarily help you catch this issue (it'd likely be better to look at the staff and studio involved), but it's good to keep in mind that first episodes depict a production with all of its stamina and possibly more besides.
That said, first episodes actually /can/ be pretty deceptive in the /other/ direction. First episodes generally employ a production's best team working with plenty of time, but as a production goes on, scheduling can get tighter, and episodes get either delegated to different sub-directors or outsourced altogether. The three episode rule won't necessarily help you catch this issue (it'd likely be better to look at the staff and studio involved), but it's good to keep in mind that first episodes depict a production with all of its stamina and possibly more besides.
I just realized something about Emiya Shirou, people in the anicommunity just don't understand him, and what's amazing is that that's written into his character. "Not even once being understood.", from his UBW chant. He becomes a hero who is never recognized by the general public. Is Nasu an auteur?
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MG
Kat
Sunshine Marmot
Robert Hopper
BlueEyesWhitePrivilege
are you interested in trying visual novels as a medium and why/why not?
I've tried out a few, and so far my experiences have been:
Katawa Shoujo (loved it)
Narcissu (liked it)
Fate/stay night (thought it was terrible)
Grisaia (thought it was terrible)
I'd like to try more, but I'm not really sure what would be the right choice. From what I hear, it's some of the puzzle games like 999 that are actually well-written, but I'm not really interested in that genre. I'd /like/ to read another romance/character drama one that's good, but the writing of FSN and Grisaia has kinda scared me off.
Katawa Shoujo (loved it)
Narcissu (liked it)
Fate/stay night (thought it was terrible)
Grisaia (thought it was terrible)
I'd like to try more, but I'm not really sure what would be the right choice. From what I hear, it's some of the puzzle games like 999 that are actually well-written, but I'm not really interested in that genre. I'd /like/ to read another romance/character drama one that's good, but the writing of FSN and Grisaia has kinda scared me off.
What happened to 10royalgames?
We haven't been seeing Dan often enough for it to really be feasible. Multi-person projects are tough that way :(
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Another Bystander
"the most rebelliously animated boobs I’ve ever seen" — inspired writing right here
Why thank you.
Hey Bobduh if you're feeling up to it I highly recommend you check out the most recent episode (11) of Phantom World. For whatever reason it's actually a great episode reminiscent of KyoAni at their best that also stands alone pretty well. Consider giving it a shot if you aren't too busy.
I miiight do that. I dunno, what I saw of Phantom World had basically nothing for me.
Bob, how do you stay in a positive mindset as a critic? Whenever I found some decently-written review on MAL, the writer generally have written more negative reviews than positive ones (even more if you count "it's good, BUT.." reviews). It seems too easy to define yourself with cynicism as a critic
It /is/ too easy to define yourself with cynicism, and that's a trap I try pretty hard to avoid, because I think embracing cynicism makes you far less likely to enjoy or see the good in things. I stay positive by actively looking for that good, and by seeking out the kinds of media I think I actually will enjoy. If I were writing about every single anime, I'd almost certainly have far more negative posts than positive ones, but why would I want to do that? I find it much more rewarding to celebrate good things.
If you started HxH now, do you feel you would watch so many episodes, or the first episodes / arc would be for you like "this is fine but not my bag"? Just curious, since by age I find harder to watch longer shows even though they're surely good, especially with a first slow burn.
I think I'd still be pretty into it, especially considering I've found myself watching 8-10 episodes in a row with friends several times this week. HxH is just waaay better at staying immediately entertaining than almost any other show.
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warsin.tamadur
So I watched Eva in my early teens, and it left a bad taste in my mouth (I was expecting a simple action show). What should my mindset be when I revisit it?
Expect a psychological drama with giant robots, I guess!
What are your thoughts on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqJYIHPeORI ? As far as I know you really disliked that scene.
I agree with some of the points presented, but it's also praising the show for many of the exact choices I consider over-the-top and inept. Praising the clumsy use of red eyes feels kinda like talking favorably about the tear-licking scene from SAO because it "smartly conveys the menace of the antagonist." There is value in restraint!
How much was the Solanin mega-volume write-up? Asking because I want to pay for something similar.
That was $100.
Great essay, that helped me understand a lot more about the game (i now know i just doomed myself with that sentence, for example)
Haha, glad you liked it.
Are you going to write anything on Cinderella Girls?
Yep!
Have you watched Legend of the Galactic Heroes or is the novel your first experience with the series?
The novel's my first experience with it.
Isn't 20th century boys a bit of an odd one out on that manga shelf though? I mean, Naoki Urasawa is one of /the/ great mangaka, seeing his work next to attack on titan is.... brutal. Apart from the fact that they're both apocalyptic stories, I don't think they have much in common.
The common factor there is that Urasawa's work doesn't feel "too Japanese." He generally writes in a style of thriller that's pretty familiar to most western fans.
If you want to appeal to that massive audience that "doesn't like most anime, but loves Attack on Titan/One Punch Man/etc," you generally have to:
1. Make sure your show is in either the action or thriller genres
2. Make sure your show is focused at least largely on plot, and probably not largely on character/theme (at least not to the point where people could say your show has "nothing happening")
3. Make sure your show's aesthetic doesn't seem too foreign, whether that means setting it in a European area like Titan or just a generic modern city
4. Make sure your show has either a gritty, self-serious aesthetic or a western-friendly sense of humor, preferably both
Combine these requisites with some reasonable aesthetic execution, and you may well have a hit on your hands!
If you want to appeal to that massive audience that "doesn't like most anime, but loves Attack on Titan/One Punch Man/etc," you generally have to:
1. Make sure your show is in either the action or thriller genres
2. Make sure your show is focused at least largely on plot, and probably not largely on character/theme (at least not to the point where people could say your show has "nothing happening")
3. Make sure your show's aesthetic doesn't seem too foreign, whether that means setting it in a European area like Titan or just a generic modern city
4. Make sure your show has either a gritty, self-serious aesthetic or a western-friendly sense of humor, preferably both
Combine these requisites with some reasonable aesthetic execution, and you may well have a hit on your hands!
Do you ever wish "Bobduh" wasn't the internet moniker by which you became mildly internet famous?
My one regret is not sticking with xTITSxKILLAx420NOSCOPE
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Derp Jeep
Eelz
Sunshine Marmot
Arjuna Chatrathi
Jake Shiraki
Would you compare The Ancient Magus' Bride to Harry Potter?
Nope.
Merrick Garland for SCOTUS nominee. Surprised and a bit disappointed. But it's a completely fair choice that I doubt Repubs would make if the situations were reversed.
I'm kind of wondering whether Obama thinks this choice is actually fair enough to get through, or whether he chose a moderate specifically to demonstrate that the Republican congress has lost any willingness to govern whatsoever.
What's your favorite Satoshi Kon work?
Millennium Actress.
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Derp Jeep
Rm
iamevn
Thaliarchus
Robert Hopper
I just read some people pointing hate at SJWs and i didnt know what it meant, so i looked it up, between that and the disgust to "white knights" Im actually scared on how internet society is evolving
Yeah, it's pretty messed up! On the other hand, the ugliness of attitudes online is also partially just more visible than the ugliness of attitudes in real life. We don't associate with a random cross-section of strangers in real life, and online, people are allowed to be just as awful as they want to be. People raging about SJWs online aren't really much different from people raging about political correctness at a Trump rally.
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