:;()$&@"\The Anime Pub/:;()$&@"

Been quite bored lately, so I decided to give 86 a shot (that almost sounds like a light novel title). Damn. That show sure... how do they say it these days? Oh right, "hit different". I knew it was a quite highly praised show, but it was not exactly what I was first expecting. I binged through the entirety of season 1. It sure can be heavy quite a lot of the time. Now I just wonder what it'll hit me with in season 2.

Not exactly a show I could recommend to just anyone, but it is damn amazing. Also, despite (or because of?) the CGI feeling slightly out of place, it ironically felt quite fitting.

"

FCK42 wrote:

Been quite bored lately, so I decided to give 86 a shot (that almost sounds like a light novel title). Damn. That show sure... how do they say it these days? Oh right, "hit different". I knew it was a quite highly praised show, but it was not exactly what I was first expecting. I binged through the entirety of season 1. It sure can be heavy quite a lot of the time. Now I just wonder what it'll hit me with in season 2.

Not exactly a show I could recommend to just anyone, but it is damn amazing. Also, despite (or because of?) the CGI feeling slightly out of place, it ironically felt quite fitting.

Interesting coincidence, I'm wearing one of my 86 Spear Head shirts atm. Only seen season 1 here but it's definitely different fare to the usual LN adaptations. Reminds me quite a lot of Oshii's Sky Crawlers and Iron Blooded Orphans, only with more political oomph than either of those.

The CG is pretty well done, given it's Shirogumi -- same guys that did Night Head 2041, which was unusually good for straight up CG. They also did the amazing CG for Solomon -- those Demon Pillars were great. But it's a little uncanny, sure. Deliberately, I think and agree.

I'd say it's an easy recommendation.

___

So a theatrical run of Revue Starlight has just been announced for the US in a few months. Kinda envious -- that movie absolutely demands a giant screen -- but at least this means we can expect a proper bluray release from Sentai at some point. That'll be a banger and a half. If you haven't seen the series yet, FFS stop anything else and get to it. Especially now that Hidive have uploaded bluray rips of their own making (far higher quality than the TV broadcast).

___

Finished Themae Romae Novae. Whew, there's one that's gonna slide right under a bunch of radars due to Netflix Original 1 full season dump style. Surprisingly consistent story. Recommended for a few hours of fun and education. Yamazaki Mari knows her shit when it comes to Roman culture, that's for sure.

___

Dennou Coil on bluray next.

Watched the first two episodes of 86 season 2. Not exactly the direction I thought it'd take, yet simultaneously I don't think it could've gone any other way really. Gotta see how it continues.


Spy x Family is just a delight to watch. The interactions between our three protagonists are just on point. From our spy Loid despairing over the fact that he now actually has to rely on other people, Yor the assassin just obsessing over anything that could be used as a utensil to kill someone to our little esper Anya being both annoying and adorable at the same time. Despite their rather unusual background and circumstances they still make for a really good family. And it's only going to get better from here if they keep following the source material as well as they have been thus far. I can't wait to see the school's director animated.

TL;DR: Spy x Family is a 100% recommendation from me.

"

Foreverhappychan wrote:

If you haven't seen the series yet, FFS stop anything else and get to it.

I know I should. But... but... all those other shows I'm already watching!

Yeah I don't care. You'll do as you're told and you'll thank me for it. :P

You do that, and I promise I'll start catching up on the past 3 seasons. Once I've cleared these blurays.

Alright, alright, I hear (read? get.) you. But I WILL finish 86 season 2 first. Episode 5 just hit me with full force and this is definitely not a point at which I can just stop watching it. Believe me when I say (write? whatever.) that it's really, REALLY hard not to spoil anything. Just know that is awesome. To a degree that I can't even begin to describe without spoiling.

But yes. Yes, I will watch revue startlight after that. You happy now?



Edit:
Well, I finished 86 part 2. Damn. It's been a long, LONG time since I last felt this much of a void after having finished an anime. As always, the worst part is knowing that there is nothing quite like it out there. Oof. Well, guess I have time to watch Revue Starlight now. Probably. If I don't just keep rewatching my favourite scenes from 86.

It's a 12 episode show, a recap movie (which you don't have to watch but for the 'twist' ending) and a movie. Suck it up, buttercup.

Still wearing that 86 shirt. Yeah, I don't get out much.

"

Foreverhappychan wrote:

It's a 12 episode show, a recap movie (which you don't have to watch but for the 'twist' ending) and a movie. Suck it up, buttercup.

I just watched the first episode (again. I remembered having watched it quite a while back midway through). I have one very important question: will all of it actually make sense at some point? Because the first episode is... a LOT to take in. Especially all the names. Please tell me I don't have to memorise all those names. My memory is astonishingly awful when it comes to those.


Edit:
Second episode done. Still confused. Slightly less than before though, also I'm starting to get interested in both the characters and what little of the story I could glimpse at thus far.

Also, is it possible that the Terraria weapon "Starlight" (which is dropped by the Empress of Light in case anyone wants to know) is a reference to this show? It also appears to be a mix between sabre and rapier and appears to have a gem embedded into the cross-section of handle and guard. Also, the guards look quite similar.

just two words:

Paripi Koumei

./dance

Ya Boy Kongming has been on our radar for ages. Definitely high on the list when we resume watching streaming anime.

Restarted Dennou Coil, made it up to episode 6 on BD for the night. What a show. So gorgeously animated in that peak Madhouse kind of way -- no stand-out sakuga, just fluid character movement all the time.

__

I think Revue Starlight makes sense by the end, but then again I was okay with Utena, Kuma Arashi, and Sarazanmai. I've also seen the core series 3 times and the movie twice now (rewatched it yesterday). There's a strong measure of staged symbolism throughout the whole thing -- you'll never be outright told what the Auditions are, what the Giraffe is, or why the stage space is so surreal and impossible. But then again, I reckon you've seen enough anime to not need any of those provided you are invested in the characters, their motivations and the overall themes.

It's not really a 'discuss each episode as you go' type show. It's a watch them all and process for yourself experience.

The movie ends the core story decisively, although the mobile game's story is ongoing in that 'frozen time endless events' kind of way.

Most importantly, it's not an idol show. It might look like one, but the entire culture behind stage girls/Takarazuka is very different to idol units. After all, there can only be one Top Star...

The only thing I've seen of Ya boy Kongming is the opening and to me the show is already an absolute banger supreme. If the series itself is even just a FRACTION as fun as the opening is, then boy oh boy is it gonna be a damn good time.

Seriously, you could probably slap that bad boy smack in the middle of your average party song playlist and I'm pretty sure nobody would notice.