×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
REVIEW: Shangri-La DVD


Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
The American Average



Joined: 17 Sep 2010
Posts: 644
Location: Jehuty
PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:13 pm Reply with quote
So the anime was a bust? kinda sad i was looking forward to this, guess i'll wait for a price drop to buy it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Wrathful



Joined: 08 Mar 2010
Posts: 372
PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:29 pm Reply with quote
Eh personally I liked this anime. It's a good review but I disagree with the most of it. when the review points out that the flaw was its overly confusing storyline there are plenty of anime way worse than that one, i.e. Texhnolyze. Sure, this anime sometimes gets goofy when it's referencing otaku-related humours, it was charming in a way.

I may just be minority but I though Steins Gate was also guilty of everything you mentioned, yet it became fan-favourite because the series had familiar archetypes for the character.

I respect this anime because it doesn't really try to be otaku-pandering. There were plenty of moments to add panty shots of the main character and it never did. It didn't simplify the story to please the audience with short attention span. I admire this anime for trying to be different. It's not perfect but I think it's still damn worth the time. Without saying, once it reaches Australian shore, I'd grab it for sure.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:30 pm Reply with quote
It's GONZO, it's more rare for their anime not to be a bust. I'm not even trying to be cynical for funny, they just have an abysmal track record, and the new Last Exile series, while better than some of their other recent series, still fails far short of the original. GONZO still needs better writing staff, as their animation have always been top notch and even their CG has improved dramatically.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:44 pm Reply with quote
The first episode really rubbed me the wrong way, so much so I couldn't even complete it (the first episode, let alone the series).

I think Gonzo had a lot riding on this show to be successful as they were in dire financial straits at the time. So it's odd that it was given to a first time director and so shoddily written.

Theron wrote:
...are balanced out by negative ones, such as letting certain characters who have done heinous things off way too easily at the end...


Key, this is incredibly rich coming from you.

Geez, at least be consistent.


Last edited by dtm42 on Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
Regannator



Joined: 03 Jul 2012
Posts: 94
Location: The uncomfortable dungeon
PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:45 pm Reply with quote
I personally thought this anime was god-awful, and promptly dropped it after 4 episodes. And please, don't tell me "it gets better by episode 12 or something." Because if THAT'S what it takes for it to get good, I'd rather stick a powerdrill to my temple.

That said, something confuses me about this review. You say it has an "excellent english dub"...yet it's a C+? ...I've seen "mediocre dubs" (erm, dubbed by you guys) get higher grades... What's up with that? The score is completely inconsistent with the rating. It's like when you're at a wine tasting party - you give a particular wine 2 stars, yet go and say "It's superb. Some of the best I've had!"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
KLAC
Exempt from Grammar Rules


Joined: 22 Oct 2009
Posts: 1120
PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:48 pm Reply with quote
give i check this series give was decent since dub more focus on give different names & develop more new voices on rise such as give some others a chance to show.

besides more develop range of seidel, saxton, & yu give really depth roster funi got really work develop of future talents they got.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:13 am Reply with quote
Regannator wrote:
That said, something confuses me about this review. You say it has an "excellent english dub"...yet it's a C+? ...I've seen "mediocre dubs" (erm, dubbed by you guys) get higher grades... What's up with that? The score is completely inconsistent with the rating. It's like when you're at a wine tasting party - you give a particular wine 2 stars, yet go and say "It's superb. Some of the best I've had!"

This has been explained a couple hundred times before (and that's actually not hyperbole), but since you've only been a forum member for a couple of months it's entirely possible that you've missed the previous explanations. So here goes another round:

Please notice that the grade is "Overall (dub)," NOT "English Dub." That means it's the overall grade for the series as watched in dubbed form. It is not intended to be a grade solely for the English dub's quality; comparing it to the Overall (sub) grade is intended to show whether the series gains, loses, or stays about the same in dubbed form compared to subbed form. If we had a way to assign a grade separately for the English dub, I'd give it an A-.

And dtm42: You've lost me. Explain if you expect me to care.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
vashfanatic



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 3489
Location: Back stateside
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:16 am Reply with quote
I quit this series pretty early on for a lot of the reasons Theron cited in terms of incoherent meshing of storylines and inconsistent tone. So I don't have much to say about the review... save that the word "tranny" is rather pejorative, and you might not want to use it. I'm aware that the series itself isn't all that sensitive about transgender issues; do they use "tranny" in the translations, either subtitled or dub?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Bonham



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 419
Location: NYC
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:25 am Reply with quote
Wrathful wrote:
Eh personally I liked this anime. It's a good review but I disagree with the most of it. when the review points out that the flaw was its overly confusing storyline there are plenty of anime way worse than that one, i.e. Texhnolyze. Sure, this anime sometimes gets goofy when it's referencing otaku-related humours, it was charming in a way.

Incompetent incoherence is not the same as expecting the viewers to do a little work, so I don't see how the comparison is warranted (unless you're making a categorical dismissal also of Lain, Evangelion, RahXephon, etc. as well acclaimed live-action films by Alain Resnais, David Lynch, Andrei Tarkovsky, etc., which is no real argument).

And frankly the "humor" of a transvestite chasing away enemies as he yells "OTOKOOOOOO" is pretty repugnant.

Given how others here dropped Shangri-La early, along with the general dismissal it receives, I don't have any motivation to pick it back up.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:27 am Reply with quote
Key wrote:
And dtm42: You've lost me. Explain if you expect me to care.


More like you've lost yourself.

Are you not the guy who for multiple shows claimed that it is more realistic (or at least, not bad writing) for rich and powerful characters to be able to get away with crimes? Sankarea, Kure-nai, et cetera?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:35 am Reply with quote
vashfanatic wrote:
I quit this series pretty early on for a lot of the reasons Theron cited in terms of incoherent meshing of storylines and inconsistent tone. So I don't have much to say about the review... save that the word "tranny" is rather pejorative, and you might not want to use it. I'm aware that the series itself isn't all that sensitive about transgender issues; do they use "tranny" in the translations, either subtitled or dub?


They used the term "newhalf" a few times in the Japanese track, which is as close as you get to tranny/shemale in Japanese lingo.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ShinnFlowen



Joined: 07 Feb 2012
Posts: 141
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:56 am Reply with quote
Quote:
dtm42 wrote:
Key wrote:
And dtm42: You've lost me. Explain if you expect me to care.


More like you've lost yourself.

Are you not the guy who for multiple shows claimed that it is more realistic (or at least, not bad writing) for rich and powerful characters to be able to get away with crimes? Sankarea, Kure-nai, et cetera?


I didn't watch this show past episode one either, but are you not being a bit unreasonable to compare the scale of the crimes in Kure-nai/Sankarea to this show? I'm sure Key could explain the scale of the crimes as spoilers, which I'm assuming are much more drastic and larger in scale than sankarea/kure-nai for Key to make that statement.

I find it amusing a fanservice/action show known as Freezing turned out better than a show with a tank chopping boomerang wielding teenage girl.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:09 am Reply with quote
ShinnFlowen wrote:
I didn't watch this show past episode one either, but are you not being a bit unreasonable to compare the scale of the crimes in Kure-nai/Sankarea to this show?


Possibly.

However, it's less plausible for a character to get away with crimes in shows like the two I mentioned (which are set in our world with police and all that) than an obviously-troubled country which doesn't have a proper government and effective law enforcement.

At any rate it is a small inconsistency, but one that I wanted to point out.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
Fencedude5609



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:16 am Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:

At any rate it is a small inconsistency, but one that I wanted to point out.


Of course, Key's actually watched the entire show (poor Key) and you didn't.

I also didn't watch past like episode 6 (the prison arc, whenever that was), and as such have no comment on the show other than what is implied by that statement.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:18 am Reply with quote
vashfanatic wrote:
So I don't have much to say about the review... save that the word "tranny" is rather pejorative, and you might not want to use it. I'm aware that the series itself isn't all that sensitive about transgender issues; do they use "tranny" in the translations, either subtitled or dub?

Both the subtitles and the dub use it very extensively in all kinds of variations, and it's almost exclusively used by Momoko in reference to herself and others of her type; other characters usually skirt around using the term. Given the sexual references that Momoko almost continuously throws out and the way she loves to impress her transgendered status on others, it doesn't feel out of line for her at all.

dtm42 wrote:
Are you not the guy who for multiple shows claimed that it is more realistic (or at least, not bad writing) for rich and powerful characters to be able to get away with crimes? Sankarea, Kure-nai, et cetera?

Wow, you're having a very selective memory here. I do not believe that I've ever said that the rich and powerful being able to get away with things made such scenes palatable, no matter how realistic they are. In fact, I've consistently argued the reverse.

You should know well by now that I don't automatically do the "I don't like = bad writing" equation any more than I do the "I do like = good writing" equation.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Page 1 of 4

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group