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State of anime, overall experience, & discussion in 2016 and beyond.


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Lain'sHairline



Joined: 15 Aug 2014
Posts: 158
Location: Dallas, TX
PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:15 pm Reply with quote
Is the anime experience itself in 2016 meeting your standards? Season by season are you completely satisfied with production, release, and quality of anime series at large? This topic is for a wide reaching, overarching gauge of satisfaction with anime as an entire culture, entertainment genre, and industry with many established angles.

Getting to the heart of the matter about new trends dominating anime or longstanding aspects that may need to be improved. Free to post your overall thoughts on the subject without getting way too specific, for better or worse what's the word?
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23667
PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:48 pm Reply with quote
Yes, I would say that anime in 2016 is meeting my standards. As it has done every year since I started watching anime seriously in 2009. Every single year there are several shows each season that I watch with interest. I also find that there is a good variety of genres, so I don't feel like I'm constantly watching the same type of show. Anime continues to my dominant leisure activity in terms of time and money spent on it.
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9809
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:45 am Reply with quote
I'm going to have to agree with Blood- here. The 2016 anime experience is perfectly fine. As with every year since I started watching in 1997 there have been some excellent shows, some bad shows and a lot of "good enough". As with any year, there are also a lot of shows I'm not enough interested in to evaluate.

A year is hard to evaluate while you are still experiencing it. Later, in retrospect, you can decide if one year is better than others, but even that is subject to argument.

I will say that between simulcasts, streaming libraries, disk sales and the issuance of older series on disk, that there is a whole lot more anime available than ever before. This taken as a whole and not limited to current series makes this and the past couple of years to be a "golden age" for the anime fan.
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Errinundra
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Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 6516
Location: Melbourne, Oz
PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 4:28 pm Reply with quote
It is the normal practice, and a courtesy to other posters, that the original poster includes their own opinions on the questions they raise. Please tell us what you think, Lain'sHairline.
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louis6578



Joined: 31 Jul 2013
Posts: 1857
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:41 pm Reply with quote
Personally, I usually see the BEST anime years after they came out. In 2016, I've watched Konosuba, Sakamoto, Re:Zero, 91 Days, kept up with One Piece and JoJo, and started several others. I think that all of the mentioned ones were great, but so far nothing truly outstanding and legendary has come. No Fate/Zeros, Madoka Magicas, Steins;Gates, Anohanas, Cowboy Bebops, or even Princess Tutus this year.

That said, I typically never see the best of what this year has to offer until years later. I didn't watch Fate/Zero, Madoka, or Steins;Gate until there was a bunch of hype around them and they had each gotten a dub. I didn't see Princess Tutu until around 2014. I didn't see Hunter x Hunter 2011 until 2015. While I think this year has some standouts now, I might end up finding some awesome title that no one else watched from this year WAY later.
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Maleel



Joined: 01 Nov 2016
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 12:12 am Reply with quote
So far this year has actually been pretty excellent with a lot of great things to talk about.
It's the first year where i've nearly entirely cut out watching shows as they air, only watching the episodic ones weekly, and that's been working wonders for my enjoyment with the added effect of me getting excited for when I get to binge shows with a lot of buzz around them.
That also means that in general i've watched less this year than I have previous years with only 29 anime in the year that i've touched so far. I kind of wish this wasn't the case since I do want to remain apart of the discussion, but it's hard to work up motivation to watch the less talked about series in any given season without any obligation to do so.
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Jose Cruz



Joined: 20 Nov 2012
Posts: 1767
Location: South America
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 12:43 am Reply with quote
Anime right now is as good as it ever was, because now they are making more stuff so variety is increasing and the great stuff is usually only 1-2% of everything, since now the amount of stuff is much greater so it is the amount of "great stuff".

This year we had the tremendously excellent film Your Name, perhaps the best animated film of the past 15 years or so and (so far among those I watched) and the excellent show Re-Zero.

I haven't watch much else from this year that I found memorable but that's because I haven't been watching that much anyway. Pandora of the Crimson Shell was ok, good for those who like science fiction.
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Crisha
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Joined: 21 Apr 2010
Posts: 4290
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 1:54 am Reply with quote
My interest has significantly decreased in 2016 compared to 2015, which I think more has to do with me than with the production quality. The animation quality continues to raise the bar when it can, at least.

I will say though that certain stories and/or tropes are starting to feel stale. I am particularly tired of series set in Japanese high schools, though I can accept it if it is just a portion of the story due to the age of the characters. I am tired of school uniforms with short skirts, especially when wearing those school uniforms in impractical settings (one thing I appreciated about Kuromukuro is that the characters were given appropriate outfits to ride the mechs). I am tired of the obligatory school festival, onsen, or beach episodes.

Not that 2016 doesn't have enough interesting shows that feel more up my alley (Kuromukuro, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, Yuri On Ice, Izetta, Flip Flappers, 91 Days), but getting into the mood to watch them has been more miss than hit this year; though I've been more active lately.
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Blackiris_



Joined: 06 Sep 2013
Posts: 535
PostPosted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:25 am Reply with quote
2016 was a decent year for anime so far. Quite a few notable titles in many different genres (Mob Psycho 100, 91 Days, Flying Witch, Honobono Log, Flip Flappers, Jojo, Fune o Amu, Natume Yuujinchou Go, Yuuri!!! on ICE, Euphonium...), but only one title I truly thought was excellent so far (Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu – and possibly March comes in like a lion, but that won't end this year). As always, there are more interesting titles for me in the movie segment, but since it'll still take a while until the disc release, I won't be able to watch some of the more anticipated titles until 2017 (In This Corner of the World and your name. especially, but also A Silent Voice).

It's easy to get frustrated with the industry if you look at the amount of generic copypasta stuff being produced, and it's easy to get frustrated with the community if you see what sells and what is getting hyped, because the best shows mostly don't cater to the mainstream tastes and get overlooked by the masses (Ping Pong, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu).

But that's not exactly the best way to enjoy anime, so nowadays I tend to not care about (or ignore) all the crap being produced, and use my energy instead to push the stuff I truly think is great.

Both KyoAni and P.A. Works produced easily their worst works so far (Phantom World and Haruchika respectively), but also put out some good stuff (Euphonium, A Silent Voice, Uchouten Kazoku annoucement – haven't watched Kuromukuro yet). Shuka is still off to a great start with both 91 Days and Natsume following the slightly disappointing Durarara!! x2, though the animation quality is a bit lacking. MAPPA is doing some tried and tested (DAYS), some good retro (Ushio and Tora) and some fresh (Yuuri!!! on ICE) stuff. Bones' works continue to be solid (but never overwhelming story-wise), usually with very good production values and interesting artistic choices (especially Mob), and they have three original works in the pipeline. So there's definitely a lot to look forward to in my favorite studios, even though the former giants Madhouse and Production I.G. haven't produced many interesting works lately in the TV department.
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A Mystery



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1886
Location: Netherlands
PostPosted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 5:56 am Reply with quote
I'm really satisfied, I must say.

To add to the reasons already given, the animation quality is far better than 15-20 years ago. Now, when a show is relying on stills and off model scenes and animation, we complain about it. Sure, plenty of shows still use stills and whatnot, but compared to about 15-20 years ago - then it was a fact of life that many shows looked bad. Most shows looked far worse than 1937's Snow White. I know, that movie cost a lot of money and hard work, but just look at its AGE. People surely could've done better - like they did with Cowboy Bebop. Notable shows with awful animation quality: KareKano and Aishiteruze Baby.

The availability is far better. I can watch anime legally streaming on television by using internet, apps, chromecast and whatever.

Also, there's a trend towards more sequels, which is awesome when so many series end on a totally open note.
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Pizza35



Joined: 04 Jul 2015
Posts: 27
PostPosted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 8:48 pm Reply with quote
I think this 2016 is a really good year for anime, since there are tons of good shows that came out. Most had flaws, some ended up disapointing, but with things such as Ajin, Re:zero, Bubuki/Buranki, Haifuri, Konosuba, Concrete Revolutio (2nd part), Flying Witch, Mob Psycho, Yuri on ice etc. There are things for everyone really.
I thought 2016 lacked a good SoL moe show (Flying witch was cool but it had a pretty big focus on magic and only 1 loli, and New Game was pretty mediocre imo) but autumn has Stella no Mahou to make up for it.

I offen hear people say that anime now is crap and that the "good ol' days" of the 80s or 90s were much better, but I think it's more that new anime cater less to their taste without being objectively worst. Plus they often have a sentimental attachment to old anime because that's what they watched first when they discovered the media. Finally is think we tend to forget all the crappy anime that used to be made back then, and now there are so many tv series that it's hard to find the gems amidst all the average shows.

On the downsides, I'd say that I don't really like how 3D is so often used to make cheap backgrounds now. I'm not against 3D but I think that even cheap 2D background looks better that cheap 3D, so they should go for that, even if it means less dynamic scenes and camera movements.
I also thinks writers should stop trying to make their characters match archetype and try more to make original and believable characters. I think it's really hurting the general quality of anime characters and writing. The tsundere archetype is the biggest offender here but there are many others. I kind of feel writers are starting to get over this as of lately though, so I'll stay optimistic.

Also, I have nothing against cliché and pandering shows themselves, like Cute Girls Doing Cute Things, Generic Harem or School Battle anime, I rather like them even. But I'd like if these type of pandering shows would somehow shift to new genres, those genres have been so overused by now that watching an anime like that often makes me feel that I've already seen the same show a dozen time.
In other words, I'd like some novelty in my mindless entertainment. Keijo is precisely the kind of thing that I'm looking for, it's stupid and obviously aiming for fun, but it's the first to tell a story like this one. Too bad it's not that good.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 10:13 pm Reply with quote
Pizza35 wrote:
... and New Game was pretty mediocre imo) but autumn has Stella no Mahou to make up for it.


Damn your eyes, man. Stella no Mahou isn't fit to carry New Game's jockstrap. Er, or something. I loved New Game but I could barely make it through the banality of Stella no Mahou's first episode. Maybe it got better, but what I saw certainly wasn't impressive, on any level.
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Pizza35



Joined: 04 Jul 2015
Posts: 27
PostPosted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 10:50 pm Reply with quote
Blood- wrote:
Pizza35 wrote:
... and New Game was pretty mediocre imo) but autumn has Stella no Mahou to make up for it.


Damn your eyes, man. Stella no Mahou isn't fit to carry New Game's jockstrap. Er, or something. I loved New Game but I could barely make it through the banality of Stella no Mahou's first episode. Maybe it got better, but what I saw certainly wasn't impressive, on any level.


Banality, yes sure. But not more than New Game. Stella no Mahou is much cuter, lively and soothing in my opinion, which is what I'm mainly looking for in this type of show.

In the first 4 ep the environment always change, we get the school, 3 different cafe, a riverbank, an old traditionnal house in the countryside with an old lady and finally a modern house with young kids. On the other hand in New Game it's almost always the company's office.

Also the characters have their quirks but the game creation club is still believable while the setting in New Game felt forced (all-female cast in a video-game company, and everyone is cute, nice, passionate and work seriously). I'm not laughing out loud watching Stella but there's a few good ones (the spoiler[ridiculous] game scenario and the spoiler[scary] grandma in ep 3 for example) while I'm still left wondering where the humor in New Game was supposed to be after finishing it.

I agree that the first ep of Stella was pretty boring though, so maybe you could give it a second chance.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23667
PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:00 am Reply with quote
NEVER!!! NEW GAME 4 LIFE!!!

Wink

I liked New Game's character designs and humour. I grant you the locations were quite limited as the office was indeed the main venue. I just really liked the interactions between the different characters. And the fact that it was an all female office (regardless of the lack of reality of it) was a huge bonus for me.
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Lain'sHairline



Joined: 15 Aug 2014
Posts: 158
Location: Dallas, TX
PostPosted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:12 pm Reply with quote
Errinundra wrote:
It is the normal practice, and a courtesy to other posters, that the original poster includes their own opinions on the questions they raise. Please tell us what you think, Lain'sHairline.


I'm kinda ambivalent, middle of the road mostly. My taste has become way more narrow over time and I kind of find it harder to find new material to work with. But the quality of anime in 2016, 2015 was clearly better than past years. I think more manga with heavy character development and slower pace needs to have a revival, it seems shows are aiming for quick 12 episode series etc that rush to the end. I want something slower worth watching more closely.


Last edited by Lain'sHairline on Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:26 pm; edited 1 time in total
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