Forum - View topicShelf Life - Cutting Through Red Tape
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Gewürtztraminer
 Posts: 1028 Location: Texas - Its like whole other country. |
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I agree on Magikano, a perfect example of something that really is not that good, that is improved enough with the dub to become something worth watching at least once.
A reference to a very funny Dave Chappelle show skit (the Wayne Brady Training Day parody) made its way in. Plus, sentient talking magical cat panties. They really did steal the show. It inevitable "got serious", and found some sort of conclusion. You can stop watching at that point if you are not a completist. |
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jamesleung
 Posts: 6 Location: New York, NY |
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Awesome column, Erin! It's always interesting reading your column because you're either a week behind me or a week ahead of me. Really cool...
If your really going to classify it, Magikano is really a Magic Girl incestuous harem comedy. Let's face it. The show is filled with moe fan service and bad anime tropes, but it has its moments (refer Cat Panties). Don't want to say more than that... On another note, I think the "buy/rent/throw away" paradigm is extremely relevant. For many urban small apartment dwellers, space is at a premium. I try to throw away (or store) as many things as I acquire. (I think Right Stuf will eventually bury me if don't stop buying truck loads of merch from their frequent discount sales.) Erin has forced me out of the lurker's corner... grrr... |
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yblees
 Posts: 165 Location: New Zealand |
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They can be great if made well. But the paste burns reaalll easy - leaving a nasty smoked flavour. Japanese desserts use it like jam or cream filling. I've had a really amazing mochi dessert filled with bean paste and an entire fresh strawberry - mmmmm. RE: Saiunkoku.
It IS very much like a teaching anime, something that could be used to educate young teens about adult complexities, and learning to read behind and between the lines. But it's also has enough humour, suspense and mild fanservice (?) to completely capture my attention every single episode so far. |
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erinfinnegan
ANN Columnist
 Posts: 598 |
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But the fan service and tropes are all done in parody, which is why it was tolerable. (At least for me.) I believe you were kinder to D. Gray Man in your review in Giant Robot magazine! But maybe you watched the first season... |
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Wyvern
 Posts: 1555 |
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Erin, you did a great job of summing up what I liked about D. Gray-Man. The whole idea that the Akuma are people's dead loved ones, and (in contrast to Bleach) the fact that it actually does something with that premise, instead of just using them as generic monsters.
Note that I said liked, because the series soon decides to start using them as generic monsters and the whole thing turns into one boring drawn-out shonen fight-fest. I guess it's even more like Bleach in that respect. I am enough of a politics nerd that I want to see Saiunkoku now, based on your saying that it was mostly about bureaucracy. I am not ashamed. Mostly. |
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Alestal
 Posts: 605 Location: Dallas, Texas |
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Why hello there Paranoia Agent bootleg! You had me excited there for a second, thinking they had a single disc release!
I seriously support The Twelve Kingdoms comments, and I agree that Yoko's transformation was the highlight of that amazing show. The Story of Saiunkoko is a decent watch, but it is far to long. The lead was very likable though, but she was a little unrealistic. |
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Pokedpoker
Posts: 17 |
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My friends recommended D. Gray Man, but I never got around watching it. One, I wanted someone to *actually* give me a good summary of it. Two, its 103 episodes. Three, I thought I was going to be completely lost. However, after reading your excellent review, I have changed my mind. Maybe I'll watch it over the weekend
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Gewürtztraminer
Posts: 1028 Location: Texas - Its like whole other country. |
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This also happened with the 4 discs of the original Geneon Ikki Tousen, but the latest Funimation 2 disc release showed up a little while later. I will throw it (Saiunkoku) in my queue as well, so maybe they will purchase it. (though I already picked up the 39 episode set, still unwatched, but am greatly looking forward to it). *edit* It is all on Netflix currently except disc 1 of the 1st 13 episode set. Lots of series are like this there, and usually, nothing can be done since I am sure volume 1 of the 1st season is now well out of print. |
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wandering-dreamer
 Posts: 1733 |
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Ah, I didn't mean that I thought that was the only requirement! I was just amused at how you had to admit that it made you laugh so it couldn't be a perishable title after all, it just amused me that's all.
Knowing Netflix I'm sure they'll find a way to get a copy of the first DVD sooner or later. Rightstuf still has copies so it's out there at least. |
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Big Hed
 Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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Well, the story definitely picks up after volume four (the first four cover the introductory phase and a little more); having said that, if you've heard about what happens afterward, I guess you don't really need to read any more to know whether or not you'd like it, as you said. |
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John Casey
 Posts: 1853 Location: In My Angry Center |
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Points. Now. |
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jamesleung
Posts: 6 Location: New York, NY |
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I did watch past the first season of D.Gray Man, but my review only pertains to the first season DVDs. I didn't want to go beyond the scope of that... Actually my review of Magikano doesn't really stray too far from your review. |
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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Love the column so far! I saw most of the first season of Saiunkoku. I love Shurei (love Yoko of 12 Kingdoms, too, but that's been covered) but I found the pacing slow, the animation lacking, and details not well explained (thanks for explaining what exactly Shurei did at the brothel. Now can someone please explain what's up with her dad, and how her family fell from grace?) I do want to finish it one day, because the plot is very compelling.
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bglassbrook
 Posts: 1243 Location: Gaithersburg, MD |
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Yeah, for all the glowy reviews of Saiunkoku, battle-by-bureaucracy is first thing that has ever made me seriously consider flipping it to blind-buy. I would also like to echo some of the early comments on how while still long, this week was much more readible than last week. Besides, I like long. Not to mention, as many times as the books popped up in the reviews & post-mortem, it renews my hope that they might finally join the process (and why not? streams did.) |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Are you saying you want Shelf Life to start covering manga or light novels? Because that won't happen - it takes far too much time to watch all these box sets as it is, plus we have a dedicated manga column that covers light novels regularly. |
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