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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16939 |
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It is, IMO, a more cerebral movie that gets better with multiple viewings. One of those movies with a lot to it so with the 2nd, 3rd, etc viewing you notice more and pick up on things you might have missed initially.
While I always could relate to Tetsuo's feelings of being left behind and overshadowed I always felt he misunderstood Kaneda. Where he saw Kaneda being controlling and better than the rest I felt Kaneda did so to watch out over the others. That he felt it was his job to watch over and protect them. Cocky to a point yes, but I always felt he didn't look down on the rest. Including Tetsuo. Where as Tetsuo took it that way and it distorted his perception. So when he does get the powers he does feel he has to prove himself and show he is stronger. Just my own interpretation. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hi everyone! Happy Thursday! So, I'd like to remind you all that my next analysis will be on Saturday as usual. I've been bouncing around a few ideas on things to keep this thread active, and one of those is a new feature called Western Wednesdays. Here, I write a little bit on a piece of Western Animation, whether it be a TV show or a movie. (And it will go to some pretty darn obscure places). What do you guys think? Would you like to see Western Wednesdays? Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you Saturday with my Nunnally VS Rolo post. Take care!
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello, and it's time for another Akane Analyzes post. First, an extra special thanks to nobahn and Psycho 101 for their support. You guys are amazing!
Unpopular Opinion #1: I'm not fond of ketchup. Never have been, never will. Unpopular Opinion #2: I think Rolo is a better written character than Nunnally. 
[What...?] 
[AHAHA! You've got to be kidding me!] No, boys, I'm not. I'm really not. I legitimately think that Rolo Haliburton is a better character from a writing perspective than Princess Nunnally vi Britannia ever was. And since this is an analysis blog, I'm gonna have to explain why. 
[Y-Y-Y-You really like me!? T-Thanks, Akane!] 
[Hee hee hee. I'm going to kill you in your sleep for that.] Bring it, b***h. Today, on Akane Analyzes, I take a look at the Code Geass fandom and see what the hubbub is with these two characters! You know what time it is! This post will not only be spoiling a lot of plot points from both seasons of Code Geass, but will also be including spoilers from Fate Zero, Wolf's Rain and Gurren Lagann. If you haven't seen any of these shows or are in the middle of watching them, beware. Background In the fall of 2006, Code Geass premiered to the acclaim of mecha fans and critics alike. I think it is safe to say that this show made a huge impact on both the mecha genre and anime in general. (Whether it was a GOOD impact is entirely up to the individual, though as far as I know, most people say it wasn't.) The point is, it was pretty popular. Not mainstream popular, but popular enough to move it's timeslot to an evening timeslot during it's second season. Now, Code Geass was already having several problems behind the scenes. Sunrise (the animation studio behind said show) had a bone to pick with series director Goro Taniguchi. He'd already helmed mainstream hit Planetes for them, yet at the same time, he'd gained a reputation as a perfectionist. Needless to say, Sunrise was not giving him a second chance, and so began the troubled production of Code Geass. I'm not going to go into the itty-bitty details, but let's just say that if Sunrise just let Taniguchi do what was needed to be done, we could have gotten a better show overall. One thing I should mention was that because of the timeslot change, the script for the second season had to be thrown out and rewritten. Want to know why the first episodes of R2 are suspiciously familiar to that of the first episodes of the series? That's why. Of course, given that Nunnally had been kidnapped during the season finale, the writers needed to craft a replacement. And so, that's how we got Rolo. The fandom...did not take kindly to him. The main reason the Code Geass fanbase hates this kid is because he replaced Nunnally. I can understand that, but I didn't feel that way towards him. Why? Well...I never gave a flying f**k about Nunnally to begin with. The Case Against Nunnally QUICK! Name something significant Nunnally did throughout the first season! By that, I don't mean something someone else did because of Nunnally. I meant something she did herself. ... You couldn't think of anything, did you? Nunnally is one of the most useless characters I have ever seen. All she does for the first half of the series is sit there and look cute and fawn over Lelouch. I am dead serious. I will give R2 credit in that they were forced to give Nunnally something to do, but in my eyes, it was too little, too late. Now, I would like to clarify that I do not hate Nunnally. I don't mind cute characters. Some of my favorite characters are absolute cinnamon rolls. But then why do I think Nunnally failed as a character, you ask? Let me show a few examples of female characters whom I feel avoid the trap that Nunnally fell into writing-wise. 
This is Irisviel from Fate Zero. 
And this is Cheza from Wolf's Rain. I love these two characters to bits so much. Both fill very similar roles to Nunners here, as they are women who act as emotional support to male characters. But what do Iri and Cheza have that Nunnally doesn't? The answer is quite simple. THEY HAVE SPINES. Iri is a brave and compassionate woman who knows fully well she is going to die for the Einzbern family. Despite her gradually deteriorating health, she's willing to go out there and fight for her husband and child. Cheza is literally a fragile flower who cares for the wolves, one of them being her lover. When Lord Darcia comes to take her away, guess what? She willingly goes with him, all for the sake of her friends. Hell, look at Princess Nia from Gurren Lagann! Like Nunnally, Nia's characterization revolves around a man. Unlike Nunnally, Nia did things once in a while. Sure, there wasn't enough proactivity on her part to make up for her objectification in the final arc, but she did things! Additionally, Nunnally doesn't really have much of a personality. She is every moeblob you've seen in numerous anime titles before and after. She is every generically nice chick you've seen in several mediums before and after. I hate to use this criticism, but Nunnally is BORING AS HELL. "But wait!" you argue. "Nunnally's purpose was to show that Lelouch wasn't an entirely awful person! She can't be that useless!" Funny. I thought Shirley filled that purpose fine. And Shirley did a heck of a lot more in five episodes than Nunners ever did in fifty. You could replace Nunnally with a pocketwatch and nothing would change significantly. The Case for Rolo To begin with, Rolo actually has a unique personality. He's shy and awkward, but push him a few times and he'll kill you. He really does love Lelouch, but because of his background and nonexistent social skills, he's willing to murder people if he feels they'll take Lulu away. (Poor Shir-Shir...) Overall, I feel that Rolo can stand alone as a character completely independent of Lelouch. That's not mentioning his backstory, which actually does it's job and explains why Rolo turned out the way he did. He was raised without love, and so seeks love. He was raised as a disposable weapon, and so he believes himself to be one. I feel so sorry for this kid! That's not to say that he's a perfectly written character, either. Code Geass in general has way too many characters, and sadly, Rolo is one of them. Still, he's much better when compared to Nunnally's particular brand of pointlessness. If he were there from the start, I don't think fans would have complained as much. Conclusion Do you want to know the worst part of Nunnally? She's supposed to be one of the main characters! Not a supporting character. A MAIN CHARACTER. And yet, she's pretty much a waste of space and time. When I look at her, I have the feeling she was created to sell merchandise and pander to moe-loving otaku. I don't get that with Rolo. Like Nunners, he is an unneeded character who by all means should not exist. However, I felt he was much better by sheer virtue of actually having a goddamn personality. Sorry, Nunnally. Rolo wins! 
[Uh oh...] Um...seeyouguysnexttimeleaveacommentbelowandnextweekisthis. 
FriendshipissalvationinHaibaneRenmeibyebyeseeyounextSaturday *bang* *bang* DON'T SHOOT ME LULUUUUUU!!! |
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HyugaHinata
 Posts: 3505 |
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Great analysis, Akane. You know what they say about hindsight.
 I watch anime for fun, not for deep analysis (most of the time), but I do sometimes delve deeper into shows I like (or dislike). And I love reading, so I always appreciate these weekly treats you bestow upon us.
I really loved watching Haibane Renmei, so I'm drooling over the prospect of what next week's dissertation will be like. |
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nobahn
 Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Happy Friday, everyone. If you're wondering about the status of the Haibane Renmei analysis, I regret to inform you that it's been moved to next Saturday. I still don't think I'm ready to write up a full post. Instead, here's a Top Ten List. (No, nobahn, you cannot send more ninja assassins after me.)
You know that one character, right? The one you just want to cuddle and hug for whatever reason? Well, I picked ten I felt were particularly cute and adorable. Ladies and gentleman, I present ten precious cinnamon rolls! (Presented in chronological order) This will be remarkably spoiler-free, by the way. Enjoy! 1. Milly Thompson from Trigun 
Precious and sweet, Milly was the first to win my heart. (Vash took a bit longer, but he's just as cinnamon roll-ish.) Her optimism is infectious, but she isn't a pushover. Given what the environment of Planet Gunsmoke is like, Milly certainly knows how to use a gun. Also, PUDDING! 2. Hideki Motosuwa from Chobits 
He's dorky! He's clueless! But Hideki also has a big heart. Sure, his technological knowledge may be nil, as are his skills with the opposite sex. Still, I can see why girls keep throwing themselves at our bumbling protagonist. He's just adorable! 3. Duck from Princess Tutu 
Duck is one of my favorite female protagonists in anything. Her determination and feistiness should not be underestimated, along with her patience. (Seriously, Duck is a saint for putting up with THE WORST FRIENDS IN THE WORLD.) Her confidence may be lacking, but ain't she precious? 4. Toboe from Wolf's Rain 
It's my favorite wolf! Toboe is the runt of the pack, a literal underdog. He's a bit cowardly, but also the most human, as he was raised by a human himself. His admiration for Tsume and his courage make him a personal favorite. 5. Tamaki Suoh from Ouran Highschool Host Club 
Why can't I find a boy like Tamaki? Sure, he may be a total airhead, but he's just so NICE! There's no pretense to his prince charming act, either. He really is that much of a sweetie. Anyone else? 6. Irisviel von Einzbern from Fate/Zero 
Iri is just the best. Her patience and caring make her the perfect confidant to her husband Kiritsugu and their Servant Saber. But she isn't just a pretty damsel. Iri is right there by Saber's side during the earliest battles of the Fourth Grail War. (Side Note: I kind of ship Iri/Saber.) 7. Nobuchika Ginoza from Psycho-Pass 
You'd be surprised how precious this grump can be. Despite his gruff exterior, Gino really does care for Akane's well-being. He might not get the best luck, but still, he continues to persevere. Also, black hair and glasses? YES PLEASE. 8. Zoe Hange from Attack on Titan 
Eccentric and lively, Hange makes a perfect foil to the emotionally dead Levi. Rather than live in fear of Titans, they instead revere to a select few like pets. Hange is also one of the most hilarious characters I've ever seen. As dark as their parent anime can get, Hange provides the perfect amount of comic relief. 9. Mako Mankanshoku from Kill la Kill 
Mako reminds me of your average Disney sidekick. She's loud and energetic, but also emotionally supportive of heroine Ryuuko. I half expected her to burst out into song (and in Episode One, she almost did). Ryuuko ain't never had a friend like Mako, that's for certain. 10. Ken Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul 
Bookish, quiet Kaneki reminded me a lot of myself. He's caring and considerate, but also a bit of a pushover. However, the world is not so kind to Kaneki, as we quickly learn. Let's just say that a certain episode towards the end broke me emotionally. Poor baby... So, those are a few of my favorite cinnamon rolls! I apologize once more for copping out, but I can assure you that I won't be canceling the analysis! See you next Saturday! Take care! |
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Chiibi
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Protagonists like Hideki are a dime a dozen if you watch harem shows. The only difference is that spoiler[no "real" girl actually falls in love with him.] Aside from this, I never found him particularly cute or big-hearted compared to 'nice guy' leads. They act the same.
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GDFan
 Posts: 254 Location: North of Boston |
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I don't know about that, but he is certainly a character I would never want to "cuddle and hug." And he is definitely not "adorable." He has a really creepy and yucky vibe to him. It's like if Chi was my sister, would I want this dude anywhere near her? NO!!! HE'S GROSS!!! GET AWAY!!! |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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lol, well, I wouldn't call him "creepy". He's just average to me. I don't have strong feelings toward him either way.
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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@ Chiibi & GDFan
I'd have to very very very very very politely disagree with you two on that one. Admittedly, when I first watched Chobits, I didn't particularly care for Hideki either. It wasn't until watching the JesuOtaku review AND recently beginning my rewatch that I actually started to like him. I think I can partially attribute this to Crispin Freeman's acting. He takes what could have been a really boring archetype and enfuses so much life and love and sincerity into it. I guess that's the power of Crispin Freeman for ya. (I don't think the character is gross, either. As far as I know, he doesn't go out of his way to peep on the girls, and he isn't a jerk about his pervertedness either.) Honestly, JO argued her part a lot better than I ever could. Honestly, I could do an entire meta-analysis of Chobits and it's premise. But that's for another time. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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AH, I totally get it now. A voice actor is pretty much everything, so I understand your feels.
I only watched the show subbed but I can relate to loving a character because of his voice actor. I have a few like that. :3 I love every character David Matranga and Chris Patton voice, for example.  SO SEXAH. OH OH. Richard Hayworth too.  How can I forget this guy when his character is peeking in the corner of my own icon. Sheesh.
Last edited by Chiibi on Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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@Chiibi
I've only heard David Matranga in three dubs (Attack on Titan, Wolf Children and that one episode of Psycho-Pass), so I don't have much of an opinion on his voice. I've heard he's got a big fanbase, though, so I guess I'll have to wait for Season Two of Titan to see how good he really is. Seriously, Bertolt's going to have a MUCH bigger role than you think he is if you haven't read the manga. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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HE'S GETTING MORE WORK!?
Yes!! Finally!! I fell in love with his voice on older shows. Orphen from Sorceror Stabber Orphen is by far my favorite. ♥ |
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louis6578
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To think... I've seen every anime you mentioned in the cinnamon bun category. As for Kaneki... I'm guessing someone didn't read the manga if we're judging current Kaneki. If previous innocent moe-adorableness counts, Kiritsugu is a Cinnamon bun too since "Kerry" was pretty damn adorable as a kid.
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Hello, and welcome to another installment of Akane Analyzes. Before I begin, I'd like to thank the following. A big shout out to HyugaHinata, Nobahn, Chiibi, GDFan, and louis6578 for sharing their thoughts! Thank you all.
Say, you've heard of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, haven't you? You know, that little show that became an unexpected national sensation overnight? The one that took the internet by storm? The one with it's own subculture? That show? Eight years earlier, Haibane Renmei was proving that friendship is SALVATION. 
And today, I'm going to tell you how. Um...spoilers. This post will be spoiling plot points from Haibane Renmei, up to and including the ending. If you're watching and/or planning to watch this show spoiler-free, you might not want to continue reading. Everyone else? Continue on. Rakka- Connected Nut 
[What a saint.] At the beginning of the story, our heroine is given the name "Rakka", meaning "falling". By the end of the story, her name is revealed to actually mean "connected nut". The reason for this is quite simple; over the course of thirteen episodes, we watched Rakka befriend almost every member of the cast. This neatly sets up the Big Theme of the series, which is about how important having someone is. Rakka slowly makes friends with fellow Haibanes Reki, Nemu, Hikari, Kana, and Kuu. She comes to visit Hikari and Kana at their workplaces, helps Reki with the younger feathers, and befriends Nemu's boss Sumika. They grow closer together, forming deep bonds throughout the short series. Thus, we get our "connected nut". Later, Rakka becomes Kuu's Someone. Kuu wants desperately to be seen as grown-up and mature. Rakka's arrival at Old Home, gave Kuu the opportunity to be the senior she wanted to be. Because of this, she is able to find peace and move on. Around the middle of the series, Rakka herself falls into a severe depression after Kuu's Day of Flight. For a while, it seems as if Rakka is completely alone. As her wings gradually grow darker, the poor girl finds herself isolated. She can't connect to others, and she can't relate. Rakka is in despair. But then she finds that she's in the same boat with Reki... Reki 
[One is the loneliest number...] The second heroine of this story knows what loneliness is like. Unlike Rakka, Reki has spent her entire life feeling alone in the crowd. Her black wings made her an outcast, and her situation only got worse when her beloved caretaker Kuramori takes her Day of Flight. Any potential friendships she had (e.g. Midori, Hyohko) were destroyed by her own recklessness and impatience. In the end, Rakka is able to reach to Reki, thus saving both of them from damnation. After all they've been through, and all the grief and pain in their lives, they get their happy ending. Reki can take her Day of Flight. Rakka can move on and make more new friends. Who knew the power of friendship could be so great? The Crow 
[Not pictured: Comrade Crow] Crows seem to follow Rakka wherever she goes. Whether in her dreams or throughout the city of Guri, the black-feathered birds are everywhere. But what does this mean? What do the crows represent? In my opinion, the crow could be Rakka's Someone she loved before her death. When that Someone died (un)expectedly, Rakka killed herself in grief. Now the Someone is back, trying to steer Rakka on the right path. Only when Rakka is able to remember her Cocoon Dream in full can her Someone pass on in peace. Conclusion At it's core, Haibane Renmei is a story about friendship. For thirteen episodes, you- the audience- watch as a group of winged girls form new relationships and live out their daily lives. Sounds kind of boring, huh? JesuOtaku outright admitted in her VLog for Whisper of the Heart that both the show and the aforementioned movie falls in the same category of "show where nothing really happens but that's okay". And yet...it just works. Haibane Renmei says this to me: You are not alone. You are not stupid or weak or worthless. There is always someone there. There is always someone who will comfort you, even when it looks like everyone had abandoned you. There will always be a shoulder for you to cry on when you need it. As long as there is just one person there for you, you will never, EVER, be alone. This is important because I myself have felt this one. As someone on the autism spectrum, I've always had trouble making friends. Often, I would find myself isolated from other children. But now I don't need to feel lonely, because now I have many friends on ANN. I know deep down that even when it seems hopeless, I can log on and know that you guys are here to support me. That's all for today. Next week will be a song lyric analysis. Hmm...next month is February. How about something from a romantic comedy? 
Next time, I take a look at "Boys and Girls" from School Rumble! Thank you all for reading this post! Tell me what you want to see on Akane Analyzes! Where should I improve? What should I discuss more? Tell me! *** And now, a new segment called Pimp of the Week! Did anyone catch the Unshaved Mouse reference in my review? If you didn't, go ahead and check him out! This Irish blogger originally set out to review every single Disney Animated Canon film, and is currently reviewing the Marvel movie collection. He's also done a few reviews on anime films (e.g. Tokyo Godfathers, Interstella 5555, Princess Mononoke). What are you waiting for? You might have a new favorite internet critic. |
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