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REVIEW: Senran Kagura: Ninja Flash! BD+DVD


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jr240483



Joined: 24 Dec 2005
Posts: 4369
Location: New York City,New York,USA
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 1:12 pm Reply with quote
why am i not surprised it got the short end of the stick. sure its no queens blade and it the announcer can really be annoying in both version, but its pretty decent enough for a rental at least and both dub and sub version are pretty solid enough for series like these.

Unfortunately just like with vampire knight, deadman wonderland , tokko and claymore that is short, to continue with this series storyline , you'll have to read the manga which is the only beef i have with senran kagura.
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gedata



Joined: 04 May 2013
Posts: 615
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 1:40 pm Reply with quote
As far as schlocky fanservice goes, this one didn't go far enough to titillate on any level. Just bouncing boobs without actual nudity is pretty toothless these days. I have no idea why I watched this when it came out
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consignia



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 391
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:33 pm Reply with quote
I'm a fan of the games, but more for the campy silliness than the fanservice. Which is funny, because the anime had neither of these qualities. Sure, it tried the latter but failed to make anything interesting out of them. When the characters exist as thin archetypes, and you can't even translate those correctly, you know you are onto a looser.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:39 pm Reply with quote
jr0904 wrote:
Unfortunately just like with vampire knight, deadman wonderland , tokko and claymore that is short, to continue with this series storyline , you'll have to read the manga which is the only beef i have with senran kagura.

Unlike the others you mention, SK isn't based on a manga. It's based on a series of video games, and it's my impression (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that the story here is only loosely connected to what's shown in the games. Hence there's little to nothing that you are actually missing.

gedata: Yeah, that's really the main problem, isn't? In the mid-2000s SK would have been a high-tier fan service show, but the bar has been raised too much in the past 5-6 years.
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:02 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:

gedata: Yeah, that's really the main problem, isn't? In the mid-2000s SK would have been a high-tier fan service show, but the bar has been raised too much in the past 5-6 years.


Okay, here's my question, and I'm not asking this because I'm a prude or I hate sex or fanservice or because I think you're all perverts or whatever. So please don't interpret the question that way.

If fanservice "evolving" means it's more straight-up pay-cable-only nudity and sex, and things like Senran Kagura don't cut it anymore because it's clothed fanservice instead of nudity, doesn't that mean the end goal is basically just pornography? If pushing the sexual content further and further in a show like this is the goal, and the more explicit it is, the better, then doesn't common sense dictate that what you're really looking for is pornography rather than just a show with some boob shots in it?

Or is it more like you want the pay cable thing, where there's a ton of nudity and sexual content but the sex isn't the *point* of the story, it's just a huge component of the show's appeal?
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consignia



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 391
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:09 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:

Unlike the others you mention, SK isn't based on a manga. It's based on a series of video games, and it's my impression (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that the story here is only loosely connected to what's shown in the games.


You are not wrong, the anime grossly simplifies the first game's storyline, which when you consider the game's story is just an excuse you are left with nothing either way. Several of the characters are completely messed up anyway. I struggle to see how's it good advert for the games, it's almost nothing like them.

Quote:

gedata: Yeah, that's really the main problem, isn't? In the mid-2000s SK would have been a high-tier fan service show, but the bar has been raised too much in the past 5-6 years.


The last part of this quote made me chuckle. It's not wrong, but I find idea that we've got better quality semi-porn these days amusing. I don't think Senran Kagura would have been higher tier even back then, there was more focused stuff even then, even without resorting to actual nudity.
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maximilianjenus



Joined: 29 Apr 2013
Posts: 2857
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:10 pm Reply with quote
the later, yeah. think something like gantz even seikon no qwaser in the trashier side.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:11 pm Reply with quote
gedata wrote:
As far as schlocky fanservice goes, this one didn't go far enough to titillate on any level. Just bouncing boobs without actual nudity is pretty toothless these days. I have no idea why I watched this when it came out


I tend to agree, even if Zac will make stupid comments about that on his twitter. After the likes of Manyuu Hikenchou and Qwaser, the fanservice in a show like this or Vanadis just feels quaint and regressive.

Edit: And wow, I made that post before I even continued to scroll down and see Zac's. No the end goal isn't straight up hentai, because that means being shuffled off to a home video release once every few months with awful budgets. The end goal is ridiculous softcare imagery that skirts any and all censorship or obscenity laws while keeping the animation budgets up and still maintaining the semblance of a story and character development so it's not totally transparent that the fanservice is the singular goal. Even better if they put effort into the writing that enhances the fanservice.

I'm happy that Triage X is being done by Xebec, because they won't be afraid to animate the abundant toplessness Inazuma put into his manga.


Last edited by walw6pK4Alo on Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:22 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Fronzel



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1906
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:17 pm Reply with quote
It's a shame this set doesn't include the home-video specials in the current trend of incomplete releases in the American market. They're much funnier than is usual for little ~3-minute things and funnier than anything in the series proper.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:55 pm Reply with quote
Zac wrote:
If fanservice "evolving" means it's more straight-up pay-cable-only nudity and sex, and things like Senran Kagura don't cut it anymore because it's clothed fanservice instead of nudity, doesn't that mean the end goal is basically just pornography? If pushing the sexual content further and further in a show like this is the goal, and the more explicit it is, the better, then doesn't common sense dictate that what you're really looking for is pornography rather than just a show with some boob shots in it?

Or is it more like you want the pay cable thing, where there's a ton of nudity and sexual content but the sex isn't the *point* of the story, it's just a huge component of the show's appeal?

Oh, I think this is an entirely reasonable point to bring up and discuss; in fact, I've long thought that this might be an interesting topic to devote part of an ANNCast to at some point.

I, at least, am not looking for fan service in general to push into the realm of even soft-core porn, and that's already covered by certain OVA releases out there anyway. The pay cable example you use is more what I'd prefer, and what I think a lot (though definitely not all!) of fan service-favoring fans would prefer; practically the ideal standing example would be High School DxD.

Of course, some variety on that point is also nice, and I have found the much tamer Lord Marksman and Vanadis to hit that mark very well. While I find that series to only be a little above average overall, I think it does a great job of being a little sexy but not letting that define the series or get in the way of its storylines.
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mangamuscle



Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 2658
Location: Mexico
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:04 pm Reply with quote
@Zac

I would make the same comparison with the level of violence we see nowadays on movies, what was shocking twenty years ago is almost disney level today. Nudity is no different, you may try to make it sound dirty by calling it pornography, but the end result is the same, you need better nudity if you want to appeal to the fanservice market, people are not going to pay for something which is lukewarm at best. If you want out of it please do not make a loud noise when you close the door.
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Fedora-san



Joined: 12 Aug 2014
Posts: 464
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:07 pm Reply with quote
Zac wrote:
If fanservice "evolving" means it's more straight-up pay-cable-only nudity and sex, and things like Senran Kagura don't cut it anymore because it's clothed fanservice instead of nudity, doesn't that mean the end goal is basically just pornography? If pushing the sexual content further and further in a show like this is the goal, and the more explicit it is, the better, then doesn't common sense dictate that what you're really looking for is pornography rather than just a show with some boob shots in it?

Or is it more like you want the pay cable thing, where there's a ton of nudity and sexual content but the sex isn't the *point* of the story, it's just a huge component of the show's appeal?


I feel the same way about strip clubs. Why would guys go pay money to see boobs when they can see it online for free? Over-priced beer? No thanks. Same with camgirls and other pay services. I guess it appeals to certain people, but to me it just seems a waste of money.

Fanservice to me is just a bonus in series. Fanservice shows have better characters and stories than hentai. They also last longer where most hentai only last 1 or 2 episodes. As far as sexiness goes, a lot of the time the teasing aspect of it is a lot sexier than full on nudity/sex. Nudity leaves nothing to the imagination, but some contrived, sexual scenario can do a lot more than just seeing someone naked or even having sex.
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mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 6248
Location: Katy, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:10 pm Reply with quote
Zac wrote:
Key wrote:

gedata: Yeah, that's really the main problem, isn't? In the mid-2000s SK would have been a high-tier fan service show, but the bar has been raised too much in the past 5-6 years.


Okay, here's my question, and I'm not asking this because I'm a prude or I hate sex or fanservice or because I think you're all perverts or whatever. So please don't interpret the question that way.

If fanservice "evolving" means it's more straight-up pay-cable-only nudity and sex, and things like Senran Kagura don't cut it anymore because it's clothed fanservice instead of nudity, doesn't that mean the end goal is basically just pornography? If pushing the sexual content further and further in a show like this is the goal, and the more explicit it is, the better, then doesn't common sense dictate that what you're really looking for is pornography rather than just a show with some boob shots in it?

Or is it more like you want the pay cable thing, where there's a ton of nudity and sexual content but the sex isn't the *point* of the story, it's just a huge component of the show's appeal?


You know after reading this Zac. You do bring up an interesting question, I wish I could answer you for that but for me I stop watching fanservice anime since it started to become lame in my opinion.
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Yttrbio
Subscriber



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 3649
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:20 pm Reply with quote
To Zac's question, I don't know that the bar being raised specifically refers to the quantity of skin shown. The problem is that if your fanservice joke is solely "haha, boobs!" then you really need to go all the way these days. Otherwise, your joke is "haha, almost boobs," and the fact that you're holding back has the same lameness-inducing effect as, say, explaining a joke.

In the past, "haha, almost boobs" really would be as far as you could go, so it wouldn't be seen as holding back to do it. Not so anymore.

Fanservice can be a lot broader than just showing skin, and the "contrived sexual scenarios" mentioned by Fedora don't need any nudity at all to work as fanservice. But Senran Kagura, from my recollection, didn't really have much fanservice in this vein, and it really did come down to "haha, boobs!"

Of course, if exposure to boobs doesn't make you go "haha" in the first place, then this whole discussion doesn't really matter. ("haha," in this case, is not just laughter at humor, but a general positive feeling that arises (pun intended, but not entirely) at the thought of sex and anything sexual. But fanservice isn't just about delivering boners, it's about making the viewer feel happy, which is why porn isn't the end goal.)
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ParaChomp



Joined: 10 Dec 2010
Posts: 1018
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:34 pm Reply with quote
I'd say the fact that they're clothed takes away less of the viewers' shame. Aside from that, the fan service isn't funny and is only meant to turn the audience on (just like the video games these were adapted from). Spot on review otherwise.

Off topic, I got 2 questions:

1. Why did the first title for the 3DS get a T rating but the second title for the PSVita get a M rating?

2. Did anybody catch the scene where the main characters hanging upside down and everything (especially their boobs) but their skirts are affected by gravity?
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