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Shelf Life - Dantalian Wine


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rizuchan
Collector Extraordinaire



Joined: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 974
Location: Kansas
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:22 am Reply with quote
Erin wrote:
For one thing, I thought this "Vocal Collection" might be different from the regular DVD release of the series. After all, why put "vocal" in the title if it was just a series collection? I still don't know because it was just the regular series, released in one box. I rented it.

Actually there is a difference. Kashimashi (and Loveless) were originally released as sub-only. The vocal collections have a dub.
Glad to hear an opinion on the dub, though. Since these boxes have gotten so cheap I was wondering if I should replace my sub-only Kashimashi and Loveless ones but if the dub is terrible I won't bother.
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Yttrbio
Subscriber



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 3649
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:27 am Reply with quote
Quote:
This series is somehow connected to Gosick, which I've never watched.

I haven't heard anything to suggest that's true. I think people just mention them together because they share similarities in set-up.
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corinthian



Joined: 20 Feb 2009
Posts: 264
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:17 am Reply with quote
rizuchan wrote:
Since these boxes have gotten so cheap I was wondering if I should replace my sub-only Kashimashi and Loveless ones but if the dub is terrible I won't bother.


I had considered doing the same, and wanted a review first. Checking the encyclopedia for Loveless, it looks like they didn't bring out even their B team. Ritsuka's voice was done by a woman who's mostly done hentai dubs. Not that that's a bad thing, considering he does a lot of protesting, but still...
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Brand



Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 1028
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:18 am Reply with quote
I rather like Kasimasi - Girl Meets Girl. It was a good show to watch a few episodes here and there. I do think this show is more of an escapist fantasy more then anything, and so that is why it is lacking on any LGBT issues despite it's content.

All the points that Erin brings up like the stuff with the creepy Dad are on the mark though. All of the comic relief in the show was "meh." The best parts of the show was the drama and the interaction between Hazumu and her friends.
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mgosdin



Joined: 17 Jul 2011
Posts: 1302
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:55 am Reply with quote
Well I enjoyed Kasimasi in both the Sub and Dub versions.

The weird dad was funny to me, but that may say more about my adventures as a teen than anything else. Shocked

It's not the first time my experience varied from a reviewers, I still want to hear what Erin has to say. And thanks for saying it.

Mark Gosdin
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Keichitsu0305





PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:29 am Reply with quote
I've seen all of Gosick and the first five episodes of Dantalian and there are a few things both shows have in common. Both contain (goth?) lolita dressed tsundere female protagonists who solve some sort of mystery. Both shows involve books (Victorique lives in a library while Dalian is the guardian of the Archives) and the girl's partners are strong males who do most of the dirty work. Other than that, they are quite different.

Erin wrote:
I can accept that there are TV series to help people unwind and relax, to calm down after a stressful day, but usually I'm looking for more adrenaline from television (I prefer strong coffee to chamomile tea).

So (if Natsume was on DVD) it would be a Rental Shelf for viewers who like upbeat, action-packed shows but Shelf-Worthy for us chamomile drinkers? ^__^
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batou37



Joined: 26 Aug 2009
Posts: 455
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:38 am Reply with quote
I don't like to force my opinion on anyone so in respect to Natsume Yujincho I would just personally recommend sitting down on a rainy day when you really don't have anything else to do and giving it more of a chance. I'm typically not a fan of drama or emotional things, but it combines so many aspects of storytelling throughout the series without seeming to be forced in such as sadness, revenge, forgiveness, joy, friendship, and comedy that it is really worth a watch. That is unless the only type of series one is interested in is something that is action packed or full slapstick comedy (which I'm not knocking, I like Blue Exorcist and Gintama as well.) You'll see that the review is a total misreading of Reiko Natsume, and also the reason for the slowness of the series in general (although that is to be expected from just a small sampling of the series.) The depth of both her and Takashi Natsume's characters really begin to be seen about halfway through the second season, with small peeks of it showing through before, in episode 18 for instance.
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machetecat



Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Posts: 396
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:42 am Reply with quote
I'm actually REALLY fond of Natsume. The show is just so sweet and kind, but at the same time, has a TON of danger and hilarity. It's sort of a rare breed for me to find.

I actually found out about it when the new show started airing this season, and wound up watching all the previous episodes in a couple of days. It's a great series, especially if you're a fan of Japanese mythology and such. I've heard people say that Mushi-shi fans would love it, and I gotta agree. I really hope someone does pick it up for a DVD release.
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DavidShallcross



Joined: 19 Feb 2008
Posts: 1008
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:50 am Reply with quote
The manga version of Natsume says that it originally came out monthly, so the author felt compelled to re-introduce the story premise in every chapter. The chapters are therefore very episodic, except for a slow build-up of known characters, at least in the two volumes I have read.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:11 am Reply with quote
Quote:
So when Hazumu's number one crush ends up in an all-girl love triangle competing with his former best friend (a girl) for his attention, not one of them struggles with gender identity or being a lesbian.


Actually, Tomari does ponder whether or not she can love Hazumu romantically as a girl in addition to whether or not she can love Hazumu romantically in general, and I thought it was clear in the series that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the former notion. Also, as to the "they don't have sex reassignment surgeries" issue, Hazumu seemed entirely comfortable with being a girl and thus might have refused switching back.

Granted, though, this was a series much more focused on being a light-hearted love triangle than on dealing seriously with gender issues beyond Hazumu having to adjust to doing certain things differently now that he's a girl. For a much more involved exploration into gender issues, see Simoun. (Always wondered what the more hard-core LGBT community thought of that one.)
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neocloud9



Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 1178
Location: Atlanta, GA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:53 am Reply with quote
Quote:
This series is somehow connected to Gosick, which I've never watched.


Huh? No, that's not true. Scout's honor, I'm the biggest dork for Gosick you're ever likely to find. While I like both series, Dantalian has yet to knock my socks off either and Gosick is easily the more compelling of the two.

Quote:
For a much more involved exploration into gender issues, see Simoun. (Always wondered what the more hard-core LGBT community thought of that one.)


I quite enjoyed it - couldn't get into Kashimashi, my suspension of disbelief doesn't quite stretch that far - but I can only speak as a lesbian member of the gay community. I'd be curious to hear a transperson's opinion, but as far as I could tell, there was a pretty healthy variety of gender role exploration in Simoun.
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zensunni



Joined: 05 Mar 2010
Posts: 1291
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 12:20 pm Reply with quote
neocloud9 wrote:
Quote:
This series is somehow connected to Gosick, which I've never watched.


Huh? No, that's not true. Scout's honor, I'm the biggest dork for Gosick you're ever likely to find. While I like both series, Dantalian has yet to knock my socks off either and Gosick is easily the more compelling of the two.

I will echo this comment. Since Erin has yet to watch Gosick, I hope she chooses to review it at some future date. Also, I am still looking for my socks since Gosick ended... They may have been vaporized...

As far as I know, there is absolutely no connection between the two beyond light novel origins and vague thematic and time period similarities. That said, Dalian is certainly no match for Victorique, and Huey, while a decent character with backbone, pales in comparison to Kujo.

If you are looking for a show with connections to Gosick, look to "Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth", which was originally written by Hinata Takeda, the illustrator of the Gosick light novels.

I have enjoyed Dantalian so far, though I find the writing simplistic most of the time and the visuals are frequently disappointing, especially in the action sequences.

The other major difference between Gosick and Dantalian is that, when Gosick arrives on DVD, or better yet, BluRay, it will take up space on my video shelves almost immediately, even if it is over priced. Dantalian will most likely not have that honor.
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wandering-dreamer



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 1733
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:24 pm Reply with quote
DavidShallcross wrote:
The manga version of Natsume says that it originally came out monthly, so the author felt compelled to re-introduce the story premise in every chapter. The chapters are therefore very episodic, except for a slow build-up of known characters, at least in the two volumes I have read.

Thankfully she stops re-introducing the basic plot premise as the story goes on are there are a number of multi-chapter/two episode arcs at the story goes on. To me it feels as if the manga-ka got more confident and skilled in their writing as they went on and then started adding in bits of continuity and developing a reoccurring cast which I really liked.
Oh wait, today is Monday, gotta get over to CR for the new episode!
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:53 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:
Quote:
So when Hazumu's number one crush ends up in an all-girl love triangle competing with his former best friend (a girl) for his attention, not one of them struggles with gender identity or being a lesbian.


Actually, Tomari does ponder whether or not she can love Hazumu romantically as a girl in addition to whether or not she can love Hazumu romantically in general, and I thought it was clear in the series that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the former notion. Also, as to the "they don't have sex reassignment surgeries" issue, Hazumu seemed entirely comfortable with being a girl and thus might have refused switching back.


Much agreed, but another issue to consider is whether or not Hazumu's family could afford the sex change to begin with.

I accepted Kashimashi as a sweet fantasy, one of those fall-in-love-with-the-person-as-opposed-to-the-gender stories. Whether or not it's 'lesbian,' only in a fantasy like this can relationships like these take place and still feel real and genuine in their context.

I truly wish it did without the creepy-dad moments, enough said there.

I was looking forward to the Kashimashi dub, because Media Blasters had done a sloppy translation with the subtitles--up until the last volume, all the characters keep calling Hazumu a 'he' when they clearly think of Hazumu as a 'she'. I figured they would've improved that in English, because even the ADR director should realize it would've been awkward otherwise.

Improve that much they did, but otherwise---the dubbed version did not do the show justice at all. I honestly wasn't expecting anything exceptionally stellar, just something workable. But what killed it for me was Tomari's voice, who sounds like a high-pitched honker in English. It's a shame because the voice actress, Mona Marshall, has done a lot of good stuff (like Prince Chagum from Moribito), so I don't know what made either her or the ADR directer decide on what direction to take with the voice's sound. Since it was one of the main characters, it made the other main voices sound less good than they were. I gave it one last test, and skipped ahead to a later episode where spoiler[Tomari confesses her feelings to Hazumu], and it only had half as much feeling as the Japanese acting. So in the end I'm better off sticking to the subbed version. Unfortunately, it means going back to Media Blasters' sloppy subtitles which they never feel like correcting, but oh well.
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TheRoyalFamily



Joined: 16 Apr 2010
Posts: 62
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:00 pm Reply with quote
I always wonder what people mean by "they don't sound like teenagers." Do they mean that they sound like old grannies, or like people that have been smokers for 30 years? Because "higher voice" and "teenager voice" are not synonymous.

Makes me wonder if some of the people making such claims have talked to any variety of teenagers lately.
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