×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
REVIEW: Sankarea: Undying Love BD+DVD


Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18138
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:04 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, the unsatisfying ending was one of the two major points that dropped this one off of my list of top titles of 2012. The other was that the use of flashbacks in the second half of the series threw off the pacing. Other than that, though, I fully agree that this was a surprisingly deep and involved series given its trashy premise and significant fan service and would probably give the series as a whole the same grades as Rebecca. (I rated the strong first half a little higher, I think.)

So is the prequel episode not included in this release, Rebecca?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2599
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:30 pm Reply with quote
No, no prequel, unless you mean the episode about Ranko and Chihiro's childhood? There were just the 13 episodes, trailers, commentary, and clean OP and ED.

I agree, Theron, the first half is stronger, and I'd have graded it higher as well if I were looking at them separately. Any of the rest of you agree?

Also, having just read volume four of the manga, the Aria flashback comes from the middle of that book, and the episode with Babu's narration is a "special extra manga." (And now I really have to read Soseki's I Am a Cat.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Fronzel



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1906
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:51 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Sankarea's ending is a deliberate cliffhanger that seems to imply a second season that we never got. Luckily you can simply pick up the manga at volume three to find out what happens next...

I kind of despise shows that are really just elaborate advertisements for the original material.

I can't claim to be principled in that regard, though; I happily bought Princess Jellyfish, which pulls the exact same stunt.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
RyanSaotome



Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:53 pm Reply with quote
Fronzel wrote:
I kind of despise shows that are really just elaborate advertisements for the original material.


You mean like 90% of anime? Unless its an original show, its being funded by the publisher of the manga/LN to promote the source material.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2599
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:56 pm Reply with quote
This is a closer adaptation than Princess Jellyfish, though - with that series, you can't just pick up the manga where the anime leaves off because a lot of things from the latter aren't in the former. (Not that I haven't loved every single second of the manga, but you get my point.) Technically, you can do that with Sankarea, which I think lessens the blow.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Zalis116
Moderator


Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 6864
Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:06 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
No, no prequel, unless you mean the episode about Ranko and Chihiro's childhood? There were just the 13 episodes, trailers, commentary, and clean OP and ED.
There's also a 15th episode out there, featuring a booze-addled dream sequence from Rea's mother.

Quote:
The dub track also has a few small glitches, like the preview for episode eight calling it episode seven and only romanji lyrics displaying on the second BD.
*
one censored scene will not sit well with some viewers,
So what we have is an incomplete "TV version on disc" release of an incomplete manga adaptation, with additional dubbing and technical errors. Can't say I'm too excited about the release, though I did like the show...

Quote:
The fanservice is a bigger issue. When it is provided by Ranko, Chihiro's busty cousin, it is far easier to swallow than when Rea is the target. This is because one of Rea's chief problems was her father's insistence on taking naked pictures of her on her birthday every year. We know that this was a major facet of her abuse, and the show emphasizes it when her thoughts of home are accentuated by the sound of a camera shutter clicking. For the anime to then invite us to objectify and sexualize her in the same way then seems not just in poor taste, but to imply that we are not unlike her father. (Or that sexualization is perfectly fine without a blood relationship to the object of it.) This is a major detraction from the fanservice itself, but also seems to go directly against the story's message.
But the other Rea fanservice scenes aren't sexualizing her the same way -- they're in the context of the willing relationship between her and Chihiro, and she's frequently the aggressor when in Zombie Trance Mode. That's a far cry from being an unwitting child exploited by someone with ultimate power over your life. And you seem to suggest that sexualization is equally wrong whether there's a blood relation involved or not, yet the Ranko service scenes (which also involve a blood relation between her and Chihiro) are okay? Isn't that also contradictory?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2599
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:34 pm Reply with quote
Ah, I love these days when I'm working from home and can just keep responding. Smile

Zalis116 wrote:
But the other Rea fanservice scenes aren't sexualizing her the same way -- they're in the context of the willing relationship between her and Chihiro, and she's frequently the aggressor when in Zombie Trance Mode. That's a far cry from being an unwitting child exploited by someone with ultimate power over your life. And you seem to suggest that sexualization is equally wrong whether there's a blood relation involved or not, yet the Ranko service scenes (which also involve a blood relation between her and Chihiro) are okay? Isn't that also contradictory?


I was talking more about the way the camera would glide up and down her body in a shot than any interaction between Rea and Chihiro, although I did find him filming her far too close to what Danichiro did. And in a sense Chihiro does have a fair amount of power over Rea early on - he's the one figuring out how to keep her "alive."

I suppose it is contradictory to disparage one kind of blood relation in comparison to another when talking about sexualization and fanservice, but I really do see a huge difference between a father/daughter relationship and one between cousins. Not that I would marry any of my cousins, but I do see it as a much lesser issue. I guess that's just my personal bias.

On the general topic of sexualization, honestly, I do find it problematic in general, or in real life if you prefer. I'm a teacher - I see how it affects girls, and it bothers me. But on the other hand, I enjoy plenty of anime and manga that involves it, so while I am not a fan, I can also accept it in fiction, unless I'm writing some kind of academic paper, in which case I will go all Gloria Steinem on it. My main issue is that I thought that since Rea had been a victim of a sexualized form of aggression it was simply in poor taste in this show.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:35 pm Reply with quote
Rebecca wrote:
Rea's fanservice is uncomfortable and seems to miss the point of its own story...


THANK YOU. I hate that aspect of the show. It feels so skeevy to see a sexual and emotional abuse victim being turned into a fanservice character. The bunny suit was particularly egregious, especially since she's wearing it throughout the entire climax of the show.

It may be cliched to say this but Sankarea was a tale of two halves; the first really good with weighty themes, the second quite poor and loaded with drivel.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
configspace



Joined: 16 Aug 2008
Posts: 3717
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:22 pm Reply with quote
Is this out already? Or will it be soon? After the original recall and my order being cancelled, I still don't see it listed on Rightstuf ...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
getchman
Space Cowboy



Joined: 07 Apr 2012
Posts: 9117
Location: Bedford, NH
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:24 pm Reply with quote
since she mentions Rea's intestines being censored, this is a review of the censored release
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
configspace



Joined: 16 Aug 2008
Posts: 3717
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:25 pm Reply with quote
ah, ok
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:26 pm Reply with quote
Liked the manga, waiting on the retail version to come out, instead of the TV version which is the only thing out now. Think they would have learned their lesson from The Girl Who Leapt Through Space.

Hopefully there will be no problem with the retail release of the show.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18138
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 5:33 pm Reply with quote
I wouldn't go as far as "poor" and "drivel," but I must admit that the bunny suit business was more than a little ridiculous.

And this review is why I like seeing two reviews by different people on a given title. Rebecca picked out a couple of points here that hadn't occurred to me when I did mine.

Good to hear that it does have episode 13, but sad to hear that it doesn't have ep 14.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 3629
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 6:15 pm Reply with quote
Rebecca, I'm curious why you would take the time to review this recalled release instead of waiting for the re-release. While it's unlikely, there is always the possibility that Funi will do more than just change the video to the home version from the broadcast version. And while I haven't seen the show, I would imagine that having the gory scenes uncensored may give a different impression on those parts of the show, whether positive or negative.
Were you planning on revisiting the show with the re-release and updating the review (like an addendum or something) if there's a significant difference in the release or the way the show plays out uncensored?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ajr



Joined: 29 Nov 2010
Posts: 465
PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 7:05 pm Reply with quote
Gotta admit, the bit with Chihiro filming Rea at the mall absolutley screamed "Look at the parallels, please!" but entirely ignored it. Is that the way it is in the manga? Bizarre.
The show's a weird dichotomy of unusual tact and skill (Chihiro's cousin), and flat, tasteless pandering (maid-induced photoshoot). I also thought the opening and closing themes were quite good.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group