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EP. REVIEW: Arifureta - From Commonplace to World's Strongest


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Chrono1000





PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:30 pm Reply with quote
I can say that while the anime shouldn't have skipped the first 80 pages of the light novel it looks like they did it to get to Yue as quickly as possible. Hajime and Yue do make a great pair and watching the anime reminded me that their relationship was one of the more charming elements of the light novels. While the fight scenes still have a few issues even the animation improved after the first episode. The second and third episodes gave a summary version of what the first episode skipped which helps for people that haven't read the light novels. I was disappointed with the first episode but after watching the third episode I am more hopeful about the show since it is doing a lot better in terms of pacing.
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Key
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:59 pm Reply with quote
Demonik_Sin wrote:
This is a great example on why Anime is dying to me. This was my most anticipated Anime as of late, and I feel betrayed. After Tensei Shitara Slime... I was heartbroken at how they just toss most of the story.

And yet OTOH, the DanMachi adaptation is cooking along just fine and people seem generally pleased with the new adaptation of Fruits Basket. To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts has also arguably been better than its source material from episode 2 on.

So let's not go around making big judgment calls about anime in general based on one or two titles disappointing with their adaptations.
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Izanagi009



Joined: 20 Oct 2014
Posts: 464
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:24 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:
Demonik_Sin wrote:
This is a great example on why Anime is dying to me. This was my most anticipated Anime as of late, and I feel betrayed. After Tensei Shitara Slime... I was heartbroken at how they just toss most of the story.

And yet OTOH, the DanMachi adaptation is cooking along just fine and people seem generally pleased with the new adaptation of Fruits Basket. To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts has also arguably been better than its source material from episode 2 on.

So let's not go around making big judgment calls about anime in general based on one or two titles disappointing with their adaptations.


Agreed, while I do think Anime has multiple issues on the artistic front that prevent it from being considered an artistic medium like film, it’s media presence has in fact been growing over time

Regardless, I’m getting tired of the use of faux underdog protagonists in isekai, it just makes the subtext of the work groan worthy
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:37 pm Reply with quote
Nico_Astray wrote:
This shit is on the level of Isekai Smartphone. Making the main chara out to be weak in order to power him up in the same episode. At the same time his character made a complete 180 and suddenly he's overconfident and just a worse character than before. I don't know why there's been abuzz about the. light novels, but it can't have been about this. The worst thing is the show seems to take itself seriously, as if someone could care for stereotypes gone edgelord.


That is because the anime is rushing through the novels, which makes everything seem to be happening at a rapid clip, which it isn't. Hajime is down there in the bowels of the dungeon for quite awhile. That is not even counting his and Yue's spoiler[honeymoon/rest stop]
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Demonik_Sin



Joined: 24 Jul 2019
Posts: 2
PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:56 am Reply with quote
Izanagi009 wrote:
Key wrote:
Demonik_Sin wrote:
This is a great example on why Anime is dying to me. This was my most anticipated Anime as of late, and I feel betrayed. After Tensei Shitara Slime... I was heartbroken at how they just toss most of the story.

And yet OTOH, the DanMachi adaptation is cooking along just fine and people seem generally pleased with the new adaptation of Fruits Basket. To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts has also arguably been better than its source material from episode 2 on.

So let's not go around making big judgment calls about anime in general based on one or two titles disappointing with their adaptations.


Agreed, while I do think Anime has multiple issues on the artistic front that prevent it from being considered an artistic medium like film, it’s media presence has in fact been growing over time

Regardless, I’m getting tired of the use of faux underdog protagonists in isekai, it just makes the subtext of the work groan worthy


Sorry if i did this quote thing wrong I'm still nooby on this site.

But to the point yes i did go a bit overboard with my first line and i do apologize for going after amazing titles i hadn't consider due to my rage towards this anime. I got but hurt because I have been waiting so long and it makes it seem like they only care for those who have read the anime. I understand how it all works and happens and someone who is new to it wont understand and will talk bad about the actual story itself.

I have heard great things about Mahou Shoujo and some people really love it but i only watched the anime and i absolutely abhor that anime. I just wanted it to follow the manga since i was still mad about Tensei Slime.... from them taking out the whole guild and Karion alliance scenes and then having the balls to put 2 episodes that are irrelevant at the moment.

But yes i do apologize and just wish that even if it would be short anime i would love them to give every detail, darkness, and triumphant beauty of story that is Arifureta when it comes to understanding the characters. It would have been better as a fan and as someone who might just happen across this anime and be like hell yeah new drug. There are so many anime that i love and knew nothing about beforehand when i watched it and now recommend then to others. As a pretty much die hard fan of Arifureta Manga i would want someone to understand it completely and slowly if must so that they dont come out with feelings towards it like i have with the horrid structure of Mahou Shoujo.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:44 pm Reply with quote
Episode 1

I watched episode 1 going into it only knowing the synopsis and what I watched did not match that, an isekai adaptation where the first thing they remove was its isekainess.... and then didn't replace the lost exposition with anything. Odd...

"He made a gun? Based on what? Working under which scientific laws? What is going on!?"
Yup, the guy ate monster flesh raw and made a working gun just using the power of his mind. And look at that next episode trailer, a blonde loli vampire as "his girl"... it's like if a Youtube comment section of a very specific audience was made into an anime.

You know the kind I mean.

If it's meant to be a parody, it's for a Japanese audience so I don't think they'd get a parody of TM, they'd just get it straight. Really, it's just shonen with a few more sexual additions and a lot more chest beating. Also, less friendship, more "everyone's out to get you and what you are and what you want".

"From Commonplace to World's Strongest" From Beta to Alpha! "Edgelordiness"? Yeah, that's part of it but it's still only a descriptive device.

From TVtropes:
Quote:

Arifureta Shokugyō de Sekai Saikyō") is a 2013 web novel series written by Ryo Shirakome (under the pen name "Chuuni Suki")


Yeah, that explains a lot. "Chuuni suki"...
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:06 pm Reply with quote
Thanks for the review for episode 3. It gives me hope that we might still get a passable adaptation, instead of a continuing debacle. Faint praise I know, but better than nothing.
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RegisterJustForComment



Joined: 17 Apr 2018
Posts: 62
PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 11:44 pm Reply with quote
No revenge mindset, but it still have one and only faithful 'go home' as the end goal. And I think it's a plus as a concept.
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MiloTheFirst



Joined: 10 Dec 2014
Posts: 429
PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:36 am Reply with quote
Demonik_Sin wrote:

I understand how it all works and happens and someone who is new to it wont understand and will talk bad about the actual story itself.

i would love them to give every detail, darkness, and triumphant beauty of story that is Arifureta when it comes to understanding the characters. As a pretty much die hard fan of Arifureta Manga i would want someone to understand it completely and slowly if must so that they dont come out with feelings towards it like i have with the horrid structure of Mahou Shoujo.


I am glad there is a franchise you like that much, but I hope you understand that your high opinion on the quality of this story is just that, your perspective.

I have read my own share of light novels, and Arifureta vol 1 is right near the bottom of the barrel just above death march vol 1 (as you can't tell I couldn't be bothered to read any more from those).

what's so amazing about arifureta's story? to begin with the author couldn't be bothered to do some world building decent enough not to rely in levels and skill points. then there is the theme of the series, right there in the title it says "from common place to world strongest" so we must guess it is about a journey of growth and how it figures on the protagonist's self image and his place when compared to others, but nope, it takes 1 single volume for the MC to stumble into miracle spring, simply being able to imagine how to build high tech firearms, and being able to build them because in this world just getting a level up teaches you how to do stuff, and then later stumble into spoiler[a lab that's basically the cheat code room in any rpg], everything is automatically granted to the protagonist, there is no practice, no struggle, no self reflection, just a linear path of power ups, because that's what happens when you build a story around a world with rpg mechanics. the shield hero, for instance, has its own list of issues, but even that one took at least 2 and a half volumes for the MC to barely surpass his Chad peers.

what is there to understand about the characters? hajime went from being shocked about getting back stabbed to "I must survive no matter what so if anything gets in my way I will kill it" to "I am so mature and cool, my past life and the betrayal are now beneath me, I can't be bothered to think about my jerk class mates any more" without any nuance what so ever, the author doesn't give us any meaningful insight into the mind of any of the characters, it just let us know that apparently they changed their view and have matured, which needless to say is lazy and mediocre. then there is yue, what "detail, darkness, and triumphant beauty" is there in a characters that under 10 pages of being introduced asks the MC to name her? then in under 50 pages spoiler[get laid]. there is none, no depth, no nuance, just Isekai power fantasy crap. to be clear I also believe that there is potential for a good story in this scenario but the quality of the writing is just not up to the task. perhaps because you read the manga, it made more sense to you to just accept the lack of exploration of the character's mental journey and to fill the space between the blanks with your own imagination, manga is a different medium that by definition can do very little narration, but as some one who read the original book I find the quality of the character writing utterly subpar

and that's just my perspective
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 12:05 pm Reply with quote
MiloTheFirst wrote:
then later stumble into spoiler[a lab that's basically the cheat code room in any rpg], everything is automatically granted to the protagonist, there is no practice, no struggle, no self reflection,


I don't think the poster above you was comparing Arifureta to a literary classic, like "Lord of the Rings", as in its greatness. Arifureta is pretty fantastic to me, but each to their own.

The Labyrinth is one of spoiler[seven great Labyrinths in the world], that were designed for a specific purpose. The bottom level of the Labyrinth spoiler[is not a cheat lab, but rather a reward for completing the Labyrinth] and awarding you a spoiler[special power, that in conjunction with the awards of the other Labyrinths will give you a chance to kill the.....].

At this point Hajime may be OP over his classmates and most (not all) of humanity, but they are truly not the ones that are going to be a thorn in his side.

Not going to say anymore, even in spoilers.
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Izanagi009



Joined: 20 Oct 2014
Posts: 464
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:22 am Reply with quote
MiloTheFirst wrote:
Demonik_Sin wrote:

I understand how it all works and happens and someone who is new to it wont understand and will talk bad about the actual story itself.

i would love them to give every detail, darkness, and triumphant beauty of story that is Arifureta when it comes to understanding the characters. As a pretty much die hard fan of Arifureta Manga i would want someone to understand it completely and slowly if must so that they dont come out with feelings towards it like i have with the horrid structure of Mahou Shoujo.


I am glad there is a franchise you like that much, but I hope you understand that your high opinion on the quality of this story is just that, your perspective.

I have read my own share of light novels, and Arifureta vol 1 is right near the bottom of the barrel just above death march vol 1 (as you can't tell I couldn't be bothered to read any more from those).

what's so amazing about arifureta's story? to begin with the author couldn't be bothered to do some world building decent enough not to rely in levels and skill points. then there is the theme of the series, right there in the title it says "from common place to world strongest" so we must guess it is about a journey of growth and how it figures on the protagonist's self image and his place when compared to others, but nope, it takes 1 single volume for the MC to stumble into miracle spring, simply being able to imagine how to build high tech firearms, and being able to build them because in this world just getting a level up teaches you how to do stuff, and then later stumble into spoiler[a lab that's basically the cheat code room in any rpg], everything is automatically granted to the protagonist, there is no practice, no struggle, no self reflection, just a linear path of power ups, because that's what happens when you build a story around a world with rpg mechanics. the shield hero, for instance, has its own list of issues, but even that one took at least 2 and a half volumes for the MC to barely surpass his Chad peers.

what is there to understand about the characters? hajime went from being shocked about getting back stabbed to "I must survive no matter what so if anything gets in my way I will kill it" to "I am so mature and cool, my past life and the betrayal are now beneath me, I can't be bothered to think about my jerk class mates any more" without any nuance what so ever, the author doesn't give us any meaningful insight into the mind of any of the characters, it just let us know that apparently they changed their view and have matured, which needless to say is lazy and mediocre. then there is yue, what "detail, darkness, and triumphant beauty" is there in a characters that under 10 pages of being introduced asks the MC to name her? then in under 50 pages spoiler[get laid]. there is none, no depth, no nuance, just Isekai power fantasy crap. to be clear I also believe that there is potential for a good story in this scenario but the quality of the writing is just not up to the task. perhaps because you read the manga, it made more sense to you to just accept the lack of exploration of the character's mental journey and to fill the space between the blanks with your own imagination, manga is a different medium that by definition can do very little narration, but as some one who read the original book I find the quality of the character writing utterly subpar

and that's just my perspective


Huh, i know this will sound stupid and sycophantic but yeah, someone actually managed to lay out some of the issues I have with the current Isekai subgenre

to add to this, i have to ask an odd question, why is this type of isekai considered acceptable? If this was a film or book in the western community, it would be laughed out of most critical circles so why is the current state of isekai accepted or rather why has the general populous not asked for deconstruction and artistic analysis of isekai
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Key
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:16 am Reply with quote
Izanagi009 wrote:
to add to this, i have to ask an odd question, why is this type of isekai considered acceptable? If this was a film or book in the western community, it would be laughed out of most critical circles so why is the current state of isekai accepted or rather why has the general populous not asked for deconstruction and artistic analysis of isekai

I bolded the key words from your question. There are plenty of books/movies/TV shows in the West which don't stand up well at all in critical circles and yet still wind up being quite successful.
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Izanagi009



Joined: 20 Oct 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:35 am Reply with quote
Key wrote:
Izanagi009 wrote:
to add to this, i have to ask an odd question, why is this type of isekai considered acceptable? If this was a film or book in the western community, it would be laughed out of most critical circles so why is the current state of isekai accepted or rather why has the general populous not asked for deconstruction and artistic analysis of isekai

I bolded the key words from your question. There are plenty of books/movies/TV shows in the West which don't stand up well at all in critical circles and yet still wind up being quite successful.


fair enough, I just feel annoyed at a lot of isekai and am somewhat surprised that general audiences or critical audiences aren't heavy on this genre
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Cryten



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 979
PostPosted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 1:55 am Reply with quote
I was going to say that this series is being painfully generic, but its plainly not. Its got some designs and story that has clearly been thought out. Unfortunately though alot of these elements feel a bit half-arsed, happening quickly with little development. Like the decision that Yue is his beloved companion and kissing each other and the random sniper gun turns into giant hadoken. It feels weak because the series skipped over earning those story beats and just does them in quick succession. Combat having to work around the limitations of CG monsters is also hampering my enjoyment a bit.

Man though the Lolita Complex is extremely strong with this series, especially all that kissing in the middle of combat. Lots of lows that bring down something that feels it could be better if it spent more time exploring itself.
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ThatGuyWhoLikesThings



Joined: 04 Jul 2013
Posts: 1000
PostPosted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 5:00 pm Reply with quote
Izanagi009 wrote:
Key wrote:
Izanagi009 wrote:
to add to this, i have to ask an odd question, why is this type of isekai considered acceptable? If this was a film or book in the western community, it would be laughed out of most critical circles so why is the current state of isekai accepted or rather why has the general populous not asked for deconstruction and artistic analysis of isekai

I bolded the key words from your question. There are plenty of books/movies/TV shows in the West which don't stand up well at all in critical circles and yet still wind up being quite successful.


fair enough, I just feel annoyed at a lot of isekai and am somewhat surprised that general audiences or critical audiences aren't heavy on this genre


If you don't think there are a lot of people that hold isekai anime in contempt, look down on it, mock it incessantly, and generally just view fans of isekai as those with inferior or mediocre taste, I don't know where you've been looking.

Also while I wouldn't mind a 20 page fight in the novel to translate to a full episode if the show had better production values, it's hard to get particularly invested when the big boss of the labyrinth is comprised of some of the most laughable cg i've seen since...Overlord S3? Probably not as bad as Berserk 2016 but it's very, very unfortunate all the same.

I'm also not entirely sure if we'll be seeing more of Yue's backstory considering that was hundreds of years ago and it's very unlikely that anyone from that time is even around anymore.
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