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This Week in Anime - Isekai Until I Die


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FilthyCasual



Joined: 01 Jun 2015
Posts: 2153
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:14 pm Reply with quote
>no log horizon

You had one job.
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FinalVentCard
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 28 Oct 2018
Posts: 480
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:25 pm Reply with quote
FilthyCasual wrote:
>no log horizon

You had one job.


We discussed Log Horizon as a topic of discussion, but decided against it for space/timing issues. Don't worry, we all love that Database song, this was not an easy omission to make.

spoiler[Provided, I'm more of a MAOYU fan than Log Horizon, but bear with me.]
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AsuraTheDestructor



Joined: 24 Dec 2013
Posts: 466
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:31 pm Reply with quote
The Blatant Disregard for Mushoku Tensei was laughable.

At least I know where the Bias lies here.
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OtherSideofSky





PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:52 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Rudy's magic aptitude basically trashing his world's understanding of magic may as well mark him as a Nasu protagonist. Thankfully, Rudy isn't creepy like one--I feel a Nasu protag would have peeped on his parents knocking boots, while Rudy patiently tunes it out as he keeps up his baby genius thing.

OK, actually what are you talking about, especially with that second part? Are you talking about a different Nasu? I think I've read most of his novels and short stories, barring some old and long out of print doujin work, and while he's far from being my favorite author (even if we're limiting it to Japanese fantasy books), weird voyeur shit is about the last thing I associate with his protagonists. His game scripts are definitely hornier, but not really in that way to my recollection.

I am genuinely baffled by this. Someone please actually tell me where this is coming from.

(Mushoku Tensei is pretty trash, though. Disdain fully deserved. Although, as someone who had to read the books for work a while back, I can say that some of these statements about how the MC died, etc. are wrong.)
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Mami-kouga



Joined: 19 Jan 2021
Posts: 147
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:08 pm Reply with quote
AsuraTheDestructor wrote:
The Blatant Disregard for Mushoku Tensei was laughable.

At least I know where the Bias lies here.


It's kind of amusing cause the actual episodes reviewer seems more balanced in his views towards the show. It's kind of amazing the absolutely polarizing reactions it tends to generate.
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LightningComet



Joined: 10 Jan 2021
Posts: 48
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:15 pm Reply with quote
If ever there was a genre of non-hentai fiction that even more so blatantly allowed for unrealistic wish fulfillment power fantasies, then I would give up anime altogether.

I shouldn't rag on the isekai too much, though; I still enjoy Escaflowne and KonoSuba.
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Generations



Joined: 21 Jul 2016
Posts: 204
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:43 pm Reply with quote
In every year of dozens of isekai anime, you'll probably find only one to one-half of a good show worth watching. And I think it's pretty interesting that somehow it's easy to notice yet just as easy to overlook what made the successful ones stand out:

They had a likable protagonist.

Sure a lot of these will get some buzz because of its (not actually all that) bizarre premise, or because its controversial, but once all the buzz is done, all you have left is mediocrity that no one will really remember or come back to down the line.

Nobody loves KonoSuba because its protag is just raunchy. People love KonoSuba because Kazuma is interesting and he has a dynamic with every one of his equally trash team. The raunchiness is a bonus.

Or Katarina in Villainess. In a genre where the best character that tops the list is usually a side character (usually female if its a harem), Katarina and Kazuma stand out because you're not just watching the show for the (usually raunchy) things that happens to the side characters and the main character is just the vehicle you use to get to it -- the main character IS the interesting character and the rest of the characters are gravy.

All of this analysis is really just a long form of me getting to the part saying most isekai are written really badly, surprising no one. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
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all-tsun-and-no-dere
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 06 Jul 2015
Posts: 604
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:11 pm Reply with quote
AsuraTheDestructor wrote:
The Blatant Disregard for Mushoku Tensei was laughable.

At least I know where the Bias lies here.


Yeah man, how dare the writers of a column about them discussing their opinions be biased. All opinions should be objective! Because that's possible and not a contradiction!
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kotomikun



Joined: 06 May 2013
Posts: 1205
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:37 pm Reply with quote
Generations wrote:
All of this analysis is really just a long form of me getting to the part saying most isekai are written really badly, surprising no one.

That's also true of things which aren't isekai, though.

This article as a whole comes off a bit strange, since it starts out with "isekai are bad and we don't like them" but ultimately seems to conclude that 3/4 of the ones covered are at least decent. And the fourth (er, first) one appears to suck not because it's an isekai, but because of its most sterotypical of anime protags, The Horny Immature Smart Guy.

Slime/Spider isekai don't entirely "conform to the usual expectations of the isekai genre" and succeed that way, while the show that quote was actually about isn't an isekai at all (no reincarnation, characters can travel freely to and from the other world). As always, doing something unusual helps considerably, and if done right can negate the blandness of following a trend. Not having a boring jerk for a main character seems like the critical element here.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar


Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16935
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 11:08 pm Reply with quote
AsuraTheDestructor wrote:
The Blatant Disregard for Mushoku Tensei was laughable.

At least I know where the Bias lies here.


It's almost as if.....wait...people might have different opinions than your own!!!! OMG!!!! Shocked Shocked Shocked


The issue is it's not the bias YOU wanted. Someone dared to not like the title I like therefore they must be idiots and their opinions laughable! If you want that than go talk to yourself in a mirror and have your own echo chamber.

What's laughable is how predictably bent out of shape fans of these types of hot button shows get when someone dares to insult their trash. You can count on it like clockwork. Just as you can count on those same people to consistently have their heads in the sand and refuse to see how the material in question is rather sleazy, objectionable, icky, insert adjective here, and how they take any criticism of their show as a personal attack and retaliate with personal attacks against the reviewer. Nobody says you can't enjoy a trashy or questionable title. Enjoy that stuff like a happy trash panda raccoon. Go to town man. But don't be blind and refuse to admit that you are indeed watching trash, while you're sitting in a dumpster behind the local Waffle House with garbage all around you.

If anyone else wants to just leave some bait comments with no substance or actual thoughts and opinions on the article, and shows discussed within, please just save it and move on.
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Anneyuno1



Joined: 20 Jul 2019
Posts: 68
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 1:26 am Reply with quote
Generations wrote:
Or Katarina in Villainess. In a genre where the best character that tops the list is usually a side character (usually female if its a harem), Katarina and Kazuma stand out because you're not just watching the show for the (usually raunchy) things that happens to the side characters and the main character is just the vehicle you use to get to it -- the main character IS the interesting character and the rest of the characters are gravy.


Generations wrote:
This article as a whole comes off a bit strange, since it starts out with "isekai are bad and we don't like them" but ultimately seems to conclude that 3/4 of the ones covered are at least decent. And the fourth (er, first) one appears to suck not because it's an isekai, but because of its most sterotypical of anime protags, The Horny Immature Smart Guy.


THIS. I have to remind you that many light novels before the isekai were limited to be just harem battles with the same bored teenager as the protagonist for example Shana, Index. but when the isekai became popular, it gave way to curious ideas such reborn as a species other than human, and an increase in stories with female protagonists like Myne, Bakarina something that was very rare to see in light novels from that time... aaaand "talentless nana" is the proof of how the show improves by getting rid of that character archetype of protagonist.
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wolf10



Joined: 23 Jan 2016
Posts: 895
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:33 am Reply with quote
OtherSideofSky wrote:
Quote:
Rudy's magic aptitude basically trashing his world's understanding of magic may as well mark him as a Nasu protagonist. Thankfully, Rudy isn't creepy like one--I feel a Nasu protag would have peeped on his parents knocking boots, while Rudy patiently tunes it out as he keeps up his baby genius thing.

OK, actually what are you talking about, especially with that second part? Are you talking about a different Nasu? I think I've read most of his novels and short stories, barring some old and long out of print doujin work, and while he's far from being my favorite author (even if we're limiting it to Japanese fantasy books), weird voyeur shit is about the last thing I associate with his protagonists. His game scripts are definitely hornier, but not really in that way to my recollection.

I am genuinely baffled by this. Someone please actually tell me where this is coming from.
Also baffled by this. Nasu's protagonists are practically asexual, especially in the anime adaptations. (Let's just not talk about the weird OOC sex in Tsukihime.)
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helln00



Joined: 01 Apr 2016
Posts: 106
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:36 am Reply with quote
I read the manga for jobless reincarnation only I watching the first ep I just felt like "this is different, I don't remember Rudy being this annoying, this uncomfortable to think about or how sleezy this was".

I reread the first two chapters and like holy shit, manga Rudy and tbh how the manga started is such an improvement on this (and probably the LN) .the manga showed his clear life before the reincarnation (no mention of masturbation to potentially illegal stuff if people needed that) , his fall and his desire to do better, a moment of action and his reincarnation is clearly framed as his reward for that action. cut out most of the baby sleeze part and shows and clearly frame rudy's desire not just for a better life but to do better than his past.

also just from the fact that we aren't hearing his adult voiced monolouge constantly and the distinction between his inner adult and child voice is less clear, Rudy feels less like a grown man trapped inside a baby which makes just watching him really off and more like a child with past experience and memories, like he is a new person.

Straight up I don't like this Rudy and if I keep on having to listen to his internal monolouge imma tap out.
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Generations



Joined: 21 Jul 2016
Posts: 204
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:11 am Reply with quote
helln00 wrote:
I read the manga for jobless reincarnation only I watching the first ep I just felt like "this is different, I don't remember Rudy being this annoying, this uncomfortable to think about or how sleezy this was".

I reread the first two chapters and like holy shit, manga Rudy and tbh how the manga started is such an improvement on this (and probably the LN) .the manga showed his clear life before the reincarnation (no mention of masturbation to potentially illegal stuff if people needed that) , his fall and his desire to do better, a moment of action and his reincarnation is clearly framed as his reward for that action. cut out most of the baby sleeze part and shows and clearly frame rudy's desire not just for a better life but to do better than his past.

also just from the fact that we aren't hearing his adult voiced monolouge constantly and the distinction between his inner adult and child voice is less clear, Rudy feels less like a grown man trapped inside a baby which makes just watching him really off and more like a child with past experience and memories, like he is a new person.

Straight up I don't like this Rudy and if I keep on having to listen to his internal monolouge imma tap out.


Hilariously, this is actually true for a lot of anime adaptations. Clearly, they believed their budget gave them the opportunity to amp up the horny, and they did.

There definitely was less focus on all aspects of the horny in the manga, but because the anime really REALLY wanted to animate a masturbating loli wizard with good budget, it wasn't going to waste that money.

Despite my criticisms in previous posts, I don't even hate Jobless Numnuts. It's average, but a lot of what brings it down is its focus on wanting to be horny, and at inopportune times. At random times in the manga, it will just turn on horny mode to maximum for a page and then keep rolling along like nothing happened. If it was an ecchi, that would have been acceptable because that's your main sell, but the fact that you have this serious character development going on and then suddenly HEY I WANNA NUT, it really takes you out of it and you're just left wondering if the writer/artist can't go five minutes without thinking of lewding the current situation -- kind of like the protagonist, actually.

Kind of like the main character of Shield Hero. He was okay in the manga, but for some reason he was just kind of insufferable in the anime. As it turns out, the less you hear your character think, the better.
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helln00



Joined: 01 Apr 2016
Posts: 106
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:40 am Reply with quote
Generations wrote:


Despite my criticisms in previous posts, I don't even hate Jobless Numnuts. It's average, but a lot of what brings it down is its focus on wanting to be horny, and at inopportune times. At random times in the manga, it will just turn on horny mode to maximum for a page and then keep rolling along like nothing happened. If it was an ecchi, that would have been acceptable because that's your main sell, but the fact that you have this serious character development going on and then suddenly HEY I WANNA NUT, it really takes you out of it and you're just left wondering if the writer/artist can't go five minutes without thinking of lewding the current situation -- kind of like the protagonist, actually.

Kind of like the main character of Shield Hero. He was okay in the manga, but for some reason he was just kind of insufferable in the anime. As it turns out, the less you hear your character think, the better.


Yeah I do remember the manga just having those random moments for like a page or two and then back to normal, semi serious fantasy. Atleast there it feels right just to skip jump those parts.

But at least for the manga, there was a sense of warmth with Rudy's family and a sense of appreciation from him for his second life. Here it feels actually so much more focused on Rudy and the voice in his head that it actually loses focus of the story and its surrounding.
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