Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc
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NeverConvex
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I think it's possible to deliver a reasonably 'objective' analysis of narrow technical elements of a show. You have to be quite specific, though, and even then it's often necessary to make explicit value choices or uncertain inferences about how the audience will react emotionally or intellectually to some story element or other to make your point, so the argument necessarily ends up hinged on various issues that people could reasonably differ on.
Just declaring a show as a whole good or bad communicates nothing other than your aggregate judgement, though, and contributes very little to discussing it. I also strongly preferred CSM to DS, though, for what it's worth, and to contribute my own 'very little' to the contrast of the two shows. 
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YourNameIsMitsuha
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[/quote]You really gotta stop using the word "objective" like it has a real place in art criticism. In my "objective" opinion, Demon Slayer is a terribly written piece of schlock only beloved because of its overqualified production values, while Chainsaw Man is a brutally entertaining roller-coaster ride of shock and awe with some real thematic meat on its bones as it explores how people find happiness in a world gone mad. Your preference for Demon Slayer is no more objective than mine for Chainsaw Man, it's simply your opinion, and the issues you have with it, whatever they may be, are not issues that everyone has with it. No show is "objectively" better than any other, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll realize that all reviewers are just communicating their opinions and their preferences are just as valid as yours.[/quote]
I can see what you mean. "Objective" is an annoying term if you're not someone who is constantly analyzing what they're watching. As someone who went into Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man without reading the source material first, I had no particular hype or bias. Excited for both because I had heard good things. So I have no pre-conceptions getting in the way of looking at the anime for being the anime, not as part of a package with the manga. Demon Slayer has always had some pacing issues, but I've read the manga after the Entertainment District arc, and knowing what the writers had to work with, it's hard for me to find an improvement that would fit their desired time frame of one cour. Can't squish in the Hashira Training arc because that wouldn't do either justice. So yea, some padding happened in an anime (gasp). And did it mitigate my enjoyment of this particular arc? Sure, noticeably. But it's forgivable to me, and the highs are well worth the lows. And there are very few lows. Zenitsu is annoying. The characters are a little shallow, but the premise is more simple and clearly aimed at a younger audience. They follow the source material well, and as mad as it made me to see Kanroji stuck on tree detail the whole time she was on screen, I have a hard time finding anything that could be called a flaw without it coming down to a simple matter of preference. This is a Demon Slayer thread, so I'll keep my experience with Chainsaw Man brief. I will note that the art and 3D look very good at a glance, but come across as doll-like and the facial expressions were weirdly stiff, which was a constant small distraction throughout the series. I found Denji to be just as unlikeable as Zenitsu, but he's the main character, and I can't say Power really held up to my lofty expectations after all the fan art. There were maybe 3 fight scenes that made me feel like "yes, this is what I signed up for", but the rest were over fast or kind of lame. Those are the long term annoyances. Definitely subjective, but I can't be the only one who felt that way (who wasn't starry-eyed from the manga). Let's get specific: 1. James gushed over the director's choices in the crying scene with Aki in the hospital. And rightly so. The director used time honored (and unoriginal) techniques that are guaranteed to pull at the heart strings. IF and only if, there is enough emotional investment already in place. This happened what, midway through the series, and we'd maybe spent 2 or 3 meaningful moments with eyepatch girl who I forget? For a manga viewer already attached, that's enough. But for someone judging the anime as a standalone work (which is what it is), that moment felt totally hollow. The director didn't realize there wasn't enough emotional investment to pull that scene off. All of that nuance, and the 10 seconds of sniffling we didn't actually see from Aki were wasted. 2. The Ghost. Super cool devil. Gave eyepatch use of its arm, and it was glorious. We saw it reach out and grab Denji's neck and his hands passed right through it when it, and why wouldn't they? It's the Ghost, being insubstantial should be assumed. So TELL ME HOW IT GOT EATEN BY THE SNAKE DEVIL. YEA I'm angry about that one. Ghost can pass through stuff. Fact. And then it got beat by Aki. Again, can pass through things, doesn't. What in the name of lazy writing is this?? If you don't want passing through to be a thing, make it the Banshee or something else. They chose Ghost. And they failed tactically EVERY time with it. The thing should be damn near unstoppable, and for good reason. The premise of the show is that fear of the concept increase the strength of the devil. Ghosts are way scarier than chainsaws or guns precisely because you can't fight them without a super cool backpack lazar vacuum. And the Ghost can't sense anything without fear? Fine, how is it not constantly bumping into stuff? Fine, let's except that SUPER LAME idea for a moment. Aki overcomes fear, but passes out. When he wakes up it is presenting him the lighter or cigarettes or whatever. Holding it right out in front of FEARLESS Aki. How did she know he was there. And if she loved eyepatch so damn much, why didn't she use her super awesome ability to pass through things to help her in the first place!! This is lazy writing at it's very height. I was so mad on behalf of Ghost. This is NOT the longest rant I've written on the subject of the poorly misused Ghost. Unthinkable inconsistency. Deep breath... okay 3. The writers (or mangaka, dunno which) forgot what a chainsaw is. This is irredeemable. Denji slices cleanly though someone at the most critical moment. A chainsaw cannot, I repeat, can NEVER, cut cleanly through ANYTHING. Every time it hits someone, there needs to be sprays of blood and that chainsaw biting into flesh and bone while its target screams in pain and terror. When the guy stood there and looked fine for a second, then fell apart, I started yelling at the screen. Forgetting what a chainsaw is, the very essence of CHAINSAW Man was the last nail in the coffin for me. And lastly, the best character, the adorable doggo was taken out of the series immediately. I've heard all objections to Demon Slayer, between comments and our reviewer James. The fact remains, the padding is it's biggest issue, and it's honestly not bad enough to drag the series down that much. The series sticks to the manga, and the mangaka put out a very solid, simple, direct, entertaining product that the animators brought to life beyond all expectations. Chainsaw Man is a very similar premise really, comparable in many ways. I would argue that Demon Slayers examination of "evils" feelings and the ability to feel sympathy for them is as deep as, well, whatever it is that makes Chainsaw Man so deep? Chainsaw Man has more surprises so far, but that's not depth. And Chainsaw Man has MAJOR writing issues and art and animation quirks that are constant bothers (there was a scene where I could literally count/see the frames). It is an entertaining spectacle, some of the time, but as someone who isn't viewing the show from star framed hype sunglasses, it's honestly not as top tier as I expected. There's also a sort of void that I've noticed with MAPPA's recent work, like CSM and Hells Paradise. Their directing techniques and animating techniques are high class, but the writing can't keep up. There's no investment in the characters to make me REALLY care about them like I do with other shows like Naruto or Bleach for example. Jiraya's death hit like a truck. Eyepatch girl from Chainsaw Man's left me with the same reaction as Denji, I just didn't really care. I have MANY more CSM complaints, but those were the big three that anyone paying attention really should have been bothered by. I find it unfair that it got the star treatment when it is "objectively" a B- show. I'm done here, I think I've made my position clear. Writing about it isn't good for my blood pressure. |
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YourNameIsMitsuha
Posts: 62 |
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I should take a step back and make it clear that both shows are very entertaining in general, and no one's personal like or dislike is invalid. I love Ninja Slayer while still recognizing that it earns its "worst anime Funimation has ever done" cover advertisement. What I object to is that someone reading James review of Demon Slayer would be put off from ever watching the series. And that's a bad thing. Someone reading his assessment of CSM would similarly come away with the wrong impression. If your going to review, it shouldn't it be with a focus on fairness to the actual quality of the anime? I walk away from this Demon Slayer with the distinct impression of "this series is junk, but this arc in particular is extra junk." Anyone think that's the right message to send people wondering if this anime is worth a look?
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Shay Guy
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I don't think that's a fair reading of James's reviews. He gave five stars to episode 4 and 5 of season 1, and 4.5 stars to episodes 8 and 9. I haven't read every episode review he's written for the show, not being more than a casual viewer myself, but it does seem that he's been consistent in his view: he likes the show, and thinks it does some things fantastically, but thinks the writing could be a lot stronger. |
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Mr. Toto
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I binged the entire season after it finished — just like the last one. I thoroughly enjoyed it all, FWIW. Maybe it’s more painful to those of you watching weekly?
As someone who read the manga, the point of this season is clear in retrospect. I can’t wait for the next. I’m thinking there will be one more season and a movie to finish everything off. |
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