Forum - View topicThe Stream - The Other Side
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nightjuan
 Posts: 1473 |
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Gargantia has been picking itself up after a few slightly disappointing episodes towards the middle of the season. I'm definitely looking forward to how the story wraps up. I don't expect to be particularly surprised by the big picture, which isn't something I've ever expected while watching this series, but I still hope things will be handled well.
I'm a bit behind on Majestic Prince right now, so I didn't read the paragraphs in detail due to a couple of apparent spoilers, but like I've said before the show has been more or less successful at gradually introducing interesting content and remaining consistent despite not being particularly special. It's alright. Other than that...well, I can sincerely see why you were bothered by what happened Valvrave, because it is in fact a controversial topic that should have ideally been treated more seriously, but I've already talked elsewhere on the forums about why I didn't personally have that extremely negative reaction and also about why don't agree with the interpretations that condemn the immediate follow-up to the event or which claim it has had no consequences. I'm not going to bother you with the specifics here though (and all my disagreements don't mean people lack the right to drop stuff they don't like). That being said, I wouldn't even bring up those points at all if I wasn't enjoying some of the other things the show has been doing lately, which have nothing to do with the specific issue in question. So I do find it slightly funny how you almost make it sound like nothing else of importance or interest has happened, when that's far from being the case in my opinion. Yes, the show got darker, but it didn't stop being entertaining or ridiculous elsewhere (and just for the record, the stuff with other people getting Valvrave robots happened before, not after, the controversial event in question). Honestly, I liked those other parts of, for instance, episode 11 more than the rest. I can at least say the serious stuff with Shoko was mostly alright in comparison too. Then again, I suppose it makes some sense that the sensitive issues will dominate the discussions and reviews, even if they might not monopolize the actual screen time (whether or not they should, the fact is they're not the only kind of developments present). Last edited by nightjuan on Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:23 am; edited 8 times in total |
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Big Hed
 Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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I think you'll find whatever you've heard about the episode to be disproportionately negative; really, don't worry. It's not like Chamber suddenly induces a ravenous carnal state in Ledo by way of subliminal neural reprogramming, subsequently causing him to force himself on Amy and rape her on one of Gargantia's more isolated decks. Anyway, I'm glad Gargantia is moving on up again! |
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Lakers24
 Posts: 24 Location: Los Angeles,CA |
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I've liked Attack on Titan so far but the pacing is starting to get a little annoying. I loved the Devil is a Part Timer and I hope it gets a second season. Flowers of Evil has been engaging to watch if only to watch how Kasuga tortures himself next. Valvrave went to shit after episode 10 not because of what transpired at the end of ep.10 but because all of a sudden the show tries to take itself seriously. Then the proposal which me shake my head I can't figure out why girls like Haruto that guy is plain, boring and just stupid he's like that guy from tenchi muyo gxp. The show has been silly throughout but it's getting out of hand.
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Chagen46
 Posts: 4377 |
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Okay, I am the kind of person who reads dictionaries for fun, and would seriously use words like parsimonious, atavistic, and mercurial, and even I think you're being too pedantic here. |
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trilaan
 Posts: 1060 Location: Texas |
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Excellent assessment of Attack on Titan. Never have I seen such amazing use of cliffhangers in an anime.
Looking forward to your thoughts on the latest Majestic Prince episode on the next The Stream. I had the same reaction to Gargantia and the end to the latest episode only makes it more interesting. My only problem with Valvrave is they aren't really addressing the problems inherent in the whole vampire thing. And not enough body-swapping. As for the, ahem "event" that has you so flustered, spoiler[well it was the Valvrave AI controlling Haruto so maybe the AI in Saki's Valvrave was having a similar hold on her.] Just a theory and it doesn't really make it better but at least it would fit with the story. |
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nightjuan
Posts: 1473 |
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On one level, I think they're already starting to prove why this whole "become a vampire" thing really wasn't such a good idea after all. And on another...well, the question would be "is there a person among the main cast who knows enough about the subject?" No, not exactly. I suppose the next 12 episodes will, at least for those who keep watching, try to provide some real answers to the whole mess. I do hear you about the lack of enough body-swapping though.
Leaving aside the biggest elephant in the room for a change...I don't think resorting to some melodrama near the end of a season means fully "taking itself seriously" to the degree that it cancels out the fact the show is still profoundly silly or just plain crazy and over-the-top at its core. Numerous elements attest to the contrary, even at the current stage, and from the beginning the series has had a few dark elements right alongside its more ridiculous ones (and sometimes they have been one and the same). Perhaps the show might have been better off without either side of the equation, but they've been there from the start. |
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Ortensia1980
 Posts: 803 Location: some town near Amsterdam |
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Regarding Arata the Legend and the reason why Kadowaki hates Arata... really? That's it? I was expecting something really dramatic, but that was it? And he wants to kill him because of that? It was probably just because a lot of other bad stuff happened in Kadowaki's life at the same time, but seriously? Lighten up dude.
spoiler[Saki's Valvrave doesn't have an AI. Only Haruto's Valvrave has one.] |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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@nightjuan:
Exactly. People keep on saying that the show was completely fluffy and humourous right from the get go. But they overlook serious scenes, like for example the kids killing scores of soldiers and literally resigning their humanity. |
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SilverTalon01
Posts: 2404 |
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Valvrave:
spoiler[I can't see how that is rape. She was shocked that he did that yeah, but she clearly had no problem with it. But no matter where she lies on the scale of indifferent to preference, I see absolutely no evidence that she was unwilling, and I'm sorry but if you are willing, it isn't rape. She is even saying the next episode how she won't let him apologize which from the way she's acting seems incredibly obvious that the reason for that is she doesn't consider it a mistake and doesn't want him to either. Either way though, I think something else happened there because from what we saw, there was no reason for his clothes to be ripped to shreds (by something else, I mean in addition to what obviously happened but after what we saw). Also, rather than her being mad or sad, I'd say she's actually somewhat exploiting it to get the guy she likes to take her on a date. ] Last edited by SilverTalon01 on Tue Jun 25, 2013 1:25 am; edited 3 times in total |
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Fencedude5609
 Posts: 5088 |
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Apparently resigning your humanity means getting a free pass on spoiler[rape]. And the only one who is showing any negative effects anyway is Haruto. |
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Galap
Moderator
 Posts: 2354 |
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Well, losing your volition and capacity to make choices makes you personally not completely responsible for what happens then, but the point of the thing was to show that the fact that this is happening to him is a very serious problem. |
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nightjuan
Posts: 1473 |
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Unfortunately, I believe you're quite wrong about several things mentioned in this paragraph, concerning both the nature of the event itself and the actions or reactions of the characters. I've provided my own perspective in previous posts elsewhere on this forum.
No, I don't think this is the case. Especially because the term "free pass" implies that you are speaking about a criminal who voluntarily committed a harmful act and who is not being punished for it. Which is a description that removes the actual context of the situation and replaces it with something else entirely. Not to mention that your next phrase appears to partially contradict this statement, since if anyone shows signs of "negative effects" then that doesn't really mean they consider themselves the beneficiaries of a "free pass" regarding their behavior. In other words, he doesn't think that he's free of blame or that he shouldn't do anything.
I don't think that's quite true, but apparently you think that the only possible "negative effects" have to be made extremely visible and must belong to a very restricted list, regardless of the differences between the persons involved, whereas I think anger or shock aren't the only possibilities. |
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trilaan
Posts: 1060 Location: Texas |
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Whups, I missed that somehow. Thanks. |
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SilverTalon01
Posts: 2404 |
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Well, I didn't see it. But she could have stopped it and chose not to and then uses that to get the guy she likes to take her on a date he likely otherwise wouldn't have (I don't think he woulda skipped out on the others if that never happened). Are you saying either of those 2 things are false? |
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RestLessone
 Posts: 1426 Location: New York |
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On Karneval: I agree so much. As someone who enjoys the (much better) manga, I can make it through the anime fine, but the pacing issues are incredibly noticeable. (Though even some scenes had me confused.) It also likes to throw in cool-down episodes at the strangest times, when it feels like a little more focus on the plot is warranted. I reached a point where I said "I don't care; everything in this show is cute and adorable. I can deal." And that's where I am now.
I also agree on the Gargantia assessment. The series has improved since episode 5, so I'm happy there. Still, I feel a little disappointed that the show hasn't reached my expectations. It's been a bit messy and ill-paced in ways that I feel would have been easy to fix. Some character motivations seem manufactured, too, like they're only there to move Ledo forward. For instance, I'm not exactly buying the whole Pinion thing. I get it, but his choices didn't feel very organic. I really need to catch up on Attack on Titan and Flowers of Evil. I was doing so well at weekly watching, too. |
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