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EP. REVIEW: Undead Unluck


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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7351
Location: Maine
PostPosted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 7:45 pm Reply with quote
malvarez1 wrote:
Oh no, I didn’t mean new flashbacks, I meant the flashback that show scenes we saw a few minutes ago.

Ah, I see. I consider that more of revisiting a scene than a real flashback, especially when it's back to back like in this episode where it looks almost like an error.

Emerje
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malvarez1



Joined: 17 Nov 2008
Posts: 1719
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 8:44 am Reply with quote
I was hoping the overuse of flashbacks wouldn’t continue, but it looks like it could be an ongoing problem.

It’s too bad because the content of the episode is otherwise really good, but the flashbacks hold it back.

Does anyone know if we’re getting a second opening/ending?
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Sekaro



Joined: 12 Nov 2018
Posts: 358
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 9:09 am Reply with quote
malvarez1 wrote:
I was hoping the overuse of flashbacks wouldn’t continue, but it looks like it could be an ongoing problem.

It’s too bad because the content of the episode is otherwise really good, but the flashbacks hold it back.

Does anyone know if we’re getting a second opening/ending?

Yeah.... the frequent flashbacks & the weird play-by-play after the fight has already concluded is what's holding this series down for me. Otherwise, this could've been one of my favourite shonen series in a long while but alas.

We are getting a new OP/ED probably next week I'd guess. There's a news article on it like a few weeks back.
animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-12-16/undead-unluck-anime-latest-promo-video-reveals-new-theme-song-artists-for-show-2nd-part/.205562

As for the reviewer, who the hell is Shikari? Laughing I think u meant Chikara. Still nice review as always.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11407
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 10:13 am Reply with quote
I think what bothered me most about the repeated footage was still having the attack names on screen, like they were in such a time crunch they couldn't even bother to remove them the second time around.
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7351
Location: Maine
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 10:45 am Reply with quote
There has got to be something going on at david because the recap doesn't really make sense otherwise. They could have easily explained all of this as it was happening, but instead reduced the needed animation and used a gap filler to explain it. The manga is guilty of doing this too sometimes, but I think a lot of manga are. At least it continues to look gorgeous!

They definitely aren't doing this to buy time. Pretty sure this takes us to chapter 28 or 29 of 190. Plus it only has 10 or so (maybe a few more to get more use out of the second OP/ED) episodes left of the current allotment so there's going to long break before season 2 if it gets one. The next arc is a big one covering around 20 chapters on its own. And manga readers can probably guess what the massive season ending cliffhanger will be.

Emerje
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OpenYourEels4TheNextFeels



Joined: 14 Nov 2023
Posts: 64
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 1:05 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
It's a shame, too, because this is still an entertaining battle that utilizes our heroes' abilities very well, especially Shikari's. I'm still a bit confused as to why Andy's regeneration powers still worked despite Unrepair's, well, unrepair powers, and some of the wonky effects and choppy animation undercut the night's dynamics, but it's still a fun time! Since I care about all of these characters, and I'm personally invested in the stakes of rescuing Shikari and saving Fuko from Rip's attack, I'm willing to overlook some of the battle's more illogical and/or rushed moments.
If nothing else, it is a sign of Undead Unluck's quality that I still walked away from this okay-but-not-great episode dying to see what happens next. Will Shikari join the Union? What is up with Baby!Rip showing up at the end? When will Fuko and Tatiana get to play Stuffed Animal Tea Time again!? I need to know, dammit, and for a story to have its hooks in me that deep, it has to be doing something damned right, even when its flaws are a little more obvious to behold than normal.

I'm a bit confused. Did you mean to write "Chikara"? Because I do not believe there is any character named Shikari in this.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 11556
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 5:25 pm Reply with quote
I'm still enjoying the show and the animation/direction is still overall great, but what a weird direction choice to have the recap after the OP using reused footage they already reused in the opening moments and then showing the explanation for how they beat Rip AFTER they beat Rip. It was just really weird.

But ah well, it was great seeing everyone come together, save Fuko, get in some nice Latla moments, and ending on Shota Rip.
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pi8you



Joined: 24 Sep 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Minneapolis
PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 7:24 pm Reply with quote
Emerje wrote:
They definitely aren't doing this to buy time. Pretty sure this takes us to chapter 28 or 29 of 190.

It's not so much a matter of buying time because they don't have material, but buying time to wind up at a particular place in the story to end the season. Before the show really started to reveal its slowdowns, people were eyeing the end of a certain arc for it to end on, even if it meant pushing a bit fast. At the rate they've been going though, it looks like they're taking the opposite route and slowing everything way down to end on the one prior to it.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 11556
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 1:49 pm Reply with quote
The new OP and ED are pretty solid. I like how the ED is like a Shojo romance ED which fits (and the implications with Juiz).

My favorite moments are Fuko wanting to throw hands with shota Rip, being excited to be in school, and laughing herself into unconsciousness.

Chikara's story was pretty sad. Seems like it's rare to find a Negator story that doesn't end with them accidentally killing their parents when their powers activated, poor kids. Fuko/Tatiana/Chikara didn't deserve that. But at least they've all found their conviction and resolve to fight God, even if it means separating themselves from a normal life (for now). I hope Chikara can graduate with Ryo eventually.

It'll be interesting to see how anime onlies react to the next episode.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 11556
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 2:12 pm Reply with quote
The new OP and ED are pretty solid. I like how the ED is like a Shojo romance ED which fits (and the implications with Juiz).

My favorite moments are Fuko wanting to throw hands with shota Rip, being excited to be in school, and laughing herself into unconsciousness.

Chikara's story was pretty sad. Seems like it's rare to find a Negator story that doesn't end with them accidentally killing their parents when their powers activated, poor kids. Fuko/Tatiana/Chikara didn't deserve that. But at least they've all found their conviction and resolve to fight God, even if it means separating themselves from a normal life (for now). I hope Chikara can graduate with Ryo eventually.

It'll be interesting to see how anime onlies react to the next episode.
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killjoy_the



Joined: 30 May 2015
Posts: 2460
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 3:25 pm Reply with quote
MFrontier wrote:
Chikara's story was pretty sad. Seems like it's rare to find a Negator story that doesn't end with them accidentally killing their parents when their powers activated, poor kids


It worked for me in the episode but I really hope this isn't a trend. If they somehow make every Negator we're supposed to like a parent-murderer-on-accident in contrived ways it's just gonna end up being funny
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7351
Location: Maine
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 9:53 pm Reply with quote
killjoy_the wrote:
MFrontier wrote:
Chikara's story was pretty sad. Seems like it's rare to find a Negator story that doesn't end with them accidentally killing their parents when their powers activated, poor kids


It worked for me in the episode but I really hope this isn't a trend. If they somehow make every Negator we're supposed to like a parent-murderer-on-accident in contrived ways it's just gonna end up being funny

I promise you this is not the case, but their powers are usually the result of some sort of tragedy, though not always. The next Negator we meet is tragic in his own unique way. He's also likely the reason we got the ED we got.

By the way, the second BD went up for pre-order, looks like this cour is only 10 episodes for a 24 episode total run. Bummer.

Emerje
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7351
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 3:12 pm Reply with quote
So the problem with going from manga to anime like this is not only is the story getting condensed (two or so chapters per episode), but you get less time week to week with the characters. The betrayal felt like a much bigger deal in the manga because we spent more time with the characters (by a factor of two to three times). I can see why the impact didn't land as hard for anime only viewers, but we're hardly done here. There is a lot happening, more than it seems. spoiler[Billy is cruel, but he isn't entirely heartless, as the episode alluded to he's willing to make big sacrifices to save even more people.]

Isshin also got injured, a bullet got under the mask. That's going to be important motivation later.

Emerje
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OpenYourEels4TheNextFeels



Joined: 14 Nov 2023
Posts: 64
PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 5:39 pm Reply with quote
Emerje wrote:
So the problem with going from manga to anime like this is not only is the story getting condensed (two or so chapters per episode), but you get less time week to week with the characters. The betrayal felt like a much bigger deal in the manga because we spent more time with the characters (by a factor of two to three times). I can see why the impact didn't land as hard for anime only viewers, but we're hardly done here.

Agreed, though I will say that I appreciated that over the course of the series so far, the anime did add a few extra jokes/moments around Billy not being able to see what was going on, which I choose to interpret as the anime team at least being aware of this issue and trying to make the audience more attached to Billy in the lead up to his betrayal.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 11556
PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 8:57 pm Reply with quote
Just when you think you're back to status quo and then...bam! And this was like Chikara's first official Union meeting, too!

I like how they handled Billy's betrayal. I never noticed the Aizen vibes until they adapted his antagonist makeover after using Andy's power.

They also did an amazing job capturing Tatiana's emotional breakdown, poor girl.

Establishing how close Top and Isshin are.

Fuko shooting him for Tatiana's sake was a fantastic scene. I love how even with everything else going on she still prioritized Tatiana's feelings.

Latla looks amazing in a suit.
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