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REVIEW: Infinite Stratos + Encore Blu-Ray


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JohnnySake



Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 582
Location: Auburn Hills, MI
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 5:51 am Reply with quote
It sounds like I might have been one of the few people who actually really enjoyed the show. If you are looking for a serious, action-packed, big series-long plot line, you'll probably be disappointed. What got me hooked to the show was the comedy. Yes, the harem cliches are old and well-used, but some of the interactions between the one male and the rest of the IS users had me laughing out loud.

I actually was wishing for more of a serious storyline throughout the episodes, but maybe that was not what the writers were going for. Another thought that occurred to me near the end of this series this easily could have resulted in a second season, with the first season being one big set-up for the cast of characters to be established.

One more thing to keep in mind about a show like this is to look at all the merchandise available for this show. There is *alot*. That also tells you something about what the show's producers had hoped this show would result in. I'm actually surprised I have not heard of a second season for IS for just that reason.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23769
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 5:57 am Reply with quote
JohnnySake wrote:
It sounds like I might have been one of the few people who actually really enjoyed the show.


I don't think so. From what I can remember of the IS discussion thread, it seemed to have its fair share of fans.
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aereus



Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 574
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:04 am Reply with quote
I was one of the people who watched it in spite of myself.

What I find sad about it is the Japanese response. The story is SO cliche, and SO badly written, and SO phoned-in. And yet it still sold like 40k per volume. The only MC more dense than Ichika was Natsuru from Kampfer...

It really makes me feel like I need to create a Japanese pen name and sell an LN to Japan. It's like printing money...
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Starsplash Taiwan



Joined: 03 Feb 2011
Posts: 134
Location: Taipei Taiwan
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:13 am Reply with quote
Shit... I actually like the show. I always go into anime with no expectations because I've never seen it, and just because their are reviews and opinions or people posting their opinions about it, doesn't mean all of the sudden I've seen it. I had no expectations with IS and I actually liked it. I did the same thing with Beat Angel! and really struggled to watch it (There was a point around ep 3 that I said fudge it... this sux Im not watching this. I watched the whole thing and it didn't get any better.)

I actually liked the series a lot. Its being played here on Animax in Taiwan right now a lot. I can't wait for it to come on in the US so I can replace my malaysian version. I like harems in general because its fun for the male to get into the situation and to see what the females will do about it. Its entertaining for me.


Last edited by Starsplash Taiwan on Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:16 am; edited 2 times in total
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Yttrbio



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 3652
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:13 am Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
There's a show called Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?. The lead male is a zombie except he is also a magical girl whose battle costume is, well, that of a magical girl. Frills and everything. From what I've heard there are even panty shots of the dude, as if the show was poking fun at audience's expectations or something.
That's the show I typically contrast with Infinite Stratos as a harem show that prioritizes humor over wish fulfillment. It came to the same crossroads... "Hmm... the ridiculous logic of this show supports crossdressing" and asked "Would crossdressing be funny?" rather than "would crossdressing be something the viewer would want to be forced into?"
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asimpson2006



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 3151
Location: USA
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:17 am Reply with quote
While I have not heard the dub I do have to agree with this review. I enjoyed the first three episode when I watched it as they aired, then decided to marathon the Japanese BD rips (still had the video play on TAN for their numbers) and in the end I was just disappointed with the show.

There was a lot of potential here for it to break away or at least do something different with the harem elements. I think if the series was 24 or 26 episodes I think then the series would have been better since there would have been time to develop the harem elements and potential get some type of conclusion.

Anyways, I am not going to buy this show (no offense there Sentai) I watched it once and well once was enough. I might just have the dub on in the background just to hear it.
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MrTerrorist



Joined: 20 Oct 2010
Posts: 1348
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:28 am Reply with quote
Theron Martin wrote:
...and Kana Honiara (Charles/Charlotte)


Uh, Martin. You got her name wrong. It's Kana Hanazawa.
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JoePianist



Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 37
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:38 am Reply with quote
I don't know about the rest of you, but I wholeheartedly agree with this review.
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jl07045



Joined: 30 Aug 2011
Posts: 1527
Location: Riga, Latvia
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:54 am Reply with quote
Blood- wrote:
JohnnySake wrote:
It sounds like I might have been one of the few people who actually really enjoyed the show.


I don't think so. From what I can remember of the IS discussion thread, it seemed to have its fair share of fans.


If I'm not mistaken, the first volume sold around 35k units in Japan. It was also quite popular in 4chan, so, yes, there are quite a lot of fans for this one.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
Posts: 23769
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:20 am Reply with quote
Yeah, I wasn't even taking into account its strong sales in Japan. I was just talking about its non-Japanese viewers.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4081
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:35 am Reply with quote
Blood- wrote:
JohnnySake wrote:
It sounds like I might have been one of the few people who actually really enjoyed the show.


I don't think so. From what I can remember of the IS discussion thread, it seemed to have its fair share of fans.


I'm not really sure why; Put me down as one of those who enjoyed the harem side but was bored to tears by lack of meaningful action. The main story/battle for the team to fight is...

Yeah, Infinite Stratos was cute but so are so many other shows. Is This a Zombie? is so, so much better for both its harem comedy and its unrelenting chainsaw action. Also, its chainsaw comedy and harem action.

For that matter, Cat Planet Cuties accomplished what IS tried to do. Oh yeah, both shows had villains, plot, development...

Was there any real need for the battle suits besides the fact that all other countries had them? I don't remember.


Quote:

There was a lot of potential here for it to break away or at least do something different with the harem elements. I think if the series was 24 or 26 episodes I think then the series would have been better since there would have been time to develop the harem elements and potential get some type of conclusion.


I can say "No" in 15 different languages but saying it once here is enough, I think. There's barely enough content to float thirteen episodes. This is a concept that really neded another guy, for so many reasons {And yeah, that was a spoiler. Again...}

One last thing about Is This a Zombie, it's not the panty shots, it's the obligitory magical girl transformation that'll linger in your mind. Oh yeah, he's nude and that's his butt. And then...
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Chagen46



Joined: 27 Jun 2010
Posts: 4377
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:54 am Reply with quote
Hey.


Hey guys?

Remember when anime was good?


Quote:
One last thing about Is This a Zombie, it's not the panty shots, it's the obligitory magical girl transformation that'll linger in your mind. Oh yeah, he's nude and that's his butt. And then...


That just makes me want to read Zombie Descarr even MORE (-is bis and loves crossdressing guys)
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darkchibi07



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 5468
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:07 am Reply with quote
jl07045 wrote:


If I'm not mistaken, the first volume sold around 35k units in Japan. It was also quite popular in 4chan, so, yes, there are quite a lot of fans for this one.


This will forever boggle my mind. Out of all hetero harem series that came out in the past few years, THIS managed to pull in at least 30K on average? Was it the sleek setting? Was it because of Kana Hanazawa's Charles/Charlotte?
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Chagen46



Joined: 27 Jun 2010
Posts: 4377
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:14 am Reply with quote
It's because IS, being a Light Novel, is targeted not to Otaku, but to horny 13-15 year-old boys. There's a LOT of those around. Sure, there's the Otaku periphery demographic, but still.
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Mawdryn



Joined: 28 Feb 2006
Posts: 240
Location: St. Louis, MO. U.S.A.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:23 am Reply with quote
Haters gotta hate, but I loved this show. It's a silly harem comedy with mecha, but if you're not into either or prefer something more serious, it's definitely not for you.
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