Forum - View topicShelf Life - Recycled Air
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ShellBullet
 Posts: 1051 Location: I hit things, with my fist. |
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I have to agree with Vekou on this one. So far the series has been interesting, but not particularly enthralling. And it's no good saying "it gets better later"; after thirteen episodes any series should have already hit its stride. As I said FMA is good, but some of the elements could be done better. Some of the characters are just not believable. Most of the main characters are fine, however several of these "mean" millitery leaders are just stereotypical bullies with no motivation or reason behind their actions. Another thing, what's up with the "Law of Equivalent Exchange?" Supposedly you can't get anything without giving up something of equal value, but Ed constantly conjures things out of thin air without giving up anything. 
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Raoh
 Posts: 357 Location: Florence, OR |
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Yeah, the first two episodes do keep you entertained because you really wanna know whats going on. Around episode five, I got bored with it, as nothing really new had come to light by that time. I normally give a new show four episodes to catch my attention, if it can't, then I don't watch it. I gave Gantz six episodes, at which point I asked myself why I kept watching. |
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Nani?
 Posts: 632 |
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You know, you pick series because they fit your taste. Don't like something, fine. But Bamboo is right as describeing the show as-- " Gantz is captivating not only as a man vs. aliens manhunt, but also as a social commentary for all that’s wrong with the world. Viewers are given an open window into each character’s mind, letting them access everyone’s thoughts except for two who are more “innocent.”" A friend of mine who has seem more of the show described it as the bastard love child of Haibane Renmei and Saikano, so you can guess it's not a happy cheerful show or one with violence for violence sake like Fist of the North Star. IMHO it pegs large segments of Japanese (and American) society head on the same way Battle Royale does. However, It's not something everyone wants to see. Fine, but what Bamboo does is say that is a high quality show of this type for at least these two episodes. She also gives me enough information to let me know I might like The Daichis because I 1) seem to like everything Shoji Kawamori does and 2) am a fan of redemptive storylines and Daichis seems to have that going on. To me, that means she's earned her big bucks for this Shelf Life installment. All the Best, Nani? |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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You're right. In the first 13 episodes, there's no clear motivation behind their actions. Like, why are they hunting down certain groups? Why do they do certain things? All of that gets revealed at the end though, in a series of very powerful twists. However, I agree that unless you've seen the end, it's not clear how any of this is relevant. But even while I was watching it, I never really thought about "hey, why is this bad guy being bad?" Instead, what kept my attention was how the Elric brothers, and some of the military men dealt with that opposition. How no matter what kind of bureacratic force was standing in their way, they were able to keep going on blindly, because to them, obtaining their goal was worth any risk, without question. That, to me, showed the strength of the characters, which was what drew me into the series to begin with.
Gimme an example of when. |
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Raoh
Posts: 357 Location: Florence, OR |
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Fist of The North Star isn't a "violence for violence sake" show. It's actually a love story, about how far a man will go to be with the one he loves. Its just that he kills alot of people, to be with said person. Wow, if nobody knows this, they're probably overlooking something they might like, since it seems everyone thinks Fist of The North Star has no plot, and thats just wrong, period. |
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biliano
Posts: 956 Location: Cleveland, OH |
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This point proves my earlier comment that the strong bond between the Elric brothers is the greatest strength of FMA. Also, in the future, please do not change the subject line on an existing thread. I don't know why Vekou changed the subject line from "Shelf Life - Recycled Air" to "My two cents on Hagaren." This is the second time that I had to change the subject heading back to what it was; it starting to be (confusing) to the readers. I'm pointing this out because people were discussing Gantz and Fist of the North Star with the heading "My two cents on Hagaren", which can cause utter confusion to the readers.
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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^^;; I use flat view anyway, as do many readers, I think, so a lot of us don't even notice that the subject line's been changed. I know that I never even glance at it, and either just hit "reply" to the last post, or quote the person I'm responding to. |
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Shiki MSHTS
 Posts: 738 Location: NoVA |
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Also, thin air is kinda something to give up. Ok. That might be kinda silly, but I think you get the gist. =P |
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cyrax777
 Posts: 1825 Location: the desert |
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I just assumed Ed was basicly changing somethings properties it when he makes his arm into a sword. he's not really pulling it out of thin air. |
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garry
Former ANN Editor
 Posts: 120 |
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I got mad love for Ippo and all, but I have to support Bamboo's placement of Fighting Spirit v3 in the rental category. Ippo's just the kind of show where no one moment or episode gets you. It's the times when you watch him fight Ozuma, or spoiler[the Mashiba fight, where Ippo uses his shattered right hand to "avenge" Miyata,] and you realize how much he's grown. That's the appeal, and the trouble with that is the thirty episodes you have to watch to feel that way.
At the same time, I seem completely immune to FMA's charms. Anyone else just completely burned out on watching junior high school kids IN SPACE or ON MIDDLE EARTH? As I slouch into my middle twenties I have less and less in desire to buy into the fresh faced prettyboys that get shoveled into the spotlight by the different production houses. I understand the reasoning, and respect that they're playing to the market. I'm just not in that market anymore. This is why I'm chewing through my bottom lip waiting for Planetes to hit over here. Real grown up garbage men. IN SPACE! Yeah! |
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biliano
Posts: 956 Location: Cleveland, OH |
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Space-based garbage men? Now this I got to see! 
Any idea when Bandai plan to release the first DVD? I'm anxious to watch the interview with the NASA scientists. |
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Shorty22
 Posts: 504 |
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Well, it usually seems like nothing, but I thought Ed was just using the useless stuff around him at the time. When Ed & Al were children they made Winry a doll out of what looked like a pile of dirt/sand. Ed seems to pull things from sand/dirt quite a few times. Although, I can understand that sand doesn't really seem equal to what he's making... Also, I've noticed that a lot of the time, Ed isn't really making something new, but 're-adjusting' something pre-existing, like fixing Al's cracked arm, cleaning his muddy clothes, or making that cannon out of the top of the train. |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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Sand contains a lot of iron and other metals. In the first episode, when he pulls the lance out of the sand, he has enough sand that he can get a good chunk of iron. Same with the toys. (Notice that if you go to the playground with a magnet and drag it around in the sand, when you pull it out, it will be covered in iron.) |
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