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Platinum End (TV).




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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 8:09 am Reply with quote


Platinum End (TV)

Genres: action, drama, supernatural, thriller
Themes: angels, God, superpowers, survival game

Plot Summary: After feeling his life is completely devoid of happiness, Mirai decides to commit suicide only to be saved by his guardian angel. His angel, then, grants him powers including: angel wings (for flying), a red arrow (to make others fall in love with him), and a white arrow (to give people a peaceful death). She, then, reveals to him that he is a candidate amongst 12 others and that they're competing to become the next God.

Oct. 7, 2021 (Thursdays; Crunchyroll, FUNimation)
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EPISODE INDEX

(Clicking on the episode will take you to my post that has a summary, comments, and screen-caps)

Episode 01: Gift from an Angel
Episode 02: Hero of Justice
Episode 03: Heart's Beloved
Episode 04
Episode 05

Episode 06
Episode 07
Episode 08
Episode 09
Episode 10

Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15

Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
Episode 20

Episode 21
Episode 22
Episode 23
Episode 24


I think it's safe to assume the Ohba/Obata duo make some great stories and art. I've not read the manga for this, but we all know the anime adaptation Death Note turned out pretty okay (and, maybe Bakuman., though I haven't seen/read that one, either). And thank goodness, the manga for this is done. Barring any major changes to the story, this should be a close-to-perfect adaptation, content-wise.


Last edited by Tony K. on Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:04 pm; edited 6 times in total
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Yttrbio
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 6:01 pm Reply with quote
Oh, excellent. My least favorite story structure (death game) involving my least favorite fictional power (mind control) in service to my least favorite theme (psychopath fiction). I'm again reminded that the Death Note author was surprised to find out that people thought Light was the good guy, but it seems like he went ahead and just leaned into it. It's becoming more and more clear that Redo of Healer was just ahead of its time.
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:28 am Reply with quote
Episode 01: Gift from an Angel

Summary: (After watching the first episode, I actually replaced the copied manga summary with my own. So what you see in the opener is the plot of the first episode and premise for the series. Future episodes will obviously contain a summary of that particular episode).
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Comments: So yeah, in case you didn't catch it already, the source material is from the duo behind Death Note, and this is very much looking like an even more over-the-top version of that. Basically have multiple Lights, but give 'em all superpowers, then have 'em Battle Royale it out for the title of God. Sounds pretty nuts and potentially entertaining.

Knowing the manga was illustrated by Obata and the insane amount of detail he puts into his characters, I'm actually quite pleased, so far, with how the anime manages to balance out the difference. The darker color palette of the characters and backgrounds combined with the brighter CG effects of the angel and powers give a great contrast to the art style.

Very much looking forward to Masahiro Tokuda's score. His work was a big reason I liked King's Raid, as the music for that was understated, yet great at filling moods. There's a good mix of traditional instruments and a slight hint of synth from what I can tell, thus far. The sound design in this seems quite bombastic. Even from headphones, I feel the oomph of the angel arrows (which strangely sound a lot like Dominators from Psycho-Pass) and the soft glittering of angel ambiance. I feel like Mirai, played by Miyu Irino (Ritsu from Mob Psycho 100), carries over a little bit of the inferiority complex he had as Ritsu, but then finally gets his character fulfillment as Mirai. It's only the first episode, but I'm excited to see where he can take the character.

Lots of people like to compare DN and Code Geass because of their morally questionable main characters and God complexes. Although, most could argue Light skewed towards the evil side. As crazy as both of those were, I'm looking forward to how this show might address that same kind of dilemma.
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Caps:



Last edited by Tony K. on Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 5:39 am Reply with quote
Yeah, I know these guys made Death Note but let's say the name "Future Diary" and remove all doubts about what's going on here.... the main character is even named "Mirai" so I don't know who these guys were trying to fool.

First episode... I like it but I also liked and still like Future Diary. Where Platinum Ends "skews" too closely to Future Diary is bit of an issue, I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about it but I laugh whenever it gets too close to Future Diary... "God has to be chosen, there's a dozen, no, thirteen candidates chosen... one of them's really into being a Sentai hero..." but what's different, what prevents these guys from getting sued?

Obscure Japanese Copyright law but more specifically, two things. 1 Mirai really wants to be a decent guy. Yukiteru was compromised from the start. 2 Nasse... we're shown another angel in the episode. "Hey, Nasse, they're all white, you got a bit of red on you, what gives?" Mirai doesn't ask... but that means she skews closer to Yuno and we're back to the first point.
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Tony K.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 4:12 am Reply with quote
Episode 02: Hero of Justice

Summary: After receiving his powers and learning some of their ground rules, Mirai discovers that a God Candidate named Tonma Rodriguez has been killed. He also discovers that another Candidate assuming a superhero identity called "Metropoliman" is trying to systematically eliminate the competition. And just when Mirai also decides to attend high school to find some happiness, he sees an Angel waiting at the school's entrance.
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Comments: It wouldn't be an Ohba shounen thriller without some convoluted rules and story branches.

- We've got three Angel ranks (Special, 1st, and 2nd), limitations on what powers they can grant (S = wings and both arrows, 1st = wings and red arrows, 2nd = wings *or* red arrows), but then also the fact that Angels can be promoted or demoted in rank (and thus affecting their power granting abilities).

- Max simultaneous usage (up to 14 targets at one time) and max time duration (up to 33 days) for red arrows. But you can only use red arrows *once* per person.

- Becoming a God Candidate and gaining powers is only for people who've lost the will to live. Revoking Candidate status gives up the powers, and thus also revokes the life of the person.

This episode is about half world building and half introducing Metropoliman, who seems to be one of the more dangerous and disingenuous Candidates. Then there's also the underlying pursuit for Mirai's happiness in that he wants to actually go to high school and try to get with his childhood sweetheart, but not use the red arrow, which feels like a total one-eighty from Metropoliman's dubiousness. Keep in mind we still have 10 other Candidates to discover. Then you have the Angels who might have ulterior motives because God promised them a "quiet life" with whichever of their Candidates wins.

I feel the potential complexity of this is like layers of a croissant on top of dominoes on top a house of cards on top a blob of oily jello inside an empty semi truck trailer with bad brakes driving on an ice road in outer space that's about to hit an asteroid field, and in the middle of that field is Pandora's Box with Schrodinger's cat. And this is only the second episode! I'm excited, yet overwhelmed at the same time.

I don't even wanna' try guessing where I think this will head. With all these rules and story elements, there are so many variables and things that could happen, I feel like it'd be a waste of time to even theorize. Maybe I should approach this as more of a roller coaster and just analyze it one step at a time. Be like Bob Wiley and take baby steps. Yeah.. Baby steps to the next episode.
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Caps:

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Blood-
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Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:51 pm Reply with quote
Well, I'm enjoying this, so THERE!!! Even if I hadn't known the peeps behind this created Death Note, I would have been able to guess it. I find the MC to be a bit of a mope what with his "ya can't kill anybody at any time for any reason!" attitude. Man, talk about your anti-Light.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:36 pm Reply with quote
1-16:

Finally caught up with this series after a friend recommended it to me.

So yeah, first things first: B-grade Death Note. All over the place. Don't want to point out all the parallels because there are way too much, but I guess most of us already know by now. At first I was surprised to see Uryuu biting the dust so early in the show especially when it seems like he's destined to be the ultimate baddie. But knowing how Death Note went, spoiler[especially when the same thing happened to L], it seems like the most obvious thing to happen from an audience's POV.

So now we're transiting from a Lawful Evil (Uryuu) to a Chaotic Neutral (Susumu), and the story now takes on a bigger scale by involving national interests and basically the rest of humanity. That's what happened in Death Note too, right. Of course this is what's happening.

This is over-the-top bonkers of a show, but one thing's for sure: it's never a dull moment in here. Nowhere as close as Death Note in terms of polish and storytelling, but hey, I take it for what it is. Now on with the show.
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ACxS



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PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 11:59 pm Reply with quote
17:

I've always had the impression that all the God candidates' characters are just caricatures. Seeing as how over-the-top the show blatantly is, the characters are just vehicles for morality issues, whether it's Mirai's categorical imperative beliefs, Mukaido's sense of utilitarianism, or Uryuu's egotism.

This time we have this guy (I don't know his name yet, so I will call him Hikikomori /shrugs). The episode basically lays out Hikikomori's entire worldview, showcasing tenets of antinatalism, right to die and a twisted sense of MYOB-ness. The funny yet profound part is Minamikawa's response on defending Uryuu, a classic example of how an evil man can be an angel somewhere (and vice versa). We all know that Hikikomori isn't a full-grown philosopher per se, but simply a broken kid who's had a very rough time. In short, his appeal to reason on why he shouldn't kill himself is just another way to express how hasn't found a good reason to live.

Let's what kind of philosophical views the other God candidates have. For now, we can kinda tell that Temari mostly has Epicurean views (both in the classical and contemporary sense), so what about the last one? This would be interesting.
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DuskyPredator



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PostPosted: Fri Feb 04, 2022 5:00 am Reply with quote
I have seen the show as pretty trashy, that I was honestly surprised that it was going into a second core, as most similar death game anime tend to finish after a dozen episodes without a definitive conclusion. Next episode's title being "The Last Supper" builds particular foreshadowing for what may happen, that there is going to be a Judas amongst the people. Probably because with most of the season still to come it can't be so straightforward. The obvious thought is someone hit by a red arrow, and if anyone in particular is targeted for betrayal, it would be who is put in the Christ position.
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Dayraven



Joined: 21 Jul 2021
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2022 5:23 am Reply with quote
Quote:
I was honestly surprised that it was going into a second core, as most similar death game anime tend to finish after a dozen episodes without a definitive conclusion.

I don’t think it’s that odd. The writer and artists’ past successes and good sales on the manga mean it’s got a better pedigree than most death game anime (whether the results live up to it or not). Plus it’s on course to reach the manga’s conclusion at the finish of a second cour.
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ACxS



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PostPosted: Thu Feb 10, 2022 11:44 pm Reply with quote
18:

To nobody's surprise, the five God candidates have reached an impasse in deciding who becomes the next God. Of course most of them would want Mirai (his name is definitely not a coincidence) to become one, but of course he doesn't. It would run against his ideals, especially godhood would essentially make him omnipotent. Even if he wants to grant happiness to the world, he would be imposing it and he's against that.

If you believe that God is the kind who simply watches the world, you would think that Shuji fits the bill. As someone who is detached from the world, he doesn't really care what happens to it. But if you think that God is benevolent, then of course Mirai is the best candidate.

Simply doing away with the God selection process is a fair solution. But HEY, the existing candidates definitely don't want that because they have their own self-interests, ammarite? Temari (whom I thought was more epicurean but is evidently more hedonist in nature) is not a fan of abolishing the process, and Shuji just gives people whatever they want.

Now we have Yoneda, a caricature of the Scientist (all the characters are caricatures imho). A True Neutral who, like a true scientist, suspends judgment and relies on empirical observation dispassionately before forming a conclusion. In this case, he's possibly a spanner in the works, or worst, the Judas who turns his back on the son of God (in this case, simply the God candidate #1 Mirai).

This is gonna be fun.
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ACxS



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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:38 pm Reply with quote
19:

Nothing about what the Professor says surprises me. Not one bit. Everything he said is exactly what someone like him should say. Therefore, I find it amusing how the show tries to make his statements as suspenseful as possible. As a true scientist at heart, atheism is only a logical outlook he would have when it comes to belief systems.

The interesting part is when he comes to terms with the existence of angels and "God". His belief that they exist only because people believe in them is also exactly what atheists would conclude, so that's also nothing surprising (at least to me). God and religion are just human inventions, and the less people believe in them, the less purpose they have in existing. But that's exactly what's happening to the world in RL right now.

Is the world doomed if we learn one day that God doesn't exist? The Four Horsemen of New Atheism certainly don't think so; humans would fight to live for more than just God because of other factors such as morals and ethics. The Professor believes that the world should just embrace a godless world and tenets of humanism because hey, essentially we are already gods of our own who define our own destinies.

But I find it comical how Mirai easily changes his mind about not wanting to become God, and Temari panicking over not having a new god. Just makes me wonder how flimsy their stances can be.
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DuskyPredator



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PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2022 10:01 pm Reply with quote
Episode 24 (final)

So, choosing to make a suicidal guy become god, led to him killing himself, and in turn pretty much created the rapture as all humans started to disappear from the planet (die) leaving their clothes behind. So if there was a message, was it that the professor was a dumbass because he was so sure that god cannot be real, that when shown any evidence he just assumed it was some fake, and his hubris pretty much ended humanity?

Really, I couldn't stand the professor, because so much of his character felt like phony intellectualism, where he came to wild conclusions based on negative information. And seemed to me like he doesn't even understand the concept of a scientific theory. A theory knowing for sure how something works, but the professor was so certain of his conclusions that he just forced the new facts he learned into fitting his own ideas. The problem is that I don't know if the show itself was really aware of how much of a dumbass he was, since it really liked to keep saying that he is a genius.

In general I found the show pretty trashy. Especially in the first half when it was really into the whole killing game thing, and played the evil guy like he was actually really deep and complex person. Also bringing in the super hero aesthetic, which I don't really understand how they all just decided on that look. And into the second half, where it played which was much above its level, and did not feel like it was as smart as it thought that it was. Despite all that it did have some good parts, and I did kind of like it the more it went along, although part of that might be ironically. I thought that it simultaneously looked very ugly and generic, but also kept a consistent look, which I grew into a bit more.

My rating is Decent (6/10), mostly for it growing onto me more after it got away from the sociopathic teenager.
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ACxS



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PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2022 10:09 pm Reply with quote
Final:

Man, talk about an unsatisfactory ending.

5/10.

I said it once and I'll say it again: B-grade (dollar store) Death Note. My mind hasn't changed at all. The show is just a cheap online course in philosophy, and the characters are nothing more than caricatures of different philosophical views, devoid of actual character development.

And the rules of the God Selection Process? Ridiculously arbitrary. Death Note made sense because it still worked within its parameters? Platinum End? It's so random that even the angels don't fully understand how the rules work! They admitted it themselves, their own words! Every kind of plot twist is a deus ex machina pulled out of somebody's ass. Best of all? And ending where Thanos basically won.

I will give this show one thing: it's not boring. Never has been, for better or worse. Like a trainwreck, it's unsightly but you can't turn your eyes away from it. I can tell that the creator Ohba Tsugumi wants to revive his masterpiece Death Note in a different way, but it's clearly inferior. Much more inferior.
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Blood-
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2022 11:11 am Reply with quote
Yeah, not sure how Platinum the end was. I give it points for being somewhat unexpected, though. I rated this show Decent because I was always interested in what was going on but its flaws are pretty obvious.
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