Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Clevatess
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andramus
 Posts: 221 |
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James,
For your reviews do you only watch the dubs or both dubs and subs? I'm pretty much sub only and only occasionally check out dubs. Usually when I'm trying to introduce my grandfather to an anime I think he might like (he abhors subtitles). From my occasional foray into dubs it's sometimes feel like watching an entirely different show. So much so that I could be talking to someone about an episode and have an entirely different understanding of what happened in it because they watched the dub and I watched the sub. |
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Greed1914
 Posts: 5356 |
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Definitely some tough subject matter to sit through, but I give them credit for not making light of any of it, and for not trying to make Clevatess into some kind of misunderstood hero.
You can maybe derive some humor from things like him not having any clue what he took on by raising a human baby, but the way he handles things are completely serious. To his mind, humanoids should be satisfied with what territory they are allowed to have, and the retribution is deserved. He has no problem telling Alicia he wants to install a puppet king because that should be preferable to extinction. He was playing along to hide what he is, so of course Nell didn't take him up on his offer, but he wouldn't know that her saying yes to something that was a fantasy to her would be just one more thing to lose, which would be cruel for someone who has been getting by with telling herself that things could somehow get worse. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 19138 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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As someone who typically watches favorite shows both subbed and dubbed, I can agree that there have been legitimate cases of what you're describing in the past, but they are rare these days. This one is definitely NOT one of them. I watched episode 3 both ways, and thus can confirm that the English dub is dead-on with what the subtitles are doing; in fact, I'd argue that the effect they're going for with Nell works better in English, since the subtitles don't try to mimic the slurring of Nell's dialog. (The Japanese dub does, but reflecting that accurately into subtitles would have been very tricky.) I'm also with James on this series being practically tailor-made for me. While I think I have a higher tolerance for isekai/game-based fantasy than he does, I was a fan of old-school fantasy for decades before isekai came along, and I'm loving that anime (and the LNs/manga it's based on) haven't completely forgotten about that style. Based on the first three eps, this is an early contender for being one of the season's top qualitative titles. |
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James_Beckett
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 304 Location: USA |
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It depends. I don't have anything against watching dubs over subs, but the nature of the job makes it difficult to cover streaming shows in anything other than Japanese unless it gets a SimulDub (like Clevatess). I will try to check both languages if it seems like complex conversations might be losing something in translation, but like Key and others will tell you, most localizations these days are strong enough that there is no need to worry about such things. In the case of Clevatess, I think the viewing experience in English is just as good as watching in Japanese. The same goes for a show like Dan Da Dan, which I actually think plays even better in English because of how strong the cast is. |
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meiam
Posts: 3674 |
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I really like Alicia actively using her immortality, so many character in these type of show have immortality/regeneration and barely ever use it, but she take advantages of it in multiple way (from the bridge to using it to fight without having to worry about injuries).
Nothing against Nell, but I do hope they don't just rez her. I think all powerful character can work if there vulnerability is the character around them (like a video game escort mission). If even other character dying is of no consequence, it'll be hard to care about anything happening. She's not that present in the OP, so I hope thats a sign they won't. |
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Minos_Kurumada
Posts: 1442 |
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The only problem I have with the series is the inconsistency in Alicia's power level.
It's extremely hard for me to accept that she couldn't break free of her handcuffs after what I saw her doing in episode 1. I mean, she is one of the 13 legendary heroes and, she apparently, can defeat 20 hobos, that means all the 13 amount for 250ish bandits with dysfunctional teamwork... that sounds weak for a legendary band of merry men who will kill these legendary beasts. If people thought they could be killed by an army of 300 people with cool red weapons it's weird they didn't try before, of course, this can be fixed later by claiming that mastering the cool weapons it's really hard. Outside of this, I like the series a lot. Regarding the prophecy, this has all the looks of a "Self fulfilled prophecy", an older Luna will be this king, Clevetess just triggered this scenario, besides, the intro shows a group of people with read weapons, I suppose the series will be about doing what these "Explore Humanity" series do and at the end of each arc they will win a new party member. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 19138 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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She IS present in a brief shot in the ED, though, right beside another girl who has the same build, eye color, and hair color except for a shock of white, and the backdrop is the pit where the bandit camp is located. That version of her is also prominently featured holding Luna in the series' advertising art, so it's a safe bet she'll somehow continue despite what happens to her in episode 3. |
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NeverConvex
 Posts: 2690 |
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Feel kind of ambivalent about this one so far. Enjoying the ride enough to keep tuning in weekly, and it never feels like a painful trudge through the 20 minutes, but I also keep wondering just how grim and dark the grimdark is going to get, and whether there's purpose to it.
Also, found the mild fan-service-like elements felt really out of place with the overall atmosphere, and kind've temporarily pulled me out've the vibe the show had generally built. Similarly, the Clevatess-gets-bonked-on-the-head-by-a-random-bandit scene -- even though I found it genuinely funny -- felt like a kind of weird bit of levity to insert. I do like that the mechanics of immortality are treated pretty intelligently by the heroine, like meiam said, and so far I like most of the relationship between Clevatess and the heroine, and his relationship to humanity more generally. Also genuinely quite curious about the mysteries of the world that were heavily teased in episode 1; I have a soft spot for 'the great dangerous unknown' as a narrative trope.
Also agree with this -- I'd like it if either there were some significant drawback/limit to the res power, or if Clevatess's capricious use of it didn't just-happen to align with viewers' sympathies |
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jdnation
Posts: 2499 |
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This show is a great breath of fresh air in the midst of many so-so rote fantasy shows. Dark without any hammy edginess with good character writing and an extremely interesting premise. I am very interested in seeing where this world and story go. Also a shout-out to the Ellie Goulding ED!
I don't think Alicia's power levels are inconsistent, so much as her body is not fully under her control and can only act within whatever parameters Clevatess allows her to. |
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Gina Szanboti
 Posts: 12743 |
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They made a point of saying that Cleaver couldn't restore lost body parts, and Nell/Neru was still breathing when last we saw her, so I have no doubt she will be "saved" in one manner or another, for the practical reason that he needs her services as a wet nurse. I also have no expectation that this means her future will be full of happy puppies and babies.
Side note: I think I may just call him Klen from now on. The "-ess" suffix on his name is just too encoded in my brain as female, and he's chosen to present as male, and that's the name he's ok with, so...yeah. |
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DolFun The Dolphin Vtuber
 Posts: 83 Location: Phinland/Australia |
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That was pretty good 40+ mins of anime I just watches.
Clevatess was absolutely op in his normal form, those humas didn't stand a chance. It's a dark anime but will have funny moments since he decided to take the baby and revive Alicia. Kinda surprise he was taken out instantly in human form and is even affected quite a lot by magic. |
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TJ_Kat
Posts: 882 Location: Saskatoon, Canada |
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I have a teensy issue with episode 3. First, Alicia is going to need a magic red sword for story purposes, that checks out. Second, needing it to defeat hordes of bandits before her body gives out is actually a great reason for her to get it now. My problem is that in the process of going to get the sword, she wipes out 95% of the bandits, so doesn't actually need the sword.
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Thesarum
 SubscriberPosts: 779 |
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One key difference is she's got an arcanite weapon when fighting a legendary beast (and this x13 was still woefully inadequate to actual fight one. I also don't think they were all that unique, it sounds like other parties had been dispatched in previous generations too, and also all failed.) Even so, it's clear she's significantly more powerful than the bandits, just not exponentially more powerful in the style of your typical isekai/shonen protag. She's just a highly skilled (and coincidentally immortal) human, not a super powered one. Like some others have commented, I appreciate the way the immortality is handled. She's immortal, not invincible. Death still hurts, being forcibly stuck back together hurts. There's a very significant cost to her (not so much Clevatess) that means she's incentivised not to rely on it unless backed into a corner.
That's simply efficiency on her part. I don't imagine this will be the only time she'll be in need of a power up. |
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jdnation
Posts: 2499 |
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She's likely thinking long-term, and there's still that beast and it's boss to fight who said he possesses knock-off red weapons (though unknown to her Clevatess is taking care of them) and ultimately she would like to kill Clevatess himself. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 12743 |
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And this could be her only chance to get it. Wiping out the 95% by tossing them into the giant piranha pond lets her slip by in a barrel. If she just killed off the handful left on land and then tried for the sword, without the feeding frenzy going on, the fish would probably notice. |
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