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Shelf Life - Summer Kamp

As with other Blu-rays, I've noticed the character animation was better off at standard definitions.

Kampfer is a trashy show, but I loved it. I noticed that of late, standard normal male ero-comedies don't get made anymore. Everything has to have some kind of shtick. But the good ones, like Baka Test or Kampfer introduce the shtick (Quiz Fight or Random Team Battle, respectively), and then ignore it for the majority of the show, concentrating on the romantic comedy. I guess they need the fantasy gimicks to pick up an audience, but most of the show is plain old ero-comedy, which is so much better than another Ikkitousen type show. Basically, Kampfer is like "Low budget magic battle" for three episodes and "Screw the fighting, let's go on a date" for nine, which is a very nice balance.

Also - pumpkin beer?

I've given Twelve Kingdoms a couple chances, but I just can't stand it. It's the only series I've ever watched where I've actually hated the main character.

I plan to watch Spice and Wolf, but I am usually a total sub guy, but I am concerned if I will be able to keep up with economics talk through subs... How much work does it take to watch it subbed?

I only own part 2 (on DVD), though, and for a long time I've wanted to buy part 1. So my question for Erin is, you say that the animation doesn't look the hottest on the BluRay. Does that mean I'd be better off just buying the DVD set (most likely used) rather than the BluRay, or just buy the BluRay? I'd like to have it looking as nice as possible.

Erin Finnegan wrote:

As with other Blu-rays, I've noticed the character animation was better off at standard definitions.

Eh?

Could you please elaborate?

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and somehow almost all of the girls are total lesbians, and they actually use the word “lesbian” and are totally aggressive.

So? Is there something wrong with the word lesbian? Or that they are aggressive lesbians as opposed to having sweetness and flowers and sparkles all the time? Maybe, its part of the joke? Yea, its kinda of a tired one in anime, but its par for the course.

immortalrite wrote:

Erin Finnegan wrote: As with other Blu-rays, I've noticed the character animation was better off at standard definitions. Eh? Could you please elaborate?

I don't think my PS3 can do screencaps... or can it?

But basically, I think there's this thing that happens with shows that came out before HDTV (and to some extent K-On), where the character animation wasn't meant to be seen that sharply. The ink lines (like the outlines) end up not looking quite right, as if "paint" has spilled out of the lines on a half-assed "cell". I should get screencaps somehow to show what I'm talking about.

12 Kingdoms seems like a clever, expansive, intricate fantasy epic; the sort of thing that I could watch at my leisure over a fair span of time. I've been slipping into the mood for that kind of thing lately.

It's a pity that the English dub isn't exemplary, but that's a flaw that I can either withstand or circumvent.

Kämpfer is surprisingly close to being softcore hentai compared to the average ero-comedy.

I don't think my PS3 can do screencaps... or can it?

But basically, I think there's this thing that happens with shows that came out before HDTV (and to some extent K-On), where the character animation wasn't meant to be seen that sharply. The ink lines (like the outlines) end up not looking quite right, as if "paint" has spilled out of the lines on a half-assed "cell". I should get screencaps somehow to show what I'm talking about.

I plan to watch Spice and Wolf, but I am usually a total sub guy, but I am concerned if I will be able to keep up with economics talk through subs... How much work does it take to watch it subbed?

Am I the only one who think that Youko was never annoying (I watched the DVD version with English subtitle+ Japanese audio).

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Kämpfer is surprisingly close to being softcore hentai compared to the average ero-comedy.

I'm not sure why some people are so quick to label something as softcore. Just because some of the girls like Shizuku are aggressive in trying to (playfully) seduce Natsuru does not mean ZOMG-borderline-hentai Regardless of whether you like the show or not, objectively speaking, this show is not even close and is in fact on par with and is more often tamer than many others. It doesn't even have any nudity whatsoever for crying out loud (hence the tv-14 rating Sentai gave it)

Surrender Artist wrote:

12 Kingdoms seems like a clever, expansive, intricate fantasy epic; the sort of thing that I could watch at my leisure over a fair span of time. I've been slipping into the mood for that kind of thing lately.

12 Kingdoms is exactly how you described, and the "I hated Youko at first" reaction that many have been voicing is very common, perhaps even prevalent. As others have noted, the degree of character growth and development she undergoes over the course of the series is nothing short of astounding. (Youko is not the only major character who sees that kind of progression, either. Two girls introduced in the third arc follow similar paths to self-improvement.) That's why the final scene of episode 39, which represents the climax of both the third arc and the entire series to that point, is widely-regarded as one of the all-time-great anime scenes.

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It's a pity that the English dub isn't exemplary, but that's a flaw that I can either withstand or circumvent.

You'll get widely mixed opinions on this. IIRC, the Japanese director is on record as saying that he not only liked but actually preferred the English dub.

On my first watch-through I was annoyed with Yoko's continual crying, so I was glad the producers included the non-novel character Sugimoto. Sugimoto likes to read epic fantasy, and she's thrilled to be transported to sword-and-sorcery land. I'm not sure I like the ending Sugimoto's character comes to in this season, but I can understand why they went there.

Surrender Artist wrote:

12 Kingdoms seems like a clever, expansive, intricate fantasy epic; the sort of thing that I could watch at my leisure over a fair span of time. I've been slipping into the mood for that kind of thing lately.

12 Kingdoms is exactly how you described, and the "I hated Youko at first" reaction that many have been voicing is very common, perhaps even prevalent. As others have noted, the degree of character growth and development she undergoes over the course of the series is nothing short of astounding. (Youko is not the only major character who sees that kind of progression, either. Two girls introduced in the third arc follow similar paths to self-improvement.) That's why the final scene of episode 39, which represents the climax of both the third arc and the entire series to that point, is widely-regarded as one of the all-time-great anime scenes.

Quote:

It's a pity that the English dub isn't exemplary, but that's a flaw that I can either withstand or circumvent.

You'll get widely mixed opinions on this. IIRC, the Japanese director is on record as saying that he not only liked but actually preferred the English dub.