Topic: Anime & Manga (NO SPOILERS PLEASE)

@Pizzamorg, I don't mind the god forms in theory (they're sorta unrelated to regular Super Sayain forms, being borne from a sort of pure hearted enlightenment rather than anger), but I think they just handled them sloppy, largely due to the fact that Battle of Gods (and Resurrection F) was supposed to be a one off, then they decided to rework the entire concept with Super (which reimagined those arcs).

But yeah, Super is even sloppier than the rest of the series in terms of narrative/continuity, IMO, with the Goku Black arc in particular being a particular flustercluck. What gets me is that apparently Toriyama isn't a big fan of the whole Goku being "Japan's Superman" thing, so Super goes out of it's way to establish that they can still be hurt by conventional weaponry if they don't dodge/deflect it (despite even going back as far as Nappa these guys could tank full on military assaults), which is completely at odds with them attaining literal god forms, lol (I still can't believe they had Zamasu/Goku Black retreating from a freakin' gas canister, lol).

I think most of my fondness for DBZ really comes from nostalgia. The main thing that really makes me think that is more than a decade ago I read the manga and at least 6 years ago I watched Kai. And both times I got bored with the Android saga and skipped straight to Buu, and I can only assume that's because I never watched the Android or Cell parts of DBZ as a kid.

Yeah like isn't one of the first displays of power in Z when the invading Raditz is blasted by a farmer's shotgun and it just pinged off him without a dent? And that was long before Saiyans had 95 forms they could take.

@Pizzamorg, Raditz actually caught the bullet & flicked it back, but yeah, even before that King Piccolo was hit with a Rifle/Shotgun at point blank range & didn't get a scratch.

I think the idea in general came from a good place to reemphasize technique over raw power (to address complaints people had over anyone who wasn't a Sayain becoming effectively useless in later parts of Z), but instead of providing a well thought out explanation for it, they just have Krillin, Tien, 17 (who by all accounts & purposes should be way behind Goku & co at this point) & the like able to hold their own suddenly, and just say "technique".

For example, as much as I love him, Master Roshi had no business being in the Tournament of Power (realistically he would have melted if someone merely looked at him the right way, lol). Instead of dropping Buu for Frieza, it should have been Roshi to go. Seriously, Buu meeting Frieza would be comedy gold & they absolutely blew it (second time too, since they also avoided it during Resurrection F), all because they seemingly couldn't write for Buu and came up with a completely new plot point saying he sleeps for months on end (always as soon as things go down so they can sideline him, every arc). I could understand if they think his regen would be too OP, but two of the arcs they dropped him from were ring out condition tournaments (where that wouldn't have been a huge help to him).

I've never understood anime, never liked it. I can respect the work that goes into it, but I can't be bothered to watch it.

I do have some exceptions, most notably the Pokemon Anime, meme animes on YouTube (for example, Spongebob the anime (blood warning)), and the extremely rude Pop Team Epic.

@Link-Hero They like the Pokemon Anime though, I don't think trying to show them the good ones will help.

My defense for DBZ is that it doesn't pretend to be more than it is, so you can take it as simple, effective, good vs. evil storytelling. And I'd much rather have that than have a story try to be deeper and then fail (which Naruto sometimes does, partially by, ironically, trying to be like DBZ).

This is also why I think Demon Slayer is notably better than My Hero Academia. I'd rather have a story be really good at what it does then try to be epic and meaningful and not actually get there.

Demon Slayer also has some of the most insane animation I've seen in this genre, too. Like I feel like good animation, especially in shounen, just goes so damn far, because they are about action more than anything else. Demon Slayer is basic all hell in like every regard, even the action scenes on paper aren't all that exciting, but the animation, direction, design, just elevates every moment. I can recount that show practically frame by frame because every single frame is like it's own art piece that could be framed above your living room.

@Pizzamorg When I read the manga for Demon slayer, it was amazing! But then the anime comes out, and its just holy &#$. The fights that were very simple to start with all of a sudden gain much, much more life, even the short fights got amazing animation!

Its like you said, it goes so far, it does waay more then it needs to, and because of that, it has my respect.

Well, after two seasons, Yashahime: Princess Half Demon finished up this past weekend.

It had it's moments for sure, but between the incredibly sloppy/bloated narrative, disregard to established continuity/lore, and overall a lot of narrative/character decisions I didn't care for on a personal level, I'm immensely disappointed.

Granted, I don't think I could tell you exactly what I'd want from an InuYasha sequel, but this definitely wasn't it. I don't even have the energy for a rant.

By sheer coincidence, all the new anime I decided to watch are comedy shows. It especially stands out since I've not watched a lot of anime comedies in recent years.

But despite Spy X Family being anime of the season and Ya Boy Kongming being the dark horse "cool people watch this early" type of show (also one of the best names for any anime ever), Kaguya-sama is just the best anime comedy, again. It's rare that a comedy nowadays gets me to legit lol beyond a small chuckle, but I've burst out laughing at least once every episode since the last season. And then sometimes its also a top tier high school drama series, because it can, because it is the best.

Hey do any of you know what anime this screenshot is from?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7ozf6LWUAELIl8.jpg

A reverse image search suggests it is 'Miss caretaker of Sunohara-sou'. I ain't big into ecchi shows, so you'll have to confirm if that is what it is.

In terms of me, I FINALLY made it through the first two seasons of Jojo. I thought they were truly awful - like quite easily up there with some of the worst media I have ever finished. I can't tell if the people who hold these episodes up as like the "pinnacle of anime" are all in one some unspoken joke or what, because it feels like parody. I only watched them because if you tell a Jojo fan you skipped the first two parts, they explode into a tantrum and start trashing your house. I figured there had to be a reason, I kept slogging through and... no. You can skip these parts quite easily, whoever tells you otherwise is tricking you. It just has to be.

I watched them over several blocks across years, so already forgot most of what happened but I just found them so awful, I would slog through a few episodes. Have enough. Take a break for months. Come back, fall into a pit of despair at the idea of having to go back to the start again, so I just kept going from where I remembered getting to and eventually years later it was finally over.

Thankfully, now I am on the portion of the show I wanted to be on, the show already seems significantly better. I am only a few episodes into part 3, but the animation is better, the pace is better and action scenes are more like action scenes, rather than weird turn based, still shots of people standing there explaining convoluted, nonsensical, plans for like three episodes straight. In some senses I guess it is more like a generic shounen battle show than the first two seasons were, but that is all I want and I think given the power system shifts so dramatically here, they do more work than I expected to make it all fit together and make sense.

I have also made a start on rewatching Scryed. It is like the most generic shounen ever, but I watch it every couple of years because it has some cool powers/battle scenes without all the usual padding of a shounen that keeps the fights far removed from each other.

I also have been working through Star Wars Visions on Disney+, other than the twins episode which I thought was whatever, I have really enjoyed the other three episodes I have seen. I am very much someone who always preferred the ideas of Star Wars than necessarily the execution of those ideas - especially in the main movies. I think the best Star Wars stuff has always been found in the expanded media of like comics, animated shows etc and Visions is very much a continuation of that.

Anime:

• Finished up the Alabasta Arc in One Piece awhile ago. Fun, but I need to take a break from it.
• Getting into even more retro anime recently, finishing both Angel Cop & Magic User's Club (more details on each posted in the general TV thread), and have just started City Hunter.

Manga:

• Still slowly working my way through my current reread of InuYasha.

Other:

• I've put pre-orders down on my first two Super Sonico figures over the past couple months, the first of which is supposed to release this month (unless it gets delayed), so I'm excited about that.

@Pizzamorg thanks man

Spent the last week going through some more Studio Ghibli films, from old to new... I had a blast with each of them, and frankly I'm surprised I didn't see them earlier.

• My Neighbour Totoro
• Kiki's Delivery Service
• When Marnie Was There
• The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

My favourite of the bunch is not clear but I think Kiki, Marnie and Kaguya were all very close, and Totoro was last (but not least at all). Marnie in particular has a great protagonist in Anna... well all of them have great protagonists, but Anna in particular is from a movie set in the modern day, so has the most relatable aspects, like asthma, depression and chronic loneliness.

@Sakura_Fox I've arrived

@EllaTheKawaiiNeko Hi! waves

So do you read manga?

@Sakura_Fox Yeah, I read manga if I realy like a series. Some manga I've read are Fly Me To The Moon, Karakai Jouzu no (Moto) Takagi-san, Senko-san the Helpful fox, Happy Sugar Life, School-Live, and Demon Slayer. What are some manga you have read?

Anime:

Since my last post, I've finished the first season of City Hunter, and have also watched Iria: Zeiram the Animation, Wanna be the Strongest in the World, & Aika R-16: Virgin Mission (put more detailed thoughts on each in the "TV Mega Thread"). Currently starting my next stretch in One Piece.

Manga:

Still working through InuYasha, and am 1 or 2 chapters away from finishing Volume 13 (of the 3 in 1 "VizBig" volumes). Also bought the first Volume of YashaHime in support, but won't be starting it until I've finished InuYasha.