hontou ni » Kannagi

Kannagi OVA – Strangely unsatisfying

Stripey — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:30:32 +0000

Actually after a short reflection, it isn't so strange that I didn't enjoy the Kannagi OVA as much as hoped. The OVA suffered from the same issues as the TV series - too much immiscible fat. Note that I enjoyed the 'fatty' bits of Kannagi. Those fun eps were entertaining, even titillating. But with a sudden change in tone as the series rushed towards a hurried end, one can't help but wonder if the storytelling could have been better managed. Looking back, there were at least 2 'fatty' episodes that did nothing to contribute to the overarching story or character development. Sure, I laughed and for many, that should be enough. However, my love for Kannagi's cast compels me to set a higher standard for the series.

The OVA adds to that fat content, only I didn't get as much laughs. Little was added to the overarching plot. There was minimal character development. Neither was there deepened character love (ok maybe Zange but then even her presence is just awesome). For some reasons, Da Capo and SHUFFLE comes to mind when I think of well-integrated storytelling. Both series may be deceiving in that they seem to have a lot of pointless episodes, featuring bishoujos, fanservice or just random silliness. But take it from one who has seen Da Capo countless times and SHUFFLE numerous times that, upon closer inspection, both series compositions are exceptionally coherent and focused. Woven into seemingly mindless harem hijinks are intentional plot or character developments. Such thrusts are what is missing generally from Kannagi.

That said, I would look forward to a season 2 for Kannagi very much. There is much to unveil in terms of plot and a lot of ground to cover for character liaisons. I just hope we'd get marbled beef instead of lard from a 2nd season.

Chara Design as a necessarius condition

Zyl — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:12:46 +0000

image from gofu.net-comic

Like totali, the latest episode of Kannagi has gotten me ~~rooting~~ [Kabitzin Geass canceller ACTIVATE!] cheering for Tsugumi too. But, in our previous discussions, Stripey won't even place Tsugumi in the running. The reason? He didn't like her hair style and her large forehead.

Well, fair enough, I steadfastly refused to watch his favourite series of KyoAni-KEY hell, especially AIR. Just because I dislike the chara design, particularly the eyes, so much. I only succumbed to Kanon because of SaYuri.

So one could go on and on about the plot, the characterization, the animation budget etc. etc. (or the lack thereof) but I'm sure we've all had a series or two that we just could not and still cannot bring ourselves to watch or how we can't bring ourselves to support a particular character simply because we think that the chara design is fugly. Like beauty, it may only be a shallow response to something that's just skin deep. But deep down we just gotta have something that's pleasing to our beholder's eye.

Just like the time when Stripey was explaining to this DVD store clerk why he wasn't going to buy Nanoha StrikerS after splurging on the As boxset, rattling off all his deeeeep reasons, when I just couldn't resist piping up from the other end of the store: 'Well, his real reason is cuz Fate isn't loli anymore! Ahaha~♥' TSUGUMI REVENGE!!

Big Mo’/slow mo

Zyl — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:36:52 +0000

In US politics, having the Big Mo' (momentum) has sweep candidates to power. But the British have a saying: 'A week is a long time in politics.' Likewise, for anime series, momentum can diminish, even disappear, over the span of a week or two.

To Aru no Majutsu no Index

My former hot favourite, it has been weighed down by extended dialogue, conversation, exposition. I'm moderating my expectations and buying into Aroduc's forecast of 'another episode or two of mediocrity before it gets good for 6-8 episodes and then finishes sort of awkwardly.' And his proposed solution. But that's for another post.

ToraDora

Though Stripey has abandoned this series, Evirus's title hit the nail on the head WRT to how this series has made a strong comeback. Ami's definitely the missing spice all this while, a catalyst that has speeded up and enriched the inter-chara dynamics. Loved her speech to her stalker that personality doesn't matter if She's Got The Look. But it's precisely because of it's the Power of her Dark Side that I'm looking forward to forthcoming episodes.

Kannagi

The lead-in and build-up have been pretty consistent. We're introduced to the core relationship between Nagi and Jin first. The rest of the cast gets inducted at a reasonable pace and we're starting to see the complete ensemble bounce off each other in credible and enjoyable ways.

Ga-rei Zero

Interesting use of the 'starting in the middle' device for the first two episodes and then going back chronologically to lead back up to the climatic point at the end of the second episode. I'll like how it's been handled thus far; we know how where all this is going to lead to but we don't know how. The details of everyday life and relationships become ominous signs for the coming avalanche.

The voice was struggling to articulate words that Maxi heard without realising they were a warning: they were foretelling the radical change that his life was about to undergo. It is normal he did not understand this, because these discreet signs that destiny sends us can only be read with the passage of time, when it is already too late for them to act as a proper warning...

Edgardo Cozarinsky, The Moldavian Pimp

And what a pumped up Minorin OP!

Mouryou no Hakou

This is very disorientating, there's definitely strong momentum but it doesn't seem to obey the normal laws of physics. And, the possibility of yuri aside, I seem to be drawn to it for the exact same reasons that Author is repelled by it.

Well, I did enjoy The King in Yellow precisely because it was macabre, dripping with peeling decay, the vanished echo of lost glory and the crying and laughter of mental illness. Certainly agree with Keiri that this is the dark gem of fall.

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