The Anime Thread

[Savonarola]

Ghost in the Shell (1996)

Some of the animation is fantastic; especially the 3D CGI effects and the city-scapes.  Other parts leave something to be desired; particularly dialogue scenes, in those one character will talk while the other will remain motionless as though they're part of the cell.  (Part of this was a design decision; the cyborgs never blink in order to emphasize their roboticness; but even the fully human characters are like this too.)

The story has a lot of potential; but an international terrorist criminal/sinister government conspiracy theory/pulse pounding action thriller/poetic meditation on consciousness story all set in an visually stunning cyberpunk world which clocks in at just under one hour and twenty minutes is just going to be confusing.  Stand Alone Complex had its problems (Tachikomas for one), but it did allow the writers to develop their ideas more.

[Monoriu]

These are the shows that I plan to watch in the coming season (Oct - Dec 2019).  A pretty busy season, with lots of sequels of blockbusters.



Sword Art Online Season 3 Part 2.  Sword Art Online is one of the most popular "transported to a game world" animes.  Season 3 is about a new game world that Kirito, the protagonist, explore.  Basically, he met two new friends there.  One of them broke one of the sacred rules of the land, with one foot stepping inside the forbidden dark territory.  She was then taken away to the authorities as punishment.  Part 1, completed half a year ago, was Kirito's quest to rescue her. 



My Hero Academia Season 4.  In a comic book world where 80% of the population have super powers of some kind, heroes battle villains.  The story is about a group of school students who study to become professional heroes, their journey to adulthood, and their battles with villains.  Arguably one of the best shonen fight adventure series in this decade.  One of the best points of the show is that it avoids the "must air one episode per week" rule of past series like Naruto and Dragonball.  Instead, it opts to air story arcs in seasons, making the show filler-free and reasonably-paced. 



Psycho Pass Season 3.  In a futuristic Japanese society, the Sibyl system scans everybody's emotional state and ensures a basically crime-free society.  The exceptions are dealt with by the Public Security Bureau, who hunts down people who have a "psycho pass" reading that exceeds the permitted threshold.  A rare show where most characters are adults.  A police and crime story that constantly questions if the system is worth it. 



Seven Deadly Sins Season 4.  In this shonen adventure series, the seven deadly sins are seven absurdly strong knights who were framed for a crime.  The story is about their journey toward redemption and their fights to maintain the peace against invaders of all sorts.  It started off well but I think the plot has become too convoluted, and there are too many asspulls where dead become come back to life for no real reason other than plot necessity.  It is still a decent show.



Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demon Battlefront: Babylonia.  The Fate series is a gigantic and hugely popular show that centres on the idea of pairs of master/servants fighting each other.  The servants can be historical or mythical characters like Alexander the Great coming back to life as a hulk of a man, etc.  Grand Order is a new timeline, with new characters based on a mobile phone game.  I am just determined to watch everything Fate related.



Grand Blue Fantasy Season 2.  Again, this is an anime adaptation of a very popular mobile phone game in Japan.  I think it works like a never ending online quest game of sorts.  So this anime doesn't really have a plot.  Just an adventure party going from place to place.  It is like a really pretty and well made TV advertisement that sells the mobile game, so the visuals, art, music, voice acting, are all top-notch.  There are tons and tons of well-drawn characters to make sure everybody is happy.  But there is no real story.  I am watching this only as a habit, and I really don't recommend anybody to watch this show, unless you are a fan of the game. 



The Hero is Overpowered but Overly-Cautious.  Okay, there exists a group of goddesses whose job is to summon heroes to save the countless human populated worlds from demons.  The heroine is given the task to save an "S" ranked world, meaning it is a difficult job.  She picked a really powerful hero from Japan, but forgot that he is an overly cautious person.  If he buys a suit of armour, he needs to have two spare suits in case he loses the first.  A light-hearted and comedic take on the "summoned to another world" genre. 

[viper37]

Ghost in the Shell (1996)
Stand Alone Complex had its problems (Tachikomas for one), but it did allow the writers to develop their ideas more.

I tried, but I can't get into this one.  3 episode done, I'm not sure I'll keep going.

[Josquius]

Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.

New Boku no hero =

[Monoriu]

Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.

New Boku no hero =

What's wrong with isekai 

[Josquius]

Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.

New Boku no hero =

What's wrong with isekai 

Nothing with the genre in itself.
But its always the exact same story being retold again and again.
Rather than a million different variations on the same few episodes of nerdy guy ends up in another world, gains powers, meets hot elves, etc... I'd prefer to see some of them get new series, or failing that ,totally new ideas.
There are some very good isekai like Re:Zero, then there's some absolute garbage which shouldn't have been made like that I love my mother and her double hit attacks thing.

[Monoriu]

Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.

New Boku no hero =

What's wrong with isekai 

Nothing with the genre in itself.
But its always the exact same story being retold again and again.
Rather than a million different variations on the same few episodes of nerdy guy ends up in another world, gains powers, meets hot elves, etc... I'd prefer to see some of them get new series, or failing that ,totally new ideas.
There are some very good isekai like Re:Zero, then there's some absolute garbage which shouldn't have been made like that I love my mother and her double hit attacks thing.

I actually gave the my mother and her double hits a go, but I gave up half way through the first episode.  The first episode of "too cautious" is decent, though no where near great.  Re: Zero is one of my favourites too. 

[Josquius]

Same. It sounded so bizzare I had to check it out. Maybe it was a humorous pastiche?
But... They weren't even trying. Even the setup left me cold.

[Monoriu]

My favourite anime shows in 2019.

1. Attack on Titan Season 3

2. Kimetsu no Yaiba

3. Vinland Saga

4. Promised Neverland

5. Sword Art Online Season 3

[Monoriu]

These are the shows that I want to watch in the Winter 2020 season.



Magia Record.  I am so excited about this.  Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a dark magical girl show, is my all time favourite anime show.  Sadly the last content aired was like six years ago.  So this is the latest release of the franchise.  It is a spin-off, and will feature a new cast.  I won't be surprised if some of the original cast make an appearance though. 



A Certain Scientific Railgrun Season 3.  This belongs to the huge Index world.  It is a spin-off, and focuses on Misaka, a wildly popular girl of the week of the parent Index show.  To be honest, I don't have much expectations.  I just kinda feel I have to watch it because it is Index. 



Isekai Quartet Season 2.  Ok this is "official fan fiction", and is a crossover of four very popular isekai shows from the same company: Overlord, Re: Zero, Youjo Senki (Saga of Tanya the Evil) and Konosuba (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World).  One day, the main characters of these four shows are magically transported to a classroom.  They interact and have fun.  That's it.  Season 1 was okish, not nothing great.  Good to see my favourite characters back though. 



Heya Camp.  This is some kind of spin-off of Yuru Camp, a slice-of-life show about five school girls going camping.  The parent show is peaceful and there is good, peaceful fun.  Now, "heya" means room.  So going camping in a room kinda defeats the purpose.  I think this likely contains short, 3-minute segments about the girls interacting and talking to each other, rather than a proper show about camping. 

The following are maybes.  If I have time.



I Hate Getting Hurt, So I Put All My Skill Points Into Defense.  This is another transported to a game world show.  The biggest selling point seems to be, the protagonist adopts a min-max strategy by dumping all her points into defence.  I think it will be interesting to see how that plays out.



Infinite Dendrogram.  The only thing I know is that this is yet another isekai, or transported to a fantasy world show.  I am watching it anyway.  At least, the first episode. 

[Josquius]

My favourite anime shows in 2019.

1. Attack on Titan Season 3

2. Kimetsu no Yaiba

3. Vinland Saga

4. Promised Neverland

5. Sword Art Online Season 3

I can't get into Vinland Saga.
It's something I should like. Vikings. Woo.
But... I don't know. Maybe it's the disconnect between the setting and being an anime that just renders it bleh.
I've yet to see kimetsu no Yaiba though hear its good and SAO-

Agreed on the other two.
I guess I'd also place Dr Stone in there and with some checking of what actually came this year and not last year....
Mob Psycho 2 and Hero Academia 4.

Though sequels feel like cheating.
Shield Hero was also pretty good, despite the fandom misinterpreting it.


Netflix keeps shouting at me that there's a new series of Saiki K.
This series took some getting into. The character designs seemed awful and the whole thing rather bleh for a few episodes. But it really grew on me.

[Monoriu]

Kimetsu no Yaiba is excellent.  If you like My Hero Academia, you should like KoY too.  KoY is probably slightly more serious, and has a mostly male cast.  The animation quality of KoY is one of its strongest points.  ufotable produces magical stuff, as usual. 

SAO, I like it.  Though I know it is controversial.

Dr Stone would probably be my number 7.  It is unique and is great fun.  I have never seen anything like it.  Though I am sure some of the science stuff is not plausible, I still like to see how the protagonists make a "mobile phone" in the stone age.

Don't have time for Mob Psycho.

I like My Hero Academia.  Maybe my number 6. 

Shield Hero...it is above average, though it has too many flaws for my taste.  I somehow can't get into the "shield hero is the best, everybody else are idiots" thing. 

Vinland Saga is absolutely fantastic.  You are right, there is no reason why this show is an anime.  The same script can easily be adapted as a live action show. 

[Josquius]

Dr Stone has heavy elements of Minecraft the anime.
It's silly of course. Even within the silly setup. But it's fun and I do like it's science is cool message.

[Monoriu]

Dr Stone has heavy elements of Minecraft the anime.
It's silly of course. Even within the silly setup. But it's fun and I do like it's science is cool message.

I don't know anything about Minecraft.  I don't mind if they take liberties with science.  Majority of anime shows rely on magic or superpowers anyway.  Dr Stone is probably more grounded in reality than many shows, despite its crazy setting.  It is good fun and that's all that matters. 

[Monoriu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO5zuOc6_NY

I was shocked when I bumped into Senator Bernie Sander's name when I read anime news.  These two worlds just don't connect.  This is obviously fake, but it is nonetheless amusing.  For those who don't know, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the best and most famous shows of the 90s.  There are three versions of the same story out there.  There is an ending for the first two versions, but both endings make very little, if any, sense.