[Xander]

Originally Posted by Scherzo09

True, there are some interesting aspects about the movie and personally there's enough to make me excited about the next episode. I just also need to look at from a more objective standpoint, which means I can't simply overlook some of the OVAs flaws.

That's a bit of a philosophical difference, I can tell. The argument could be made about how the underlying act of labeling the lack of a big "hook" or the existence of those atmospheric scenes as "flaws" is just as subjective as the alternative can be objective. For another reviewer, a subtle and gradual build-up is preferable to an obvious hook, since it rewards patience and develops the setting instead of providing instant audience gratification, just as the more subdued and quiet sequences can be considered to serve a valid role within the structure of the film, precisely because of the atmosphere they create. This view is not overlooking anything since the same factual elements are still being taken into consideration, but they are merely part of a different form of categorization and analysis.

I sorta see it as a movie's obligation to go out of it's way to introduce us to the characters.

Even so, the filmmakers still provided an obligatory introduction to the characters and established a set of basic characteristics for several of them, Akito included, while deliberately choosing to focus a bit more on Leila instead. She comes closer to being the true protagonist of the first episode, all things considered, even if the title suggests Akito will be at the center of the entire story. Perhaps the camera will focus more on him next time? Probably, even if we don't really know yet. I still wouldn't cry foul if Leila continued to be more fleshed out than Akito though.

I can see you wanted to have a more detailed or in-depth look at both him and the rest of the cast, which isn't an unreasonable expectation on paper, but the director simply went out of his way to pick a different approach for the first of four acts, all within the limits of the available running time. My position is that only time will tell if this was or wasn't a risk worth taking.

I just say this from the experience of sitting down a friend of mine who also sort of see's Geass as a guilty pleasure (though not as enthusiastically as I do), and he came out of it liking it alright but finding the movie a bit lacking, like considering Akito be a pretty boring protagonist and there being stretches of dull moments.

We've already discussed Akito, but I think the use of relaxed transitions between tense scenes came across as entirely normal and never as an outstanding issue. I honestly never felt the movie was actively dull, since there were enough interesting bits of dialogue to pick up on, generally well-crafted backgrounds to look at, varying types of music to set distinct moods and two major action sequences that spiced things up in each half of the film.

And to me these are problems that can't just be ignored by saying "Well people have different tastes," these are structural problems that need to be addressed.

Whereas for me at least some of your objections can only be truly judged as structural problems at the end of the story, when we can actually look back and see the whole edifice from a safe distance. If those issues are addressed, then what would be the value of considering them structural in the first place? Not much, other than saying the first episode was weaker than the others (or vice versa, if things get worse).

This is probably something we'll have to agree to disagree on though.

Basically, yes.

And in terms of comedy; it's just I've seen shows like TTGL or Diebuster which do a really good job mixing comedy with drama.

I can only say that neither of those shows made me laugh out loud anyway. A lot of anime humor just doesn't strike me as too funny.