(L) Mouretsu Pirates

[ars89]

PV looked good. Lol why did they change the english title.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by Stevie_Nix

I think the school life bit and the maid cafe was simply to show what our heroine was doing before she left to have awesome pirate adventures in miniskirts.

I caught that, but it's as much how those elements were portrayed as much as what was portrayed that gives the otaku vibes. I didn't catch all the girls in their school uniforms at first, but that's a bad sign as well.

Originally Posted by Stevie_Nix

I have not read the LN but I am sure that its going to be less otaku-favored then you fear. Hell if nothing else its going to be old school otaku-favored.

I'm not quite convinced, but I do have hope for this show.

Originally Posted by ars89

PV looked good. Lol why did they change the english title.

For some inexplicable reason, they changed the Japanese title as well.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by 4Tran

I caught that, but it's as much how those elements were portrayed as much as what was portrayed that gives the otaku vibes. I didn't catch all the girls in their school uniforms at first, but that's a bad sign as well.

I think the original title is pretty much a givaway that it's otaku anime,I hope this will be something like stein gate:an otaku anime that goes beyond just "otaku pandering"

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by totoum

I think the original title is pretty much a givaway that it's otaku anime,I hope this will be something like stein gate:an otaku anime that goes beyond just "otaku pandering"

I'm hoping this will be something like Ben-to -- pure dumb fun dialed up to eleven.

[xizro345]

I was interested since the original announcement ages ago, and the trailer didn't change my opinion. I think it's better to judge once actual episodes air.

[Kaioshin Sama]

I'd honestly settle for a fun romp and thrill ride of a show cause those types of shows are well.....fun. However, why do I get the sense that the actual show will mostly be like the first 30 seconds of the trailer and that maybe we'll get an episode that showcases what we saw in the rest of the trailer once a month tops?

Probably cause at this point after series like Guilty Crown, Star Driver, No. 6....just all the sci-fi series recently that have gone horribly wrong very quickly by using their premises to incredibly poor effect I'm just starting to expect a fake out every time I see a female teen dominated cast. It's almost like studios are now cleverly trying to lure in people like me that are into space opera and sci-fi shows with the vague promise of intrigue and action only to substitute it out for school life style plot lines and characterization at a moments notice. Shows like that of late and genre blends like this have made me kind of distrusting of the actual intent of what otherwise look like sci-fi series. Probably going to be screening this one for a months worth of episodes and depending on whether it uses it's sci-fi/space opera setting well or just choses to slum it with done to death school life otaku pandering stuff I'll make my choice.

By the way if I never see another maid uniform in an otherwise unrelated setting again I'll be much more confident in the shows that I am watching. It's almost kind of become a badge of honor for these bait and switch type shows (again not sure that this is going to be one of them, I'm merely thinking it could be) as well as a warning sign to watch out for. Also I've noted that this trend has also drawn me into a sort of agreement with 4Tran here who is also noticing the same thing of late and voicing the same concern in this thread. We are far from 2 people that often see eye to eye so that kind of assures me that it's not just something I'm imagining either.

[xizro345]

I'd wish people would stop judging shows (or have expectations on them) using the dreaded term "otaku pandering". What I'm interested in is to see if the plot has some semblance of internal consistency and the pacing can keep up with the somewhat silly premise. Most of the potential complaints may be valid as well (once the show airs it'll be clear) but they have, in my opinion, a sort of "moralistic" streak I personally don't agree with.
Also, neither Star Driver nor GC can be considered sci-fi shows at all. And I don't plan to consider this show as well until I see an actual episode.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by xizro345

I'd wish people would stop judging shows (or have expectations on them) using the dreaded term "otaku pandering". What I'm interested in is to see if the plot has some semblance of internal consistency and the pacing can keep up with the somewhat silly premise. Most of the potential complaints may be valid as well (once the show airs it'll be clear) but they have, in my opinion, a sort of "moralistic" streak I personally don't agree with.
Also, neither Star Driver nor GC can be considered sci-fi shows at all. And I don't plan to consider this show as well until I see an actual episode.

It's not a moralistic streak, it's just being weary of being frequently misled as to the true focus of shows of late and no longer knowing what to expect as a result. Also I don't consider it a dreaded term either, too me otaku pandering has really become a legitimate issue in anime of late cause it forces writers to work things into shows that otherwise have no business being there and it often leads to entire plot lines, character arcs or even entire shows crashing down upon themselves as they run out of time for what they may have been really trying to do or to just go all over the place and meander themselves into a corner because they've been forced to focus on irrelevant love triangles, beach episodes, school related silliness and random moments of cosplay that contribute absolutely nothing to the show itself other than a requisite quota of otaku in-jokes that apparently need to be there in order for these people to consider buying the Blu-Rays.

It's just really concerning of late and I really have no patience left in me for it to happen to another show I should probably find interesting or at least fun to watch. Maybe if I cared even the slightest about these things that otaku in Japan seem to find consistently riveting or if there was ever any effort to deviate or put a new spin on them it'd be fine, but I think if I did have an interest in these tropes even then I'd still probably be tired of seeing them in like every other show by now. Meh...just gotta cross my fingers, this really should be a show I end up interested in so the ball is purely in Satelite's court here.

[Stevie_Nix]

Originally Posted by xizro345

I'd wish people would stop judging shows (or have expectations on them) using the dreaded term "otaku pandering". What I'm interested in is to see if the plot has some semblance of internal consistency and the pacing can keep up with the somewhat silly premise.

I rather agree with xizro345, I really wish people would stop with the "otaku pandering" cries based on PV of shows alone, or at least until someone who read the original light novels weights in. While yes people that worry that a show called Miniskirt Uchuu Pirates might turn into an otaku wank fest have a valid point. Hell I worry that the it will degrade into a load of pointless, plot-less fanservice too considering the name, but can we please wait until the show starts airing. I am honestly not expecting a hard or deep SciFi setting from this show, but some nice SciFi based space action and characterization. Hell I think there might be the slice of life stuff people are worrying about. But its going to be slice of life about a Japanese high school girl who captains a space pirate ship!

Maybe its because we have different expectations for what makes a good anime, but I am rather interested in this series, actually more so since the PV. And I hope it will surprise and please the people that worry about it being pandering.

Lets give this show a chance and if it sucks, we can drop it and hope for better next time.

[xizro345]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

It's not a moralistic streak, it's just being weary of being frequently misled as to the true focus of shows of late and no longer knowing what to expect as a result.

It sounds moralistic to me. I tend to judge shows on their own merits, not on the demographics they're aimed at. Despite strongly hating in general harem-type shows for example I enjoyed stuff like Infinite Stratos, otaku-pandering or not.

It's just really concerning of late and I really have no patience left in me for it to happen to another show I should probably find interesting or at least fun to watch. Maybe if I cared even the slightest about these things that otaku in Japan seem to find consistently riveting or if there was ever any effort to deviate or put a new spin on them it'd be fine, but I think if I did have an interest in these tropes even then I'd still probably be tired of seeing them in like every other show by now. Meh...just gotta cross my fingers, this really should be a show I end up interested in so the ball is purely in Satelite's court here.

Aside the fact that I'd rather avoid using the term "otaku" as I still use in the original, negative meaning, most of the issues you highlight are simply bad writing. I really don't care about the reason, bad writing is still bad writing and I don't plan to go on a rampage on the reasons behind it. If Pirates fails in my eyes it'll be its own fault, not because of the Evil Industry Practices behind it.
Aside that the trailer was pretty much light on fanservice so that's a good sign.

I am honestly not expecting a hard or deep SciFi setting from this show, but some nice SciFi based space action and characterization. Hell I think there might be the slice of life stuff people are worrying about. But its going to be slice of life about a Japanese high school girl who captains a space pirate ship!

My thougths exactly. Also I generally like Tatsuo Sato's works. Well except the horrible, horrible Nadesico movie.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Why do people continually fail to understand the difference between a projection of expectations and concerns and a full on assessment and pre-judgement of an unaired series?

Also funny you should mention Prince of Darkness xizro because that Nadesico movie is a good old-school example of what goes wrong when you try to pander too much and allow your plot to meander as a result, though it had other issues as well like totally scrapping the characterization and tone of the series original cast for whatever the heck that was supposed to be in the movie that claimed it was Akito and co. If I recall one of the other big things they tried to do with that movie was give Ruri the spotlight and turn her into this goddess like character since she was a breakout character in the TV series and as a result they basically made her into this total Mary Sue character that everybody borderline worshipped and was in awe of and she had maybe a fraction of the personality and wit that the TV series character had. As a result they kind of destroyed what was initially charming about her character and dragged down the whole movie.

That's another issue I've been having with anime of late, this push to create what I've come to call "goddess characters" at the expense of plotting and consistent characterization (there's one in motion right now in Inori Yuzuriha from Guilty Crown if you need an example) to be merchandised towards otaku and otherwise, but that's another issue for another situation entirely. I'll just say that maybe if shows were the same length that they were back in the 80's and 90's (26-50 episodes) this wouldn't even be an issue because then you could do all these little panders and still have time to tell your story and develop the characters, but now time for stories to be told in TV anime has become incredibly tight and any time used on doing these things I've mentioned can come back to haunt a show.

[xizro345]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Why do people continually fail to understand the difference between a projection of expectations and concerns and a full on assessment and pre-judgement of an unaired series?

That's because I usually don't have expectations. I pick series on general synopsis, the trailer (but not always) but I refrain to get "hyped"/"angry" until I actually see the series. Also it was a more general discussion since I don't like the abuse of the terms "moe" and "otaku-pandering" I see in English communities, that comes of blasting a series before the actual airing, like in this case.

[4Tran]

Let me clarify my position. Unlike Kaioshin, I don't necessarily have a problem with otaku shows or otaku pandering. In moderate doses, these elements can make a show entertaining. Indeed, the main reason I paid any attention to this show is because it was audacious enough to have the word "miniskirt" in its title. That promises that the creators won't take themselves very seriously and that they will try to stuff the show with amusing adventures. Any otaku-centric elements that contribute to the show's premise and general feel are acceptable and even welcome.

What I find troubling is when elements are introduced that seem to detract from the central appeal of a show. And this is what I'm referring to when I commented about the "otaku fetish" in the PV. I've seen a lot of shows that go down this road of trying to appeal to otaku using methods that don't work very well with the rest of what they're trying to do. This approach also tends to have the side effect of limiting the stories to the same ho-hum scenarios like those found in all sorts of less interesting shows. The current prime example of this today is Ben-To - it was a fun show that's become a lot less fun since it stopped adhering to its strong points.

Originally Posted by xizro345

Also, neither Star Driver nor GC can be considered sci-fi shows at all. And I don't plan to consider this show as well until I see an actual episode.

I can see purists objecting to those shows being labelled as science fiction, but sci-fi seems to work pretty well.

[Utsuro no Hako]

Surely a question of genre doesn't constitute spoilers, so if anyone's read the books they could tell us where the series fit on a scale of 0 (K-on) to 10 (Captain Harlock).

[justpassingby]

Otaku Pandering

I stopped reading right there. What makes you think there is going to be "Kaioshin-sama-pandering" or "Foreigner-pandering" in the first place? Or may be I'm just forgetting here is a English community site

Well, part of EP 1 can be viewed immediately after the event this coming Sunday. If it follows the novel, you'll get to see the scene with Marika and "Mr Nice Guy" clashing swords (The trailer even contained the lines from the Prologue) . Following episodes until they are done with Novel Vol 1 will showcase the events in Marika's life before she finally on the captain seat. But the trailer did show characters that only came in vol 2.
There, I spoiled it already

These are some of the negative reactions from 2ch and Japanese blogs

-古臭い
- Mouretsu will compete with Rinne to become the worst anime of 2012 wwww
- Give me Stellvia 2 or Nadesico S2
- I want to see ARIEL reanimated and/or Yousei Sakusen animated instead
- Crossbone Vanguard!!!!
- If this sells more than 5000 copies I'll quit being anime otaku アニヲタ

Whether these are trolls or serious, reading those comments from so callled "Otaku" is somewhat easier on me than comments in English community like "Stop pandering to Otakus"

Also, linking this person, Fukushima Masami [JP wiki], [wiki] because Sasamoto honors him in vol 4

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Surely a question of genre doesn't constitute spoilers, so if anyone's read the books they could tell us where the series fit on a scale of 0 (K-on) to 10 (Captain Harlock).

I say the lowest is 5 and the highest is 7 (my opinion entirely). Haven't read vol 7 yet, but since there is no clear Big, Bad guy (neither the Empire nor the planets that the Empire absorbed ), the books can be summarized as "Daily life of a Pirate Captain who goes chasing Ghost Ship for a Princess, "Saving her mother and club mates", "Go meeting the backwater Pirates Guild", "Dealing with falling grades" etc.

[Stevie_Nix]

Originally Posted by 4Tran

Let me clarify my position. Unlike Kaioshin, I don't necessarily have a problem with otaku shows or otaku pandering. In moderate doses, these elements can make a show entertaining. Indeed, the main reason I paid any attention to this show is because it was audacious enough to have the word "miniskirt" in its title. That promises that the creators won't take themselves very seriously and that they will try to stuff the show with amusing adventures. Any otaku-centric elements that contribute to the show's premise and general feel are acceptable and even welcome.

I would like to say you put how I feel about "otaku" elements quite succinctly. When used correctly, they really do help improve the show. Also I kind of agree this series might be getting the attention if not for its unusual name.

Originally Posted by 4Tran

What I find troubling is when elements are introduced that seem to detract from the central appeal of a show. And this is what I'm referring to when I commented about the "otaku fetish" in the PV.

I think the "otaku fetish" bits are part of the PV to simply draw the otaku in for episode 01, not a statement of what the show is truly going to be about. Sure our heroine starts out being a school girl and working in a maid cafe as an after school job, nothing really usual, but then she becomes a space pirate!

Originally Posted by 4Tran

I can see purists objecting to those shows being labelled as science fiction, but sci-fi seems to work pretty well.

I kind of like the term Soft SciFi myself for not not very hard SciFi shows. I always kind of view SciFi and Fantasy as a spectrum and soft SciFi is the middle region where the two start blending.

Originally Posted by justpassingby

Well, part of EP 1 can be viewed immediately after the event this coming Sunday. If it follows the novel, you'll get to see the scene with Marika and "Mr Nice Guy" clashing swords. Following episodes until they are done with Novel Vol 1 will showcase the events in Marika's life before she finally on the captain seat. But the trailer did show characters that only come in vol 2.
There, I spoiled it already

Him, so you predict that at least most of the first half of the season will be about Marika's background before she became captain? I that could work. Hell I am really loving Chihayafuru and the first four episodes was mostly about her elementary school years and how she came to love karuta. I wonder, how well known are the light novels? I wonder if they might front load more action just to attract people that haven't read it.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Surely a question of genre doesn't constitute spoilers, so if anyone's read the books they could tell us where the series fit on a scale of 0 (K-on) to 10 (Captain Harlock).

I support this idea completely. I'd be more than happy to defer to somebody that knows the score here.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

I support this idea completely. I'd be more than happy to defer to somebody that knows the score here.

Hasn't it been said earlier in the thread that the anime would be departing from the novel and go with anime original stuff?
So I'm not sure if novel knowledge would really help

[Reckoner]

The CG in that trailer looks positively awful.

The characters don't look like the sort that would keep me entertained.

I don't think this show has anything going for it. Will watch 1 episode, then probably toss it into the trash.

[justpassingby]

Originally Posted by Stevie_Nix

Him, so you predict that at least most of the first half of the season will be about Marika's background before she became captain? I that could work. .

The premier on December 22nd at Shinjuku Wald 9 will show 5 episodes. So I say those episodes are volume 1. This is going to be 2 cour show (if nothing goes wrong). At least we can see Marika get "addicted" to shooting .

From the interview with HanaKana, she commented how "cool" her character is (Chiaki) for spouting jargon. She also mentioned that this anime is about Marika growing up. So yeah, don't tell I didn't warned people earlier.

Also, reading comments from the web, I say this novel is a love letter for those who has been following Sasamoto works since 1984. (Yousei Sakusen, ARIEL, Hoshi kara kita Mono", "Hoshi no Dance wo Mi Ni Oide" being obvious). Oh, they also blamed him and Satou for the change in title . May be because those two are the people who were born and raised during the "Mouretsu" period