Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st

[X10A_Freedom]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

-9 year old nipples.

Everything goes in DVD I guess. I'm personally a big fan of magic, and creative use of it but I also get turned off by the whole Loli business which is why I found the movie (and the series) fun but awkward to watch. What I'm grateful though is my box of teabags which I read during the transformation scenes!

Really like Fate's character (but not the crap costume) which may also be why I kinda liked the movie.

To be honest, I don't know where I'd be without Mizuki Nana's music which I got introduced through Nanoha. That energy is always useful when cranking out R/L work under pressure but I digress!

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Demi.

Good review, but you really should give the DVD or bluray a go rather than trying to remember everything from the obscurity of the camrip. Animation is really tons better than season 1.

Oh, I guess I wasn't clear. I just got done watching the blue ray download. I had watched the camrip several months ago. I'll edit my post a bit.

And I'm pretty sure the only reason they changed Fate's character is because it was intended to be more about Nanoha and Fate, than Fate and Precia with Nanoha getting to Fate by the very end.

I dunno, I think S1 has enough Nanoha and Fate in it. I just found the S1 robot Fate more endearing overall, because it showed infinitely more how much Fate had pushed herself for Precia. Thus, when she finally did break down and come out of it (thanks to Nanoha), the emotions she displayed were more powerful. It was very apparent that she was trying to feel again, which for me, was the most moving thing about the bridge scene; her whole "I don't know how to be friends" line. She was a baby stepping out into the real world, and able to do so because Nanoha was there for her.

And Nanoha was able to get through to Fate, because of her own experiences with Arisa and her family. She was able to recognize the loneliness from her family experiences (dealing with Shiro's injury), and in an emotionally-fueled rush, applied that to Arisa.

In some respects, the movie manga covered these things better. In all honesty, the movie manga should have been an accompaniment to the movie, instead of telling a slightly different story.

Originally Posted by X10A_Freedom

Everything goes in DVD I guess. I'm personally a big fan of magic, and creative use of it but I also get turned off by the whole Loli business which is why I found the movie (and the series) fun but awkward to watch. What I'm grateful though is my box of teabags which I read during the transformation scenes!

I didn't really state it, but yeah, this is my feeling, too. It means I'd feel even more awkward trying to show the movie to someone. If they had just made Nanoha's transformation less fanservicy (and Fate's was almost decent), then I wouldn't feel so bad about this.

Really lends more to my feeling of "decent but could easily have been so much better."

[Arkeus]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

I didn't really state it, but yeah, this is my feeling, too. It means I'd feel even more awkward trying to show the movie to someone. If they had just made Nanoha's transformation less fanservicy (and Fate's was almost decent), then I wouldn't feel so bad about this.

Really lends more to my feeling of "decent but could easily have been so much better."

Really weird. Maybe because i only saw the DVD version and not BR one, but i didn't see any Nanoha nipple, the transformation itself was *much* shorter than in the anime (and only one of them), and it also showed RH and BJ much more than Nanoha, especially compared to anime.

maybe you can't remember the anime right?

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by X10A_Freedom

Really like Fate's character (but not the crap costume) which may also be why I kinda liked the movie.

Just the movie costume, or the series too? It might be a little exposing, but it compliments her character well, I think.

@Kaijo: You have to consider what was cut. Fate started being a little more expressive later into the series, and the movie got up to that part real quick, since a lot of the earlier episodes were cut or reduced. Personality was still a bit different, but I think it was to compliment the movie, as compared to the series. I do like my expressionless Fate...

@Arkeus: I'm pretty sure Nanoha's henshin was longer in the movie than in the anime. There were just less of them in the movie. Nipples are there but they're so small it wouldn't be hard to miss.

[Arkeus]

Originally Posted by Demi.

@Arkeus: I'm pretty sure Nanoha's henshin was longer in the movie than in the anime. There were just less of them in the movie.

they actually seemed to be equally long (maybe to the second), but the anime one is much more focused on nanoha herself and her nakedness.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Arkeus

Really weird. Maybe because i only saw the DVD version and not BR one, but i didn't see any Nanoha nipple, the transformation itself was *much* shorter than in the anime (and only one of them), and it also showed RH and BJ much more than Nanoha, especially compared to anime.

maybe you can't remember the anime right?

Nipples are in the movie, Blue-Ray edition, at least. That's the one I downloaded, and watched on a big screen. I suppose, if you're watching them on a small screen, you wouldn't see them much, but they are clearly evident.

Again, I don't have a problem with nudity when the plot calls for it, but I do feel the S1 anime handled the transformation better. It just makes me feel more awkward about showing the movie to a new person, which I suppose is a good thing, since a new person should see S1 first.

Originally Posted by Demi.

Just the movie costume, or the series too? It might be a little exposing, but it compliments her character well, I think.

I didn't notice anything too different about Fate's barrier jacket, if that's what we're discussing. Seemed mostly the same as her S1 outfit.

@Kaijo: You have to consider what was cut. Fate started being a little more expressive later into the series, and the movie got up to that part real quick, since a lot of the earlier episodes were cut or reduced. Personality was still a bit different, but I think it was to compliment the movie, as compared to the series. I do like my expressionless Fate...

I actually agree with you, which I felt is one of the problems with the movie. The movie speeds everything up and cuts a lot of good stuff out. Not just to fit 13 episodes into 2 hours, but also condenses months into the matter of a couple of weeks (literally; 2-4 days of Nanoha finding Yuuno, the first seed, the first fight with Fate, and Chrono appearing, then they are aboard the Arthra for 10 days).

So yeah, the cuts do a play a role in screwing with Fate's emotions. The payoff in the S1 bridge scene was more powerful to me, than the payoff bridge scene in the movie because of it.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

since a new person should see S1 first.

At least I do agree with this. I don't agree S1 was better, but to truly appreciate the characters from the movie, you really need to see S1 first.

[X10A_Freedom]

Originally Posted by Demi.

Just the movie costume, or the series too?

Datass. It's strictly a personal opinion though, so don't take it too seriously.

[MeoTwister5]

Well now THAT was an impressive adaptation. That's how you compress an original extended work and/or series into a movie. Toei and DEEN should take some notes.

The Good

1. Fate - The emphasis on Fate's past, Alicia's past and their relationships with Precia gives us a better and deeper understanding of the dynamics between the three, pre- and post-psychotic break on the part of Precia. It actually gives a more human background to Precia and her motivations, as well as the experiences Fate has had to live with given her circumstances. It makes Nanoha's attempts to reach her and the distance Fate shows much more believable than a simple "Defeat means friendship" approach that Nanoha likes to do.

I could say in fact that it feels like Fate was the main character in this movie and not Nanoha.

2. Animation - Beam spamming madness with close quarter combat. While the art style and quality is more or less the same, the animation and choreography itself are a dozen notches above the series. The fights are intense, the beams feel really powerful and hell there's even blood! Yes that was one ginormous Starlight Breaker. If this is what they can do here, imagine the intensity of the fights in the A's movie.

3. Torture - Might be a minor quibble to some, but I am really thankful they toned down the physical abuse we have to see that Precia dishes out to Fate.

The Bad

1. Nanoha - They cut out a LOT from Nanoha's back story and over all characterization. Perhaps the director felt that the original series dwelt too much on her and not on Fate, so their expositions get reversed for the movie. From that POV, yes a lot of Nanoha's personality and motivations are noticeably absent here, but if you combine it with the series it manages to make a fully fleshed out narrative in the end.

I might make a full review later if I have the time.

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

3. Torture - Might be a minor quibble to some, but I am really thankful they toned down the physical abuse we have to see that Precia dishes out to Fate.

Not exactly toned down so to speak, they just make it less gratuitious. Which I'm rather grateful for actually.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Not exactly toned down so to speak, they just make it less gratuitious. Which I'm rather grateful for actually.

Precia seems to lay the smackdown out on Fate just as hard in the movie...But when they have that closeup of Fate after the beating, she doesn't have gaping wounds from the whipping like in the series. Wonder why they changed that considering it's DVD, it's not like thats not what would happen if constantly hit by a whip...

[ninryu]

there's subbed download yet?

[Blank-Mage]

I'd actually recommend the movie over the series to newcomers, as we avoid all the bath-houses / giant tree monsters / unimportant family moments, and get straight to the business of befriending.

By the way, is anyone subbing the commentary? 'Cause I'd love to hear it.

[Demi.]

Recommend movie to those not familiar with the genre / skeptical about it. Series to everyone else.

Not sure if the movie has more impact before or after watching first season. It is just a remake, but I still think the series provides enough additional content to make you appreciate the characters from the movie more. And it does help to know the first season before jumping onto A's.

[MeoTwister5]

I'd recommend both actually because now that I think about it, you need the series for most of Nanoha's characterization and the movie for the Testarossa family.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Demi.

Precia seems to lay the smackdown out on Fate just as hard in the movie...But when they have that closeup of Fate after the beating, she doesn't have gaping wounds from the whipping like in the series. Wonder why they changed that considering it's DVD, it's not like thats not what would happen if constantly hit by a whip...

Actually, I felt it was a bit worse in the movie, because they actually showed Fate bleeding from it.

The series I felt was a bit more moving, primarily because of the way Arf saw Fate trying to walk after, mumbling about how she needed to help her mother. It made the impact of what just happened so much more powerful.

Of course, there is my whole quibble with Precia in the movie, too. The unrealistic "I suddenly remembered Alicia wanted a sister at the end!" thing. I liked her better in the series, because she wasn't crazy, so much as driven to get Alicia back at all costs. Thus, in the series, her whipping of Fate made more sense, because Fate could only ever be a tool there. In the movie, Fate could have been a sister, which means the whipping made less sense.

Edit: And I'd recommend the series to everyone new. The movie is only for those that have watched S1 at least. The series answers more questions, and explains things better, and does it in a manner that's not rushed (it may be a bit slow, but that's better than rushed). Once you have knowledge of S1, you can watch the movie to see the more Fate side of things, and marvel at eye candy.

[Mow Yun]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

I didn't notice anything too different about Fate's barrier jacket, if that's what we're discussing. Seemed mostly the same as her S1 outfit.

I think the difference is pretty much confined to her cape, and maybe her shoelaces. Not too sure. (Her cape is split in the middle in the movie, and her shoelaces might be a different color, I'm not sure)

I thought Fate's henshin was much more shocking than Nanoha's >_>

If you look at it from a super robot show's standpoint, you can really see the similarities (a super robot show's combination scene and Nanoha's transformation.)

I liked the robot-like device voices better than the movie device voices = \

[Kaijo]

Have to agree about the device voices; RH in particular was much too talkative. I actually liked the more robotic tone it used in the series at the start, and then gradually softened up as it worked with Nanoha. It showcased a kind of character development for RH. They tried to capture some of this with RH calling Nanoha "Master" in the movie, but the series gradual changes felt more natural to me.

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Mow Yun

I thought Fate's henshin was much more shocking than Nanoha's >_>

\

I don't really get how you can find Fate's henshin more explicit than Nanoha's.

Nanoha shows nipples, a close-up of her butt, and they zoom in on her far longer than Fate...

Fate doesn't have the nipples, her henshin is half as long, and when they do finally show Fate's butt (as nicely shaped as it is...) she's already wearing the bottom half of her BJ.

Fate's henshin obviously had less reason to happen, and it was probably to appease the Fate fans...but it's not really any more explicit than her a's henshin.

Originally Posted by Kaijo

Actually, I felt it was a bit worse in the movie, because they actually showed Fate bleeding from it.

They did?

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

-Nanoha masters magic in a matter of days, instead of a matter of months like she did in S1; the latter I felt was handled better. Part of this is due to RH being more talkative and doing more for Nanoha, instead of being what it is; a tool that the mage uses. It would be like you picking up a hammer and wondering what to do with it, but that's not an issue because as long as you have your hand on it, the hammer can hit the nail just fine. In short, it seemed like RH did more of the fighting than Nanoha did, and that just kinda rankled me.

It bothered me a bit too. It looked like Nanoha was little more than a linker core on legs. RH was nice about it, but a magical monkey could have done Nanoha's job of holding the staff. It was different in S1 - she was strong, but clumsy at first. In the movie, it didn't matter because RH did everything.