2007-12-16, 19:04 | Link #1221 | |
Yuuki Aoi
Join Date: Jul 2004
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I don't actually see ef as being as much that way as a lot of shows. But perhaps people get used to a certain style of acting and think of that as naturalistic. In any case, ef is not a simple naturalistic show. I think of it as bigger than that, but some people may not be able to take the style seriously. Too bad for them. In general, I do respect Japanese fandom more than a lot of people. 2channel is a huge arena with many different points of view and approaches to anime in it. And even the posters I don't think much of do know their anime. And of course they hear the Japanese better than I do.
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2007-12-16, 19:57 | Link #1222 | |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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Japanese anime DVDs are expensive. That DVD 1 I bought cost me $60, and I'll have spent a little over $220 on the DVDs for this show alone (not including shipping and taxes) by the time it's over. There are some 50 Fall shows airing in Japan -- how do I choose what to buy? I can only buy so many before I'm broke. Not to mention, rather than buying, they (in Japan) could always go rent the DVD whenever they want to watch it (a luxury I personally don't have). It's not a matter of being "mindless" or "judgemental" or what have you -- it's about prioritizing. People will prioritize purchasing shows from their favourite franchises over others because they want to own it -- they want to have it on their shelf. Unlike here in North America, oftentime those favourite franchises are established before the show even starts to air. This season in particular has a number of popular franchises making an outing, taking away some of that precious available discretionary income. Keeping in mind, of course, that barely a single show gets greenlit these days if it doesn't already have either big-name staff, big-name seiyuu, or a large established audience/fanbase (or, preferably, all of the above). So if you're not a "big name", you've got a tough uphill battle ahead of you. The fact that the show is garnering such praise at least among this audience is a testament to the show's appeal (at least in certain circles), but critical appeal doesn't always translate into sales. And this phenomenon is hardly uniquely Japanese. That aside, I'm curious on what basis you make the assumption that a lot of the Japanese audience for this anime wouldn't be people who played the game (or would at least be willing to). Airing at 1:30am like this, who else is going to randomly stay up to watch it, and/or what would their motivation be to set their PVRs for "some ero-game show called 'ef'"? Again, this is not a slight or an insult, it's a question of prioritizing. It's simply not the same culture as here in the English-speaking world, where every single show to air has a near-equal potential to be "the next big thing". When the market is saturated with product -- anime, manga, games, light novels -- all competing for the same dollars (or in their case, Yen) some will rise to the top, while others sink. And it doesn't always have much to do with quality. All that aside, have you purchased your DVD 1 yet? Really, that's all either you or I can do about it, no matter what the Japanese market decides. I say the show's worth it, at least. |
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2007-12-16, 22:00 | Link #1223 |
Anti-Hero
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: -3 Dimension
Age: 38
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Actually, after seeing Hidamari Sketch DVD episode, which has some extra frame scene compared to the TV version and the lightning speed frame of SZS, I came into conclusion that:
1. It's not that SHAFT's being very artsy with their productions, but creating such atmosphere in order to conceal their lack of time of producing each and every episode. I might be wrong with this, but this is the impression that I and my friends got. 2. For the amazing speed of SZS frame, I think that they made the viewers unconsciously to be eager to buy the DVD. You can't pause TV, right? |
2007-12-16, 22:13 | Link #1224 |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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One could also argue that finding creative ways of overcoming the limitations and constraints of your craft is being "artsy". And if it subconsciously encourages people to rewatch the show and buy the DVDs, then one might also add "genius". It's been said that most of the things people find unique and interesting about the animation in anime originally actually came from the need to cut costs.
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2007-12-17, 01:39 | Link #1225 | |
Yuuki Aoi
Join Date: Jul 2004
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2. It doesn't make sense to me to say they don't have much time to make the show, then to say the frames go by too fast. To have frames go by so quickly means you have to draw more of them, which costs money and takes time. But I do think that some of the long shots are partly a way of saving money (and I guess time) in production. And the elaborate backgrounds are in fact probably there partly to distract one's attention from the sometimes simple animation, which takes more time to do than a static background that you can pan to give a feeling of movement. But to me these are reasons to praise the production rather than criticise it, since I think the effects work.
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2007-12-17, 03:30 | Link #1226 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
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2007-12-20, 01:26 | Link #1231 | |
Yuuki Aoi
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Spoiler for ep11:
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2007-12-20, 01:30 | Link #1232 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Yeah, I think you have a similar taste as me. I rank Ef and Blue Drop 1-2 in this season. However, for the whole year, I am not sure these two are the best. Lucky Star, Darker than Black, Xenoglossia and Towards the Terra are also pretty good ones. Anyway, since these two have not ended yet, I might drastically change my opinion after that......
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2007-12-20, 02:17 | Link #1235 |
Anime Hobbyist
Join Date: Dec 2004
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This show is perilously edging closer to my personal 'anime of the year' right alongside Denno Coil, Sketchbook, Minami-ke, Gurren Lagann and Code Geass.
I'm beyond sad that the next episode will be the last and possibly last ever for the ef story. God, Shaft. Season 2. Come on. PS- It's sort of strange to see Renji jump on the gun like that, but perhaps Yuu is some sort of a crazy mastermind after all. |
2007-12-20, 02:32 | Link #1236 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
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One thing I really like from this series, is the use of Kanji to show one meaning while the accompanying Kana to show another.
Really an innovative way to use in an anime (as far as I know), although it has been repeatedly used in songs for quite some years...... |
2007-12-20, 02:36 | Link #1237 |
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Fansubber
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
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AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhh!
Episode 11 nearly killed me. This show is so incredibly intense. The previous episode, 10, had the most horrifically intense 4 minutes and 41 seconds that was never animated. For nearly 5 minutes all they did was count down a timer alternating with a still scene whose coloration slowly altered as the sun set. It was hard to call that animation, but I was on the edge of my seat for all 4:41 of it as I pleaded with the screen for Hiro to say the necessary words to keep Miyako from disappearing from his life forever before the timer reached zero. Now in this episode, 11, I nearly lost my mind from the romantic turmoil once more. Throughout the date it was eating me up that Chihiro isn't making any precious memories like Renji is. He'll remember how wonderful he felt, but she'll only have cold words on a page. She lost her virginity to him, but will only have a few embarassing written words to tell her how she felt about it. Then when he read the story, I could barely believe that Chihiro is throwing away all the memories and possibilities for the future that grow out of that past. Chihiro's logic may make sense to her, but Renji won't be able to forget as easily as she can. Even if she forgets him, he will never forget her. Only Chihiro's sadness can disappear that easily. In other news, did you notice which page Renji caught? The page with the sticker. Is that the page on which Chihiro lost her viginity?! That's a huge OMG! Also... there is one other thing that Chihiro doesn't understand. She says her reach is 12 years and 13 hours, but she is wrong. If the sheep has someone to pass it more grass, then it can keep eating. If Renji is there to hand her things beyond her own reach, then her reach can go much further. She can touch things beyond her circle with his help. This was already proven to her by his ability to help her write her story. I hope she can extend this lesson to the rest of her life before another 13 hours have passed. Incidently, it is worth noting that different types of memories are stored in the brain differently. While cases differ based on the exact injury, many people who can no longer keep their long term memories are still capable of learning skills. In this way Chihiro may have become a more skilled writer even though she will not remember the lessons that imparted this skill. Another type of memory is emotion. If she loves someone, that feeling may not go away even if she cannot know why she is missing someone vital. How sad would it be to be in love with someone and not know it? To not know why your heart is feeling pained?
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2007-12-20, 04:20 | Link #1238 | |
Administrator
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
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Good comments all around. You're right on about the sheep illustration, but actually I think she knows that as well. What this was really about was self-loathing and feeling sorry for Renji (who she feels is suffering because of her illness). What she doesn't realize is that love is sacrificial, and Renji is willing to accept any pain or hardship as long as he can stay with her. She's just been alone and trapped for so long that, right when she finally found a way out, she's afraid that it won't last and wants to let go before it becomes absolutely unbearable... And now, as I just wrote that, I realize -- this is all a massive parallel to what they just told us about Miyako!! The question now is whether or not Renji can say what he needs to say in the "13 hours" before his existance is wiped out from her heart. ...I can't believe I never noticed that obvious and massive parallel before. Damn... Chihiro and Miyako actually have different flavours of the exact same problem! Now I need to rethink what I think is going to happen in the next episode... This is a great show. |
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2007-12-20, 04:29 | Link #1239 | |
Weapon of Mass Discussion
Fansubber
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, USA
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Personally I doubt that he only has 13 hours to talk to her. It would only be 13 hours if she didn't think about him during that time. It would be really hard to imagine that she could possibly manage to avoid thinking of him for 13 hours, but I'd allow this show that pretention if they want me to believe that. However, I must not disregard the possibility that she intends to sleep for 13 hours straight and go for a total reset.
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This is an amazing show. I'm going to enjoy viewing this from a new perspective when I show it to all my friends.
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2007-12-20, 04:31 | Link #1240 | |
~ You're dead ^__^* ~
Graphic Designer
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She was able to write a story but then again it depends if the outcome was what she has planned. Unless she had one I would have expected for her to change what she hoped that she would write since she started, which reflected her own thoughts at the time of writing it. Perhaps because she decided to end this, she sought to give it a sad end (whereas on days before such a thing might not have even crossed her mind).
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Tags |
bishoujo, drama, romance, seinen, shaft |
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