(L) Kotetsujo no Kabaneri (Knocking on the Walls of the Armored Fortress)

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

It’s so sad when modern anime with classic/retro art (from the 80s) and beautiful animation like this was betrayed by the shaky plot, poor writing and spotty directing. The last time this happened was G-Reco (totally glorious art & animation with terrible pacing & confusing plot) and that was such a missed opportunity coz it had all the ingredients to be a great series. But since I’ve seen this pattern with a certain writer of Kabaneri before, I’m already prepared for it and still managed to have a little bit of fun. Still, the ending can’t come soon enough so that I can finish this and be done with it (but I’ll still get the BD subs when it's out just for the art alone). All in all...*sigh*...is the best way to express myself when it comes to Kabaneri so far.

[Kusaja]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Kabaneri went from very good pulpy action fun to very disappointing to "so bad its good". The last two episodes will probably be amusing in how over-the-top they are, anyway.

Why can't it be both?

Not much of a compliment, either way, but the pulp format isn't really known for very intellectual storytelling that's lacking in over-the-top elements. In fact, it's essentially the opposite. Pulp was often described as "low quality literature" and that's not too far from Kabaneri's overall state, both past and present.

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

It’s so sad when modern anime with classic/retro art (from the 80s) and beautiful animation like this was betrayed by the shaky plot, poor writing and spotty directing. The last time this happened was G-Reco (totally glorious art & animation with terrible pacing & confusing plot) and that was such a missed opportunity coz it had all the ingredients to be a great series.

It's curious how you're implying that the 1980s weren't full of anime with all or most of those traits, even if they looked pretty. "Classic/retro art" has never meant a guarantee of perfection. Not even when it was in style.

That said, this show is too predictable to be confusing. I'd argue that, given Tomino's quirks, G-Reco was a lot messier in comparison. For all the knee-jerk reactions in the previous posts, nothing has been shocking after what was already established at least two weeks ago, if not even before that point.

But at this point many of the complaints about Kabaneri seem to be fueled by inertia rather than by the series actually changing too much (wow, there are authority figures in this anime who are acting foolishly? Surely we haven't seen that before! Actually, it's always been the case, ever since the first episode). I mean, there are even people that find it hard to accept how Ikoma would change his look in this situation. That's never happened in anime, right? Well...I have news for you.

[BluePhirePB]

Yikes lots of hate for this anime now. But @ 12 eps only, let's see how this ends.

[BoyTitan]

They had the chance to fix the complaints in this series by fleshing out the shogun motives aside from a few tid bits here and there and they didn't. They even released his motives in another source of media. How fucking hard would it have been to put such important information in the series.

I have been defending the series but leaving out that information of Shogun reducing him into a 1 dimensional character is a huge flaw of this show.

[Kanon]

At this point, I'm just hoping for everybody to die. Only way this show will leave any kind of mark in my memory.

[moncikoma]

okay... ep 11 kabaneri... makes me want to see someone cosplaying as..SPOILER
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SUPER SAIYAN STEAM KOMA...! his FINAL FORM is as EPIC as GOKU 1ST SUPER SAIYAN! ...
another cliffhanger with countless Plot holes..but still epic

1 more episode.. and i will miss this anime FOREVER
glad i already preorder all the bluray..
not a regret
thx u tetsuro, fuck u ichiro...but still.....
both of u're doing a pretty good job..
not Original, or Amazing.... but admirably pretty Good for this episode..
‪#‎StudioWit‬ ‪#‎kabaneri‬

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

It’s so sad when modern anime with classic/retro art (from the 80s) and beautiful animation like this was betrayed by the shaky plot, poor writing and spotty directing. The last time this happened was G-Reco (totally glorious art & animation with terrible pacing & confusing plot) and that was such a missed opportunity coz it had all the ingredients to be a great series. But since I’ve seen this pattern with a certain writer of Kabaneri before, I’m already prepared for it and still managed to have a little bit of fun. Still, the ending can’t come soon enough so that I can finish this and be done with it (but I’ll still get the BD subs when it's out just for the art alone). All in all...*sigh*...is the best way to express myself when it comes to Kabaneri so far.

acttually 1980's anime really have stupid plot just like this..
kabaneri fits them well ...

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by moncikoma

acttually 1980's anime really have stupid plot just like this..
kabaneri fits them well ...

They did their stupid plot with way better style though

[Freeter]

Funny how Ikoma went from looking like John Lennon to David Bowie. Maybe the series is actually subliminal commentary on how the director hates current music and Justin Bieber

[moncikoma]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

They did their stupid plot with way better style though

vvvv this is what im talkin about..

Originally Posted by Freeter

Funny how Ikoma went from looking like John Lennon to David Bowie. Maybe the series is actually subliminal commentary on how the director hates current music and Justin Bieber

dont forget argento soma

Originally Posted by Kanon

At this point, I'm just hoping for everybody to die. Only way this show will leave any kind of mark in my memory.

mumei will WALK like kaneki.. holding ikoma.. crying.. *bgm AIMER

[BoyTitan]

Originally Posted by mangatron

This series.... is actually kind of funny, you know? I mean if looked at from a comedic point of view, I just can't help but laugh.

Like seriously, Ikoma has the time to be crying and whining but what about his arm? Didn't that hurt like hell? Or he's indifferent to the loss of a limb

And then Ikoma was like lying on the rocks, and then next thing you know he's at Davey Jones locker And just what direction did he swim with the fishes, upstream or downstream? I ask because apparently Kurusu was fine with hauling a prisoner and auto-bike that seems to be working, all the while there is still that lone Kabane that was taking a walk on the beach

Then for some reason I couldn't help but laugh when Biba shoots that guy stomping on the shogun, and then proceeds to sit on the throne..... and think about horse back riding with his dad. I can't even tell if that was supposed to sad or what, that that's the best he can think of when it comes to happy thoughts with papa?



Hey, if I was a mad scientist, I'd only be experimenting with females Well not in that dastardly way, but you know.... for science

Biba is a narcissist. His tear wasn't so much oh my god I killed my dad. It was a oh yeah I have some good memories of me with my dad.

Me being the keyword here.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Kusaja

It's curious how you're implying that the 1980s weren't full of anime with all or most of those traits, even if they looked pretty. "Classic/retro art" has never meant a guarantee of perfection. Not even when it was in style.

Originally Posted by moncikoma

acttually 1980's anime really have stupid plot just like this..
kabaneri fits them well ...

It seems in order to defend this series, you both jumped to conclusion way too quickly and misinterpreted my comment in the process. How does it feel to be wrong? All I'm saying is that this series is such a waste of great art (which in this case happened to be retro) with execution that is lackluster. I'm not even implying that all anime in the 80s are masterpieces at all.

Originally Posted by Kusaja

For all the knee-jerk reactions in the previous posts, nothing has been shocking after what was already established at least two weeks ago, if not even before that point.

I'm not shocked either. Like I said , I already saw this pattern with this writer so I was prepared for it . That still doesn't help me from sighing after watching the product.

Originally Posted by Kusaja

I mean, there are even people that find it hard to accept how Ikoma would change his look in this situation. That's never happened in anime, right? Well...I have news for you.

Just because it happened in other anime before, doesn't make it good. If there are other series with direction as spotty as this one, people will criticize it too.

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by DevilHighDxD

^What latter half of an Okouchi's anime isn't a trainwreck? I still bitching about Valvrave's ending (and Saki) even to this day.

And that's why the last thing I'm expecting from the last episode is that anything will be wrapped or given a proper closure.

Also in retrospect I feel very silly for trying to explain how Ikoma managed to defeat the Kabane curse in episode 1, and thinking that a clearer explanation would be provided.

Now Ikoma just took a drug that even enhances the kabane curse and that sent berserk other kabaneri before him, moreover he completely got rid of the restraints that so far worked as the flimsy explanation of his retaining a human mind.

And yet we all know at this point that in the end he will retain his human will and that absolutely no explanation will be given.

[Master_Yoma]

So Ikoma is now Ash but without the chainsaw arm

Why did Biba have to do something so awesome like that

[bakato]

Just one more episode. If they just gave one more episode for breathing room, this could have realized its potential. Well, at least Biba killed all the leaders in charge. When he's dead, Ayame will probably be the new leader.

[mangatron]

Originally Posted by Kanon

At this point, I'm just hoping for everybody to die. Only way this show will leave any kind of mark in my memory.

That could work I got a good one: Yukina takes the Kotetsujo and rams it into the Biba train for the derailment of the century, with Sukari firing away on the turret. Rock on, shoujo!

Originally Posted by BoyTitan

Biba is a narcissist. His tear wasn't so much oh my god I killed my dad. It was a oh yeah I have some good memories of me with my dad.

Me being the keyword here.

Eh, I didn't see any tears, what I did see was this huge "Mission accomplished" plastered over his face

Originally Posted by bakato

Just one more episode. If they just gave one more episode for breathing room, this could have realized its potential. Well, at least Biba killed all the leaders in charge. When he's dead, Ayame will probably be the new leader.

Hm, there is still Ayame's purple band faction who seemingly disappeared. I was hoping this series was going to elaborate on that magazine article showing that those purple band guys were part of the Shogun faction, but I guess we had to figure that stuff out ourselves

[DemonneoPT]

Ikoma's face when he was in full Kabane mode reminded me of Tsukune from the Rosario to Vampire manga when he is in his black demon form. Really liked Ikoma's design specially with that gun attached to his arm. He suddenly became badass

Too bad everything else that led to the current situation was pure convenient nonsense with plot holes bigger than Erza's boobs! Apart for the amazing visuals and OST, this was indeed a trainwreck. Biba is probably one of the worst villains ever created :/

[kk2extreme]

Will we see more hyper beam spams?

[drawr]

Originally Posted by moncikoma

vvvv this is what im talkin about..

dont forget argento soma




mumei will WALK like kaneki.. holding ikoma.. crying.. *bgm AIMER

I though I was the only one who though of argento soma with that transformation. Nice.

[Akito Kinomoto]

Episode 11 keeps it going strong from episode 10, except Biba's motives and what they choose to present for backstory is incomprehensibly stupid, and the bit with Ikoma's spy shanking one of Biba's men with the gate opening feels like "you actually let that happen?" But aside from that, the kabane infiltration when Biba is face to face with the Shogun is unexpectedly suspenseful, Ikoma's breakdown is handled realistically despite the fast rebound, and the final scene is badass (also proves removing glasses isn't just for moé points either). Mumei has some nice moments too but if she doesn't turn on Biba now, after all this shit went down, the show could tank. But it's not tanking at the moment, it's just very give and take

I'm going to push it and say Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is still a good time, no alcohol required~

[Draco Spirit]

Originally Posted by bakato

Mad with fear then.

Guess it runs in the family.

Probably too much inbreeding. Tend to hit nobility pretty bad sometimes.