(CR) Sangatsu no Lion [anticipation]

[Guardian Enzo]

I would be fine with Okada here. She does fine with adapting this sort of material - look at Hourou Musuko. It's when she steps out of her stylistic comfort zone or writes new material for established franchises that the trouble starts.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

...Sangatsu is a coming of age story with no moe aesthetic and based off a massively popular manga targeted at adult women and one that would actually be more suited for a live action tv series (but since Japanese live action is almost always lolbad i rather it wasn't adapted to a live action). I see zero intersection here....

This is a pretty decent summary, actually. ^^

Although, like with many really well written stories like this manga is it barely scratches the surface. It really is a beautiful thing, and a beautiful thing with many facets, I think....

To be fair, while I do dislike the "Shaftianisms" visuals and stylistics I still have the positive experience of Koufuku in my memory (which another poster called the most un-Shaftian series of all series produced by Shaft of late), and based on that sliver of a reference point, no matter how small, I will for now give the series the "great big benefit of the doubt" grading. There is, after all, a chance (however minuscule) that it might actually be good and pleasantly surprise me.

I am sure there will be plenty potential opportunities for disappointment later on, should that indeed be what is coming our way.

This is not to somehow shake the finger (or tilt the head?) at those who are disappointed or who are feeling this announcement deeply, though. Hope I don't come across as "dismissing" or somehow "making light" of their concerns? Not my intent to do so at all, and apologize if I came across as such!

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by Haak

Now all that's left is for Mari Okada to do the Series Composition for maximum trollage. XP

And this is why we can't have nice things...

[Proto]

Ef is a romance melodrama that had a moe aesthetic based of an eroge visual novel. Hidamari sketch is a slice of life with a moe aesthetic based off a 4-koma manga. Sangatsu is a coming of age story with no moe aethestic and based off a massively popular manga targeted at adult women and one that would actually be more suited for a live action tv series (but since japanese live action is almost always lolbad i rather it wasnt adapted to a live action). I see zero intersection here.

Hidamari Sketch has very strong coming of age elements to it in its later seasons. ~ef~ in some of its segments has strong introspection and seeking a personal meaning of life in the face of challenge-based themes. (Although I do agree it tends to veer a little too much to the melodramatic sid,e it does show that Shaft is adept at showing and telling the appropriate emotions.

I do appreciate GE's point that there are nigh high expectations for the anime adaptation given the mangaka's pedigree (I myself rushed to read it once I was aware of it). I don't really have a reply to that other than wait and see.

[moodie]

looks like everyone is forgetting that Natsu no Arashi! exists

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by Haak

Now all that's left is for Mari Okada to do the Series Composition for maximum trollage. XP

Maximum trollage would require Okada and Urobuchi collaborating on an original series, with Shinbou directing and character designs by the creator of High School of the Dead.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by moodie

looks like everyone is forgetting that Natsu no Arashi! exists

Or not....

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

You do see directors - like Oonuma Shin and Omata Shinichi - break away from the Shinbou style somewhat. But only after they've left the studio. As long as a show has the Shaft emblem, it has the Shinbou style. There were once a few shows (like Soredemo Machi wa Mattaeiru and to a lesser extent Natsu no Arashi) that soft-pedaled the Shinbou schtick. But since Shinbou has become the embodiment of the commercially successful NisiOisin/LN attention-deficit model, there have really been no major deviations from orthodoxy.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Guys, guys, you're missing the important thing here: Shinbou now insists that we refer to him as Simbo.

Super Kami Sinbo.

[vaden]

These complaints about Shinbou's lack of range in his direction are hilarious. SHAFT's output has been dominated by Monogatari Series for the past four years now. Surprise, surprise, you get a lot of similarities between shows when most of those shows are in the same franchise. It's like going to an ice cream shop five times in one day and complaining that the flavors are always the same.

Originally Posted by Flower

This is not to somehow shake the finger (or tilt the head?) at those who are disappointed or who are feeling this announcement deeply, though. Hope I don't come across as "dismissing" or somehow "making light" of their concerns? Not my intent to do so at all, and apologize if I came across as such!

I will. If you come in expecting the show to be shit given nothing but the name of a director, you'll almost certainly come out of it thinking it's shit. That disappointment is entirely on your expectations.

[Cerilla]

Speaking of Shinbou, isn't the first Nanoha directed by him? I would categorize that "normal" relatively speaking.

[bastek66]

All this whining about Shinbou, even bringing Okada like she would change plot of manga...
Why are acting like idiots from /a/?
Mangaka herself wanted Shinbou to direct it.

[Blue-kun]

Mangaka herself wanted Shinbou to direct it.

Source for that.

Originally Posted by vaden

These complaints about Shinbou's lack of range in his direction are hilarious. SHAFT's output has been dominated by Monogatari Series for the past four years now. Surprise, surprise, you get a lot of similarities between shows when most of those shows are in the same franchise. It's like going to an ice cream shop five times in one day and complaining that the flavors are always the same.

Yes, because Shinbo and SHAFT have only done Monogatari lately. In fact, if anything, Monogatari is probably the worst example thing people could give – it's a strange series to begin with, with Isin's clever/witty writing, and that actually benefits from SHAFT's and Shinbo's crazy shenanigans. If I had to point out something, the latest offender would be Nisekoi, where if you watch the anime after reading the manga I feel like they're two completely different stories. The SHAFT influence is so strong that it feels like you're watching something completely different in tone, quite often. And the style applied to it simply doesn't work.

If that happens to Nisekoi, imagine what Shinbo directing wouldn't do to Sangatsu no Lion. As people have said before, it's a straightfoward story, that would benefit from being subdued and subtle about its approach. Is SHAFT ever known from being 'subtle' and 'subdued' in its approach?

Originally Posted by Cerilla

Speaking of Shinbou, isn't the first Nanoha directed by him? I would categorize that "normal" relatively speaking.

It was, but it's been ages since that. There was still some Shinbo things here and there, but Nanoha itself is old enough that it came before SHAFT/Shinbo's style went into overdrive and started permeating every show they work on, with or without Shinbo. That said, while Nanoha S1 isn't known for crazy head tilts and random onscreen text everywhere, it's also just... bland, overall.

[bastek66]

Originally Posted by Blue-kun

Source for that.

Text in that purple circle on photo in ANN news article.

[pinoscotto]

Originally Posted by Blue-kun

Source for that.

someone said that this was written in this article

Originally Posted by Stark700

[Blue-kun]

Originally Posted by bastek66

Text in that purple circle on photo in ANN news article.

Checked it and sure seems that way. In which case, either it's her being nice about a choice she simply had no control over, as obviously she wouldn't say bad things about it, or Umino-sensei knows more than any of us about Shinbo's hidden talents.

Either way, still very skeptical about the whole thing, and even disappointed. Up to him to surprise us all whenever the first episode airs, and I hope he can do it, because I don't want the wait of several years to end up like this.

[Haak]

I'll wait for the PV before I make any assassination plans judgements, but even though I like Shinbou's avant gaurde style, I've also seen examples where it just doesn't fit the show. As others have pointed out, Sangatsu couldn't be more unfitting.

[Blue-kun]

Originally Posted by Haak

I'll wait for the PV before I make any assassination plans judgements, but even though I like Shinbou's avant gaurde style, I've also seen examples where it just doesn't fit the show. As others have pointed out, Sangatsu couldn't be more unfitting.

It doesn't even matter, even if you get rid of Shinbo, SHAFT now has developed at least 10 clones of him there who are able to operate independently, as seen by all shows where Shinbo is only Chief Director and yet his influence still shines through every hole of it.

We may have to invent time travel and go back before Shinbo was born, only then will the world be saved.

[Guardian Enzo]

I'll bring the microwave, you bring the bananas.

What the hell do you expect Umino to say - "I hate Shinbou, I hate Shaft, and I hope the anime fails and hurts my career in the process?" She's doing what 99% of mangaka do, being a team player and hoping that changes they have no control over don't prove as disastrous as they fear they will.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by vaden

These complaints about Shinbou's lack of range in his direction are hilarious. SHAFT's output has been dominated by Monogatari Series for the past four years now. Surprise, surprise, you get a lot of similarities between shows when most of those shows are in the same franchise. It's like going to an ice cream shop five times in one day and complaining that the flavors are always the same.

Bad analogy. This is like if said Ice Cream shop didn't sell that flavor X you liked, took it over, and sold it practically identical to the flavors it actually sells. Then everyone says that's how flavor X should be like.

The analogy would only be valid if it were a vacuous comment made towards Shaft in general, or someone is willingly watching Shaft shows repeatedly without any vested interest.

If you come in expecting the show to be shit given nothing but the name of a director, you'll almost certainly come out of it thinking it's shit. That disappointment is entirely on your expectations.

Naturally.

Originally Posted by Cerilla

Speaking of Shinbou, isn't the first Nanoha directed by him? I would categorize that "normal" relatively speaking.

Yea, it was fairly normal, which is just a suggestion that no, not everything stamped with Shinbo's name has to be crazy, though I suppose a few parts here and there were interesting.

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by bastek66

Mangaka herself wanted Shinbou to direct it.

Such a shame that he won't.

Wonder which "understudy" will get the gig.