(L) Chevalier D'Eon

[lommm]

well, the first volume dvd came out in japan a week ago... and we're at the beginning of November and ep 11... assuming they don't take off any weeks at all, episode 20 will air on December 30. That would mean that the series would finish during the last week of January. So February 2007 could be more dvd releases. It could also refer to the end of the show and ANN just got it wrong.

But seriously, to say it was licensed by one of the companies that funds and produces it. Who at ANN decided that this was news?

I wish more people looked at this thread. I realize an MFI series won't get it's own series discussion thread like Pumpkin Scissors or Death Note, but I think Chevalier deserves a broader discussion board.

[MrProphet]

Originally Posted by lommm

But seriously, to say it was licensed by one of the companies that funds and produces it. Who at ANN decided that this was news?

In the immortal, if a bit crude, words of some anonymous chap at 4chan, ANN is made of "pretentiousness" and "swelling ego".

They like to pull "scoops" like that because it makes them look like a serious news source that gets "insider information".

I wish more people looked at this thread. I realize an MFI series won't get it's own series discussion thread like Pumpkin Scissors or Death Note, but I think Chevalier deserves a broader discussion board.

Well, I don't think that the mods here decide what's popular and what deserves more discussion. You can just take a look at the volume of talk to judge the amount of interest in the show. Either it's the period drama atmosphere, or the lack of glitter and overt fanservice, but this anime just doesn't appeal to the majority of viewers.

Which is fine by me, since the company that I have here is good enough. Now, if the lack of popularity would have inhibited the production of fansubs or whatever, then that would be a different story altogether. But we can't talk about that, now can we? 8)

[DaFool]

You know how good this series is? I watched the last two fansubbed episodes 2.5 times.

It's just amazing. And what's even more amazing is they still manage to squeeze a lot of fanservice and still keep the plot coherent.

I could talk about the plot, but I'd rather ramble on about the fanservice if you'd oblige me.

That Poet Cagliostro's woman was very hot. Every time she appeared in a scene I could just take a screenshot and make it a pinup. It's also cute that she spoke in the emotionless tone usually used by gothlolis.

And D'eon and Robin in the cross-dressing ball, man oh man. I'd hit Robin for sure, I don't care anymore. And I am a godfearing Christian for crying out loud. It wasn't a harem anime, it was the work of masterpiece Chevalier D'Eon that brought out my pedo tendencies.

Furthermore, I'd wish I were still a boy. Then I'd dress up as a girl.

Also, why isn't this thread littered by fangirly-posts, considering the sheer amount of bishounen in this series, and one or two sex-changing / cross-dressing bishounen at that!

But nevermind, the discussion here is few but very informative and educated. So please don't follow my style of post, it sets a very bad example.

[wao]

Well, I'm sure if I looked hard enoguh I could give you a rambly post with all the fangirly sites relating to Chevalier... And certainly, it does have a lot of things that could attract girls. I probably don't say it enough, but the character designs in this are top-notch and the most amazing thing is that they look well drawn in most episodes. The perspective, the details of eyelids, the shape of teh hair... It's really amazing. I still check out Iga Jirou's site very often beacuse he is an example of the skilled drawing this show can feature.

And come on, you've got to agree, everyone is so bishie (but not in a blatant way either, which is even better!). Even I think Telliagory is handsome! I don't even need to mention Robespierre who looks like he came out of the Guide To Draw Really Sexy Bishounen or something.

But somehow this thread is really just not suitable for fangirling, and I think it would be inappropriate to (except maybe when thrown in among legit discussion). I think most people here are watching for a. the cool action and b. the history. And I think it's perfectly fine leaving it like that.

Although I still don't think this is an excellent series because it's somehow lacking that X factor to pull me in, I won't deny that it is good, and what's limiting my enjoyment are probably my own tastes. In a way though, I'm thankful this show doesn't overdramatise things (though sometimes I do think the directing could be a little more daring), yet doesn't present matters in a dead-boring and completely dry way.

Spoiler for episode 11?:

The way Queen Elizabeth died was really wonderful, personally speaking. As Robespierre put it, she died at the hands of her beloved men, but in a very noble way. She didn't make any noise! Ah, but of course... what a wonderful character befitting the voice of Atsuko Tanaka.

If there's one thing I do genuinely wish they would work on though, it might be the story. I do like the fact that there's something happening every episode, but there's something that still doesn't make it all that compelling to me. I guess it's because we haven't gotten into the heat of things, but with the more frequent appearances of characters like Robespierre I think we are heading there, so I'm looking forward to the next few episodes.

I wonder if they'll have a semi-climax to teh story at episode 13? That would be pretty good.

EDIT: While looking aroudn for people interested in Irohanihoheto, I came across this livejournal, the author has a ton (literally a ton!) of various Chevalier icons, go take a look if you're interested.

So is this really licensed by ADV?

[Secca]

Originally Posted by DaFool

Also, why isn't this thread littered by fangirly-posts, considering the sheer amount of bishounen in this series, and one or two sex-changing / cross-dressing bishounen at that!

Lol some of them in behaved-mode and try not to scare anyone since this is sucha good show. ^_^

[Sonhex]

Originally Posted by wao

...
So is this really licensed by ADV?

Yup, according to the latest 'news' on ANN, ADV have licensed it. Apparently ANN has a reliable source (the cleaners?), but no official confirmation from ADV as of yet...

[Quajafrie]

I have to say, I'm so intrigued by this series. I find the plot progression amusingly interesting, and I love every historical bit. I'm not very fond of history, but I really like the French Revolution era, and even though the anime doesn't take place exactly in that period, I really like its interpretation of France and Russia.

[Doria]

Originally Posted by wao

And come on, you've got to agree, everyone is so bishie (but not in a blatant way either, which is even better!). Even I think Telliagory is handsome! I don't even need to mention Robespierre who looks like he came out of the Guide To Draw Really Sexy Bishounen or something.

... So is this really licensed by ADV?

Haha--yeah, that really does sum up Robespierre, doesn't it? I almost found it distracting the first time we really see him in-episode. It was as though he almost didn't fit, like he got lost from a CLAMP series or something and accidentally wandered into fictional 18th-century France!

I have to admit, that while I have a deep affection for this series, I think the pacing is a little slow. It's been a complaint of mine for a while now, too. Actually, even the first episode began slowly--I personally might have tried to start it off with some action (perhaps even his sister fighting back in the day?). That said, I don't think it's particularly *poorly* paced, just that it's slow for my tastes.

However, on the plus side, it's also funnier than I think many people give it credit for being.

As far as the licensing goes, I'm actually both surprised and pleased (maybe Gankutsuou did better than I expected). If it helps a good non-shounen series reach a broader audience, I am all for that. There isn't anything wrong with enjoying shounen (which is what we typically get on Cartoon Network here in the US), and I personally read an embarrasingly large selection of Jump titles, but there is also something to be said for somewhat more adult-oriented series also.

Perhaps, though, that's just me speaking from my usual place of lament that Monster will probably *never* get an official R1 release. I'll probably just break down and import the Odex disks eventually...

[wao]

I wouldn't recommend getting that if I were you, considering Odex's quailty (unless you want some kind of official media, or if *gasp* they IMPROVED?Q!)...

I'm glad that shows like this get licensed too, and it's a decent choice because I think the serious fans of anime who like things like GitS would take well to this (aside from the fact that it's set in a ratehr different period). And true, its French REvolution background makes it more accessible to foreign rather than the domestic Japanese fans...since it relies a fair bit on knowledge of the dynamics and I get the feeling it is difficult to watch it solely based on character relationships ala Rose of Versailles (where historical elements were also made easy to understand. But I have to thank that anime for helping me with my history lessons!)

[lommm]

@wao: i thought it was a very beautiful death for the queen, even if she was ripped to shreds...

Originally Posted by wao

I don't even need to mention Robespierre who looks like he came out of the Guide To Draw Really Sexy Bishounen or something.

lol that's... lol um... lol so true lol! *chokes on water*

Originally Posted by wao

EDIT: While looking aroudn for people interested in Irohanihoheto, I came across this livejournal, the author has a ton (literally a ton!) of various Chevalier icons, go take a look if you're interested.

thanks for this link, there are some good icons on there!

Originally Posted by wao

So is this really licensed by ADV?

if this is true, it just goes to show what sway IG has in the US market. everything they do gets licensed.


@Doria: i see what you mean that it's slow, but i think of it like Monster. Which is interesting since you like Monster. BUT this is an action/drama/historical and Monster was a thriller/drama/recent-history, so the thriller aspect made each ep of Monster tense. And you should know that a major production company headquartered at Universal owns the rights to Monster live action and is making two movies out of it. The guy who wrote A History of violence is writing it. I guarantee some major distrib will snag the dvd rights when that movie is coming out. but enough about Monster. Chevalier on region 1 will be great. I bet the IFC channel will air it. They air Samurai 7 and Basalisk.

Originally Posted by DaFool

And D'eon and Robin in the cross-dressing ball, man oh man. I'd hit Robin for sure, I don't care anymore. And I am a godfearing Christian for crying out loud. It wasn't a harem anime, it was the work of masterpiece Chevalier D'Eon that brought out my pedo tendencies.

this is secretly why i've been rooting for robin to actually be a girl...
i want to justify my being attracted to that character...

Originally Posted by DaFool

Furthermore, I'd wish I were still a boy. Then I'd dress up as a girl.

well, it is already gone, but you could have used halloween as an excuse...
or you could just be like Eddie Izzard and dress like a woman because you can...
or you could be like J. Edgar Hoover and dress like a woman underneath your business suit!

[Pakk]

Well, license has been confirmed in a press release, so you can all start saving up money for the DVDs now.

[Secca]

lol the only sugestion I can give, remember to shave or wear stockings. ^_^

[kauldron26]

so why exactly are people not watching this?? is it too different?? i love Kemono Zume but i can understand why people arent watching it. Its directing and art style is radical... but Chevalier?? is the story line that complicated? or is it because it is not the typical brainless shounen ala bleach naruto??

[darkchibi07]

Originally Posted by kauldron26

so why exactly are people not watching this?? is it too different?? i love Kemono Zume but i can understand why people arent watching it. Its directing and art style is radical... but Chevalier?? is the story line that complicated? or is it because it is not the typical brainless shounen ala bleach naruto??

I'm not watching it because the settings is SO European that it's really weird to hear Japanese VAs coming out of European characters. Now since ADV licensed, they're most likely going to modify their voice acting.

[npal]

LOL, you mean you don't watch any anime that has non-Japanese characters? Or would you prefer engrish or something?

[darkchibi07]

Case by case basis. I did watch all of Gunslinger Girl on fansubs a while back though I did make an effort to buy the DVDs from FUNimation.

[Doria]

Originally Posted by kauldron26

so why exactly are people not watching this?? is it too different?? i love Kemono Zume but i can understand why people arent watching it. Its directing and art style is radical... but Chevalier?? is the story line that complicated? or is it because it is not the typical brainless shounen ala bleach naruto??

It's a good question, but I don't really think it's because the storyline is complicated since, so far, it really isn't all that complicated, imo.

I believe your last comment is more accurate. Part of the problem (if you want to call it that), I think, is that the story is set up to be a kind of action-adventure show--more like, for lack of a better example, Blood+ or something. But then, there really isn't all that much action.

Again, I don't have any problem watching shows that aren't all action (and I'm not a particularly big Naruto or Bleach fan), but Chevalier always feels on the verge of getting action-y, only to have it dissipate in long drawing-room scenes. It isn't that I don't like the dialogues--I actually really do, and I think the different perspectives on this period in history, as voiced by disparate characters--is interesting. The issue, for me, is that the series seems at times, to want to do both things, but ends up not fully invested in the action. The action is great when it happens, but I never feel that there is much momentum generated.

Honestly, I haven't really thought about this as much as one might guess, so I'll probably regret having written this later on. I'm also running an episode or so behind you guys, due to other anime commitments (coughgintamacough). I suspect this all comes off much more negative than I mean it to be. It's much more in the spirit of observation rather than strict criticism.

Lommm, I agree with your points about Monster, in relation to Chev., but I think Monster was a masterpiece of pacing. Chevalier, in comparison, isn't bad at all, but I think that it ends up feeling slow because it *wants* us to feel it is more tense than it actually is. (And yeah, I know about the live-action movies. I have a pretty hard time imagining how they will compress 72 eps into even 4 hours. Likewise, I'm not particularly looking forward to seeing an American cast as Tenma, but whatever. I suspect it will end up being The Fugitive-lite, but I hope not. I'm not at all against US remakes, but in this case, I just have a difficult time seeing it. However, I enjoyed A History of Violence quite a bit, so that makes me more optimistic.)

[lommm]

i bet the VAs for the region 1's will all have English accents
cuz you know they won't have French accents - little kids can't understand difficult accents

[Doria]

Well, I don't have a big problem with English rather than French accents. Unless they get actors who are very good at accents, I'd just as soon skip the abortive attempts.

It's too bad because Chevalier could actually benefit from accents to help indicate who is what nationality, but realistically, it's very painful for me to hear poorly done accents in general, so I'd prefer they all just record normally at that point. And on the flip side, it isn't as though Eon would *really* have an accent, right? Cause theoretically, he'd be speaking French, if you see what I mean...

[glyph]

Originally Posted by Doria

Well, I don't have a big problem with English rather than French accents. Unless they get actors who are very good at accents, I'd just as soon skip the abortive attempts.

It's too bad because Chevalier could actually benefit from accents to help indicate who is what nationality, but realistically, it's very painful for me to hear poorly done accents in general, so I'd prefer they all just record normally at that point. And on the flip side, it isn't as though Eon would *really* have an accent, right? Cause theoretically, he'd be speaking French, if you see what I mean...

I just hope they can somewhat keep the feel of 18th century dialogue, and not let obviously modern terminology and slang slip in. Does ADV usually also include a Japanese track with subs along with the dub?