AnimeSuki Forums

thomasvye · 2006-03-31, 13:53

Website has updated today with a short pictorial summary of Episode 1, which broadcasts Tuesday (4th April)....doesn't give much away (thankfully), but is interesting for more screenshots.

http://www.garakan.com/story_episode.html

MrProphet · 2006-03-31, 14:20

Those territorial ships look interesting. I wonder how the creators rationalize the physics of their existance. I mean, one thing is a Island-3 type colony (from Gundam) that actually has scientific base under it, but a slab of land floating in space?!

Based on the screenshots, it looks like they have developed a very unique and thought-through world (the crypto-typewriter looks cool, very lastexileish), but the detail and complexity of animation might be weaker. For some reason, I feel a lot of Trinity Blood emanating from the ball shots. And that is not a good thing.

Of course, that's just looking at the shots. We'll see how it pans out pretty soon.

The text is the same as the story intro, by the way, so, nothing new here.

Sonhex · 2006-03-31, 14:26

Not to mention the glass space ship (there was me thinking 'Garasu No Kantai' was metaphoric); a neat idea but not very practical lol. Still the mix of space and Victorian era technology holds promise and yeah, the more I see the more Last Exile vibes I get from this too...

thomasvye · 2006-03-31, 14:26

Yes, I like the look of the sparkling ship that looks like a chandelier! It looks very cool; that amplitheatre, with the huge proscenium arch, also looks pretty epic. The design seems to have some scale.

BluWacky · 2006-03-31, 17:41

Just finished watching the first episode - rather annoyingly, Bigglobe are now hosting it for half the price! I don't know if they charge multiple times per viewing or anything, otherwise I'd give you all my Nifty account details so you could watch it (as expected, it's a DRM-encrypted WMV file).

Some non-spoilery thoughts first, since the first episode hasn't "aired" yet:

No OP, the ED is a standard J-rock song with very nasal vocals. The music in the episode is really good - sweeping, epic orchestral stuff, by far the best thing about the show.

The show looks fine, but I don't think it's got a very good animation budget - it doesn't come across as awful or anything, but there's very little beyond standard anime stuff. MrProphet's comments about it looking like Trinity Blood seem quite valid - pretty in stills, but not huge amounts of animation (and there's nothing in the first episode cel-wise that really compares to the best moments in Trinity Blood i..e Abel going Krusnik on everyone) The CG looks surprisingly good - it works in space because it doesn't have to "blend in" with anything else so much, although the last shot suffers from choppiness and blending problems - you can tell GONZO's involved...

Content-wise (without spoilers), while I'd have to go through it again to really tell for sure, the show hasn't grabbed me yet but neither has it immediately turned me off; I don't think the episode works as well as I think the writers intended it too as it's not quite exciting enough, but I suppose it establishes the world setting quite well. I'll watch the second episode, certainly, but at this point I wouldn't expect anything particularly fantastic, but hopefully a solid series.

Spoiler for Plot related stuff:

MrProphet · 2006-03-31, 17:58

Thanks for the rundown, BluWacky.

So, is it interesting? Is there promise of future stuff going down somewhere? In other words, any optimism from this show, or is it yet another GONZO flop in the making?

thomasvye · 2006-03-31, 18:35

Well, I am going to defy convention and say that if it's like Trinity Blood I'll be perfectly happy. Unlike everyone else, I loved Trinity Blood, so I have no problem at all. ^__^ (I liked Speed Grapher too).

Ah, it's a shame not having access early. But it's on on Tuesday, I think, and I desperately need something to replace the enormous gap in my life left by the ending of Noein.

Sorry, I have to white text my spoiler comment as I couldn't find anything in help to tell me how to make a spoiler cut...
I am very surprised that Michel is a woman...well, I guess I'll get used to 'her' but traditionally, token Amazon warrior women annoy me (I guess that's why I immediately assumed Michel was a boy), so....well, I'll have to see.

wao · 2006-04-01, 02:35

Thanks for the summary, BluWacky. Well, it doesn't seem to go below or above my expectations, so I guess I can just watch the first episode while enjoying it.

Though a number of other watchers have been wanting to treat it like Aquarion as first... as a "neta-anime" (kind of like a huge freaking joke). Yet the show isn't meant as one, they've all got serious faces and the direction doesn't seem like a joke... eh, whatever.

If it turns out sucky one can always stop watching it, after all.

I still maintain that Michelle reminds me of Silvia, somehow or another. I guess it's cos of those episodes where the character designer corrected the faces in Aquarion.

thomasvye · 2006-04-01, 06:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by wao

Though a number of other watchers have been wanting to treat it like Aquarion as first... as a "neta-anime" (kind of like a huge freaking joke). Yet the show isn't meant as one, they've all got serious faces and the direction doesn't seem like a joke... eh, whatever.

Again, if it's like Aquarion, I'll be ecstatic! That was such a great show. I thought it had just the right mix of cheesy comedy and action and romance. I wish there was more Aquarion...I know the story ended, but...there should still be more! (And if Michel is like Sylvia, then my balance is restored and I'll be happy - I loved her and her crazy brother obsession...

)

All of these comparisons to shows I like are making me very happy.

It may be that it's not meant to be a *joke* show, but that the tone that develops might be like...I don't know how to describe....dramatic and romantic and overblown, but not taking itself too seriously - like the old Errol Flynn swashbucklers.

MrProphet · 2006-04-01, 06:05

I don't want it to be anything like Aquarion.

Come on, what the hell. Give me a good space opera! I can find the humor elsewhere...

Sonhex · 2006-04-01, 06:31

I'm going to avoid the spoilers for now as I want to watch this without too much prior knowledge, but some of the comments worry me a little; Erroyl Flynn in space? Good Lord I hope it isn't a camp space opera...

thomasvye · 2006-04-01, 06:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonhex

I'm going to avoid the spoilers for now as I want to watch this without too much prior knowledge, but some of the comments worry me a little; Erroyl Flynn in space? Good Lord I hope it isn't a camp space opera...

Ah no, don't take my comment as a description of the show at all - I was more trying to describe a particular type of style, as people had been making comparisons to Aquarion. I have not seen the show yet myself, only the little promo trailer!

But you know, even if it *is* a camp space opera, I would like that. I don't have a preconception of how the show's tone is going to be (except that I think it will be dramatic) and I love many different types of shows for different reasons; nothing will put me off watching it until I have seen it and made a judgement for myself.

Sonhex · 2006-04-01, 07:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasvye

Ah no, don't take my comment as a description of the show at all - I was more trying to describe a particular type of style, as people had been making comparisons to Aquarion. I have not seen the show yet myself, only the little promo trailer!

But you know, even if it *is* a camp space opera, I would like that. I don't have a preconception of how the show's tone is going to be (except that I think it will be dramatic) and I love many different types of shows for different reasons; nothing will put me off watching it until I have seen it and made a judgement for myself.

I guess my post was a little ambiguous, but I was just commenting on your expectations of the show.

As for me I'm steadfastly expecting something like 'Last Exile' - dramatic, sweeping, epic and dare I say 'worthy' - so any comparison to Aquarion* concerns me.

*I know a lot of people liked Aquarion, but I thought it was a phenomenal waste of effort and energy from the very creative talents behind it. They can, and have proceeded to, do much better (Noein).

wao · 2006-04-01, 07:18

I don't think the show INTENDS to be a gag anime like Aquarion. I think it is trying to be a proper serious space opera, but some (overly-critical? I haven't watched the ep, I wouldn't know) people are comparing it to Aquarion because it seems to cliche/pretentious/badly-done that they'd rather look at it as a joke.

Well, sometimes if a show is fun enough I'll ignore the bad production and silly or unoriginal story, as long as I can get into the characters and they draw the bishies.... like bishies!

Though that's really delving into true mindlessness, well, who cares, really?

Let's just wait for teh damn episode...

thomasvye · 2006-04-01, 08:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonhex

I guess my post was a little ambiguous, but I was just commenting on your expectations of the show.

As for me I'm steadfastly expecting something like 'Last Exile' - dramatic, sweeping, epic and dare I say 'worthy' - so any comparison to Aquarion* concerns me.

*I know a lot of people liked Aquarion, but I thought it was a phenomenal waste of effort and energy from the very creative talents behind it. They can, and have proceeded to, do much better (Noein).

Ah, you see, I liked Aquarion and Noein equally for totally different reasons (well, perhaps not equally; Noein is the best original anime I have ever seen). But that anyone thought so lowly of Aqaurion shocks me

I won't bother to defend it, as it's OT, but I am genuinely surprised. It goes to show how broad tastes can be and further reinformces my intention to ignore everyone else's opinions and form my own. ^___^

MrProphet · 2006-04-05, 10:09

Well, I watched episode 1 and I must say that BluWacky was right on the money. This show is kinda so-so. Not bad and rather promising, but not first class either.

It felt like "Glass Fleet" was trying very hard to become Last Exile In Space, but the quality just wasn't there.

What's good?

- 3D effects and ships are good.
- Main character design (Vettii, Michelle, Cleo) is also good
- Music is interesting and fitting
- The story seems to be interesting (I wasn't bored)

What's not?

- Character design for minor people is lacking
- Cannonfodder looks like it was drawn in a hurry
- BG art is rather bland
- People breathing in space is rather non-sensical

All in all, I'll watch it because it might get better, but I don't consider this top notch, or anything. Maybe they'll manage to straighten this out.

thomasvye · 2006-04-05, 13:48

Quote:

- People breathing in space is rather non-sensical

.......um...fantasy? Suspension of disbelief? Dramatic license?

Spoiler:

I think my favourite moment in the episode came right at the start, during Vetti's coup, when the King (?) has reluctantly sent up the fireworks indicating surrender; Conrad looks at Vetti *well?* and Vetti looks at Conrad and smiles *Yeah, do it*, and Conrad says (effectively) 'blow them up anyway'. That was a wonderful moment of completely non verbal but absolutely clear communication. I was very impressed by Vetti's team. And I like Conrad more that I thought I would; he seemed rather stiff on the character art, but he's actually rather attractive. One of those guys who's confident and smart and just a bit superior.

Vetti makes an oration to a rally of his followers. Millions of them. It's an image that draws a clear parallel with German rallys of the 1940s; it's an indication of the kind of person Vetti is, the kind of charisma he has. His reign is a definite cult of personality, though he's clearly not without military ability at all.

It's interesting that though it's Michel's and the Jinmingun's revolt that dominates the episode's plot, it was Vetti I was waiting for. He was as powerful in his absence as he was when present.

I couldn't help, actually, feeling a bit sorry for that bride and groom; I mean, that girl's beautiful wedding was hijacked and turned over and she ended up tied up! Talk about the wedding day from hell. Someone will pay. Probably her Daddy...

I thought the sequence when Michel went out onto that elongating platform to martyr 'him/herself' for the rebellion's sake was amazing, as the GarasuNoSenkan swept down out of the sky; it was an amazing glass coloured ship, and we got a single shot that tracked right down it, through it's front window, through the bridge, up to Kureo, to his very eye...and that sweeping entrance was the climax of the episode. I am pleased - a dynamic entrace is essential for the forces of good's true hero in this story.

I adore Vetti. I have adored him for months, from the *concept, the idea of him, from Okama's wonderful paintings (of which we got another for the closing sequence!). He's the sort of character I always enjoy watching. He's unashamed, confident, sexy, intelligent and very very naughty.

I dislike Michel, as I also knew I would - he/she is just SO pious and earnest and righteous - the same qualities that have always put me off Orpherus in Meine Liebe. Michel, please remove the stick from your a@@, dear.

And then we have Kureo...we didn't get to meet him but you could tell from his stance on the bridge of his beautiful unique ship, casually sitting with his harmonica, that he's just going to be cool and badass.

The show has a very developed and unusual looking world. Aside from the military uniforms, the religious costumes were elaborate and crazy, the style of the wedding (with the bride and groom bourne on great platforms) had a feeling of tradition and ceremony about it; you feel you were looking in on established practice....the rooms had enormous height and scope, and people drive carriages around their battleships, mixing Victorian and neuromantic styles.

All in all...I am most rosily content. I am so content to actually have GarasuNoKantai *here* and up and running.

Kaoru Chujo · 2006-04-05, 14:05

I enjoyed it. Both the human aspects and the space battles. The numbers of ships were impressive. But it was kind of annoying to see the 1950s-ish effects sometimes, with the ships moving like models on strings, or as if they were in a fluid rather than outer space.

In any case, I found it promising and will be back for more next week.

Grifis · 2006-04-05, 22:45

This I like. Character designs look pretty good and the story looks promising. I don't like the 3d effects but I can take it. The one complain that I have is the costume designs. I didn't get to see Cleo in full form but so far Vetti and Michele's costumes are just ... I don't know... not very appealing to this POV. Logh still rules in this department.

DaFool · 2006-04-06, 07:56

So far the production values is a sore disappointment as we had been expecting from the website and concept art. I had expected a decent space opera, and while this takes itself too seriously, the only thing it will have going for it is plot and characters, and so far none have engaged me.

This is not to say I don't like shows with strong female leads...I enjoyed Lir's character in Ergo Proxy and Yoko's character in Juuni Kokki, but so far I don't seem to get what drives Michelle other than she being a standard off-the-shelf leader.

As far as setting its nothing that I haven't seen before. I really liked Last Exile and it did the victorian / steampunk better. Fleets of ships with crest insignias were featured before in Crest / Banner of the Stars and the battles there were far more thought-out than the cartoony ones here.

I'll need a decent sub to make a better judgement. However I admit I will be so ready to drop it.
edit: why is this in Fansubs thread? /goes check for subs again.

2006-03-31, 17:41	Link #25
BluWacky 尻の竜 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London, UK Age: 40	Just finished watching the first episode - rather annoyingly, Bigglobe are now hosting it for half the price! I don't know if they charge multiple times per viewing or anything, otherwise I'd give you all my Nifty account details so you could watch it (as expected, it's a DRM-encrypted WMV file). Some non-spoilery thoughts first, since the first episode hasn't "aired" yet: No OP, the ED is a standard J-rock song with very nasal vocals. The music in the episode is really good - sweeping, epic orchestral stuff, by far the best thing about the show. The show looks fine, but I don't think it's got a very good animation budget - it doesn't come across as awful or anything, but there's very little beyond standard anime stuff. MrProphet's comments about it looking like Trinity Blood seem quite valid - pretty in stills, but not huge amounts of animation (and there's nothing in the first episode cel-wise that really compares to the best moments in Trinity Blood i..e Abel going Krusnik on everyone) The CG looks surprisingly good - it works in space because it doesn't have to "blend in" with anything else so much, although the last shot suffers from choppiness and blending problems - you can tell GONZO's involved... Content-wise (without spoilers), while I'd have to go through it again to really tell for sure, the show hasn't grabbed me yet but neither has it immediately turned me off; I don't think the episode works as well as I think the writers intended it too as it's not quite exciting enough, but I suppose it establishes the world setting quite well. I'll watch the second episode, certainly, but at this point I wouldn't expect anything particularly fantastic, but hopefully a solid series. Spoiler for Plot related stuff: Michelle IS a woman, unsurprisingly We begin with what I presumed to be the end of the war that precedes the main action of the series, with a climactic battle between Vettii (they pronounce it Betty and it made me laugh...) and some fat general on the other side; even though the general surrenders (surrendering in Garakan is indicated by letting off fireworks) Vettii still orders his territory ship to be blown up. All the ships fire cannons rather than laser beams or anything like that, but rather than feeling particularly piratical it comes across as rather "baroque" for some reason; I think the costumes and the rather pompous atmosphere the show has contribute to that. At Vettii's victory speech he waffles on about the founding of a new empire for peace and all that, but Michelle is unimpressed; some time later, she and her band of revolutionaries crash a wedding between nobles that's set to consolidate some land for some reason (didn't quite catch that) and free some slaves, and later get attacked by a general with an incredibly annoying nasal voice that sips tea and complains that they aren't surrendering fast enough; Michelle leaps in her horse-drawn carriage with her butler and kung-fu maid (yes, she's an Elenore-from-Madlax ripoff) and they all get on a ship to go and command the rebel fleet, but some kind of galactic whirlwind called a "Bracelet" sweeps them all up and dumps them in the middle of nowhere with no power - just as the tea-sipping general is about to capture Michelle when she surrenders herself for the good of the revolution, a shooting star flies past which turns out to be a glass ship with Cleo inside - Michelle narrates that "that was the first time I met you" so it's obviously going to be RABU RABU from hereon in.

2006-04-01, 02:35	Link #28
wao OK. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Fields of High Attus Age: 34	Thanks for the summary, BluWacky. Well, it doesn't seem to go below or above my expectations, so I guess I can just watch the first episode while enjoying it. Though a number of other watchers have been wanting to treat it like Aquarion as first... as a "neta-anime" (kind of like a huge freaking joke). Yet the show isn't meant as one, they've all got serious faces and the direction doesn't seem like a joke... eh, whatever. If it turns out sucky one can always stop watching it, after all. I still maintain that Michelle reminds me of Silvia, somehow or another. I guess it's cos of those episodes where the character designer corrected the faces in Aquarion. __________________ Thanks for the fish

2006-04-01, 07:18	Link #34
wao OK. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Fields of High Attus Age: 34	I don't think the show INTENDS to be a gag anime like Aquarion. I think it is trying to be a proper serious space opera, but some (overly-critical? I haven't watched the ep, I wouldn't know) people are comparing it to Aquarion because it seems to cliche/pretentious/badly-done that they'd rather look at it as a joke. Well, sometimes if a show is fun enough I'll ignore the bad production and silly or unoriginal story, as long as I can get into the characters and they draw the bishies.... like bishies! Though that's really delving into true mindlessness, well, who cares, really? Let's just wait for teh damn episode... __________________ Thanks for the fish

2006-04-05, 14:05	Link #38
Kaoru Chujo Yuuki Aoi Join Date: Jul 2004	I enjoyed it. Both the human aspects and the space battles. The numbers of ships were impressive. But it was kind of annoying to see the 1950s-ish effects sometimes, with the ships moving like models on strings, or as if they were in a fluid rather than outer space. In any case, I found it promising and will be back for more next week. __________________ YUUKI Aoi 悠木碧. b92.03.27 (age 29). 2008 Kurenai (Murasaki). 2009 Yumeiro Pâtissière (Ichigo), Kiruminzuu (Riko), Yutori-chan (Yutori-chan). 2010 Vampire Bund (Mina Tepeş), Shiki (Sunako), Samurai Girls (Juubee), Pokémon: Black and White (Iris). 2011 Madoka Magica (Madoka), Gosick (Victorique), A-Channel (Tooru). 2012 Symphogear (Hibiki). 2014 Pilot's Love Song (Claire/Nina), Nanatsu no Taizai (Diane). 2015 Owari no Seraph (Krul Tepes), Rokka no Yuusha (Fremy). 2016 Boku no Hero Academia (Tsuyu, Froppy). 2017 Kino no Tabi (Kino). 2021 Kumo desu ga (watashi), Kaizoku Oujo (Karin), Heike Monogatari (Biwa), etc., etc. Total of 513 roles in anime and games.

2006-04-06, 07:56	Link #40
DaFool Resident devil Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Philippines	So far the production values is a sore disappointment as we had been expecting from the website and concept art. I had expected a decent space opera, and while this takes itself too seriously, the only thing it will have going for it is plot and characters, and so far none have engaged me. This is not to say I don't like shows with strong female leads...I enjoyed Lir's character in Ergo Proxy and Yoko's character in Juuni Kokki, but so far I don't seem to get what drives Michelle other than she being a standard off-the-shelf leader. As far as setting its nothing that I haven't seen before. I really liked Last Exile and it did the victorian / steampunk better. Fleets of ships with crest insignias were featured before in Crest / Banner of the Stars and the battles there were far more thought-out than the cartoony ones here. I'll need a decent sub to make a better judgement. However I admit I will be so ready to drop it. edit: why is this in Fansubs thread? /goes check for subs again. Last edited by DaFool; 2006-04-06 at 08:15.

2006-03-31, 13:53	Link #21
thomasvye Delurking... Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London	Website has updated today with a short pictorial summary of Episode 1, which broadcasts Tuesday (4th April)....doesn't give much away (thankfully), but is interesting for more screenshots. http://www.garakan.com/story_episode.html

2006-03-31, 14:20	Link #22
MrProphet The Commissar Vanishes Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Age: 41	Those territorial ships look interesting. I wonder how the creators rationalize the physics of their existance. I mean, one thing is a Island-3 type colony (from Gundam) that actually has scientific base under it, but a slab of land floating in space?! Based on the screenshots, it looks like they have developed a very unique and thought-through world (the crypto-typewriter looks cool, very lastexileish), but the detail and complexity of animation might be weaker. For some reason, I feel a lot of Trinity Blood emanating from the ball shots. And that is not a good thing. Of course, that's just looking at the shots. We'll see how it pans out pretty soon. The text is the same as the story intro, by the way, so, nothing new here.

2006-03-31, 14:26	Link #23
Sonhex Not dead. Yet. Graphic Designer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK	Not to mention the glass space ship (there was me thinking 'Garasu No Kantai' was metaphoric); a neat idea but not very practical lol. Still the mix of space and Victorian era technology holds promise and yeah, the more I see the more Last Exile vibes I get from this too...

2006-03-31, 14:26	Link #24
thomasvye Delurking... Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London	Yes, I like the look of the sparkling ship that looks like a chandelier! It looks very cool; that amplitheatre, with the huge proscenium arch, also looks pretty epic. The design seems to have some scale.

2006-03-31, 17:58	Link #26
MrProphet The Commissar Vanishes Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Age: 41	Thanks for the rundown, BluWacky. So, is it interesting? Is there promise of future stuff going down somewhere? In other words, any optimism from this show, or is it yet another GONZO flop in the making?

2006-03-31, 18:35	Link #27
thomasvye Delurking... Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London	Well, I am going to defy convention and say that if it's like Trinity Blood I'll be perfectly happy. Unlike everyone else, I loved Trinity Blood, so I have no problem at all. ^__^ (I liked Speed Grapher too). Ah, it's a shame not having access early. But it's on on Tuesday, I think, and I desperately need something to replace the enormous gap in my life left by the ending of Noein. Sorry, I have to white text my spoiler comment as I couldn't find anything in help to tell me how to make a spoiler cut... I am very surprised that Michel is a woman...well, I guess I'll get used to 'her' but traditionally, token Amazon warrior women annoy me (I guess that's why I immediately assumed Michel was a boy), so....well, I'll have to see.

2006-04-01, 06:05	Link #30
MrProphet The Commissar Vanishes Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Age: 41	I don't want it to be anything like Aquarion. Come on, what the hell. Give me a good space opera! I can find the humor elsewhere...

2006-04-01, 06:31	Link #31
Sonhex Not dead. Yet. Graphic Designer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK	I'm going to avoid the spoilers for now as I want to watch this without too much prior knowledge, but some of the comments worry me a little; Erroyl Flynn in space? Good Lord I hope it isn't a camp space opera...

2006-04-05, 10:09	Link #36
MrProphet The Commissar Vanishes Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Age: 41	Well, I watched episode 1 and I must say that BluWacky was right on the money. This show is kinda so-so. Not bad and rather promising, but not first class either. It felt like "Glass Fleet" was trying very hard to become Last Exile In Space, but the quality just wasn't there. What's good? - 3D effects and ships are good. - Main character design (Vettii, Michelle, Cleo) is also good - Music is interesting and fitting - The story seems to be interesting (I wasn't bored) What's not? - Character design for minor people is lacking - Cannonfodder looks like it was drawn in a hurry - BG art is rather bland - People breathing in space is rather non-sensical All in all, I'll watch it because it might get better, but I don't consider this top notch, or anything. Maybe they'll manage to straighten this out.

2006-04-05, 22:45	Link #39
Grifis Eternal Dreamer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Caladan	This I like. Character designs look pretty good and the story looks promising. I don't like the 3d effects but I can take it. The one complain that I have is the costume designs. I didn't get to see Cleo in full form but so far Vetti and Michele's costumes are just ... I don't know... not very appealing to this POV. Logh still rules in this department.