(no subject)
Of one of the fandoms that I'm following currently, I like Sword Art Online. I really do. Even the anime, abrupt as it is - but the manga is even more abrupt, so there's that. I even like Kirito and Asuna. I really do.
I just don't like them together.
It's the same trap as Conan, where I genuinely like both leads, but them as a couple makes me want to strangle something. And Conan at least is not as bad as SAO. Kirito/Asuna is like genuinely the worst official romance I have had the displeasure of watching. It's just abrupt, out of nowhere, and genuinely bad and screams of wish-fulfillment. They play as slightly-friendly acquaintances for a while...and then suddenly BAM WE LOVE EACH OTHER FOREVER AND EVER AND NOW WE'RE MARRIED AND FUCKING AND HAVE A KID. It's handled horribly and rushed and there's no real evidence of it actually building outside of cliched moments and thus has no real substance, it just comes out of fucking nowhere.
This was all summed up in my Sims game where I originally created Kirito and Asuna as a couple for lack of anything else to do with them...and then gave up and murdered Asuna and decided to just see who Kirito would hook up with instead. Find your own way, boy, Naru from Ghost Hunt is still open I think. As well as Yakumo, although he has a kid from a one-night stand. And maybe Oreki from Hyouka...or wait, wasn't he flirting with Xelloss? Multi-fandom neighborhoods are full of lulz.
But seriously, poor Kirito. I like him, but I can't ship him with anyone because I don't have anyone I like him with ohohoho.
Other things I have watched lately:
Hell Girl: Ichimokuren is the hottest katana ever. Literally I kept watching the third season just for Ren. (Then gave up on it around episode 20, because wow does Hell Girl not work with a steady plot. Season two is best season.)
Another: Yay more horror! Although it is hard to genuinely frighten me with anything other than live-action or jump scares. Another was hella good at making me cringe, though - I literally could not watch some of the deaths because oh my god. Umbrella through the neck stands out in that regard, definitely. But nothing scary, just nauseating. I think the only times I've truly been scared from anime/manga were from...the first manga arc of Higurashi, and episode 4 of Shiki. Because a.) oh god Keiichi don't do that with your throat, and b.) holy shit Megumi from underneath the bed took years off my life. But anyways, yes, it's hard for me to be scared, but that didn't stop me from enjoying Another. Quite good pacing and storytelling, I fully recommend it. Also Ali Project opening always wins.
Betrayal Knows My Name: I'm pretty sure that the only thing stopping this from being labelled shounen ai is the lack of any actual kissing. Otherwise everyone is so gay for each other it's just...wow. Just wow. Yuki and Luka not eventually jumping each other is impossible. Impossible. Even if Yuki is the reincarnation of Luka's female lover, obviously Luka doesn't care and Yuki isn't letting that gender barrier get in his way either. EVERYONE IS SO GAY FOR EACH OTHER.
Maoyu: I like the premise, and I actually enjoy Hero and Demon Queen together as a couple which is a pleasant surprise with my usual dislike of official couples, but honestly I got super-bored and stopped watching lolololol. The characterization is quite nicely handled, though, so I actually enjoyed the main pair being cute together.
Hyouka: I marathoned the whole thing over a single setting, lol. No, I don't like Oreki Houtarou and Chitanda Eru together, but thankfully it was light enough on actual romance for me to ignore it most of the time. Which means the last few episodes were supremely disappointing for me since they were far more focused on strongly showing Houtarou's developing feelings for her, but oh well. I can just imagine that they do not get together in my mind. Otherwise I liked it! Nice little slice-of-life/light mystery about a boy coming out of his shell. Houtarou is so adorbs, I love him. And hahahaha Satoshi. GALAXYYYYYY.
Persona 4: One of my FB friends complained about it being different from the game, or something, but since I have not played 4 I enjoyed it thoroughly as an anime. Also one of the few anime where multiple scenes had me rewinding to watch again in hysterics. Best sense of humor for an anime in a long time. II KANJI bwahahahaha. (I might also have watched Kanji's Shadow episode several times because holy shit hysterics.)
Infinite Stratos: Mecha-powered-armor harem action, why not. But I do love the main character, and the IS battles are badass, so there's that.
And that is what I have been doing with my time lately.
I just don't like them together.
It's the same trap as Conan, where I genuinely like both leads, but them as a couple makes me want to strangle something. And Conan at least is not as bad as SAO. Kirito/Asuna is like genuinely the worst official romance I have had the displeasure of watching. It's just abrupt, out of nowhere, and genuinely bad and screams of wish-fulfillment. They play as slightly-friendly acquaintances for a while...and then suddenly BAM WE LOVE EACH OTHER FOREVER AND EVER AND NOW WE'RE MARRIED AND FUCKING AND HAVE A KID. It's handled horribly and rushed and there's no real evidence of it actually building outside of cliched moments and thus has no real substance, it just comes out of fucking nowhere.
This was all summed up in my Sims game where I originally created Kirito and Asuna as a couple for lack of anything else to do with them...and then gave up and murdered Asuna and decided to just see who Kirito would hook up with instead. Find your own way, boy, Naru from Ghost Hunt is still open I think. As well as Yakumo, although he has a kid from a one-night stand. And maybe Oreki from Hyouka...or wait, wasn't he flirting with Xelloss? Multi-fandom neighborhoods are full of lulz.
But seriously, poor Kirito. I like him, but I can't ship him with anyone because I don't have anyone I like him with ohohoho.
Other things I have watched lately:
Hell Girl: Ichimokuren is the hottest katana ever. Literally I kept watching the third season just for Ren. (Then gave up on it around episode 20, because wow does Hell Girl not work with a steady plot. Season two is best season.)
Another: Yay more horror! Although it is hard to genuinely frighten me with anything other than live-action or jump scares. Another was hella good at making me cringe, though - I literally could not watch some of the deaths because oh my god. Umbrella through the neck stands out in that regard, definitely. But nothing scary, just nauseating. I think the only times I've truly been scared from anime/manga were from...the first manga arc of Higurashi, and episode 4 of Shiki. Because a.) oh god Keiichi don't do that with your throat, and b.) holy shit Megumi from underneath the bed took years off my life. But anyways, yes, it's hard for me to be scared, but that didn't stop me from enjoying Another. Quite good pacing and storytelling, I fully recommend it. Also Ali Project opening always wins.
Betrayal Knows My Name: I'm pretty sure that the only thing stopping this from being labelled shounen ai is the lack of any actual kissing. Otherwise everyone is so gay for each other it's just...wow. Just wow. Yuki and Luka not eventually jumping each other is impossible. Impossible. Even if Yuki is the reincarnation of Luka's female lover, obviously Luka doesn't care and Yuki isn't letting that gender barrier get in his way either. EVERYONE IS SO GAY FOR EACH OTHER.
Maoyu: I like the premise, and I actually enjoy Hero and Demon Queen together as a couple which is a pleasant surprise with my usual dislike of official couples, but honestly I got super-bored and stopped watching lolololol. The characterization is quite nicely handled, though, so I actually enjoyed the main pair being cute together.
Hyouka: I marathoned the whole thing over a single setting, lol. No, I don't like Oreki Houtarou and Chitanda Eru together, but thankfully it was light enough on actual romance for me to ignore it most of the time. Which means the last few episodes were supremely disappointing for me since they were far more focused on strongly showing Houtarou's developing feelings for her, but oh well. I can just imagine that they do not get together in my mind. Otherwise I liked it! Nice little slice-of-life/light mystery about a boy coming out of his shell. Houtarou is so adorbs, I love him. And hahahaha Satoshi. GALAXYYYYYY.
Persona 4: One of my FB friends complained about it being different from the game, or something, but since I have not played 4 I enjoyed it thoroughly as an anime. Also one of the few anime where multiple scenes had me rewinding to watch again in hysterics. Best sense of humor for an anime in a long time. II KANJI bwahahahaha. (I might also have watched Kanji's Shadow episode several times because holy shit hysterics.)
Infinite Stratos: Mecha-powered-armor harem action, why not. But I do love the main character, and the IS battles are badass, so there's that.
And that is what I have been doing with my time lately.