Where I rant about shows which haven't aired, shows I haven't watched and shows I am watching
So, first things first. Apparently there's going to be a Persona 4 anime.
I... think I'm kind of cautiously looking forward to it, I guess? I'm pretty sure very few people enjoyed Trinity soul, and I was not among them, but I'm still hoping for something better this time. Well, at least this anime will actually be based on the events of the game, so if nothing else it'll give the fandom lots of screenshotting material~ (I do love P4, but I never really looked into the fandom. I don't really think it would be my kind of thing.)
But this raises the issue of what will happen to Souji's characterization - he was a (technically) mute protagonist in the game. Personally, I've always seen him as rather serious and perhaps a bit of an introvert, but still very charismatic and with good social skills. Although I highly doubt he was without his own sense of humour; everyone else in the P4 cast was open to sillier moments, and Souji wouldn't be an exception. I like imagining him as a deadpan snarker, too, but maybe that's just because I love snarky characters? And given his actions in the game, I think it would be fair to assume he was very brave and a natural leader. Actually... the last bit is pretty much canon. ... though I'm not too sure if there's much evidence for the rest of this in the game, lol. I guess it's sort of headcanon. Ish.
But, ah, I'm still worried about this because good video game-to-anime adaptions are incredibly rare. I can't even think one I felt was equal to or surpassed the original material, actually. I realize that video games are an interactive media, but I'm not too sure if that's a good excuse. If the game has a mostly linear storyline, I don't think it is. The biggest problem with the adaptions I've watched, though? It's that they tend to leave out the optional content. Most of the time, when I like a game for the storytelling (don't laugh), it's not because I think the main storyline is fascinating. It's all the optional little side-content that really helps bring the whole package together - the Tales of skits, the FE supports, or the P4 social links and wacky high school antics. They often show a sort of slice-of-life, less-than-serious side of things, and occasionally give way for plenty of inter-party character interaction, rarely seen in most media. And that, imo, is one of the main strengths of video game storytelling; the ability to intersperse the main storyline with little moments like these.
Other than the P4 anime, though, I also recently learned that the ASoIaF HBO series finally aired (several days ago, as a matter of fact).
I haven't actually watched it, but I think I'll be keeping an eye on it, maybe. Most fans of the books seem to have received it fairly favorably so far, which makes me glad. I've only actually read A Game of Thrones, I have to admit, but I really enjoyed the book and all of its craziness. I tend to be drawn to fantasy when it comes to books, which is most definitely a little odd because I also expect very good characterization from them (and most people probably wouldn't expect fantasy and memorable, well-developed characters to go hand in hand). A Song of Ice and Fire, though? It nailed that part pretty well. And I think I really enjoy reading about messed-up medieval fantasy-time period royal families, for whatever reason. I just... don't know. They're complete trainwrecks, but you can't seem to look away from them, and when they're in a position of political power, it just makes things even more interesting.
But I should really finish reading that series sometime. I started the second book, but I've been having trouble with actually finishing books lately. Ergh. I have enough to read at the moment, so that'll have to be some other time.
And finally, I watched the new episode of Glee, and... it wasn't amazing, exactly; fairly mediocre, in fact. But it was cute and mostly fluffy, which is all I really want from this series, so I'm perfectly okay with this!
The scene with Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Karofsky made me go all fangirly (razor blades f yeaaah!) and it was clearly the best part of the episode. I'm really hoping a Santana-Kurt friendship does develop, lol. It would be all kinds of awesome. Or just a Santana-anybody friendship seriously it would be great (and seeing Santana be... sort of nice, in her own way, to someone who isn't Brittany for once? Aww ♥)
Sunshine was adorable as always, and Rachel please stop being mean to her she's only trying to be nice ;_;
Buuut on the other hand, I'm sad that she was a completely pointless addition to the episode. I wish she could've interacted with the Glee club members, maybe setting up a real storyline for her, but nope. Too bad.
And speaking of real storylines, I'm glad Mike and Tina got to actually say something this episode, but uh, yeah. They're both still desperately in need of something more... tangible than that. Tina is kind of adorable, though. And I totally relate to her tendency to cry at literally everything I do that too
Also Carl breaking up with Emma? Nooo why. The show doesn't need any more of the Will/Emma stuff. Ok, maybe there are still people who are interested in it. Sorry to those people. I just thought Emma seemed more happy with Carl than with anyone else, really. Will is just going to inevitably end up being a jerk to her. She doesn't deserve that. Ugh well whatever the glee club kids and Sue are the really interesting parts of the show, anyway. But I have to admit that I liked Holly and was sad to see her go.
As for Mercedes... eh I'm glad she snapped out of the whole diva thing, and I'm especially happy that Rachel was the one to help her do that. Actually, I think one of the reasons I like Mercedes as a character is that pretty much all of the relationships she's involved in are friendships. In a show which loves to randomly pair up practically everyone, I think this is a really nice break from the romantic drama nonsense (and I'm usually a friendships kind of person, anyway - can't really help it). :)
Okay, so half the reason I tend to prefer friendships to romantic relationships is probably that they tend to be more happy fun fluffy times whereas media loves to portray lovers as constantly arguing about everything. So the real solution is to have more genuinely happy platonic and romantic relationships. That would be pretty cool. (Yes I am actually pretty tired of angst at this point and I'm still a teenager. Aren't I supposed to love angst? I just don't make any sense)
I... think I'm kind of cautiously looking forward to it, I guess? I'm pretty sure very few people enjoyed Trinity soul, and I was not among them, but I'm still hoping for something better this time. Well, at least this anime will actually be based on the events of the game, so if nothing else it'll give the fandom lots of screenshotting material~ (I do love P4, but I never really looked into the fandom. I don't really think it would be my kind of thing.)
But this raises the issue of what will happen to Souji's characterization - he was a (technically) mute protagonist in the game. Personally, I've always seen him as rather serious and perhaps a bit of an introvert, but still very charismatic and with good social skills. Although I highly doubt he was without his own sense of humour; everyone else in the P4 cast was open to sillier moments, and Souji wouldn't be an exception. I like imagining him as a deadpan snarker, too, but maybe that's just because I love snarky characters? And given his actions in the game, I think it would be fair to assume he was very brave and a natural leader. Actually... the last bit is pretty much canon. ... though I'm not too sure if there's much evidence for the rest of this in the game, lol. I guess it's sort of headcanon. Ish.
But, ah, I'm still worried about this because good video game-to-anime adaptions are incredibly rare. I can't even think one I felt was equal to or surpassed the original material, actually. I realize that video games are an interactive media, but I'm not too sure if that's a good excuse. If the game has a mostly linear storyline, I don't think it is. The biggest problem with the adaptions I've watched, though? It's that they tend to leave out the optional content. Most of the time, when I like a game for the storytelling (don't laugh), it's not because I think the main storyline is fascinating. It's all the optional little side-content that really helps bring the whole package together - the Tales of skits, the FE supports, or the P4 social links and wacky high school antics. They often show a sort of slice-of-life, less-than-serious side of things, and occasionally give way for plenty of inter-party character interaction, rarely seen in most media. And that, imo, is one of the main strengths of video game storytelling; the ability to intersperse the main storyline with little moments like these.
Other than the P4 anime, though, I also recently learned that the ASoIaF HBO series finally aired (several days ago, as a matter of fact).
I haven't actually watched it, but I think I'll be keeping an eye on it, maybe. Most fans of the books seem to have received it fairly favorably so far, which makes me glad. I've only actually read A Game of Thrones, I have to admit, but I really enjoyed the book and all of its craziness. I tend to be drawn to fantasy when it comes to books, which is most definitely a little odd because I also expect very good characterization from them (and most people probably wouldn't expect fantasy and memorable, well-developed characters to go hand in hand). A Song of Ice and Fire, though? It nailed that part pretty well. And I think I really enjoy reading about messed-up medieval fantasy-time period royal families, for whatever reason. I just... don't know. They're complete trainwrecks, but you can't seem to look away from them, and when they're in a position of political power, it just makes things even more interesting.
But I should really finish reading that series sometime. I started the second book, but I've been having trouble with actually finishing books lately. Ergh. I have enough to read at the moment, so that'll have to be some other time.
And finally, I watched the new episode of Glee, and... it wasn't amazing, exactly; fairly mediocre, in fact. But it was cute and mostly fluffy, which is all I really want from this series, so I'm perfectly okay with this!
The scene with Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Karofsky made me go all fangirly (razor blades f yeaaah!) and it was clearly the best part of the episode. I'm really hoping a Santana-Kurt friendship does develop, lol. It would be all kinds of awesome. Or just a Santana-anybody friendship seriously it would be great (and seeing Santana be... sort of nice, in her own way, to someone who isn't Brittany for once? Aww ♥)
Sunshine was adorable as always, and Rachel please stop being mean to her she's only trying to be nice ;_;
Buuut on the other hand, I'm sad that she was a completely pointless addition to the episode. I wish she could've interacted with the Glee club members, maybe setting up a real storyline for her, but nope. Too bad.
And speaking of real storylines, I'm glad Mike and Tina got to actually say something this episode, but uh, yeah. They're both still desperately in need of something more... tangible than that. Tina is kind of adorable, though. And I totally relate to her tendency to cry at literally everything I do that too
Also Carl breaking up with Emma? Nooo why. The show doesn't need any more of the Will/Emma stuff. Ok, maybe there are still people who are interested in it. Sorry to those people. I just thought Emma seemed more happy with Carl than with anyone else, really. Will is just going to inevitably end up being a jerk to her. She doesn't deserve that. Ugh well whatever the glee club kids and Sue are the really interesting parts of the show, anyway. But I have to admit that I liked Holly and was sad to see her go.
As for Mercedes... eh I'm glad she snapped out of the whole diva thing, and I'm especially happy that Rachel was the one to help her do that. Actually, I think one of the reasons I like Mercedes as a character is that pretty much all of the relationships she's involved in are friendships. In a show which loves to randomly pair up practically everyone, I think this is a really nice break from the romantic drama nonsense (and I'm usually a friendships kind of person, anyway - can't really help it). :)
Okay, so half the reason I tend to prefer friendships to romantic relationships is probably that they tend to be more happy fun fluffy times whereas media loves to portray lovers as constantly arguing about everything. So the real solution is to have more genuinely happy platonic and romantic relationships. That would be pretty cool. (Yes I am actually pretty tired of angst at this point and I'm still a teenager. Aren't I supposed to love angst? I just don't make any sense)