Stuff watched on vacation
So, I've been playing the Xenosaga games with wired_lizard, and am in love with the story and characters. Unfortunately, 'you should totally play three long CRPGs' does not make for a good rec for people unfamiliar with it.
Then, I learned there was an anime version of the first game, and I cheered, ready to recommend that to people.
Ah, but my cheers were premature...
Mostly because the anime seems to be godawful. The animation is puke-worthy. Everyone looks like lumps. The CGI is really obvious and really laughable - wired_lizard could do better on Photoshop. The music director should be shot. Here's a hint, don't cue the violins during a sad moment; there's a reason it's comedy gold at this point.
But all of this pales beside the fact that they made the female lead a wimp! In the beginning of the game/tutorial, Shion has her weapon (MWS) and fights alongside KOS-MOS (her awesome female battle android). In the anime, she's unarmed and KOS-MOS has to rescue her butt. In the game, when rude individuals harass her or others, she fights back. In the anime, she...kind of stands there and accepts it. In the game, when her ship gets attacked by things she has no hope of fighting, she sneaks around and is clever. In the anime, she gets knocked out after having her life saved by another character.
ARGHH! This was the point that drove me to ranting in-character. I wish I remembered what I said, cause apparently, it was funny. And all about how Shion wanted her damn MWS so she could show these fuckers how it's done. wired_lizard and I only got through the first episode before quitting in disgust and watching Baccano! instead. It's possible it gets better as it goes, but MAN! I'm not sure I dare to watch any further. If they fucked up Shion this much, imagine what they might do to MOMO.
Seriously, folks, play the games instead.
Meanwhile, Baccano! was awesome! So many great characters - of both genders! So much twisty crack. The plot just kept on thickening. The series even managed to do something I never expected: namely create two characters who were dumber than a post and another post and make them utterly lovable. Seriously, I actually choked up a bit during two particular scenes. It also managed to have numerous het couples I genuinely cheered for and was interested in. That like never happens. I highly recommend this series - provided you're ok with a fair bit of violence, some played for dark laughs, and some not.
Man, positive reviews are so much harder to write than negative ones.
Then, I learned there was an anime version of the first game, and I cheered, ready to recommend that to people.
Ah, but my cheers were premature...
Mostly because the anime seems to be godawful. The animation is puke-worthy. Everyone looks like lumps. The CGI is really obvious and really laughable - wired_lizard could do better on Photoshop. The music director should be shot. Here's a hint, don't cue the violins during a sad moment; there's a reason it's comedy gold at this point.
But all of this pales beside the fact that they made the female lead a wimp! In the beginning of the game/tutorial, Shion has her weapon (MWS) and fights alongside KOS-MOS (her awesome female battle android). In the anime, she's unarmed and KOS-MOS has to rescue her butt. In the game, when rude individuals harass her or others, she fights back. In the anime, she...kind of stands there and accepts it. In the game, when her ship gets attacked by things she has no hope of fighting, she sneaks around and is clever. In the anime, she gets knocked out after having her life saved by another character.
ARGHH! This was the point that drove me to ranting in-character. I wish I remembered what I said, cause apparently, it was funny. And all about how Shion wanted her damn MWS so she could show these fuckers how it's done. wired_lizard and I only got through the first episode before quitting in disgust and watching Baccano! instead. It's possible it gets better as it goes, but MAN! I'm not sure I dare to watch any further. If they fucked up Shion this much, imagine what they might do to MOMO.
Seriously, folks, play the games instead.
Meanwhile, Baccano! was awesome! So many great characters - of both genders! So much twisty crack. The plot just kept on thickening. The series even managed to do something I never expected: namely create two characters who were dumber than a post and another post and make them utterly lovable. Seriously, I actually choked up a bit during two particular scenes. It also managed to have numerous het couples I genuinely cheered for and was interested in. That like never happens. I highly recommend this series - provided you're ok with a fair bit of violence, some played for dark laughs, and some not.
Man, positive reviews are so much harder to write than negative ones.