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darthsuki · 5 years

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Alright, apparently it’s time for another anime review since I just finished watching through Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn in english releases).

Watch on Funimation | Watch on Crunchyroll

Watch the sub for FREE on funimation’s youtube channel (playlist here)!

Short version: This is an extremely well-written story. It combines a complex plot with very lovable and distinct major and minor characters throughout. Yona starts as an ignorant, cowardly and meek person, but over the course of the series learns not only how to be independent and strong, but also how to be the leader that her friends and country need her to be.

The antagonist of the series is extremely morally gray, up to the point that even I don’t know if I can fault him--even Yona questions it when she comes to learn of all the shortcomings of her father in how he ruled the kingdom and the suffering brought upon its people.

Also?? Pretty gay, like, without explicitly being tagged as a queer series. I’ve only seen the english dub of the series (and it’s seriously amazing, love the voice acting) but if it’s anything like the original voicing then it’s hella gay. Several characters talk about their romantic feelings for others that uh....there is literally no heterosexual explanation for.

Longer version (with as few spoilers as possible)

I went in with the understanding that this was going to be a bishie anime (ie, containing a bunch of pretty boys). Though it certainly follows with that aspect, I was pleasantly surprised to find a great sense of depth within the series as a whole--each character has a role to play and I honestly loved the dynamics between each and every one of them.

In short, Yona is the princess of the Kouka Kingdom and the daughter of King Il. She is turning 16 and soon comes the expectation of marriage so that her husband will take on the throne--but there’s one little problem: Yona has a very deep crush on Soo-Won, her cousin, whom she has known and been friends with since childhood. Though her father forbids her to marry him (so don’t worry, someone has sense enough to question it), Yona decides that her heart is set on it--until one night she walks in to find her father murdered by the same man she wanted to marry.

From there the series gets quite complex, far more than I would have expected of an anime filled with hot guys who the creator definitely made hot with purpose. Yona is tasked with seeking out the four Dragon Warriors, people who have the blessing of the four dragons from many generations before who had protected the first king of Kouka. She is accompanied by Hak, a childhood friend and also her guardian who has sworn to protect her.

Right away you’ll likely be annoyed by Yona, as she’s everything you’d expect of a spoiled princess--she’s loud, bratty, impulsive and without understanding of the world beyond the palace. Over the course of the series, however, she is forced to confront her shortcomings and learn to be someone who can take care of herself, but also rely on the help of her friends--she becomes very mature over the course of the 24 available episodes and you can tell that this series was written by someone who understands the mind of a girl going through these hardships, moral dilemmas and questions about herself.

Since this is a bishie anime of course, there’s also the male characters accompanying her. Each one of them is wonderful as a character, and their interactions with one another is heartwarming. A stupid detail that I like in the series is that the word ‘love’ is used so often between one another--whether it’s friendship, family or actual romance, nobody pulled punches when they said that they loved other people, and it really made it seem more heartwarming to see these sorts of genuine interactions.

In fact, I was surprised to see how un-filtered these character interactions were? There were so many times that I saw or heard something and turned right to my fiance and just said ‘that’s so gay’ because it honestly is. Soo-Won has made it explicitly clear that he feels romantically for both Yona AND Hak, to the point that me and my fiance are genuinely curious if he just straight-up wants a polyamorous relationship with both of them.

The dragon warriors are just as interesting, and there’s even another companion named Yuun that, while around Yona’s age, seems to be very content with his gender ambiguity? There was a moment, for example of several, where a character referred to him as ‘a beautiful girl’ and he simply rolled his eyes and said ‘i’m a beautiful boy, get it right’--I’m still not sure how to feel about it (if I’m reading way too deeply) but it’s very different from other series that would otherwise make it into some joke about gender presentation--it was refreshing to say the least, and something I found more amusing and cute than offensive.

In terms of plot and conflict, I was extremely surprised to find it way more complex than I’d ever expect of an anime of this genre. Soo-Won is, in short, a very morally grey character. Though he did murder the late King Il, Yona learns later in the series that her father’s rule had put much of the kingdom’s people into sickness, poverty and misery--she begins to question if what Soo-Won did was a good thing, and it’s a humbling moment to see a protagonist begin to see the perspective of what we’d see as an antagonist.

Did I mention how much screen time Soo-Won gets? Because he gets a lot, at least as a supposed ‘antagonist’. He’s showcased to be a genuinely good ruler, intelligent and headstrong--it’s a little misty for WHY he killed the late king outside of to take the throne, but there’s some mystery going on about his father, King Il’s brother, and his death. Either way, I’m left genuinely questioning Soo-Won’s place as the new king right along with Yona, as she has seen first-hand the ills her father had done to the kingdom and how she can go about making those things right again.

It almost feels like Yona and Soo-Won are both protagonists, we’re just watching Yona’s version of the story and only occasionally get to see Soo-Won’s, and I’m really happy for how it’s written and paced out.

Also?? Very gay. Soo-Won is pretty explicit that he loves Yona AND Hak, and that he ‘want[s] to rule with the two people [he] love[s] by [his] side’ (his words, not mine). This isn’t a one-time gag either, there’s a LOT of subtext and sometimes straight-up-text for those very biromantic feelings. As long as you can get past the fact that Soo-Won and Yona are first cousins (don’t know why they couldn’t have been related in some other non-familial way but go off I guess) it’s a very interesting dynamic between the characters.

The four dragon warriors? Also gay, so gay, or at least they were given heavy enough subtext that I’m 300% sure that the first four dragon warriors were part of this huge poly relationship with the first king (of which Yona is a descendent). The dialogue is very explicit and very....open? Like I swear, compared to how censored and filtered older anime was, this is....really nice, honestly, and combined with all of the other amazing aspects of the series (story, character development, plot, pacing, design, MUSIC OH MY GOD THE MUSIC) I can absolutely see why nearly-everyone has rated it five stars on both crunchyroll and funimation.

Like, for real, if you haven’t seen it yet then you totally need to go see it--I swear to god it will surprise you in the best way possible for a bishie adventure anime.

#anime #sukiwatchesanime #yona of the dawn #akatsuki no yona #anime review #review #oh my god it's great #if you can read the full review please do #i give ya all you need to know with no spoilers i promise #i also promise explanation on a lot of gayness because this show is rly queer #without being a queer labled or focused show #but enough that as a queer trans man myself this was #amazing!!#also oh my go #its good enough i want to make a blog #writing blog #so you know its good shit

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vanilla-blessing · 5 years

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Why you should check out summer 2019 anime despite my previous blog post

I was mostly wrong about this season here’s qb’s revised

Hype rankings for Summer 2019

Cop Craft (Funimation)

COP CRAFT DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED is the biggest surprise of the season for me. Coming from Millepensee, the studio and director team known for such Art as Teekyuu seasons 4-9 and Berserk 2016, this extremely sincere and wildly stupid Americanized take on anime fantasy adventure colliding with a hard-boiled cop drama is surprisingly highly enjoyable to watch for both intended and unintended reasons.

The intended appeal of COP CRAFT DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED hinges on a well-realized mashup of genres from a long running novel series, the buddy-cop teamup of an anime girl with a magical sword and a gruff but kind-hearted cop, and the dramatic thrill of one of the weirder spinoffs of law&order. The show promises an interesting setting where a magical portal ring to the fairy forest where anime-chans are real has naturally slotted into the organized crime of a New Yorkish city, resulting in a fresh take on well-trodden ground, and it actually kind of succeeds at this. In practice, watching loose cannon cops shoot guns at wizards while busting a drug ring who sling fairy dust is maybe the dumbest thing I’ve seen in years, but the story is so overly detailed, thought out, and delivered without an ounce of irony, unlike the recent terrible movie from Netflix that also attempted to do this premise almost word for word, that it wraps around to legitimately compelling. It also helps that this anime adaptation is being scripted by the novel’s author.

The unintended benefit of watching COP CRAFT DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED is partly how completely absurd the words they are saying appear in English, producing some of the funniest out of context screenshots imaginable, the animation in execution ratchets between cool, frenetic action that contains distinct shades of a certain tennis club, and the hysterically awful cg that you’ve come to expect and love from the only team capable of producing Berserk 2016. When it’s good, it’s good, and when it’s bad, it’s incredible.

In short, COP CRAFT DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED is a two-for-one deal of the best of both bad and good anime. It’s also getting an English dub by Funimation and I can’t even imagine how good literally any line read from that will be.

The Demon Girl Next Door (Hidive, VRV)

Despite my earlier protests, this is actually totally fine, good even. It avoids the fanservice problem I predicted completely and instead sets a relaxed comedic tone that quietly highlights small gags in a way that feels natural, which sounds impossible but they found the only director who could pull it off (Hiroaki Sakurai, known for some quite good comedies like Cromartie High School and Majokko Tsukune-chan). The content is actually pretty funny when delivered in a non-hyperactive way, since a story about a girl who is bullied into making friends after her family circumstances tell her to murderize a magical girl, told naturally, hits that level of low surrealism that works. Her friends also take this in stride, encouraging her to use this as an opportunity to go out more, open up socially, and suffer for their amusement. The magical girl in question, after heroically saving Yuko from being run over by a truck, also encourages her to defeat her and drain all of her blood, because Shadow Mistress Yuko is so much of a non-threat that Momo takes advantage of their impending ultimate confrontation to trick her into being her gym buddy. It takes place in a post-season magical girl anime landscape where the world has already been saved, normal people are used to weird episodic junk, and hitting demon puberty just another thing your friends will tease you over.

It still probably shouldn’t be full episode length, but it actually does something with that length, and is definitely the least painful iteration of this kind of slower, long-form comedy that you don’t usually see in anime because it’s usually a terrible idea. Predicting this would end up like other entries in the incredibly cursed magical girl parody genre was a safe bet, but this anime is the rare exception and it’s actually worth checking out.

Given (Crunchyroll, VRV) is on the noitamina block and it’s about boys in a rock band who might become more than friends. You’ve probably tuned out at this point and you’d be right because you know exactly the tone and style of this from that description but it’s executed well and written well and directed okay, so if you’d like this sort of thing try it out. There’s an interesting range of ages (the band has members in high school, college, and graduate school), a fun sense of humor, and the music is a standout in a season that has Carole and Tuesday in it, so that’s something.

I forgot to mention Fruits Basket (Crunchyroll, VRV, Funimation) in my last post because i didn’t know it was continuing. It’s hitting its “stride” in being massively depressing so check that out still. It’s tragic and great.

Granbelm (Crunchyroll, VRV) is a magical girl show I watched on a whim and turns out it’s actually a magical mecha battle royale. The color scheme is overly bright and the mechs look squashed, but it has girls snarling and yelling their heads off summoning beam swords so it’s different from what I expected. It’s got a G-Gundam energy with the multiregional cast and how the mecha fights are playing out, so if you’re fans of that, and magical girl, this is both at once. The second episode introduced a unique motivation for the main character, that piloting the mech helped her get over crushing nihilism, and I want to see where that goes, if at all. Combining the sometimes bleak and fun-sucking writing of overly dark and philosophical magical girl with what I can only describe as Domon Kasshu energy is a choice and I would like to see where Granbelm is going with that.

Misc variable hype list

O Maidens in Your Savage Season (Hidive)

This looks gorgeous and it may be the most Mari Okada thing ever written, move over Dragon Pilot, but the manga has some uncomfortable elements that would translate poorly to anime, in terms of keeping me watching it.

Crunchyroll actually did pick up Symphogear AXZ and XV, against my pessimistic attitude.

Ensemble Stars (Funimation) is okay.

Fire Force’s animation is fire af but the girl who lives in her own hellish fanservice series is about to be introduced and this part of the series is kind of slow so it would take a lot of effort to elevate the material until it gets to the “good stuff”. David production seems willing to give it their best shot though, so we’ll see.

Vinland Saga started slow, quiet, chronological and ultimately strong, but it took multiple episodes to get there, which is why they aired 3 episodes in the first week. I think I still prefer the high octane opening chapter of the manga, but they’ll get there soon enough so it’ll be a non-issue in a few months anyway. I recommended this before and I still do. WIT studio is clearly playing for the longer game, setting themes that encompass the whole series first rather than the fleeting themes of watch the bad ass viking slice the mans, but it is currently missing the energy people associated with that opening volume or two. It will probably pay off though.

#COP CRAFT DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED #sentai subs are a gift from heaven #this hand of mine burns with an unfulfilled and nihilistic attitude #bus p*rn

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weatherman667 · 6 years

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youtube

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oYxGxabehc)

YellowFlash talking about the coming AnimeGate. Both Crunchyroll and Funimation are becoming more and more overly censorious, and are apparently actually trying to change the culture of anime in Japan.

But they don’t realize that they are entirely unnecessary. Anime fans are willing to download fansubs, (and the occational fandub), from the internet. Before Crunchyroll and Funimation I would download anime, and if I liked it I would try to find someone to sell me a permanent copy. I’m still doing that, just more conveniently with Crunchyroll and Funimation. But you know what?, there are other sites that do the same thing. I’ve avoided them so far because of a belief in fair play, but it’s not fair play if you change the stories I love. The only thing we have to lose with Funimation and Crunchyroll is them. If they keep pushing, fans will just walk away, which has already started to happen with both Funimation and Crunchyroll.

As he points out, Sony’s newfound censoriousness appeared right after they moved their headquarters to California.

But there is good news, Vic Mignogna will have his day in court. He was the worst possible person to attack, as he is an old school gentleman. He is such an old school gentleman, that he had them take the swear words out of some of his more prominent roles.

How idiotic is Crunchyroll’s progressivism?, they want to create the very first anime with a predominately female cast!

Wait, what, you mean a magical girl show?

Well, no, the cast is apparently 50/50 male/female. So, less progressive than a typical magical girl show. Less progressive than pretty much any harem anime. From BSSM and CCS to Madoka Magica and goddamn even Sekirei could qualify, we’ve had shows like this for over half a decade.

Yep, magical girls go all the way back to just after WWII, when manga first became a thing, (it was a combination of Japan art and storytelling styles and American pulp comics). But won’t these American progressives come along and create this new genre that no one has ever heard of?!

Oh, wait, the majority of the production staff are also female!

Well, I don’t care about the gender makeup of the production staff in the slightest, but female-only creative staff does sound relevant. Too bad CLAMP and Peach-Pit already did it, or the renowned Rumiko Takahashi.

Why aren’t there more female mangaka?, well, maybe because they get paid so poorly that a project was set up to help them get housing. Their production schedules are so tight they are lucky to get a full 8 hours of sleep once a week. They often not only work out of a bachelor’s apartment, but have assistants work with them in said bachelor’s apartment, (not sleeping really saves space).

Even worse it looks like complete shit. There have been several North Americans animations that borrow heavily from the anime style, and they were done a hell of a lot better than High Guardian Spice.

#yellowflash

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4nime6-blog · 6 years

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Cool Hip Anime!

youtube

Anime

Large sparkling eyes, brightly coloured frizzy hair, obscure nose and high facial expression reminds us connected with only one factor.

Anime

Can you do you know what the item is?

If your response is actually Anime, then STOP, to see an otaku's brain!

Cartoons (pronounced: "Ah-nee-may") will be a form of animation typically from Okazaki, japan. They have got their own style this means you will show that in peculiar and wonderful ways. Cartoons also has its very own sense associated with comedy along with has a unique thought processes. It can get actually strong and serious, as well as it could truly be silliest (like: "Lucky Star", "Kill Me Baby") in addition to craziest (like: "Death Note", "Gintama") thing a person have ever before seen. Many Anime demonstrates are centered on popular mangas (Japanese Comics), just putting any not much more life into these people. Cartoons often covers far more serious issues than normal cartoons. In the united states, cartoons tend to be considered a form regarding enjoyment meant for youngsters. In Okazaki , japan, people involving all ages (no, not necessarily newborn babies! ) see anime. Most shows and flicks are centred for youngsters, teenager or young older people, but you can also get many cartoons that are made with regard to older crowd even business people and housewives!

The phrase "Anime" is the close pronunciation connected with "animation" within Japanese, exactly where this expression references just about all animation. Outside the house Japan, cartoons is applied to refer specifically toon from Japan or Western disseminated animation style usually characterized by colourful visuals, attractive characters and fantastical designs. Japanese animation commenced inside 20th century. Katsudo Shashin is claimed for you to be the first Japan animation. The 1923 Fantastic Kanto earthquake triggered wide-spread destruction including demolition associated with earliest Anime Companies as well as anime works; departing Kouchi's Namakura Gatana because the most well-known surviving animation. The 1st cartoons television series was Otogi Manga Calendar aired by 1961 to 1964.

This introduction to anime ended up being in category four while I watched "City Hunter" in a T. Sixth v. channel, Animax. Though I could see anime (as a make a difference of fact the particular multiple of anime is usually anime) like "Doraemon", "Shinchan", "Avatar-The last airbender", "Summer Days and nights with Coo", "AstroBoy", "Dragon Ball-Z", "Naruto" in the past just before yet I did definitely not recognize the profound perception regarding anime as this was dubbed throughout Hindi (rather I would point out "contaminated" instead of "dubbed" by means of old, ridiculous man noises in Hindi who also would break unnecessary, slap-stick jokes deviating viewers through the plot and also terrain you in a hotch-potch of indianised anime). My very own sister ( three yrs young than me even though I actually refuse to confess she is older when compared with me) took weird curiosity in Japanese anime similar to " Tears to Tiara" and "Stigma of typically the Wind" aired in Animax: that we thought strange from that time while the "patriotic inertia" will stop me from receiving something but Indian products. I got first repelled by often the proven fact that all the words casts have been in Japoneses and to understand history I had to consider difficulty of reading the actual Subtitles in english and had to help correlate the particular speech using the video proven; regarding which great deal involving attention seemed to be required. That was impossible personally in order to do both those exhaustion tasks at the very same time, so I delivered to my old Capital t. V. channels: Cartoon Community, Nickolodeans, Hungama, Pogo, Come back and Jetix.

After some sort of very long hiatus, in type seven, My spouse and i again started out experimenting our skills with understanding anime which often converted out to be a new success, when I 1st delighted in anime including "Hayate the Combat Butler" along with "Fairy Tail". Also! This kind of sweet poison! Following a total hectic day time in school, expenses, floating around classes, art in addition to audio classes, and full various other heck lot of routines; I waited only to be able to settle-back and relax for you to watch these kinds of anime. From that time, nothing was of importance to me; not also my parents, close friends as well as teachers. In that online realms of pleasure My partner and i could equipment my failures and sufferings as effortlessly as I got obtained in successes. Nothing irritated me, except when We were required to attend phone telephone calls or to wide open entrance, if any guests will come when the anime indicates were ongoing. However, cartoons hardly did affect this studies as after seeing two hour long plan, I suffered from PARTS (Post Anime Depression Syndrome) that I suffered typically the sense of guilt of wasting moment that has been more intensified through my very own mother's rebuke (I wish to describe this circumstance as "Kata Ghaye nuun-er Chheta") and this also guilt might propel my family to review harder, concentrate and also perform for longer hours this also occurred as daily schedule in my opinion; so I can easily get the best of most connected with the students be that researching or swimming or even any different work.

Hence to all parents, I actually would like to ask for allowing your kids to help watch anime because it proved helpful out for me (maybe I use strange wirings within my human brain! ). Enjoying anime would help an individual to hone your fictional, vocabulary and analytical expertise. More importantly, it would certainly serve as a enormous source of entertainment, at the very least way beyond the little league of daily Indian soap.

Understanding the culture associated with origins is very crucial to realize the plan, be it Japanese cartoons, Korean language Aeni webtoons, China's Manhua Anime or Us sitcoms (which I endured after i was novice inside observing anime). If anyone have watched virtually any cartoons, you will probably discover that often the characters respond differently along with things throughout general (like properties, vehicles, eating etc. ) are usually bit different from everything you used to. Probably the actual most readily evident distinctions between Japanese computer animation in addition to others is the a muslim everywhere huge eyes (bigger in comparison with nose), brightly girl locks, some well-endowed character types as well as exaggerated emotional movement and also gestures are regular regarding anime. Being hand-drawn, cartoons is separated coming from actuality providing an best path intended for escapism directly into which followers can involve themselves having relative simplicity. The production of cartoons focusses less on the particular cartoon movement and considerably more on the realistic look involving settings like "The Yard of Words".

The particular beginning and credit sequences connected with most anime are combined with Japanese rock or take song which maybe related to the anime series, simply by popular bands. "Nanairo Namida" by Tomato n' Pinus radiata of anime "Beelzebub" along with "Just Awake" of cartoons "Hunter X Hunter" are a few of my favourite anime tunes, which you may try out.

Since there are several sorts of cartoons, one will need to classify these individuals with different genres, some associated with them are generally: Action, Audio, Mecha, Experience, Mystery, Bishounen, Yuri, Yaoi, Akuma, Seinen, Shoujo, Shounen, Kodomo, Piece of Existence and a lot of more. Whether you're the die-hard anime fan (like me generally labelled seeing that "otaku"), a casual watcher, the interested onlooker or perhaps commoner from non-anime website: cartoons genres shall supply you actually with some simple knowledge which help you in order to venture the cartoons planet with ease and joy.

I am going to be able to share some remarkable rates of anime which will etch my heart usually are:

• Motoko Kusanagi regarding "Ghost in the Shell a couple of: Innocence"

"We weep to get blood of a pet although not for the our blood of a species of fish. Endowed are those with any tone. "

• Shinchi Akiyama of "Liar Game"

"People SHOULD be doubted. Many people get me wrong this specific concept. Doubting people is simply a part of getting for you to know them. Just what quite a few people call "trust" is absolutely just giving up about wanting to understand others in addition to that extremely act is definitely far more serious than questioning. It is actually 'apathy'. "

• Hachiman Hikigaya of "My Teen Passionate Comedy SNAFU"

"If simple truth is cruel

Then

Lie needs to be kind

Then

Kindness need to be lie"

You can observe anime with T. /. by opting-in to Animax, Aniplus, AnimeCental, TV Tokyo or online on internet sites like animehaven. to help, kissanime, Funimation. com, Netflix, Crunchyroll. com, hulu, Vimeo and so forth.

ENJOY WATCHING CARTOONS!

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the-bejeesus · 6 years

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I made a graph of how much of One Piece has been released in English over a period of time in every way. This includes when it airs, when it releases on home video, what version it is. I didn’t show where these stand with the Japanese release. But like halfway through 2009, FUNimation’s sub simulcast is caught up, and episodes are released shortly after they air in Japan. So that can be made for good comparison. The x axis represents What episode was released, with each pixel representing an episode. The y axis represents what year it was, with every pixel representing three days.

I should note that there is a margin of error to make it more visually presentable. To be 100% accurate, it would have been a dot graph instead of a line graph, and those dots would have been 1 pixel by 1 pixel. Since the lines on the line graph are multiple pixels thick, that implies that multiple episodes were released at the same time over the course of several days. The y axis would also need each pixel to represent a day instead of three, as an episode isn’t released three days in a row. This creates visual problems however. For one, the y axis would be extremely tall. Secondly, the dots would be nearly invisible, as they’d all be 1 pixel by 1 pixel. Sure some, when grouped near others, would be more visible, but it’d be fairly confusing. And things like Voyage DVD releases would be 1 by 12 pixels thick and dozens of pixels apart from each other. Thirdly, the 4KidsTV dub would often not adapt whole episodes or combine two episodes, resulting in dots that aren’t even a pixel thick and dots that are moreso lines.

For most DVD releases, I just seperated them by the season. However the 4KidsTV dub wasn’t really seperated in seasons so that’s just one big thing. I did however take into consideration which episodes were skipped. The Toonami dub and FUNimation sub simulcast would have breaks occasionally, but they were for the most part year round so I just made it one big line. However there was a short period where the FUNimation sub was still catching up and releasing 3 episodes a week, which is why the line starts off more horizontally. I couldn’t find the exact date FUNimation released the older sub episodes, but it was said to be around when the dub got to that point. And the older sub episodes were also supposedly released all at once, or almost all at once. That’s why there’s that long completely horizontal line. It should also be noted that the Simulcast’s releases coincided with hulu almost the whole way, except hulu stopped accepting new episodes after episode 750, so that should be noted. I didn’t put Crunchyroll or Daisuki’s releases on here, because I couldn’t find specific dates. But basically Crunchyroll started simulcasting at episode 629 and has been ever since, and at some point they released the older episodes along with One Piece Special Edition. Daisuki released sub episodes of One Piece at some point starting with episode 1 and adding a new episode each week. This continued until Daisuki as a whole was discontinued. Also based on the Amazon box sets line, it would appear that collection 12 released in the box set before it even was released individually. That is not a mistake. Amazon’s Box Set 3 came out with collection 12 included before collection 12 was even released. Little is known about the Odex dub and when it was released, other than that it started in 2003, and went for two seasons, and each season had 52 episodes. So I just worked with that.

Lastly, I should note that initially it looks like steeper lines means the dub was releasing episodes faster, but it actually means they were releasing it slower. And if the line starts more to the right, that doesn’t mean they started dubbing later, it just means they didn’t start dubbing with episode 1.

#FUNimation #4Kids #4KidsTV #Odex #One Piece #OP #Wan Pīsu #ワンピース #anime #manga

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kelvinpough · 4 years

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Peacock: The best streaming model?

Photo by Morning Brew on Unsplash

NBCUniversal is jumping into the streaming wars with its new service Peacock. The streaming service will have steep competition with established streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and the newer Disney+.

Unlike its main competition, NBCU has announced that Peacock will have a free, ad-supported tier available to all users along with paid premium subscription tiers, also known as a freemium model. While other streaming services such as Funimation and Crunchyroll use similar models, Peacock will be the only mainstream, broadly appealing service to adopt a version of the streaming model.

So, what makes Peacock’s model different?

Premium model

Subscription-based streaming services became popular with Netflix, as people wanted an alternative to the high cost of traditional television, and they wanted to avoid commercial breaks. Other companies have started to play catchup to Netflix as more streaming services are released emulating the same model as Netflix.

For as low as $5 to around $15, consumers can pay to have access to premium content such as full seasons of the latest shows and movies, and original content from the companies which own these streaming services.

Free streaming

There are also many free-to-use streaming services which are supported by ads such as Sony Crackle, Tubi TV and Amazon’s more recent IMDb TV. These services don’t offer the same amount of premium, original programming and the content they feature is often older. The free services also seem to be less popular than paid, premium subscriptions as shown by the now-defunct Yahoo View.

Free streaming has the benefit of being available to a wider, less exclusive audience but may turn off viewers who dislike ad breaks and the lack of premium content.

Freemium streaming

The combination of free and premium models is freemium. A few years after Hulu launched it utilized this method but discontinued the free option in 2016. Currently Funimation and Crunchyroll, two popular anime streaming platforms use this model. But does freemium work?

For Hulu, having a free option didn’t work, but not because free streaming doesn’t work. Hulu’s freemium model had aspects which consumers didn’t like, including not allowing free streaming on all devices and its subscription tiers went from free to $7.99 with ads and then $11.99 for no ads. A jump of $7.99 from free was perhaps too much to convert consumers.

Hulu also failed in another free streaming attempt with its partnership for Yahoo View. Like Hulu’s former free tier, Yahoo View’s free, ad-supported streaming was only available in web browsers and had no mobile or streaming player app, limiting viewers who may have been interested in the content.

Peacock’s free tier will reportedly have access to about half the content as premium tiers, but the streaming service will be available across all devices, with mobile apps and apps for devices like Roku. Peacock also has lower prices than Hulu previously did (and currently does). With a free tier, then $4.99 with ads (which is free to Xfinity customers) and then an additional $5 for no ads.

NBCU has a large library of content to offer through the service to attract viewers, and plans to produce and release other exclusive, original content. The streaming service will have a potential audience of around 31.5 million Comcast users who have access to the $4.99 ad-supported premium tier included with their subscription.

With an increased interest in free streaming, Peacock has potential to be a serious contender in the streaming wars.

Conclusion

Though some of Peacock’s announced slate of original content may not be able to be developed until after the COVID-19 pandemic, NBCU has a large library of classic and recent content to entice viewers.

With Peacock’s freemium model of streaming the service will be able to appeal to consumers who want to watch content for free and will offer a boost for Comcast subscribers and its low premium prices have the potential to convert free customers into paying ones to have full access to Peacock’s original and classic library.

Peacock’s model may be the best of both worlds to attract viewers.

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tsarinajissa · 8 years

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Hey! Um this is probably so weird and out of the blue but hopefully it's ok. I was just wondering where you watch Yuri on Ice?? It's all over my dash and I've been wanting to check it out but I cannot find anywhere to watch it? Sometimes I feel so out of the loop at where people watch all these awesome shows lol. Anyways it's no rush! I hope everything is going well and thanks for sharing if you don't mind! :)))

I am so terrible at noticing asks! But you were right, @chargeintothevoid–I am DEFINITELY up for evangelizing Yuri on Ice! ;)

There are a bunch of possible places for watching Yuri on Ice. My memory says you’re a fellow US person, so I’ll start with those, but if I’m wrong the bottom links will still work!

Crunchyroll: The official place to watch the sub in the US–all 12 episodes are available for free streaming with ads, or you can subscribe to crunchyroll for $5 a month if the ads bother you. Advantages: Officially licensed! Disadvantages: US based

Funimation: The official place to watch the dub in the US–The first 2 episodes are available for free streaming with ads, and the rest are available if you subscribe. A free trial gives you a month of access, which would certainly be enough to watch all 12 ;). I really enjoy both the sub and the dub–I did sub first, and then the dub! Bestie only likes dubs, and still enjoyed it without watching the sub first. Advantages: Officially licensed dub. Disadvantages: US based, and you’ll need at least a free trial to watch all 12.

KissAnime: all 12 eps subbed. Slightly less sketchy than the YouTube uploads–better quality at least–but still not licensed so no monies to Kubo-sensei. I’d only use if you’re not US based.

YouTube: all 12 eps, both subbed and dubbed have been uploaded by people to youtube. Just search “Yuri on Ice episode __ sub/dub”–usually not full quality, and not official, so I’d only go with YouTube if you can’t use the US ones.

MOST AWESOME OPTION–FAN-MADE DUB/SUB COMBO. @lee-luca made an amazing combination of the english dub and sub for one with Japanese when people are speaking in Japanese and English when they’re not (look, there’s no good Russian dub yet. But she’s said MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE RUSSIAN TOO AND I AM EXCITE). Plus, you get Chris’ hilarious dub voice, while retaining a lot of the great Japanese voice acting. I linked to the a03 post above, but you can also go direct to the videos on dailymotion. Advantages: You can immediately tell when the non-Japanese speakers actually know what’s being said! Works for non-US based people. Disadvantages: Not officially licensed.

Personally, I’d probably watch the crunchyroll subs if you’re in the USand then @lee-luca‘s amazing combined English and Japanese version. But I might over do things. ;)

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recentanimenews · 8 years

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FEATURE: Crunchyroll Favorites 2016, Part One: Anime and Manga!

Hoo boy, 2016 was a rough year (and that's putting it very, very mildly)--but there were a few bright spots, and that's what we're here to talk about today! Crunchyroll Favorites kicks off its fifth year with another three-part look at all our favorites from the past twelve months!

The rules were simple: for Part One, only anime, manga, and related media that were released in 2016 (or received a Western release in 2016), or experienced a major milestone (like starting a new season or closing up a major arc). There's a lot to look at in Part One--let's get started!

NATE MING (@NateMing)

FLIP FLAPPERS- Finally, a modern magical girl series that steps out of Madoka's shadow and delivers something that's unique, energetic, and positive as hell. Callouts to everything from Fist of the North Star to Sukeban Deka to (of course) Sailor Moon are welcome for longtime fans, while still getting appropriately dark and moody. Cocona is all about the unease of adolescence, and Papika exudes the simple charm of Son Goku in all her pure, heroic glory. Speaking of...

Dragon Ball Super- I rarely get excited to watch simulcasts as they come out--I tend to wait and binge, but I'm there every week within a day for Dragon Ball Super. In 1995, when I was 13 years old, I wanted a sequel to Dragon Ball Z with Future Trunks coming back. Now, over twenty years later, I get to see a DBZ sequel where Future Trunks comes back--and the series feels even more like the original Dragon Ball. This is the real secret to eternal youth.

Yuri!!! on ICE- Yeah yeah, "fujo bait" or some other BS, you're just mad their fandom is more organized than yours. That says a lot to me--that a TV anime, a sports anime, can pull together so many people and get them excited, week after week. Lapsed fans have viewing parties, share recommendations, and remember why they were once into anime in the first place. This is what happens when it feels like something's made for you, and that's a wonderful thing. Yuri!!! on ICE was a pretty okay show, but it's what it symbolizes that means so much more to me.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable- I always say that JoJo's is like the original Star Trek movies--the best parts are even-numbered. Diamond is Unbreakable continues Studio David's glorious adaptation of Araki's mega-epic, bringing out all the style and soul and violence of Josuke and the gang's battle to save their town. New to JoJo? Start here--and buckle up.

Tanaka-kun is Always Listless- Anime comedies are pretty important to me--whether it's the sheer absurdity of Cromartie High School or the more low-key silliness of Tonari no Seki-kun, finding a fairly simple premise and then focusing on it is a good way to hook me. In this case, a lazy guy has to deal with his high-energy friends, and we learn that sometimes, taking it easy is the only easy way to get ahead in life.

Evangelion 3.33: You Can(Not) Redo- It felt like this movie was never going to come out here after its 2012 release, but holy crap it was worth the wait. After the familiar ground of 1.11 and the bold, assertive new direction 2.22 took, 3.33 brings us back to what Evangelion does best: raw emotional pain, horrifying visuals, and never quite trusting or rooting for anybody we see on-screen. What a ride.

Rurouni Kenshin live-action trilogy- Another awesome release that was a long time coming, this adaptation of my all-time favorite manga condenses the first 17(ish) volumes of the series into three movies, trimming some plotlines and making them all just work as dynamic, rough, yet stylish martial arts actioners. Thankfully, great fights and drama don't overshadow Rurouni Kenshin's sense of fun. Check these out when you can!

Thunderbolt Fantasy- Written and created by Gen Urobuchi? Voice acting by Junichi Suwabe, Rikiya Koyama, Nobuyuki Hiyama, and Tomokazu Seki? An opening by T.M. Revolution?! I don't care what you say, you have those credentials, it can be live-action and be made in Antarctica and still be anime as hell. As the only person I know who regularly bought ComicsONE's kung-fu manhua, Thunderbolt Fantasy brought me back to the days of hunting down volumes of Saint Legend and Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre.

My Hero Academia (manga)- There's always a certain point when a manga hooks me, and I'm in it for better or for worse. One Piece had Arlong Park (and later Enies Lobby). Naruto had the Chunin Exam. Hunter x Hunter had Yorknew City. Now, My Hero Academia's 2016 developments--and a very public, dangerous reveal and its emotional fallout--have pulled me in. I don't just say "My Hero Academia is good." Now I say "My Hero Academia is One Piece good."

Crunchyroll x Funimation- Competition's good, but everybody wins when we all work together. Funimation are the other half of what we do, and have been in this business a hell of a lot longer. Being able to watch brand-new anime subbed on CR or dubbed on Funi is the kind of thing I never thought I'd see, and I am excited as hell to be a part of this, and to see what good it can do for anime fans.

JOSEPH LUSTER (@Moldilox)

Dragon Ball Super- Dragon Ball Super went from "this thing I keep hearing is poorly animated" to "my favorite show of the year" in record time. As soon as it was available legally I jumped into a mountain-leveling, rosé-tinted marathon of madness, and as of right now it's the best damn thing since DBZ. Super has completely rekindled my not-so-dormant love for all things Toriyama, and I can't wait to see where they take the series next.

Mob Psycho 100- I loved the One-Punch Man anime, but I'm pretty sure Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama could take Saitama in an unrestrained fight. That's saying a lot, but it's just another indicator of how much I adored BONES' gorgeously-animated spin on ONE's manga (which needs to come out in English ASAP). It certainly has some of the most creative fights of 2016, and that's a year that brought us the butt-battling of Keijo!!!!!!!!

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- On paper, Re:ZERO isn't something I should have enjoyed as much as I did. I read the first volume of the light novel series and found it as clunky and poorly written as most other light novels I've attempted (noted exception: Kizumonogatari), but the anime really hooked me. It's one of the few series I felt I was watching right alongside everyone else, and it never failed to surprise me and punch me in the gut when it mattered most. This one will be remembered fondly down the line, and here's hoping we get more since Tappei Nagatsuki is still churning out volume after volume of the novels in Japan.

Also, Subaru is great, you just can't handle how devastatingly real he is.

PETER FOBIAN (@PeterFobian)

FLIP FLAPPERS- On a visual level, FLIP FLAPPERS is a fascinating tour de force of concept and animation, featuring regular bouts of intense sakuga and amazing environmental design in the diverse worlds of pure illusion all illustrated in a pseudo-classical style. For critics it is a cornucopia of satisfying references to fine art, science, psychology, philosophy, and spiritualism with visual callouts to a diverse range of media from Neon Genesis Evangelion to The Shining to Popeye. For the casual viewer it’s a powerful story of adolescent discovery told both literally and through beautifully-rendered metaphor.

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Despite the formulaic basis of Re:ZERO’s story, appearing as one of a dime-a-dozen isekai light novel adaptations featuring a female harem, Re:ZERO proved to have some serious narrative worth. Not quite a deconstruction, Re:ZERO featured a deeply flawed protagonist in Subaru and an atypical narrative featuring a novel premise in Subaru’s ability to resurrect from death. This gave the anime a huge potential for speculation, and created an entire community of enthusiasts and analysts who followed it from week to week to see what happened next.

ERASED- Halfway through winter season I was absolutely convinced that nothing in 2016 would be able to top the combination of subtle direction, emotional narrative, and unique premise of ERASED. The series masterfully invested its audience in Kayo’s well-being, so for the viewer, the series became less about solving the mystery of the murders than the simple hope that this brave, unfairly abused girl could find some modicum of happiness in a cruel world. Satoru’s altruistic quest, forthright concern, willingness to admit his own faults, and habit of accidentally vocalizing his thoughts made him a truly endearing protagonist.

March comes in like a lion- This show tells a story that's as difficult to look at as it is to look away from. The inextricable nature of the sources of Rei’s joy and sorrow have created a narrow path he must walk upon just at the edge of despair. Studio SHAFT makes excellent use of visuals, employing darkness and deep water to give Rei’s emotions an elemental quality that allow you to experience the suffocating hold that his depression has upon him, while surrounding the Kawamoto household with a warmth and childlike simplicity that represents the refuge their unconditional love offers to him.

Mob Psycho 100- Mob Psycho 100 may justifiably have a place on top 10 lists for 2016 simply for visual power of the anime alone. Like FLIP FLAPPERS, Mob Psycho 100 is a demonstration of what is possible when you let artists loose on a project. It also showcased ONE’s versatility as a storyteller, strangely, by portraying the same type of overwhelmingly powerful protagonist through a different lens. Behind all the oddball humor and eye-popping art is the story of a boy who struggles with being normal, while everyone around him wants to stand out.

Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū- What we have here is one of a kind: a dedicated, generational period piece not only faithfully depicting post-war Japan, but doing so through the the lens of an obscure and nearly-extinct form of artist theater that is uniquely Japanese. Rakugo feels like the sort of soulful, arthouse passion project that a Hollywood director would have to put years of time in to build the clout to justify its creation. Its direction, emphasizing on gesture and expression, is absolutely cinematic, drawing out each emotional note of the melancholic narrative. The somber humanity of Rakugo almost doesn’t feel like an anime, and is a testament to the versatility of the medium.

My Hero Academia- The next up-and-coming shonen hall-of-famer, in many ways My Hero Academia has already surpassed many of its peers with its fascinating triadic rivalry between Deku, Kacchan, and Todoroki. MHA does a tremendous job of portraying its immensely charming cast of characters' pursuit of diverse personal goals that are equal parts altruism and self-interest. Most importantly, Horikoshi has tapped into the ethos of superheroes, creating inspirational figures that are intrinsically human, but saddled with the responsibility of representing something larger than life.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable- Despite my many attempts to get into the series, Diamond is Unbreakable is perhaps the first iteration of JoJo that had something interesting to say. The slow-burn murder mystery set in an idyllic town and the many asides, notations, and references all work in concert to build the fictional city of Morioh into a nearly real place like The Simpsons' Springfield. With that hurdle passed, Araki’s stylized art and its amazing adaptation into color and movement by Studio David become an art form unto themselves.

Tanaka-kun is Always Listless- Maybe it was how atypical Tanaka was as a lead in a medium where protagonists are homogenously faceless, featureless, and altruistic that drew me to this series. The entire cast each have some sort of hang-up, but the titular Tanaka-kun just treats it differently (ironically) by treating them all the same. Tanaka-kun definitely has a lot of offer on the classroom comedy front, but it also provides a unique sort of iyashikei, or healing media, in which characters' idiosyncrasies are taken in stride and wholeheartedly accepted, even appreciated, by others. It’s this light-hearted dedication to the positive that makes this anime so dear to me.

Yuri!!! on ICE- Complaints about animation and 11th hour writing aside, I do believe Yuri!!! on ICE was one of the most important anime this year or perhaps of the past several years. Yuri!!! on ICE is a story meant to appeal to a much more vast audience than the more targeted content we’re used to, and it showed. It's created new fans for the sport of figure skating, reached out to the LGBT community, and represented countries that hardly see a mention in modern media. It was written for a global audience and it reached it. Only time will tell if it's destined to have any sort of lasting cultural impact, but in the present, at least, it has drawn some deserved attention to the art form.

KARA DENNISON (@RubyCosmos)

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress- I had this show dropped on me by a friend with absolutely no lead-in whatsoever. I've had my fill of steampunk and zombies, so I nearly gave it the brush-off... but then I realized Mikimoto was behind the character designs! It's a gorgeous piece of work, and not at all tuned to the tropes I was expecting. The promise of more is incredibly exciting.

BAKUON!!- Motorcycle anime? Sign me up. It took literally zero arm-twisting to get me into a show about schoolgirls on bikes. Especially when one of them is pretty much literally the Stig. I haven't finished this yet, but I'm looking forward to watching the end very soon!

Love Live! School Idol Project (pre-2016)- Yeah, yeah, I'm late to the party. After lurking around on the game, I finally gave the anime a try to see what all the fuss was about. And I admit it: it's actually really good. It helped that I was in touch with the characters after playing on the app for so long, I think, but I really did jam with this. Looking forward to starting Sunshine soon.

EVAN MINTO (@VamptVo)

Space Patrol Luluco- As Crunchyroll’s resident Trigger fan, I’m obligated to put Luluco at the top of my list. It’s the famed studio of loony ex-Gainax dorks indulging in some of the most surreal, self-referential comedy this side of FLCL (the show where Luluco director Hiroyuki Imaishi got his start as an animation director). Not only does Luluco boast references to every Trigger property from Kill la Kill to Kiznaiver and cameos from Little Witch Academia, Sex & Violence, and 2016’s REAL Best Boy — Inferno Cop — but it’s also a surprisingly sincere shojo-inspired cosmic love story!

Mob Psycho 100- I loved what I saw of One-Punch Man, though I never did finish it (I know, I know). Mob Psycho 100, also from webcomic artist ONE, has some of the same appeal — superpowered battles, lush animation, and an absurd, slightly dark sense of humor — but cuts it with a heartfelt coming-of-age-story. More than anything else, though, I watched Mob just to see what wild shots the animators at BONES would try next, and I was rarely disappointed. Mob Psycho 100 is easily one of the best-looking shows of the past five years; every animator gets a chance to show off their unique style, and even the most mundane scenes are infused with energy and personality.

ERASED- It’s rare we get an anime series I can comfortably recommend to my parents, but ERASED manages to capture the nail-biting cliffhangers and complex mysteries that drive so many popular modern American TV series. On top of all of that, director Tomohiko Ito (of Sword Art Online fame, go figure) crafts powerful, cinematic visuals without resorting to expressionistic anime flourishes. When it all comes together it’s a captivating experience. The ending needs a bit more room to breathe, but even with a few stumbles at the finish line, ERASED is a series I’ll be recommending for years to come.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable- I wasn’t super pleased with Stardust Crusaders, but Diamond is Unbreakable brings back all of the wacky charm of the first two parts of the JoJo’s saga, EXCEPT WITH STANDS. This time Araki doesn’t hold back, introducing a host of completely absurd Stand powers, including: “transform a person into a newspaper and read their life story,” “heal people via Italian food,” and “a real army but the size of toys.” It’s also much smaller-scale, with a lot of recurring characters, many of whom are some of my favorites in the whole series. Though they’ve dropped the incredible Kamikaze Douga OP sequences, David Production makes up for it with colorful, high-contrast artwork that perfectly accentuates Araki’s manic sense of style. I’m sad to see Diamond is Unbreakable go, but JoJo’s still has so much more in store.

Only Yesterday- At 25 years old this year, Only Yesterday is hardly a “new” title, but 2016 was the first time we got it in the United States! Produced at Studio Ghibli and directed by Grave of the Fireflies’ Isao Takahata, the film is a beautifully understated, lyrical look at a woman’s life, told simultaneously through a summer spent farming and a series of memories from her childhood. Most of the movie is ordinary almost to a fault, but like many of Takahata’s movies, it builds carefully and almost imperceptibly to a sublime emotional climax. Only Yesterday is easily one of my favorite anime of all time.

Belladonna of Sadness- Another retro release, Belladonna is the third and final film in the Animerama series of erotic art films produced by Osamu Tezuka’s Mushi Productions. This one, however, is entirely directed by Eiichi Yamamoto (Tezuka co-produced the other two). Suffice it to say, it’s not exactly what you might expect from the studio that produced Astro Boy. A medieval lord rapes a beautiful peasant woman, who seeks revenge by making a deal with the devil. Yamamoto presents the story’s gothic horror — complete with Satanic rituals and frightening descents into madness — with elaborate animated paintings and an incredible psychedelic rock soundtrack from Masahiko Satoh. Not for the faint of heart, Belladonna of Sadness is an arresting work of experimental animation that’s a welcome change of pace from the banality of modern anime.

One-Punch Man (manga)- I’m finally close to caught up with One-Punch Man, and I’m surprised I didn’t read it sooner! Eyeshield 21’s Yusuke Murata has a great eye for character design and pulls off some surprisingly ambitious page layouts, but it’s ONE’s absurd, childish sense of humor that makes the series stand out so much from its shonen action contemporaries. Saitama’s complete apathy undercuts every opportunity for serious danger or drama, giving the series a sardonic self-awareness that’s relatively rare in shonen action series.

And Yet the Town Moves- After a 10-year run, And Yet the Town Moves is finally over. Masakazu Ishiguro’s decade-long manga never follows a single storyline for more than two or three chapters, instead constructing a deliberately out-of-order series of episodic comedy vignettes about a small Japanese town and the grossly out-of-place maid café at its center. What always made And Yet the Town Moves a joy to go back to was Ishiguro’s ability to weave endless strings of jokes at his characters’ expense, all while painting a picture of a tight-knit community of decent, lovable folks both old and young. Appropriately for a sitcom that consistently shuns sentimentality in favor of comedy, the final chapter ends with just another dumb joke.

The Gods Lie.- Lots of anime and manga feature children as the main characters, but it’s rare that these stories really tackle what it means to be a child in modern society. The Gods Lie, on the other hand, tackles it head on with the story of three kids — the oldest of whom are in 6th grade — who live alone in an abandoned house for a summer. There’s a fair bit of high drama in this single book (an absentee father, a sick, elderly soccer coach) but The Gods Lie communicates far more about how how societies nurture and shelter their children through showcasing the fractured but functional surrogate family that the three kids form for each other.

The Osamu Tezuka Story- Though it’s sometimes a little too detailed for its own good, The Osamu Tezuka Story is an invaluable book for anyone like me who’s obsessed with the life and work of Osamu Tezuka, the “God of Manga” who created Astro Boy and revolutionized both the postwar manga and anime industries. In manga form, author Toshio Ban lays out Tezuka’s life from his schoolboy days sketching in the margins of notebooks to his death in 1989, pulling from memoirs, interviews, and personal accounts from those who knew him best. Tezuka loved to write manga epics about the lives of heroes and historical figures, so it’s fitting that he’d get immortalized in his own manga biography.

SAM WOLFE (@_Samtaro)

One Piece- 2016 was another great year for the One Piece manga, as the Straw Hats finally did something fans have been anticipating for years: take on one of the Four Emperors of the Sea! Luffy has been making waves on Whole Cake Island, home to the notorious pirate lord Big Mom (and let me tell you, she’s got that name for a reason). Next to Teach, Big Mom has become one of my favorite One Piece villains, largely due to her distorted views on family. But is Big Mom really so bad? After all, her dream is to sit at a table where everyone sits at the same height…

ERASED- ERASED was a critically received murder mystery and drama that took the anime world by storm earlier this year, and I can’t sing its praises enough. Regardless of your feelings on the ending, ERASED had us gripped, and because the anime promised an alternate ending than its source manga, we were all in the dark. But to me, the success of ERASED was its appeal to both anime fans and non-anime fans. When a newbie asks me for anime recommendations, ERASED is sure to be on that list.

Dragon Ball Super- Dragon Ball Super really wasn’t on my radar until it was licensed in the States, and boy am I happy it was. As a big fan of Battle of the Gods and Resurrection F, Super was familiar territory, but this year I realized how good of a follow-up this show is to Dragon Ball Z; the power levels are higher, as are the stakes, and Goku is finally an underdog again. It’s good to be back.

Yuri!!! on ICE- I know, I know, you’ve heard enough about this one, but it deserves the nod. Yuri!!! on ICE is a special show for a lot of reasons: it’s appealing to anime fans and non-anime fans alike, it was an original story (meaning, it’s not based on a manga or light novel), and it told the story of two male figure skaters falling in love. It’s more than just a fujoshi dream come true; Yuri!!! on ICE did something really new, and that’s worth noting, even if you’re not a fan.

ISAAC AKERS (@iblessall)

As has been my custom with this space over the past few years (okay, just last year), rather than highlighting the shows that made it into my top 10 of the year, I’ll be touching on a few of the year’s offerings that just missed the cut.

She and Her Cat -Everything Flows- One of the quietest and shortest shows of the year was also a serious contender for being one of its best. Based on an earlier work of the same main title by Makoto Shinkai, She and Her Cat -Everything Flows- is a peaceful, melancholic look at the life of a young woman struggling with the loneliness and sadness that can come with being out on your own in the world. Much like one of my favorite short pieces from 2015, the Animator Expo’s tomorrow from there. She and Her Cat captures with ease and empathy a kind of wistful yet warm existential state. If you’ve been in the main character’s shoes even a little (or, if you’re in them right now), She and Her Cat -Everything Flows- is like getting a nice hug.

Three Leaves, Three Colors- Studio Dogakobo is well-known for their bouncy comedies, with recent hits like Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun and Love Lab leading the list. However, Three Leaves, Three Colors (from the same mangaka as Engaged to the Unidentified) is a somewhat more demure affair despite sharing many of the same trappings. With standout bits of animation scattered throughout and great color work, it’s a pleasure to look at, but it also boasts a rock-solid main trio of friends who play off each other in fun ways. There are even some almost surrealistic comedic interludes interspersed here and there. If you like moe comedies and missed this one this year, here’s your cue to check it out!

The Lost Village- Arguably the most controversial show of the entire year when it was airing, whether The Lost Village was genius, mediocre, or horrid varies depending on who you ask. I’ve weighed in on the matter with my own thoughts multiple times, but even considering how much respect I ended up having for the show I still find myself a bit baffled by it. That being said, it’s definitely one of the shows I had the most fun watching, writing, and discussing during the year, and I think those who engage with it ready to be flexible with their expectations will find, at the very least, a very unique anime to add to their completed list.

As for manga… I didn’t read any manga this year and I don’t think Nate will let me put Orange on my list for the third straight year, so sorry. [EDITOR'S NOTE: I would have been cool with this.] Pokemon Special’s still fun and good, by the way.

NICK CREAMER (@B0bduh)

FLIP FLAPPERS- FLIP FLAPPERS offered basically everything I want in an anime: great character writing, stirring themes, beautiful worlds, and an overall sense of whimsy that kept the whole thing fun and propulsive even when it was touching on topics like child abandonment and an inability to love yourself. It was an astonishing visual showcase and also a remarkably well-constructed character story, using its many diverse Pure Illusion adventures to consistently illustrate new things about its central characters. It’s one of those weird passion projects that make anime special, and I’m very happy it exists.

Concrete Revolutio: The Last Song- Okay, when I said FLIP FLAPPERS was everything I want in an anime, I sort of lied - I also like shows with searing political messages, and The Last Song was that all over. Depicting the breakdown of an alternate post-war Japan where superheroes are real, The Last Song was more reflective and bittersweet than Concrete Revolutio’s first season, but just as clever, creative, and engaging. From its wild pop-art style to its smart application of superhero archetypes to the social turmoil of 60s/70s Japan, The Last Song offered me a hefty meal to dig into every single week.

Sound! Euphonium 2- And reaching the final pole of my anime preferences, Sound! Euphonium continued to be thoughtful character drama done right. The show’s second season was messier than its first, adapting some material that couldn’t match the consistency of its predecessor, but the show’s characters continued to be very strong, and Kyoto Animation’s execution was just beyond compare. While many shows use the open canvas of animation to tell soaring, fantastical narratives, Euphonium demonstrated just how much magic and beauty there is in the personal and everyday.

Kizumonogatari- Oh, I also watched the first two Kizu movies this year, and they were glorious. Monogatari has been one of my favorite anime franchises for years now, but seeing Tatsuya Oishi’s gorgeous take on the prequel novel still felt like a revelatory experience. Instead of the TV series’ usual embrace of heavy internal monologue, Oishi fully realized Araragi’s depression, panic, and sexual mania through sound and pictures alone, making for one of the most distinctive and visceral film experiences I’ve seen. The Kizu films are a remarkable achievement.

FROG-KUN (@frog_kun)

Yuri!!! on ICE - An anime that was born to make history. Besides all the pretty boys and ice skating, the one thing that will stick with me about this show is how international its scope was. Yuri!!! on ICE takes you around the world and offers a surprisingly detailed and true-to-life picture of international competitive ice skating. We got to see skaters from Thailand and Kazakhstan excel at what they love on the world stage. As compelling as Yuri's journey as an athlete was, any of the skaters could have been the main character of this story. In fact, this was something that director Sayo Yamamoto and mangaka Mitsuro Kubo specifically went out of their way to suggest. No wonder this series was so beloved around this world!

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- This series might look like a typical fantasy-adventure story about an insufferable male nerd at first glance, but I was really impressed by how much empathy the narrative had for its main character. Subaru is an extremely weak character in the scheme of things, and the world doesn't revolve around him. His struggle to connect with others and move past his self-hatred resonated with me for similar reasons that My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU and Neon Genesis Evangelion did. I also happened to really love all the side characters in this series, and there's enough left unexplained by the end to make me burn with curiosity to find out what happens next. Season 2 when?!

your name.- I got to see Makoto Shinkai's masterpiece when it came out in Australian cinemas in November, and I ended up loving it so much that I saw it twice in three days! In my view, it's the first Shinkai film that balances its macro plot and themes equally with the love story, and that might be one of the reasons why I found it so personally relatable. your name. was created in response to the Fukushima disaster, and I found its message of empathizing with others and treasuring every fleeting moment especially profound in that context. I also think that the film touches on something deep about the way we humans connect with each other, and how it's possible for us to emotionally identify with people we've never even physically met. For that reason, among many others, it has become one of my favorite anime of all time.

WILHELM DONKO (@Surwill)

Sound! Euphonium 2- The first Sound! Euphonium was already my favorite anime of 2015, and the sequel again managed to make my list this year, as the second season was not lacking any of the traits and attributes responsible for the remarkable first season. Sound! Euphonium 2 kept its authentic grounded tone, which was accompanied by realistic characters and character-interactions, relatable drama, and background art nothing short of stunning. After a bit of a slow start, the season really picked up after the incredibly animated musical performance during the Kansai Competition, and in the end managed to tie up most loose ends beautifully. I’d also like to quickly mention Kumiko’s voice actresses’ unusual and mellow performance, which added a lot of personality to her character in my opinion.

Haikyu!!- Volleyball? I’m surely not going to care for an anime about a sport I don’t even know all the rules to. Boy, was I wrong. I picked up Haikyu!! around the start of the year, while the second cour of the second season was still running, and was immediately hooked. The show is extremely engaging, energetic, fast-paced, and almost always kept me on the edge of my seat during the matches. Haikyu!!’s cast is equally lovable (even the opponents in the show are great), and undergo some major character development throughout the seasons. I really did not care for Tsukishima at the beginning of show, but he soon became one of my favorites, especially after the thrilling third season. I guess I could say the same about Haikyu!! in general.

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- I don’t think I need to talk a lot about Re:ZERO, as it was undoubtedly one the biggest, if not the biggest anime this year. The show was definitely one of the more interesting takes on the Isekai (different world) formula in recent memory, and always sparked a great amount of discussion after each episode. And what can I say? I really liked to see Subaru suffer.

Love Live! Sunshine!!- I’m fully aware that Love Live! Sunshine!! is the odd one out of all my picks, and I would never objectively consider it as anime of the year, but it was my personal favorite of 2016. Even though I watched both seasons of the original, I never really cared for the Love Live! series, but that drastically changed with the start of Love Live! Sunshine!! While I never warmed up to Muse, I just adore every member of Aqour’s, and generally consider Sunshine!! to be a step up in every aspect compared to the original. However, it wasn’t until my own pilgrimage to the show’s setting, Uchiura and Numazu that I really fell in love with the series. I’ve done a lot of anime pilgrimages, but this one ranks among my favorites. After that I started collecting everything Love Live! Sunshine!! related I could get my hands upon. From art books, to figures to coffee mugs, I have it all – I even play that darn mobile game every day. Yousoro ~

Honorable Mentions: Flying Witch, KONOSUBA, Ajin.

BRANDON TETERUCK (@Don_Don_Kun)

FLIP FLAPPERS– Magical girl anime have encountered a bit of a dry spell in recent years. Thankfully Kiyotaka Oshiyama brought us a unique spin on the genre with his directorial debut, FLIP FLAPPERS. While FLIP FLAPPERS was a mishmash of different styles, ranging from campy shojo horror to Mad Max action, each episode worked harmoniously to create a cohesive emotional narrative. FLIP FLAPPERS’ two heroines, Papika and Cocona, learn more about themselves and each other by exploring a slew of psychedelic and dreamlike worlds. Although the peculiar fusion of genres may not suit every audience’s taste, FLIP FLAPPERS had essentially what I wanted out of a modern magical girl anime: creative and experimental animation sequences, heavily allegorical storytelling, and fabulous henshin scenes.

KIZNAIVER– Hiroshi Kobayashi’s directorial debut, KIZNAIVER, was an ambitious project unlike anything studio Trigger had attempted before. Alongside scriptwriter Mari Okada, Kobayashi created a contemporary adolescent drama that wasn’t afraid to tackle some of the touchier issues in Japanese society. Throughout KIZNAIVER, its cast of misfits constantly grapple between wanting to feel the physical and emotional pain of others and questioning whether an artificial connection could create a sense of togetherness. This was the primary dramatic narrative of KIZNAIVER, and while intriguing in and of itself, it was truly Kobayashi’s thoughtful directing and clever use of visual symbolism that elevated the material. KIZNAIVER may have lacked narrative polish around its edges, but it was one of the most visually poignant pieces of commercial anime to come out of the industry in the past couple of years. Here’s hoping that Kobayashi will have more directing roles in the future as his cinematic vision brings a lot to the table for commercial anime as a whole.

Sound! Euphonium 2– The first season of Sound! Euphonium had always been a favorite of mine, and as such, the bar was set quite high when I heard a prequel was announced. Despite a rather lackluster first arc, the second half of 2016’s Sound! Euphonium 2 blew me away. The relationship between Kumiko and Asuka, two of the central pillars of Kitauji High’s concert band, embodied both the heart and soul of Sound! Euphonium’s web of emotional connections. It was beautiful to see their close-knit bond - built upon respect, trust, and understanding - unfold as the barriers between senpai and kohai were broken down. It set the stage perfectly for the resolution of Sound! Euphonium’s many other narratives: Kumiko and her older sister’s mending of their sibling conflict, Reina’s emotional maturing, and Taki’s finding peace within himself over his late wife. With a soulful conclusion to an already fantastic anime by Kyoto Animation, Sound! Euphonium is a series that couldn’t have ended in a more satisfying manner.

Mob Psycho 100– Mob Psycho 100 is unequivocally a testament to the creativity and passion of the anime industry’s top animators. Director Yuzuru Tachikawa and animation director Yoshimichi Kameda created an experimental take on ONE’s source manga that showcased the importance of animation for storytelling and expression. While still operating within the confines of a shounen work, Mob Psycho 100 is an anime with a visual and ideological identity that does not confirm to the sterile and idealistic standard of perfectionism that is seen in many contemporary anime. “If everyone is not special, maybe you can be who you want to be.”

Love Live! Sunshine!!– Last, but certainly not least, is a pick that you may find a bit strange if you’ve been reading the reasoning behind my other favorite anime of 2016. While I do value artistry in animation and direction, there are times when a fun anime with a cute and charming cast of characters is just as enjoyable to watch. Despite adopting a similar plot structure to the original Love Live! series, Love Live! Sunshine!! knew how to play around with its audience’s expectations, in some cases subverting characterization tropes and outright parodying the original. The girls of Aqours were a low-key bunch of loveable dorks who enthusiastically attempted to emulate the franchise’s previous group of idols (often times with hilarious or unfortunate results). Aqours’ playful banter and goofy antics quickly made me invested in their underdog soul search for stardom, while the intimate relationship between Chika and Riko brought a smile to my face. With the collective energy and excitement it brought to my life while watching, Love Live! Sunshine!! was one of my most pleasant surprises of 2016. Also, Dia is best girl.

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And that's a wrap for Part One of our three-part series! Be sure to tune in at the same time tomorrow for PART TWO: VIDEO GAMES! And if you're still in the mood for past CR Favorites, check out the previous years' features here:

Crunchyroll Favorites 2015 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2014 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2013 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2012 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll News' Best of 2011 Part One Part Two

What were your favorite anime and manga of 2016? Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST OF list, so there's no wrong answers--sound off in the comments and share your favorites with us!

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Nate Ming is the Features and Reviews Editor for Crunchyroll News, creator of the long-running Fanart Friday column, and the Customer Support Lead for Crunchyroll. You can follow him on Twitter at @NateMing.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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recentanimenews · 7 years

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Creating the Crunchyroll Expo - An Interview with Director of Events Adam Sheehan

HARK! The first ever Crunchyroll Expo is preparing to blast off later this summer at the Santa Clara Convention Center. And in anticipation of this momentous event focused on anime and the fandom around it, we present an interview with Adam Sheehan, Director of Events for Crunchyroll. Read on and enjoy!

Crunchyroll News: Hi and please introduce yourself!

Adam Sheehan: Hi and thanks for having me! I’m Adam Sheehan, the Director of Events for Crunchyroll

First of all, what are some of your favorite anime?

Ranma ½, FLCL, Kare Kano, Eva, Kenshin, FMA, and Serial Experiments Lain are among my all time favorites. For more recent titles I would say Attack on Titan, One Punch Man, Erased, Jo-Jo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Osomatsu.

Can you talk a bit about your past history with regards to anime events planning?

Absolutely. I’ve been working on or around anime events and conventions for almost 20 years now. I got my start in 1998 when a couple of friends of mine who were running our college anime club with me decided to start a marketing firm to promote local anime events. Our first (and only) client was A-Kon, the largest anime convention in Texas. After college I got my first paying gig in the industry as the Tour and Conventions Manager for a company called Score Entertainment, who put out the Dragon Ball Z collectable card game. I spent the first few years driving an H1 Hummer all around the country covered in DBZ graphics.

After that I spent over 10 years at FUNimation where I worked on multiple projects including helping to build and run their events and conventions department. While there I was able to do a lot of fun things from recreated the Ouran High School Host Club host club with cosplayers and the main English dub cast to helping to bringing CLAMP to the US for the first time back at Anime Expo in 2006.

All this lead me to where I am today at Crunchyroll.

How do you think anime conventions, and geek cons in general, have evolved over the last few years and what do you think is behind those changes?

There has been a spike in pop-culture conventions over the last 10 years. Both the demand by fans for such events and the profits around them have created what seems to be a suitable industry on its on. Video game shows like PAX or Blizzcon raised the bar on what a high-end convention could be after E3 struggled back in the 2007 and shows like South by South West saw their interactive track start to out perform their long time headlining music track around the same time.

Anime cons have grown along with this trend having shown to be one of the largest in average attendance per event of any types of pop culture conventions in North America. The one thing that anime cons haven’t done though over the years is change too much from the core of what we’ve considered an anime convention to be since the early 90s.

Anime cons are not the only offender here I will add. Comic cons only started to change their format that was built some time in the 70s when Hollywood and overall nerd media content became more main steam some 15 years ago. This is one of the reasons we wanted to launch something like Crunchyroll Expo. Anime conventions overall are pretty good as they are laid out today. So imagine if we could nudge them forward a bit more and help take them to their next natural evolutionary step. We spent the better part of 2015 and 2016 looking at events like Blizzcon, SXSW, and SDCC to see what they did to change the mold or build an event without the same traditional base that anime cons have.

The big question is, of course, what will make CRX different from all the other anime cons out there?

Without giving any of our secret plans away yet I can say that Crunchyroll Expo will have a variety of new takes on some of your favorite things at anime cons. We are not going to change out everything you see at an anime con in 2017. We are looking to put on a great event first and for most and if we try to change too many things all at once we could be removing some of the parts that make anime cons so great in the process.

I would say to the fans out there who are planning to attend CRX this year to expect to see a different take on things like how panels are set up, our exhibit hall layout, and more curated experiences when it comes to the kinds of events offered during the show. We still know anime fans want to see great guests, buy lots of anime goods, and connect with friends and other fans of anime in real life. We won’t be taking any of this away. If anything, we are looking to enhance them.

CR is best known as an anime streaming company, but the brand has been involved recently with special events like Anime Movie Night, the Anime Awards, and now CRX. Can you talk a bit about how Crunchyroll is expanding in this direction and what it means for the future?

When I came on board 2 years ago I could tell Crunchyroll was looking to grow their events presence. My third day here our CEO of Crunchyroll, Kun Gao, brought up the idea of doing our own convention so I knew there was a want to expand beyond the digital space. In 2016 we changed around a lot of what Crunchyroll had done at conventions in the past with great feedback from the fans. It felt only natural with this kind of momentum to see where we could take things next.

This lead to events like Anime Movie Night, the Anime Awards, and of course Crunchyroll Expo this year. We also created our ‘Powered by Crunchyroll’ convention program where we work with some of the best anime cons in the country to provide more for our Premium Members. As expected we have a lot of surprises in store for Anime Expo next month but are raising the bar again from what we did last year. Including the premiere of the first 3 episodes of Ancient Magus Bride months before it airs in Japan.

What was behind the decision to hold the first CRX in Santa Clara? What is the convention center facility like?

We looked at many different location options when planning where to put Crunchyroll Expo this year. After taking all our options into consideration as well as where a lot of our Premium Members and fans of Crunchyroll are located holding this in Northern California made the most sense. Having Crunchyroll’s home office located in the Bay Area was also a bonus since we feel an affinity to the Bay Area and the anime community around it.

The Santa Clara Convention Center is a great location. There is more then enough space to hold all the big events and locations we are planning on having like the Exhibit Hall, Artist Alley, and an over 2,000-seat Main Events hall. It also has a lot of lobby space and other areas for activations, gatherings, and smaller high quality engagement points for fans to enjoy.

Can you give us some idea what the logistics are like in planning an event like this? Especially for a first-time con?

Our Events team has almost 50 years of combined experience across all of us. None of us though has ever launched a convention so we made what I think was the very wise decision to bring in some experts to help us get Crunchyroll Expo off the ground. After looking at multiple companies we decided to work with LeftField Media who run events like Awesome Con, Five Points Festival, and Anime NYC. They were founded by some of the people who helped launch New York Comic-Con and New York Anime Fest so we feel that we are in good hands with them.

The overall planning for the event has been going great since there is a wonderful balance between Crunchyroll having access to great content, guests, and connection with our fans and LeftField knowing how to get the most from everything involved with setting a convention as well as create an event space that attendees will love exploring.

What can you tell us about the guest lineup?

I need to keep a lot of this a secret still since we haven’t started announcing guests for Crunchyroll Expo yet. What I can tell you is that we are looking at a wide array of guests for this year. This includes anime and manga related guests from the US and Japan as well as fan favorite influencers and celebrities that have a love for anime and pop-culture. Stay tuned over the next few months for more details and names to squee about.

How about special events or con exclusives?

A lot of big secrets here as well that I can’t yet share. What I can say on the topic of special events is that we will have some spaces that anime fans are familiar with at CRX that will have a different flair or focuse to them than they are use to seeing at other events. This is part of our plan mentioned before to push anime conventions forward.

I can confirm that we will have convention exclusives. We will have a Crunchyroll Expo merch store of goodies that are made specially just for this year’s event as well as we are planning to have a items in our Crunchyroll booth store in the Exhibit Hall that should be exclusive or brand new for that weekend.

We also have two VIP ticket options this year that not only give people greater access to events and guests but will also include exclusive merch that only these ticket holders will be able to get.

What are you personally looking forward to the most at CRX?

I’m really excited to see how what the fans think of all the different and new things we are bringing to Crunchyroll Expo. There are some things we think will be a huge hit with people when they see them in person but you don’t know until it actually happens. I am planning to spend a good amount of just time going around the convention watching people react and engage with different events and activations we have there.

Where should people go to stay on top of new announcements for CRX?

They can visit our CRX Blog at http://ift.tt/2t76dhg. We are updating it multiple times a week so be sure to keep checking back. We also have a Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for Crunchyroll Expo so they can follow us there as well.

Finally, if you had to describe CRX in one sentence, what would it be?

A forward thinking event focused on entertaining all lovers of anime and the fandom around it.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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