#Studio Kafka

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

Studio Kafka has paid so much attention to the manga and its characters... Sure, s2 doesn't have some mind-blowing ultra clean hyper realistic animation, but there are SO many meaningful little details here and there in almost every scene, like the sound of footsteps that shows the mood of characters, the background humming and echo in the college, Chise's voice gaining a deeper tone as she grows up, lines that weren't in the manga but make perfect sense in the anime, the peace and quiet during moments when you'd expect music, the timing of characters' interactions and the timing of jokes... And most importantly, the studio managed to cut and alter the scenario without actually changing it... It takes great creativity and care for the work to make a good adaptation without following the source material to the letter! respectfully looking at my beloved sxf Honestly there were so many excellent decisions made during the adaptation that I don't mind the bad cgi and fight scenes and some other faults this season has

I want to note down every specific moment I'm talking about and put it in one post, but I've just watched the new episode and desperately needed to share this thought at least in this unpolished form 😵‍💫 They portrayed little Veronica so well... I even dare say better than in the manga

[animehouse-moe]

The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2 Episode 15: Needs Must When The Devil Drives I.

Perhaps a slower episode than usual in the front half, this one dives head first into our two caregiver pairings of Elias-Chise, and Alcyone-Philomela. It's really great to see how they approach each and how they interact with one another, so I have a lot to talk about.

Let's start off with Elias! I love his character progression in this episode once more. Just the subtle things like how he says to "reach out to him if anything happens". While he does justify it by the fact that humans are frail to him, the sentiment of Elias attempting to care about another person is absolutely there.

Even better is Simeon's comment about music. Elias shows interest in it, and then extrapolates it to relate it to Chise, and not in just a simple manner. It has him pondering the question "what does Chise like? What was she like before me?". It's an outstanding development for two reasons.

Firstly, it shows Elias' ability to look inwards in retrospect and apply the ideas that other people supply him with to other friends or people close to him. Secondly, during that introspection, it's not just "I wonder what kind of music Chise likes", rather, he uses the initial idea to further expand on Chise as a person, rather than something that comes to mind as an association. It's really really great stuff that shows how Elias is growing and developing as a person.

Similarly, but also somehow different, we get Alcyone in this really great sequence.

I really like the direction through this sequence because it accentuates Alcyone's purpose. Other people do exist, such as Philomela's parents, but all that Alcyone sees is Philomela herself. Is it because of her purpose as an artificial fairy, or is it the beginnings of something greater, similar to Elias? Personally I feel like it's the latter, which I'll explain in just a bit.

First though, this scene of Alcyone looking at Philomela. It's just really pretty, and the depth of field is a nice touch to help viewers understand that Alcyone is only looking at Philomela.

Anyways, why do I think that Alcyone is more like Elias than unlike? Well, it's Elias himself in their conversation. He himself states that he can't stop answering Alcyone's questions, and I think the reasoning is obvious as we begin a two part parallel. Elias sees a version of himself in Alcyone. I think it's a great idea to explore that comparison, especially because the two are currently isolated from the outside world.

And then there's the whole Philomela and Chise piece, which was great. Here though, they explicitly state (or I guess show?) that Chise sees herself in Philomela despite their differences, and that a lot of it is about finding a way to save her past self by helping Philomela. It's very interesting, and ties directly into Chise's struggle with selfishness in a way that might not directly present as that.

And then there's the whole Rian-Isaac breakdown which is really great. We could see glimpses of the tension here and there with Rian interacting with Philomela finally, but the breaking point was really well done. The idea of "two sides of the same coin" comes to mind with the pair, so I'm really excited to see what goes on now that Philomela has been properly added to the mix.

Though I should add, Rian's disposition towards Philomela is very interesting. It's childish, I would say. He's frustrated that the friend he once had is essentially no more, so he takes it out on the version of them that stands in front of him.

The latter half of this episode just brings a lot in terms of breakdowns as it prepares to build things up alongside the mystery of the book swirling around the college.

While the first half might be a touch dry, the second half is incredibly full and rich, sporting great sunset-dyed visuals and surprisingly solid character animation in some sequences.

The book might be the focus of this arc right now, but I'm nearly exclusively focused on the characters because they're just so damn well written.

[kissshotacerolaorion]

[linvaniin]

honkai eidolon charms part 2✨avail at my shop here!

[hybridreviews]

TIME of the SEASON Spring 2023 Edition: The SEQUEL SEASON Section

The Sequel Section is back!!!

Welp, you already know. We have a selection of 5 sequel season shows to cover but first things first, I’m going to go over on what I’m not covering on this season. The new Konosuba anime…. yeah, not covering it. Waiting on that one to be dubbed to be honest. Oh and the same can be said for the upcoming Ranking of Kings anime. And yes, I know Golden Kamuy is back or at least re-airing its season…

[rozen-neverland]

Pulsing Resonance

Illusive wishing well

The pulse of the earth courses through me as it devours my shell, stripping me of everything that I am. Once there is seemingly nothing left, no dreams, no sanity and no sense of self, my vision takes on the jet-black color of a starlit sky whilst my mind scatters.

When I awaken, faintly glimmering crystal powder has gathered in the center of my palm. Have these at one time complete gems also been crushed by their surroundings and own aspirations in the same manner that I have? “Now that we have been ground, robbed of our once so radiating beauty, eventually becoming a sea of dust, what is our purpose, I wonder?”

It seems as though I have given up yet in actuality, I search, seek the company of a living entity in this false wishing well, deprived of life and light. However, there is something that I cannot comprehend, perhaps a fragment of my imagination. Nevertheless, I reach out my hand, which mirrors the image of the tree I am trying to grasp; the tree that pierces the sky I am unable to see, reaching as much for the stars as it does the depths of the earth.

“Is it your wish to despair in this illusive wishing well, constructed by all the feelings you keep locked away? You have lost your life to this hollow void; do you intend to forsake the colorful hue your soul possesses as well? The belief that this abyss has stolen your light may have rooted itself in your mind, yet isn’t our being here proof enough that the rose in your heart has withered not?” Its voice echoes, although I can not determine if it does so throughout this dark space or solely in my mind. “Thus, I pose this question, would you choose to become a branch of this tree, allowing yourself to be an extension of fate itself?”

The sound of their words reaches my ears, but it is as if I am incapable of piecing together their meaning. Will I finally be understood, if I am nourished by the same roots; eventually able to ask someone, who is about to be swallowed by equal despair, these same words? No, do I even have the right to be someone’s light?

“The ability to feel compassion for others, wanting to grant another being something which you could never obtain, would bestow far more gentleness upon our branches than they bore afore. Regardless, being that our souls twist and tangle, making up a stem of life, each human heart can be pursued. No one is truly lost or alone if they do not wish to be. We will always appear in front of those who seek to untangle the truth of this world.”

“Will my fingertips be able to graze the tips of the stars which were previously beyond reach if I join you?”

“In a way, you would become part of the firmament yourself. I do not know if you have realized, but when humans gaze at the shimmering stars and melting polar lights, they catch a glimpse of the tree of life as we are constituted of light. Therefore, it makes sense that we shine as bright as an alliance of stars, a galaxy.”

“Then please take the warmth that this body has to offer and claim it as your own.”

I could feel its tremendous roots wrapping itself around my core. Who could have guessed it really is a rose and if only a tiny bud.

“At last, are you able to see the worth of your essence with your own eyes?”

With that, the red tread of my soul became forevermore an intertwined entity, similar to a cat’s cradle which locks with its subject's fingers, trusting that the one pulling the strings will fulfill the unspoken promise and return them.

The sound of souls mixing, creates the most beautiful of melodies, resonating throughout the world in the form of both sound and color, becoming the earth’s pulse which never stops beating.

“Our strings will never tear because, in this harmonious realm, souls cannot be broken nor can hearts be shattered.”

I wonder how this heartbeat escaped my perception all these years. Have I experienced so much numbness that I myself became numb? And my senses paralyzed? I wish you all a divine Chinese New Year. May the precious bonds you have formed last for eternity.

[heronetworkgg]

La segunda temporada del anime Mahoutsukai no Yome estrena un nuevo video promocional

A través del sitio web oficial de la adaptación al anime, se ha revelado un nuevo video promocional de lo que será la segunda temporada del anime Mahoutsukai no Yome, además, confirmó que su estreno se llevará a cabo durante el mes de abril de este año. Cabe destacar que en relación a la animación […]

Ir a la noticia completa

[ramunnae]

chuuya nakahara. the man you are. beautiful stunning powerful talented perfection in every media. chuuya day is truly the best day of the year. let's all celebrate chuuya for existing. thank you asagiri, harukawa, and hoshikawa for the beautiful creation that is chuuya nakahara.

[shysheeperz]

[clearly1vampire]

we (I) need season 2 bsd!wan 😭 please bones

(or new wan chapters with the doa)

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

the last question wasn't in the manga... </3

[n3k0uii]

recent sketches to fill the void on my account 🫶💗

[animehouse-moe]

The Ancient Magus' Bride S2 Episode 6: Better Bend Than Break

Another episode of MahoYome has rolled around, and this time we take a break from the college setting to focus on Chise and Alice specifically. Not so much the pair as a connective story, but to take a closer look at their characters, and just what it is that they desire within their current lives.

In general, I think it's a really great approach because Alice and Chise occupy very different spaces in the lives of their masters. Alice was chosen by Renfred, while Chise was chosen by Elias. Yeah, hard to really denote the difference, but it's a rather significant piece in how they approach what they want.

So we'll start with Alice. It's pretty safe to say her character has been built around being of use and repaying a debt to Renfred. For taking her in, for saving her from harm, and so on and so forth. She wants to prove her use to her master, no matter what. But Renfred doesn't see it that way, and that hurts Alice. What she wanted to be in her life was, in a sense, denied by the person that she wanted to protect.

It breaks her down in defeat, because the person she's vowed to protect is the person that's protecting her. And Alice understands that Renfred means well and only wants the best for her, but at the same time he's denying Alice the role that she desires in Renfred's life. It's a tricky situation, and one that this episode dedicates itself to exploring.

I appreciate the dedication to keeping things "normal" though, because even if they go to a magic school and have done all this crazy stuff, they're still just people at the end of the day. So because of that, Chise helps Alice out as she gets out of her house to go spend a night with Chise mulling things over.

On the way over though, Simon has a really great monologue that helps the pair. What one person believes can differ from the next. Your definition of a friend is different than someone elses, but what remains are the truths of it all.

Anyways, back to Alice. I really love how they express themselves through the whole exchange. They're shy to open up about what's bothering them, but once Alice gets there she reverts to her usual energetic and stubborn self which is really nice to see. Even when she struggles with something important, she doesn't lose her character or what makes her, well, her. It's an easy thing to do when you're trying to make things dramatic, or are looking to pull as much as you can out of the story, but thankfully that's not the case here.

What I really love about Alice's venting of this though, is how it reflects on Chise. She has a similar confusion in terms of roles between herself and Elias, as hers are even more convoluted and confusing as she's bride, master, and apprentice all at once.

It's a great idea because Alice takes the lead, but what Alice is saying and doing is perfectly reflected on Chise. However, Chise here has a hard time opening up in a similar fashion to Alice. It tracks with her character, and I think it's a great piece to show where her own challenges and shortcomings appear from. She stumbles over her words, hides under the covers, and even fidgets and gets anxious. And in regards to that last point, I really like that Ruth gets up to comfort Chise while she's talking. It's a really subtle thing, but I think it really adds a great deal to how Chise comes across and is expressed during these moments.

Of course, Chise is more than just this awkward and anxious side, as she finds an odd sense of peace alongside Elias. Maybe it's that they share a similar isolation from the people around them, or maybe because they've never been great with people in the first place, but the pair has a special form of chemistry that lets them get through the hard to explain pieces.

In particular, I really liked how both Chise and Elias approached their roles and desires. Elias sees it in a far more childish and simplistic light, where these roles and their appearances are a more absolute experience, while Chise views them as something more fluid and inexplicable in regards to what Elias desires.

Neither wants to be alone, or separated too much from each other for that matter, but they can't arrive at a correct role for one another in their lives. It's a far more puzzling experience for them than it is for Alice and Renfred who don't see eye to eye, and I can really appreciate the nuance and care that they put into these moments between Chise and Elias.

Speaking of Elias, I really love how far he's come as a character now. Just simple things like how open he's been about how much he wants to keep Chise to himself, and how he wants her to stay by his side. Or even how quickly he accepts what happiness is and uses it to explain his own emotions. They're all really great pieces, but even if we've taken this many steps forward, that childish side of Elias still appears in his possessiveness of Chise, and I think it's an important piece to maintain. Elias has undoubtedly grown and developed in his own ways, but there are still vast swathes of immaturity and lack of understanding. Simply because he's made progress in one area, it doesn't mean he's improved across the board.

Now, coming all the way back to Alice (and to create a nice transition), it was really nice seeing Alice tackle her feelings in regards to her situation with Renfred head on. Very much like Alice, and a really nice way to end things off in the episode, especially with this cut.

So, to segue into direction and animation stuff now. Good episode overall, but definitely lots of little pieces that speak to a few standout staff members throughout. Lots of pieces of animation that have very similar styles (like the one above). I wouldn't go as far as saying it's a bad thing, or that it doesn't mesh with the episode in full, but just that it highlights the disparity and immaturity of Kafka as a studio.

Now, in terms of more straight laced direction stuff, this episode definitely plays into the strength of those few strong animators, as rotation is found throughout to sort of tie it together. I'm rather indifferent to that piece as it's neither here nor there in terms of being good though. What I do like is the continual input from Terasawa on these episodes to keep it together.

Their strong visual style is present throughout with all the top down camera angles we get.

In particular, I really like this sequence because it's the perfect combination of Terasawa's visual style, and using that in regards to the story. His penchant for top down shots lets us see Joseph's shadow, and how it begins as something small that stands at the feet of Alice when he's seen as harmless, but as soon as that fear sets in, his shadow extends to engulf Alice entirely.

Similarly, you also see quite a few scenes of those closeups on body parts (or in a few cases, objects) to hide facial expressions and reactions to various information.

Interestingly enough though, Terasawa's input is nearly at odds with the direction for this episode, though it comes off more like a dichotomy. The director for today's episode places a lot of focus and attention on the faces of the characters as they explore these emotions and thoughts, and creates this very interesting back and forth where entire bodies are used to convey emotion at different points in a conversation.

All in all, it makes for a good episode for sure, and goes to show how forms of direction that might seem at odds with each other can find a way to create a meaningful connection. I really loved how they balanced both ends to really sell the deep interactions and emotions between characters, and after writing this, have come to doubt that you'd get the same amount of feeling out of it if you were to only go for one of the two approaches to character expression from today.

[the-perks-of-being-a-person]

A Normal Day in Studio Bones

Animators, very stressed because everyone dissed their beheading scene: *Frantically drawing the Gay as to not disappoint* Asagiri: *Bursting in the room dramatically every 15 minutes to check if the Gay is still alive* Some Random Fan:*In the walls* SOME HOURS/DAYS/WEEKS LATER Bones Studio: *Watching the entire fandom scream like little girls watching the season finale*

[trxy-land]

The launch is live! New Capy Summer series and lots of fandom keyrings

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[potahtoburhasbku]

first art post !! ( how do use this app ong) props to that one beach pose ref for kafka