#that aside having seen that his characterization in this is closer to in the manga thats solidified my not wanting to touch it lol

[knittinglizards]

i have started the woman called fujiko mine and am liking it. and i understand like why the change was made and think it suits the tone but this characterization of zenigata is. upsetting

[gunnerpalace]

In your OT3, the Battletech one, do you have any notes, that you're willing to share, on how you're going to handle Urahara and Soifon? I know in the past you have said that you found Soifon's character to be creepy in how its seen or portrayed in relation to Yoruichi.

To be specific, I called how she’s often portrayed as obsessed with Yoruichi in extended universe material (e.g., anime filler and omake, video game story lines, etc.) as being cringey in one post, and kind of gross in another. I didn’t really mean to suggest that Soi Fon herself is creepy, but the people writing her sorta are. Her canonical characterization and character arc in Soul Society is fine without being overwrought in my opinion (considering she looked up to Yoruichi as basically an idol), and thereafter in the manga it doesn’t feel very played up; her characterization is ironically a way in which the manga is better. (Although a lot of that comes from it not being much referenced again...)

I haven’t really written things out for her or Kisuke in the BattleTech AU. (I have in the Modern AU, to an extent; Kisuke’s circumstances are decently elaborated upon in the notes. Soi Fon I assumed would still be a Navy pilot and her bitter early self if encountered again.) But, to contemplate it now... I think Soi Fon would be associated with the Draconis Combine and still be in their employ. She might’ve suffered a loss of face following Yoruichi’s desertion which would probably amplify her feelings of betrayal (putting her in line with the sort of darker take on Byakuya and perhaps Renji) but given her character, she likely would have made every effort to “redeem” herself in the eyes of the state. I sort of imagine Yuushirou is in charge of the Draconis Combine and is not at all keen on hunting his sister down, which probably chafes at Soi Fon, but she is simply biding her time. I didn’t immediately plan out her getting involved but it’s certainly an obvious pick for them to run afoul of her eventually. I think she would be very disappointed in Yoruichi choosing to establish a mercenary group and likewise be very dismissive of Ichigo and Rukia; she’d probably make them priority targets if she gained any sense of what was going on between the three. (It probably takes a lot longer and a lot of fighting and intrigue to come to a truce with the main antagonists than in the source material.)

Regarding Kisuke, I find their source relationship a bit odd. She always calls him “Kisuke” in TBTP (e.g., Chapters -107 and -106) but in the present she varies between that (e.g., chapter 195) and calling him “Urahara” (chapter 185) even when no one else is around but them. It’s strange, and combined with their relationship dynamic completely swapping across the century, it suggests to me there is a certain distance between them. (Which her unexplained absence seems to reaffirm, as Jinta and Ururu have never seen her before.) Which is why, in these YIR fics, she is usually describing her relationship with him as some variation of on-again, off-again. Even when I think of UraYoru, I feel like they have closer and more distant periods.

I think in BattleTech AU he and Yoruichi are more close friends and confidants than having ever been lovers, although they still might have been. I do think he’d support her desires to be happy. Of course, either way it’s still kind of a bit awkward for Ichigo and Rukia, because in this particular AU he’d technically be their boss.

I get the sense he would be a bit teasing with Rukia but mostly polite (as in the source material), but I think it would be a bit different with Ichigo. While Kisuke would mostly still put on his good natured and jokey persona, I do get the sense he’d pull Ichigo aside at some point, do the shadowed eyes under the hat thing, and say something like, “If you break her heart, I break you.” And Ichigo would probably say something like, “You’ll never have the chance. She’d do it herself first, and if she didn’t, Rukia would still beat you to the punch.” They’d probably stare each other down for a bit and then Kisuke would laugh and play it off like a joke, satisfied for the moment with the response.

I think he would be very involved with trying to suss out their path of survival and offloading that burden of leadership from Yoruichi so she could enjoy herself as best she could. That kind of silently taking on responsibility is very much his thing.

Beyond that, I’m not too sure. I’m kind of open to ideas and commentary. (I do get the sense that Yoruichi might continue trying to provoke Soi Fon by suggesting she was interested in Kisuke, which would probably not irritate her in this timeline, but absolutely infuriate her.)

[eidolonlathi]

The Issue with Gen’s wasted Character Potential

With the manga about to reach its end I thought it worthwhile to have a closer look at how Gen’s character has been written. And the conclusion I'm coming to is that things started promising but then ended with already established potential not getting used.

Let’s start at the beginning. I don't believe that by the time of their introduction, any of the Sato squad’s new members had a clear and finished backstory. Or if, that it must have gotten changed while the story was progressing.

At this point it is difficult to say what the initial intention had been. But looking at Gen’s introduction, I always had the impression he and Takahashi didn't use to know each other before, came to the meeting alone and met there for the first time, instantly developing sympathy for each other. Something of the body and facial language in their first panel just seems too distant for me to signal anything else. And taking into account that until chapter 66.5 it hadn’t been confirmed that they shared a backstory, I view an individual arrival still as a possibility. Gen stating some time after the Grant Pharma arc that he possesses no ghost is no contradiction; just because Kou was clumsy enough to attract attention and got caught doesn't mean Gen wouldn't have been able to attend the black ghost meeting undetected.

Either way, only moments later, as soon as Sato's plan was established, he and Takahashi were able to quickly adapt to the situation and work together in harmony. Be it because they used to already know each other or by forming an instant strong connection. This moment already established the pattern that functioning together came easy to them while with Tanaka in the equitation friction would develop easily. But interestingly on the newly formed team all disharmony vanished at first, the operation on Grant Pharma ending a success.

I think this is about the only time in the manga where Gen is completely on his own and it’s impressive how good his nerves are during this moment. He stays calm, analyses the situation and delivers the needed information. And he has to do all of this while Takahashi is constantly being killed right next to him, yet Gen doesn’t get nervous at all.

That kind of levelheadedness would last until into the Forge Arc. And then getting reduced for the sake of preparing a “twist” lacking any solid foundation. Regardless of what one thinks of Gen being human or him and Takahashi supposed to have been brothers all along, from a storytelling perspective it makes zero sense to hide this all away from the reader until the last second. Like, that’s it? That’s the twist? How is this supposed to be relevant again? One of the random sidekicks to the main baddy –who you always knew wouldn’t have a chance to make it to the end- died instead of having gotten captured. I doubt anyone but the less than 20 people who used to ship takagen cared. These characters were about to disappear from the story either way, the average reader wouldn’t care about the surrounding details because these two were not the kind of characters that were given enough relevance. Or more, after a strong introduction, relevance and focus kept getting taken away from them.

Because relevance is the second factor why the reveals at the end were a bad way to progress the story. Since it got clear that some intended surprise was along its way (being shocking for the purpose of being shocking always looks forced), Takahashi and especially Gen were shoved further away into the background of happenings, given little to do. And that was a waste, frankly, taking into account how active both of them were allowed to behave shortly after their introductions. Remember them both supporting Sato with their sniping skills during the Grant Pharma attack? Sniping is a task complicated to do right but both of them were proving to be capable. Together and on their own: The moment Takahashi was taken out by enemy snipers, Gen was perfectly able to calmly overview and asset the situation, like this gathering together the information Tanaka needed to advance further and deal with those threats.

So, you have these two characters who have proven to be capable during stressful situations with a reliable mind and then the manga just… shoved them aside. Not just by lessening focus on them but by downright ignoring the ways they would have been able to contribute to their team. Cutting their teeth and claws further and further, first by putting more of a focus on their drug using habits (edgy. Now we know they’re bad guys for sure. Don’t get me started on addiction getting used as an indicator of morality) and then taking this further until they were reduced to not much more than moving props clowning around in the background. Compare that to Okuyama, whose early established technical skills kept getting efficiently used to advance the plot.

The curse got broken. After years of silence chapter 59 finally allowed Gen to speak again. Unfortunately barely anyone still remembered he existed or what he had brought to the plot so far.

Letting all this potential go to waste, for what? Because more of a focus would have threatened to reveal those wannabe twists? Something that turned out as boring as “one was human all along but the writing never told us that for no good reason”. It is hard to imagine after all the Sato squad was unaware about this important little detail: Not with their habit to regenerate themselves or their injured comrades via shooting themselves back to life during operations. With this they would have needed getting informed about Gen not being an ajin.

And the sudden sibling status about to get introduced resulting in “Gen’s dialogue needs to get reduced into nothing, otherwise it would become too obvious he and Takahashi being brothers was a last minute idea, with them going against local conventions by not calling each other “brother”, instead using their last names ever since.” Yeah, how did that work out? Now we have actual implied canonical incest because Takahashi and Gen being related changed nothing about the fact they were giving off the most obvious couple vibes this manga had to offer, making it look they were actively hiding being related. Where did it go wrong? Was “Gen is human” installed as a possible twist last minute late in the game, kept nebulous in case some better idea came up? (The hints were always vague guesswork at best, supposed to be able to go both ways, and unlike the anime the manga didn’t have the foresight to prepare it as believable by keeping Gen out of the most dangerous situations and reducing this drug consuming habit to a zero. So, am I supposed to look at it as a deliberate suicide mission on his part in manga context? Was his nihilism this deeply rooted here?) And what about the sibling retcon? Was “he joined this non-human extremist group for the sake of supporting his friend” sounding too gay an explanation, so in an attempt to erase that away they were retconned brothers? Would at least explain why those two look absolutely nothing alike despite supposed to be related.

Ironically this accidental incestuous implication was the only element working here in favour of story telling and character development. Disillusioned incestuous couple disappointed with life drifts into nihilism and thus resonates with Sato's ruthless modus operandi? Now that's the kind of variation and originality I like to see in fiction.

Interesting how Gen just shrugs his shoulders and goes back to routine once told the hostages already served their purpose. Zero sentimentalities to be seen. 

I’m glad the story at least let those two stay loyal to Sato until the end, keeping the last bit of relevance in place that differentiated them from their (former) teammates. Takahashi and Gen had bloodthirsty motivations long before they met Sato, so it makes sense those shared similarities kept deepening the bond of those three. It makes sense on a level of characterization and interpersonal relation as well: I’d go as far as to say that Sato was most likely one of the few (the first?) people who accepted them the way they were. Attentive as he was it is hard to imagine he would have missed any aspect of the nature of their relationship. Yet his demeanour towards them never changed, more, as time went on the three of them grew closer. Being met with this kind of acceptance, it is easy to see why Takahashi’s and Gen’s loyalty towards Sato would have strengthened over time as well. Add to this that those three had a pretty similar mind set and voila. A unit that could have had it all, hadn’t it been for the story’s need to play it safe and prepare circumstances so the “good” guys (anyone seriously believing the status quo of using captured ajin for experiments would have changed without outside pressure?) win because of reasons.

This manga has many strengths but the recent habit to insert plot threads that keep dangling and are leading to nowhere or constant retcons that backpedal on what was previous established are none of it. Seeing how the manga started losing its way shortly after the Forge Arc ended and how the plot is now stumbling around in an attempt to reach an ending has been a disappointment, exactly because the story already has proven so many times that it can be excellent under the right circumstances. Alas, hope gets snatched away last.

[semicolonthefifth]

Fans won't like this, or, Death Note 2017

“Death Note” is a story that I got into at the height of its popularity, when the anime and its English Dub was being spread across media, and when fan support was at its most public. I saw it around the time when the “Death Note” aesthetic was growing in stores like Hot Topic, and when schools were banning products similar to the titular notebook from their classrooms. Although I was spoiled on several of the critical plot points surrounding the series, I still enjoyed it from beginning to end. Aside from the animation and story, which followed the dramatic battle of the minds between a teenager who wished to use the death note as a means to combating the world’s ills and the mysterious detective bent on putting this self-appointed god down, it was the themes and intrigue that truly grabbed me. Each episode was another new method in out-thinking your opponents, in a world where death could be brought down by simply writing a person’s name in a book. Light Yagami was cold and calculating, always thinking 2 steps ahead as he slowly went insane from an ever-growing god-complex and disillusion of moral superiority; the detective L, although a socially-awkward golem, proved to be Light’s intellectual equal, and was getting closer and closer to learning Light’s identity as Kira, an omniscient figure who killed those who committed bad deeds. There’s a lot of themes to pull from the story, even to this day, but it worked thanks to a series that approached it all through the genre of a detective piece, with multiple characters making the mystery all the more complicated. It’s understandable then that an American film adaptation would draw in a lot of concern and hate, especially due to the controversial name and race change. Unlike some anime where race is somewhat questionable due to fictional locations, “Death Note” is undoubtedly Japanese in both location and culture. It would be controversial to make all but one of the characters non-Japanese, in addition to changing the main character’s name to fit the western location (the now often-mocked Light Turner). In addition, with all western film adaptations of anime, the story is heavily condensed to fit the typical running time for a movie, and so a lot of the characters and story that would have been present in the original manga and anime is cut out to fit the new story. Obviously “Death Note” isn’t a good adaptation, enough so that you wonder why it wasn’t its own movie. Dwelling on that thought though, there’s an observation I have to make. Could it be that, were this film not an exact adaptation of the “Death Note” story, and at best a side-story to the universe, that the film is actually pretty good? What I’m saying may come across as blasphemy to fans, but let me explain through this review. STORY: Netflix’s “Death Note” follows Light Turner, a bright kid in high school who (after a run in with some bullies) discovers the strange death note. In his time at detention he reads the rules of the book and soon discovers the presence of Ryuk, a death god who has chosen Light as the keeper of the notebook. When an individual writes a name into the book, while thinking about that person, the named victim will die, whether by the writer’s choosing or through some form of fate. Light, testing the book, uses it on one of his bullies, and witnesses the books effect almost immediately. With the book, Light decides to take up the mantle of Kira, and uses the death note to kill criminals, terrorists, and evil people. He does this with the help of a high school friend turned lover named Mia Sutton, who helps in picking the names for the book. However his actions soon takes the notice of the world, and with it its greatest detective, L, who quickly theorizes the location of Kira being where Light lives. Now Light must hide from L’s investigation, all the while Misa grows reckless, his sanity starting to slip, and Ryuk watching it all with a sick sense of glee. DEATH NOTE THE ADAPTATION: I’m going to devote a section of this review to pointing out the differences between the film and the original anime/manga. While the film does its best to match the general story, there’s a lot of changes between the source material and the adaptation, enough so that the film feels like its own story. Light Turner is vastly different from Light Yagami. While Light Yagami is mostly cool-headed and places himself at a moral high-ground, Light Turner is prone to emotional outbreak and often questions his use of the death note. Yagami is more intellectual in his actions and behaviors, to the point that you can believe he has truly thought out the use of the book, its strategic value, and the value in his way of thinking; Yagami is also charismatic, and he does a fine job in hiding his identity from everyone around him. Light Turner, on the other hand, is in way over his head, and constantly runs into issues regarding how he uses the book through much of the film. Although bright enough to dodge suspicion, he lacks the charisma to really convince people of his involvement to Kira, to the point that it’s easy to suspect he has some sort of ties. In a battle of wits, Yagami overpowers Turner very easily. The same could be said between the American L and the Japanese L. Both L’s are socially awkward, and prove to be competent in their investigation, however that is where the similarities end. Anime L is awkward, but it more shows that he’s absolutely focused on the case, and that there are attempts to softening his act when he needs to get close to people; L is also as intellectual as Light Yagami in how he acts, and very rarely does he go into emotional outbursts. Film L, meanwhile, is very awkward, trusts very few people, doesn’t attempt to connect with people, and is very prone to letting his emotions get in the way. Whereas Anime L can be seen as an investigator who is barely a person, Film L is a gifted youth who can be ruthless in his attempts to finding Kira, and loses as much sanity in this case as Light does. More so than Light, the film L is very different from his anime counterpart. Other characters are different as well, with Light’s Dad being more gritty and as father than an investigator as compared to the anime, and Film Watari barely having a presence. Misa Amane, the second Death note user and an obsessive love interest to Light, makes an appearance as Mia Sutton, Light’s partner and potential lover who quickly becomes obsessed with the death note and Kira. On Mia versus Misa: Misa was characterizes as being bubbly and in love with Kira, and having a tragic backstory that led to her ownership of a death note. Mia, meanwhile, becomes a partner to Light when he shows her the death note’s power, and helps him along in hiding from L while slowly wanting to power of the book herself. Lastly there is Ryuk, who is the most like his original character than all the others. Still, the film Ryuk is actually more evil and gleeful in how he acts, in contrast to the anime Ryuk who, while gleeful, is treated more as an entertaining spectator to Light’s actions. One can almost see the film Ryuk as a villain in how he’s portrayed, however that would be getting ahead of myself. Aside from the character differences, the stories are vastly different. Missing from the anime is the friendship between L and Light, as well the in-depth investigation to finding Kira, as well much of the characters that were present in finding him (like all the agents who helped Light’s father). Rem is not present, nor is she mentioned, as well as any other Shinigami (the death gods aside from Ryuk). The second half of the anime is cut out, so we also don’t meet Near and Mello either. Instead we have a story that’s all about L trying to find Light; Light’s relationship to Mia; and the fears towards Ryuk and what he plans to do with the death note once Light’s done with it (if it even goes that far). If you are a fan of the original “Death Note”, there’s a good chance you’ll be pissed by all these changes. The story doesn’t match the source material, and its understandable to be frustrated by it. Of course it’s also quite expected, as it would’ve been impossible to adapt such a long and complicated series without cutting so much out to fit a single film. All of this sounds like it makes for a bad film… …right? Well, here’s where I think I may lose some people. While this film is a bad adaptation, strangely enough it’s a pretty good film. Not necessarily a great one, as there are issues, but it’s actually good. Allow me to explain. STORY (SPOILERS) AND ACTING: I want you to first change how you think about this film. Let’s pretend that this isn’t a movie about the story from Death Note. When approaching this film, let’s think about the story in a different way. If we were to see this movie as a side-story to the Death Note universe at best, which followed another user of the book who was influenced by Ryuk (or any other Shinigami) who was also hounded down by another detective (perhaps even change all the characters’ names so they don’t match the source at all) you would get a film that is actually quite interesting. Instead of the story surrounding a battle of wits between two intellectuals, you’d instead get a horror story surrounding a naive youth who comes across the death note, whose problems grow more and more as he’s hounded by an obsessed detective. Both sides are quickly losing their sanity, all to the entertainment of a sadistic death god who simply had to toss a book their way to bring out an insane world-changing phenomenon. What the film lacks in intrigue, it almost makes up for in madness. Almost. Light Turner is alright, but he comes across as foolish for a lot of the film. You sympathize with him not for his beliefs and the idea that he could fix the world, bust instead because he’s very pathetic, and you feel sorry for him for getting caught in this mess. The actor’s performance is great, and there’s nothing bad that comes to mind about it. L is cast almost as a secondary villain, especially in how he jumps to outbursts towards Light. He’s less of an investigative character, and more so an obsessed detective who is letting this particular case become more personal as time goes by. Another fine performance, almost better than Light in how he uses his emotions within the story. Another villain is Mia, as she progresses to this mad individual who keeps trying to influence Light to go deeper into his Kira persona. She’s very different from her anime counterpart, but in a way that she becomes her own character. Like the others, her performance is actually quite good. I’d say that everyone does a fine job, but nobody gets on Ryuk’s level, thanks to the voice acting done by Willem Dafoe. Dagoe’s Ryuk is amazing, although it does get into Spiderman’s Green Goblin at times. He’s very sadistic in how he acts, taking delight in Light’s suffering and always making joyous threats to what he’ll do with the book when he passes it on. The way he comments on Light’s situation is always entertaining, and the way the film raises him to a full-on antagonist is amazing (specifically for the film, of course). The story is simple where it needs to be, with the investigative intrigue being present at the middle and end of the film. There’s less of a mystery and more of a horror/drama, with Light being in panic over what he’s gotten himself into, and the actions he commits to trying to fix everything. The first third of the film is a hard sit; the attempts at comedy can be dull, and Light is pretty dumb in a lot of the moments at the beginning. In addition the beginning feels a lot like a typical horror movie, with bully characters, death scenes and scares. However, after Light takes the alias of Kira and L is introduced does the film become a lot better. The way Light tries to avoid capture is great, and L’s obsession raises the stakes well enough. I’d say that the film gets better and better as it goes, with the ending making up for the beginning. The gore tones down along with the dumb moments, and the film actually starts being smart in how Light uses the death note. It’s at the end where it feels like a real “Death Note” film, with a closing scene that is the best in the film with how it leaves on an ambiguous (albeit frustrating) end. Honestly a lot of the fault lies in the beginning up until L comes in. The way characters act is dumb and very typical, with Light’s father being a gruff cop who scolds Light for getting in trouble, and Light being this typical teen who has some angst. Once the actual crime drama comes in does it finally get better. As great as the anime/manga though? Not close at all. The original anime/manga is a lot smarter, and has the advantage of being a series, whereas the film is short and relies more on the drama/action side of things. Still, it’s quite entertaining, and there are moments that does serve as a smart film. VISUALS AND MUSIC: The visuals and cinematography is great, and a lot of the artistic editing/shots are fantastic. The film does a great job in adapting a lot of the wild angles and shots that were present in the anime, and I’d say that’s well worth some praise. Some shots are really dark though, especially whenever Ryuk is present, however the coloring and lights is great when the darkness isn’t too strong. Once more the beginning feels a lot like a typical modern horror movie with its use of blues, but (again) the tone improves once L enters the picture. There’s a careful use of CGI, mostly in Ryuk and in other scenes. It’s not too obvious, although Ryuk (while as incredible as he is) does feel like a puppet when he talks. He’s certainly better when seen either from behind or away from direct view. The music though… is more miss than hit. I think it was a mistake to use a lot of songs from bands, rather than its own original soundtrack. They try to be quiet for a lot of the film, with a soft orchestral soundtrack in a lot of the scenes. However in the final third the music tracks come right after the other in attempt to make certain scenes feel more powerful. It can be laughable at certain times, but in others it’s just extremely noticeable and gets in the way of seeing the film. It’s a terrible mistake, and one I wish wasn’t in the film as much in the end. CONCLUSION: This is going to be difficult. If this film were its own story, or was treated as a side-story with characters completely separate from those in the original, it would be an entertaining film that has some flaws, but could be considered a good watch. Not something you could recommend to see, but a good film to pass the time. However, as an adaptation it is extremely unfaithful, and fans will hate this film a lot for what it did with the story and characters. The film-makers had to make the film about Light Turner and a detective named L, and for that it suffers for making so many changes. Were it about a teenager (not named Light) who was stalked by a code-named government agent, with the teen finding a death note that looks eerily similar to a case happening in Japan (thereby being a story running parallel, rather directly from it) this movie would be seen as an interesting mini-drama that could perhaps expand the world more. Instead it chose to be a adaptation, and it’s difficult to ignore that, even for me. So do I ask you to see it? Perhaps to not see it? I can’t say. If it is impossible to ignore this film as an adaptation, than I’d say don’t watch it. Go watch the anime, or maybe the Japanese film adaptation in 2006. You won’t find the anime or manga in this Netflix film. Fans will hate it, this I promise. However, if you can treat this as a side-story, or something completely cut from Death note, it’s a good popcorn film to see with friends. Nothing worth remembering, but entertaining nonetheless. I wouldn’t say it’s worth recommendation, but if you have any free time and you’re browsing Netflix, I don’t think you’ll regret putting it on.        

[momtaku]

SnK Chapter 91 Poll

I’ll be closing the chapter 91 poll tomorrow, so this is your last chance if you’d like to chime in.

Take the Poll

I’ve gotten 350+ responses thus far and tbh these results are the most interesting I’ve seen in terms of lack of consensus. 134 people have left their chapter thoughts, I’ll share a bunch of those below the read more. My favorite is listed first :)

*patrick star voice* WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE

If Levi is taking down the beast titan and he finds out that not only is Zeke already dead, but his replacement is a weak-brows version of Erwin, I really hope it gives him pause.  That could be such a heartbreaking, earth shattering moment for him and I hope Yams handles it right.

GABI! Just Gabi. She's perfect

Timeskips should be illegal

Seeing the extent of Marleyan brainwashing was exceedingly well done.

Imagine how the poor kid that inherited "Cartman" felt like upon learning that that thing was their award for winning the marleyan hunger games.

Very unexpected change of character view from our beloved heroes to their"enemy"'s point of view. But I also think it's come at a good time in the overall SnK storyline...let's not forget that the walled society probably has no records on how to build ships or sail on the sea.

Can someone just tell Isayama‚ preferably someone close to him so the message gets across‚ that this isnt how trench warfare fucking worked? WW1 didn't have pre-teen, half-naked Genki girls hopping over trenches, tossing dynamite sticks at armored trains. This chapter destroyed my suspension of disbelief beyond repair.

I liked we got more info about Marley, but the fact that Isayama isn't willing to confirm Ymir and Annie's fate is getting a bit annoying

I thought this chapter was actually pretty cool. I've fallen hopelessly in love with Gabi! Fingers crossed that Annie gets the f*** outta that crystal soon though!

The time skip was needed for story progression but a lot of important questions and interactions were skipped in terms of character development. I just hope we get some of them in flashbacks and not have them completely disregarded don't care about the new characters, but I'm okay as long as they don't take so much screen time and we can go back to our main cast soon enough

I honestly dislike how Isayama uses these new characters to show us what Marley and being a warrior is like, instead of showing us RBA and Zeke's past :(

I think the after-chapter freakout was a big overreaction. I mean we could kinda forsee the direction the manga was going to take after we learnt about the whole Marley/Eldia thing.

After reading the full chapter and talking to someone else about it, I feel better about the timeskip. This chapter made me feel for RBA more, because they must've started out like Gabi and the rest. I only hope that those kids don't have the same fate (but considering that it is snk, it's likely that they are going to suffer lbs). I'm just worried about the 104th and what's been going on with them. They've all grown, and Eren and Armin are closer to their death now :( I don't think I would've had a problem with the time skip if it wasn't for the 13 year thing. But overall, I'm pretty optimistic with where the story is going. I trust Isayama with his story telling. I just have to prepare myself in case of the worst.

Warriors were cool. That's what I consider to be AoT. But without actual Titans, it's just not as interesting. Neither are the WW1 vibes. I just want titans back.

I thought this was a pretty good world building chapter (despite the jarring time skip), especially since we've been waiting many chapters to see this place.  I don't ADORE these new characters, I'm more intrigued, which is better then hating them.  This is also a good set up chapter.  I'm interested to see if Reiner will interact with these new characters.  Since they look so similar to the 104th (design and personality), will he constantly be reminded of his past relationships with them?  Plus, will he see some of himself in them (specifically Gabi) and through them reminding of himself we'll see his backstory?  And is he going to just except his fate and get eaten, or be like "Screw this, nope, not dealing with it."

"WHAT" was legitimately the keyword for this chapter but I trust Isayama with the story and with our heroes+ I hope we'll get to see the Jaegers reunion before anything bad happens to Zeke...

Gabi is such a badass, omg, do you see it Eren? This is how you gettting out of horrible situations!

This chapter has really grown on the more times I read it.

Really enjoyed the way the characters were presented. It gives the reader the chance to see Marley's side of things without being forced to have a story-generated opinion on them (aka screaming at us to hate them) because quite frankly, I was rooting for those Warrior kids to succeed with their plan!

I think it is a very unusual way to tell a story,  however I also feel this could work for the best.... I think this time skip can actually go a long way towards making the coming conflict realistic. Rather than our protagonists taking them on with nothing but grit, hope and friendship, we have the possibility of them having actual time to prepare. I think this might lead to a battle between Marley and the people of Paradis that will be more evenly matched, and most importantly, realistic in how that happened.

i like the much needed change in perspective

While this chapter was certainly not a bad one, I only wished that more of the spotlight was on the original characters, seeing that there's only a few more arcs before the end of the series.

Dammit you Gabi! Fresh Face, Fresh Outlook in Life and Cute! I want to cosplay as her!

Next chapter : Gabi's underwear vs Survey Corps hundred of casualties.

UGH. This is no longer the story I used to enjoy. It's deliberately shifted from inspiring, against-all-odds heroism to a pile of absurdist, everything-is-relative garbage determined to prove that our 'heroes' are no more heroic than their opposition. If I wanted to be slapped in the face with a message of humanity's grayscale depravity, I'd read the news, thanks. :( I'm probably done with new chapters at this point, this isn't what I signed up for :P

I understand why the story is going in this direction and why it makes sense to skip three years...but I feel like we're moving further from our emotional center of the series, like the characters we love and their reactions to recent events.  I'm also concerned about the dwindling lifespans of Armin, Eren, and Reiner.  So I'm excited but scared for the changes our kids have gone through in three years...wish we could've seen it but I get why it's not feasible.  The world is cruel....:'(

if i pretend that this is a new manga i just started, it's interesting I guess. Wish we could have seen the warriors story from the Titan Trio's Pov. The fact that we get these new kids instead tells me that they will be sticking around. Not sure whether my investment in the story will ever go back beyond mjpopcorn.gif if that's the case.

I will like this chapter, but only if Isayama concludes this story with a good twist, that is. If not, chapter 91 will in my opinion be the beginning of the end (end in a bad way).

In the four year time skip, it could have been possible for the sc to build a ship (or multiple ships) which is good enough to cross the ocean with. Which leads me to think that the main characters will cross the ocean in some of the next chapters.

This chapter shows the bigger picture. what to come & what was in plan for years. This is the real thing now.

This was obviously a set-up chapter for things to come, but unfortunately I found it to be dull except for the part where they talk about the mission in the wall. That's all I care about, and this chapter did nothing to make me care for the plight of Marley and whatever stupid war they have to deal with.

Part of me wants to say that some key characteristics about Gabi not only resemble Eren or a younger version of him, but may also express some of the characteristics Isayama originally wanted to use for Eren when he considered making him female (I mean, Gabi even has nearly the exact same hair style as fem!Eren). But although they both are quite similar in a sense and could have had potential of being even more similar, until you reach a certain degree, they split in very different directions. Gabi tends to appear significantly more childish and carefree in the sense that everything is a game, while Eren has always been quite serious and often characterized as "angry". She and Eren both make similar reckless decisions and both speak similar dialogue, but they're quite different at the core based on assumable experiences and the environments they grew up in.

There are so much new good elements, I hope Isayama will do well 'cause the story is really interesting. Aside from that, the fact that Eldians (Gabi&Co) seem to enjoy fighting with their oppressor is disturbing, it's like a Stockholm syndrome...so different from Grisha and the revolutionist but to me they're all too radicals. Can't wait to knoe more about other nations

While there were definitely aspects that deserve creation (for instance we all know the amnesia thing was lazy writing) but overall I don't think the chapter was bad. I think the kids' unrealistic attitudes in battle was purposeful juxtaposition to the way our main cast has experienced war--it shows the extent of the brainwashing (I don't think it's that Isa is unable to consistently portray war's effects on people in a realistic way, like some claim). I'm wary but I think the story could be taken in some interesting directions. It would be really interesting to be reintroduced to our main characters through the eyes of the new ones, especially if our heroes come storming in like enemies--really playing into the moral grayness.

Time skip means we will see older version of the main characters and that's both exciting and terrifying af

One can only hope that Isayama graces us with Levi wearing a ponytail after this.

I was waiting for the story to explain what's going on the other side of the ocean. But not from these "copy and pasted" brats. Reiner is seen in just one panel and Zeke is barely mentionned. That's a shame.

I'm not buying the racial war yet. Grisha's sisters death was a stand out moment where I actually felt the horror of the war/racial conflict. So I have faith Isayama still has some gut punches left. But the clunky worldbuilding and shallow new characters are just not doing it for me. Isayama needs to invest in character moments because the human war narrative he has going right now doesn't have enough nuance or intrigue to stand on its own as of right now. This new outside of the walls world isn't immersive enough yet. Thanks momtaku for having these polls! They are always fun. :-)

I personally don't like Gabi that much. She put herself in danger, and I'm sure Marley would prefer to have someone much more tactical, or at least someone who doesn't put their whole life/operation in danger by pulling some silly stunt in hopes of getting noticed. I thought it was a very risky thing to do. But that's just my opinion.

meh

[recentanimenews]

Mr. Osomatsu: Six Faces, Six Decades [Part 2]

Mr. Osomatsu, a revival of Fujio Akatsuka's classic Showa-era comedy, Osomatsu-kun, has made big waves both in Japan and in the West. Revolving around the daily lives of a group of unemployed sextuplets, the new anime series has done a fine job in changing with the times. While other franchise reboots have stayed a bit too true to their roots to reach a contemporary audience, Mr. Osomatsu is boldly in touch with its new generation of viewers. It's a comedy series that tackles touchy subjects with conviction, but holds enough self-awareness to poke fun at itself in the process. At times crude and unrefined, at others strikingly perceptive, Mr. Osomatsu is a hearty belly laugh that many have found enjoyment in. 

    Before delving into this feature, I'd recommend reading Part 1, where I discuss Osomatsu-kun as well as the cultural climate surrounding its style of humor. This half of the feature is intended to be somewhat of a comparison piece, looking at how Mr. Osomatsu has revamped the franchise's formula to better suit the tastes of a contemporary audience. 

   Fast forward 25 years from Osomatsu-kun. In contrast to the economic boom of the 80s, Japan has now entered a recession. In addition, its aging population continues to grow, while many young adults face challenges finding employment and romantic relationships. As Japan’s people continue to live amidst these rough times, humor becomes an effective tool at tackling the country’s touchiest subjects. As anime such as Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei have proved in the past, a touch of satire and black comedy can go a long way.

  While Osomatsu-kun’s approach to humor was a product of its era (lengthy slapstick skits with wacky, absurd tangents), Mr. Osomatsu director Yoichi Fujita chose to adapt the manga into a format closer to other skit-based, meta comedies. Fujita had served as the series director for a large chunk of Gintama’s anime adaptation, and many of his comedic sensibilities can be seen throughout Mr. Osomatsu. However, this is not to say that Mr. Osomatsu is simply another Gintama clone; rather, the staff at Studio Pierrot were respectful of Osomatsu-kun’s legacy. Both writing and animation teams were asked to check out specific episodes from Osomatsu-kun (1988) for inspiration, cementing Pierrot’s decision to respect the franchise’s forefathers.

    Throughout the first season’s run, Mr. Osomatsu made the occasional nod to plotlines from Osomatsu-kun, with one of the more notable examples being the Wacky Races homage. At the same time, Studio Pierrot crafted a unique identity for Mr. Osomatsu by drawing upon the characterization and comedic stylings of modern anime. To that end, Mr. Osomatsu is both a celebration of the old and the new – and is one of the few comedy anime that has found commercial success in that marriage between past and present.

  One of the primary alterations Pierrot made to Osomatsu-kun’s formula was in the casting. Iyami and Chibita were relegated to side characters and the Matsu brothers were given the spotlight once again. While Osomatsu-kun effectively treated all six Matsu brothers as a homogenized entity, Mr. Osomatsu was quick to build each brother into his own memorable character. A far cry from the bratty, rambunctious youths of their golden days, now each Matsu is a fully-grown adult NEET in his 20s.

  The title character, Osomatsu, is perhaps the most basic of the bunch. Despite being the eldest brother, Osomatsu is very self-centered and insensitive to his brothers’ troubles – traits that certainly run in the bloodline. When he’s not staring aimlessly at the ceiling, Osomatsu can be found squandering his time away at pachinko parlors and race tracks. So much for setting an example for the younger siblings!

  The next in line is Karamatsu, a self-appointed ladies’ man who quite literally wears himself on his back. Karamatsu is a narcissist by nature, sporting shades, a leather jacket, and his own theme song wherever he goes. He frequently tries to play it cool and smooth for the mythical “Karamatsu Girls” in the audience but unfortunately neither his brothers nor anyone in the anime seems to care. When Karamatsu spouts a line that he considers to be magnificent or intelligent (often accompanied by his broken English), he is either outright ignored by everyone on screen or cast into a fiery pit for a slapstick gag. Regardless of how painful Karamatsu’s presence is, he is an inseparable part of the show and is one of the most popular Matsu brothers.

    Choromatsu is the third brother, and compared to the over-the-top Karamatsu is more down to earth (relatively speaking). Choromatsu fits the mold of an otaku to a T and is often found obsessing over the latest female idols in a frenzied state. His character is intended to be a satire of idol otaku in Japan, but Choromatsu also plays the obligatory tsukkomi (straight man) in many gags.

  The fourth brother, Ichimatsu, is a natural loner with a bad case of social anxiety. He keeps to himself and becomes absorbed in his dark, depressing thoughts – with his only friends being the neighborhood cats. Despite that, Ichimatsu still hangs around with his brothers a lot, bickering and getting into fights when there’s an issue that concerns the entire group. Throughout Mr. Osomatsu, Ichimatsu shows the occasional sign of wanting to open himself up to human contact, but his mental health issues often prevent him from doing so. Whether his troubles are played for laughs or a serious examination of an individual struggling socially, Ichimatsu is a character that many audiences found themselves attached to. As a result, he is also one of the most popular Matsu brothers.

  The fifth Matsu brother is quite honestly the most difficult to describe. Jyushimatsu has a perpetual smile plastered onto his face and has an undying love for baseball. Perhaps this is why he’s responsible for the anime’s most left-field outbursts and actions. Jyushimatsu just seems like he’s living in his own universe half the time, which may explain why he’s rarely shown to be bothered by being a NEET. He remains cheerful and upbeat to the point where even his own brothers question his sanity. Has Jyushimatsu simply found a way to cope with the dread of being unemployed, or has he truly lost his marbles?

  Last but not least is Todomatsu, the youngest brother. Totty acts in an effeminate manner and is very vain, being concerned with his physical appearance and public image. While the other Matsu brothers are borderline hopeless with women, Totty has shown some success in being able to go on dates – albeit as a result of his fake persona. Sadly, jealousy is something that runs in the Matsu family and Totty’s brothers often sabotage many of his attempts at getting the girls. Goes to show that a Matsu brother can’t escape his genes.

    In short, the Matsu brothers were meant to embody some of the least desirable personality traits in Japanese society. Yet in spite of all their inadequacies, they collectively managed to garner a huge fan base – many of which were young women, no less! While a character like Ichimatsu was a social reject, many of his fans either found him relatable or endearing. Many perceived his inability to voice his inner feelings and friendship with cats as being moe traits, which is why you’ll find lots of people with Ichimatsu as number one in their hearts. On the other hand, a character like Karamatsu provided some of the best comic relief in the anime through his absurd behavior and hammy lines.

  In an industry where anime needs recognizable, visually-appealing character designs and likable personalities to sell merchandise, Studio Pierrot made the right move with Mr. Osomatsu. Although distinguishing one Matsu brother from the next proved to be difficult at the start of the series (due to their appearances being identical aside from minor facial features), their personality quirks were distinctive. Additionally, the occasional focus episode on each brother granted a touch of character development, allowing audiences to connect with each brother on an emotional level beyond what a gag comedy would normally offer.

  However, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the cast of Mr. Osomatsu. While the Matsu brothers certainly took up the microphone and stole the spotlight, some of the supporting cast received the short-end of the stick. Iyami is perhaps the most notable example, given that he was previously the heart and soul of Osomatsu-kun (1988). The issue with Iyami’s character in Mr. Osomatsu was that he didn’t change, unlike the Matsu brothers. Iyami was still the same conniving conman that he was in Osomatsu-kun. His catchphrase became the bread and butter of his character, and unfortunately defined him as a recurring punchline. As a result, he received far less screen time during the latter half of Mr. Osomatsu’s first season.

  Likewise, Studio Pierrot faced a similar hurdle with adapting Chibita and love-interest, Totoko, to fit the contemporary slant of Mr. Osomatsu. While their transition wasn’t as awkward as Iyami’s due to their occasional interaction with the Matsu brothers, both Chibita and Totoko’s personalities were simplified in comparison to their Osomatsu-kun counterparts. Totoko, for instance, was still the same vanity queen as she was in Osomatsu-kun, but her portrayal in Mr. Osomatsu was limited to her fake idol persona. Unfortunately few attempts were made to stretch her beyond that mold throughout the show’s run either comically or emotionally.

    With that said, the weakness of the side cast was hardly a call for concern with Mr. Osomatsu. In keeping with the show’s spirit, Studio Pierrot thought up some rather creative ways to make the best of the worst. One of Mr. Osomatsu’s strengths was its awareness of the fact that it was a reboot of a franchise nobody knew of anymore. Case in point, the anime’s first episode kicked off with a scene produced in the style of the 1966 adaptation of Osomatsu-kun, with the characters shocked their show was going to receive an anime adaptation in the year 2015. However, being from the Showa era, the Matsu boys were not accustomed to the style of modern anime, feeling their simple catchphrases would not be enough. Eventually the brothers settled on trying to do an anime in the style of a bishonen idol anime, as they believed it was the best way to market their all-male cast. Unfortunately, their other cast members joined the fray, desperately referencing popular anime from other genres. This culminated in a shameless parody of Attack on Titan and was never brought up again.

  This self-awareness would persist throughout the entirety of Mr. Osomatsu, with characters stating that their crude behaviors were going against the wishes of their late creator, Fujio Akatsuka. Iyami even acknowledged that nobody knew his catchphrase and was furious audiences weren’t finding him funny anymore. As such, the anime always had that slight touch of meta humor in its back pocket and even evolved alongside its rapidly-growing fan base to focus on its more popular aspects. One instance of this was when Studio Pierrot included alternate universe skits featuring gender-swapped versions of the Matsu brothers. This “GirlyMatsu” episode was produced in response to the anime’s large female following and translated each Matsu brother’s personality traits into a female counterpart. For example, the idol-obsessed Choromatsu became the fujoshi, Choroko. In short, Mr. Osomatsu’s meta humor was strongly tied to its identity as a malleable franchise that had survived for over half a century.

  Amidst all the meta humor, crazy alternate universes, and crude slapstick, there exists one aspect of Mr. Osomatsu that firmly anchors it to its passage in time. The decision to cast the Matsu brothers as NEETs was not simply an aesthetic choice, as certain segments of the show are very upfront about being a wake-up call for the young adults struggling both financially and romantically. While the cartoony depictions and general wackiness are still present, the issues that Mr. Osomatsu tackles are a reality for Japan. This is a major departure for the franchise, as Osomatsu-kun had always used satire to poke fun at less-pressing idiosyncrasies of Japanese culture as opposed to addressing current issues.

    Through the skits focused on the mundane lives of the Matsu brothers, we see a lot of their worries, anxieties, and frustrations surrounding their futures come to light. The brothers are all jobless, socially and romantically inept, and waste their lives away gambling, drinking, and looking at pornography. Their characterization alone is a blunt reflection of NEETs taken to the extreme, and the show does not shy away from depreciating the brothers for laughs. Family and friends alike will often call them jobless virgins, with the Matsus themselves internalizing their own hopelessness. However, in keeping with their unique personalities, each brother deals with these social pressures differently. For instance, Ichimatsu constantly refers to himself as “human trash” and chooses to isolate himself as much as possible to avoid being hurt. On the other hand, Karamatsu and Choromatsu simply escape reality by becoming enveloped in their fake narcissist and idol producer personas, respectively.

  Interestingly enough, Mr. Osomatsu never proposes an idealized or romanticized solution to the brothers’ struggles. This is perhaps a result of the anime’s skit-based format and only minor threads of continuity, making Mr. Osomatsu more of a humorous portrait of contemporary NEET life, rather than a social discourse on it. Nevertheless, it’s a very effective one, and is in many ways a more powerful statement than some anime attempting to be dramatizations of reality. Mr. Osomatsu effectively uses satire and black humor to bring to light the shortcomings of its society.

  In closing, the Osomatsu franchise has had one hell of a ride for the past half century. What started as a slapstick gag comedy has now evolved into something that creator Fujio Akatsuka could have never predicted. While respecting its roots, Mr. Osomatsu has achieved both commercial success and worldwide notoriety all thanks to Studio Pierrot’s willingness to adapt the franchise’s material into something more befitting of a contemporary audience. With six unforgettable faces and a second season underway, who knows where the Osomatsu name will end up in the future?

    Let us know your thougths about Mr. Osomatsu in the comments below!

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Brandon is a Features Writer for Crunchyroll and also a freelance writer about anime. Follow him on his Twitter at @Don_Don_Kun!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com