Comments for Nobiai

Comment on Appleseed Ex Machina Contest by allelujah

allelujah — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:01:33 +0000

saw the movie! freaking amazing!

Comment on Dub Yourself into an Anime – and have a maid serve you parfait while you do it by Kairu Ishimaru

Kairu Ishimaru — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:52:51 +0000

LoL very amusing. MAIDS!

Comment on Dub Yourself into an Anime – and have a maid serve you parfait while you do it by Cocain

Cocain — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:57:15 +0000

Somehow i missed the point. Probably lost in translation :) Anyway … nice blog to visit.

cheers, Cocain.

Comment on Dub Yourself into an Anime – and have a maid serve you parfait while you do it by Kitsune

Kitsune — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:14:58 +0000

haha That sounds like lots of fun :D

Comment on Library War – First Look by usagijen

usagijen — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:40:54 +0000

hmmm… perhaps you’re taking Toshokan Sensou too seriously for its own good? XD

I see where you’re getting at when you mentioned about not feeling the supposedly conflict in the show, though I do think episodes 3 and 4 provides us with that. Nonetheless I’d say this show requires the audience to have a book-loving mindset (or know the value of these books and stuff) to be able to empathize with the characters, and sort of envision the conflict as reminiscent of the censorship issues we’ve faced before (especially during the WWII era) as well as the present. The anime doesn’t provide enough background for the conflict, because it somehow assumes that we already know it.

The anime actually made things more comedic, with the presence of the SD stuff which I can never envision as I read the novel and the manga. That, and the fact that the anime sacrificed some details due to time constraints worked to its detriment, I guess… though I do believe that people who enjoy the show got past that point of seriousness and just enjoyed the show despite all that :)

Comment on Library War – First Look by Nobiai

Nobiai — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:39:38 +0000

Thanks for the comment! And thanks for pointing out that I need to clarify. Library War’s problem isn’t that it attempts multiple genres, it’s that it doesn’t mix them very well. There is a complete shift in tone between the two halves of the series, action/drama and romance/slice of life/comedy. The action is clearly meant to be serious and dramatic, as we are reminded constantly throughout the show of the open conflict between the two military forces and by the superior officers. Yet there is no real danger, as I’ve discussed above. The romance side of the series is clearly meant to be comedic as plot and dialog points are illustrated by SD animations and gag jokes. However this invalidates the premise of the show, as during these scenes elements such as their military training and the history of the conflict are dealt with in a flippant comedic manner.

To give some further examples, it’s best illustrated to me in the difference between series such as Soul Eater and Naruto. Soul Eater has a lot of action in it, yet maintains a consistent tone of comedy and hijinks; the action itself is comedic as is the rest of the show. On the other hand, Naruto constantly changes tone between action and comedy, as the action elements are serious and dramatic while other scenes are full of playful comedic interaction between the characters. This lack of a consistent tone weakens a show overall.

I did read your reviews of Library War and I see that you’ve read the manga beforehand. Maybe the mix of these different elements was handled better in the manga? In the anime itself these elements are jarring and antagonistic, lessening the quality of the show.

Comment on Library War – First Look by usagijen

usagijen — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:33:33 +0000

Why decide to become one genre alone when you can have a mix of different worlds? Why not look at the show at a broader perspective and see how the quirky mix of action, slice-of-life, and romance blend well? You won’t enjoy this show if you expect it to adhere to your expectations.

Toshokan Sensou might be a little short on the action-packed excitement and the fool-proof plot (if there’s such a thing), but this show certainly provides entertainment and some heartfelt romance comedy and drama. Looking at the plotholes, loopholes, and all those negative aspects of the show will always lead to ruining one’s enjoyment… and that’s a pity I’d say =/

Comment on Gonzo and the First Step Forward by Nobiai

Nobiai — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:54:19 +0000

Good choice! I actually just watched the first episode tonight and I loved it.

Comment on Gonzo and the First Step Forward by Kitsune

Kitsune — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:06:09 +0000

I have not seen Spice and Wolf, but will try to find time to watch it.

Check out first three episodes of Kaiba :)

Comment on Gonzo and the First Step Forward by Nobiai

Nobiai — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:32:00 +0000

Thanks! Spice and Wolf was one of the highlights of the past season; practically the only thing I watched as new shows were pretty sparse.

I think the opening to Druaga is just an ‘what if’ typical-anime spoof, though I won’t be watching it long enough to find out… Blassreiter I still need to check out though I don’t have very high hopes for it after Druaga. At the very least I’m proud of Gonzo for embracing this method, even if it’s not delivering us the most quality shows.