Oh, that second paragraph is really interesting. Makes sense that even a studio with good schedules would struggle to get all the qualified freelancers they'd want. Yet another aspect where
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Oh, that second paragraph is really interesting. Makes sense that even a studio with good schedules would struggle to get all the qualified freelancers they'd want. Yet another aspect where
The Quintessential Quintuplets
That was a lot of fun to watch. More drama than We Never Learn and less comedy, but that's to its advantage as you care more about relationships.
Unfortunately, the harem is very uneven. You have no reason to think he'll end up with Yotsuba. She accepted him from the start and their relationship never really progressed from there. Compared to the others, she didn't get much of a story. Nino also isn't believable as someone he could end up with. She was mean to him the entire time and not in the typical tsundere way. Obviously this is season 1 and they will probably get more development in the future, but it's a bit weird that we know they are part of the harem while their intro season doesn't support that.
The show went hard on getting the viewer to like Miku. I'm guessing she was the fan favorite among anime-only viewers. Am I right?
That was a lot of fun to watch. More drama than We Never Learn and less comedy, but that's to its advantage as you care more about relationships.
Unfortunately, the harem is very uneven. You have no reason to think he'll end up with Yotsuba. She accepted him from the start and their relationship never really progressed from there. Compared to the others, she didn't get much of a story. Nino also isn't believable as someone he could end up with. She was mean to him the entire time and not in the typical tsundere way. Obviously this is season 1 and they will probably get more development in the future, but it's a bit weird that we know they are part of the harem while their intro season doesn't support that.
The show went hard on getting the viewer to like Miku. I'm guessing she was the fan favorite among anime-only viewers. Am I right?
I'm still watching:
- Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Fairy Gone
- Midnight Occult Civil Servants
- RobiHachi
- One Punch Man S2
- Wise Man's Grandson
- Carole and Tuesday
I'm enjoying basically all of them but if I needed to pick 3 to recommend, it'd be Fairy Gone, Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Carole and Tuesday. Oh, and also Midnight Occult Civil Servants for a fourth. One Punch Man is good if you can ignore the art issues. RobiHachi is popcorn comedy, and Wise Man's Grandson is just enjoyable fluff.
I'm watching Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, We Never Learn, One Punch Man S2, Attack on Titan S3 Part 2, and Isekai Quartet.
AoT is obviously recommended if you are caught up to it. OPM is not as good as the first season, but still watchable.
Out of all the brand new anime this season, Demon Slayer is definitely the one getting talked about the most. Great animation and the story has been interesting so far.
We Never Learn is a comedy harem show. It's funny so if you like harem anime then this one is good.
Isekai Quartet is a crossover between Konosuba, Re:Zero, Overlord, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil. I would recommend all those shows.
Mix 6
This show is very pervy on Otomi and its starting to get distracting
I realise that this is a different vibe from Cross Game but I'm still quite disapointed on how its pretty much a straight up sports show and nothing else so far. Season is weak though so i guess I'll stick with it
This show is very pervy on Otomi and its starting to get distracting
I realise that this is a different vibe from Cross Game but I'm still quite disapointed on how its pretty much a straight up sports show and nothing else so far. Season is weak though so i guess I'll stick with it
Carole and Tuesday and Hitori Bocchi are it for me so far--they're both great, though Carole and Tuesday's definitely the stand-out. The music's great, I love the designs of the characters and the city, and I'm already super invested in Carole and Tuesday as characters, and their story. It also strikes that slice of life-y tone that you only ever seem to find in anime, and that I love so very much.
Hitori Bocchi looks like nothing but fluff, and it is certainly very fluffy - which, like, yo, fluff is good - but it still has plenty of genuinely touching moments. If you have any experience with social anxiety yourself, Bocchi's whole deal will feel very, very real at times, which just makes the moments where she manages to overcome it and build connections with people even more heartwarming.
I'm probably gonna try Fairy Gone eventually since I've got a friend who's really into it. Oh, and Fruits Basket, obvs--I'd be watching it already if it wasn't for my impending exams. Sarazanmai's definitely going on, like, my long-term 'gotta watch this' list, but I've got some earlier Ikuhara work to catch up on too.
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Code Geass - Lelouch of the Ressurection
So I watched this on Thursday and to say this movie is strange would be putting it mildly. I mean, it's not bad and I really enjoyed it. But I definitely left the theater with a lot of questions.
For starters, if you feel happy with the way R2 ended, you can rest easy as this movie doesn't really expand much on that ending aside from well, what happens in the title.
Yeah Lelouch is back for real in this, and it's made clear that he's coming back within the first five minutes. But the problem here is that's kind of the only thing of note that happens.
The overall plot of this movie feels like one big excuse for Lelouch to bring the old gang back together again and do his usual thing of Geass'ing his way to victory with cunning tactics. Nothing really major about the overall world of Code Geass changes or foreshadows much of anything to come, which is weird considering that there's apparently a ten year plan with this franchise now.
This movie almost feels like one of those anime-only movies of various Shounen manga. The kind of movies that have next to nothing to do with the overall plot of the shows/manga they're based on, and mostly just serve as a separate side-dish, and I don't really mean this as an indictment of the movie. It's still fine, there's just not really much in the way of overall consequences here aside from undoing the consequences at the end of the TV series!
What I especially liked about the film is that the main villain's Geass was basically the perfect counter to Lelouch, and watching him work around it was very satisfying to watch, as it's a situation that Lelouch has never really been in and you basically see him pushed to his absolute limit.
Unfortunately though the villains also kind of serve as one of the film's negative points as well. Not only are they completely uninteresting (I can't even remember any of their names), but their whole existence pokes so many holes into the Code Geass continuity that it'd be impossible to list them all. The film as far as I could tell doesn't even attempt to try and explain where this "kingdom of warriors" was during the entire Code Geass conflict and the more exposition about them that was spoken the more questions that were raised.
That being said, I still enjoyed this movie and do recommend it if you want more Code Geass. Everything shown here is ten times more interesting than whatever I saw of Akito the Exiled. Those points aside, the film as a whole is perfectly serviceable and as continuations go, you could do a heck of a lot worse.
So I watched this on Thursday and to say this movie is strange would be putting it mildly. I mean, it's not bad and I really enjoyed it. But I definitely left the theater with a lot of questions.
For starters, if you feel happy with the way R2 ended, you can rest easy as this movie doesn't really expand much on that ending aside from well, what happens in the title.
Yeah Lelouch is back for real in this, and it's made clear that he's coming back within the first five minutes. But the problem here is that's kind of the only thing of note that happens.
The overall plot of this movie feels like one big excuse for Lelouch to bring the old gang back together again and do his usual thing of Geass'ing his way to victory with cunning tactics. Nothing really major about the overall world of Code Geass changes or foreshadows much of anything to come, which is weird considering that there's apparently a ten year plan with this franchise now.
This movie almost feels like one of those anime-only movies of various Shounen manga. The kind of movies that have next to nothing to do with the overall plot of the shows/manga they're based on, and mostly just serve as a separate side-dish, and I don't really mean this as an indictment of the movie. It's still fine, there's just not really much in the way of overall consequences here aside from undoing the consequences at the end of the TV series!
What I especially liked about the film is that the main villain's Geass was basically the perfect counter to Lelouch, and watching him work around it was very satisfying to watch, as it's a situation that Lelouch has never really been in and you basically see him pushed to his absolute limit.
Unfortunately though the villains also kind of serve as one of the film's negative points as well. Not only are they completely uninteresting (I can't even remember any of their names), but their whole existence pokes so many holes into the Code Geass continuity that it'd be impossible to list them all. The film as far as I could tell doesn't even attempt to try and explain where this "kingdom of warriors" was during the entire Code Geass conflict and the more exposition about them that was spoken the more questions that were raised.
That being said, I still enjoyed this movie and do recommend it if you want more Code Geass. Everything shown here is ten times more interesting than whatever I saw of Akito the Exiled. Those points aside, the film as a whole is perfectly serviceable and as continuations go, you could do a heck of a lot worse.
Does Pokemon count? It's the only thing I'd recommend
you could just cut out the cops section of the episode and itd still be better then the rest of the season
My Hero Academia Season 3
Watched through this surprisingly quick, but I guess that's just a testament to how much I enjoyed it. I really love both arcs in this season and the character development for a lot of the characters. The first arc of the season is probably my favorite in the series overall. I just really love some of the themes it covered in the first half and I love how things went down in the second half.
The second half of the season, while admittedly not as good as the first half I also really enjoyed. While it is different from the first arc, the events of the first arc definitely played a role in the second half.
Last bit I wanted to talk about was regarding a characters who just had incredible character progression in this season
All in all I just really loved this season and I'm extremely excited for s4.
Watched through this surprisingly quick, but I guess that's just a testament to how much I enjoyed it. I really love both arcs in this season and the character development for a lot of the characters. The first arc of the season is probably my favorite in the series overall. I just really love some of the themes it covered in the first half and I love how things went down in the second half.
One of my favorite things about this arc was probably the fight between All for One and All Might, and some of the reveals during the fight. The episode where they show All Might's master and have all the flashbacks is just incredible. The fight was great, seeing what the characters were going through during this arc was great too. The first 3 episodes with them at the summer camp was really something and the backstory behind water hose and Kota was just really sad too. I really like what the ending of the season has set the stage for. All Might being no more, and All for One being in prison has basically set the stage for the new heroes and Tomura/The League of Villains to fight each other. With the torch being passed onto Tomura and Midoriya it'll be really interesting to see what happens in the future. Things almost feel like they're at a level playing field now as the Heroes are still building themselves up, while on the Villain side, there's the issue of trying to recruit more villains while also dealing with those whose ambitions don't align with Tomura's
The second half of the season, while admittedly not as good as the first half I also really enjoyed. While it is different from the first arc, the events of the first arc definitely played a role in the second half.
One of my favorite things about the second half of the season is how, All Might being out as the number 1 hero as impacted Society. In my opinion at least that feels like the core theme of the second half of the season and from the lives to normal people even down to the livelyhoods of U.A. students everything has changed. One thing that was started towards the end of the last arc and continues in this arc, is the general distrust in U.A. with the kidnapping of Bakugo and that's one of the things that this arc opens up with as the new Dorm system is introduced as All Might and Eraser try to get the approval of parents to let their students live in the dorms.
Even the exams that the students participated in were modified to accomodate for the new reality that society has found itself in as one said "With All Might gone, we need to strengthen the unity among the upcoming heroes," implying that teamwork needs to be at the core of the exam. This is something I just really continue to love about MHA as this season more than any other it felt like the setting and the world was as big of a factor in the story as the heroes and the villains were. It's really just incredible stuff.
Even the exams that the students participated in were modified to accomodate for the new reality that society has found itself in as one said "With All Might gone, we need to strengthen the unity among the upcoming heroes," implying that teamwork needs to be at the core of the exam. This is something I just really continue to love about MHA as this season more than any other it felt like the setting and the world was as big of a factor in the story as the heroes and the villains were. It's really just incredible stuff.
Last bit I wanted to talk about was regarding a characters who just had incredible character progression in this season
Bakugo was probably the biggest surprise in this season for me. Ever since season 1 of the series I've been having this sinking feeling that he was going to turn into a Sasuke like character, who eventually turns evil, but I'm just so glad this season proved me wrong. What this season managed to accomplish with Bakugo was just wonderful. Him being kidnapped at the start was really interesting largely because while Tomura had wanted for him to join them, he refused and my favorite line from Bakugo this entire season is probably when he was asked by Tomura "you like to when right?" and his response is "I want to win like All Might" and that just put a smile on my face.
Despite Bakugo being saved, there's another side to his kidnapping that isn't quite revealed until the end of the season when Bakugo and Midoriya have their fight and it's learned that Bakugo feels responsible as to what happened with All Might. This whole fight was just incredible and I really love how it humanizes Bakugo in a sense. He wanted to be like All Might as much as Midoriya did but despite that he felt that All Might acknowledged Midoriya instead of him. Worst of all he felt responsible for what happened to All Might.
I really love how that fight just shows how Bakugo has kept his emotions bottled up throughout the entire and the end result is that the fight showed a side of Bakugo we've never really seen before, and as I said earlier I really felt like it humanized him a lot. I really like how that whole fight basically ended with them acknowledging each other as rivals and I really like All Might's role in that fight
Despite Bakugo being saved, there's another side to his kidnapping that isn't quite revealed until the end of the season when Bakugo and Midoriya have their fight and it's learned that Bakugo feels responsible as to what happened with All Might. This whole fight was just incredible and I really love how it humanizes Bakugo in a sense. He wanted to be like All Might as much as Midoriya did but despite that he felt that All Might acknowledged Midoriya instead of him. Worst of all he felt responsible for what happened to All Might.
I really love how that fight just shows how Bakugo has kept his emotions bottled up throughout the entire and the end result is that the fight showed a side of Bakugo we've never really seen before, and as I said earlier I really felt like it humanized him a lot. I really like how that whole fight basically ended with them acknowledging each other as rivals and I really like All Might's role in that fight
All in all I just really loved this season and I'm extremely excited for s4.
Imagine someone saying this was better than Carole and Tuesday.
If I can only watch Carole and Tuesday. I nearly broke my friend heart when I told her Netflix won't release it till later this year.
Netflix does lock a lot of people out from seeing it, and that sucks. They have to push this show to the fucking moon when it finally launches in...presumably, October? It's beautiful.
her Sarazanmai score which consists of a choir singing kappa kappa kappa kappa in the background is legendary
imagine not having faith in Ikuhara to stick this landing
Gonna be honest: I've got no interest in that series. It just always rubs me the wrong way when someone says "everything is trash except x" . Like, really? It's the worst way to get someone excited about a thing.
Wings of Rean 6 (End)
Wow, this show got ridiculously dumb in the last two episodes. Everyone betraying everyone, including themselves, while some others just blowing everything up, and a romance that just came out of nowhere. Especially the king. Oh man, the king. This fucking character.
Wow, this show got ridiculously dumb in the last two episodes. Everyone betraying everyone, including themselves, while some others just blowing everything up, and a romance that just came out of nowhere. Especially the king. Oh man, the king. This fucking character.
Literally an Imperial Japan kamikaze pilot who apparently stopped the THIRD ATOMIC BOMB before it dropped, but he ended up getting isekai'd before the war was over. After many offscreen adventures in isekai land, he decides to come back to this world and take revenge on the modern day Japan and America. Eventually ends up stealing a nuke and almost setting it off, but then changes his mind and instead sacrifices himself to stop it at the last minute.
Attack on Titan 52
How the hell is Bertolt able to stand toe to toe with Mikasa outside of his titan form?
How the hell is Bertolt able to stand toe to toe with Mikasa outside of his titan form?
Really? I must have forgotten then. I just assumed that Reiner and Annie did all the heavy lifting and only used him as a last resort.
OK, it's been awhile:
Fruits Basket ep.6
It almost felt so natural that I didn't even notice the changes from the original. This remains the best show of the season by a huge margin.
Mix. ep.6
I'm still really enjoying this show. With all the Touch references and character introductions, I had to go back and watch Touch. I might hold off a few weeks of watching this so I can finish watching Touch and get a better appreciation for all the adult characters they keep introducing.
We Never Learn ep.6
Nice job ladies, way to throw your support his way, just to make him look like an animal, lol. Thsi show checks every box on the harem, nonsense fun list.
Sarazanmai:
Dropped. I'll go back eventually, but, yeah. this style of story telling just doesn't interest me much
Sensei, why are you...... ep.6
please use that little kids McDonald's toy as a sex toy.. Wait, an umbrella too? Oh Sensei.....
Ao-Chan ep.6
This show continues to be one of the more consistently funny and entertaining shows to watch each week; I wish it wasn't only 15 mins and it was full episodes of fun misunderstandings.
Demon Hunter ep.6
I legit laughed when she climbed into the box, then when she came out of the box with that big kick to the head. Poor demon is gonna get wrecked by imouto now.
Older stuff:
Touch ep. 1-23:
Still on the freshman year of H.S to get into the Koushien tourney and a LONG way to go in the show. I've been spoiled on the main plot point that will be coming soon, but for a show from the 80's, I'm really enjoying this. There are a ton of moving parts with the story, the characters and their motivations, but the presentation of everything is very fluid and makes sense. Plus, it's baseball and drama, so I'm all in. Also, despite knowing some of what happens, I still really want to know HOW it happens, so I just can;t stop watching it!
Photokano ep 7-8
so episodes 1-6 was the "canon story" now it's episodic with each alternate girl getting an episode about them? Intresting approach.
Escaflowne ep.1-10
I restarted from episode 1 since I could not remember where I left off from when I originally watched it. It's been a pretty good watch so far. The antagonist
isn't a bad character/antagonist at all, but his sidekick, who got slashed, has to be one of the most annoying stereotypical "bad-guys" out there from the laugh, to the facial expressions, to his demeanor of wanting to just be evil. Seeing how old this show is, was this guy one of the catalyst for this type of "evil" depiction in shows? Awful, just awful....
Fruits Basket ep.6
It almost felt so natural that I didn't even notice the changes from the original. This remains the best show of the season by a huge margin.
Mix. ep.6
I'm still really enjoying this show. With all the Touch references and character introductions, I had to go back and watch Touch. I might hold off a few weeks of watching this so I can finish watching Touch and get a better appreciation for all the adult characters they keep introducing.
We Never Learn ep.6
Nice job ladies, way to throw your support his way, just to make him look like an animal, lol. Thsi show checks every box on the harem, nonsense fun list.
Sarazanmai:
Dropped. I'll go back eventually, but, yeah. this style of story telling just doesn't interest me much
Sensei, why are you...... ep.6
please use that little kids McDonald's toy as a sex toy.. Wait, an umbrella too? Oh Sensei.....
Ao-Chan ep.6
This show continues to be one of the more consistently funny and entertaining shows to watch each week; I wish it wasn't only 15 mins and it was full episodes of fun misunderstandings.
Demon Hunter ep.6
I legit laughed when she climbed into the box, then when she came out of the box with that big kick to the head. Poor demon is gonna get wrecked by imouto now.
Older stuff:
Touch ep. 1-23:
Still on the freshman year of H.S to get into the Koushien tourney and a LONG way to go in the show. I've been spoiled on the main plot point that will be coming soon, but for a show from the 80's, I'm really enjoying this. There are a ton of moving parts with the story, the characters and their motivations, but the presentation of everything is very fluid and makes sense. Plus, it's baseball and drama, so I'm all in. Also, despite knowing some of what happens, I still really want to know HOW it happens, so I just can;t stop watching it!
Photokano ep 7-8
so episodes 1-6 was the "canon story" now it's episodic with each alternate girl getting an episode about them? Intresting approach.
Escaflowne ep.1-10
I restarted from episode 1 since I could not remember where I left off from when I originally watched it. It's been a pretty good watch so far. The antagonist
Brother
Sarazanmai
Robihachi
Fruits basket
Wiseman's Grandchild
Ace of Diamond act 2
am quite sure the dude that shielded Hanji probably took the entire brunt of the blast
Everybody is loving Fruits Basket but, as someone who didn't see the original, I watched the first ep and a half and didn't... really get it? I guess? If everyone says it's that good, I'll keep pushing forward and hoping it hooks.
Its good, but its a very shoujo ass shoujo so not everyone is into that. There are also a host of things that will surely cause controversy down the line.
The Rose of Versailles 19
Jesus Christ.
This is probably the worst way to make Polignac suffer, twisting that knife with every event and revelation. The most tragic of it all was what happened to Charlotte. Wrapping this tragedy off by highlighting Rosalie's humane nature is a very Rose of Versailles experience.
Jesus Christ.
This is probably the worst way to make Polignac suffer, twisting that knife with every event and revelation. The most tragic of it all was what happened to Charlotte. Wrapping this tragedy off by highlighting Rosalie's humane nature is a very Rose of Versailles experience.
Attack on Titan 52
One of the best episodes of the series, imo, with staggeringly impactful emotional moments.
Annie's expression during the opening scene was heartbreaking, and continues to drive home how horrifying it was/is for these double agents to have to turn on their friends for the sake of their mission. Most importantly, the powerful foreshadowing of Marco's last line: "We haven't... even... had a chance to talk this out!" Which clearly resonates with Bertholdt, as we see later in the episode.
This scene really makes it for me though:
I honestly think that scene is possibly the purest distillation of the show's themes that there's been. An extremely complicated conflict of ideals, drenched in ambiguity and personal ignorance, dictated by far-removed forces exchanging lives like capital. Seeing Bertholdt purge the cognitive dissonance of his actions, feelings, and loyalties by removing his personal will from the equation is far more nuanced and upsetting to me than just, oop, another character I liked died, time to avenge them. When he answers the question, "Who decided any of that!?" with "I did..." he is saying that the only choice he can make is to accept he has no choice, as no single person's will or belief can stop the tide of pursuits far greater than oneself.
Now, is this true? Well, there's no clear answer. That's why the exploration of that question is one of the show's most integral themes.
Bertholdt, in this moment, acts as the antithesis of early Eren (who's since grown a bit). Early Eren, driven by reactionary emotion and a firm (to the point of naive) belief in moral absolutism and the impact of the individual; and the other, Current Bertholdt, fully detached from a sense of self, nihilistically embracing the insignificance of individual will. Remember another important line from earlier (the Chekhov's Guns were numerous and haunting this ep): "The next time you lose, you give up your armor to another warrior." The subtextual message of this person's perspective being, "One is merely a vessel for the will of those above them."
I feel bad when people react to Bertholdt and Reiner like, "Those traitors need to die," when the show so clearly is arguing against the interpretation of any conflict as black-and-white. More and more it showcases the bitter distance between the large-scale clashing of ideals and the individual tragedy/loss of the pawns that serve to enact it. You can't not sympathize with the individual motivations each person holds and the pain they've endured to reach that conclusion.
The standard Titans themselves are a deceptively simple analogy for a far more nuanced theme. Cold, emotionless monsters, driven by a thoughtless and insatiable need to kill humans. They have no hunger but they eat their prey, for seemingly no purpose but cruelty. They smile but feel no emotion. They single-mindedly pursue a goal that they have no voice to debate. When wounded, they leave no scars to learn from. Their very existence is defined by their need to kill. They are deliberately impossible to empathize with. They are physically dehumanized in all the ways that every military force seeks to psychologically dehumanize their enemy. It is right, even noble, to kill Them. They're evil, we're good.
But we learn that, not only can some humans actively turn into Titans,
The show has become so good at making every character sympathetic, even when their goals are at odds with the protagonists (and the viewer).
I thought the first season, despite its strengths, was poorly paced and riddled with some pretty awful writing, an unearned angst and melodrama for how flat most its characters were. But I think the second season was brilliant. It was challenging, morally gray, and emotionally complex, and even managed to greatly improve the characterization of previously flat characters (like Eren and Mikasa) by highlighting the flaws in their actions and perspectives. The first half of season 3 sticks with that, but is kind of a mixed bag for me. However, this second half of season 3 has already been hitting those notes hard again (the continued clash between former comrades, Erwin's obsession, etc.) and I'm loving it. The last episode wasn't animated great and didn't have the best pacing, but I really hope the rest of this season continues to deliver like this episode.
One of the best episodes of the series, imo, with staggeringly impactful emotional moments.
Annie's expression during the opening scene was heartbreaking, and continues to drive home how horrifying it was/is for these double agents to have to turn on their friends for the sake of their mission. Most importantly, the powerful foreshadowing of Marco's last line: "We haven't... even... had a chance to talk this out!" Which clearly resonates with Bertholdt, as we see later in the episode.
This scene really makes it for me though:
BERTHOLDT: We only want two simple things! We want Eren and the demise of humanity in the walls! That's the harsh truth of reality, Armin! It's all been decided already!
ARMIN: Wha--? Wh-who decided any of that?!
BERTHOLDT: [having made the choice to pass the point of no return, sealing the fate of whatever happens next]: I did...
ME: *swallowing anxiously*
ARMIN: If you knew that much, why did you even come to talk?
BERTHOLDT [glancing away, likely recalling Marco's dying words and testing the resolve of his new cold resignation]: I wanted to know. To know whether, if I faced you guys, I'd start whining and beg for forgiveness again. But... [dead detatched eyes] ...seems like I'm fine now.
ME: *labored breathing*
BERTHOLDT: Yeah. You are precious comrades to me. I also intend to kill you.
ME: *whimpering, tears*
ARMIN: Is that... because you think we're spawn of the devil?
BERTHOLDT: No. None of you have done anything wrong and you're not devils either. But you all still have to die. That's just how it is.
ME: *moaning in emotional turmoil*
EMOTIONAL MUSIC: *kicking the fuck in*
BERTHOLDT: This is a very strange feeling... I don't feel scared at all. I can see everything clearly. I feel like, no matter how this all plays out, I can accept whatever happens. That's right, nobody's in the wrong. Because this world... is just... that cruel.
ME: *weeping*
BERTHOLDT [dead-eyed]: *explodes*
ARMIN: Wha--? Wh-who decided any of that?!
BERTHOLDT: [having made the choice to pass the point of no return, sealing the fate of whatever happens next]: I did...
ME: *swallowing anxiously*
jumping ahead
ARMIN: If you knew that much, why did you even come to talk?
BERTHOLDT [glancing away, likely recalling Marco's dying words and testing the resolve of his new cold resignation]: I wanted to know. To know whether, if I faced you guys, I'd start whining and beg for forgiveness again. But... [dead detatched eyes] ...seems like I'm fine now.
ME: *labored breathing*
BERTHOLDT: Yeah. You are precious comrades to me. I also intend to kill you.
ME: *whimpering, tears*
ARMIN: Is that... because you think we're spawn of the devil?
BERTHOLDT: No. None of you have done anything wrong and you're not devils either. But you all still have to die. That's just how it is.
ME: *moaning in emotional turmoil*
jumping ahead
EMOTIONAL MUSIC: *kicking the fuck in*
BERTHOLDT: This is a very strange feeling... I don't feel scared at all. I can see everything clearly. I feel like, no matter how this all plays out, I can accept whatever happens. That's right, nobody's in the wrong. Because this world... is just... that cruel.
ME: *weeping*
BERTHOLDT [dead-eyed]: *explodes*
I honestly think that scene is possibly the purest distillation of the show's themes that there's been. An extremely complicated conflict of ideals, drenched in ambiguity and personal ignorance, dictated by far-removed forces exchanging lives like capital. Seeing Bertholdt purge the cognitive dissonance of his actions, feelings, and loyalties by removing his personal will from the equation is far more nuanced and upsetting to me than just, oop, another character I liked died, time to avenge them. When he answers the question, "Who decided any of that!?" with "I did..." he is saying that the only choice he can make is to accept he has no choice, as no single person's will or belief can stop the tide of pursuits far greater than oneself.
Now, is this true? Well, there's no clear answer. That's why the exploration of that question is one of the show's most integral themes.
Bertholdt, in this moment, acts as the antithesis of early Eren (who's since grown a bit). Early Eren, driven by reactionary emotion and a firm (to the point of naive) belief in moral absolutism and the impact of the individual; and the other, Current Bertholdt, fully detached from a sense of self, nihilistically embracing the insignificance of individual will. Remember another important line from earlier (the Chekhov's Guns were numerous and haunting this ep): "The next time you lose, you give up your armor to another warrior." The subtextual message of this person's perspective being, "One is merely a vessel for the will of those above them."
I feel bad when people react to Bertholdt and Reiner like, "Those traitors need to die," when the show so clearly is arguing against the interpretation of any conflict as black-and-white. More and more it showcases the bitter distance between the large-scale clashing of ideals and the individual tragedy/loss of the pawns that serve to enact it. You can't not sympathize with the individual motivations each person holds and the pain they've endured to reach that conclusion.
The standard Titans themselves are a deceptively simple analogy for a far more nuanced theme. Cold, emotionless monsters, driven by a thoughtless and insatiable need to kill humans. They have no hunger but they eat their prey, for seemingly no purpose but cruelty. They smile but feel no emotion. They single-mindedly pursue a goal that they have no voice to debate. When wounded, they leave no scars to learn from. Their very existence is defined by their need to kill. They are deliberately impossible to empathize with. They are physically dehumanized in all the ways that every military force seeks to psychologically dehumanize their enemy. It is right, even noble, to kill Them. They're evil, we're good.
But we learn that, not only can some humans actively turn into Titans,
every mindless Titan is a human being, (once again) with no will of their own. Nameless tools enacting the desires of forces far greater than themselves. They are endless, imposing, and nearly unstoppable... but there are people in there. They had humanity -- lives, loves, dreams -- and while it may still be inside them, it makes no difference in the grand scheme of war.
The show has become so good at making every character sympathetic, even when their goals are at odds with the protagonists (and the viewer).
I thought the first season, despite its strengths, was poorly paced and riddled with some pretty awful writing, an unearned angst and melodrama for how flat most its characters were. But I think the second season was brilliant. It was challenging, morally gray, and emotionally complex, and even managed to greatly improve the characterization of previously flat characters (like Eren and Mikasa) by highlighting the flaws in their actions and perspectives. The first half of season 3 sticks with that, but is kind of a mixed bag for me. However, this second half of season 3 has already been hitting those notes hard again (the continued clash between former comrades, Erwin's obsession, etc.) and I'm loving it. The last episode wasn't animated great and didn't have the best pacing, but I really hope the rest of this season continues to deliver like this episode.
Yep. It's fair to assume that Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner were reared for combat long before entering the walls.
Does anyone know the correct order for these?
Ai Tenchi Muyo!
Tenchi Muyo GXP
Tenhi Muyo Ryo-Ohki
Techi Universe
Tenchi in Tokyo
Ai Tenchi Muyo!
Tenchi Muyo GXP
Tenhi Muyo Ryo-Ohki
Techi Universe
Tenchi in Tokyo
Those designs are actually.... OK? Decent even? How is this possible?Do you love your mom and her two-hit multi-target attacks? new visual:
I guess this a harem + mom anime?
And why the hell is the young girl on the left wearing two belts?
Having read the first volume: The designs are the only good thing about this, unfortunately.
They're done by an artist better known for this thing here.
- Status