Anime

[sifth]

28 minutes ago, The Grey Wolf said:

@sifth

That sucks. My experience was much better, especially with regards to sound volume and subtitle color.

It's all good, I'll get my hands on a blu ray for the film one of these days and hopefully enjoy it from the comfort from my home, nice and quite. What did you think of it?

[The Grey Wolf]

@sifth

I enjoyed it. The pacing was much better than in Part I (which on a rewatch is way too slow) and all the characters got a moment to shine (except Shinji but f*** him). Oh, and the sound design was great too. Still don't understand how in the world Medusa is a Rider-class Servant but that could be chalked up to the Grail being what it is (hence Caster in Fate/Zero).

Btw, have you ever come up with your own Servant lineup just for fun?

Mine would be:

Saber: Khalid Ibn Al-Walid

Rider: Hannibal Barca

Archer: Napoleon Bonaparte 

Lancer: Hector of Troy

Caster: Scathach

Assassin: Cleopatra (VII)

Berserker: Shaka Zulu (or maybe Boudicca?)

[sifth]

14 hours ago, The Grey Wolf said:

@sifth

I enjoyed it. The pacing was much better than in Part I (which on a rewatch is way too slow) and all the characters got a moment to shine (except Shinji but f*** him). Oh, and the sound design was great too. Still don't understand how in the world Medusa is a Rider-class Servant but that could be chalked up to the Grail being what it is (hence Caster in Fate/Zero).

Btw, have you ever come up with your own Servant lineup just for fun?

Mine would be:

Saber: Khalid Ibn Al-Walid

Rider: Hannibal Barca

Archer: Napoleon Bonaparte 

Lancer: Hector of Troy

Caster: Scathach

Assassin: Cleopatra (VII)

Berserker: Shaka Zulu (or maybe Boudicca?)

I like it for the most part as well.

 

My only real issues were Sakura's blood sucking scene and here masturbation scene. I know these were in the VN...........along with many other things, but they still sort of were strange to finally see them animated. Ironically the actual sex scene was much more turned down, in comparison, which just feels like of weird. I'll have to get back to you on a servant line up, because I've honestly never really thought of one before.

[The Grey Wolf]

@sifth

No worries! Take your time!

[Toth]

12 hours ago, sifth said:

It's funny, but I always wondered if there was a way for an anime to honor all 3 routes, by simply using Archer as the key.

  Reveal hidden contents

For example, animate the Fate route in it's entirety, but reveal at the end that Shiro becomes Archer. Then have Archer regret being made a servant of the world and have the UBW route play out. Then have Archer again feel that he didn't change enough of the time line and ask for one more chance and then have the Heaven's Feel Route play out. I know it would spoil the whole Archer reveal early, but I feel it's the only way you could honestly tell a story that honors all 3 routes.

 

Hey! That is a good idea and I see that it could actually be pulled off when the story gets appropriately streamlined in places! It also combines well with my own constant demand of Rin getting her own POV and character development, given how she spends the most time with Archer and in the VN gets suspicions about his identity fairly early on. Then again, it should be her story in the first place, given the legacy of her parents and her mentor figure Kirei to the Grail War, her relationship with Sakura, her own very interesting struggles of balancing magus mentality with human morals... You really notice that she carries a lot of the remnants of Fate/Prototype's initial protagonist Ayako and was just sidelined because of the writers' sexist idea that a female protagonist doesn't sell. Bloody morons.

11 hours ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Btw, have you ever come up with your own Servant lineup just for fun?

Mine would be:

Saber: Khalid Ibn Al-Walid 

Rider: Hannibal Barca

Archer: Napoleon Bonaparte 

Lancer: Hector of Troy

Caster: Scathach

Assassin: Cleopatra (VII)

Berserker: Shaka Zulu (or maybe Boudicca?) 

Heh. I have. And actually started to write a fanfic around it, though I better not mention it or else people start to question why haven't manage to update in more than a year...

Could it be that you integrated a bunch of Fate/Grand Order Servants in your line-up on purpose or is it just that so many historical figures are already adapted that it's hard to avoid?

(and yes, I agree with Boudicca being a Berserker or Avenger. Her stupid fanservice-y Rider variant is just shitting all over her legacy - though I must say, I like Scathach Lancer better than the Caster for some reason. I'm old-school like that)

And thanks of reminding me that I ended up getting Napoleon when trying to summon Gilgamesh on New Years... XD

[The Grey Wolf]

@Toth

That would require taking out Hector and I couldn't think of another (female) Caster I like that isn't already in the series so I didn't. Same with Shaka vis-a-vis Boudicca and Khalid vis-a-vis Hannibal. That being said, I imagine Scathach as being an unusual Caster who is equally strong, if not better, as a melee fighter. Oh, and I didn't look at GO. I just picked out historical figures I like. In fact, I once made a list of various potential Servants but alas I deleted it. And now you have me wondering if Boudicca would make an interesting subversion of the Ruler class (based off her being a queen), which would require me to create an opposing seven to the above. Hmmm...

[Toth]

2 hours ago, The Grey Wolf said:

@Toth

That would require taking out Hector and I couldn't think of another (female) Caster I like that isn't already in the series so I didn't. Same with Shaka vis-a-vis Boudicca and Khalid vis-a-vis Hannibal. That being said, I imagine Scathach as being an unusual Caster who is equally strong, if not better, as a melee fighter. Oh, and I didn't look at GO. I just picked out historical figures I like. In fact, I once made a list of various potential Servants but alas I deleted it. And now you have me wondering if Boudicca would make an interesting subversion of the Ruler class (based off her being a queen), which would require me to create an opposing seven to the above. Hmmm...

I see your point. It is kind of inevitable that FGO got much of your list covered since it has such a ridiculous number of possible Servants by now, almost all of them being utterly ridiculous. As an ardent reader of history, most of them enrage me to no end. Yes, Scathach should be better as a Lancer (and I'm glad to have summoned her on my English account), but I haven't looked at her Caster version that got released some time ago yet.

I'm afraid you are wrong in how the Ruler class is defined by lore (a misconception I used to share because I, too, expected the writers to not suck this badly at English), because Ruler's are supposed to be religious saints. That's why Jeanne d'Arc, Amakusa Shirou, Saint Martha or Buddha himself end up in that class. Then again, for some reason Sherlock Holmes ended up in that class as well, so by now it's anyone's guess. My own old idea of having Gaius Julius Caesar as a Ruler however should be just as impossible as your Boudicca. However FGO states pretty clearly that Boudicca does qualify as Avenger and will probably released as one at some point.

In any case, five of your characters have already gotten the canon treatment. Whatever good it did to them.

Archer: Napoleon Bonaparte: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/5/58/NapoleonStage03.png/revision/latest?cb=20180713115752

Lancer: Hector of Troy: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/b/b8/Hector3.png/revision/latest?cb=20151105190845

Caster: Scathach: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/7/7b/ScathachSkadi2.png/revision/latest?cb=20180729075401

Compared to Lancer Scathach: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/8/8e/Scathach3.png/revision/latest?cb=20151210053934

Assassin: Cleopatra (VII): https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/7/70/CleopatraStage3.png/revision/latest?cb=20171206160054

Boudicca Rider however is enraging (and somewhat NSFW): https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/1/12/Boudica1.png/revision/latest?cb=20170208141944

[The Grey Wolf]

Re Boudicca's design: I agree. That is really bad. I'm going to try to think of a different female Caster later so I can make Scathach the Lancer in my lineup.

[Toth]

2 minutes ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Re Boudicca's design: I agree. That is really bad. I'm going to try to think of a different female Caster later so I can make Scathach the Lancer in my lineup.

It should be noted that, for the contrived reason of Scathach living eternally in the "land of shadows" (despite in her myth that just being Scotland XD), Scathach's ghost ordinarily can't be summoned in a Grail War because she never died. The same applies to Merlin stuck at Avalon, but at least he got an internet connection there solely for Rule of Funny. In the game you can only summon her because all of human history was incinerated by the Big Bad, effectively killing her and allowing her to to join you on a technicality.

(with a similar technicality applying to Merlin in the next Grand Order Anime... though I must say that getting summoned into a Grail War taking place before you are born by claiming that technically that makes you dead at the time of summoning is a level of troll logic that I don't want to argue with...)

[The Grey Wolf]

@Toth

Re Merlin: That is pure genius.

Re Scathach: I'm going to ignore that for the sake of my headcanon.

And GO is getting adapted? Damn. I still haven't watched Last Encore, which I'm pretty meh about tbh (though I did enjoy UBW and Apocrypha in addition to Zero (ISKANDER FTW!))

[The Grey Wolf]

Just thought of a Caster I could swap Scathach with: Scheherazade!

[Toth]

54 minutes ago, The Grey Wolf said:

And GO is getting adapted? Damn. I still haven't watched Last Encore, which I'm pretty meh about tbh (though I did enjoy UBW and Apocrypha in addition to Zero (ISKANDER FTW!))

Hey, they already adapted the Fuyuki tutorial level as a special movie named "First Order" (just in case that you didn't know that yet).

Here is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUx-VN-DDmk

But don't you worry, it's offensively forgettable despite the cool premise and a few surprisingly good battle scenes (at least compared to what the franchise offers otherwise. After the dynamic and meaningful battles in Fate/Zero I even found the battles in UBW annoyingly boring (with the possible exception of Gilgamesh vs. Heracles)).

They also don't seem to want to adapt the entire Grand Order game (therefore adding insult to the First Order movie in that you are never going to see a resolution to the story). Understandable, given how all over the place the writing of the different arcs is. Fuyuki is fine as it is, Orleans would be only good if they'd embrace the meme and have Kojirou Sasaki being summoned (THE HERO OF FRANCE!!!), Rome and the Caribbean are horrible (despite the latter going deeper into Medea's backstory by having her summoned alongside Jason for a change), London is pretty cool I must admit (having Hans Christian Anderson, Shakespeare, Dr. Jekyll and Mordred in one team does help), the US chapter is pretty meh (the only memorable part is Edison and Tesla bickering like a married old couple, but Drifters did that far better with Hannibal and Scipio), Camelot is pretty good in its handling of a corrupted Round Table (despite big boobs Artoria that makes my eyes roll all the time) and Babylonia is arguably the best (despite a lot of jarring moments like Taiga-sensei being inexplicably there in a lion costume).

And well, of course they are adapting only Babylonia now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNF9c8ZrX-0

 

Beware of them trying to make you like Gilgamesh all of a sudden, who in his own era is jarringly sympathetic and caring in a very tsundere fashion.

33 minutes ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Just thought of a Caster I could swap Scathach with: Scheherazade!

Oh please don't! Or at least picture your own version. Because theirs... Proceed at your own risk (very much NSFW and not safe for good taste I'd say): https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fategrandorder/images/f/f0/ScheherazadeStage3.png/revision/latest?cb=20171205175309

[The Grey Wolf]

@Toth

Gilgamesh caring?! Wtf?!

Re Scheherazade: Why would they make her look like that? Ugh.

(Time to pick out the members of Team #2...)

[Toth]

1 hour ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Gilgamesh caring?! Wth?!

Well, nowadays they seem to have gone away from portraying him as a one-note-villain, maybe because he has too many (female?) fans? I don't know (though that certainly explains his really freaky love interest status in this Fate/Extra nonsense that I thankfully have neither played nor watched). I read somewhere that he was just like this in the modern world because he was pissed at how its state was. I guess Fate/Zero kinda does help explaining his later omnicidal tendencies, given that...

Spoiler

... getting drenched in the black mud didn't leave him as untouched as he would like to think, I believe.

But Babylonia will be an entirely different beast. We are going to see him humbled after the character development of his myth in a city where he knows everybody by name and declaring the fight against an apocalyptic monster army to be a matter for the boss himself and nobody else. I must admit, even though I played the game, I will be quite curious how it will look animated.

Spoiler

Though I have to repeat that he will be caring in a very aloof and tsundere way. I still very much like how when the Chaldea crew first arrives, they have to beg him to allow them to help (because of course he is too proud to let anyone else fight for him and his people) and when he finally relents, he just gives them a whole list of petty menial tasks that sends them around a wild goose chase around the entirety of Uruk. That part was really funny and heartwarming when it slowly dawns upon them that Gilgamesh just wanted them to help the people, familiarize with them and feel at home in Uruk.

1 hour ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Re Scheherazade: Why would they make her look like that? Ugh. 

No idea. At all. I think they hate Arab people? The Queen of Sheba has a similar stupid outfit, though at least without the butterface. In fact, all newer Servants look like shit in my opinion.

Speaking of Mobile Games Adaptations... Magia Record is going to get become quite the ride tomorrow and its adaption will be interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n1gjQtpP7U

 

[The Grey Wolf]

@Toth

I thought Scheherazade was Persian?

And Gilgamesh does show a bit of nuance in Zero.

[The Grey Wolf]

Roster #2 complete!

[The Grey Wolf]

@Fez

I don't know if you'll like them but for what its worth I also recommend The Ancient Magus Bride and Violet Evergarden.

Oh, and One-Punch Man!

[felice]

On 3/21/2019 at 1:52 AM, Fez said:

I definitely recall a pause, while the characters absorb what was said, before moving on as if nothing happened. I'd consider that fourth wall-breaking; albeit a more minor type.

Nah. They're being sent to the winter lodge unexpectedly. One of them voices the idea that it's because winter is coming; they pause to consider that idea, and reject it - winter is still too far off for that to make any sense. It works fine if you don't get the reference. A much bigger problem is why they weren't immediately escorted there by an armed guard!

[Varysblackfyre321]

Debate topic: would you qualify some American shows such as Avatar:the last air bender or Boondocks as anime?

[red snow]

12 hours ago, Varysblackfyre321 said:

Debate topic: would you qualify some American shows such as Avatar:the last air bender or Boondocks as anime?

I personally prefer not to as it then turns "anime" into simply being way of saying "animation" but with some suggestion that anime is better and anything not anime is worse. There's no doubting the crossover between audiences of say "Avatar the last airbender" with anime fans though. I'm not going to lose sleep over it either way but I'd accuse someone of being pretentious if they were to call me out on saying "I think you'll find Avatar is anime" in much the same way I'd expect them to tell me to fuck off if were to say "actually, I think you'll find Avatar isn't anime". People just need to keep watching and supporting what the enjoy rather than getting hung up on which # to use when saying they've watched it.

That said it's really hard to get a conversation going about non-anime shows on the entertainment thread or I try mentioning other animation shows on the "watching thread" while others post here and it looks like hardly anyone is watching. So I often hijack this thread under the guise of it being the "animation" thread. I actually thought this was where the Love, Death and Robots discussion would have took place but it has its own thread so no angst over where to look.