It seems to me that there's a small golden age of high quality adult animation (usually drama) on the streamers the last few years and this is the latest example of really great work. I'm watching the last episode of season one now (Netflix) and it deserves all the praise it's getting. There's also Scavenger's Reign on Max which is a beautiful and complex work of art but with a very different sort of storytelling that has little overt plot other than "stuff is happening to these people" There's a lot more if you go back a couple of years, more than my feeble memory will recall on demand. Arcane was beautiful and moving and didn't require you to know anything at all about "League of Legends" to enjoy it. The Legend of Vox Machina was well done. What am I forgetting?
Pantheon. I can't say enough good things about this show. The artwork is pretty standard, not standout like Arcane, but the storytelling is VERY impressive IMO. No idea how I left this out above (and fuck the edit time limit) My son was very impressed with Castlevania but I haven't watched it yet.
Castlevania and Castlevania Nocturne are both excellent. Definitely recommend them if you are into vampires, demons, and Gothic horror. You don’t need to have played the game series they are based on although there are fun easter eggs for fans. Blood Of Zeus, by the same animation studio, is also great. Only one season right now but a second season coming up soon. Good time to watch. As the name implies, it is based on Greek mythology. A new Tomb Raider series is coming out. Animation looks great. Hopefully we can get something more like the classic games and less cheesy than the Angelina Jolie movies. Harley Quinn is a zany romp that makes fun of everything in the DC Universe and is definitely not afraid to push boundaries or cross lines. The best depiction of the Harley Quinn character. Of course Futurama is back. Seems to be about on par with the older episodes although I feel like there was no need to bring the show back from the dead. It had a good run already. It risks getting watered down like The Simpsons.
Agree on Harely, banged that drum before. Tomb Raider done well would be a treat. Never heard of "Blood of Zues," I'll need to look into that.
beware, do not look into Boner of Zeus. I do not know what is there, but I am sure it isn't good unless you are into that sort of thing.
"I know you are but what am I?" Never heard that one before. Of course, it doesn't fit. I don't put on the "oppressed" act when society fails to join me in playing make-believe.
I'll explain it to you very simply, and apolitically (oh, yes, I can do that). Nova is trans and she has certain beliefs about what all that entails. You disagree with her on some aspects of that. She feels (note that I did not claim that this is an actual fact on her part, but merely a "feeling") that people who disagree with her on this subject actively pose a lethal threat to her survival. (Again, I'm not claiming this is an accurate representation of reality, in the sense that everyone who disagrees with her wants to see her dead, merely that this is her perception of reality.) So, is it really surprising that she might want to put someone who disagrees with her about a subject near and dear to her on "Ignore"? Not to me. Do I give a shit if anyone puts me on "Ignore"? Nope (and I'm no longer a mod, so everybody who wants to, can now put me on "Ignore" if they so choose). If I found out that somebody put me on "Ignore" would I say anything other than "Eh, whatever."? Nope. See, I'm not so obsessed with what other people think of me that I'd actually give a shit as to what their reasons might be and so I just say, "Eh, whatever." and move on.
Tererune's normal comment cannot be heard due to restrictions on flaming outside of the red room. Instead of that we will bring you something on topic. The first episode was cool. The only thing I will say is the lack of a dick is so obvious even the blind man can see.
No, it doesn't surprise me, and I never claimed it did. I'm aware of the likely motives. I just find it petty and irrational.
I'll make it shorter: Why is FF and Albert and a couple of the other older horses on ignore? NOT because they disagree with me about transgender matters (see the fact that I still respond to Demi on the topic) but rather because they are absolutely goddamned obsessed with being fucking assholes about it at EVERY passing opportunity. I already know all their usual bullshit, seen it dozens of times, got sick of it. No new info is ever imparted and it's impossible to inform them enough to modify their stated position at all. Thus, they become chaff. The pollute my experience here while offering so little of value otherwise that there's no desire to see any of it. Life's too short for that.
To bring this back on topic. Blue eye samurai is not actually Anime, but it is extremely moody and a well done adaptation of stylized Japanese storytelling. I am only saying this because the dialog is clearly english first and not adapted from Japanese culture. I have watched enough serious dramatic animation from the japanese regarding this period that this just felt american/european. It is like this story has an accent. Again, I am not saying this as a complaint as it is well done for what it is telling. I cannot fully explain how I could tell, but it is there. This sort of thing might piss off a purist, so I would never show it to a snob without expecting fanboi whine, but so far it is a nice story that is getting more complex, and I am only on episode 2. I do like the art style and you can feel the cold. I do not know if they paid attentionm to it, but the muffled wooded sounds reminded me of nature and snowfall in the woods. I am not sure if it sounds like this in Japan given the water and ocean around, but I am pretty sure someone payed really good attention to what snowy woods sound like. There is also a clear representation of the art of the inner eye. It is how they are facing the demons and monsters in their head, and giving a artistic view of the feelings they are overcoming. This is a thing I love about animation over live action. You can represent feelings through the subtle changes in art and backgrounds and mindscapes that just do not go well in a live action movie. When this is done well it is one of the reasons I actually prefer a good animation over live actions because the artist can communicate so much more in the scene than an actor can. These artists are certainly taking full advantage of it. The gore can be a bit much if you do not care for it. Here is one of the areas where I think a Japanese artist would have chosen a little differently. The blood spray is normal, but the bits of flesh or internals flying about is not often seen like this when anime does gore. It is just a slight bit of accent to it. I cannot put my finger on what would be different, but it just seems they do it different. Anyway, thanks @Nova for what is a really nice animated story I am enjoying taking my time with. If it follows through with the storytelling it sets up this should be really great.
So I finished what we have, and you really have to keep this away from the pretentious anime purists. I can hear them losing it like comic book INCELS over a black spider man. I just know a few dub snobs who would hate this for cultural appropriation despite the fact it is really cool. It is adult content, and I could not recommend it to a person who is going to get bothered by sex and gore. It does go with the plot and the tone of the show. It seems done for the brutality, but the brutality is a part of what the narrative is trying to get across so it has a purpose other than to get noticed. It is shocking. It does become a little bit predictable in the shocking in that I was able to forecast a few of the twists because I was just thinking of the worst thing that could happen, and it does in some cases. It is not too cliche, it is just tragic. I like the different storytelling styles, and then how they mixed in some american/european influence in the music and art. There is a depth to this that requires a rewatch or two because the people who made it are purposefully crossing styles, tropes, and societal angles. There is a depth to what they are doing that is represented in all aspects of the art. Obviously that goes along with the protagonist being trans and mixed race. Those themes are everywhere. Even between the beautiful pretty images and the disgusting gore There is a lot to this and it is enjoyable on multiple levels.
Oh, and someone needs to take the fucking salt shakers away from these people because their blood pressure is through the friggen roof. Many of them were probably going to dies soon anyway given how high it is. maybe there was a lot of mercy killing because I do not know what health care costs were in feudal japan.
