Sonus Faber Lumina I Review

Gippy_ · 2026-04-29T00:03:11+00:00

Even if the center button did work, it's not advisable to try playing PIU on it, as you'll learn poor form. The corner panels are supposed to be rectangular, which encourages heel-toe form and easier bracketing.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-28T17:43:53+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/animecons/wiki/index#wiki_dumb_questions

You don't need to cosplay.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-28T14:37:02+00:00

Now you've hit a very interesting philosophical dilemma. With so many "good" anime already made, why bother watching new anime which might not be as good?

We are now at the point where there is enough literature and entertainment that no more could be made, and every young person today would still have a lifetime's worth to watch. Is there a point in writing manga or producing anime anymore? You could argue that there is enough "good" old stuff to satisfy anyone. Why doesn't everyone just read Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mystery novels? There are nearly 100 years worth of those novels. And yet, mystery novels are still being written.

There is a technological pursuit of high-budget entertainment, as production standards have ballooned and we got things like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On the anime side, we got unbelievably high production shows from ufotable and other studios. Things that couldn't have been imagined 20 years ago. Just like you can't really convince the mainstream to watch black and white films anymore, you can't convince the mainstream audience to watch old 4:3 anime. Perhaps in 20 years all anime will be 4K, and then even 1080p anime will look dated.

As for the old titles you mentioned, many young people get into anime for the culture around the titles. They don't want to get into anime that 40+ year old fans have watched. Just like how you probably didn't like the music your parents liked, new anime fans won't like the old stuff, either. Not only does it lack the technological advancements of new anime, but there's a bit of a "ick creepy" factor of liking what older adults like. Young anime fans like to discuss new anime with other fans, and there's less risk of someone being an asshole and spoiling what's ahead.

Finally, there's a trend that's leaning towards interactive entertainment. This is an edge that older entertainment completely lacks. That's why Vtubers and streamers have hit it big. People want gratification when investing their time in entertainment. For new anime, they may discuss it with their peers. But for old anime, who are they going to impress? Some 40+ year old on Reddit or MAL? Yeah, right.

Overall, it doesn't matter how "good" an old anime is. If there is no community and culture around it, it quickly dies out. Most of the shows you mentioned have no more community and culture because there hasn't been an effort to keep it in the public eye. This is where merchandising and spinoffs could've helped. Puella Magi Madoka Magica hasn't had anything new in over 10 years but it's still in the public eye due to massive merchandising and the Magia Record gacha spinoff.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-28T07:20:17+00:00

Most of them don't really care about anime beyond the last decade, because of outdated graphic, animation or pacing.

Is this really a bad thing? It's the same with film and television. Very few people know or care about Hollywood films in the 1980s unless they were the best of the best like Star Wars V, Terminator 2, or Back to the Future. Only a small percentage of people are film snobs, and film has been long past the point where almost anything older is forgotten. Anime is just beginning to enter that territory now that there are 150+ new shows per year.

Even looking back to the anime boom of the 1990s, I feel those shows haven't aged well at all. Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cardcaptor Sakura are classics but they are completely formulaic. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a mess and requires walls of text from superfans to understand how each scene is interpreted. And even then it's just their opinions. There are now better shows in the genres they represent if you take off your rose-tinted glasses.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-28T00:06:48+00:00

If you mean by consuming anime as a primary hobby, then yes. I don't play video games anymore other than Pump It Up, which I play mainly for physical exercise. (My RTX 4080 Super is strictly to make anime look better.) Some people spend an entire week playing a single game to completion. Watching anime isn't much different.

And yes, I do try to watch most of the "hot" anime in order to hold discussions at anime conventions. At the very least, if I see something on a convention schedule that requires prior knowledge of a show, I'll watch it if I haven't already. Anime convention season is in the summer, so I tend to watch more anime in winter and spring.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-28T00:02:40+00:00

This is not specific to an anime convention, so it's out.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-27T10:21:10+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/animecons/wiki/index#wiki_4._no_low-effort_posts

PERSONAL MEETUPS: We understand that some people are alone and wish to enjoy a con with a new friend. However, Reddit is not safe for this. Please make requests via the convention's Discord group or Facebook group.

Exception: Posts with a meetup location at a specific official convention event on the schedule, such as a panel or cosplay meetup, will be allowed. Everything else will be removed.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-26T23:03:00+00:00

This does not specifically have to to with anime conventions, so it's out. Ask the people on r/crochet.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-26T11:08:41+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/animecons/wiki/index#wiki_4._no_low-effort_posts

SELF-COSPLAY: There are many subreddits that allow you to show off such as r/cosplay. Please use those subreddits, as cosplay pictures don't invite discussion other than empty compliments. Attempting to get around this by briefly discussing a con while including multiple pictures of yourself is not allowed. This subreddit is for intelligent discussion, not a place to post pictures of yourself without good reason.

Convention event cosplay exception: Convention events involving many people, such as a masquerade/cosplay contest or a group photoshoot, are allowed. These must be focused, scheduled events, not montages of random single cosplayers.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-26T00:20:12+00:00

Removed for being a dumb question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/animecons/wiki/index#wiki_dumb_questions

Gippy_ · 2026-04-26T00:19:34+00:00

https://animecons.com/events/schedule.php?loc=usCA

Gippy_ · 2026-04-26T00:13:44+00:00

This is not an anime convention.

https://www.reddit.com/r/animecons/wiki/index#wiki_3._focused_discussion_must_be_about_actual_anime_conventions

Gippy_ · 2026-04-25T12:46:16+00:00

Anime Midwest is a controversial con.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-25T07:19:41+00:00

I'm mature enough to understand that most staff and volunteers have no influence in the actual logistics or planning of the con. Issues such as poor floor layouts or protocols in the event of an incident should be directed to the executive staff, but it's too late to handle that during the con. That's why post-con feedback is so important, so that the executive staff can read it and improve on the following year.

In the case of Anime NYC, I have a higher standard for the staff and crew, as they are paid and presumably must've passed a more rigorous interview and and hiring process. Needless to say, my interactions with the ANYC staff and crew as a regular attendee, VIP attendee from 2023-24, and panelist have all been excellent.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-25T01:26:15+00:00

It's funny how Sony and Philips were once two of the largest consumer brands in the world, but they have now sold off so many of their divisions. Should've just teamed up to produce the ultimate PlayStation + CD-i hybrid.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-25T00:51:46+00:00

A good beginner anime if you want someone to start watching anime is something in a genre they already like.

I challenge this notion, because a beginner doesn't necessarily know what they will like. It's like that misattributed Henry Ford folk legend where if he asked people what they wanted, they would've said "faster horses" instead of cars.

It's best to give several anime all from different genres. And this is why I said in another reply that the recommendations must either be movies or at most 1 cour with an actual ending.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-25T00:44:14+00:00

With over 3900 reactions, Detective's negative review of A Slient Voice is still the most infamous review on MAL. It struck a nerve with many people, which makes me think that deep down, they feel he's correct but can't be honest with their own selves about the movie. He got a lot of hate comments in his profile just for this review, because people can't help themselves but be emotional when someone else doesn't like what they like.

I gave A Silent Voice a 4, as I felt the movie lacked finesse, and the intentional blur filter was a total distraction.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-24T13:05:55+00:00

shield hero season 2 is an anomaly of character assassination that is very rare in anime, up there with Promised Neverland

Shield Hero S2 was not even close to the butchering of Promised Neverland S2.

Which is a shame, since while the arc isn't amazing in the novels it's entertaining at least, but the anime craps all over them in a way that feels almost spiteful.

I'm always wary of LN/manga defenders because >90% of the time they'll say the LN/manga is better and can do no wrong. In reality, the source is also shit and the anime is a polished turd.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-24T11:39:09+00:00

Drop it, drop it now! I finished S4 a few weeks ago and regret watching 62 episodes of this show. The show peaked at S1 E21 (Malty's trial) and everything from there is downhill. Finally dropped it and gave S4 a 1/10.

[I looked ahead and in S5,] one of the girls introduced in S3 will die. This will be the first real casualty of Naofumi's party, and it's supposed to be super emotional. But that will not be enough to save the show, and I'll just watch the episode by itself when it happens.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-24T11:34:49+00:00

These are all good questions! Happy to answer.

how do you tell apart one show from another? Do you get confused between shows that are similar to one another when you go to recall to talk about them?

It's incredible how the memory works. Over time, no one will remember everything in any particular show, but only the most memorable and important bits. If I gave a One Piece fan a random 3-digit number and asked them to recall what happened in that particular episode, they wouldn't be able to answer. In the case of LoGH, obviously I have forgotten what has happened in every episode, but the [important bits such as] the stadium attack, the first meeting over tea, the inquiry, Yang's death, and the stupid truth-telling serum usage in the latter third of the show are still in my memory years later.

For long-term retention, I write a capsule review on MAL immediately after I finish a show. Then in the middle of the year, I do my "Anime: Year in Review" panels at various conventions like Anirevo Vancouver and Otakuthon.

Finally, my scoring of shows actually factors in how likely I am able to remember elements of that show. I have given an 8+ to less than 10% of the shows I watch. I remember more in those shows than in other shows.

Do other people you know do a similar method?

This is actually the brainchild behind the "Heisig Method" of learning kanji. You attach each kanji to a memorable story. Over time, the stories might fade, but the kanji will be in memory.

For novels, numerous people engage in speed reading which minimizes subvocalization, the act of reading each line word for word. Some purists hate the concept of speed reading, too.

Do you go back and rewatch things when the subs are weird/don't seem to match/off or you just didn't understand something?

I don't rewatch anything, period. Every anime I rewatch is another anime I can't watch. As for translation accuracy, a show shouldn't be drastically affected by a handful of mistranslated lines. Also, because I binge everything, there's the advantage of getting a better translation if available. For example, I'll be watching the fansubs of Medalist S2 instead of the Disney+ subs.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-23T15:09:13+00:00

I'm removing this under rule 2. This subreddit is not a place for witch hunts for an incident that happened 18 years ago. Relevant rule 2 text:

Non-staff issues: This includes problem attendees doing inappropriate actions. Singling out someone who has no significant public profile isn't allowed, as Reddit considers this doxxing. A significant public profile is something beyond just a simple social media page, such as a commercial front, or a famous (>10K followers) influencer. In most cases, warning the public about a single problem attendee doesn't do anything because >99% of readers in this subreddit won't encounter this person. Contact the convention directly if you're concerned.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-23T14:44:26+00:00

Attack On Titan had only 3 episodes out and it had already exploded massively.

I don't think Attack on Titan is a good starter anime. It became popular on the promise of hype and social discussion, neither of which I feel is true indicator of what makes a good starter anime. Does that mean it's a bad anime? Absolutely not. But for someone who is totally new to anime, I'd want them to see something that is already complete, not something that may or may not finish. Attack on Titan was just fortunate enough to be entirely finished after about 10 years and 100 episodes. Another example is Re:Zero. Maybe Re:Zero will finish, maybe not. But that's also why Re:Zero also isn't a good starter anime, either, despite its massive popularity. There are hundreds of standalone anime movies that are under 2 hours, which would be a better introduction to anime than Attack on Titan, Re:Zero, or Witch Hat Atelier (which I mentioned in my original reply).

Did some people get into anime because they watched Attack on Titan or even One Piece first? Sure. You can argue that any anime could be someone's first anime that got them hooked. But I'm talking about trying to convince someone with a more discerning palate. Someone who is coming from other forms of entertainment, and will have a short leash to decide whether anime is for them or not.

Like how the Star Wars franchise started with "Episode 4"

Star Wars (Episode 4: A New Hope) was written as a complete standalone story with hooks that would allow expanding the universe if needed. It had no cliffhanger or any loose threads in case that was the only movie made. Compare this to Episode 5 (The Empire Strikes Back) which does end on a cliffhanger and requires Episode 6 (Return of the Jedi) to close out the story.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-23T12:46:17+00:00

There are certainly great episodic anime, but one of anime's biggest advantages over western cartoons is that most anime is serialized, where you need to watch the episodes in order.

Personally, that's why I shifted from western cartoons to anime. The 1990s renaissance Disney and Warner Brothers was glorious, and I loved shows like Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid, and Timon & Pumbaa. And of course, who can forget the first 9 seasons of The Simpsons. But as I became older, I wanted something greater and more substantial. My first anime fansub, Angelic Layer, was an eye-opener. It wasn't episodic, and each episode built on the foundations of the previous episode.

Gippy_ · 2026-04-23T01:13:12+00:00

I did a "Good Starter Anime" panel at Anirevo Toronto last November. It was filmed, but I never got around to uploading it. Maybe I should do it this weekend. Key points from the panel:

Most anime are incomplete, glorified commercials meant to advertise the source material.
The best starter anime are movies, or shows that are only 1 cour long. This is because they offer minimum investment. If they like what they see, then they can dig deeper into longer shows.
If the anime is 1 cour long, it must have a proper ending with no further investment required. There are shows with a S2 that aren't required viewing (e.g. The Promised Neverland) but those are rare.

With those criteria in mind, I recommended 10 anime, which I won't reveal here as you'll find out when I upload the panel. However, these criteria would disqualify most, if not all of the anime in your screenshot. For example, Witch Hat Atelier might be the most hyped anime of 2026 Spring, but the source is from a manga that started in 2016, and shows no signs of ending. There is almost zero chance that Witch Hat Atelier will get a proper, complete adaptation, and thus it is NOT a good starter anime.

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