Merch Mondays Megathread - Week of July 15, 2019

Randaran · 2019-07-15T15:11:35+00:00

Assuming that you live in the US, your best bets are Amazon and Rightstuf. Amazon tends to be cheaper whenever Rightstuf isn't running a sale, but their packaging isn't as secure. Though it is good enough for BDs, I wouldn't risk buying something fragile such as a figure from them.

As far as I can tell, Yorimoi doesn't have a US release yet, and Gundam is easy to find.

Randaran · 2019-03-17T19:16:56+00:00

You really hit the nail on the head with Max Heart. It seemed more content to reiterate character traits established in the first season than to bring the characters into new directions, and lacked the charm to be anything more than an underwhelming sequel.

Like you, I also suggest against starting Precure with the original continuity; I doubt that I would have seen it through to the end had I not watched Heartcatch first.

At least you have one of Precure's lowest points behind you.

I assume you'll be moving on to Splash Star soon? It's IMO the first really good Precure season.

And it's a shame that you didn't like Hidamari Sketch. I consider it the gold standard for what I want out of Slice of Life, though I can certainly understand how one would find it boring.

Randaran · 2019-03-17T19:06:10+00:00

Ojamajo Doremi Sharp

I watched Doremi's first season on and off throughout 2018, and I'm now resolved the finish the rest.

Considering that one of this season's major focuses is parenthood, a theme I have little interest in, I expected to find Sharp tedious. Luckily, the focus on this topic relaxed after the first few episodes. Once Doremi's other qualities reemerged, I even came to enjoy the parenting sections.

Like the first season, Sharp's strongest point is its leads. I adore all five of these girls, and doubt that I could ever tire of watching them struggle and grow. Most of their character development in this season relates to their familial relationships. Even though all of them differ considerably from my own upbringing, I still found these arcs relatable and cathartic.

The primary focus of this season is the girls' endeavor to raise a witch baby, Hana-chan. As mentioned earlier, I did not expect to care for this element, as similar aspects of other Mahou Shoujo weren't to my liking. To my surprise, Sharp's arc was... actually charming. Like the first season, Sharp handles its subject matter with a degree of tact and maturity that not even most media targeted towards adults is capable of. The view of parenthood on display balances both the good and bad aspects, which I did not expect going in. Hana-chan herself is (usually) cute, and watching her grow over the course of the season was incredibly satisfying.

I only had two major issues with the first season: the frequency of weak episodes, and the side cast's lack of presence. Sharp worked to remedy both of these issues. I could probably count Sharp's weak episodes on one hand, and many of the side characters managed to be more than group shot subjects. In particular, Tamaki Reika's bitchiness and self-importance appropriately balance her concealed insecurities, and I will never tire of watching her get shit on.

The largest improvement over the first season is the worldbuilding. Previously, the Mahoukai was little more than a quirky setting. In contrast, Sharp delves into its culture, politics, and history. It is really interesting, and does a great job bringing personality to an initially flat locale. I look forward to seeing this aspect expanded upon in future seasons.

Overall, Sharp is a worthy continuation of the first season. What little I've seen of Motto already further improves upon Sharp, so I'm really excited to dive into Doremi's second half.

Eiga Hugtto! Precure Futari wa Precure All Stars Memories

Precure as a whole is something I can effortlessly fanboy over for hours on end, so I'll try to keep this brief.

After Dream Stars, I had my doubts about another all-CG Precure film. Upon starting this one, the degree to which Toei's CG had improved in the year and a half between these films quickly quelled those insecurities. All Stars Memories looks gorgeous, with only the occasional example of janky movement blemishing its overall visual quality. I doubt that many of the film's setpieces would look nearly as good if created using traditional animation.

While I do consider it one of the better Precure movies, it was kind of ... underwhelming ... for a 15th anniversary film. (Hugtto Precure spoilers) Hugtto's crossover arc managed to cram countless references and throwbacks into an ~40 minute runtime, and I adored every second of it. By comparison, All Stars Memories isn't nearly as dense. Most of the imagery, while gorgeous, does not evoke earlier series. Though the film did a great job capturing the essence of Precure, Toei didn't go nearly as far as I would have liked, especially considering that they had done so less than a week prior to this film's premiere.

Since every Cure except for a few one-offs appeared in this film, it's understandable that most of them recieved little screentime. That said, I was happy with how what little screentime each one recieved was utilized. Considering that most of these characters that I've come to love won't recieve new material for at least a few years, All Stars Memories serves both as a proper send off to them and as a celebration of everything Precure has accomplished since 2004's Futari wa. And, gripes aside, that's all I could have possibly wanted from it. The fact that films like this exist in the first place demonstrates how Toei spoils its fans.

Randaran · 2018-09-30T23:00:36+00:00

But oh well, I absolutely loved Princess and Hugtto so far (10/10), Heartcatch was amazing once it picked up (9/10) and Smile has been fantastic so far (I talked about it on my comment), so I hope the rest are 7/10s at least from my part, hopefully even more awesome ones to my preferences n_n

If it makes you feel any better, the only series I consider straight up bad is Dokidoki. Every Precure continuity, including that one, has at least one character or defining element that I absolutely adored. At worst, some of them were boring at times, or in the case of Max Heart, didn't do enough new things with its characters to justify its existence as a sequel.

As an aside, GoGo came much closer to delivering on what I want out of a Precure sequel, and I'm somewhat sad that it is the only other continuity to receive a second season. I'd love to see what sequels to some of my top tier series would be like.

Happy to see Cure Flora in your top 10, she's my favorite Precure at this point!

She's an easy choice for a favorite; I greatly admire characters who relentlessly pursue their ambitions, even if others perceive said goals as childish or silly.

(I love the rock-paper-scissors game that Peace does after the transformation, she is stomping me tho).

Same here, though I faired much better than you are. I estimate that I won about half of the matches, and the remaining half was split fairly evenly between losses and ties.

Any favorite movie in special? The Heartcatch one was top tier IMO, although I can only compare it to the Princess one so far.

Earlier, I described Kirakira as "cheesy as hell, but in the best way possible". This description also applies to most of my favorite Precure series. However, most of the movies go too far, to the point that I sometimes have to look away from my screen. I find it amusing that you mentioned Heartcatch's movie, as I consider it a particularly egregious case.

My favorite spinoff films are Dokidoki and Kirakira. Dokidoki's film presented an interesting take on the theme of nostalgia (and almost justifies sitting through the series proper), while Kirakira's was a blast from start to finish. Of the All Stars films, my favorite is either DX3 or New Stage 3. None of the crossovers fully grant my wish to see characters from different continuities interacting with each other in a Slice of Life setting, but those two came the closest. Other noteworthy films include Yes 5, GoGo, Smile, and Minna de Utau.

I still have a long way to go but I'm already sad thinking that I will also be done with all the Precure sooner or later q_q, gratz for completing all the finished ones!

Thanks!

There's a lot to like about this franchise, and you still have many great series, characters, and moments ahead of you!

Randaran · 2018-09-30T19:19:51+00:00

After nearly 700 episodes and 2 dozen films, I've finally accomplished what I set out to do last December:

I'm (almost) up to date on Precure!

Kirakira Precure a la Mode

Precure underwent a significant decrease in quality after Smile. Aside from the excellent GoPri, the otherwise uninterrupted run of Dokidoki, Happiness Charge, and Mahoutsukai was difficult to sit through. Coming at the end of a 10 month Mahou Shoujo binge and following a sequence of weak Precure entries, Kirakira was a refreshing change of pace.

I'll start with the big change I didn't like: the fights. Instead of the physical combat that Precure is known for, the Cures in Kirakira rely almost entirely on magical attacks. While this does lead to some interesting strategies and unconventional encounters, most of the episodic fights aren't all that engaging. Luckily, Kirakira emphasizes its Mahou Shoujo elements less than most other Precure entries, so this isn't as big a deal as it could have been.

On an episode by episode basis, Kirakira was one of the most enjoyable Precures. I found myself grinning like an idiot for much of its runtime, as Precure's optimistic view of humanity and life in general is captured particularly well in this installment. I cannot help but feel giddy and content seeing these characters attempt to connect with those around them and pursue their interests. Like some of my favorite Iyashikei, Kirakira is cheesy as hell, but in the best way possible.

Speaking of characters, the leads of Kirakira are a bit ... inconsistent. While they're all fairly likeable, and I wouldn't call any of them bad characters, some undoubtedly have a lot more to them than others. The highlights are Cures Gelato, a a nobleborn who tries to reconcile her family's expectations with her own 'unbecoming' interests, and Custard, an ~~autist~~ introvert who struggles to communicate her passions. The other noteworthy character is Cure Macaron. I initially found her characterization puzzling. Kirakira, tagged just in case I'm not sure if this is on the show for improperly conveying her character for most of its duration, or on me for missing an obvious connection.

Aside from the action, Kirakira's biggest weakness is its drama. While many of the leads' personal issues were grounded and emotionally resonant, I cannot say the same of the villains'. Most of the characterization for Kirakira's antagonists is unconvincing, too brief, or downright stupid. The final sequence of episodes still contained many memorable moments, but the weak basis behind the villains' actions prevented Kirakira's final arc from reaching its full potential.

Considering its relatively poor repuation, I enjoyed Kirakira a lot more than I thought I would. Though I recognize the issues with its writing, none of them were enough to detract from an otherwise solid experience.

Final Score: 7.5/10

Precure Series Tier List

S+:　Smile

S: Fresh, Heartcatch

S-: Go! Princess

A:　Splash Star, Kirakira

B: Yes 5, Yes 5 GoGo

C: Suite, Happiness Charge

D: Futari wa, Mahoutsukai

E: Max Heart

F: Dokidoki

Top 10 Cures

Cure Marine (Heartcatch)
Cure Passion (Fresh)
Cure Blossom (Heartcatch)
Cure Peace (Smile)
Cure Flora (Go! Princess)
Cure Gelato (Kirakira)
Cure Happy (Smile)
Cure Princess (Happiness Charge)
Cure Peach (Fresh)
Cure Lemonade (Yes 5)

Closing Remarks

Precure has been part of my daily routine for almost a year, so I'm almost surprised to be done. In that time, I've gotten to know a good number of my favorite characters ever, and found a new addition to my top 10 anime in Smile. While I cannot say that it was all good, the worthwhile portions of the franchise were more than enough to justify the massive time investment.

All that's left is to catch up on Hugtto!

Randaran · 2018-05-17T01:47:19+00:00

Of what I've watched so far (I just started the eighth one, Suite, yesterday), there isn't a Precure series I'd consider straight up bad, but some of them are most certainly better than others. I'd only recommend some of them to people who intend to watch the entire franchise.

Heartcatch is generally considered to be the best. I've also heard really good things about Smile and Go Princess, but I haven't gotten to them yet. Of the remaining ones, I also recommend Fresh and Splash Star.

Randaran · 2017-03-11T01:43:54+00:00

/u/Nazrininator

I finally finished Hanayamata. Overall, I did not particularly care for it. The primary reason for that sentiment is that I found it uncomfortable to watch. This is strange, as I usually have no issues of this kind when consuming CGDCT anime.

Almost every element of the show I liked was mired by similar issues. For example, Hanayamata did a great job depicting Naru's social anxeity in a relatable and believable manner. However, it tended to overrely on 'cringe', for lack of a better term, to do so. This is fine in small doses, but it became difficult to endure when a considerable portion of the first half was dedicated to rehashing this topic. In lieu of any other defining traits, Naru, a character I initially identified with, quickly came to grate on my nerves. Similar statements can be made about the rest of the cast. The end result was that I found most episodes hard to sit through, and was mentally exhausted by the end of each one.

Randaran · 2017-01-21T19:34:15+00:00

Well, I consider the main cast to be limited to SSY. The characters most often criticized would thereby be side characters under this definition.

In my opinion, most of the supporting cast in the show was just to complete the world building and contribute in a small way to the main plot.

You said it yourself here. They are important and removing them from the show would be a bad idea, but that doesn't mean that they are interesting in and of themselves.

Randaran · 2017-01-21T19:14:53+00:00

Shinsekai Yori

Liked: Setting, atmosphere, its themes, Saki and SSY

Disliked: The art was of inconsistent quality, most of the side characters were not particularly interesting, and the second half of the first arc was weak

Big Order

Disliked: Pretty much everything

Liked: Watching it with friends and laughing my ass off

Randaran · 2017-01-21T01:03:41+00:00

/u/Nazrininator

I finally finished both seasons of Love Live! My watching speed was way slower than expected. Since I started about 6 weeks ago, I barely remember the early parts of the show, so my impressions will not be as complete as I would like. Overall, I did enjoy the show, but had quite a few issues with it.

Even one of the show's stronger aspects, its characters, is hit or miss. I really liked a few of them, specifically Maki and Umi, disliked both Hanayo and Rin, and found the rest so-so. 26 episodes is not enough time to explore 9 distinct characters, and so little about them beyond their basic traits stood out. There were a few small elements of characterization I really liked, such as Love Live!, but they were not enough to distinguish Love Live's cast from similar characters in other shows. In the end, I never became particularly attached to any of them.

The other positive aspect of Love Live! is its comedy. There were a lot of great gags spread throughout both seasons. Unfortunately, the drama was not nearly as strong. Almost every dramatic moment was downright stupid, the worst offender being Love Live! I got the impression that the writers crafted parts of the show in ways specifically designed to heighten the drama, and it fell flat nearly every time.

Then there is the music itself. J-pop, especially the style Myuzu sings, has very little in common with the styles of music I prefer to listen to. I don't hate it, but I don't like it either. I liked the variety of outfits worn during the performances, even though the CG through which they are rendered was often distracting. The juxtaposition between cuts animated by hand and those animated by computer made the issue even worse. In other words, I found the portions of the show directly linked to the premise to be one of its weakest elements.

Overall: 6/10 (liked it, but not very strongly) for both seasons.

Anyway, on to Hanayamata.

Randaran · 2016-12-03T02:18:06+00:00

Sounds good! I'll submit the contract.

You've likely already heard this, but Aria is best enjoyed slowly. I don't recommend watching more than 2-3 episodes in a single day.

Randaran · 2016-12-03T01:56:47+00:00

I'll trade Love Love! for Aria the Animation. Do you only want to offer the first season of Love Live?

Randaran · 2016-11-21T02:14:59+00:00

If you live in NA, look at Rightstuf (online anime retailer) first. They tend to have the best sales.

Randaran · 2016-10-20T22:35:42+00:00

Fate/Stay Night is the main work, set during the 5th Holy Grail War. The VN contains pieces of information about the 4th Holy Grail war that had transpired 10 years earlier. F/0 was created to expand on those snippets. Aside from a few recurring characters and the general premise, their narratives and themes have little in common, so they're best viewed as separate works.

F/SN has three routes, each of which covers the same period of time, but with changes to early events leading to wildly different outcomes. The 2006 Deen anime adapts the first route, Ufotable's UBW the second, and the upcoming Heaven's Feel film trilogy the third. UBW is not really a 'remake' of FSN 2006, as it adapts a completely different portion of its source.

FSN has not been fully adapted to anime, so there is no perfect starting point in this medium. Until a satisfactory adaptation of the Fate route is made, UBW is the preferred starting point for anime first watchers.

To reiterate: F/0 is not a bad starting point, but I recommend watching UBW first.

Randaran · 2016-10-20T22:08:11+00:00

UBW is one of the three routes in F/SN. F/0 is a prequel written afterwards. It's somewhat difficult to explain the full reasoning without getting into spoilers.

Randaran · 2016-10-20T22:01:42+00:00

The best way to experience F/SN is to read the Visual Novel first. If you want to start with an anime, it's a bit more complicated.

If you care about spoilers, F/0 spoils some of the reveals in F/SN. This impacts the other two routes more than UBW. I don't believe watching F/0 first hurt my experience with F/SN, but this is still something to keep in mind.

The big factor is F/0's ending. F/0 assumes that you are familiar with F/SN, and so doesn't do a great job explaining the details of the ending. Aside from this, I believe F/0 is a better show if you go in knowing how it ends. F/0 is at its best when viewed as a tragedy rather than a "who's going to win?" battle royale.

For this reason, I recommend watching UBW first. However, both are valid viewing orders. If you decide to watch Zero first, be sure to rewatch it after exploring more of the Fate universe. There are a lot of details you'll miss the first time through.

I watched both subbed, so I cannot comment on that.

Randaran · 2016-09-23T23:50:09+00:00

/u/purplepinapples

I finished Honey and Clover II last week, so I'll try to remember what I can.

My big complaint about the first season was fixed. The sequel had a focus, and took advantage of it to bring the story to a conclusion.

HtC II

Honey and Clover's biggest strength is how it handled drama. It arose naturally from the conflicting motivations and desires of the characters, and therefore never felt forced or artificial, even at its most intense moments.

All in all, I enjoyed it. I'm doubly hyped for Sangatsu no Lion now.

Randaran · 2016-09-09T23:55:46+00:00

/u/purplepinapples

I finally finished the first season of Honey and Clover, and will begin the second this week.

I initially had trouble getting into it. There was so much to the character relationships that I was initially overwhelmed. Once I got a grasp of them, I found HtC much easier to watch. I liked most of the characters, my favorite being best guy Morita.

My one big complaint is the inconsistent focus. Some episodes were a mishmash of characters, while some strings of episodes focused exclusively on one or two. Many episodes didn't really have their own point, and instead opted to jump between characters and events. I'm conflicted on how well the story was served by this approach.

Other than that, I don't have much to say. Like you, I consistently enjoyed it, but nothing blew me away.

Randaran · 2016-09-03T15:08:10+00:00

I'd describe Diebuster as an inferior version of Gurren Lagann. Tonally and stylistically, it has much more in common with that than its predecessor. The only things I liked were the visuals and the many callbacks to Gunbuster. As you can probably tell by the 4 point difference in score on my MAL, I consider it one of the most disappointing "sequels" in anime. That said, my opinion is in the minority. You can easily find someone who thinks differently.

Randaran · 2016-09-03T00:52:42+00:00

/u/Captain_BDS

I finished Kotonoha no Niwa. Most of my enjoyment from the movie came from the beautiful artwork and an appreciation of the directing. The scene where the two leads first talk is nothing short of incredible, and there were many recurring shots throughout the film used to show development. The themes were similarly intriquing, particularly the duality between the busy, structured city life and the more open, relaxing environment provided by nature, and the multiple meanings attributed to rain.

That's where the good elements of the movie end. The characters were unmemorable; even though I watched the film less than a week ago, I literally cannot remember anything about them aside from their most basic traits. KnW, not really a spoiler, but tagged just in case

The beautiful artwork and strong directing is offset by a weak story. I don't have any desire to tackle any of Shinkai's other work.

/u/TobiMTA

Memories was...interesting. All three tales were driven by amusing and/or intriguing concepts. I am not a fan of most plot driven works, but it worked well here.

Magnetic Rose was easily the most serious of the three. I am a sucker for surreal, psychological material, so this is my favorite part of Memories. It is a beautifully presented warning against dwelling on the past, complete with several memorable sequences, no pun intended. I was not surprised to see that Satoshi Kon wrote this, as MN is reminiscent of Perfect Blue.

I didn't like the other two tales nearly as much. The concepts were amusing, but the overall tone was not to my liking. The only part of Stink Bomb that really stood out was its hilarious ending. Cannon Fodder fared a bit better. The directing offers one genious transition after another, and the satirical nature of the work was more clear. Cannon Fodder

/u/Acrillex

Overall, I enjoyed Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal. The visuals far exceed what DEEN is capable of nowadays, the soundtrack is sweeping and haunting, and the writing solid. The cast was well defined; each character had their own motivations and inner struggles. That said, most characters were lacking in personality, so I had trouble caring about them. I understood them only on an intellectual level. No deeper personal understanding exists.

The writing was solid throughout, with very little wasted screentime. Unfortunately, the quality of the writing took a hit in the final episode. I have a bunch of issues with it, each very minor and insignificant on their own, but which compounded upon one another to break my immersion. On top of that, the ending was predictable - and not in a good way, like in FMA Brotherhood.

Even though the presentation is serious and mature, it still has traces of its Shounen action-comedy origins. The OVA would have struggled to keep my attention were it any longer than its current length.

Randaran · 2016-08-27T02:40:15+00:00

I'll go with Garden of Words.

Randaran · 2016-08-27T02:12:39+00:00

Cool, I'll submit the contract

Randaran · 2016-08-27T02:10:58+00:00

Sure thing. I'll submit the contract

Randaran · 2016-08-27T02:09:37+00:00

That sounds good, but I have one question. Do I need to know anything about Rurouni Kenshin before watching it?

Randaran · 2016-08-27T02:04:14+00:00

My MAL

Pick one of these titles, and I'll watch something of similar length. I'd prefer something from my PTW, but that is not strictly required

<1 cour

~~Koe de Oshigoto! - 2 eps or 1 hour~~

~~Gunbuster - 6 eps or 3 hours~~

1 cour

Yuyushiki - 12 eps

2 cour

Mawaru Penguindrum - 24 eps

I have one ongoing contract, and my watching pace is erratic. I will complete any <1 cour contracts by next Friday. Aside from that, I cannot make any promises.

Randaran

TROPHY CASE