I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime
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@NakamiJun said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
Geez... Episode 2 of I Parry Everything is painfully reminding me of the levels of stupid I had issues with in the LN...
And your comment reinforces to me that I will start none of the Parry media that exists. Thanks!
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@NakamiJun So you’re saying the anime did a great job of adapting the series from LN? I felt the same when I was reading it, although it was mentioned the series picks up after the second book.
Following: Ascendance of a Bookworm, D-Genesis, Housecleaning Mage, Dahlia in Bloom, Rebuild World, Conqueror from a Dying Kingdom, TRPG
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@marcus_atticus That is literally the only reason I'm sticking with the anime for now... If it somehow does pick up and stop making my head hurt, I might even go back and read the books... xD
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@NakamiJun I feel the same, although I will only touch it if I run out of books to read. I will need to see the responses on the catch up post to gauge whether it is worth putting some read time into it.
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@Outinthegardener said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
First ep of Dahlia was quite good! It's a set-up episode. Lots of showing, less telling, and plenty of heartwarming moments. Maybe it's because I know where things are going but I was charmed by seeing Dahlia and Carlo. I also caught some clever foreshadowing of the greater themes.
The best adaptations are the ones that keep the spirit of the story and modify it to fit the medium it is presented in. Show and don't tell is my number one criteria for an anime show to be even considered watching.
Following: Ascendance of a Bookworm, D-Genesis, Housecleaning Mage, Dahlia in Bloom, Rebuild World, Conqueror from a Dying Kingdom, TRPG
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It's interesting, I'm getting a different vibe off of Lynne from the original LN. She always seemed so serious in the LN, but in the anime she almost feels genki.
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@marcus_atticus said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
The best adaptations are the ones that keep the spirit of the story and modify it to fit the medium it is presented in. Show and don't tell is my number one criteria for an anime show to be even considered watching.
This is my problem with the Giji-Harem anime (which isn't JNC, but also started this season). It's based on a manga, and it's using the manga as a script. Except the manga was in 4-page made-for-Twitter shorts that had little continuity from one chapter to the next until way later. So the anime is 2 to 3 minute scenes that have nothing to do with each other back to back to back. And in an anime that's really jarring. It probably wouldn't be so bad if they did some kind of scene transition between chapters so you'd know when you were moving to a new story. This is one where modifying it to fit the medium would have been really nice.
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@pcj Another summer series Senpai wa Otokonoko is also based on a manga, but a 'scroll down' web manga. It probably does require a more deft handling anyways due to subject matter (gender & sexuality), but seems to be doing quite well at staying true to the story while moving it into a anime series. My only complaint with that series is that they insist the MC is just a cross dresser, when they are clearly trans... But that was the same in the manga and it's likely due to Japan being behind the curve on understanding trans people (cross dressing is sort of accepted if odd, being actually trans is a almost taboo subject in a sense).
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The tears just won't stop... Sniffles
Needless to say I just watched Episode 2 of Dahlia... It has slime testing and waterproof fabric... Her engagement to Tobias... And then Carlo's passing at the end like a gut punch.
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The 2nd episode did great job showing the cracks in Tobias’s relationship with Dalhia and hinting at his insecurities.
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Episode 2 of Dahlia had my eyes swimming. They're doing a good job of setting up the emotional stakes for the upcoming events.
Something else I noticed that was really cool was how the characters would answer questions with seemingly very different answers to what was asked. It showed their states of mind and personalities- Like when Irma asked Dahlia about her feelings with Tobias and Dahlia only talked about slimes. Or when Tobias could only talk about Dahlia's image, not her ideas. Excellent character portrayal!
@NakamiJun said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
@pcj Another summer series Senpai wa Otokonoko is also based on a manga, but a 'scroll down' web manga. It probably does require a more deft handling anyways due to subject matter (gender & sexuality), but seems to be doing quite well at staying true to the story while moving it into a anime series. My only complaint with that series is that they insist the MC is just a cross dresser, when they are clearly trans... But that was the same in the manga and it's likely due to Japan being behind the curve on understanding trans people (cross dressing is sort of accepted if odd, being actually trans is a almost taboo subject in a sense).
I enjoyed Senpai is an Otokonoko in comic form, but I wondered about the same thing. Is there such a thing as a crossdresser who isn't trans? Is it part of the spectrum of gender dysphoria, or something different? Or is it, like you suspect, a half-effort attempt to portray trans identity because they weren't ready for it? I don't have the answers, but it's interesting to think about. Anyway the best part of the series is how much of a joy explosion Aoi is.
Something odd about the adaptation is how much time is spent in the "simplified" artstyle from the comic. While the comic does spend most of its time in the simpler style (with sudden sections of sakuga art, such as when Aoi jumps from the tree with the handkerchief), I'm not sure it feels "faithful to the source" so much as "low budget" as an anime. But since I know the story is good, I'll be watching the entire thing regardless.
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@Outinthegardener said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
Something else I noticed that was really cool was how the characters would answer questions with seemingly very different answers to what was asked. It showed their states of mind and personalities- Like when Irma asked Dahlia about her feelings with Tobias and Dahlia only talked about slimes. Or when Tobias could only talk about Dahlia's image, not her ideas. Excellent character portrayal!
Dahlia is also the only one who manages to keep it together when the head of the Orlando trading company passes... It might make her look cold to some, but the business would have failed without her.
While a bit off the main topic...
@Outinthegardener said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
I enjoyed Senpai is an Otokonoko in comic form, but I wondered about the same thing. Is there such a thing as a crossdresser who isn't trans? Is it part of the spectrum of gender dysphoria, or something different? Or is it, like you suspect, a half-effort attempt to portray trans identity because they weren't ready for it? I don't have the answers, but it's interesting to think about. Anyway the best part of the series is how much of a joy explosion Aoi is.
There are people who just want to dress as women, drag queens for instance, but Makoto clearly wants things that society says are 'feminine' and not just to dress as a girl. It also feels like Makoto at least seems to want to identify as a woman... Which would make him pretty clearly trans. I just think Japan wasn't 'ready' to talk about that.
Something odd about the adaptation is how much time is spent in the "simplified" artstyle from the comic. While the comic does spend most of its time in the simpler style (with sudden sections of sakuga art, such as when Aoi jumps from the tree with the handkerchief), I'm not sure it feels "faithful to the source" so much as "low budget" as an anime. But since I know the story is good, I'll be watching the entire thing regardless.
I didn't really notice the art changes, but then I've watched anime since the 90's and back then everything looked even worse... So a small decrease in quality wasn't something I noticed. xD
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@NakamiJun said in I Parry Everything, Dahlia in Bloom, & Vtuber Legend Anime:
There are people who just want to dress as women, drag queens for instance, but Makoto clearly wants things that society says are 'feminine' and not just to dress as a girl. It also feels like Makoto at least seems to want to identify as a woman... Which would make him pretty clearly trans. I just think Japan wasn't 'ready' to talk about that.
My take on his situation is that he's confused. We aren't hearing that he's trans because he doesn't know that yet. Given the environment that he's grown up in, with a mother who can't tolerate the idea that boys might like cute things and still be boys, some of what he's doing might be an overreaction to her restrictions. He likes cute stuff. His mother says only girls can like cute stuff. Thus he has to pretend to be a girl in order to like cute stuff.
On the other hand, his shopping trip with Ryuji and Aoi in this most recent episode showed that he really does enjoy acting as a girl. It also shows that he might just now be realizing that.
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@pcj Officially the series itself says Makoto is a 'cross dresser'... So it might be a bit the confusion of the series as much as it is Makoto. I just don't buy it after the shopping trip. The shopping trip is the first time he goes out in 'public' identifying as a girl and he enjoys that immensely.
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@NakamiJun I like how all of Tobias’ passive aggressive behavior was bunched up together. It made it more apparent how much of a jerk he is.
Following: Ascendance of a Bookworm, D-Genesis, Housecleaning Mage, Dahlia in Bloom, Rebuild World, Conqueror from a Dying Kingdom, TRPG
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@marcus_atticus to add to that we see that he was unable to Dahlia's comments on how well he applies his magic as the sincere praise it was
“There’s always a story. It’s all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything’s got a story in it. Change the story, change the world.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
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@Lily-Garden It really is a subtle way to introduce his insecurities. Tobias sees Dahliah as so talented that in his mind she looks to be condescending.
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Another episode of Vtuber Legend and I'm sold. This show is funny, but also a very smart analysis of "performative identity in the age of digital spectacle." I think reading Guy Debord's The Society of the Spectacle Or watching a summary on Youtube is very useful to understanding the show. Some clever details I'm noticing:
- The Vtubers/Voice Actors always appear as their Avatars, not in regular clothing.
- While recording the settings change from bedroom, to studio, to restaurant, to karaoke place; blurring the reality with the image in a virtual performance
- Awayuki is questioning her personal sense of value as a Vtuber. Is her drunken Shuwa-chan state more valuable than her pure state? Which state is closer to her authentic self? If her authentic self isn't what sells, is it valuable to be authentic?
- Is the mask of performance any less exploitative than the black company she previously worked for?
I thought Mashiro sounded very familiar. Sure enough, she is voiced by Misuno Saku, who also voiced Ryou Yamada in Bocchi the Rock!
Of everything this season, my two favorite shows are Dahlia in Bloom and Vtuber Legend. LN for the win! A few more shows that are thematically very strong are Days with my Stepsister (Very thoughtful, not very cringe, on the spectrum of stepsibling romances) and My Wife has no emotion (Ironic comedy shell with a creamy dark center).
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@Outinthegardener I found it impressive that they got the rights to the actual Getting Over It game rather than the serial numbers-filed-off version in the light novel
“There’s always a story. It’s all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything’s got a story in it. Change the story, change the world.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
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@Lily-Garden probably all they had to do was ask. It's the same kind of publicity they get by allowing corporate VTubers to play it on stream anyway. And their rights department may have seen the request and saw the word VTuber in there and glossed over the anime part ;-)
