They're not really complaints, just observations, I guess I might've given that impression, but you have to admit that the PV really didn't show much beyond "look at how hot these guys are". I just think sometimes anime (and in fairness, almost every other form of entertainment) becomes too concerned about marketing the character designs rather than the product as a whole, and that leads to the creation of a lot of shows created specifically to show these off rather than an earnest creation of a show. At the risk of sounding snobbish, it makes it feel more like a product and less like a work of art. (That is, are they making a show about swimmers so we have characters with their shirt off, or are we saying "let's create a show with a bunch of topless men" and come to the natural conclusion that it should be about swimming?)

At the same time, I don't really care if people enjoy these things/aspects or not, but I'll call a spade a spade.

I wasn't really trying to imply that this particular show necessarily is one of those products, because obviously I haven't seen it yet, or even that I dislike these aspects being in a show, but the way that PV is edited is obviously only marketing how attractive those men are.

I can't even tell what the show is about (I'm guessing swimming). To me it just looks like typical pandering, just in reverse. Guys with perfect faces and chiseled bodies finding excuses to take their shirts off every episode. Fujoshi will love it.

I've never understood the appeal of sports anime myself. I watched a couple episode of Slam Dunk when I was a lot younger but I was never crazy about it.

I've never actually watched Madoka Magica (too much uguuu for me, usually that turns me off a show), but I've heard pretty much everything about the show and it sounds to me like it's one of those shows that's only really impressive if you were there alongside other people watching it (or you have friends that are smart enough to know that they should ask you to watch it without reading a single thing about it). It took what's usually a whimsical concept/world/art and played with the audience's expectations. If you don't go into the show blind it's otherwise a well-planned out and well-made show and there's not really a shortage of such shows if you watch more than one genre.

I think I recall doing something like that when I was a kid since you'd take a look at weird NPC placement like that and just assume there was some kind of easter egg/secret to it. I guess it makes sense lots of people didn't know about it, though.

That BoF2 door thing is just wtf though, can't imagine how anyone would figure that one out.

In my defense I'm also critical of Japan's xenophobia (Pretty much anybody who has lived in Japan can attest to this attitude still being present). I guess I just tend to hold at least the United States to a higher standard than that for obvious reasons, not to mention Hollywood is basically in the middle of the US Asianland. Asian people are still a pretty small minority in the US but I somehow doubt you'd be as hard-pressed to find one as opposed to finding a white or black person in Japan.

It's true that I would definitely prefer a decent actor above just casting an Asian for Asian's sake, but it's not like that's what usually happens. I somehow doubt Justin Chatwin was cast as Goku or Kristen Kreuk was cast as Chun-Li because they were just so perfect for the roles (I was actually a bit more accepting of the kid they got to play Aang because he was the appropriate age and knew martial arts, though they kinda screwed that over by not getting appropriate people to play Katara/Sokka/Zuko). If you wanted to find a good Asian actor there's plenty to choose from. I don't think it has anything to do with not being able to find an actor- but I also don't think it has anything to do with "racism" most of the time, as in the casting director just doesn't like Asians or whatever, but rather that studios arn't willing to take risks and they prefer to have their lead be a straight white American male (Basically making it come down to $$$ as with most things). I think someone once said if a show ended up being a hit and happened to have an Asian in the lead role it'll probably happen a lot more often, which is why it annoys me when they don't cast Asian lead actors when it would've otherwise been appropriate.

Bringing it back to Monster specifically, I feel that Tenma's cultural background plays pretty heavily in how he's characterized as well (not to mention the several times in the story the only reason it made sense for people to find him was because he is "that asian doctor").

I can't think of a better manga to adapt to live-action, although they'd probably have to tone down the way story is told because Japanese people tend to like theatrical presentations, which usually don't work as well if the show is supposed to be set in the present day.

The only thing that's nagging the back of my head is that I bet this is going to be another case of them doing something like changing the main character's name to Ken Tinman so they can cast a big name (or not even that, actually) white actor instead of a Japanese guy. Then Asians make a fuss about it within their own circle of organizations, newpapers and cable channels nobody cares about and a bunch of people talk about how apparently that's not important.

Sorry if bringing that up makes anyone uncomfortable, it's just something that always bothers me whenever the west decides to "adapt" stories.

I've began watching Return of the Condor Heroes (2006). Up to episode 7, and I think this show is fucking horrible so far. I've seen some other Jin Yong adaptations before- I've watched Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003) and Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1997 and 2003) and I liked all of them. This show, however, is just horribly done because it makes no attempt to let you know who any of the people you are watching are and what in the hell is going on.

The directing and pacing are all over the place and the way the show is edited just gives me a headache. It also really knocks you out of the show when they start blaring music from The Dark Knight during serious moments. I get that Chinese shows have done this before, but it's pretty distracting that they took music from a movie that was not only recent, but also very popular, not to mention they chose the most recognizable song from the series (Molossus).

Add on top of that they chose a really awful actor to portray Yang Guo as both a child and an adult. I get that he's supposed to be a bit annoying given his backstory, but the actor for him is just awful. I have previously seen Huang Xiaoming in Da Han Tian Zi and I liked him there, but he's terrible at playing a manchild character in a way that doesn't make me want to turn the show off.

I really want to give this story more of a chance because more people seem to like The Return of the Condor Heroes as opposed to the prequel, but so far this is a really bad adaptation.

I sat down and watched all 6 current Unicorn episodes in one sitting. Haven't enjoyed myself with a Gundam show this much for a while. Can't believe it's gonna be like half a year still before the next episode comes.

As far the actual story it's really nothing special, but the direction, the music, the animation- everything else just comes together perfectly, IMO. Of course, that might just be me recoiling from how bad Gundam AGE was, and it's a bit unfair to compare an OVA to a TV series.

Go Nagai type super robots that know what they are bring a smile to my face if I'm in the right mood.

An important ingredient for me is ridiculous facial expressions.

are you saying you dont trust this hunk of a man to defend you and your city from the evils of humanity

I didn't like the touch pad gimmicks in the last few handheld games so I hope this installment means there will keep that stuff to a minimum.

Kinda of a necrobump, but I'm planning on checking the game out on the free weekend they holding assuming my computer can even run it (sucks that there's no benchmark or anything...). Is there anyone around here still playing it?

Finished Serial Experiments Lain. Can't say I liked it very much, even as an "artsy" show. I just didn't get much out of it.

Probably gonna start watching Gundam Unicorn. Dunno why I postponed watching it so long given I've bothered to watch every other major Gundam work. Probably because it takes them like 6 months between each episode...only have to wait for one more now, though.

If Froakie ends up being Water/Fighting you're all obligated to call it Battletoad