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12-08-2023, 09:09 AM | #821 |
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Quote:
By the way, I noticed that in Japanese children's films the action very often takes place in the past, and sometimes quite distant. It seems that the directors/screenwriters feel more confident in the nostalgic scenery of their own childhood or are simply afraid of embarrassing themselves in style:
Just like Godzilla!
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12-08-2023, 11:47 AM | #822 |
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Episode 2: Under Current ERUPTING, BURNING FINGER! This episode's' heart was in the right place, though the plot was definitely a bit contrived, and it did some tropes that tend to annoy me a little. The general premise is that the local military science team assigned to investigate the Kaiju decide to hook the kids up with communicators. The Kaiju tend to prey on children, and as survivors, the four main kids would likely be hunted again. Which also somewhat begs the question: Did the other three bullies who hung out with Brody get eaten off screen? Like, sure, they're not main characters, but they were also involved in that initial Kaiju attack, so like... where are they? Anyway, Brody then gets the absolutely not at all stupid idea to try and hunt the Kaiju with the other kids in tow. And I guess because kids are stupid Boco and Junichi are all for the idea. Joe, meanwhile, is against it every step of the way. And unfortunately, the show seems to portray him as the one ultimately in the wrong. This annoyed me. "The complainer is always wrong" is a trope that is almost never done well in my experience. Every time, Joe brings up very valid points. Such as: "Hey, we're only the kids. The hell are we supposed to do against a Kaiju? We'd get eaten immediately." But I guess that's not solid enough logic for anyone involved. Granted, the episode does throw him at bit of a bone at the end with the drama between Brody and his father, but even so. There's also some background drama with the military that serves as the B plot, and whle not perfect, I felt it was handled rather decently. The Commander(Brody's' father) being portrayed as a guy who's rough and stubborn, but ultimately well meaning was actually a pretty refreshing sight to see, given how often the "unreasonably authority figure" character archetype is in media. The two lead scientists were also likable in their own way, even if they don't exactly have many layers as of yet. But of course the main highlight(for me anyway) is right in the tagline of the show: Gamera vs Kaiju. Seeing Gamera totally brutalize the enemy Kaiju is once again a total delight, only elevated by him performing Burning Finger from G-Gundam as his finishing attack. And after seeing Ultraman Nexus, I did appreciate the actual explanation we got as to why the military doesn't trust Gamera initially. Just like the first episode, this one is just overall fine. A decent time killer if nothing else.
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12-09-2023, 10:32 AM | #823 |
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Location: Michigan
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Episode 3: Run Silent, Run Deep Junichi takes center stage this episode, as such we get more development of her character. Yes, Junichi is a girl, apparently. And with that revelation, I gotta say, it really feels to me like Gamera Rebirth was a show that got written like 15 years ago and only just put into production in recent times. Not that that's an inherently bad thing, mind you. But it definitely does explain alot of the cliches that the show unapologetically uses. Still, for what it is, it's a nice little bit of character focus. Showing how Junichi became friends with Boco and Joe, as well as showcasing her own fears of being too different from her friends and thus unable to form a strong bond with them. It's the sort of thing many can relate to, I'd think. Junichi isn't the only one with a bit of development though. We get a bit more background on the two lead scientists, and there's also some foreshadowing going on with Boco, suggesting that he's somehow directly tied to the Kaiju. And in terms of the plot, we're introduced to these strange crystals that Kaiju leave behind when they die. The majority of the episode taking place both on and underwater also made for a rather unique set piece in terms of both the character interactions as well as the big fight between Gamera and Sigra. This also marks the first time that the humans are able to make a lasting impact on the enemy Kaiju rather than leaving the entire thing to Gamera. While not the most heart pumping of bouts, it was definitely a nice change of pace. Overall, it's a rather nice package. Not incredibly stellar, but a nice time even so.
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12-10-2023, 02:21 PM | #824 |
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Location: Michigan
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Episode 4: KILL How fitting that an episode about a split in the group features a Kaiju that has a sword for a head. Speaking of which, I think I used to have a toy of that Kaiju as a kid. Anyway... While a few characterization aspects are a bit jumbled, the episode overall executes its idea fairly well, with everyone in the group having differences of opinion and some more backstory for the cast revealed. The premise being that as the Eustace Foundation continues to do more and more suspicious things, everyone in the main six debates as to whether or not to trust that the Foundation means well, or to say "screw this" and abandon the Kaiju research project altogether. That's all well and good, but where things are a bit messy in terms of the writing are the finer details on the characterization of some characters. For example, when Boco is opening up to Brody about he Boco has been getting bullied for most of his life, Brody shows some empathy as if Brody himself weren't an established bully for a third of this show's' run time. I also didn't like how Emiko and Boco call James and Joe cowards about their decisions to get the hell out of dodge when both frankly have some very good reasoning as to why they'd wanna distance themselves from this entire ordeal as much as possible. Heck, this is hammered in when, frankly, Joe is basically proven right once the Kaiju attacks and Gamera nearly loses. And that's ontop of the Foundation heads dodging simple questions from James. Still, the episode's' heart is in the right place, and as a transition into the overall climax of the story, it works pretty well. Learning how exactly Boco and Joe became friends what exactly Joe has to deal with on a day to day basis was nice too. Joe's' home life is an unfortunate reality that some kids have to face, even today. Though that, plus the extensive swearing does make me wonder who exactly the target audience for this show is. Because until now it seems as though Rebirth was aimed at kids, but now I don't know. Either way, I was entertained, and the scene at the end has me very interested in where exactly this overall plot is headed.
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12-11-2023, 01:22 PM | #825 |
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Episode 5: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Despite pulling a really dumb twist at the start, I rather liked this episode. I meant it when I said it felt as if Gamera Rebirth was written a decade and a half ago. Because plot twist: Emiko is evil despite no foreshadowing at all! But that aside, the episode overall commands a very heavy atmosphere without ever breaking it in any sort of stupid way. And the sacrifice that both Joe and Gamera do at the end is genuinely heartfelt. Sure, there's the cliches that other popular anime figures like Char Aznable helped pioneer all throughout the plot of this one, but I do really have to give the episode props for doing it best to play those tropes for all that they're worth, rather than being at all pretentious about them like we'd see in modern stories. It's straightforward, it's simple, but it never once does anything to disturb the flow that it's trying to create. And that is something I greatly appreciate.
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12-12-2023, 01:13 AM | #826 |
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Episode 6: Childhood's End Gotta admit, James being Steve Jobs was not something I saw coming. Regardless, the final episode is an overall bittersweet ending to a show that, at its core, is about growing up. And Kaiju fights. Is it breaking any sort of new ground in doing that? No. But what it does do it does very well. The final battle being between a weakened Gamera and a superpowered Gyaos made for a very interesting sequence. Ontop of that is the well done oppressive and downtrodden atmosphere throughout the majority of the episode, which is further elevated by some wonderful acting on the part of the entire cast. Ryan Bartley especially kills it as Boco; Doing a great job portraying just how broken the kid is by now. It's thankfully not entirely bleak though. In the end the day is saved in its entirety, and the mid-credits sequence serves as not only a sequel hook, but also a glimmer of hope containing some things thought lost throughout the span of the adventure. And hey, should Gamera Rebirth ever get a second season, I'll say upfront that I'd have no problem watching it. The entire experience might not be anything mind blowingly subversive, but it's presented entirely in earnest, and that made me respect it all the more. I won't say it's a perfect ending, but I am for sure satisfied with it, and enjoyed it all the same. Good stuff.
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12-12-2023, 07:26 PM | #827 |
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FINAL THOUGHTS ON GAMERA REBIRTH Gamera Rebirth has the same director as the Netflix Godzilla Trilogy. And sure, that might come as a cause for concern given how poorly received that trilogy was overall, but I'm here to say that this show was a vast improvement. Don't get me wrong, the show is by no means perfect. The animation on the humans is incredibly jank, some plot points come out of nowhere, and a specific twist is very eyeroll inducing. But at its core, Rebirth has something that more and more shows, especially those reviving a previous franchise, seem to lack more and more of: Heart. This "Netflix Original" does its best to pay ode to the very reason that it's able to be made in the first place, and goes all in on the story it wants to tell. Yeah, the script might feel like the sort of cliche ridden story you'd find 15 years ago, but never once does any of it comes across as bored, or demeaning, or trying too hard to come across as smart. What it promises is a coming of age story featuring Gamera fighting against five different Kaiju, and that's exactly what it is. No more, no less. And damnit, I absolutely respect that. My biggest fear throughout the entire time I was watching the show was that it'd start making incredibly inappropriately timed jokes out of nowhere, or start winking at the audience about how stupid its own story is, or pull some really out of nowhere twist in an attempt to be smart. But no, the entire thing is presented entirely in earnest, with the voice cast even doing their best to deliver what they're given. All this is of course bolstered by a very memorable score alongside some very fun Kaiju action, while never once dropping the melancholy atmosphere that the show continuously aims for as it goes on. Even when a seed of hope is planted at the very end of the show, it feels genuinely earned, rather than simply coming out of nowhere just for the sake of a happy ending out of something akin to Blassreiter or Godzilla Minus One. It doesn't talk down to or preach to its audience. It simply presents a case for why many people got into giant monster movies, and by extension, Gamera, in the first place. Is it anything life changing or incredibly spectacular? No. But it does show that Gamera is a friend to all children. And now that those kids are older, he, and by extension the franchise, will continue to be their friend as long as they're around. I give Gamera Rebirth a 4/6.
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12-22-2023, 02:03 PM | #828 |
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What do you all think? Should I add this to the list?
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12-22-2023, 02:53 PM | #829 |
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01-30-2024, 09:50 PM | #830 |
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Hirogaru Sky! Pretty Cure Now this... this is more of what I wanted out of Heart Catch. That's not to say it's a one to one comparison, mind you. What I more mean is, this show has alot of what made HC good while adding more things I prefer. Sure, the fights aren't as good, but nearly every episode is focused on the journey, interactions, and development of our main cast. There's never a moment where things feel like they've ground to a halt. Well, mostly. I'll get to that. And given how long ago Heartcatch came out, whereas Hirogaru Sky is the most recent entry, it really does feel like "old + new" was the entire focus here, especially given that this season celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Pretty Cure franchise as a whole. While Hirogaru retains alot of the more simplistic elements that I've grown to appreciate the franchise for, it also does alot of firsts and adds its own spin on things to keep it fresh. For example, while it is an anniversary season, it celebrates the Precure legacy in a way different than what Hug did: Mainly in doing small references and callbacks rather than direct tributes. This can also be seen immediately with our cast and how it's handled right away. The first Blue Cure as the lead character. The first (legally) adult Cure who's a part of the main team. The first White Cure who can transform on her own. The first direct successor to a Legendary Cure. And last but arguably most importantly: The very first Male Precure who's a part of the main team in Tsubasa, also known as Cure Wing. And that last bit can be a bit of sticking point, I've noticed. While most of the reception surrounding Tsubasa has been positive(atleast from what I've seen), I have read a few comments scattered about expressing some disappointment. Don't get me wrong, I disagree mostly, but many comments do have a few valid points. They mainly express disappointment in how Tsubasa moreso fills the "Fairy Cure" archetype via him being a bird rather than a fully human boy, as well as him not expressing many typically masculine features(both physical and mental), which would in turn help spread acceptance for "typical" guys liking more feminine things. I'll admit, I do get where they're coming from, especially given how Hugtto had Henri who openly expressed acceptance for feminine men. But I do still think there's value in Tsubasa not only existing on the team, but the way in which he is portrayed. Basically, HS tries to focus alot more on showing rather than telling, and what they're trying to do with Tsubasa is normalize boys and girls being friends and sharing common interests. "Feminine" hobbies included, such as babysitting. Would I like to see other Boy Cures of various different personality types featured as the franchise goes on? Of course I would, but I feel as though Tsubasa is just another step in the right direction, with Henri having been the first. "Normalization" is the name of the game here, and another way in which that's showcased is with my personal favorite character of the group: Ageha, the first legally adult Cure in a main team as well as the first Pink Cure who isn't the leader of the pack. And the way she's normalized is in her backstory about how her parents got divorced, which, for those not in the know, is seen as a major disgrace over in Japan. It's never talked about in length, nor is the audience ever sat down for a preaching session. The show merely shows how good of a person Ageha is, and that she has nothing to be ashamed of. Sky isn't all rainbows though, unfortunately. The lead villain is rather weak in terms of characterization and character motivation, there's a few weak episodes here and there, and as much credit as give Tsubasa as a talking point for representation, he's also the one who I feel has the weakest character arc overall. There's also alot of plot and setting elements that are only really relevant for a few episodes before getting dropped entirely. Granted, the focus is entirely on the characters rather than any sort of plot, but still, some rather interested stuff ends up getting lost along the way as a result. But at the end of it all, Hirogaru Sky is still a wonderful addition to the Precure franchise, and even has the distinct honor of having my favorite Pretty Cure movie in All-Stars F, which was full of wonderful character interactions and development. And really, that's what I'm here for. While it's not my new favorite season(that's still Hugtto!) Hirogaru Sky Pretty Cure is still a really great time overall, and I'd highly recommend it for newcomers and veterans alike. I give this season of Pretty Cure a very high 5/6.
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