The New General Mecha thread

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Raxivace: Sep 9, 2014

chiasaur11 posted:

Well, if we're talking good looking, I finally got around to "Do You Remember Love?", which means I have some proper non-plus Macross experience.

And yeah, this thing's a looker through and through. Great looking fights, and they don't skimp on the rest. Any rough with the film certainly doesn't come from the visuals, assuming you like the artstyle. Probably doesn't come from the sound either, assuming you don't mind Minmay's songs. The main problem from my end came from the writing.

To be clear, it was a good film. Most of the characters were a bit thin as presented, but the leads worked well enough, and the love triangle felt like a bunch of people struggling through an awkward situation rather than a bunch of assholes ruining each other's lives. (I've heard the show leans more in that direction, but I haven't seen enough to say anything on the subject with full confidence). The problem was the first act.

The film tossed us right in the middle of things, with a massive fight scene before we could even understand who was fighting, followed by a bunch of scenes that act like you should understand the character dynamics from the show, while changing up the dynamics enough that the show doesn't provide a good basis for making assumptions. It isn't until halfway in the film feels like it's solidly on its own feet.

And from that point on, it's standing pretty solid. The plot goes forward at a fast clip, but feels like it covers what it needs for the main plot (the love triangle) so the war plot's rush isn't too distracting, the Earth stuff is paced to let our leads get fleshed out without feeling too slow, and the final battle is really well done. I can see why people love this one.

I'm pretty sure DYRL does presume the audience is familiar with the original show. I'm guessing that's what the title is supposed to pun on anyways (Beyond just being the name of a song in the movie).

Raxivace fucked around with this message at 12:53 on Feb 15, 2020

# ? Feb 15, 2020 12:51

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# ? May 14, 2024 09:41

amigolupus: Aug 25, 2017

Having watched the original a while back, it's odd how they labeled it as a love triangle. Minmay always saw Hikaru as just a close friend right from the start. While Hikaru may have felt something for her, their line of work eventually created this huge distance between them. Hikaru eventually decided he's giving up on Minmay and hoped Kaifun takes care of her which is just UGH on a lot of levels. It's after that where Misa and Hikaru started getting close to each other. It was actually pretty organic too, with the two spending time talking, bonding and just sharing experiences with one another.

The final nail on the Minmay and Hikaru ship was during the Golg Boddole Zer battle, where Hikaru told Minmay how he felt as their final goodbye. Hikaru getting shot down during the battle was thematic, because as he fell down the Earth's atmosphere (to where Misa was), Minmay's voice on the radio eventually faded away. It seemed like a final choice to me.

The last act of Macross tried to play up the love triangle, by having Minmay miss Hikaru. It's hard to believe they'll get back together because Minmay and Hikaru still haven't interacted much by this point. There's also how Minmay's interest in Hikaru is probably tied to her being completely worn down and used as an idol, and Minmay's desire to go back to simpler times. Minmay going to live with Hikaru felt like someone asking a friend if they could stay with them so they could avoid their abusive boyfriend. Which Kaifun is, because that piece of poo poo is a textbook abuser.

As for the finale, Minmay puts Hikaru on the spot while the final battle is going on, asking him to come to a shelter with her and not to fight anymore. It might have worked on the old Hikaru, but after having been through a war and becoming a captain of his own squad, Hikaru gently let Minmay down and hopes he can hear her sing from the heart again. The ending's bittersweet, because while Minmay had her heart broken, it comes with the hope that she'll get better and learn to love herself. Hell, Hikaru and Misa even hears Minmay singing again in the distance so we know she'll be okay.

TL;DR: I'm not sure why folks would say the show's love triangle is about assholes ruining each other's lives, because it's really not.

# ? Feb 17, 2020 04:25

dogsicle: Oct 23, 2012

i don't think anyone is ruining lives, but the decision to re-emphasize the love triangle certainly ruined that part of the show

and it's still reasonably a triangle since hikaru nurses his weird feelings about minmay for the show as things are simultaneously pushing him towards misa

# ? Feb 17, 2020 04:29

Tribladeofchaos: Jul 2, 2008; IT'S SHOWTIME!

Kaifun was the worst part of Macross for me, just everything with him and Minmay was just UGH. I always did like Hikaru and Misa's relationship though.

# ? Feb 17, 2020 04:34

Gyra_Solune: Apr 24, 2014; Kyun kyun
Kyun kyun
Watashi no kare wa louse

egao no daika was one of the ten best anime of the 2010s that had giant robots in, and i doubt that we'll hear much about it ever again even with Hayamin doing a good job

# ? Feb 17, 2020 18:37

tsob: Sep 26, 2006; Chalalala~

amigolupus posted:

Hikaru eventually decided he's giving up on Minmay and hoped Kaifun takes care of her which is just UGH on a lot of levels.

It's also accurately teenager as hell.

dogsicle posted:

i don't think anyone is ruining lives, but the decision to re-emphasize the love triangle certainly ruined that part of the show

I'm almost certainly in the minority, but the post Space War I stuff is my favorite part of SDF Macross, and I really like the rest. I do think the melodrama between Hikaru, Misa and Minmei is the weakest element of it, but regardless of that I still love the fact the show depicted the aftermath of the conflict and basically had a 9 episode epilogue where everyone is trying, and in many cases failing, to move on from the big conclusion that was episode 27. Kamjin realizing he can't stand a peaceful life, and blaming culture for ruining the Zentradi, even as he subconsciously takes that culture on board in small ways (aping the cowboys in films for instance) is interesting, as is the stuff with Global, Misa etc. trying to track down Protoculture resources and kick off a diaspora to ensure humanity can never be endangered by a strike to a single point again.

# ? Feb 17, 2020 19:09

chiasaur11: Oct 22, 2012

Gyra_Solune posted:

egao no daika was one of the ten best anime of the 2010s that had giant robots in, and i doubt that we'll hear much about it ever again even with Hayamin doing a good job

136 DVDs sold per volume on average, and there was very little buzz for it, with mediocre reviews from most of the few people talking about the show. Yeah, it's not likely to have much direct impact.

As for top ten... hmn. I'd say this was probably a weaker decade for mecha anime than the 2000s, but I don't think it was "Egao no Daika makes the top ten" poor. Let's see, from the list of Mech Anime on MAL from the last decade, shows I've finished that I would confidently argue are better than what I've seen of Daika, allowing for the fact I haven't watched all of that show...

Obsolete
Promare
Gridman
Gundam the Origin
FLCL Progressive
Planet With
FMP Invisible Victory
Gundam Thunderbolt
Patlabor Reboot
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans
MAZINKAIZER SKL
Gundam Unicorn

There's also a lot I haven't finished that might qualify, but just from what I saw, and acknowledging that reasonable people may differ, I suppose my top ten for the decade would be...

10) FLCL Progressive. I'm not the only person who likes this one, I know, but there's days when it feels that way. As a sequel to FLCL, it comes up short. That was almost inevitable. Even the top tier late sequels like Diebuster get compared unfavorably to their predecessors, and this wasn't on par with Diebuster. The animation quality is variable, with a new style in every episode. The main character isn't very expressive. The sound mixing is outright terrible, the one area I will completely concede when a debate comes up. But under it all, I think it's a good show with some interesting beats. The animation is sometimes great, Hidomi's character arc is reflective of Naota's without being a mimic, and the show lands some good gags, like the first Aiko reveal. Not perfect, and not particularly mech-y, but it�s not that bad either.

9) Patlabor Reboot. I know it's cheating to include shorts like this, but it's a pretty fun little slice of Patlabor with a new cast. As a basic statement of intent for the upcoming Patlabor, it�s a quick watch that gives some good mech action.

8) Obsolete. Almost was turned away with the first episode, but I eventually kept going. Glad I did, because there�s a lot of interesting examination of how an outside context technology changes the world. The stuttery animation isn�t everyone�s taste, but the short runtime means a lot of ideas get covered fast, and the way the seemingly standalone stories build on each other makes for a nice extra layer to the whole thing.

7) Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory. CG mechs and losing Kyoani make for a big step down from the Second Raid, and the lack of school comedy for most of the run loses one of the more unique parts of Full Metal Panic, but the show, once it was done with the production disasters that come from being the last project from a dying studio, managed to bring back some of the fun of the older show combined with more grounded mech combat than some earlier fights, forcing Sousuke to be clever instead of just using his super moves and being done. Too bad it ends on a cliffhanger again.

6) Gundam the Origin. It�s not as good as the manga, and it ends just before the original starts while not quite fitting with it, but Char�s rise is still fun to watch. Dude�s an amazing scumbag, and the CG is decently integrated. Not many full on mech fights, but stuff like the Dawn Uprising helps make up for the lack.

5) Gundam Unicorn. What can I say that hasn�t been said? Amazing looking fights, interesting supporting cast, questionable politics, dull as dishwater main character. Unicorn�s the biggest (if not the best) thing to happen to the UC since the Red Comet, and it helped Gundam get through AGE without sustaining too much damage. It gets all Newtypey at times, but episode 4 alone justifies the show�s existence.

4) MAZINKAIZER SKL. Pure id in giant robot form, but without being TOO skeevy about it, SKL teaches us what many of us have suspected for years. Mazinger would be more fun with Ryoma and Hayato from Getter as the leads instead. SKL isn�t much for thinking, and it uses the time that saves to fit in more robot fights. And then it has the female lead be a competent, relatively fleshed out character just to make sure she won�t slow down the violence. Even if it didn�t have a robot motorbike horse, it�d be on this list.

3) Promare. Not as pure of id, but it tries harder. Promare and SKL were jousting for spots, but Shintani just gave this the edge as everything lit on fire. There�s not much to say about it as a film, but as a spectacle it�s hard to beat.

2) SSSS Gridman. Gridman, meanwhile, is where Trigger put the actual writing. There�s a lot going on in Gridman, with amnesia, being a sequel to the original Gridman and maybe also Luluco, building up a whole supporting cast in the background, and showing the awkwardness of relatively normal teens falling into the middle of a toku show, but at the core, it�s the story of Akane. It�s common in these things for the villain to be the most interesting characters, but this goes beyond to make the story about her without ignoring the consequences of her misdeeds. Add in fun fights and arcs like Anti�s, and this is definitely a contender for first.

1) Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans. Contender, because IBO is my pick for first place. I�ve written enough all over the internet about this show that I don�t want to be too redundant here, but despite its flaws, it�s one of my all time favorites.

So, yeah. Looking back, it wasn't such a bad decade for giant robots, especially considering all the shows I didn't see. And with a Gridman sequel in the works and the visionary young director Midori Asakusa working on a new mech anime project right now, maybe this decade will be even better.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 10:25

GorfZaplen: Jan 20, 2012

Where's Star Driver on that list

# ? Feb 18, 2020 17:26

dogsicle: Oct 23, 2012

i watched all of price of smiles out of morbid curiosity and it was a thoroughly middling show in about every sense

but i wouldn't mind seeing why it stood out to anyone who felt it was more than that

# ? Feb 18, 2020 17:49

bacon flaps: Mar 1, 2005; every day im hustlin

GorfZaplen posted:

Where's Star Driver on that list

S rank show above a mere top ten list

# ? Feb 18, 2020 18:30

Droyer: Oct 9, 2012

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Concrete Revolutio was the best show, and therefore also best mecha show, of the decade.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 18:51

GimmickMan: Dec 27, 2011

I don't have Star Driver in my top 10 of this decade.

Because it's from the last one.

_{_{The calendar starts at year 1, not year 0, so every decade goes up to the year 0 of the next one. The 00's didn't technically end until 2011, and Star Driver is from 2010.}}
:goonsay:

# ? Feb 18, 2020 18:57

Raxivace: Sep 9, 2014

IMO the first decade of the calendar was only 9 years long.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 19:25

GorfZaplen: Jan 20, 2012

GimmickMan posted:

I don't have Star Driver in my top 10 of this decade.

Because it's from the last one.

_{_{The calendar starts at year 1, not year 0, so every decade goes up to the year 0 of the next one. The 00's didn't technically end until 2011, and Star Driver is from 2010.}}

Then it's too early to declare mecha show of the decade.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 23:22

chiasaur11: Oct 22, 2012

GorfZaplen posted:

Where's Star Driver on that list

On the ever important "I still haven't gotten around to watching it" list, along with Concrete Revolutio.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 23:28

Droyer: Oct 9, 2012

ConRevo has this:

https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/305b3e3e7e837af0e4024417decf68df.mp4

# ? Feb 18, 2020 23:32

tsob: Sep 26, 2006; Chalalala~

That's a real pretty art style, especially the backgrounds. Is the whole show like that? Or just the stock footage?

# ? Feb 18, 2020 23:44

Droyer: Oct 9, 2012

tsob posted:

That's a real pretty art style, especially the backgrounds. Is the whole show like that? Or just the stock footage?

The whole show looks like that, unless you mean the abstract particle background during the transformation. Also this isn't stock footage, the show doesn't really do stock footage, this transformation only looks like this once.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 23:50

tsob: Sep 26, 2006; Chalalala~

I meant more the clean lines and pastel colors, the kirby dots making up the shading during a few frames of the transformation and the lack of black borders on a lot of the background elements.

# ? Feb 18, 2020 23:54

Droyer: Oct 9, 2012

Yeah it always looks like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOBuvVWEJUo

# ? Feb 19, 2020 00:22

tsob: Sep 26, 2006; Chalalala~

I've been meaning to get around to watching the show for ages, but this might be the nudge I need. Thanks.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 00:28

Darth Walrus: Feb 13, 2012

My one big beef with Concrete Revolutio was that I felt like I needed a much better grasp of 60s/70s Japanese history and pop culture in order to fully get it. It's anime Watchmen, with all that entails.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 00:33

chiasaur11: Oct 22, 2012

Darth Walrus posted:

My one big beef with Concrete Revolutio was that I felt like I needed a much better grasp of 60s/70s Japanese history and pop culture in order to fully get it. It's anime Watchmen, with all that entails.

From what I've seen, I'd say it seems at least as much Anime Planetary, honestly.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 00:43

a kitten: Aug 5, 2006

Planetary might be closer yeah, but really it's its own thing and is super good.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 00:48

gimme the GOD DAMN candy: Jul 1, 2007

i was thankful for the thread here where people explained all the historical references. i wasn't familiar with any of that stuff.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 10:11

BurningChrome: Jan 18, 2020; They said she cooked her own cancers for people who crossed her, rococo custom variations that took years to kill you. They said a lot of things about Chrome, none of them at all reassuring.

Just watched 0080 and 08th MS team for old times sake. It holds up still, though I definitely preferred 0080. Currently on Wing for nostalgia's sake and its providing me with alot of laughs and entertainment.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 16:12

Anonymous Robot: Jun 1, 2007; Lost his leg in Robo War I

0080 is extremely good, and every time I think about it I unfortunately can�t help but get frustrated by the way that the epilogue scene cheapens the drama and makes Bernie into a selfish oaf.

# ? Feb 19, 2020 16:38

Gripweed: Nov 8, 2018; ASK ME ABOUT MY
UNITED STATES MARINES
FUNKO POPS COLLECTION

Feeling a bit called out right now

# ? Feb 24, 2020 12:42

Gripweed: Nov 8, 2018; ASK ME ABOUT MY
UNITED STATES MARINES
FUNKO POPS COLLECTION

https://twitter.com/GKIDSfilms/status/1235686527746752512?s=20

# ? Mar 6, 2020 13:36

Kingtheninja: Jul 29, 2004; "You're the best looking guy here."

Whoa what is that? Looks awesome.

# ? Mar 6, 2020 14:42

StrixNebulosa: Feb 14, 2012; You cheated not only the game, but yourself.
But most of all, you cheated BABA

Kingtheninja posted:

Whoa what is that? Looks awesome.

Promare is a movie animated by TRIGGER, you should watch it! It's about fire-fighting.

# ? Mar 6, 2020 14:46

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

Kingtheninja posted:

Whoa what is that? Looks awesome.

It�s the Battle of Teppelin and Rossiu�s Ark plots from Gurren Lagann animated by the Kill la Kill studio.

# ? Mar 6, 2020 19:51

dogsicle: Oct 23, 2012

it was an ok movie

# ? Mar 6, 2020 20:56

ninjewtsu: Oct 9, 2012

As an audio visual experience it was really good but the writing was mostly just serviceable. I liked it but I'm in no hurry to see it again

# ? Mar 7, 2020 00:34

Ranzear: Jul 25, 2013

It's 111 minutes of Imaishi sequences interspersed with Gurren Lagann and Kill La Kill references. You'll know if that's your jam.

Though if the word 'himbo' means anything to you, there's that too.

# ? Mar 7, 2020 07:41

hostess with the Moltres: May 15, 2013

So I�ve started watching Dougram after having only watched the first Gundam compilation movie. I�m enjoying it so far (I�m on episode 7) but the 75 episode length is very daunting. It�s also pretty slow paced but I think it uses that to its benefit so far. The mechs are nice and chunky and really feel like giant vehicles rather than agile humanoids. I can see how much fun his show took from gundam. Weve been getting a lot of how things look from earth side so I want to see more of the Deloyer perspective.

Crinn is stoked to be a soldier on the front lines even though he panics and freaks out when getting shot at and abandons his post to save his dad making him a bad soldier in comparison to Amuro, which is interesting. I want to see how he becomes the loinclothed guerilla fighter we see in the op and eyecatches.

# ? Mar 10, 2020 17:19

gourdcaptain: Nov 16, 2012

I'm pretty close to the end of Dougram right now (finished episode 68 last night) and it's been a great ride, so I'm not going to say much other than I'm still not entirely sure how the first episode slots into the show's continuity. I'm going to have to go back and check after I'm done. This show is the closest I've gotten to filling my classic Legend of Galactic Heroes fix for a while.

I'm kind of amazed the final main villain is treacherous moderates. That, and Lecoque sweatily failing to kill an comatose old man on life support for a good half a minute is inadvertently funny as hell.

# ? Mar 10, 2020 19:13

GorfZaplen: Jan 20, 2012

gourdcaptain posted:

I'm pretty close to the end of Dougram right now (finished episode 68 last night) and it's been a great ride, so I'm not going to say much other than I'm still not entirely sure how the first episode slots into the show's continuity. I'm going to have to go back and check after I'm done. This show is the closest I've gotten to filling my classic Legend of Galactic Heroes fix for a while.

I'm kind of amazed the final main villain is treacherous moderates. That, and Lecoque sweatily failing to kill an comatose old man on life support for a good half a minute is inadvertently funny as hell.

Don't try to make sense of the continuity of the first ep, it will drive you mad

# ? Mar 11, 2020 02:08

GorfZaplen: Jan 20, 2012

IT'S HAPPENING

# ? Mar 11, 2020 03:51

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# ? May 14, 2024 09:41

StrixNebulosa: Feb 14, 2012; You cheated not only the game, but yourself.
But most of all, you cheated BABA

god i love gasaraki

there's at least one incredibly badass and unconventional fight sequence coming up in the last half of the show that I hope you enjoy

# ? Mar 11, 2020 11:46

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > VEGETA > The New General Mecha thread

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