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It's good, and I like the show when it's willing to explore the situation that its world brings up, but I actually almost wish the show was just a lighthearted slice of life historical comedy with sex jokes more than anything. It's building up a tension that promises only tragedy when it finally gets released.
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Feb 15, 2015 18:00
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| # ? Apr 30, 2024 01:48 |
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Everybody deserves happiness and to live together in harmony.
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Feb 15, 2015 18:02
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lol at the one shot in the battle scene where they animated the dudes like paper cutouts hopping up and down
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Feb 15, 2015 18:12
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The bishop going absolutely bonkers when he heard Maria was a virgin was my favorite part of the episode.
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Feb 15, 2015 18:24
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Production values fluctuated somewhat this time, but I'm enjoying the nice storyboarding and the general build-up of tension in the midst of seemingly lighthearted situations. I like how everything is starting to come together, even the Galfa sub-plot that was the focus of the previous episode. Character development is a good thing. It was certainly amusing to see Bernard completely lose it for a moment. I guess characters voiced by Takahiro Sakurai always seem to get one of those scenes.
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Feb 15, 2015 19:19
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So much for taking Bernard seriously I guess. Forest god seemed to deliberately conceal himself from Michael, but looked like it was about to contact the doubting Ezekiel. I wonder if the pagan deities are in direct conflict with heaven.
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Feb 15, 2015 21:30
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In today's episode of Maria: Incredibly bad poo poo happens, to everybody.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:14
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I think this is my favorite show this season, now.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:22
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In the comic the person Viv was referring to was specifically Jesus Christ, but they obfuscated it here.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:30
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This is actually shaping up to be a really good show.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:34
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Yo that music track by the riverside too.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:35
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I wonder if Galfa really does have Moorish blood, and thats why he got so pissed off, or if the dude was just throwing the insult around.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:42
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Well, that escalated quickly.  I continue to be amazed that Anne's dad isn't dead yet, though.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:47
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Darth Walrus posted:Well, that escalated quickly. Nah, Grandma is though.
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Feb 22, 2015 19:56
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I figured Ezekiel getting the Grandmother's medicine last episode was probably going to have bad consequences. Were all those shots of flags supposed to be there or were they censorship because they were certainly obtrusive.
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Feb 22, 2015 20:51
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Sakurazuka posted:I figured Ezekiel getting the Grandmother's medicine last episode was probably going to have bad consequences. I think they were having budget/production issues. Those looked like 'insert animation here' flags.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:02
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Yeah, the first thing that popped into my head was that episode of Attack on Titan.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:04
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Sakurazuka posted:Yeah, the first thing that popped into my head was that episode of Attack on Titan. Me, I thought about the 'little girl with giant hammer' episode of Akuma no Riddle. Then I thought of Episode 11 of Wizard Barristers, then I realised I was being mean and unfair to a good show and terminated that line of thought.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:07
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The fullscreen flag shots break up the scene in a way similar to black frames before a dramatic action or movement, and if you wanna go into the symbolism aspect of things it serves a purpose there too. Really the only odd shots were the repetition of arrows firing from the trees and the one where the dudes disappear after being hit by cannon shot. The character animation was all solid this episode. People got budget on the mind nowadays, I guess.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:10
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Sharkopath posted:The fullscreen flag shots break up the scene in a way similar to black frames before a dramatic action or movement, and if you wanna go into the symbolism aspect of things it serves a purpose there too. Really the only odd shots were the repetition of arrows firing from the trees and the one where the dudes disappear after being hit by cannon shot. The character animation was all solid this episode. The way the audio kept going during them definitely suggested 'insert animation here' shenanigans - normally, stylistic black screen either quiets the audio or uses musical stings or the like. It sounded like there were moments of action there that we weren't getting.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:12
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Darth Walrus posted:The way the audio kept going during them definitely suggested 'insert animation here' shenanigans. It sounded like there were moments of action there that we weren't getting. It's a super common shot in film. Cut away from the action to highlight some symbol or character or object elsewhere while the audio can still be heard. I'd be surprised if you've never seen it before.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:13
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Sharkopath posted:It's a super common shot in film. Cut away from the action to highlight some symbol elsewhere while the audio can still be heard. I'd be surprised if you've never seen it before. I've seen it lots of times, sure, but there's usually some little audio cue to show us that it's self-contained or represents a transition point. This just didn't feel intentional.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:16
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If it was intentional it was very badly done, there were a couple of times where they cut to the shot of a flag for a couple of seconds while the dialogue was still going then straight back to the exact same scene.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:17
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Sakurazuka posted:If it was intentional it was very badly done, there were a couple of times where they cut to the shot of a flag for a couple of seconds while the dialogue was still going then straight back to the exact same scene. Yah I won't disagree with that, I think the entire segment is really strong though, and highlights how badly everything went down.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:18
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It's a really good episode.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:19
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It came off as disjointed and chaotic, which I think helped the feel of the battle. I do think it was probably done to ease the animation budget though.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:21
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There Bias Two posted:It came off as disjointed and chaotic, which I think helped the feel of the battle. I do think it was probably done to ease the animation budget though. It was probably an intentional choice made to illustrate that, like a bunch of different actions by different factions happening all over the place all at once, the jump cuts to flags and other characters reactions being anchor points. They animated plenty of the battle and what went on that it's not like missing the merc dude stab another dude with his poleaxe is an egregious omission. It just seems more like something that was planned from the beginning than a sudden quickfix to handle a major production problem.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:26
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Personally, I'd call that serving a dual purpose: half-stylistic, half-out of necessity. I wouldn't be too surprised if a couple of those flag interruptions do end up being replaced with additional animation for the physical release, but perhaps not all of them will receive such treatment. Either way, I was quite satisfied with the content and execution of the episode. Michael sure isn't fooling around and Maria got the message, even if she's still stubborn about her beliefs. The battle was visibly brutal and the emotional moments after the fact felt pretty genuine to me. That ending scene is definitely bittersweet though. Things are getting complicated around Galfa. I don't hate the guy, but he's sure making some sudden decisions. I suppose it's rash yet in-character for him.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:32
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They didn't, for instance, actually cover any unseen animation with the shot of the flag as you hear the captain turn his back on Galfa. He's mid walk cycle when it cuts back with galfa. It was just a scene transition to get him from one position to the next.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:32
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All the effort of that episode went into the battles; the character development suffered, and has been suffering the past few episodes. I'm tired of Maria's one-note whining about war and fighting, Ezekiel's cognitive dissonance, the other witches caring while not caring, and Jonathan doing whatever the hell he's doing. Most character motivations and/or follow up actions make little sense, and I have low patience for hypocritical warrior pacifist characters and this show grinds them into the content in a particularly annoying way. There's a good premise to this show, but I feel like it's being put together in a sub-par way, like it's being poorly directed or being stretched thin for whatever reason.
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Feb 23, 2015 00:22
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AnacondaHL posted:All the effort of that episode went into the battles; the character development suffered, and has been suffering the past few episodes. I'm tired of Maria's one-note whining about war and fighting, Ezekiel's cognitive dissonance, the other witches caring while not caring, and Jonathan doing whatever the hell he's doing. Most character motivations and/or follow up actions make little sense, and I have low patience for hypocritical warrior pacifist characters and this show grinds them into the content in a particularly annoying way. I disagree.
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Feb 23, 2015 02:20
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I can't wait to see where they're going with Galfa. Dude's the most compelling character in the show right now and he's gonna have some tough choices up ahead which should be a great watch; dude is hella impulsive.
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Feb 23, 2015 02:42
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Srice posted:I can't wait to see where they're going with Galfa. Dude's the most compelling character in the show right now and he's gonna have some tough choices up ahead which should be a great watch; dude is hella impulsive. Cannon arm 
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Feb 23, 2015 02:47
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Well...they didn't go "full cannon" with it, which would have been too elaborate for the setting, but I liked that they did give a new arm to Galfa. Lots of doubting and scheming going on in the latest episode. Bernard is simultaneously (and opportunistically) presenting the Church as a reasonable alternative to Maria, on paper, while also organizing a more dishonorable attack on the side. Galfa might be a rascal and a killer, but I think he's not going to go through with the proposal. He does seem to sincerely care for Joseph to a certain extent. By the way...I liked that they didn't kill the grandmother yet, even if she was put in a no-win situation with regards to her friendship with Maria. A couple of interesting implications about the power of belief were also present. I think that's enough to explain why Christianity can co-exist with a few fantasy creatures. Also, production values went up again and there was some nice storyboarding work too. wielder fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Mar 1, 2015 |
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Mar 1, 2015 18:22
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This episode was boring. Like, normally I am fine with repetition and a slow build but it feels like we've spent the last 4 episodes going through: Galfa is involved with amoral shenanigans, the Church does something sinister, Maria gets 3 different lectures on war, and Ezekiel doubts her faith.
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Mar 1, 2015 21:29
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Rodyle posted:This episode was boring. Like, normally I am fine with repetition and a slow build but it feels like we've spent the last 4 episodes going through: Galfa is involved with amoral shenanigans, the Church does something sinister, Maria gets 3 different lectures on war, and Ezekiel doubts her faith. We all have different interests and pet-peeves. Can't really expect everyone to share the same views but, speaking honestly, I have never felt bored at all. I guess I'm a patient person when it comes to series that are pushing my buttons, so to speak. It's true that similar topics have been mentioned before, but that's because they are all related to the main theme of the show (which is the same theme of the manga, even with a few modifications or extensions). The general situation is in fact changing though. It wouldn't be fair to say that the status quo is static right now, or that there haven't been any new consequences for Maria's actions. For a production that often deals with some rather blatant and in-your-face subject matter, I think there are subtle nuances to several characters and their development hasn't stopped. Could the pace move along faster? Maybe, but some of those details would be lost and I like the charming atmosphere a lot, so it doesn't bother me. wielder fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Mar 1, 2015 |
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Mar 1, 2015 22:04
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I'm getting kind of annoyed with the church and heavens and whatever and their stance that Maria has "no place" intervening in affairs. Like it's neat and cool when they show stuff like how single mindedly stopping all conflict in the area isn't exactly the best course of action, since that leads to penniless mercenaries who need to raid the locals to get their food. But this thing where Maria's witch powers shouldn't be used because it's "not her place" is annoying. Who's place is it to decide to end war? Is it better that a king do it? Why is it not Maria's place? Why is it that, with regards to humans, the heaven's have a policy of "we don't care, it'll work itself out in the end" but that same hands off thing doesn't apply to witches? How is Maria deciding of ehr own accord to halt all conflict in her little sphere of influence different from mercenaries deciding of their own accord to rape and pillage random villages? I mean obviously it's because she's a witch but I have yet to see any real reason why that would make a difference, besides "it was already decided on before the show started." Hell I'd be ok if the reason was at least simply just "God doesn't like witches," just at least state why the hell anyone cares more about what Maria does than what random mercenaries do. This thing where I'm just supposed to assume "well that's just how things were at the time, witches are considered heretics and no one likes them because they're heretics, and that's a perfectly suitable explanation for an angel to give" is getting on my nerves.
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Mar 2, 2015 00:28
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Heaven are pretty much just assholes. If Ezekiel were to learn about what Bearnard is doing (drugging a sick old woman to trick her and her family along with their friends and the whole ordering rape thing) and then complained to St Michael he would just shrug and not give a gently caress. Everyone are assholes, hate witches and twirl their mustaches.  VVVVV more competent answer below. Poil fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Mar 2, 2015 |
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Mar 2, 2015 01:57
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ninjewtsu posted:I'm getting kind of annoyed with the church and heavens and whatever and their stance that Maria has "no place" intervening in affairs. Like it's neat and cool when they show stuff like how single mindedly stopping all conflict in the area isn't exactly the best course of action, since that leads to penniless mercenaries who need to raid the locals to get their food. But this thing where Maria's witch powers shouldn't be used because it's "not her place" is annoying. Who's place is it to decide to end war? Is it better that a king do it? Why is it not Maria's place? Why is it that, with regards to humans, the heaven's have a policy of "we don't care, it'll work itself out in the end" but that same hands off thing doesn't apply to witches? How is Maria deciding of ehr own accord to halt all conflict in her little sphere of influence different from mercenaries deciding of their own accord to rape and pillage random villages? I think there are multiples sides to the issue. For the priests and common folk, there's the whole heresy angle. Bernard is quite a bastard, but his public discourse isn't wrong on that front. It is in fact problematic to tolerate witches. On the other hand, it seems the heavens above (or at least the angels, since the Creator works in mysterious ways and all that) oppose her for various reasons. The use of supernatural powers comes with greater responsibilities than those of normal human abilities. They believe she shouldn't directly and publicly interfere in how regular human beings resolve their conflicts, which is a part of the natural order they claim to uphold. We have seen that her actions can have unintended consequences and other side effects. It's not heavenly opposition based on Maria's personal ethics or moral compass being wrong, of course not, but because such interventions place her firmly above and beyond the rest of mankind while calling too much attention to herself. Notice that they didn't have any objections to her sending medicines or using the succubus for night missions. Keeping a low profile is what she's being asked to do. It might not be Maria's true desire to stand in the place of a deity, yet they've said there is an implied potential arrogance in assuming that position: people will rely on her too much, rather than on themselves or on faith. There's also the possibility of this creating a competing belief system, of sorts, centered around Maria. Ezekiel did refer to that a while ago and some of the ideas in the latest episode seem to connect to this. wielder fucked around with this message at 02:07 on Mar 2, 2015 |
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Mar 2, 2015 02:01
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wielder posted:On the other hand, it seems the heavens above (or at least the angels, since the Creator works in mysterious ways and all that) oppose her for various reasons. The use of supernatural powers comes with greater responsibilities than those of normal human abilities. Why? The power a human king wields is plenty great, they start and perpetuate wars and heaven doesn't give a gently caress. Since when does the power one holds determine one's agency in using those powers? Why does heaven care here, but doesn't care about powerful humans? wielder posted:They believe she shouldn't directly and publicly interfere in how regular human beings resolve their conflicts, which is a part of the natural order they claim to uphold. Why? Why isn't Maria part of that natural order? What excludes witches from the natural order? Why aren't Maria's actions also considered "the natural order?"
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Mar 2, 2015 02:12
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