poll on reviews

[salinea]

Sooo... if I had one resolution last year, it was to make review of series I was watching as I go; and I did that pretty systematically for anime series; and kind of not at all for Live-action TV shows; and books as always but limited by the fact I haven't read much this whole year... and since writing review, with my Muse down to lalaland, wherever Muses go when they aren't demanding fics from ficcers, has been my main fandom activity lately, I was kind of wondering how much it was appreciated and how to improve them (and hopefully the number of comments I get on them ;))

So,


[Poll #1515214]

Feel free to drop a comment to add anything that may cross your mind on the topic ;)

Comments

[flo-nelja.livejournal.com]

Juste pour dire que même si je ne regarde pas beaucoup d'anime et que je ne commente pas beaucoup tes critiques, elles sont une de mes sources en "voyons, qu'est-ce que je vais regarder maintenant ?" ^^

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Merci!! C'est ce que je recherche à faire donc ça tombe bien ^^

[cryptoxin.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to tell you how much I love your anime reviews! I generally only comment if I've seen the series and have something to add, but you're a great reviewer and I'm always interested in what you have to say. I've added a couple series to my 'to watch' list based on your reviews.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much for saying so ^_^

[hamsterwoman]

I enjoy reading your anime reviews, just 'cos it's probably things I wouldn't know about another way. But I love reading your book reviews more, because chances are it's either something I've read, been meaning to read, or something that I haven't heard about but am likely to enjoy.

I didn't click any of the checkbox questions because I enjoy all of those aspects but it's weird to try and dictate the balance -- whatever's interesting for you to talk about in each given case!

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

haha, it must be weird reading reviews of a medium you don't watch. (I still need to watch all those you tube links you gave me btw, I'm lazy but you're totally awesome for linking those and I totally will watch them).

I understand your point about checkbox, I agree, that's how I try to do, depending on the work, it's interesting to talk abotu different things; but I tought it might also be interesting to see if people thought there were some things missing from the reviews or if they thought I was often prattling about things there had no interest of. Especially since it's usually hard to get friends to comment critically on somethign I do because they don't want to be rude ;)

ETA: also, I've read a few books this month, so you can expect some book reviews soonishly! ^^

[shiinabambi.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to say, your reviews are quite good and you've introduced me to two series I'm enjoying: Michiko to Hatchin and Mushishi. It's great to see some buzz on my flist about interesting things I should be watching. I think you have really good taste! Although I think I liked Simoun more than you did. (Which is very possibly an argument for you having better taste than me, lol)

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you loved those series.

The anime blogger I'm getting most of my anime recs nowadays, Starcrossed anime blog, also liked Simoun much more than I did, so clearly you're in good company. (Guys' got good taste, I wouldn't be using him as a main source of recs otherwise ^^). I certainly don't think it was a bad anime either... it just... did something very well and some other things less well; and sadly I had built up high expectations for the things it didn't do so well; so I ended up feeling very disappointed. Though it's interesting to see how many different opinions people have on this series!

[shiinabambi.livejournal.com]

Well, I enjoyed the art style, which gets critted a lot. I also enjoyed the fanservicey kisses, which I know is ~classy~ of me, but it's true. Some of the outfits were a little much, but it's anime so I find that stuff easy to forgive. The plot was a bit slow at first, but had a really strong emotional payoff for it, and I think that was necessary with such a large cast. Mamiina's sendoff really had me in tears, and Yun's ending was amazing too. Some people might also crit it for being too fetishy (look, gay! Look, loli! Look, incest!) but I totally dig all that stuff. So it's a lot of YMMV, but for me, it was what I wanted to see. :)

Oh, and Kannazuki no Miko, I saw that one too! I love that one because it's really laughably bad in spots (so bad it's good) and ~melodramatic~, but then it did manage to pull a good gutpunch towards the end. I saw Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei as well, and agree that it lost its momentum later on, which is really a shame--the first few episodes are pure perfection, IMO. But I agree that it needed less fetish girls and more Sensei.

I will probably also watch Towards the Terra, because I've been in an old-school scifi mood of late, and Baccano! has been recced to me before, so I should watch that too. :)

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Oh, I loved the kisses as well! I certainly don't think that's a not!classy reason for liking it XD Though I wish I could have been invested in any of the really f/f romance on that show; the only romance I really liked was between the Mechano guy-with-breasts and Morenas. Mamiina was way hot and a nice character and had a nice dynamic with Rodeamon but they didn't give them enough screen time for me to really get into shippy mood. I would have Mamiina's end much more moving if 1/ I had actually understood why it was necessary from a plot PoV 2/ if had been executed better in terms of direction. I sort of didn't buy it?

Kannazuki no Miko isn't entirely without appeal, and with the very few yuri anime that exist I understand why a lot of people like it. (Back when I saw it I didn't realise yet how very few yuri anime there is). It's generic and melodramatic (but I loved the melodrama though not the rape-is-love part) but the main reason I disliked it as much as I did was Himeko. She's just so, so, so, so irritating. If I had to elect a worst main character award she'd get it co-exaequo with Shirou (of Fate/Stay Night, aka the guy dense enough to say "people die when you kill them")

To tell you a secret, I love the fanservice in Sayourana Zetsubou Sensei. Especially the fetish girls. Especially the fetish girls in bondage in one of the OP. *is ashamed* I think it has a lot to do with the fact I really love the character design in general of that show.

Yay old school sci-fi!
Baccano! is really awesome, at least if you like kick ass action and quirky storytelling with awesome characters!

[shiinabambi.livejournal.com]

I pretty much shipped everything in Simoun, but I'm kind of a pushover ship-wise. But my favorite ship is one the fandom hates: Neviril/Amuria. I did finally get sold on Neviril/Aaeru, but it took me a long time, because my sympathies were with Neviril and her grief, and Aaeru just came off as really cocky and insensitive, at least until you got to know her.

Himeko is horribly annoying at first, but I actually came around to liking her character post-rape. Was completely sold on the rape-as-love part, in fact I think it's one of the things that show did well. It could have been played for titillation (nearly everything else on that show was) but it wasn't. The whole idea where Himeko had been the one to sacrifice in previous incarnations because she was too kind to kill, and Chikane refusing to accept that this time around actually really moved me. She'd rather see the one she loved hurt than dead, and they both made tremendous sacrifices. I don't think either of them enjoyed that rape one bit.

Souma, on the other hand, was kind of hilarious as a character. He's going through this very cliche but very dramatic arc where his family is evil, he's being consumed alive by an evil force, only he can save the world.....and no one cares. Certainly, no one is rooting for him to get the girl, as he has a peen and it's a yuri anime. While Chikane and Himeko are having their yuri romance, Souma looks like he wandered into the wrong show by mistake. There's this bizarre disconnect.

I should clarify--I do love the fetish girls in SZS, and the OP is amazing, and the show itself delightfully twisted. (I have no idea why the fandom is 90% yaoi! I ship girls/girls and girls/Sensei.) It's more, I really think the heart of the show (and the humor) is Itoshiki-sensei himself and his ~DESPAIR~. (And much of his despair is caused by his students. XD) I know it's hard to keep mining the same thing for humor, but I felt it got too sidetracked, especially in randomness and pop culture references.

The first season was more or less perfect, I meant more with Zoku and Goku and whatnot. Maybe it's because most of the Japanese pop culture references went over my head, but it didn't have the same magic for me. I haven't seen Zan yet, but like a crack addict, I probably will, looking for that first high.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Oh, I liked Amuria, she seemed like an interesting character and I certainly bought their romance much more than Neviril/Aaeru (which, as far as I'm concerned, have ZERO sexual/romantic chemistry).

Aaeru just came off as really cocky and insensitive
That would be because Aaerus is horribly cocky and insensitive. The girl could write the guidebook on tactlessness.

at least until you got to know her.
At which point she's still horribly cocky and insensitive, but you forgive her because she's a good fighter to have at your side and you know she doesn't mean to hurt you horribly with her lack of tact, she's just not wired for empathy.

I agree the rape wasn't played for titillation (thankfully), but it's still a plot decide that annoys me. The more I read BL/yuri manga which overuse rape as a plot device the more I get annoyed with it and there's A LOT of it x_x

I'm not entirely sure why Himeko bug me so much when I'm usually pretty fond of/soft on the compassionate/shy doormat type of character. I think it's probably that she didn't really come across as actually kind to me. Just unwilling to face responsibilities and easily intimidated.

By contrast, I actually could buy that poor wandering-in-the-wrong-anime Souma was a kind person and I could like him for it ;) (mostly I liked Chikane though XD)

(I have no idea why the fandom is 90% yaoi!
whut, what? WTF!!! Who do they even ship Sensei with? O_o

I don't even know who I'd ship in SZS, never occured to me to ship that show.

I agree with you the show was led astray by the pop culture references and the randomness. The humour was funnier was it was more tied to the characters organically. Itoshiki sensei definitly is the heart of the show (and insanely cheerful girl, whatshername?).
Thankfully I had enough with Zoku, you tell me if it ever improve enough XD

[scriva.livejournal.com]

I enjoy reading your reviews a lot, and I think they are well structures.

I wish I could have a similarly energy, but most of them, the thoughts remain in my head.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

thank you!

hehe, too bad, I'd love to see your thoughts on some series :p

[mystickeeper.livejournal.com]

I've enjoyed your reviews a lot thus far, especially of anime! I don't think I've been reading you long enough to make informed assessments about what to do more/less of, but I voted on the rest.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'll try to make more reviews this year ^^

haha your icon!