Shangri-La 02: Second-episode curse.
Posted: April 13, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized 9 Comments »
Yeah? Well, I think I'm gonna go!
FAIL-O-METER
Basically, “Screw it, let’s not bother going through a quality episode and stick it out until the third episode curse hits us.”
The fail in this episode = (-1) x (the win expected of this series beforehand).
I’m going to make this post short, as I’m short on time for blogging.
God damn it, just decide on a face to use already!
I’m pretty sure that Momoko uses at least seven different faces in this episode, all of which look like shit.
I wasn’t expecting this kind of utter failure. Sure, I’ve heard all of the rants about the crappy storytelling and the contrasting CG, but to see this kind of artistic fail from the company that gave us epic anime like Strike Witches is lolwtf?
Even if the camera is shooting from below, people don’t walk like this. The animation of the Metal Age group walking in the jungle was exceptionally bad, and I was about to fast forward through this section to save my eyes (luckily, it didn’t last that long).
I’ve had it with all the stuff about transvestites.
As if Miiko’s fat ass and Momoko’s measurements weren’t enough, Momoko emphasizes the fact that she’s (he’s*?) a transvestite in every other scene. There’s no rhyme or reason to her direct comments about her sexuality. It’s just there for some retarded humor that nobody will ever laugh at because it’s simply not funny after you’ve heard it ten times in two minutes.
However, there were some truly awesome moments.
Seeing the scene above was disturbing, yet incredibly fascinating. Little loli Mikuni has some incredible power.
"Hey, look at my chin!"
Overall though, I’d say that this episode definitely failed to live up to the one before it. The art and animation went downhill, and the story kind of did as well. Still, I’m going to keep watching this. The setting is one of the most awesome I’ve ever seen, even if much of the stuff is CG …*cough* TANKS and HELICOPTERS *cough*
"I don't really have any reason for threatening this kid. I'm just a little (female dog) who is one of the most stereotypical villains this season!"
HOLY CHUCK NORRIS, KILL THAT ABOMINATION!
That's not what the screen says!
“Even if the camera is shooting from below, people don’t walk like this. The animation of the Metal Age group walking in the jungle was exceptionally bad, and I was about to fast forward through this section to save my eyes (luckily, it didn’t last that long).”
Not to say the visuals weren’t sadly worse than the pretty spectacular first ep but it was manageable and hopefully not a regular occurrence, however this particular bit isn’t actually true, if you look at the panning shot before this screen-shot you’ll see that they are shuffling with their backs up against the side of a cliff so that they don’t fall into the lake Takehiko was warning them about so they are actually moving correctly shuffling side ways there.
The story has so much potential and they’ve done a good job laying the foundation and mysteries and put forth some fun characters and the soundtrack is probably one of the best in a long time (IMO) so hopefully this is just them managing the budget on a less active episode. The backgrounds were still pretty fantastic like in ep 1.
Agreed, it would be best if they just picked one all the drawing staff can do well. It’s almost like they were rushed since some parts looked better than others and background artists were still on their game.
^ Actually, the pace of the scenes in the forest is quite fast, so it’s not really clear if the shot with them edging along a cliff is the same as the one up close. Plus if you look at the shot up there, it doesn’t look like they’re on a sort of cliff that they need to be edging along (there’s plenty of room in the back). Still, you could be right – there is a high possibility that the two shots are of the same scene.
I share the same sentiments in regards to “hopefully this is just them managing the budget on a less active episode.” If this kind of quality were present in something like… say, a battle, I don’t think it would be as tolerable as this episode was.
i was really really really really really really hoping that this would be this seasons index, the kind of round about sci-fi mindfuck that would continue on but sadly this anime is working its way towards the drop list…blah /dissapointment.
I’m giving this anime plenty of chances for now. It was my most anticipated anime for this season, and episode one impressed me, so I know Gonzo can do better than the crap here.
Gonzo tends to be really hit or miss. One thing that they do different from other studios is that is seems they will animate almost anything. Some studios have certain themes or styles they like to stick to but Gonzo is always trying new and strange things. I personally think they are one of the more innovative studios out there, at least the most risk taking. That being said, they probably also have the lowest budget for animation. Which is why they seem to chock their shows full of many different elements (fanservice in Saki and tranny humor in Shangri-la for example) in order to appeal to a wide variety, which in turn is to improve dvd sales. The studio has been having some financial issues as of late and went through a dramatic restructuring. Despite the fact that Strike Witches topped dvd sales it seems like Gonzo is constantly teetering on the edge of meltdown. Thus, you get shows constantly teetering on the edge of quality but 9 times out of 10 don’t have the budget to pull it off.
Yeah, atleast they did it on a good slow burner type episode like this, the characters even spent a good 5 minutes in the restrictive protective suits so it was a good episode to do it on if it affords them the ability to do more in a bigger episode, I hope, because there’s so much “here” in this show. To me it’s got all the harder things to capture down if they could just pull it off and somehow budget this thing well. Also, atleast when they did need the detail in a few of Kuniko’s closeup scenes it was relatively there (the city destruction and the closeup of her with the kid she saved and her reaction to that mother’s harsh words, the way they nicely made the air filter move while she talked after the action scene, and the quick action scene was ok with the added extra character animation of her tossing the thing up and down while she talked which would have lost “character” if it were just a still).
Agreed they do tend to be like that, personally I love the studio for all of the great science fiction they’ve produced over the years and continue to get back to once in a while. Their big scifi works to me illustrates exactly what you’re talking about and how I too think they are one of the more innovative and risk taking studios.
I know people like other genres and I’d imagine sadly other genres are more “commercial” and money-making but I think they would be serviced best by sticking closer to their science fiction roots than branching out into so many totally different genres because it’s pretty clear, atleast to me, that this is still the genre their staff is most passionate about. It’s actually frustrating to watch them have financial issues because when they’ve had the proper budget they’ve done some really “large scale” scifi TV series with relatively ambitious stories/worlds. I suppose what they’ll probably have to do is kind of like what they have been slowly moving towards in the last few years. A big budget scifi work supported by a second more commercial work.
Personally, I think given the potential plot elements and character chemistry and cool simultaneous storylines and mysteries and the general ambitious nature I can feel from the show, this show has more potential to be one of their hits rather than their misses (especially if they could just have enough money to be able to budget properly for when they need it since Kuniko’s action scenes do kinda rely on looking good since she’s all about the athleticism and moving around and episode 1 had some real nice heights for how this show could look) because it’s one of those rare shows that’s got all of the “harder to capture” elements down in my opinion, hopefully they can pull it off.
@Taka: That’s quite true. Gonzo has been in dire straits for a while now (12 annual anime output –> 4 and a bunch of layoffs…), so I might be expecting too much out of Shangri-La. As for risk taking… definitely. Strike Witches was 110% hit-or-miss and a gamble of sorts (though it paid off more than well). Still, I think SHAFT takes even more risks – just look at Natsu no Arashi!.
@elvenwarrior:
I’d have to agree. Saki is undoubtedly out of Gonzo’s area of expertise, and it shows.
Shangri-La has some definite potential, and had Gonzo not have been hit so hard by economic troubles, this anime could have been the next great sci-fi anime. Still, I can see this anime veering onto the road of win, especially with that plot it’s got (unintentional rhyme).
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