Comic Update: PARENT TEACHER PASSOCIATION
This comic is most probably not terribly funny, but it addresses something I feel needs addressing–which is fans (typically of the English-speaking persuasion) expecting unreasonable things out of certain shows. This is an extreme example, and I don’t think this opinion is widely held (if it is, God help us all) but someone on the internet actually said “Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is a filler series, there’s no plot or character development.” These misguided comments that demonstrate the sheer lengths to which less enlightened people can miss the point do well to inspire inklings of rage within me, and as such elitist comics such as this one come into being. I’m sorry!
I don’t think I’m even going to comment on my artwork anymore, since in every rant it just boils down to “I should do better.” I guess I’ll only really comment when a comic turns out horribly. How about that?
On to anime. I mentioned Umineko two weeks ago, and since the first arc has ended I figure I’d bring it up again. I haven’t gotten around to reading the original (visual) novel, so I don’t know how exactly things go down, but the end of that first arc was a bit of a let down. I’m usually forgiving towards what people dub as the “anime ending”, mostly because I watch shows more for the strength of the characters, directorial work and animation. Plot only really comes into the equation when it overshadows the characters due to how involved it is (a la Death Note) and Umineko was shaping up to be one of these affairs. As such, I was a touch let down by the way the first arc ended, as it didn’t do much to really tie the murder mystery up in an interesting way. It’s not like I hate the show now, but for an anime in which plot is the only thing going for it (the animation is pretty muddy) it’s a bit of a downer.
Keeping with the theme of the sea, Umi Monogatari is another show I’d like to talk about, but not in a devoted blog post. It’s a pretty interesting setup–the first episode alluded to it being some supernatural and slow slice of life show, but it’s actually a magical girl show. I think it’s a quite enjoyable and well put together production. The character designs are quite nice (I do appreciate how little the girls wear, and I miss Urin’s bikini) and are complemented by really smooth animation. Sato Junichi’s direction is slow but not the kind that puts me to sleep. The characters are amusing, and the story is a good excuse to have some creatively choreographed fight sequences in each episode. One thing I really like is the soundtrack, which is by Kure-nai composer Muramatsu Ken. It’s his typical jazzy, mostly piano driven stuff but more of the same from this man is not a bad thing. I still need to actually buy that Kure-nai OST. I mean… it’s fuckin’ awesome…
That’ll be it for this week. While I don’t have a comic made for next week, I have no excuse for there not be one since I’m out on my ass for the next two weeks. Sure I’ll be doing a lot of sightseeing before I head back to Amerikkka, but I’ll probably have time to sketch out a few more comics.
Have a good weekend, and don’t get caught in any timeloops. I hear they’re especially dangerous in August…
The ending of this particular Umineko arc was supposed to leave you hanging like that. I won’t say much, but if you stick with it, Umineko still has huge things to come. I would also highly recommend the VNs, but I do realize this is a bit of a time commitment.
I met at least one person on the internet who held this opinion about zetsubou sensei so I had to explain to them that the show wasn’t supposed to have a plot.
We get it already, you don’t like anyone who has the audacity to comment on anime and be white at the same time. :V
“This comic is most probably not terribly funny, but it addresses something I feel needs addressing–which is fans”
I liked this strip because of this. Also I LOLd at “American Internet”.
I thought it was funny enough because it’s SO TRUE
Lame excuse for elitism is lame.
Sure tehre are idiots on the internet, but to say “dur huur only amrikhuns are idiots and japanese are oh so holy is opretty freaking dumb, and to create a whole comic out of it is…well kinda funny but its still dumb.
>>>Have a good weekend, and don’t get caught in any timeloops. I hear they’re especially dangerous in August…
as an added note, I’m actually pretty sure I’m in a time loop. The last week and a half have been the same day over and over…..
To echo Cage, the ending was supposed to be like that. The fifth episode is probably the favorite amongst VN players because it accurately depicted the final chapters of the first game.
It’s a little ironic how you mention fans who expect unreasonable things out of certain shows, and then mention how you were let down that the murder mysteries of Umineko were not neatly wrapped up after just five episodes. If you’re talking about how they don’t show any of the final murders, then that’s due to the original VN not showing them either, which is what keeps the mystery going onto the next arc.
The comic was hilarious. I’ll need to start weaning myself off of the American Internet as well. It’s unhealthy.
I know this is basically a “Take That” (see: TVTropes) strip, but from a writing standpoint you could have made it so much funnier if only you didn’t simply play it straight the whole way through.
I’ll even give you a quick example:
[Panel 1]
RETS: Why are you crying Tina?
TINA: (crying Mikuru-like) Some guy on the internet doesn’t like the shows I do!
[Panel 2]
RETS: First Endless Eight and now this?
TINA: I know, it’s like every day I’m finding these people on the internet with stupid opinions that are basically all the same!
RETS: There’s only one way we can stop this endless loop and defend your honor!
[Panel 3]
RETS, some girl from Haruhi and another girl from SZS are beating up some guy with baseball bats, because who is this anonymous asshole to have an opinion you don’t like? On the internet?
[Panel 4]
Text in the corner reads: “Sometime in the future…”, maybe there’s some hovercars flying around in the background too.
OLD MAN RETS: …and that’s how I saved the internet, now sit on my lap little girl.
Random 10-year-old girl: What does this have to do with Sayonara Zet…
OLD MAN RETS: Lap. Sit. Now.
I love Zetsubou-sensei but I have to admit that sometimes I wish it had a story.
It’s just that I like the characters so much!!!
But I don’t have any problem to it being what it is : P
@DocHaus: That’s honestly the worst idea ever.
It’s not like there aren’t Japanese anime fans out that don’t miss the point either. It’s just that I guess there aren’t that many proportion-wise compared to here.
And yes, Ken Muramatsu’s work is awesome. Though I’m more of a fan of his Sketchbook OST than the Kure-nai one.
(looks at title)
Glad you’re enjoying Bakemonogatari.
Anyone who seriously gets at SZS for lacking a progressive storyline clearly has never heard of satire…or simple comedy for that matter.
Shouldn’t it be “humanity has left me in despair”? and her right arm is rather freakishly thin in the first panel.
Yeah I know, I’m going now.
You are really serious with this comic aren’t you? You really think you’re Japanese don’t you?
YES, I AM THE JAPANESE
@DocHaus, ridiculous, miserable, awful…
Anyways, kinda “bleh” with the strip. Feels like it was last minute or something. Also have the first thought that should pop into most peoples minds, “Tell them to watch Bakemonogatari then…”
Ones like Zetsubou Sensei, Excel saga, Poni Poni Dash, etc., etc., seem to almost always be hated by the die hard shounen fans, especially in english forums/sites anyways.
And then WAH becomes a citizen of Moon.
High demands become unreasonabilities, especially with how easy the Internet makes it for people to whine and nitpick at every small detail and blow things out of proportion, or in most cases, completely miss the point of a show (therefore being blinded from the entertainment value of the show itself). Worse is that typical elitism and lack of backlash on the Internet makes for all kinds of terrible things possible.
Unreasonable “What-ifs” and “should have beens” just seems to do that to, what could be in fact, a good show with all kinds of redeeming values. Logically, animation and game companies owe nothing to the non-paying fans but humans don’t function on logic, Public Relations, etc-fdsgfdsgfgsdfgs…