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「【激戦】鼓動の波、鋼鉄の翼」 ([Gekisen] Kodou no Nami, Koutetsu no Tsubasa)
“[Fierce Battle] Beating Waves, Steel Wings”
Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, Azur Lane was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Sakura Empire. But fortunately we’ve got an army of sentient chicken nuggets who will clean up the mess for us.
…What?
So last week we opened with what was as close to the Pearl Harbour attacks as publicly broadcast anime will ever get. As Roosevelt predicted, history remembers that day as a traumatic one for the United States, one that shocked an isolationist nation into total war. While the loss was great, from the ashes of tragedy shall rise a united spirit that shall galvanise all of America’s people to accomplish an entire generation of great deeds! Or at least that was Roosevelt’s version. This is Azur Lane‘s.
This was supposed to be a low point for our protagonists. It was a time to survey the wreckage and reflect upon the losses, and narratively it will serve as the drive for the next parts of the story. And part of Azur Lane does seem to understand that this was supposed to be a sombre moment. They cut off the dialogue for a while. They put on serious music. But the dramatic score lacked dramatic weight. How could it? We’ve got marshmallow peeps running around literally fishing survivors out of the water. Nobody is going to even attempt to explain what they are. They don’t give a damn and apparently neither should we. And here we get to the foundational problem of Azur Lane.
Azur Lane is stupid.
Stupidity is not always a bad thing. In a pure comedy I’d even encourage it. But if actually want drama you need authenticity, and if you want authenticity the audience needs to be able to cognitively engage with your story without getting a stroke. But for Azur Lane, no thought at all has been put into making sure that it was actually making sense. Take the opening exposition dump, where Enterprise once again tells us that war never changes — right after describing the ways war has changed. Is she actually being philosophical here? Or did one of the writers just finish binge-playing Fallout and thought the line was cool? Can we blame the director here? Tanaka Motoki? I don’t know if it’s his fault, but I get the impression from his production that he doesn’t actually care about consistency, or logic, or storytelling. He just wants his scene, and cares not at all if it contributes to the story or makes a lick of sense. You want to end the episode on a big damn hero moment where the deus ex machina swoops in and blocks a sword with her arms? Even if it was supposed to be a super aircraft powered fire sword of utter nonsense? Even if it’ll make her finishing move of unnecessary aerial jumping (wait, why can’t she fly?) look weaker than a normal slash? Sure. Cool scene! Don’t worry about the rest of the storyboard, we’ve already forgotten what’s in it.
The problem with an anime being stupid is that it undercuts the tension. I’m guessing this episode was supposed to be something like Midway except different. Midway was one of the big climactic naval battles of WWII. So you’d think the tension gauge would be stretched to maximum. But I didn’t really feel it because it’s already been established that nobody can really die. This isn’t something Azur Lane established deliberately, but is a by-product of it not really thinking about its storytelling. Look, I’m a straight guy. I like the ladies. But I’m going to say that the fanservice doesn’t really help. Somehow Azur Lane has turned its entire cast, save Enterprise and whatever antagonist she’s matched up with, into cheesecakes or comic relief or both. So they’re not going to die. And Enterprise is the USS Mary Sue so she’s not going to die. So who’s actually in any real danger here? Even the casualties aren’t there to give any sense of mortality. They’re just there to make funny noises while waiting to respawn. So no matter how cool the action may be, there just isn’t any edge.
It’s unlikely that I’ll continue coverage of Azur Lane. Unfortunately, I’m not the type who can turn their brain off while watching. But if you’re the kind who really enjoy, say, the Transformers movies, then you’ll likely enjoy Michael Bay’s version of anime, too.
Maybe ecchi-master Stilts-sama might blog it? XD
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
Regardless, someone on FB mentioned that the wreckage scene is a shot for shot reproduction of Michel Bay’s Pearl Harbour
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
And apparently this is a Jojo reference…
Truth be told, plenty of Big E’s plane attack scenes really looked familiar. Its either from the old epic war movies or they were based from war artists paintings or actual combat footages
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2011.jpg
And for some reason, I’m hearing Sabaton from beyond the mist
I’ll give Azur Lane points in that it realizes that the premise of anthropomorphic ship girls is a stupid concept and just goes along with it. While Kantai Collection was just stupid in that it tried to treat the premise as anything but stupid.
Hopefully by now they would learn that animes about anthropomorphic representations of inanimate objects are just stupid and just not do them.
The premise is hardly stupid by anime standards though. This medium has done more with less.
Gameplay-wise, how does Azur Lane hold up to Kantai?
I’ve heard some sources say Azur has easier accessability, better control and more streamlined management.
Well, look up gameplay videos would be quicker than me trying to explain. But it’s essentially a really easy bullet hell game with more emphasis on stats and fleet composition than skill.
Management is also straight forward. But I may only be saying that as a player but I like to think it’s easy to get into.
Just a bit of trivia, Azur Lane was original suppose to be a Kantai Collection game but the developers were not able to secure rights for it. So instead we got what we got Azur Lane.
I find it’s a very reasonable mobile game that has plenty of free content and even most of the non-cosmetic paid content can be earned in-game (with luck…).
azur lane is available in app store in most region, while you need to enter somesort of audition just to play kc, you also need to change your pc clock into JST as well (it’s been awhile so maybe they’ve change things).
gameplay wise, KC is almost non-existent relying almost entirely on rng-god, you don’t even control the shipgirls. AL has some degree of skills involved, and you actually control the shipgirls. resource and management also much more streamlined in AL. you don’t even need to worrying about your shipfu sinking in AL since it’s not perma-death.
– azur lane is available in app store in most region, while you need to enter somesort of audition just to play kc, you also need to change your pc clock into JST as well (it’s been awhile so maybe they’ve change things).
I just checked the wiki and indeed there is no lottery anymore, i think the clock change might still be needed, but only when registering an account on DMM.
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
AL!Akagi: “This taste…is the taste of a lesbian, Kaga!”
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2011.jpg
Ah s**t, Ran Mitake now has competition for “Best Ayane Sakura character (according to my effing d**k)”… (*Cue menacing stares from a certain “
Uchuu senkanHotel” and a certain “Tsundere Heavy Cruiser”*)https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2036.jpg
Aww yiss, Belfast! Definitely raised my flag “full mast”, if you get my drift. (*Cue “ゴゴゴゴゴ” auras from a certain “Hotel” and a certain “Tsundere Heavy Cruiser”, and cue the boom of 46cm guns + a barrage of corrosive warhead missiles being launched*)
Other thoughts before impending doom:
– Crab Rave at Laffey’s! Also, told ya she’ll fall victim to a nip-slip… Jeez.
– Feels rather strange hearing Risa Taneda as AL!Shoukaku and AL!Zuikaku, considering she voiced KC‘s Myoko sisters, Shouhou and Akashi. (Ditto Yui Horie as Belfast since she also voiced KC‘s Amagi, Mamiya and Irako as well as Asagumo and Yamagumo.)
Also, I’ll still be posting that promised second part of the AL commentary plus a bonus…
As promised, here’s the second part of that long-delayed commentary from the previous episode:
Passerby, you nailed it on the head about the KanColle–Azur Lane rivalry being a story of missed opportunities. It’s a shame, too, since Japan has been so damn good with “soft power projection” for the longest time. Considering that Azur Lane (as well as its “stablemate” Girls’ Frontline) are Chinese-made, one can only wonder if they are one step closer to perfectly imitating how Japan (and to a lesser extent, South Korea) spreads its soft power around the world. Of course, knowing the Chinese (who are fond of playing the “long game” with multiple plans), I’m pretty sure they won’t stop at imitating Japan’s success at soft power projection, they’d want to spread their influence within Japan’s own anime/manga industry as well–like what they did with Hollywood’s major movie studios and industries.
It’s interesting to analyze why an established Japanese multimedia franchise like KanColle is losing ground–or should I say, seas–to the upstart Chinese contender, Azur Lane. It also reminds me of the PUBG–Fortnite: Battle Royale rivalry (where the original game with the good concept lost out to the improved clone). Or the Steam-Epic Games Store rivalry.
Anyway, I’d like to stick with my assertion that the creators of KanColle also suffered from complacency. Complacency in thinking they would be the only browser game/franchise in that specific niche, complacency that they could afford to take their time in filling the gaping vacuum of a modest-sized–but dedicated–international audience clamoring for an international version of the browser game, or perhaps complacency that they could afford not to fill said vacuum (a.k.a.: their lack of enthusiasm to release an international version).
Of course, nature abhors a vacuum, and with Azur Lane managing to fill the neglected demand from the international audience (with AL‘s developers once being part of that neglected international audience), KanColle‘s creators were proven wrong in those regards. Not to mention that it feels like they didn’t take into consideration that there are people around the world who are just as interested in and passionate about the naval history of WWII as much as Japan’s own IJN otaku.
There could have been ways for KanColle to expand and hold their already sizeable presence even in the face of competition (besides the anime, manga, and light novel multimedia releases plus the recent addition of more Allied ships in the browser game) but here are a few I thought up:
– A mobile port of the browser game–and I’m saying this as someone who’s not fond of mobile gaming. There are fans who already play the browser game but also want to play it on the go via their smartphones/tablets. (OT: Are the latter still a thing?) Unless of course, it’s already possible to do so officially and I just didn’t get the news.
– A PC, console, or even a mobile port of the Arcade version, whose gameplay mechanics are different enough from the original browser game to be considered an entirely new game–while still keeping some elements of the original. (Adapt the controls a bit from what the arcade version uses.)
– And obviously, an international version of the browser game that non-Japanese players can play. If it already includes the Allied ships like Iowa, Warspite, Saratoga, Richelieu, Gambier Bay, Johnston and Samuel B. Roberts (to name a few), all the better. (And if Cash Shop items also accept payment via Steam Wallet or any equivalent, that’d be good too.)
– And if the above doesn’t work, rip off a page from the Chinese playbook of imitation and make a clone of Azur Lane gameplay-wise–except with KanColle characters. (Never mind if that is seen as a “desperation move” and that AL‘s devs initially wanted to do exactly that.)
Unfortunately, I’ve yet to hear new developments on the KanColle front videogame-wise, and news is slow regarding season 2 of the KanColle anime (besides that one teaser trailer), so here we are. Again, it’s a shame–the creators of KanColle had a good concept on their hands but screwed up along the way by turning down opportunities to further cultivate their franchise, most especially with their original browser game.
Anyway, to lighten the mood a bit, here’s the aforementioned “Hotel” and “Tsundere Heavy Cruiser” watching (or rather, MST-ing) Azur Lane episode 2 with me (Moar commentary later?):
https://imgur.com/a/qa2OrNj
Well… I’m glad the Nendoroids enjoyed it!
– A mobile port of the browser game
KC has a mobile port (at least for android) you have to get DMM store, but that easy to do. I have on my tablet for almost 2 years now.
– A PC, console, or even a mobile port of the Arcade version
I honestly think, and i know i´m not alone, that´s the current problem with the game now, they´re focusing on the arcade ver. and live events and news about new content are scarce.
– And obviously, an international version of the browser game that non-Japanese players can play.
At this day and age i doubt they´ll do it. For years that you can play with a chrome extension (there´s more than one and even a dedicated browser) that translates everything.
They also did that change to the UI but it only applies to the menu.
All in all, as it being talked among the community, the thing is that they are focusing (temporarily or not) on live events and arcade and are also suffering from the fact that several seiyuu and artists quited, not only from the game, but their careers making it hard to do some ships 2nd remodel.
@Rama:
1.) Man, I’ve really been OOTL on KanColle news…I rarely visit the KanColle Fandom (formerly Wikia) wiki nowadays, so the only things I know are about the new shipgirls. That’s progress, though.
2.) Well, it was either that or a PC/PS4/Switch/Xbox One port of KanColle Kai (formerly on the PSVita, shut down in 2017). Then again, considering that arcades are still big in Japan, I suppose KanColle Arcade can survive a little longer.
3.) At this point, Steam/Valve giving a bigger revenue share to video game developers might be more likely than Kadokawa/DMM making an official international version of the KanColle browser game.
Several KanColle seiyuu quitting…a.k.a.: the ones now giving voices to Azur Lane‘s kansen? I was under the impression that if the seiyuu aren’t affiliated with an agency, they may be freelancers (though feel free to correct me on that as I don’t have enough info). Anyway, I also hope that’s not the reason why news/progress on KC season 2 is lacking lately.
Though for the artists…man, that’s not good… Especially if it increases the chances of them jumping ship to work on AL.
Anyway, I’ll still be watching Azur Lane even if it’s mostly out of bile fascination. (And to see the other kansen who’ve only been seen in the opening/ending credits so far. Wonder if AL!Suzuya will appear as well?)
@Incognito
When i said seiyuu and artists quitting i meant to focus more on the artists part (it shouldn´t affect the anime).
Just to give an example i´ll quote a post from Death Usagi Facebook page.
And to keep the quotes going from the same page, this is the feeling that we all have right now.
Basically, they divided into Kancolle_staff for game only related stuff and C2_staff for arcade, collaborations, live events stuff and useless to say that the second one is waaaayyy more active than the first.
Edit: sorry. It seems that i had a brain fart and forgot how to use tags properly lol. Since there is no preview or edit function (at least if you don´t have a gravatar account) it will have to stay like that. I think the important message passes tho. (´・_・)
(Editor’s note: We fixed it. Get that gravatar account, yo.)
I’m glad AL didn’t fall into the same trap KC made as far as seiyuu go, I’m sure having the same seiyuu voice all of the sister ships seemed like a great idea for the game but once they got an anime….
When I watched the KC anime it was so much of a mind fuck since one you’ve watched enough anime you can pick out a seiyuu’s through their different voices… and then KC comes along and you have scenes between five different girls voiced by only two seiyuu switching back and forth.
Yeah, same-seiyuu characters appearing on screen at the same time the the KanColle anime are rare (which is probably one reason why I didn’t hear Ryuujou speak until the movie–Rina Hidaka, her VA, also voices Mutsuki and Kisaragi). Though at the same time, I can’t help but admire the voice range of Nao Touyama and Ayane Sakura, who took the cake voicing multiple kanmusu.
Honestly did a double take when I found out that AL!Takao and AL!Atago were voiced by Ai Kakuma and Ai Kayano, respectively.
This is actually a wacky mahou shoujou anime! Once I’ve gotten to terms with that, it’s actually quite enjoyable. No tactical or strategic naval battles here. Not even close to Kancolle, let alone Arpeggio. But it is fun magical girl combat.
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%2011.jpg
Found out about Azur Lane from her. She’s better than I expected. Will most likely watch just because of her, since she’s appropriately in the antagonist faction. Now just need to find someone interesting in the good guys…
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%2020.jpg
Clearly no deaths here. They can even breath underwater.
A major pitfall that might happen is if this actually tried to be too serious. The theme about the dangers of forbidden technology isn’t something I’m fond of. Though it does seem very modern Japanese.
Not too fond of the fan service with those destroyers at the beginning. Hopefully they’ll give more historical fan service. We got IJN 1st and 5th carrier divisions. Hopefully we’ll get USN carrier division 2. Don’t recall Enterprise and Hornet being together there though.
Canonically there are girls who have been killed/sunk prior to the events of the game, one such death should come up in more detail as part of Enterprise’s brooding backstory. But they avoid death overall likely to avoid killing off more waifu’s unless necessary, which doesn’t really matter in the end since you can still collect everyone anyway.
As far as USN carrier group 2… Lexington and Saratoga’s designs in AL are as cute idols so depending on how serious the story gets or whether or not we get a lot of more laid back stuff where they might fit I wouldn’t expect much more than a background appearance.
Just to be clear, the USN Carrier Division 2 I’m referring to is the one that contains the Yorktown-class carriers. At that time Lexi and Sara are in USN Carrier Division 1. Same like how Akagi and Kaga are in IJN 1st Carrier Division, while prior to that the were split between 1st and 2nd IIRC.
Show Spoiler ▼
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2036.jpg
Belfaaaaaaaaaast! <3<3<3<3<3<3
That is all.
I think your not enjoying yourself, you want to see this stupidness. Well, it is a anime about Girls as battleships, in a way a Sister of Kancolle and similar ones. They mix all into one anime, mostly the “ecchiness” of Kancolle Girls
Sure no one denies about the Fanservice, the game also build heavy on that. But let’s see perhaps the Story is a good drive above all this thick ecchiness and mix of History
You are “grumpy” 🙂
Azur Lane isn’t a game that’s meant to be taken “seriously” and I wouldn’t expect much more from an anime. The sentient Puyo’s aside if you need any greater an example open up the game’s wiki and pick a destroyer out at random, odds are fairly high you’re going to hit either a pre or elementary schooler.
No, you’re being reductionist. And letting your subjective feelings block you from doing any analysis. I’m not against fanservice on principle, and I don’t care a whit about what precedent you think KanColle has set. What I care about is storytelling, and the clash of tones that bad storytelling has created. Unless you’re saying that the fights aren’t supposed to be tense at all and we’re not supposed to feel emotionally invested about anything, in which case you’re deep into nihilism and I can’t help you.
I know modern audiences have tweet-length attention spans and don’t care about storytelling, but I’m going to insist on it anyway. I watch anime not to merely be distracted; I want to be engaged.
It’s not that we don’t care about storytelling. It’s just that we know what to expect when we watch the anime. Do we really need to analyze or find reasons in everything? For me, it depends on the subject. I would never expect any real intense reasonable story or drama from Konosuba or Asobi Asobase. But on the contrary, I will criticize the anime which try to be serious but fail to deliver.
This anime is not for everyone. It’s mainly for AL player and may be for those people who prefer an all girls anime. As an AL player, I want to see OP Enterprise and good action. So far, it’s very enjoyable. There are many reference from the game. The action scene is well done. The story is not the main focus, obviously. I wouldn’t say that I’m totally happy with this direction. Some event story is surprisingly good in the game. I would love to see those events got animated but some ships were sunk so I’m not sure if the anime will want to do it.
By the way, those chicks are called Manjuu. They are like a mascot of the game. They are responsible for day to day maintenance in the base.
@HoHo
Here’s the thing: Azur Lane does try to be serious, or else it wouldn’t open with its grim soliloquies, or indulge in dramatic music while characters talk about the shock of the attack, or have a stoic heroine with a cool hat. The problem is that Azur Lane is trying to have its cake and eat it too. Everything related to Enterprise and her internal and external struggles is serious business. But everything around her is irreverent. There are ways to balance or separate the fanservice-comedy and the serious narrative but Azur Lane doesn’t bother to do it. It’s a problem Kantai Collection had. Or, if you want to see an even more dysfunctional example, Musaigen no Phantom World.
I don’t begrudge anyone their waifu. But we should also recognise the sacrifices made to the story to accommodate them. Sure, you may not care, which is fine and I hope you enjoy the show. But that’s not the same thing as these problems not existing. Am I a wet blanket? Sure. But I also feel that we so seldom get better because we don’t really demand better.
(And I’m sure you’ll appreciate that the game also has very dramatic scenes, and in those the manjuu know better than to show up.)
I do agree about the serious tone when Enterprise shows up. But what I feel is probably different than yours. It feels serious mainly because of her personality. The reason she becomes this way is probably a spoiler (in case that it’s the same as in the game). I feel that the seriousness in this anime is on the level of Shounen series. Yes, I think that it is more like a standard Shounen series with over the top action than its counterpart like KC anime. There are serious moments in this kind of story but it won’t go beyond that. Compare to KC anime, I prefer AL anime more because it at least has a clear direction of what they want to do. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. It’s WTF. But as an AL fans, it’s very entertaining. lol
I actually think they are mostly targeting different audiences. There may be some overlap here and there. Franchise wise at least. From what I read, Kancolle targeted military and history fans. They clearly followed a mostly WWII aesthetic and naval combat style. The anime tried to expand more but ended up being a mess. The movie went back to it’s roots, but the story was a mess. 2nd movie might end up being good if they get the story right (at least it seemed more serious in the preview).
I get the feeling that Azur Lane focuses on cute mecha musume and possibly gameplay. It doesn’t seem to focus on the military side (*cough*carriers doing melee*cough*). The theme they’re going for is quite different. Heck, QE here would be out of place in the other franchise as a battleship. Ironically she wouldn’t be out of place in Arpeggio, but that series also has a different focus.
The only thing in common is ship girls IMHO. Ironically, I think they are better of going the opposite direction as Arpeggio and Kancolle. And certainly not follow the mistake of the Kancolle TV anime.
Yeah, here the Nippon Air Carriers use Swords (cliche?) instead of Bows. Dunno why
even in the Game the Carriers are putt in the back line
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
Loli faceplant
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2007.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2026.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2007.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Azur%20Lane/Azur%20Lane%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2013.jpg
Don’t cover this anime anymore. You are the one who is stupid. This is waifu anime based on a waifu game, with boobies and lolis first above anything else. It relies on “ooh it’s Enterprise, wow it’s Belfast, noo Unicorn, aww Laffey” and many more waifus to come.
You expect grim and tense situation and death to the waifus? Bringing Pearl Harbour, Roosevelt, WW2 into this doesn’t make you sound smarter, it makes you even more stupid than it is already.
I’m not sure if you appreciate the irony of your own comment, but I have nothing more to add to it. I rest my case.
This is one of those times that I miss the upvote mechanism. Well played.
Mockman means that, had the upvote mechanism still been present, Passerby would’ve been downvoted to oblivion and beyond for trying to sound smart. Charone has it right, and personally, I’m glad this series was dropped, sparing us the need to read someone trying to stand above everyone else.
I think its precisely you do care that you decided to reply to him anyway even though “you have nothing further to add.” Not withstanding insulting people that don’t agree with you and generalizing viewers having “tweet-length attention spans and don’t care about storytelling.” If so jaded and think everyone is beneath you, at least that’s what all your replies make it look like, why are you still posting on a blogging site and interacting with us in the first place?
If it’s not due to them having the power of the Sirens, then it’s probably similar to the Transformers (the cartoon) where the Decepticons can fly in robot form while the Autobots can’t.
He just nitpicked about why Zuikaku needed to jump when she could fly…
Well, you didn’t said at least the animation is pretty good. I think you are out of their target audience, because they are focusing in giving fan-service of the girls and in the camera work and animation, instead of the story.
I did comment on the animation last week, but I can’t say I’m too fond of the camera work. I suppose there’s only so much you can do when everyone is fighting on a field of blue and you need to get the camera up someone’s skirt at regular intervals.
Well, but this pays the Bills in the Game and i think they expect the fans to see such things in the Anime
Ah Azure Lane the anime, I can tell it’s mainly a “fan service” show. I don’t mean that just in the sense of panties and wardrobe malfunctions, but rather the whole show is designed just to give fans some wow moments. Objectively I feel that the anime has some pretty poorly done elements. There’s no effort put into world building, tone clashes everywhere, inconsistent animation etc. Subjectively I’m having a LOT of fun. It brings me joy just to see my favorite ship girls do their ship girl things.
Hmm I’m honestly not certain if AL should just stick to their current fan pandering route, or if I’d have preferred a more serious show. I remember the Aoki Hagane no arpeggio anime from years back and thought it was great. It took the whole ship girl concept and really built it up properly. But I understand that Aoki Hagane was adapted from a manga. It had a dedicated author who focused his efforts on actually crafting a story. Azur Lane has nothing of the sort. The story material in the game is very flimsy at best.
Honestly I’ll probably keep watching Azur Lane and keep on enjoying the heck out of it even if it is an objectively bad show. It brings a huge smile to my face that all the silly logical errors can’t phase hahaha.
Ironically, from what I read anyway, the Aoki Hagane anime took an “opposite” approach from the manga – the manga focusing mainly on the humans and their journey and not SO much on the ship girls whereas the anime gave a lot more attention to the ship girls and their development compared to the human element.
Oh Too Much “cringy” Comments there…Ugh! But anyways, Here is my admission for this show…
To me Anthropomorphic type Animes or Franchises like these are kinda dumb these days, especially if they mix it with historical references, I mean i question myself for whole life that why is these kind of things exist!? But still…They ain’t Problematic they just want to well…putting some weird wet dream they that only the east can offer. Also I don’t play this game really, so enough of that…
I keep watching this even this had a lots of “controversies” you know they label this as…
“Anti-Japanese Anime”…Hmmm…i wonder if those KanColle fans are behind that kind of smear, i don’t give a darn thing for that, but i agress…(I also watch KanColle though)
One Last thing…I know you that they are not gonna cover this after the 3rd episode…but i’ll be waiting!
Show Spoiler ▼
Wow, what an ass…
I am watching it purely for guilty pleasure of fanservice… ffs game has more realistic story if only because it follows many historical ww2 naval battles
Now that I’ve actually read this article, Im sorry to say but I agree with everyone else, you’re clearly not the target audience for this show and you are nitpicking at things no one cares about nor expected in this anime in the first place. This is not a serious anime, it’s mainly fanservice to AL players. Just because it has its serious moments doesnt change that fact. Most people who play the AL game knows exactly what they are getting into and the anime so far has delivered everything we expected in an enjoyable manner.
It’s a good thing that you wont be covering this anymore, you are clearly the wrong person to do so, due to your expectations being wrongfully placed.
Ep 03:
– Well, the “History events” of WW2 is all over the place in this
– But i am curious in how they retell their Story
– Because if you saw this Episode, then you will get a gist what Time line here overlaps
Also this is not a Spoiler
Grey Ghost has Enterprise earned in WW2 after Pearl Harbor. But they already have her nickname in use. So right from the start the timeline is all over the place
Let’s see. Perhaps the storytelling catch me. But i look interesting/curious for now. But perhaps it was only me, seems like they tame done the fanservice… what i am talking about, the see trough stuff of Unicorn.. FBI open up!! (insider joke)
But do the “bad Guys” Sakura Empire Carrier really need go Melee with their Sword’s? Give them Bow’s too.. But it is not my decision. Do they use in the Game also Swords?
most of my “wisdom” here is learned trough Wikipedia (english. German is useless)
Please let someone else cover this.
Ep 04:
I begin to like it, this Anime is free from his History shackles and they use it good.
The only shackles they have is the Game that hold this universe together, and i Hope in the game the Girls are well balanced for the sake of the anime here. But as you saw the surprise factor is still working
Lol these 2 British Navy Ships disguise as one of them. i would see that in real… Ships with camouflage that even hold near inspection not just “fake silhouettes” in the Horizon
Well, let’s see. Since the timeline is all useless and only the game’s law are working. i am curious in how the Story keep holding them all together
Look good so far, even with this fanservice. The Story do not need to hide behind it
If you can live with that, try it. But perhaps i am also blessed, because i do not know the Game and just see what i get here and it feels good
my inner little demon tells me, also this episode has far better storytelling like some “Jet Racing Girls” so far.. there the Fanservice crush (until now) all under it
Show Spoiler ▼
While Random Curiosity is usually host to some of the best discussions around, your discussion on Azur Lane is the exception. This has been a very disappointing, even stupid, review to read. To reinforce the thoughts other readers had, your decision to bring Roosevelt and Pearl Harbour into this discussion does not make you sound smarter, nor does it accentuate your authority in discussing history and its relevance to Azur Lane. Since you’re so quick to dismiss those of us who enjoyed the show as having a “Twitter attention span”, how about taking a look at a superior talk where the writer also doesn’t think they can review the series, but does so in a much more mature, well-reasoned manner?
There is little to gain from replying to this comment so deep into the season, but I might as well make something clear. Judging by how you have so quickly equated my generalisation of ‘modern audiences’ to those of you who enjoyed this show, and how you’ve chosen to argue entirely by ad hominem, I assume you’ve confused your enjoyment of the show with the quality of the craft. You may enjoy things that are poorly crafted and not enjoy things that are well crafted, and neither will be a demerit towards you. Your enjoyment is subjective nobody should take that away from you. However, do not mistake one for the other. I made a comparison to Michael Bay’s Transformers, which i consider to be poorly crafted movies. However, they still made lots of money.
Evidently, by the fact you took the time to respond, there clearly is something you gained by replying. Putting everything aside, you’ve not addressed the core of my remarks: I’ve no quarrel with any other part of your review beyond the insistence of bringing in a historical event and the implication that just because you’ve got a few dates and figures present, this would strengthen your talk. Why is this part present in your review? If your expectations were not satisfied, then just be up front and say so.
As you’ve so empathically stated, there’s nothing wrong with subjectivity. Dragging in real-world elements into your talk without truly understanding the importance of the order of battle or the greater context of each event does nothing to add to your review and makes you appear as a sciolist.
A lot of people think that they can increase their own credibility by roping philosophy, psychology, history and various other disciplines into anime reviews, but the reality is that it does them no favors. If your goal is to haul in a knowledge of history clearly propped on Wikipedia, your future military-moe posts will similarly lack credibility and value: what is there to be gained by including a historical reference that demonstrates an incomplete knowledge of the history? Your posts are much stronger and more meaningful to read without them.
Azur Lane Episode 07:
– This Episode are for the “feelings”
– Many Music Soundtracks
– Many Slow motions
– Many talks
– some little progression
– but still not great steps was accomplished except the last seconds…
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-12-11/azur-lane-anime-episodes-11-12-delayed-to-march/.154220
*Cue Girls und Panzer and Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory flashbacks* “Ah s**t, here we go again…”
The frequency of “off-model” moments in Azur Lane‘s latter episodes may be an indication of the extreme pressure Bibury Animation Studio is under. And then there’s that circulating conspiracy theory/rumor on 2chan that Kadokawa (the big multimedia conglomerate that owns KanColle) might be interfering with Bibury’s efforts to hire more animators for Azur Lane–or so I read. (As with every conspiracy theory or rumor, take it with a grain of salt and not as gospel truth unless there’s actual evidence proving that claim.)
On the bright side, I probably won’t mind watching the Winter 2020 rebroadcast (with off-model moments fixed–hopefully) along with the last two episodes. What can I say? Azur Lane the anime may have its “off-model” problems, but it went from “bile fascination anime” to a bonafide “enjoyable guilty pleasure anime.”
No, don’t stop. Keep going. It might get interesting with the series. Especially with the struggle’s of the protagonist, Enterprise.