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you're right to point out that the show differentiates between faith of the individual and the institution of the church, and i should've probably pointed that out more clearly. it's true that the church in this point in history was hardly a beacon of goodness and love, but i think a lot of my perspective on this came from the main character's interactions with members of the church being quite negative (the initial source of oczy's trauma) to downright evil (the loss of badeni's eye). i feel like the inquisition already being emphatically overzealous is enough to show the faults of the institution without needing to show the people within the church who should be devoted to spreading the word of god putting others down, but it's not really something that breaks the series. i should have maybe made it more clear that i don't think any perceived bias i saw impacted the quality of the series, and just a niggling feeling i had in some scenes. either way, appreciate the comment and input.

Please see pinned comment - we do NOT state any of our personal opinions on whether Christianity/religion is good or bad and we explicitly do not lambast the author for having criticized theology/religion in some of the episodes leading up to this review.

Yeah, I watched the video before making that comment. I disagree with your point that the author criticized theology or religion. Instead, I believe the critique is solely aimed at the role churches play in society. I think this because the protagonists are deeply religious and motivated by their belief in God. Additionally, (spoiler) when characters die, it is strongly implied that God exists in this story and that those going on the heliocentrism journey are going to heaven."

@@Vrisket At best this then becomes a definitional argument over "criticism of the church as a human structure derived from religion" vs "criticism of theology and how humans teach it". It really depends on how far you want to separate the definition of a church from that of what people commonly talk about when they talk about theology and religion (that is, how religious people interpret and display those actions). If you wish to separate that ENTIRELY, then yes - there could be a viewpoint where you can say the author respects religion in the purest sense.

Please see pinned comment - we were not complaining about the story in any real manner and even explicitly state at the end of the highlight that the way the author set up his story was not necessarily a negative thing.

Thats not true at all. Look at what Shintoism actually is and Japans history with Christianity which spans over 600 or so years. Thats a very broad statement you're making with little basis.

@sparten17708 But main relegion is Buddhism and even in Jainism, spiritually is the main focus.... and I'm just talking about the general perception of history of popes & churches in dark ages & medieval ages ....

Rather than focusing on making good games they are focusing on patent

It's hard to say at times (outside of very obvious misses or very obvious unexpected success stories) because series composers do get different series to work on, and then the questions arise: is this mainly due to the fault of the original story? Is this just a bad series overall to try and adapt to a 12/24-ep anime format, especially with what the author is pushing for? Would this scriptwriter have fully done a better job if HE had taken on Attack on Titan instead? I would say that some of the stuff that Seko Hiroshi has worked on that wasn't as high-profile or has been anime originals have had some iffier pacing (e.g.: Deca-Dence, Summer Time Rendering). HOWEVER, it is hard at times to single out individuals on what they contributed to an anime series from an outside perspective so this isn't to say that he sucks or anything. It is certainly an interesting question though, and probably a better one than just outright labeling X studio as being "AWESOME" or "TERRIBLE". Thanks for the comment! - Spire

@@4playeranimecast I was just asking this in the midst of the announcement for the one-piece remake, and I noticed that Seko hiroshi wasn't working on it, I was under the impression that it was given that he did work with wit before (ie AOT). But it turned out to be Taku kishimoto. I haven't seen any of the shows he worked on, and I don't want to pass judgment yet, so I was asking some questions to get an idea of what's to come. I like hiroshi's way of having to take some liberties to condense the adaptation like cutting out some unnecessary dialogue that won't serve the animation medium unlike in the manga (ie characters saying what's going on out loud because whatever's happening doesn't fully communicate in manga), I wish that for OP, while I love OP, I feel like it could be better. I wonder if Taku Kishimoto would be the type of person to cut out the sanji nose bleed plot line in fishman Island (that's assuming they even get that far, which I hope) Thanks for the reply🙏

Thanks for the comment! Yeah, all of us are definitely hoping that series like Twilight Out Of Focus can be a stepping stone for more varied and organic BL/GL adaptations being supported down the line.

Listening back I was probably a little too harsh in how I initially structured talking about it. I think from an easy engagement perspective that something with characters more tropey like Sasaki to Miyano will just more easily hold my attention with mini arcs or something. I need to catch up more with this but its not that I consider it bad or anything; the premise ultimately just wasn’t really gripping me as much as it probably would without the “film” parts ironically. I’ll have to keep going to see what other dramas occur but I’d like to see some more directly deeper digging into why doing the film while needing to keep their relationship secret is bothering Mao and such. Not as if we wouldnt know why but more so just wanting to see the character dev and interactions surrounding something like that. Overall I don’t think I did say or make it clear enough that I definitely do appreciate that there are series with more subdued characters coming out just to contrast the usual casts.

As a rule of thumb I tend to not give any series a 9 or better unless it's one of those series that as an overall package is really pushing beyond the upper limits of what we've seen thus far in the animation industry (Land of the Lustrous would probably be a great example of this). That being said, I think the series did a good job of initially presenting the idea of how entrenched cultures have developed around genders, gender identity, etc within the limited screen time that it has during this anime season. I would probably have given it a 7 or 8 on any other day but the issues I saw with how one-dimensional/shallow the writing was for the standard anime romcom aspect of it (e.g.: the heroine's only initial "driving" value within the story being that "she's an honest one") meant that I had to mark it down. Hope this clears things up and thanks for the comment! - Spire

Yeah, I think the standard 12-episode format for anime series that's so entrenched these days definitely doesn't help with bringing out the strengths of the original manga in terms of how it's laid out in storyboard/pacing. A bit unfortunate all around. - Spire

@@4playeranimecast hopefully they turn it around as it ends

When reading a book/manga, you have a certain image of the characters and seeing it in a TV form (whether it's anime, tv show or a movie), they often disappoint. This is a very common thing fr

@@growingoakswell. To be ad dmore to what I said. The comedy was fine it was more of the serious moments where it fell kinda off

You can check out our other reviews (such as our Isekai Suicide Squad review th-cam.com/video/dPqID60LFdk/w-d-xo.html or our Shinmai Ossan review th-cam.com/video/Ma2W0aLQZMs/w-d-xo.html within the very same recording that we shot for our Nokotan review) to see that we give plenty of positive reviews to series that we thought were ok/good. Make sure to check out our other episodes for these sorts of reviews - we do try to stick to our values and principles when going through a series regardless of popular opinion.

What’s unethical about begging for free PR behind the scenes to manufacture momentum? When your Producers are Dentsu and Twin Engine? This is a real question? When you’re being licensed by CR? Lol

@@Darksoul9669 So no answer, huh? Nothingburger.

We do compare Nokotan to multiple other series in our full review (th-cam.com/video/GQ7BFg0NM7E/w-d-xo.html) but we didn't want to add in 30min+ of analysis into something that's supposed to be a shorter clip showing WHY the Nokotan guys wanted to do this. Neither the title nor the thumbnail is clickbait at all, and regardless of whether you like the anime or not, I think we would all agree that "please do unpaid work for us" in 2024 is not a good thing. It's not good or ethical when a random western company tries to hire unpaid interns and state that "they'll pay them in exposure" and it's certainly not good when an anime studio tries to do more or less the same schtick.

Really this ride or die for a series ya’ll know deep down no one is gonna talk about after this season? smh

@@Darksoul9669 "A comedy anime equivalent of popcorn needs to be talked about indefinitely or it's not good." Come back when you have less shitty qualifiers.

@@johninenglish8236 Yes we have all the qualifiers and not the people who first say the series is amazing, then backtrack to "ITS JUST POPCORN" or "ITS NOT EVEN SERIOUS"; like okay so it's supposed to be mediocre seasonal filler? Is that why it was given the completely inorganic push we talked about here? Is that why you folks keep changing things up the moment there's any pushback on this thing? Next you'll go to "You just don't get it >:( " with 0 actual analysis.

@@Darksoul9669 it's a fun show. You acting like Hollywood critique who's word is gospel just makes to seem like an unhinged loser.

@@Darksoul9669 it's a fun show. Stop with the schizo rant.

i can't speak for dark obviously but i'm pretty sure the 'bottom of the barrel slop' comment (if that's what you're referring to) is mostly just provocative. we've acknowledged on the show many times that low brow/crass humor will always have an audience and some of us definitely enjoy it more than others, and we sometimes do banter on how our opinions might differ from what the popular consensus is, but it's rarely mean spirited. me personally, i didn't find this show to be very funny or snappy, but i don't think my opinion is quite as negative as dark's was. appreciate actually engaging with the content of the video though instead of just saying "ur wrong, didn't watch lol"

I consider these bottom of the barrel not because its crass, not because its wacky, but because of its presentation, execution and expectations. This entire series is telling you to think it's going to be some extremely absurd experience and it hardly is. The jokes are the most basic in idea and execution that you could find in any series that has any sort of touch of comedy to it. I expect a series that's going to try to be a full-on comedy to do better than any given SoL series that has some humor in it. At this point you'd be hard-pressed to find a series containing any sort of reference humor that doesn't make a Jojo reference or a Conan reference etc., and the way it's presented here is as shallow as it could possibly be. It doesn't particularly tie into a larger part of the episode or as s longer running through-line for more bits. It just throws in "here's a reference to jojo's style" and then moves on without it serving any purpose beyond getting people to say "wowee I also know what JJBA looks like." I expect a lot more from any series let alone a comedy and especially one that tries to market itself like Nokotan. So yeah when you present to me a series that has extremely basic jokes, and also has nothing of substance in-between said jokes; I think its pretty bottom of the barrel.

@@Darksoul9669 id say the point when absurdity is absurd enough that one can find it inherently funny varies from person to person. i hate to give the boring 'but thats just like, your opinion man." but i feel like the argument being presented against nokoton here keeps coming off extremely matter of fact-ly. there is a through plot line in every episode thus far. but whether its at all engaging will range from person to person. Clearly i and many others find a lot of the absurdity based jokes to be funny. most of what you said, and about half of the video could just be i didnt find the jokes funny. i get the purpose of the video is to make content so its a rather boring statement and it makes sense to want to explain why its not funny. basically all of the criticisms lodged thus far by what you say and the video, sans the marketing thing, work equally well as a basis of opinion. but this idea of fake hype just seems dumb. regardless of the sometimes undesirable means of building hype, hype was established and is being maintained, and people are laughing at the jokes in the show. and the hype is maintained because clearly people find substance in the show. but the stuff like saying that if people wanted to turn their brain off and enjoy something they should just look at a scenery like it inherently has more value or effort just sounds super pretentious and is just not the case. i see effort in the show through the visual and audio presentation that enhances jokes i already liked in the manga. i dont like calling people a contrarian because its rarely true, so i will say the attitude of the video feels more in line about what i was saying where people genuinely have a different opinion from the mainstream. but they explicitly like it that way and enjoy trying to make the mainstream out to just be stupid ass sheeps who cant use their brain to appreciate TRUE art or humor. if this was all truly intended to just be a display of opinion in maybe a spiteful rage baity way, then i guess i got baited sorry i took it too seriously, also fuck you if that. but otherwise that is the core of my point. essentially it is just a valid for someone to prefer nokoton over something like nichijou as it is vice versa. i would agree i think nichijou is funnier (but i like nokotons manga more than both). but that doesnt mean liking nokoton means being a idiot who only likes the schlock their shepards give them.

this comment is funnier than the show ngl

Wild work to admit that the reason you enjoy this is because you're abnormal. Also what fucking otaku and weeb in-jokes? JoJo? You think JOJO isn't a normie-ass reference??? My parents know what the fuck jojo is and they're in their 60s.

@@NierAndFar filtered normie

Yeah real non-normie references like Jojo, the niche obscure series that people over the age of 60 definitely do not know about. Is your meter tuned to just be anything that doesn't have the same level of recognition as Dragon Ball lmfao. Jojo references are truly cutting edge and never been done better than a character just being in the style. And let me tell you nothing says non-normie like Little V making a cover of the opening.

@@Darksoul9669 That wasn't a Jojo Reference you Normie af loser. That was Kenshiro from Hokuto No Ken or Fist of the North Star. Or the reference in Ep1 of Koshi shouting for Hajime-san. That's referencing the Kindaichi Case Files Get Filtered you absolute fecking surface level normie feck. God damn I hate you people.

Correct there have been very shitty “comedy” series being released for decades.

Jashin-chan literally shills multiple regions and still has actual bits that are better thought out and go beyond jingling keys in front of your face like “he he jojo, ha ha tokyo ghoul”

this is some interesting stuff that you bring up but do you actually have a source for this because i tried to search this up but i couldn't find anything about it

yeah because everyone knows that comedy doesn't involve well written jokes or skits. People just do that stuff off the cuff.

We go over this in previous podcasts (and are thinking of maybe putting out a regular disclaimer for these sorts of series) but when we talk about "isekai", we are generally referring to the subgenre/subculture that deals with the variety of series that have high fantasy + power fantasy/insert protagonist settings that have generally been inspired from older "proper" isekai series. The reason we do so is that so many of these series spawn from the same place AND have more or less the exact same setup AND story structure AND interpersonal relations AND draw that isekai series offer to begin with. This is not a coincidence - this is because all of these authors are copying off of each other and just writing the same stuff over and over again. In FACT, a further damning piece of evidence that these series are generally similar is that there are a significant number of "proper" isekai series out there that shoot the Japanese protagonist into a feudal/high fantasy setting and then pretty much ignore the "I came from Japan" part (or even have the PROTAGONIST say stuff like "I'm going to forget about that crappy world I lived in...") These stories then become pretty much INDISTINGUISHABLE from something like Shinmai Ossan structurally. For the purposes of reviewing anime for the 99.9999999% of people who might be interested (or heavily disgusted) by these sorts of series, trying to split hairs by saying "well the first few sentences of chapter 1 involved the god pulling this Japanese person into another world so it's an isekai" is not relevant to us. The MEAT of the story is quintessentially the same as most of the other series within the genre.

Also would like to add that, in fact, they did use MoCap to animate many, if not, the whole of the Performances in the anime that, accompanied with the excellent quality of the production, animation, vfx and postproduction staff, did carry much of the show's strongest points, the Music.

I literally did do that though. I didn't know about the Omegaverse until after I had already watched what I could even get through. It's just another layer of awful. And look people can do whatever they want. But I do think that the "family/child-rearing" series being a part of the Omegaverse is a massive red-flag. Vibes are off. Plus just gross to use that as the vehicle for discrimination when there's real discrimination going on especially in Japan. On top of my frustrations laid out here.

@@Darksoul9669what discrimination? I’m genuinely confused?

@@Hhshsjhjk The whole 'omega inferior, alpha superior' discrimination bullshit.

@@emy8555 … neither of those concepts are real for humans so how the hell is that discrimination? Like for animals? Or are you trying to say the omega is feminine and the alpha is masculine like there has to be a “girl” even in mlm relationship? Because I can kinda agree with that, but sometimes there really is a more feminine man and a more masculine man together. Sometimes that’s just how it is, idk if that’s really discrimination 🤷

@@Hhshsjhjk Okay so I'm going to assume that somehow with this sussy name you're not a bot. But here we go; In my review I state exactly what's happening here and why its extremely stupid. Shoving "OH EM GEE DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS OMEGAS AND ALPHAS" is fucking gross in-general but doubly so coming from Japan which is even more conservative towards LGBTQ+ rights than a lot of places. To put things into perspective they are only JUST going through their "trans bathrooms are dangerous" phase with bills. So yes having a series that is featuring gay characters all over the place, and setting it up like this and the only discrimination you care to talk about in Japan is some fantasy non-sense; that sucks and it would be much better to try to find series that actually give the time of day to real issues of discrimination in Japan. I'd even settle for ONLY social discrimination at that point.

Except slime actually has somewhat interesting characters and worldbuilding

@@TheButterMinecart1 Except without Re: monster there won't be a Slime Rimuru.

If slime was based on slavery*

@@L3onking or SA or Stockholm. Redo atleast commit partially to the smut, eventhough the MC has the most annoying cumface.

Cause anime watcher tastes gets worse as years go

Same, it's literally some loser's porn fantasy. None of the characters are interesting in the slightest.

@@TheButterMinecart1 lol exactly

because u dont hav taste ..u like harem isekais ..

The song gets stuck in my head. Its annoying. But the show? Its the mid of mid. I give bonus points for glossing over the sex, but... why even play it up without fan service? The real gripe is that its just a bunch of "then, this happened."'s stitched together. There's no story. Its 7 or 8 episodes deep, and I can give you the entire character plot. Guy from cyberpunk got isekaid as a goblin. Gets powers from eating. Eats random crap. Changes appearance every other episode. So do the side characters. And..... thats it. No back story. No development. No motivation. Its just 'stuff just happens while I exist as a bowl of plain rice.' The most unrelatable OP main character, ever. When I say that the anime literally just narrates "and then I tamed some wolves and made a wolf-rider unit, and picked up 30 new skills." and just leaves it at that, I'm not kidding. 3 or 5 times an episode. You're lucky if you get a still image, and not just a black screen. Its pretty terrible.

@@Volyren still better content then any marvel movies that recently came out.