Comments on: …and that’s SF?

By: Cuchlann

Cuchlann — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:30:17 +0000

If something’s actually happening, I have no problem with it — however, a lot of stories attempt to appropriate the “milling around” you’re talking about because they don’t really have a sense of narrative focus or direction. Remember, I love Jane Austen, and that really doesn’t seem to be anything other than people wandering around in their (and others’) drawing rooms, discussing actions that took place off-stage.

Also, Samuel Beckett. : )

By: OGT

OGT — Mon, 25 May 2009 05:26:16 +0000

I think you have an aversion to things not blowing up and/or things not being exciting, because you seem to hate/dislike anything that mostly involves characters milling around living their lives with no underlying plot and/or explicit thematic element and/or characters being WHACKY. Which is exactly what I like about anime–it feels, perhaps mistakenly on my part, more inclined to use indirection/”negative space” for plot/theme, in part or in whole. I may be making that bit up, as I never have gotten around to analyzing this, but that’s how I see it right now.

I almost want to see you watch Tokyo Story and see what happens when you get the full brunt of Yasujiro Ozu in two and a half hours of milling around 1950s Tokyo.

By: Cuchlann

Cuchlann — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:31:56 +0000

HR didn’t strike me as doing it — first, because it’s fantasy, which deals in a different dialogic with the audience, second because several of the plots attempt to maneuver into subject-oriented storytelling, but the subjects (the characters) aren’t that interesting. When it finally got around to the object-oriented story — the question of passing on — it got pretty good, and I cop to that: the last quarter was pretty good. It’s just that the first half was kinda terrible.

But good point, I *can* see how it does some of the things anyway. I just couldn’t get over the problems I’ve already clearly defined elsewhere. Just a personal problem, I guess.

By: OGT

OGT — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:55:38 +0000

Because Haibane Renmei (and plenty of other series you “hate”) does exactly what you say “science fiction” does here, or, at least, how I read and interpreted it?

By: Owen S

Owen S — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:13:09 +0000

Oh, don’t sweat it. I dropped out towards the end due to finals, but will be picking it up again once I get my monitor back. Totally understandable, was just curious is all. Glad to hear!

By: Cuchlann

Cuchlann — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:03:09 +0000

It does, I think. And what happens is just what often happens. I got swamped and couldn’t keep up with the two/day schedule, then just didn’t get to any more episodes while I was writing my thesis and term paper. Not watching much anime back home right now, as Dad’s here and I don’t wanna be locked up in the back room all day. Will try to finish up soon.

By: Cuchlann

Cuchlann — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:01:48 +0000

Why’s that? I hated HR, and I like all the stuff I mention here.

By: Cuchlann

Cuchlann — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:01:25 +0000

I haven’t seen it yet. I have it, but thekittymeister’s here and I wouldn’t want to A: watch it with her as she hasn’t seen the series yet or B: kick her out for half an hour.

By: TheBigN

TheBigN — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:41:47 +0000

Wow. I mean that I am reminded. Nice brain fart there. >_<

By: TheBigN

TheBigN — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:36:49 +0000

For some reason, I’m not reminded of your watching of Haibane Renmei. :P

By: Pontifus

Pontifus — Sun, 24 May 2009 01:47:08 +0000

Also, what do you think of the new Haruhi episode? It kept reminding me of your post.

By: Owen S

Owen S — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:16:50 +0000

Whatever happened to your watching of Darker than Black? I thought it met your reasonable requirements perfectly, if anything.