Comments on: Shikabane Hime: Aka – Promising, At Least [Episode One]

By: char

char — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:48:46 +0000

I’ve watched the first and second eps. So far I like it and am waiting for ep 3 ^_^
Just started Gurren Lagann as well. After Evangelion, the only other anime I watched (completed) by GAINAX was Top wo Nerae 2! (also watching the original now XD).

By: Hige

Hige — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:42:47 +0000

@Martin: Oh, there’s certainly a load of allusions to Dark Pasts and Mysterious Secrets. I avoided writing about specifics just because we got such little information on the whys and wherefores. All this withholding of information means GAINAX still have an opportunity to make their mark, too.

I agree that Shikabane seems focused on the fundamentals rather than misguided attempts at sophistication. I think that’s what ingratiated it to me thus far. And it’s funny that so many people are saying the action sequences remind them of Gurren Lagann, because many of GL’s action sequences reminded me of FLCL. It’s the GAINAX circle of life, I guess!

By: Martin

Martin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:10:47 +0000

I got the same impression as you did from this (no surprise, huh? ;P). I’ll give it another ep or so before posting my own thoughts on it though, because it seems to be keeping something important back during those first twenty-five or so minutes.

The thing is, this is very different from what Gainax have done before; not that they do the exact same thing twice anyway, but an apparently straight-up, no-nonsense supernatural thriller is such a departure that I’m reluctant to make my mind up about it yet. My mantra is, I’d rather see something simple done well than something complex handled badly. That is to say, if it stays on the course it’s on I won’t be disappointed – I’d prefer that over trying, say, adding needlessly convoluted character relations or examining the morality of killing the shikabane, and failing in the attempt.

Thinking about it, Gainax have only really let me down with This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (I’ve avoided He Is My Master like the plague) – even Mahoromatic was decent and Abenobashi was good for at least the first half. As long as Shikabane Hime doesn’t get over-ambitious or suffer a budgetry/scheduling disaster it will remain, as you accurately put it, solidly entertaining.

Moving onto the little things the use of light, the Sadamoto-inspired character designs and what I found to be assured direction ensured that I’m enjoying it so far; the energy and sketchy art of the action scenes reminded me of Gurren Lagann too. And the fanservice was quite reined-in. Who’d have thought it?

By: Hige

Hige — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:34:26 +0000

@IKnight: Gender it? You mean the ‘I’m gay for it’ comment? That just means I really rather like it.

By: IKnight

IKnight — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:13:52 +0000

Why’d you gender ‘lighting in animation’?

. . . yeah, I haven’t actually seen the first episode of Shikabane Hime.