June 17th, 2017
Eromanga-Sensei Episode 11 Thoughts
Anime Relations: Eromanga-sensei
**SPOILERS**
=======================
I've got to say that episode was really really good.
According to a poster on reddit for this episode, the focusing on the childhoods of both Masamune and Sagari are anime-original content delving more into the details that the book doesn't cover.
This episode immediately reminded me of why I got hooked on episode 1 and what interested me about it a lot initially.
It wasn't the reaction shots, the memes, or the swat team bursting through my door. It was the theme of connectivity that the internet users embraces everyday. This show understands how people connect on the internet among strangers. Of course, this type of thing is nothing new as people and strangers connect to each other on the internet all the time ever since it was invented (unless you're a fucking normie). I suppose I was surprised to see a TV show present this particular theme from the perspective of the users instead of from the perspective of people looking from the outside. The only media/story I can think that tried this were films about long-distance relationships.
Sagiri is possibly the best representation of what having an online and offline personality is like due to the concept of anonymity. An incredibly simple concept really. How you act online may differ from how you act offline. In a way, there are different personalities at bay because having an online personality may not always tie to your real-life self so you feel more free to express yourself.
Her offline self is what I'll sum up as a young girl who has incredible social anxiety among other people and can't leave her own room because doing so basically makes her so uncomfortable that anxiety sets in. Sagiri's bedroom is where she feels the most comfortable and basically becomes a shut-in, as a result. She's like 12 years old... I couldn't really understand the idea how such a person that young can have that type of tendency but I was an incredibly shy person back at that age and if I had social anxiety living in Japan then I'll probably be the same.
Now for her online self, she calls herself Eromanga and that's her screen-handle. She acts entirely different from her shy appearance and that's because I think that's how her real personality is like. Due to having shields, the screen and the mask, she can express what she really thinks. And she's really perverted but this is because of her mom from childhood.
As for the dreams and meeting up online, I genuinely found that to be sweet. I think it's plausible for what happened in this story. Some of these things aren't impossible as I've seen super rare stories of similar things happening before where people who have met years ago connect again.
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The rest of the episode could be summed up as me enjoying the OreImo cameos, the parent figures, how these children have dreams, and how the parents raise their children.
As for Masamune and Sagiri cutting off all contact so they can pursue becoming professional. I've got to say that is the most dumbest thing ever. However, they're 7 and 11, and Japan has a terrible idea about always prioritizing hardwork over everything else. So I'll forgive that scene.
=======================
I've got to say that episode was really really good.
According to a poster on reddit for this episode, the focusing on the childhoods of both Masamune and Sagari are anime-original content delving more into the details that the book doesn't cover.
This episode immediately reminded me of why I got hooked on episode 1 and what interested me about it a lot initially.
It wasn't the reaction shots, the memes, or the swat team bursting through my door. It was the theme of connectivity that the internet users embraces everyday. This show understands how people connect on the internet among strangers. Of course, this type of thing is nothing new as people and strangers connect to each other on the internet all the time ever since it was invented (unless you're a fucking normie). I suppose I was surprised to see a TV show present this particular theme from the perspective of the users instead of from the perspective of people looking from the outside. The only media/story I can think that tried this were films about long-distance relationships.
Sagiri is possibly the best representation of what having an online and offline personality is like due to the concept of anonymity. An incredibly simple concept really. How you act online may differ from how you act offline. In a way, there are different personalities at bay because having an online personality may not always tie to your real-life self so you feel more free to express yourself.
Her offline self is what I'll sum up as a young girl who has incredible social anxiety among other people and can't leave her own room because doing so basically makes her so uncomfortable that anxiety sets in. Sagiri's bedroom is where she feels the most comfortable and basically becomes a shut-in, as a result. She's like 12 years old... I couldn't really understand the idea how such a person that young can have that type of tendency but I was an incredibly shy person back at that age and if I had social anxiety living in Japan then I'll probably be the same.
Now for her online self, she calls herself Eromanga and that's her screen-handle. She acts entirely different from her shy appearance and that's because I think that's how her real personality is like. Due to having shields, the screen and the mask, she can express what she really thinks. And she's really perverted but this is because of her mom from childhood.
As for the dreams and meeting up online, I genuinely found that to be sweet. I think it's plausible for what happened in this story. Some of these things aren't impossible as I've seen super rare stories of similar things happening before where people who have met years ago connect again.
=============
The rest of the episode could be summed up as me enjoying the OreImo cameos, the parent figures, how these children have dreams, and how the parents raise their children.
As for Masamune and Sagiri cutting off all contact so they can pursue becoming professional. I've got to say that is the most dumbest thing ever. However, they're 7 and 11, and Japan has a terrible idea about always prioritizing hardwork over everything else. So I'll forgive that scene.
Posted by FestivalsOfComf | Jun 17, 2017 9:04 PM | 0 comments
November 10th, 2016
My thoughts on GTO
Anime Relations: Great Teacher Onizuka
I'm just going to ramble on for a bit, this won't be a fully coherent polished piece, I apologize. I need to just let my thoughts flow I suppose.
Before heading home from school today, I rewatched the GTO opening on YouTube. Hear more perspectives about GTO in general in the comments and listen to its nice first opening.
I've recently completed GTO and the openings have come back into my head the past many hours (looping the opening as I write this). I would love to make an analysis video on it but so much time commitment is needed and I need to focus on school, writing this blog post will ease my thirst for now and maybe start the project during my break. Who knows.
Okay, enough about me. Assuming you haven't followed my forum posts, I love GTO. I actually think it's a masterpiece for what it accomplishes. It goes through many classic tropes but it executes them very well, in my opinion.
Why is GTO great?
It has really great messages and commentary/perspective on the education system.
The major theme from GTO I've picked up is this:
All students have the potential to do something great, a great teacher not only helps the student get back on track but also helps them grow as individuals and help them embrace their uniqueness to their fullest potential.
This is seen throughout every arc where Onizuka is versing students. I'll admit, I don't remember everything so bear with maybe inaccuracies.
A major one that represents this theme is Miyabi's arc (where she gets Onizuka into debt due to a set-up). When Onizuka is given the chance to push all the blame of all the stolen money onto Miyabi, Onizuka decides to not do that and says that she's "energetic." Miyabi is being a little shit to Onizuka and could be said to be a delinquent in this case, but isn't given the full blame on her. Onizuka being a delinquent in school understands the motions and realizes that every student can reach their fullest potential by shifting their focus from stupid shit into good shit.
Miyabi is energetic with her crazy elaborate plans in getting Onizuka fired. Onizuka understands this and doesn't want to get her to take the full blame so he can save himself. He's going to teach her a lesson about how teachers are humans that have a job and to her shift her focus away from getting him fired to something more productive. By forcing her to change perspective and shift focus, she can become a better student and individual overall. She won't get punished, she will learn and grow and that's what Onizuka wants because punishing the student won't change their behaviour and utilize their full potential for good things. If anything, it might push them deeper into doing the bad behavior that got them into trouble.
There's also the example with arcs focused Kikkuchi, Anko, Nomura, etc. The series does a well job in guiding these students in a much different way than the usual I've seen. It's unconventional and different which these students sorely needed than the tired regular teachers they see time and time again.
Another great theme has to be:
The purpose of the education system is to nurture and care for the students because they shape the next generation.
This can be seen from Onizuka versing the Vice principal, the PTA, etc. Throughout the whole thing, the students are the focus but they're misguided in what's important which is to care about their guidance. The PTA hates Onizuka because he teaches so differently from the norm but that different approach is what engages those students and guides them. The Vice Principal doesn't incite any excitement with the students so Onizuka instead does that by essentially breaking the 'norms.' I can go on and on, etc.
I'm already running out on my internet blocker, sigh. I want to type forever about this show. I think I got it out of my system, oh well. My thoughts are in the episodic threads too.
Thanks for reading if you managed to get this far.
Before heading home from school today, I rewatched the GTO opening on YouTube. Hear more perspectives about GTO in general in the comments and listen to its nice first opening.
I've recently completed GTO and the openings have come back into my head the past many hours (looping the opening as I write this). I would love to make an analysis video on it but so much time commitment is needed and I need to focus on school, writing this blog post will ease my thirst for now and maybe start the project during my break. Who knows.
Okay, enough about me. Assuming you haven't followed my forum posts, I love GTO. I actually think it's a masterpiece for what it accomplishes. It goes through many classic tropes but it executes them very well, in my opinion.
Why is GTO great?
It has really great messages and commentary/perspective on the education system.
The major theme from GTO I've picked up is this:
All students have the potential to do something great, a great teacher not only helps the student get back on track but also helps them grow as individuals and help them embrace their uniqueness to their fullest potential.
This is seen throughout every arc where Onizuka is versing students. I'll admit, I don't remember everything so bear with maybe inaccuracies.
A major one that represents this theme is Miyabi's arc (where she gets Onizuka into debt due to a set-up). When Onizuka is given the chance to push all the blame of all the stolen money onto Miyabi, Onizuka decides to not do that and says that she's "energetic." Miyabi is being a little shit to Onizuka and could be said to be a delinquent in this case, but isn't given the full blame on her. Onizuka being a delinquent in school understands the motions and realizes that every student can reach their fullest potential by shifting their focus from stupid shit into good shit.
Miyabi is energetic with her crazy elaborate plans in getting Onizuka fired. Onizuka understands this and doesn't want to get her to take the full blame so he can save himself. He's going to teach her a lesson about how teachers are humans that have a job and to her shift her focus away from getting him fired to something more productive. By forcing her to change perspective and shift focus, she can become a better student and individual overall. She won't get punished, she will learn and grow and that's what Onizuka wants because punishing the student won't change their behaviour and utilize their full potential for good things. If anything, it might push them deeper into doing the bad behavior that got them into trouble.
There's also the example with arcs focused Kikkuchi, Anko, Nomura, etc. The series does a well job in guiding these students in a much different way than the usual I've seen. It's unconventional and different which these students sorely needed than the tired regular teachers they see time and time again.
Another great theme has to be:
The purpose of the education system is to nurture and care for the students because they shape the next generation.
This can be seen from Onizuka versing the Vice principal, the PTA, etc. Throughout the whole thing, the students are the focus but they're misguided in what's important which is to care about their guidance. The PTA hates Onizuka because he teaches so differently from the norm but that different approach is what engages those students and guides them. The Vice Principal doesn't incite any excitement with the students so Onizuka instead does that by essentially breaking the 'norms.' I can go on and on, etc.
I'm already running out on my internet blocker, sigh. I want to type forever about this show. I think I got it out of my system, oh well. My thoughts are in the episodic threads too.
Thanks for reading if you managed to get this far.
Posted by FestivalsOfComf | Nov 10, 2016 3:16 PM | 0 comments