What's the most recent thing you've really liked?

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Be it a game, movie, comic, music album, tv series, whatever.

After the disappointment of Seven Deadly Sins going into full retard shounen anime mode, Little Witch Academia gave me a shot of joy. I just love this series. In an only 26-minute long short film it made me care more about the characters than many entire anime series have. In just that time it manages to bring out so much world building and character that it already feels like a fully realized world. I love how the animation style, while retaining its anime craziness, doesn't go fully into over the top chibi antics that I hate. It feels like it has a more western style in its slapstick comedy, of which there is plenty, and mostly well executed. I love the character designs, and how instantly recognizable they are. I love how lively the animation is. I especially love how in a story with an almost entirely female cast they don't introduce some "boys vs. girls" element, but just make it about the characters. The whole feel of the series is so damn happy and upbeat that I'd easily imagine it taking place in the same universe as Kiki's Delivery Service. It's plain adorable!

Sure, it's a total Harry Potter ripoff, but it's not like Harry Potter was totally original either. The only really bad thing about the series is that there's just not enough of it! Two short films clocking in around the length of 3-4 standard anime episodes is some, but not enough. Though I probably prefer the format of releasing short films infrequently, rather than compromise the animation via making it a full length series.

Okay, so I made this thread just as an excuse to talk about Little Witch Academia, but it's not like a little positivity ever hurt these forums. What are your recent experiences like this?

 

[Casual Shinji]

Here's another shocking but welcome aspect about Little Witch Academia; No fanservice. In an anime. With an all-female cast. I didn't like the second OVA much though. Somehow it lacked the snappy energy of the first one.

 

[Zhukov]

I saw the film Spotlight recently.

Not half bad.

Although, not knowing much about the analysis of movies, I would struggle to say why. It seems like it should be really boring. It's like 80% people sitting in offices talking. The performances are all really understated. There's only little in the way of drama or conflict. The closest it gets to action is Mark Ruffalo talking excitedly. It even avoids getting lurid with all the nasty stuff being presented purely in victim's descriptions.

And yet, I found it really interesting and engaging. About the only bad thing I can say about it is that there's a bit that is supposed to be a big moment of revealing self reflection or whatnot that falls rather flat.

 

[Parasondox]

Can I bring up food? Okay I admit, I am hungry.

Hash Brown and Black Pudding. They aren't new to me but I am having a second coming (eww) with them.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

Spoiler: Letlive. - The Blackest Beautiful

Not a mind-blowing album, but solid post-hardcore. Feels a little overproduced for my liking as well, but listening to it almost constantly recently.

 

[Lufia Erim]

I watched kung fury on netflix yesterday. I had a big smile on my face for 30 minutes straight.

I also bought divinity original sin for ps4. I had no idea it came out on ps4 until i randomly saw it at walmart. I looked at a gew reviews, so splitscreen co-op and went out and bought it. It is a really fun game.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Well most recently I watched the first two episodes of The Shannara Chronicles, which I enjoy a fair bit, especially because John Rhys-Davies is in it. I also started watching Doc Martin from the beginning, I'm also really enjoying that. Also I recently discovered Agar.io [http://agar.io/], a simple multi-player free web-browser game that's really fun and addicting.

 

[Evonisia]

I watched The Revenant yesterday. There's a bit near the beginning that drags and the story is quite barebones with a few extraneous characters but the damn thing is really intense and gorgeous looking.

So hurray for that.

 

[Catfood220]

Maybe its because I went in with really low expectations, but I really enjoyed The Force Awakens and am looking forward to the next part of the story.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I'm playing BioShock Infinite and loving every minute of it.

 

[Kyle Winston]

I recently got Xenoblade Chronicles for the New 3DS. I heard good things about, but it was originally for the Wii and is now difficult to find. I am glad it got remade because I am LOVING it.

 

[Lightspeaker]

REALLY liked?

Well I finished watching Monster Musume the other day. So...yeah. Excellent series. I remember watching like the first few minutes months ago and decided to put it on the back burner in favour of some other things I was doing. Glad I got around to it though.

 

[Daymo]

One Punch Man, I haven't enjoyed something so much in a long time, I've rewatched almost all the episodes at least twice if not more. The Force Awakens was also good, not memorable besides the last fight, but no glaring faults unless you want a reason to to hate it. In games, I just finished Dynasty Warriors' 8 story mode and if you like those types of games it is the best of the lot, with varied missions and character combos. Also has a encyclopedia to read if you want a more detailed version of the romance of the three kingdoms.

 

[Fox12]

I just discovered Rick and Morty, and I must say, it's sad to see what I've been missing. It has a really smart sense of humor, and it's filled the hole futurama left behind. I've been burning through the first season pretty quickly. I lost my shit at the mr. Meeseeks episode. The council of ricks was pretty great as well.

 

[DoPo]

Undertale.

Yeah. I just finished it on Friday for the first time. Or, like, second, actually - I played through it and first finished it on Thursday, then immediately started a second playthrough. You sort of have to play it more than once to see some of the things it has to offer, so I consider both playthroughs to belong to the same continuity.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Here's another shocking but welcome aspect about Little Witch Academia; No fanservice. In an anime. With an all-female cast. I didn't like the second OVA much though. Somehow it lacked the snappy energy of the first one.

Oh most definitely. It could have easily gone for fetishization of cutesy schoolgirls or have the teachers all have massive tits, but it respects the viewer enough to stray away from it. Definitely a big plus.

 

[CaitSeith]

Song of Saya (Saya No Uta). It's very repulsive, disturbing and untasteful; but the Lovecraftian-like plot just kept me intrigued to the very end. I heard of this horror visual novel first from Extra Credits a long time ago, described as "like Silent Hill, but with no holds barred, and no restrain for taste". I played recently and I admit that, for better or for worse, I wasn't as prepared for it as I thought. If the grotesque images and violence weren't enough, it threw me sex scenes that I couldn't tell if were more disturbing the way they were described, or the way the may actually looked like for an outsider. Maybe that's what I find fascinating about it. The first two scenes were the same exact event from two different perspectives. And from then on it made me wonder how the following events looked from the other side. And the background music pretty much complements the scenes.

 

[Barbas]

I had a cup of tea yesterday that was juuuuust right. I've been trying to replicate its perfection since, because while I know this to be a fool's errand, I'm confident that the journey will be a satisfying one nonetheless. There'll be scrumptious biccies involved.

 

[Zen Bard]

TV
Mr. Robot- Didn't really expect such an interesting, complex and cynical show on the USA Network. But I was hooked from episode one. Sure it's Fight Club meets Dexter meets The Matrix with a little internet paranoia thrown in. But so what?

Fargo - Season 2 - I really enjoyed the first season. Unfortunately, the second season of an acclaimed show usually tends to fall flat (looking at you, True Detective). But I'd say this season was just as good as the last one. And as usual, the against-type performances were fantastic!

Comics
East of West - Suggested by my friendly neighborhood comics store guy (I'm going to be so screwed when he graduates and gets a "real job"). Man! This series has everything! It's a little bloated at times and tried to cram too much in (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, an alternate USA where the Civil War lasted 20 years, cybernetic Native Americans, Westerns, prophecies...). But it all works so well.

Planetary - Finally got around to reading this one. After devouring Transmetropolitan, I just randomly grabbed something else with Warren Ellis' name on it. Wow. Just wow! As usual, Ellis' trademark wit and cynicism deconstructs all our beloved comic and pulp fiction tropes.

Bands
Animals as Leaders - Great band with one drummer, no bass and two guitarists playing seven- and eight-string guitars. They're a little esoteric and out there at times. But it's refreshing to hear musicians who can actually play!

Porcupine Tree - A random guy at the record store suggested them after overhearing me tell my wife about Dream Theatre. They sort of flit in and out of prog rock, psychedelia and straight up metal.

Next Gen Console Games
Still waiting for one :-(