I started nanoha vivd last night. I guess they changed anime studio for this season, because everything looked so different.

 

Vivid was animated by A-1, while all the previous entries were done by Seven Arcs.

And yeah... that was the "revival" series that ultimately crapped out. Yukari Tamura formally quit King Records after that first season, so Vivid ended after (in the middle of a story arc, apparently). They tried to do a sort of sequel/spin-off with Vivid Strike that didn't feature Nanoha at all, but between no longer featuring one of its main stars, and the series not properly continuing where the last one ended, it was the worst received of the lot and the franchise is probably dead.

 

Thanks for the information. I was wondering why Vivid strike was made.

 

The sad state of the franchise reeks of cold capitalism at its finest (worst). The whole thing probably started as King Records' attempt to push rising star Nana Mizuki, pairing her with veteran Yukari Tamura. After a bit of a rough start, they sort of accidentally stumbled into a formula that really resonated and took off. But after flying high for a bit, they started to push it too hard until it was all out of creative gas. And then trying to restart that tired, poorly-maintained engine really didn't work.

I hold the original three seasons dear (especially A's), but the utter aimlessness of everything after kind of saddens me.

Symphogear seemed like an attempt again to retry anew (this time with roles reversed, with Nana Mizuki as the veteran), and while I greatly enjoyed that franchise's bombast, I still kinda missed Nanoha's kind heart amidst all that chaos.

 

I loved the 1st 3 seasons. Even though StrikerS was wildly different, suddenly it is 10 years later. After watching Nanoha, I agree about Symphogear definitely stealing elements from it. Especially the over the top transformations.

 

Nana Mizuki, heavily mechanized "magical" weapons, militarized mage squadrons, and heavy yuri undertones  .

On that topic, I've actually just started my rewatch of the series. Don't plan on getting into Vivid, though, knowing how much a waste of time that ultimately becomes, but I will get to watch Reflection and Detonation this time around (sounds like you still have yet to do so?).

It's weird knowing how much more tonally focused the franchise becomes in A's and StrikerS, and then going back to the prototypical first season and how rough a start that initially had, with its low-rent Cardcaptor Sakura shenanigans in the first couple of episodes, plus being utterly front-loaded with anime-isms like a hot springs episode and more over-the-top reaction animations that really don't happen further into the series.

Apparently the story goes that early in the series development, someone made a small joke about Nanoha's puffy uniform shoulders reminding them of Gundam shoulderpads (and then in-universe Vita specifically gives her the RX-78's "White Devil" moniker in A's). And with that, history was made. Nanoha was no longer a fluffy cutesy Magical Girl show. It was now a mecha combat anime, but with cute Magical Girls instead of robots. That just grows and grows in the later seasons. Tetsuya Kakihara (Gurren Lagann's Simon) was brought on in A's as the voice of the Belkan Armed Devices, and then gets a massive GL shout-out in StrikerS' finale. Signum was apparently based on Super Robot Wars OG's Lamia Lovelace and shares her VA. Marina Inoue (Gurren Lagann's Yoko) voices Erio in StrikerS. I mentioned before about Subaru being a walking Gaogaigar (and also apparently Dendoh) reference. The mecha theme pervades elsewhere as well, with almost all of the characters introduced in A's and StrikerS (plus Fate Testarossa) being named after cars.

 

This is quite interesting information. I never knew these things. I will absolutely watch Reflection and Detonation.

 

While not particularly mecha-related, I think Strikers may have been Chiwa Saito's (perhaps best known now for either Homura Akemi in Madoka Magica or Hitagi Senjougahara in the Monogatari series) first actual starring role, as ostensible protagonist Subaru Nakajima (although Nanoha kinda winds up stealing the spotlight back and doing her own things). Not her first actual role, mind, but upon a cursory glance, I can't find an earlier show where she played one of the main characters.

While we're on that topic, not sure if you've yet come across the fact that the Nanoha series was technically spun off from an eroge, Triangle Heart. That's why the early episodes feature her older siblings and family, plus Suzuka's sister and maids as if they were actually important, because they were technically stars of their own story (which you get very minor hints at, like how Nanoha's father is absolutely covered in scars. Because he used to be a bodyguard, prior to retiring to work at his wife's cafe).

Nanoha was apparently only a very minor character in that (and thankfully not involved in any of the ecchi stuff), but there was apparently a small omake side story featuring her where she dreamed she was a magical girl or something like that. Nanoha's school uniform is actually based on her magical girl outfit from that bit, and in that featurette, Lindy was her transformation fairy. So that's why Lindy sprouts fairy wings the few times she performs magic herself in the show.

 

I loved her in the monogatari series.

 

Upon a friend's hearty recommendation, after I finished the 3 Netflix Gundam compilation films, I'm going through the "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin" series since I still have a Hulu subscription. Only about 2/3rds done with the second episode, but the politics here is very engaging, and easy to get invested in since I already know the characters. Can't wait to finish it probably during next week.

 

Someone Calculated What It Costs to Fire Evangelion's Positron Rifle

Spoiler

 

Finished Godzilla and Dorohedoro a little bit ago. New MotU last night. Anyone recommend Beastars? What about B the Beginning?

 

G kids releasing weathering with you is back in american theatres july 24 to 27.

Fathom Events | Weathering With You

 

Definitely thought they were going to continue the trend like with Natsunagi in The Detective is Already Dead. Now assassin girl comes up

I wish they included the "thanks for the feast" line that Kyouya says to Nanako when he sees her in her underwear & swimsuit in Remake our Life! 4th Episode was a nice one though as it brings Eiko into the group and the different styles of production

 

I am really enjoying remake my life and how a realist rebuilt the kingdom.

 

So my new shows I started.

For at work during breaks: Seven Deadly Sins
For at home: Ranma 1/2

 

YGO progress: the battle City finals is underway, really enjoyed Yugi vs Bakura and Jonouchi vs Rishid.
I still find myself using the english names from time to time especially since I played one of the psp games that had these cards a lot back in the day...

 

So you should have done the Bakura/Yugi duel with the DEATH board, right? Is the next duel between Kaiba and Isis?

 

23:14 Anno plans to work on more live action film projects. We know his Shin Kamen Rider is in the plan but we don't know what else he wants.

 

I am watching School Days my friend talked me into it.