THIS IS A DIFFERENT ANIME!
Donghua: False Memory
highly recommend. It has one of the most beautiful visuals in animation with amazing soundtrack and effects. Every frame is, without exaggeration, a masterpiece. It has the vibe of those perfectly animated 3 seconds snippets without anime.
It has one of the most visually pleasing animations style with a weird and unique story and world. Music and sound design is also phenomenal in a way that can't be described.
The pic from the opening on YouTube to give an idea of the animation, highly recommend checking it out first to have a feel of what to expect from the show.
As of right now only 3 episodes are out, and the story is still very confusing but it's worth the watch if just for visuals alone.
Not sure if this a common take, but I've seen several people talking about the Denied and conflict in the movie as if it had no build up. I know the movie wasn't perfect, but that is not a valid criticism.
The graphic novels explored the idea of different factions forming after the fire lord was defeated. I haven't reread the series yet (it's on WEBTOON as of right now if anyone wishes to read them) but I remember there was a conflict of benders and non-benders, it wasn't a conflict that only existed in LOK nor did the movie decide to add to the world out of nowhere.
The Denied concept has always been part of the world that simply didn't have time to be explored in the show due to the focus being on the fire nation war.
Other criticisms I've seen & my opinion on them:
- The characters not being as strong as they should have, is a valid take.
Though personally, I can see how they would struggle against air bending due to it being a lost form of bending for 100+ years. The only point of reference for air bending attacks team avatar had is Aang, and since Aang specifically insist on holding on to the air nomads peaceful nature, I see how Tagah was able to take them down that easily. How easily they were taken down by the Denied is a different story. But That's just my opinion.
- Criticising the movie for not having as a gripping story for a world such as Avatar. As much as I want to say it's not valid it kind of is.
The story would have been much better if it extended on the show timeline itself (like the comics) instead of jumping 10 years into the future. But I would also like to remind everyone, the movie was intended to be a theatrical release. As painful as it was it didn't happen, it was t supposed to be the first theatrical release of the franchise, and it is clear it was made with that in mind. Anyone could have walked into that theatre, watched the film, understood context, backstory and history of the world without the show. The movie was made to be a standalone as a way to introduce more people to the franchise (at least that what it seems to be to me).
- Characters not feeling like themselves. THAT! That's 100 percent valid. The Gaang didn't feel like an older version of themselves, just a blander version. I have no comment for this one.
All in all, the movie was great and the animation was phenomenal. Everyone is allowed to have their own take on it. It just didn't set right with me when I saw people talking about the movie and show as if the comics in between didn't happen.
It would explain the stiff movement of the characters. Specially since earlier series was animated by hand the contrast would be obvious. It would also explain the limited facial movement in the trailer.
This is not to say that rigs animations is bad or stiff, but it would be a more noticeable change in a 2D show that was previously hand animated.
Again I might be wrong. The trailer also might simply not be the finished product and the show would have more fluid movement and expressive faces.
The title is sarcastic BTW.
Angert just DIED?! WHAT?! Why wasn't THIS spoiled for me so I can at least prepare!
And then Nikki sent his dead body to Meghill. Who, as a reminder, last saw him after a fight! And was worried when he couldn't reach him!
Imagine someone you cared about disappeared after you two fought only to come back DEAD!
Meghill was already having a hard time after Medael, NOW THIS! On top of that, imagine Nikki coming back and telling him everything else about Angert being undercover and all!
At this point Meghill will become the next big bad in the next updates, because that's next level villain origin story!
I think I'm going back to skipping dialog because this is NOT cozy game behavior!
Bad cozy game! Bad!
(It was a fun to play, despite the emotional damage.)
Edit to clarify, I rewatched the whole series not just the last season. That's what made the animation quality standout too much.
Yes, it was done in a rush, but transitioning from season 4 finale to season 5 opening is jarring to say the least. The opening itself is a duality, the first half animation is the original opening the second half is the new style and it shows so much, it is so obvious NOT the same studio. I don't know how I didn't notice it in my first watch.
I think the love for the series and the season story made me over look it but every single frame is trying to remind the viewers that the characters are LEGO unlike earlier seasons where half the time I personally forget they are meant to be LEGO.
ALSO! The lighting and background! It such an obnoxious contrast that I don't know how I never noticed it before. Throughout the whole series the background and sky felt so alive then season 5 happened and suddenly everything is Mr. Blue sky with ZERO regards to how a character colour palette would change depending on their surroundings. Again, something that was done masterfully in earlier seasons.
I still love the 5th season, specifically after it acknowledges what actually happened to Mei's fire. I know it's not a perfect show but it still holds a special place in my heart.
That animation though, right after the amazing season 4 "put your hand in the monkey cage, and expect to be bit son." Fight. It hurts. Specially with how emotional season 5 storyline was.
(Accidentally post this on the wrong sub, but had to repost it because I can't be the only one betrayed by the animation upon a rewatch. I genuinely don't remember it being that bad in my first watch.)
Witches in this universe are the main, and seemingly the only, driving force of evolution via magic. Compared to the real-world, scientists are the driving force for evolution via science.
In real-life its expected of scientists to lead the world's development, while in the show witches are the leading forces for development.
However, scientists are not the only ones able to access science. It is accessible to all and in any and all fields.
In WHA, even if there was a brilliant mind out there that has ideas that could change the world for the better, if they aren't a witch they don't even have the privilege to research it. Because the world's development is depending on magic and magic is only accessible to witches.
We saw how some modern concepts were adopted through magic, calls and instant massages for example. Either by a spell or a contraption. However, in the field of medicine...magic is forbidden.
The evolution of medical equipment and medicine in modern day has stopped unnecessary deaths cause by curable illnesses, and that happened due to decades of scientific researches!
In the manga, >!there was a discussion of which if a contraption can be used out medical necessity to delay people from dying until help can be given. Yes it was crucial discussing at the moment because of the nature of the contraption, but that led to an exception to the rules instead of discussing if there's a necessity for the medical field to develop via magic.!<
In the real world we have X-rays, MRIs, Ventilator and many more machines that were developed depending on electricity. Electricity that doesn't exist in WHA because magic provides a way to store food, light and warmth if needed, all safely and without depending on it.
Those concepts can't even be considered because magic already provides everything, so researching an alternative for magic would be considered stupid and unnecessary.
Magic is supposed to be the force of evolution yet it limits what needs to be evolved.
Which finally leads to what I think the ending would be. In order for the world to evolve to what it needs to be, witches will have to give up on magic once and for all.
Witches fooled themselves by believing they have a higher purpose to hide the truth about magic and only use it to help humanity. In reality they were too cowardice to let go of it completely or use it to its fullest potential.
Instead of building a world where magic can be regulated while also accepting the risk of what it could bring and how to counter it. Witches used magic when it's convenient without taking risk which stunned the world evolution.
Which is why magic need to be let go so people can move forwards in this world.
(That's my theory anyway. Thank you for reading!)
Even X was at least shown his normal day and how he's friend with Smile.
Nice also, we know he went to school with Wreck, he idolised Smile growing up and he dances.
Dragon Boy, the least developed character among the main cast, was shown to have grown up in an abusive environment and later was taken in by Rock at a young age.
Almost all the heroes had some back stories or some snippets from their past. Lin Ling didn't have any flashbacks at all except when thinking about Moon. He was introduced losing his job and immediately thought of jumping off of a roof. He only stopped because of a Moon ad! He didn't think about family nor friends or anything.
Even when he "died" no one noticed nor cared. But he didn't mention anything about his family like "I don't have any family to care." Or "I'm not in good terms with my family that they would know about me." Which is weird considering his inner monologue was shown to the viewers in multiple occasions throughout the arc.
It's like he was made to fill this specific role in the show and nothing else. Which wouldn't make sense for a show like TBHX, too dense with lore and small details.
Maybe I'm wrong and I'm reading too much into this, or maybe his backstory is so crazy it had to be revealed later. Who knows.
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I am not referring to who was behind Zero, I am referring to what made Zero, a seventeen years old (correct me if I'm wrong because I couldn't find the time-line), a hero willing to kill for his ideals.
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If you think about it, Rock's Father could have been behind Zero upbringing. Installing specific ideals, molding him into the perfect hero he envisioned him to be. You know, similar to Rock himself did with not one but TWO heroes under his care. (Dragon Boy & E-soul)
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It's not clear what Rock's Father fate was. But considering he still worships Zero, it safe to assume whatever happened to him didn't involve Zero. Rock could be following his father footsteps on how to create and control a hero.
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Now if Rock's father was manipulating Zero behind the scene, he could have also be the one spinning a narrative on what people should believe about Zero that suited his needs. Such as, "Zero would do anything for peace!", "Zero would NEVER let anyone disturb justice!", "Zero won't let anyone stand in his way!"
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But what is Zero version of "Justice" and "Peace"? We know he use to kill heroes who went against his ideals, but was it really HIS ideals? Or was it someone else's who took advantage of the situation?
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Which brings me to my next point. Rock's father raised Zero anticipating the Trust value system. This is just a very stretched theory at the moment.
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However, the man was able to make Zero the number one hero in the universe. When realistically there would have been other competitors who would've had the same idea as him once this new discovery was introduced. Unless, he knew about this discovery BEFORE it was known to the public (like what is happening with Fear in the current time).
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Back to Rock himself. If we took the assumption that Rock's Father raised Zero in anticipation for the Trust System, manipulating and molding him to be the perfect hero he wants him to be, and compare it to how Rock handled Dragon Boy, it would be the same exact scenario.
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Rock found a young Dragon Boy, he manipulated him to be exactly what he wanted, made sure he was prepared for Fear, the newest substance that is equal to Trust AND made sure to compare him to Zero to be just like him. The apple didn't fall from the tree of this is the case, Rock would be just copying his Father's strategy.
Source: On My Way To Meet Mom
So, apparently Flying Bark was working on the Avatar movie that they dropped one of my most personal favourite shows, LEGO Monkie Kid.
The frustrating thing about this is, LEGO Monkie Kid was a well received show, however it was handled so poorly in regard to promotion and streaming. There's a lot of drama and mishandling of the show that is now on the verge of cancellation. That mishandling led to Flying Bark dropping the show entirely in favour of the Avatar movie.
The Avatar Movie now was also mishandled, getting leaked and being pulled out of cinemas while also keeping its official debut as it is months later even though it was spoiled for most of the fans. Making the studio dropping Monkie Kid for a more stable, beloved, popular and established franchise be in vain!
It's just a very frustrating situation when I found out about it recently that I just wanted to rant about it.
What guaranteed that DRAGON BOY was going to get Smile's spot in the top 10?
I understand the buzz around the whole incident won him some popularity but there was nothing that grantee his ascension in rank once he did that, right?
He was numbered 12 or 13 than suddenly jumped to 3rd place that we can assume used to be Smile's who held the title of X twice and never fell of the top 10 for decades.
Could there be a twist in this plan that no one is aware of? Dragon Boy is one of the least expanded on character after all, there could have been more to this that either tied to him directly or general knowledge that is yet to be presented.
Does this make the scene more creepy or does it sound off?
It shows how creepy and untrustworthy Quifry can be in the most appropriate way. Specially with what comes after.