Assuming you have one, of course. I think it is the most or second-most consumed drug in the Western world (honestly not sure how it stacks against alcohol), so I'm guessing most of you do.
Mine's definitely tea. I like a nice smooth unsweetened iced tea, usually black or a black-green blend. Gold Peak makes a good one, and the Safeway store brand is also not bad. Earl Gray, hot, with either a splash of skim milk or way too much sugar is also good. I prefer Wissotsky for that. And soy chai lattes, hot in the winter, frozen in the summer. I usually get Starbucks because it's readily available, but Caribou Coffee is actually a lot better.
How about you?
Analysis Is Magic
Monday, August 11, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
TLC as in Tender Loving Care or Totally Lost Cause? (Flight to the Finish)
 |
| No. Really. The one on the bottom is the disabled one. Not all disabilities are visibly obvious. |
So it is into a weekend of boredom that "Flight to the Finish" arrives, and at first glance it looks worryingly as if it ought to fit right in: the freshman effort of new writer Ed Valentine, it's also a Very Special Episode in which Scootaloo gets teased for being disabled, and features the return of Ms. Harshwhinny and the Equestria Games arc from Season 3's barely watchable "Games Ponies Play."
Thankfully, the episode works well, and continues the (likely unintentional) theme of outside contexts breaking into the series. In this case, that context is fan speculation about Scootaloo. Supported by comments from Lauren Faust, fans speculated that Scootaloo is disabled and will never be able to fly even as well as Fluttershy, the weakest flyer seen among adult pegasi. Now this episode is precisely about her being bullied for that inability, with open acknowledgment that "normal" pegasi her age are able to fly. (Indeed, based on the animation models used, she seems to be about the same age Rainbow Dash was the first time she performed a Sonic Rainboom, which is to say the age of ponies at Flight Camp.)
Diamond Tiara here is a much more accurate depiction of a typical bully than Babs Seed ever was. Diamond Tiara is socially adept, skilled at identifying and exploiting her victims' weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and she escapes without notice or punishment, as school-age bullies usually do. Once she sees that mocking the Cutie Mark Crusaders' lack of cutie marks no longer particularly bothers them, she almost immediately switches tactics, focusing on Scootaloo's disability instead. This is quite probably the single worst thing a pony has ever been depicted doing to another pony in the show, an act of heartless, malicious cruelty performed solely to crush Scootaloo's spirit and ruin her and her friends' chances in the contest.
And it works, wounding Scootaloo deeply--but here something else from the fandom is directly addressed by the show, namely the carnivalized depiction of pegasi in general, and Rainbow Dash in particular, from "Rainbow Factory." There, Rainbow Dash valued flying ability over all else, even basic empathy and compassion; here, she is kind and gentle toward Scootaloo, telling her that she is "awesome" regardless of whether she ever learns to fly.
This is a measure of how much Rainbow Dash has changed over the course of the show. It is completely believably something the Rainbow Dash of "Wonderbolts Academy" or "Sleepless in Ponyville" would do. In turn, her actions in those episodes are completely believable in terms of her character in "Mysterious Mare-Do-Well" or "May the Best Pet Win." And yet her coaching style here is a complete opposite of the competition she set up between the animals in "May the Best Pet Win." This is well-executed, subtle character development at work: at every stage, her behavior is consistent with the stage before, and yet by the end of the process she is a notably different person than at the beginning. We see that her natural urge is to be enthusiastic and encouraging, not the harsh judge she was in "May the Best Pet Win," and it is only Ms. Harshwhinny's instructions to be "professional" that keep her from shouting praise of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' initial performance.
Rainbow Dash, once the pony who harshly criticized Fluttershy for her timidity in "Dragonshy," has become the supportive big-sister figure that Scootaloo needs to help her through being teased. Recall that, back when Lauren Faust was actively involved with the show, she responded to questions about whether Scootaloo was Dash's sister by saying that, in her view, Dash would not be a good sister. This episode nonetheless shows that Rainbow Dash is an excellent sister--yet it does not contradict Faust. Rather, it is showing a much later stage in the character's evolution, from someone self-centered, hyper-competitive, and harshly judgmental to someone who still likes to win, but also recognizes both her own limits and the limits of others. Like Fluttershy in "Dragonshy" and "Hurricane Fluttershy," Scootaloo is not good at the things which Rainbow Dash is good at--but Rainbow Dash has reached the point where she can appreciate the things that Scootaloo is good at, and help Scootaloo to appreciate them as well.
Which, ultimately, Scootaloo does. It's significant here that, as close as this comes to being the Very Special Episode about disability, it does not focus on a new character who is explicitly labeled as being disabled. Instead, it runs through all the stages with Scootaloo--being teased, responding by trying to do things she can't, being inspired to instead do the things she can, and winning a victory as a result--a familiar character whose apparent disability has been commented on by viewers but never explicitly addressed in the show. Even here, the show never actually uses the term "disabled" or confirms that Scootaloo will never be able to fly. It forces the viewer to choose either to make that connection or not, and in so doing highlights the social construction of disability. Is Scootaloo disabled because other pegasi can fly and she can't? Or is she simply someone whose talents lie in a different direction, since Ponyville is full of ponies who don't fly?
The episode seems to lean in the direction of the latter, but by leaving viewers to make up their own minds, it highlights that the two are really different perspectives on the same thing. If the culture around Scootaloo is such that her flightlessness is not a serious disadvantage--which, so long as the vile behavior of ponies like Diamond Tiara is kept to a minimum, seems likely to be the case--then she is not disabled, anymore than a slow runner would be considered disabled in our society. But if she is held back by her inability to fly, either because the society implicitly or explicitly requires flight for full participation (as Cloudsdale does in "Rainbow Factory), or because she is subject to frequent and severe mistreatment by others because of it, then it becomes a disability. Put another way, she becomes disabled when Diamond Tiara teases her, and ceases to be disabled when Rainbow Dash talks her through it. Even though her physical condition does not change, the social universe within which she exists does, and it is the interaction between the two that defines disability.
So of course she high-fives Granny Smith, she of the artificial hip, walker, and possible beginnings of senility. It is a statement of solidarity; they are the show's two recurring disabled characters, though it has never made a big deal about it in the case of either. The brief focus on Granny also helps mitigate the possible criticism that, by making clear that Scootaloo's disability can be resolved by correcting the social circumstances that created it, the show is implying that this is a universal solution. Granny's case makes it clear this isn't so; the amount of change necessary to Ponyville society such that Granny's physical ailments cease to be detrimental to her is almost unimaginably vast.
For Scootaloo, however, the solution is fairly simple. As with the Cutie Mark Crusaders in general, she needs to explore the avenues her talents and interests open to her, instead of focusing on what she can't do or isn't good at. It's not enough, despite the episode-ending tease, to earn her her cutie mark; she has not found her calling. But she has found comfort with herself as she is; she has rejected being made to feel less-than because of someone else's arbitrary standards for what a pegasus "should be." This is a huge stride forward, as huge as the ones Rainbow Dash took to reach the attitudes she displays in this episode.
Next week: Wait, didn't we already do ponies as superheroes? Oh well, it's a fun concept.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Kill la Kill Liveblog Chat Thingy
Sorry to get this up so late, as I mentioned I've been ill the last few days.
How to participate in the liveblog chat:
Option 1: Whenever you watch the episode, comment on this post as you watch with whatever responses you feel like posting!
Option 2: Go to http://webchat.freenode.net/. Enter a nickname, then for the Channels field enter ##rabbitcube, and finally fill in the Captcha and hit Connect! We'll be watching the episode and commenting there starting at 2:00 p.m. EST today.
Chatlog below the cut!
How to participate in the liveblog chat:
Option 1: Whenever you watch the episode, comment on this post as you watch with whatever responses you feel like posting!
Option 2: Go to http://webchat.freenode.net/. Enter a nickname, then for the Channels field enter ##rabbitcube, and finally fill in the Captcha and hit Connect! We'll be watching the episode and commenting there starting at 2:00 p.m. EST today.
Chatlog below the cut!
Friday, August 8, 2014
I am really sick of being commanded to like things by the Nerd Hivemind
I can already see that Guardians of the Galaxy is going to go, for me, the same route as Pacific Rim:
World: Hype hype hype hype hype.
Me: ...What is everyone so excited about? I don't see what's particularly special about this.
*movie actually comes out, I see it*
World: OMG THAT WAS THE GREATEST THING EVAR!!!
Me: Eh, that was okay, not great.
Everyone I say that to: How dare you? Anyone who considers this less than the absolute pinnacle of human achievement is a horrible person!
Me: *sighs, enumerates the flaws I saw in it*
Them: But raccoon with a machinegun/giant robot punching kaiju!
Me: ...yes, and? I've been an anime fan for twenty years, neither of those even registers on the novelty-meter.
Them: [accusations regarding my character, statements that I "hate fun," etc.]
Repeat for several months, during which "okay, not great" steadily devolves into outright hatred.
Admittedly, Guardians of the Galaxy was WAY more entertaining than Pacific Rim, but it was still ultimately just another disposable popcorn movie that should have been about the female lead and instead shoehorned in a vastly less interesting Whitey McManpain to be the main character.
(No but seriously everything wrong with Guardians of the Galaxy would be fixed if Gamora were the main character and her journey the main focus, and Starlord reduced to comic-relief sidekick.)
World: Hype hype hype hype hype.
Me: ...What is everyone so excited about? I don't see what's particularly special about this.
*movie actually comes out, I see it*
World: OMG THAT WAS THE GREATEST THING EVAR!!!
Me: Eh, that was okay, not great.
Everyone I say that to: How dare you? Anyone who considers this less than the absolute pinnacle of human achievement is a horrible person!
Me: *sighs, enumerates the flaws I saw in it*
Them: But raccoon with a machinegun/giant robot punching kaiju!
Me: ...yes, and? I've been an anime fan for twenty years, neither of those even registers on the novelty-meter.
Them: [accusations regarding my character, statements that I "hate fun," etc.]
Repeat for several months, during which "okay, not great" steadily devolves into outright hatred.
Admittedly, Guardians of the Galaxy was WAY more entertaining than Pacific Rim, but it was still ultimately just another disposable popcorn movie that should have been about the female lead and instead shoehorned in a vastly less interesting Whitey McManpain to be the main character.
(No but seriously everything wrong with Guardians of the Galaxy would be fixed if Gamora were the main character and her journey the main focus, and Starlord reduced to comic-relief sidekick.)
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Another day, another dungeon! (Daring Don't)
Disgustingly late, I know. Sorry, it's been a rough couple of weeks, and this was a hard one to tackle because it's just so booooooooooring. Then I realized that, while incredibly boring to watch, there's actually something quite odd going on here...
Anyway, Sunday's post should go up as normal. And if you've got any interest in my Sailor Moon comments, please weigh in on the question I asked on yesterday's post.
It's December 7, 2013. The top song is still Lorde's "Royals," and the top movie is Frozen, which combines a much-needed fresh take on the Disney princess-fairy tale-musical complex with stunning visuals and surprisingly lackluster music. In the news, Pope Francis assents to the creation of a permanent, expert commission to investigate sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic Church, Nobel Prize-winning anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela dies at 95, and Shanghai has record levels of smog while the U.S. has record levels of snowfall.
In ponies, it's the "Daring Don't" by the reliably unpredictable David Polsky. This episode is, frankly, bizarre. Even the premise is notably odd: previously presented as a fictional character from a series of books enjoyed by Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, Daring Do is in fact real, and author A.K. Yearling is her secret identity. In other words, this episode is not merely about revisiting a past episode and one-shot characters, which the show has done before--indeed, every episode thus far this season has involved the return of past elements, with the premiere heavily referencing the first- and second-season premieres while following up on the consequences of the third-season finale, and "Castle Mane-ia" returning to the Castle of the Two Sisters from the first-season premiere.
This episode, however, revisits the past in a somewhat different way; it recontextualizes the prior Daring Do episode, "Read It and Weep," such that that episode can no longer be read in quite the same way as before "Daring Don't." Where previously the Daring Do and Rainbow Dash segments represented two different fictional worlds that paralleled one another, now the Daring Do sections are flashbacks.
This is important because, as I rather broadly hinted in my deliberately obscure article on "Read It and Weep," the two alternate worlds could be read as alternate paths for the show. The Daring Do story is a might-have-been, a what-if, to whit, "What if instead of focusing on characters and their relationships, a My Little Pony cartoon instead focused on adventure and plot." Like its most obvious inspiration, the Indiana Jones movies, Daring Do evokes the adventure serials of the Golden Age of cinema. There is every reason to believe that our putative My Little Pony: The Adventures of Daring Do would be a straightforward action show with at least one multiply recurring villain and perhaps story arcs; certainly that seems to be what the conversations between Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash in this episode, with their rapid-fire discussion of continuity points, imply.
But as we perhaps should have seen in "Read It and Weep," and definitely see here, there is a fundamental incompatibility between Friendship Is Magic and The Adventures of Daring Do, which can be summed up by Daring Do's insistence that she works alone. It's right in the title: Equestria is a world that runs on the magic of friendship. Only a pony who understands that can be a protagonist; any being that doesn't must either be an antagonist or come to learn the error of there ways, as Twilight did, Daring Do does, and Discord is beginning to.
Discord points to the other problem. If the magic of friendship is to work within the show, then a villain must become less villainous with every appearance. Discord's transition from menacing Trickster God to manipulative quasi-ally is an inevitable consequence of his popularity and resulting recurrence; the alternative would be for him to be immune to the magic of friendship, and the nature of the show is such that no one can be entirely immune to that. One can only be defeated by it, like Chrysalis or Sombra, or come to accept and embrace it, like Nightmare Moon or Discord. But a key factor in making an adventure serial work is to make a compelling, interesting, and decidedly evil villain, who is constantly foiled and yet returns. Of course there can be one-shot villains, but the recurring nemesis is near-automatically more interesting. It seems Ahuizotl and, to a lesser extent, Caballeron (quite possibly the greatest horse pun in the show's run to date) are Daring Do's.
All of which serves to make the decision to merge the worlds utterly baffling. Daring Do worked, and worked well, as a fictional hero for Rainbow Dash, a way for her and Twilight Sparkle to bond, and a counterpoint for the show's normal themes. By absorbing her into the "reality" of the show, that last is severely destabilized, and the resulting story simply doesn't work.
Where "Read It and Weep" balanced two complete stories, Daring Do's and Rainbow Dash's, by alternating between parallel scenes in them, "Daring Don't" awkwardly stitches a complete Daring Do story onto an incomplete Friendship Is Magic story, without ever resolving the latter. At first the episode seems to be headed down a clear path: the Mane Six are stalking an author, while Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle engage in constant attempt to one-up one another's knowledge of the series. It seems to be building toward a solid double-moral: for the kiddies, it's about enjoying what you enjoy without having to prove you have the largest and most turgid fan-brain on the block. For the adults, it's that much-needed lesson, as well as an equally needed lesson about fan entitlement, that enjoying a work gives one absolutely zero ownership over it, no matter how large and turgid one's fandom may be.
All of that falls to pieces the moment A.K. Yearling is revealed to actually be Daring Do. Suddenly there are lost temples--to what gods?--in mysterious valleys, magical ancient puzzles, and a villain who seeks not to darken or torment or enslave, but to kill. A completely different show, The Adventures of Daring Do perhaps, has broken through. Is this, perhaps, the qlippoth, the dark world, which broke through into the light in the season premiere? We have continuity now, yes, and adventure, and exciting chase sequences, but we also have a disjointed episode unsure of what it wants to be, Rainbow Dash forgetting that she has helped save the world multiple times, and a villain far more coldly destructive than any before.
Or perhaps something else is breaking through. Because over its run time, "Daring Don't" transitions from an episode of a show about characters and learning to get along with one another and the multiplicity of ways to express femininity, to an episode of a show about fighting monsters and embracing one's own greatness. Because this starts as a slightly-off episode of Friendship Is Magic, but then transforms jarringly into an episode of something else action-heavy, recalling nothing so much as "Double Rainboom."
Maybe it's us. Maybe the continuity implied by the box in the premiere, the action, this episode's sudden shying away from telling off overzealous fans, are all part of the show trying to create a more welcoming space for those same fans.
We can only hope not. But something, something is breaking through, altering the show around. For the last two episodes, all evidence has been that this alteration is for the worse. We can only hope that either things change for the better, or the intrusion ends.
Next week: Signs of hope.
Anyway, Sunday's post should go up as normal. And if you've got any interest in my Sailor Moon comments, please weigh in on the question I asked on yesterday's post.
 |
| Daring Do, what's the matter with you? You don't act like the other ponies do. You wear a disguise Write books that Dash buys But they're not fiction, 'cuz you're Daring Do |
In ponies, it's the "Daring Don't" by the reliably unpredictable David Polsky. This episode is, frankly, bizarre. Even the premise is notably odd: previously presented as a fictional character from a series of books enjoyed by Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, Daring Do is in fact real, and author A.K. Yearling is her secret identity. In other words, this episode is not merely about revisiting a past episode and one-shot characters, which the show has done before--indeed, every episode thus far this season has involved the return of past elements, with the premiere heavily referencing the first- and second-season premieres while following up on the consequences of the third-season finale, and "Castle Mane-ia" returning to the Castle of the Two Sisters from the first-season premiere.
This episode, however, revisits the past in a somewhat different way; it recontextualizes the prior Daring Do episode, "Read It and Weep," such that that episode can no longer be read in quite the same way as before "Daring Don't." Where previously the Daring Do and Rainbow Dash segments represented two different fictional worlds that paralleled one another, now the Daring Do sections are flashbacks.
This is important because, as I rather broadly hinted in my deliberately obscure article on "Read It and Weep," the two alternate worlds could be read as alternate paths for the show. The Daring Do story is a might-have-been, a what-if, to whit, "What if instead of focusing on characters and their relationships, a My Little Pony cartoon instead focused on adventure and plot." Like its most obvious inspiration, the Indiana Jones movies, Daring Do evokes the adventure serials of the Golden Age of cinema. There is every reason to believe that our putative My Little Pony: The Adventures of Daring Do would be a straightforward action show with at least one multiply recurring villain and perhaps story arcs; certainly that seems to be what the conversations between Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash in this episode, with their rapid-fire discussion of continuity points, imply.
But as we perhaps should have seen in "Read It and Weep," and definitely see here, there is a fundamental incompatibility between Friendship Is Magic and The Adventures of Daring Do, which can be summed up by Daring Do's insistence that she works alone. It's right in the title: Equestria is a world that runs on the magic of friendship. Only a pony who understands that can be a protagonist; any being that doesn't must either be an antagonist or come to learn the error of there ways, as Twilight did, Daring Do does, and Discord is beginning to.
Discord points to the other problem. If the magic of friendship is to work within the show, then a villain must become less villainous with every appearance. Discord's transition from menacing Trickster God to manipulative quasi-ally is an inevitable consequence of his popularity and resulting recurrence; the alternative would be for him to be immune to the magic of friendship, and the nature of the show is such that no one can be entirely immune to that. One can only be defeated by it, like Chrysalis or Sombra, or come to accept and embrace it, like Nightmare Moon or Discord. But a key factor in making an adventure serial work is to make a compelling, interesting, and decidedly evil villain, who is constantly foiled and yet returns. Of course there can be one-shot villains, but the recurring nemesis is near-automatically more interesting. It seems Ahuizotl and, to a lesser extent, Caballeron (quite possibly the greatest horse pun in the show's run to date) are Daring Do's.
All of which serves to make the decision to merge the worlds utterly baffling. Daring Do worked, and worked well, as a fictional hero for Rainbow Dash, a way for her and Twilight Sparkle to bond, and a counterpoint for the show's normal themes. By absorbing her into the "reality" of the show, that last is severely destabilized, and the resulting story simply doesn't work.
Where "Read It and Weep" balanced two complete stories, Daring Do's and Rainbow Dash's, by alternating between parallel scenes in them, "Daring Don't" awkwardly stitches a complete Daring Do story onto an incomplete Friendship Is Magic story, without ever resolving the latter. At first the episode seems to be headed down a clear path: the Mane Six are stalking an author, while Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle engage in constant attempt to one-up one another's knowledge of the series. It seems to be building toward a solid double-moral: for the kiddies, it's about enjoying what you enjoy without having to prove you have the largest and most turgid fan-brain on the block. For the adults, it's that much-needed lesson, as well as an equally needed lesson about fan entitlement, that enjoying a work gives one absolutely zero ownership over it, no matter how large and turgid one's fandom may be.
All of that falls to pieces the moment A.K. Yearling is revealed to actually be Daring Do. Suddenly there are lost temples--to what gods?--in mysterious valleys, magical ancient puzzles, and a villain who seeks not to darken or torment or enslave, but to kill. A completely different show, The Adventures of Daring Do perhaps, has broken through. Is this, perhaps, the qlippoth, the dark world, which broke through into the light in the season premiere? We have continuity now, yes, and adventure, and exciting chase sequences, but we also have a disjointed episode unsure of what it wants to be, Rainbow Dash forgetting that she has helped save the world multiple times, and a villain far more coldly destructive than any before.
Or perhaps something else is breaking through. Because over its run time, "Daring Don't" transitions from an episode of a show about characters and learning to get along with one another and the multiplicity of ways to express femininity, to an episode of a show about fighting monsters and embracing one's own greatness. Because this starts as a slightly-off episode of Friendship Is Magic, but then transforms jarringly into an episode of something else action-heavy, recalling nothing so much as "Double Rainboom."
Maybe it's us. Maybe the continuity implied by the box in the premiere, the action, this episode's sudden shying away from telling off overzealous fans, are all part of the show trying to create a more welcoming space for those same fans.
We can only hope not. But something, something is breaking through, altering the show around. For the last two episodes, all evidence has been that this alteration is for the worse. We can only hope that either things change for the better, or the intrusion ends.
Next week: Signs of hope.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Thoughts while watching Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 3
Trying something a bit different this time--did this one as a chat with a couple of readers, similar to the Kill la Kill liveblogs. I'm of two minds about whether to stick with the format of the first two episodes or switch to this. Which format do you prefer? Let me know in comments!
[15:50] <@Sylocat> "gonna," the subtitle says
[15:50] <@Sylocat> Ah, it's Nephlite
[15:51] <@Sylocat> So, where's Malachite?
[15:51] <Arrlaari> I'm pretty sure the Hulu subtitles are different
[15:51] <Froborr> Annd it's frozen.
[15:51] <Froborr> No it's not.
[15:52] <Froborr> Something outrageous?
[15:52] <@Sylocat> The theme song reminds me of Kill la Kill's
[15:52] <Froborr> Truly, truly outrageous?
[15:52] <Arrlaari> This theme song was done by Revo
[15:53] <Arrlaari> They've been all over lately. They did both SnK OPs and the entire soundtrack for Bravely Default
[15:53] <Froborr> Well, arguably Kill la Kill is an attempt to do to magical girls what Gurren Lagann did to mecha.
[15:53] <Froborr> Oh, is it the same group?
[15:54] <Arrlaari> Visually KlK invokes magical girls, but in tone and structure it's clearly a Shounen fight show
[15:54] <Froborr> True.
[15:54] <Froborr> Ad.
[15:54] <Arrlaari> The flashbacks we got for the four shittennou in the same episode that Ryuko fought them? That's a thing Bleach did a lot.
[15:54] <Froborr> Back.
[15:54] <Arrlaari> my ad is starting
[15:54] <Arrlaari> done
[15:55] <Arrlaari> wait
[15:55] <Arrlaari> I got a second
[15:55] <@Sylocat> Yeesh
[15:55] <Arrlaari> second ad is done
[15:55] <Arrlaari> Sorry about that
[15:55] <@Sylocat> "Demon bus." How nice
[15:55] <@Sylocat> GAH
[15:55] <@Sylocat> Oh, it's him again
[15:55] <@Sylocat> What's his name, again?
[15:56] <Arrlaari> The boy is the most into the gossip, Luna
[15:56] <Froborr> Holy crap how many dozens of people has Jadeite killed at this point?
[15:57] <@Sylocat> Again, Luna gives them less mission briefing than Kyubey did
[15:57] <Arrlaari> Fuck yeah Usagi wants to see beautiful girls
[15:57] <Arrlaari> Something I noticed in the preview images: Ami's uniform is too big for her
[15:57] <@Sylocat> Oh wow
[15:58] <@Sylocat> So, she's straight-up openly bi in this version
[15:58] <@Sylocat> Rather than just blatant implications
[15:58] <Froborr> Sure seems that way.
[15:58] <@Sylocat> Ahah... knocked out by a spell tag
[15:58] <@Sylocat> Rei is good with those things
[15:58] <Froborr> She sensed DEMONIC power from Usagi?
[15:59] <Froborr> Ooh, interesting...
[15:59] <@Sylocat> "Phobos" and "Deimos?"
[15:59] <@Sylocat> That is so... perfect
[15:59] <Froborr> Gee, I wonder if she might be Mars, she just has ravens named after its moons...
[16:00] <@Sylocat> Namedrop
[16:00] <Froborr> Oh shit, is this the Higurashi crossover episode?
[16:01] <Arrlaari> The Princess!
[16:01] <Arrlaari> And you two thought she was just Mars
[16:02] <Arrlaari> Hey, why isn't that dude dressed like Dracula?
[16:02] <Froborr> Tuxedo Jackass has been downgraded to Suit Jackass.
[16:03] <Arrlaari> ad
[16:03] <Froborr> Me too.
[16:03] <Arrlaari> ad ended
[16:03] <Froborr> Mine's still going.
[16:04] <Arrlaari> You get something other than just two runs of the crunchyroll/devices spot?
[16:04] <Froborr> Yes.
[16:04] <Arrlaari> I basically never see any other ads on this site
[16:04] <Froborr> Back.
[16:04] <@Sylocat> So, she doubles as a fortune-teller?
[16:04] <Arrlaari> Fortune telling is somethine shrines generally do
[16:05] <Arrlaari> Cut the amateur McCarthite act, ladies
[16:06] <Froborr> And then after helping Rei find Mii, they'll go looking for Faa...
[16:06] <@Sylocat> Oh, he's getting directly involved now
[16:06] <@Sylocat> ...WHAT.
[16:07] <Froborr> *facepalm*
[16:07] <@Sylocat> Yay, he didn't come with her into the portal
[16:07] <Arrlaari> Way to save a cat, Tuxedo Kamen
[16:07] <Arrlaari> You're a real hero
[16:07] <@Sylocat> Is it too much to ask that he won't butt in on the fight?
[16:08] <@Sylocat> Wait, where'd Tuxedo Jerk go?
[16:08] <Froborr> Goddamit Usagi stop being useless.
[16:08] <Froborr> YOU CAN TELEPORT!?
[16:09] <Arrlaari> Why wouldn't they teleport?
[16:09] <Arrlaari> And I don't see anyone else infiltrating the enemy base
[16:09] <Froborr> Ooh, joint coordinated transformation sequences, neat.
[16:09] <@Sylocat> Yeesh, Rei has it goin' on
[16:10] <@Sylocat> Ahah
[16:11] <@Sylocat> "No, I'm not the girl who has an obvious crush on you"
[16:11] <Froborr> Oh no, an Ice-type pokemon.
[16:11] <Froborr> Wherever will they find a Fire-type to help them?
[16:12] <@Sylocat> ...Wait, is the Mars symbol being the stereotypical "male" symbol the thematic excuse for Usagi having a crush on her? Please tell me that's not it
[16:12] <Froborr> Given Usagi's obvious attraction to Ami last episode, I'm thinking no
[16:12] <@Sylocat> Ooh, I like the CGI on the transformation sequences
[16:12] <Froborr> HOLY CRAP THIS TRANSFORMATION IS AWESOME
[16:13] <Arrlaari> So that thing where Jaedite used his ice power to clear up the mist, I'm pretty sure no enemy ever had an answer for the mist in the older anime
[16:13] <Arrlaari> It just worked every time
[16:13] <Froborr> ...except how screwed up her hads were at the end
[16:14] <@Sylocat> so, Rei curbstomps Jadeite, then Nephlite and Zoisite intervene, so Tuxedo Jerk has to bail them out?
[16:14] <Froborr> Oh sure, he has a name, so he just gets trapped by the boomerang.
[16:14] <@Sylocat> Wait, it's too late in the episode for that
[16:14] <Arrlaari> I generally like the CGI transforms, especially Mercury's water and Mars' fire, but I'd like it better if their bodies were normal animation, for a kind of Who Framed Roger Rabbit effect
[16:14] <Arrlaari> And Tuxedo Mask didn't show up, because he's a pleb who can't teleport
[16:15] <Arrlaari> What a loser
[16:15] <@Sylocat> Works for me
[16:15] <Froborr> I dunno, I like that they translate into the CGI Dimension. Clearly it's where their powers come from.
[16:15] <Froborr> Lemme guess, Silver Moon Crystal in the chest?
[16:15] <Froborr> (Don't answer that people who've read the manga/seen the original anime)
[16:15] <@Sylocat> Presumably... or it's a red herring
[16:15] <Froborr> Okay, this is the third consecutive ad for Chili's.
[16:16] <@Sylocat> (I don't remember... I haven't read the manga and barely remember the original anime)
[16:16] <Froborr> Under The Rules, I must therefore boycott Chili's for a period of no less than one year.
[16:16] <Froborr> I really don't care for the ending credits theme.
[16:16] <@Sylocat> Yeah, it's too wussy
[16:16] <Froborr> Also I don't see why everyone in this episode was all "oh, Rei is so gorgeous" when Ami is OBVIOUSLY the hot one.
[16:17] <Arrlaari> So for a long time people have talked shit on Mercury's aqua mist for being useless because it's not a damage attack, but it was also the only season one attack that wasn't straight up replaced by later season upgrades, and it never failed to work, so actually it was the best season 1 power
[16:17] <@Sylocat> It's the hair... it's always the hair
[16:17] <Froborr> But anyway, good episode. I like that they're now past needing Tuxedo Jerk's help.
[16:17] <@Sylocat> The episode description even emphasized her "raven black hair"
[16:17] <Froborr> Because he's a scrub who can't teleport.
[16:18] <Arrlaari> Bro, do you even port?
[16:18] <Froborr> lol
[16:18] <Froborr> ...but I like Ami's hair!
[16:18] <Arrlaari> Thoughts the next episode preview?
[16:19] <@Sylocat> I'm surprised they didn't describe Rei's hair as "flowing locks" or a waterfall or whatever
[16:19] <Froborr> Also I should be uncomfortable talking about 14-year-olds this way, but for some reason the art style causes my brain to register them as slim adults. The opposite of most anime, where my brain registers even the adult women as busty 12-year-olds.
[16:19] <@Sylocat> (an obsidian waterfall)
[16:19] <Froborr> I skipped the preview, oops.
[16:19] <Froborr> Or, well, closed the window during the ending credits, same thing.
[16:20] <@Sylocat> Yeah, the closing theme song sucks... I like the opening though
[16:20] <Arrlaari> I remember being very surprised to learn that the Sailor Moon crew are middle schoolers
[16:20] <Arrlaari> and not in high school
[16:21] <Froborr> Whereas, say, Madoka's teacher looks like she should be a student.
[16:21] <Arrlaari> They all read as taller than e.g. Madoka characters, even though the officially given heights are in a similar band
[16:21] <Arrlaari> I'm gonna google for numbers to use an examples
[16:21] <Froborr> Something to do with facial proportions or hip width to leg length or soemthing like that, I'm sure.
[16:22] <@Sylocat> Or head size to body size ratio, maybe
[16:23] <Arrlaari> According to wikis, Madoka Kaname is 2 cm taller than Usagi Tsukino
[16:23] <Arrlaari> Do you believe that?
[16:23] <@Sylocat> TALLER?
[16:23] <@Sylocat> No I do not believe that
[16:23] <Arrlaari> "Height: Slightly less than 150cm (4'11"). Production Note shows a height revision to 152cm (5'0"). " http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Madoka_Kaname
[16:24] <Arrlaari> " Height 150 cm or 4'11" " http://sailormoon.wikia.com/wiki/Usagi_Tsukino
[16:24] <@Sylocat> I have trouble picturing Madoka as 5' tall... she looks like she's about 4' tall
[16:24] <@Sylocat> But of course, that's the point of deconstructing moé
[16:25] <Froborr> According to my roommate it's the elongated limbs on the Sailor Moon characters, and the fact that the Sailor Moon characters are based on pre-moe boom character designs.
[16:27] <Froborr> Well, thanks folks, this was fun!
[16:27] <Froborr> Any other closing thoughts?
[16:27] <@Sylocat> Maybe we could make this a weekly thing too?
[16:27] <Froborr> Hmm, maybe?
[16:27] <Froborr> If we did, I'd want to do it immediately after the Kill la Kill one on Saturdays.
[16:28] <@Sylocat> Ooh, double feature
[16:28] <@Sylocat> The juxtaposition will be interesting as well
[16:28] <Froborr> Yep.
[16:30] <Arrlaari> Aren't new Crystal episodes biweekly?
[16:30] <Arrlaari> I seem to recall that they alternate with Utena Dumps for that reason
[16:30] <Froborr> Yep, they are.
[16:31] <Froborr> And then after the Utena Dumps they'll alternate with... something else I've already written.
[16:31] <Froborr> ;)
[16:31] <@Sylocat> Ah, the Near Apocalypse of '09? Or something else
[16:31] <Arrlaari> I think Near Apocalypse is going to be the Sunday feature after the MLP material is over
[16:34] <Froborr> Something else, yeah.
[16:34] <Froborr> Near-Apocalypse replaces MLP.
[16:34] <Froborr> This is much shorter, only five parts.
[16:35] <@Sylocat> ...Huh. The suspense!
[16:36] <Froborr> lol
[16:37] <Arrlaari> I am trying to find a number for the Sailor Senshi who is the tallest (it's something that gets discussed) and somehow it's not straightforward
[16:39] <Arrlaari> 168cm / 5'6"
[16:41] <Arrlaari> Comparing to this screenshot from Madoka Magica promo material, she's taller than any of the holy quintet. Apparently Sayaka is the tallest of them, at 158-160cm (the image I'm looking at gives ranges. Possibly with/without shoes?)
[16:43] <Froborr> Sounds like the SM characters have much wider height range than the PMMM characters...
[16:44] <Arrlaari> Someone mentioned the Teacher looking like a student - according to this chart she actually is slightly shorter than Sayaka & Kyouko and about as tall as Homura & Mami
[16:44] <Froborr> Huh.
[16:45] <Arrlaari> Madoka's dad is listed 175-180cm. Violin boy is 170-175cm.
[16:47] <Arrlaari> Madoka's mom is 160-165, tying Hitomi for tallest women on the chart.
[16:47] <@Sylocat> Madoka's mom is the only female on the show who really looks (or acts) like an adult
[16:48] <Froborr> Even she registers as young to me. It's the faces, I think.
[16:48] <Arrlaari> So, none of the women or girls in Madoka are as tall as the famously tall tallest Senshi
[16:50] <Arrlaari> Rei is 160, Ami 152
[16:52] <Arrlaari> 157cm for the other Senshi that Froborr hasn't met yet
[16:52] <Arrlaari> So Sayaka, tallest of the Holy Quintet, ties with the second tallest Senshi
[16:56] <Arrlaari> Huh. I have two images here, height charts for the two shows. The height line for Madoka's head runs into the middle of Sayaka's head, and the line for Usagi likewise runs into the middle of Rei's
[16:56] <Arrlaari> But my subjective impression was that the differences in height are more visible in Madoka
[16:57] <Arrlaari> Oh, Froborr, how much of this is going to get copied to the blog?
[17:00] <Froborr> Dunno, most probably?
[17:00] <Froborr> Sorry, got distracted by the Internets.
[17:02] <@Sylocat> brb
[17:05] <Arrlaari> I started playing a Platinum Games joint recently. Shortly after playing one of their other titles. It got me to thinking about "self-aware"
[17:05] <Arrlaari> Generally, when people say something is "self-aware" there's an "ironically" that goes without saying
[17:06] <Arrlaari> But in all of the games Platinum has made, I feel like there is self-awareness without irony
[17:07] <Arrlaari> Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising, and Wonderful 101 all come across as being sincerely and enthusiastically about the things that they are about
[17:08] <Arrlaari> And the notes in those games that indicate self-awarness are about thinking about how awesome Platinum Games thinks the things those games are about are
[17:08] <Arrlaari> I feel like the fanservice in KlK is like that. There's self awareness which leads a lot of people to presume irony where there is sincerity.
[17:24] <Froborr> Hmm, an interesting thought.
[17:25] <Froborr> So it's self-aware of its fanservice, but not ironic about its fanservice--it's actively and consciously celebrating the objectification of half-naked women?
[17:25] <Froborr> (And, to be fair, occasionally men.)
[17:25] <Froborr> That's... worse, I think?
[17:26] <Arrlaari> There's excuse-making, but yeah, not a point in the show's favor
[17:27] <Arrlaari> Also, the show rhetorically positions itself as opposed to slut-shaming, which I see a lot from fans trying to make excuses for objectification in media they like on the internet
[17:28] <Arrlaari> Episode 3 (and the brief exchange on the subject between Ryuko and Gamagoori in their fight) basically import that argument into the diegetic reality of the show
[17:29] <@Sylocat> I think KlK is doing something different, but I'm not sure I'm articulate enough to put it into words.
[17:30] <Arrlaari> The answer to it is to observe that the actual decisions regarding how fictional women dress are made by authors, not the characters themselves, but when the argument is pulled into the diegetic reality that answer isn't readily available to the characters
[17:33] <@Sylocat> I think what it does is, rather than just mocking fan service itself, it takes all the standard excuses for skimpy outfits (the excuses that creators and fans alike both make) and plays them completely straight,
[17:35] <@Sylocat> like, "What if this wasn't nonsense?" Just to show how it IS nonsense
[17:35] <@Sylocat> I'm probably completely wrong, though
[17:40] <@Sylocat> Well, anyway... I should probably get going
[17:40] <@Sylocat> See you
[15:50] <@Sylocat> "gonna," the subtitle says
[15:50] <@Sylocat> Ah, it's Nephlite
[15:51] <@Sylocat> So, where's Malachite?
[15:51] <Arrlaari> I'm pretty sure the Hulu subtitles are different
[15:51] <Froborr> Annd it's frozen.
[15:51] <Froborr> No it's not.
[15:52] <Froborr> Something outrageous?
[15:52] <@Sylocat> The theme song reminds me of Kill la Kill's
[15:52] <Froborr> Truly, truly outrageous?
[15:52] <Arrlaari> This theme song was done by Revo
[15:53] <Arrlaari> They've been all over lately. They did both SnK OPs and the entire soundtrack for Bravely Default
[15:53] <Froborr> Well, arguably Kill la Kill is an attempt to do to magical girls what Gurren Lagann did to mecha.
[15:53] <Froborr> Oh, is it the same group?
[15:54] <Arrlaari> Visually KlK invokes magical girls, but in tone and structure it's clearly a Shounen fight show
[15:54] <Froborr> True.
[15:54] <Froborr> Ad.
[15:54] <Arrlaari> The flashbacks we got for the four shittennou in the same episode that Ryuko fought them? That's a thing Bleach did a lot.
[15:54] <Froborr> Back.
[15:54] <Arrlaari> my ad is starting
[15:54] <Arrlaari> done
[15:55] <Arrlaari> wait
[15:55] <Arrlaari> I got a second
[15:55] <@Sylocat> Yeesh
[15:55] <Arrlaari> second ad is done
[15:55] <Arrlaari> Sorry about that
[15:55] <@Sylocat> "Demon bus." How nice
[15:55] <@Sylocat> GAH
[15:55] <@Sylocat> Oh, it's him again
[15:55] <@Sylocat> What's his name, again?
[15:56] <Arrlaari> The boy is the most into the gossip, Luna
[15:56] <Froborr> Holy crap how many dozens of people has Jadeite killed at this point?
[15:57] <@Sylocat> Again, Luna gives them less mission briefing than Kyubey did
[15:57] <Arrlaari> Fuck yeah Usagi wants to see beautiful girls
[15:57] <Arrlaari> Something I noticed in the preview images: Ami's uniform is too big for her
[15:57] <@Sylocat> Oh wow
[15:58] <@Sylocat> So, she's straight-up openly bi in this version
[15:58] <@Sylocat> Rather than just blatant implications
[15:58] <Froborr> Sure seems that way.
[15:58] <@Sylocat> Ahah... knocked out by a spell tag
[15:58] <@Sylocat> Rei is good with those things
[15:58] <Froborr> She sensed DEMONIC power from Usagi?
[15:59] <Froborr> Ooh, interesting...
[15:59] <@Sylocat> "Phobos" and "Deimos?"
[15:59] <@Sylocat> That is so... perfect
[15:59] <Froborr> Gee, I wonder if she might be Mars, she just has ravens named after its moons...
[16:00] <@Sylocat> Namedrop
[16:00] <Froborr> Oh shit, is this the Higurashi crossover episode?
[16:01] <Arrlaari> The Princess!
[16:01] <Arrlaari> And you two thought she was just Mars
[16:02] <Arrlaari> Hey, why isn't that dude dressed like Dracula?
[16:02] <Froborr> Tuxedo Jackass has been downgraded to Suit Jackass.
[16:03] <Arrlaari> ad
[16:03] <Froborr> Me too.
[16:03] <Arrlaari> ad ended
[16:03] <Froborr> Mine's still going.
[16:04] <Arrlaari> You get something other than just two runs of the crunchyroll/devices spot?
[16:04] <Froborr> Yes.
[16:04] <Arrlaari> I basically never see any other ads on this site
[16:04] <Froborr> Back.
[16:04] <@Sylocat> So, she doubles as a fortune-teller?
[16:04] <Arrlaari> Fortune telling is somethine shrines generally do
[16:05] <Arrlaari> Cut the amateur McCarthite act, ladies
[16:06] <Froborr> And then after helping Rei find Mii, they'll go looking for Faa...
[16:06] <@Sylocat> Oh, he's getting directly involved now
[16:06] <@Sylocat> ...WHAT.
[16:07] <Froborr> *facepalm*
[16:07] <@Sylocat> Yay, he didn't come with her into the portal
[16:07] <Arrlaari> Way to save a cat, Tuxedo Kamen
[16:07] <Arrlaari> You're a real hero
[16:07] <@Sylocat> Is it too much to ask that he won't butt in on the fight?
[16:08] <@Sylocat> Wait, where'd Tuxedo Jerk go?
[16:08] <Froborr> Goddamit Usagi stop being useless.
[16:08] <Froborr> YOU CAN TELEPORT!?
[16:09] <Arrlaari> Why wouldn't they teleport?
[16:09] <Arrlaari> And I don't see anyone else infiltrating the enemy base
[16:09] <Froborr> Ooh, joint coordinated transformation sequences, neat.
[16:09] <@Sylocat> Yeesh, Rei has it goin' on
[16:10] <@Sylocat> Ahah
[16:11] <@Sylocat> "No, I'm not the girl who has an obvious crush on you"
[16:11] <Froborr> Oh no, an Ice-type pokemon.
[16:11] <Froborr> Wherever will they find a Fire-type to help them?
[16:12] <@Sylocat> ...Wait, is the Mars symbol being the stereotypical "male" symbol the thematic excuse for Usagi having a crush on her? Please tell me that's not it
[16:12] <Froborr> Given Usagi's obvious attraction to Ami last episode, I'm thinking no
[16:12] <@Sylocat> Ooh, I like the CGI on the transformation sequences
[16:12] <Froborr> HOLY CRAP THIS TRANSFORMATION IS AWESOME
[16:13] <Arrlaari> So that thing where Jaedite used his ice power to clear up the mist, I'm pretty sure no enemy ever had an answer for the mist in the older anime
[16:13] <Arrlaari> It just worked every time
[16:13] <Froborr> ...except how screwed up her hads were at the end
[16:14] <@Sylocat> so, Rei curbstomps Jadeite, then Nephlite and Zoisite intervene, so Tuxedo Jerk has to bail them out?
[16:14] <Froborr> Oh sure, he has a name, so he just gets trapped by the boomerang.
[16:14] <@Sylocat> Wait, it's too late in the episode for that
[16:14] <Arrlaari> I generally like the CGI transforms, especially Mercury's water and Mars' fire, but I'd like it better if their bodies were normal animation, for a kind of Who Framed Roger Rabbit effect
[16:14] <Arrlaari> And Tuxedo Mask didn't show up, because he's a pleb who can't teleport
[16:15] <Arrlaari> What a loser
[16:15] <@Sylocat> Works for me
[16:15] <Froborr> I dunno, I like that they translate into the CGI Dimension. Clearly it's where their powers come from.
[16:15] <Froborr> Lemme guess, Silver Moon Crystal in the chest?
[16:15] <Froborr> (Don't answer that people who've read the manga/seen the original anime)
[16:15] <@Sylocat> Presumably... or it's a red herring
[16:15] <Froborr> Okay, this is the third consecutive ad for Chili's.
[16:16] <@Sylocat> (I don't remember... I haven't read the manga and barely remember the original anime)
[16:16] <Froborr> Under The Rules, I must therefore boycott Chili's for a period of no less than one year.
[16:16] <Froborr> I really don't care for the ending credits theme.
[16:16] <@Sylocat> Yeah, it's too wussy
[16:16] <Froborr> Also I don't see why everyone in this episode was all "oh, Rei is so gorgeous" when Ami is OBVIOUSLY the hot one.
[16:17] <Arrlaari> So for a long time people have talked shit on Mercury's aqua mist for being useless because it's not a damage attack, but it was also the only season one attack that wasn't straight up replaced by later season upgrades, and it never failed to work, so actually it was the best season 1 power
[16:17] <@Sylocat> It's the hair... it's always the hair
[16:17] <Froborr> But anyway, good episode. I like that they're now past needing Tuxedo Jerk's help.
[16:17] <@Sylocat> The episode description even emphasized her "raven black hair"
[16:17] <Froborr> Because he's a scrub who can't teleport.
[16:18] <Arrlaari> Bro, do you even port?
[16:18] <Froborr> lol
[16:18] <Froborr> ...but I like Ami's hair!
[16:18] <Arrlaari> Thoughts the next episode preview?
[16:19] <@Sylocat> I'm surprised they didn't describe Rei's hair as "flowing locks" or a waterfall or whatever
[16:19] <Froborr> Also I should be uncomfortable talking about 14-year-olds this way, but for some reason the art style causes my brain to register them as slim adults. The opposite of most anime, where my brain registers even the adult women as busty 12-year-olds.
[16:19] <@Sylocat> (an obsidian waterfall)
[16:19] <Froborr> I skipped the preview, oops.
[16:19] <Froborr> Or, well, closed the window during the ending credits, same thing.
[16:20] <@Sylocat> Yeah, the closing theme song sucks... I like the opening though
[16:20] <Arrlaari> I remember being very surprised to learn that the Sailor Moon crew are middle schoolers
[16:20] <Arrlaari> and not in high school
[16:21] <Froborr> Whereas, say, Madoka's teacher looks like she should be a student.
[16:21] <Arrlaari> They all read as taller than e.g. Madoka characters, even though the officially given heights are in a similar band
[16:21] <Arrlaari> I'm gonna google for numbers to use an examples
[16:21] <Froborr> Something to do with facial proportions or hip width to leg length or soemthing like that, I'm sure.
[16:22] <@Sylocat> Or head size to body size ratio, maybe
[16:23] <Arrlaari> According to wikis, Madoka Kaname is 2 cm taller than Usagi Tsukino
[16:23] <Arrlaari> Do you believe that?
[16:23] <@Sylocat> TALLER?
[16:23] <@Sylocat> No I do not believe that
[16:23] <Arrlaari> "Height: Slightly less than 150cm (4'11"). Production Note shows a height revision to 152cm (5'0"). " http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Madoka_Kaname
[16:24] <Arrlaari> " Height 150 cm or 4'11" " http://sailormoon.wikia.com/wiki/Usagi_Tsukino
[16:24] <@Sylocat> I have trouble picturing Madoka as 5' tall... she looks like she's about 4' tall
[16:24] <@Sylocat> But of course, that's the point of deconstructing moé
[16:25] <Froborr> According to my roommate it's the elongated limbs on the Sailor Moon characters, and the fact that the Sailor Moon characters are based on pre-moe boom character designs.
[16:27] <Froborr> Well, thanks folks, this was fun!
[16:27] <Froborr> Any other closing thoughts?
[16:27] <@Sylocat> Maybe we could make this a weekly thing too?
[16:27] <Froborr> Hmm, maybe?
[16:27] <Froborr> If we did, I'd want to do it immediately after the Kill la Kill one on Saturdays.
[16:28] <@Sylocat> Ooh, double feature
[16:28] <@Sylocat> The juxtaposition will be interesting as well
[16:28] <Froborr> Yep.
[16:30] <Arrlaari> Aren't new Crystal episodes biweekly?
[16:30] <Arrlaari> I seem to recall that they alternate with Utena Dumps for that reason
[16:30] <Froborr> Yep, they are.
[16:31] <Froborr> And then after the Utena Dumps they'll alternate with... something else I've already written.
[16:31] <Froborr> ;)
[16:31] <@Sylocat> Ah, the Near Apocalypse of '09? Or something else
[16:31] <Arrlaari> I think Near Apocalypse is going to be the Sunday feature after the MLP material is over
[16:34] <Froborr> Something else, yeah.
[16:34] <Froborr> Near-Apocalypse replaces MLP.
[16:34] <Froborr> This is much shorter, only five parts.
[16:35] <@Sylocat> ...Huh. The suspense!
[16:36] <Froborr> lol
[16:37] <Arrlaari> I am trying to find a number for the Sailor Senshi who is the tallest (it's something that gets discussed) and somehow it's not straightforward
[16:39] <Arrlaari> 168cm / 5'6"
[16:41] <Arrlaari> Comparing to this screenshot from Madoka Magica promo material, she's taller than any of the holy quintet. Apparently Sayaka is the tallest of them, at 158-160cm (the image I'm looking at gives ranges. Possibly with/without shoes?)
[16:43] <Froborr> Sounds like the SM characters have much wider height range than the PMMM characters...
[16:44] <Arrlaari> Someone mentioned the Teacher looking like a student - according to this chart she actually is slightly shorter than Sayaka & Kyouko and about as tall as Homura & Mami
[16:44] <Froborr> Huh.
[16:45] <Arrlaari> Madoka's dad is listed 175-180cm. Violin boy is 170-175cm.
[16:47] <Arrlaari> Madoka's mom is 160-165, tying Hitomi for tallest women on the chart.
[16:47] <@Sylocat> Madoka's mom is the only female on the show who really looks (or acts) like an adult
[16:48] <Froborr> Even she registers as young to me. It's the faces, I think.
[16:48] <Arrlaari> So, none of the women or girls in Madoka are as tall as the famously tall tallest Senshi
[16:50] <Arrlaari> Rei is 160, Ami 152
[16:52] <Arrlaari> 157cm for the other Senshi that Froborr hasn't met yet
[16:52] <Arrlaari> So Sayaka, tallest of the Holy Quintet, ties with the second tallest Senshi
[16:56] <Arrlaari> Huh. I have two images here, height charts for the two shows. The height line for Madoka's head runs into the middle of Sayaka's head, and the line for Usagi likewise runs into the middle of Rei's
[16:56] <Arrlaari> But my subjective impression was that the differences in height are more visible in Madoka
[16:57] <Arrlaari> Oh, Froborr, how much of this is going to get copied to the blog?
[17:00] <Froborr> Dunno, most probably?
[17:00] <Froborr> Sorry, got distracted by the Internets.
[17:02] <@Sylocat> brb
[17:05] <Arrlaari> I started playing a Platinum Games joint recently. Shortly after playing one of their other titles. It got me to thinking about "self-aware"
[17:05] <Arrlaari> Generally, when people say something is "self-aware" there's an "ironically" that goes without saying
[17:06] <Arrlaari> But in all of the games Platinum has made, I feel like there is self-awareness without irony
[17:07] <Arrlaari> Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising, and Wonderful 101 all come across as being sincerely and enthusiastically about the things that they are about
[17:08] <Arrlaari> And the notes in those games that indicate self-awarness are about thinking about how awesome Platinum Games thinks the things those games are about are
[17:08] <Arrlaari> I feel like the fanservice in KlK is like that. There's self awareness which leads a lot of people to presume irony where there is sincerity.
[17:24] <Froborr> Hmm, an interesting thought.
[17:25] <Froborr> So it's self-aware of its fanservice, but not ironic about its fanservice--it's actively and consciously celebrating the objectification of half-naked women?
[17:25] <Froborr> (And, to be fair, occasionally men.)
[17:25] <Froborr> That's... worse, I think?
[17:26] <Arrlaari> There's excuse-making, but yeah, not a point in the show's favor
[17:27] <Arrlaari> Also, the show rhetorically positions itself as opposed to slut-shaming, which I see a lot from fans trying to make excuses for objectification in media they like on the internet
[17:28] <Arrlaari> Episode 3 (and the brief exchange on the subject between Ryuko and Gamagoori in their fight) basically import that argument into the diegetic reality of the show
[17:29] <@Sylocat> I think KlK is doing something different, but I'm not sure I'm articulate enough to put it into words.
[17:30] <Arrlaari> The answer to it is to observe that the actual decisions regarding how fictional women dress are made by authors, not the characters themselves, but when the argument is pulled into the diegetic reality that answer isn't readily available to the characters
[17:33] <@Sylocat> I think what it does is, rather than just mocking fan service itself, it takes all the standard excuses for skimpy outfits (the excuses that creators and fans alike both make) and plays them completely straight,
[17:35] <@Sylocat> like, "What if this wasn't nonsense?" Just to show how it IS nonsense
[17:35] <@Sylocat> I'm probably completely wrong, though
[17:40] <@Sylocat> Well, anyway... I should probably get going
[17:40] <@Sylocat> See you
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Have I mentioned I started watching Farscape?
Because I’ve been watching Farscape. So far I enjoy it just barely enough to keep watching–episode 10 in particular (the one where we find out precisely what D'Argo was in prison for) seemed to be the beginning of a noticeable upward leap in the baseline quality of the show, and since then it’s only had one really bad episode. (You are not allowed to mock cargo cults unless you can present documentary proof that you have never in your entire life prayed, yelled at your technology for not working, asked your missing keys where they are, or otherwise acted as if inanimate objects/the universe in general can be spoken to and entreated like people. Even then, you probably shouldn't.)
Just watched episode 17 last night, the one where the ship got split into its component colors, and it was weird and entertaining and nicely creepy. I like when the show hits that register, it should do it more. Also less focus on John, more on actually interesting characters like Pilot, Rygel, and Chiana please. I think I basically just want a weird, slightly creepy show about puppets and fascinatingly off-putting acting choices. In space.
Also John is usually written as a confused fish out of water, but the actor usually plays him as a confident, swaggering Hollywood leading man, and the combination registers in my brain as “smug, condescending douchebro who refuses to admit that he’s way out of his depth.” Also he keeps derailing interesting stuff about Aeryn exploring ways to challenge herself outside of combat into boring-ass romantic subplot. I kind of hate him.
Just watched episode 17 last night, the one where the ship got split into its component colors, and it was weird and entertaining and nicely creepy. I like when the show hits that register, it should do it more. Also less focus on John, more on actually interesting characters like Pilot, Rygel, and Chiana please. I think I basically just want a weird, slightly creepy show about puppets and fascinatingly off-putting acting choices. In space.
Also John is usually written as a confused fish out of water, but the actor usually plays him as a confident, swaggering Hollywood leading man, and the combination registers in my brain as “smug, condescending douchebro who refuses to admit that he’s way out of his depth.” Also he keeps derailing interesting stuff about Aeryn exploring ways to challenge herself outside of combat into boring-ass romantic subplot. I kind of hate him.
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