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Forum - View topicREVIEW: Solty Rei DVD 6
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I too was skeptic when I first watched the big 6 episode first DVD of this series. I absolutely loved the last DVD of this series and wished it didn't have such a slow start.
There are so many classic Hollywood moments in the last two episodes like when Roy spoiler[has to decide which of the two girls he must save] which was identical to the scene in Batman and Robin spoiler[where Batman has to chose between Robin and Batgirl] or the scene where Solty says spoiler[her name isn't Dike, it is Solty] which reminded me of the finale of Robocop where spoiler[Robocop says his name isn't Robocop, it is Murphy before taking out the final bad guy] There are also many moments that felt lifted off of other anime, but considering how well it was done I don't mind. In the final conflict spoiler[where everyone stays on the planet and wishes the main character off to fight alone] reminds me of Layzner, and the spoiler[passage of time during the epilogue reminds me of the best parts of Gunbuster.] There are also plenty of moments that reminded me of Zone of the Enders. It's as if the creators took what they liked best of existing anime and Hollywood and tossed them into this series. The bonus episodes were also very solid. This surprised me since most of the time these types of episodes (like in Daphne, Excel, Onegai, Moon Phase etc) tend to be really silly episodes that tend to push the limits of tact. The amazing Solty episodes are very internal and focuses on the characters and relations in a very moving one hour story. As been proven by Figure 17 and many two parters out there, you can do so much more with a double length episode and I wish it would become a common practice. I think I would have prefered to have seen this bonus episode in it's chronological time frame since it really develops the sub characters spoiler[making their deaths have even more impact] and breaks the tempo for the last episode. When was this episode aired? |
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Lord Kefka
 Posts: 96 Location: California..for now |
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Did I not say " I told you so?". I had a disagreement with Key half a year ago with Solty Rei and the reviewers ignorantly rated Solty Rei as crap. Now look. B+? lol. Ok.
I swear, when you rate series based on the first DVD, you give a bad impression to people who are looking into what Anime they should check into. You ignorant idiots who judge an Anime when you have never seen it on fansubs in it's ENTIRETY shows a true example of how reviews shouldn't be conducted in such a way. You turn people away from a great series. And you can easily just judge it from 4 episodes? How many people do you think buy series on impulse? Being a popular Anime site, you don't feel obligated to review something free from ignorance? Opinions taken, justify the review you gave Solty Rei vol 1 half a year ago and link it? You talk like you represent what the series is going to be. Good job. You reviewers don't seem to understand the importance of a series in it's whole. It's like judging a piece of art based on the first few inches of the corner you see. It's absurd. You don't even offer any prospects of what you think would change when you are completely dogged in your beliefs. Horrible. I use ANN for a few things. But in my opinion, I think your reviews are completely out of ignorance. It doesn't even have to do with a valid opinion. It's just a long rant with comprehensive words with no objectivity and just bashing whenever a chance is given. |
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Randall Miyashiro
Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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In defense of the reviewers here it is common practice in for reviewers in all media to base their opinions on what is currently available for the reviewer at the time of the review. It is nice to have people of the fan sub post a polite comment here mentioning that the series gets better, but it isn't expected that the reviewed complete the entire series before the earlier works is reviewer. This would be similar to someone who has only watched the first Harry Potter film and not read the books (back when there was only one movie, but at least 3 books out) criticizing it for being light and fluffy.
A work really needs to stand on it's own merit for the reviewer. Are the reviewers here short changing Fate/Stay Night and Tsuki Hime by criticizing the fact that there are many points that are not explained unless you play the game as well? Is Phantom Menace not as bad of a film now compared to in 1999 since Revenge of the Sith was better? Should the weak sequels to Dune make the first book any worse in my opinion? Although I do appreciate your post back then which helped convince me to continue collecting the series I think you are not being fair to the staff here. |
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Lord Kefka
Posts: 96 Location: California..for now |
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It really isn't just about mentioning that the series gets better. In the past, I have mentioned that a more considerate approach should be taken when reviewing the first DVD as it determines for the curious Anime fans whether they should buy it or not. Without providing any sort of prospects and malleability in the opinions which sound like complete bashing of series do turn buyers away. And by the time good reviews are given for a later vol., many of the active buyers who buy things based on most current release won't bother to care. I am being very critical with how things are being reviewed. Though you have your opinions of your review, I do think opinions should go either way in between rather than being one side or another. You need to realize how often people use the internet as a form to judging an Anime, and DVDs they buy based on how it's rated and what is said. Even if the first 5 episodes of an Anime is crappy, does it give the reviewer the right to bash it by being ignorant of the rest of the 20 or so episodes? Can I just pass of Anime like GunxSword as crap and make it seem that way from the first DVD I watch? Can I judge Lucky Star based on the first few episodes when it is obviously crap from just the start? I'm trying to point out that yes, it is difficult to rate individual DVDs, but this is exactly why words should be more carefully put together. Although I am in no way trying to make you change how ANN review things, there are people who either A.) think the reviews are very biased in one way or another or B.) to the point where they don't care what is said. You can't please everyone with reviews, and of course I know that as well having reviewed a few Anime myself. But there is a line to avoid bringing up a criticism which is more than just a criticism and to a form of a personal attack. Now you can argue and say that's only the perspective of a fanboy of a series, but what it really is is just a fan who has seen the series to know these criticisms do not in anyway correlate with the overall tone of the Anime had it been seen all the way. You people work hard and spend time to write these things with a low amount of pay. This is just something I would like to see happen which is to not sound like you are ruling out a series based on a few beginning episodes with petty insults. |
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Xanas
Posts: 2058 |
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Solty Rei is cool, that's all I gotta say.
I even liked the nice 6 episode start but I admit it was a bit slow and just fun at the time. It didn't have a lot of plot movement back then but there certainly wasn't anything bad about it. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18212 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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No, actually that seems to be the focal point of your entire beef.
No, and we had this exact same argument several months ago. No reviewer is under any obligation to be wishy-washy about reviewing the early volume of any series just on the possibility that it might get much better or much worse. That just makes the reviewer look, well, wishy-washy. And we are not a marketing department or advertising firm, so we are under no obligation to promote any title in a positive way just to try to positively affect its sales, nor do we have any need to concern ourselves with how a particular title sells becase we aren't in any way actually selling anything. (Except advertising space.) Companies don't send us preview copies of stuff expecting we're going to promote it for them; they just want to increase the name recognition of a title (which is probably more important in anime than in most other fields), and that we do regardless of whether we give it a good or bad review. We can choose to promote or demote a title if we feel strongly enough about it, but that's strictly based on our individual choices, not any greater sense or need for responsibility.
The first volume covering those five episodes? Absolutely. The whole series? We don't usually do that, although someone who's watched enough anime and done enough reviews can usually see established patterns forming after a few episodes. Solty Rei is one of the rare cases where a title surprised by stepping beyond its initial apparent potential.
Yes. (Sorry, if you were trying to imply that actually turned out to be a good series, I can't agree with you there.)
That's the second time in this same post you've been disingenuous. That's exactly what you're trying to do.
I never got that impression from the initial review of this series; in fact, it had enough positives to it that it convinced me to go ahead and check the series out. (I had been wavering on it at first.) I do understand what you're saying, but you also have to remember that practicalities make what you ask for nearly impossible. Should we avoid needlessly insulting a title? Probably, unless it really, really deserves it. (And there are a few that do.) But watching a whole series before reviewing only part of it is sometimes impossible, other times unfeasible, and never necessary when our reviews only go volume-by-volume. |
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Lord Kefka
Posts: 96 Location: California..for now |
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Notice I said it wasn't just about mentioning that the series gets better. It's a mix between the rating and how I knew Solty Rei was a great Anime. My concern was more with how the way vol 1 was reviewed which could have turned the curiosity of people away.
Companies don't send you Anime DVDs for you to give good ratings everytime, and of course, it is the case when you can't help giving an Anime a poor rating. I wouldn't call holding more critical comments back wishy washy. It's called respecting your ignorance rather than act like you know what you are talking about when only so little has been seen. You not only offer yourself a reason to keep going but also those who do care about the reviews and take it into serious consideration when we are talking about money and buying them in stores. It's easy for you to just bash something because you obviously get it for free. You have nothing to lose in terms of spending your hard earned money. I've reviewed Hammerboy myself after CPM sent me the DVD, and just like you, I gave it a not so happy rating. But it was a movie and I made a fair judgment. It's not just about the opinions you make but the way you say it. Solty Rei was a rare case? You know there are plenty of Anime out there which starts off slow and picks up. It isn't a rare case. Texhnolyzed for one is another example, and there are many more. Yes, GunxSword did end up like Solty Rei in terms of pace, plot, characters and so forth. If I was trying to make you change how you review, I would have been more concerned with what was actually stated in the reviews rather than making a general proposal right now. You got the impression to continue but from the way it was reviewed, it wasn't offered to the people who read it and could have taken it the wrong way. With some of the criticism, it seems to go beyond just being subjective and more of finding some comical way to insult a series. I have already stated that it is hard to review Anime DVDs by the volumes compared to reviewing a series in it's completion. But it's because of this that comments should be more carefully made. Offering some prospects is one thing you can do. Anyways, I'm glad you decided to continue the series and (probably?) finished it, and hopefully enjoyed it. You say Solty Rei is a rare exception, but don't you think it would be a mistake to turn people away so easily in the future when other "rare" exceptions pop up? ps. I apologize for sounding rude in my initial post. |
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Key
Moderator
Posts: 18212 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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We don't get anywhere near all of the stuff we review for free. I've personally bought a lot of the stuff I review, and I'm sure that's the same for the other regulars. As for the rest of your statement, I'm not going to do the "well, maybe it will get better" game in a review unless I feel that there is enough reason to warrant hope or I genuinely can't make up my mind based on just one volume. (Which is rare.)
I wasn't talking about it starting off slow, because it doesn't. I was referring to its plot heading in a different direction during volume 3 than it originally appeared to be going, and how the quality of the writing jumped when it did. Witch Hunter Robin would be a much better comparison, as that one changed dramatically, and got a lot better, when it shifted into spoiler["fugitive Robin" mode] about halfway through. And frankly I thought Texhnolyze never much recovered from its slow start. Like Ergo Proxy, I always thought that series got too wrapped up in its ambiance. (But at least it didn't wallow in pretentiousness like EP has.)
Um, I would point out that I was the one who reviewed the last volume.
Nah, don't worry about it. I didn't take you as being rude, just misguided. 
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