Blazblue: Alter Memory

[RifleAvenger]

People are worried about pacing, and yeah it seems fast, but this is CT right now, we haven't even seen half of the characters, and the story itself takes place in a loop, there are plenty of things that they could do with this kind of setup. Hell they might even be showing us segments of the story, maybe episode three will be a "meanwhile, this is what Carl, Litchi and Bang were doing while this shit happened". It's too soon to say.

Pacing also refers to the flow of events within an episode. Which I feel was quite poor here. It feels disjointed, hopping from one scene to another. Swapping between Noel and Ragna's perspectives (and sometimes Rachel, though for some reason I didn't mind her cut-ins so much) is a big part of that.

That Noel featured so prominently here also makes me doubt the theory that next episode is just Noel's take on things.

Edited October 9, 2013 by RifleAvenger

[kosmos badgirl]

I liked it, drawing is solid, the remixes are good, as a complement of the games, I think is good, but for newcomers to the series, probably is just trash.

[Suzaku]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

Forgot one thing: yeah, the opening is definitely lackluster. The song itself is alright but the animation is lazily/cheaply done.

But hey, there are many animes that don't even have an opening on the premiere. Perhaps they'll make a legitimate one after another episode or two.

It's possible (though unlikely) that next week will have an actual, original opening sequence. It's not uncommon for premier episodes to have weird OP/EDs or none at all.

Of course, and this is probably just me, I've come to be annoyed by OP/EDs in general. Anime have a really short runtime and OP/EDs are essentially stock animation that can be used to pad out a solid 3-4 minute chunk of every episode. Even if they put a lot of effort into the OP/ED, you're gonna be watching the same exact thing every episode of the season. I almost always skip them. Baccano! and Durarara!! are two rare exceptions that I never skipped.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Suzaku

[kosmos badgirl]

For those who want to know the full content of every DVD/BD release.

http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/730/730333/

I think is a frikin joke that every disc will have only 2 episodes, but I know that anime is like that in Japan.

[Kurushii]

BBAM Vol 1 LE http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=MED-DVD2-21834

BBAM Vol 2 LE http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=MED-DVD2-21915

BBAM Vol 3 LE http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=MED-DVD2-21918

BBAM Vol 4 LE http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=MED-DVD2-21921

BBAM Vol 5 LE http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=MED-DVD2-21924 [Ragna Nendoroid included]

BBAM Vol 6 LE http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=MED-DVD2-21927 [Mu Nendoroid included]

BBAM Wallscroll http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=CGD2-69224

[Solless]

Okay, so I can buy japanese DVDs to get DLC, including some coveted character colors......Uh...probably won't do it.

And Kurushii, stick with an avatar for more than a week!

[Kurushii]

And Kurushii, stick with an avatar for more than a week!

I blame: http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?illust_id=39010568&mode=medium

[floatwater]

I feel you, dat qualitaaaaay

[NeoStrayCat]

I liked it better when Kuru had a squiggly gif ava, but yeah, people have to change some stuff sometimes.

OT: Not much to say here for me until next week (as of post) rolls around with the next Ep.

[SoWL]

I'm inclined to disagree with those who say that the anime is made only with the fans in mind. Mori has clearly stated that they intended the anime plot to be more cohesive than the games, which kinda makes sense: they don't have as much time to explain it, but it still must make sense. Now, whether they succeeded or not is hard to say after just one episode, but I don't have any problems with it so far. Proper pacing is very tricky when you have a huge game series and only 13 episodes to fit it in.

[Narroo]

Mori has clearly stated that they intended the anime plot to be more cohesive than the games.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The 1st episode was less cohesive than the games; The opening and Ragna's story in CT made a lot more sense. How ripping different scenes from different stories makes coherency, I do not know. Plus, plot holes created by nonsensical retcons. For instance, why were Noel's orders changed to "do not engage Ragna The Bloodedge?" It was unnecessary and made for an awkward cut scene between Hazama and Noel. I suppose they were going for "Noel has a connection to Ragna!" Except, they're pounding that a bit too hard now, and they're ruining the mild twists CT had.

[TPPR10]

I actually have an argument forwards the people who think we are going to True End already: In True End (And CTR), after fighting Jin, Ragna gets a flashback to a previous loop and recalls that he has done this before. Here Ragna doesn't get any of that. So we still have ways to go.

[Fenris]

>Judging a timeloop-based plot after seeing just ONE episode.

>2013

Sons (and daughters?) I am disappoint...

[BladeOfJustice7]

The last 2 minutes of the first ep were hontoni subarashii. Can't wait till next ep.

[Master Of Chaos]

Plus, plot holes created by nonsensical retcons. For instance, why were Noel's orders changed to "do not engage Ragna The Bloodedge?" It was unnecessary and made for an awkward cut scene between Hazama and Noel. I suppose they were going for "Noel has a connection to Ragna!" Except, they're pounding that a bit too hard now, and they're ruining the mild twists CT had.

Noel was ordered in CT to not fight Ragna by her superiors in the opening cutscene to her story, IIRC. I see no retcon here.

[Errol]

>Judging a timeloop-based plot after seeing just ONE episode.

>2013

Sons (and daughters?) I am disappoint...

you're right. After Endless Eight was over people only thought better of it!

Maybe people are just hoping it isn't going to be a lot of timeloop stuff, because, hey.. there's only one way things could get worse from here.

[Volt]

At least they didn't retcon what happened pre-CT, like Ragna's attack on Akitsu's NOL Branch. The only complaint I actually have about the anime is the same I had about CT's story mode. Where is the flow? One moment Ragna jumps away from Noel, the other he's inside the NOL branch. Unless he jumped all that distance in a single jump this is madness and the game was this bad too.

P.S. Jin likes to use C Ice.... what the hell was that?

[Chaoschao222]

Where is the flow? One moment Ragna jumps away from Noel, the other he's inside the NOL branch. Unless he jumped all that distance in a single jump this is madness and the game was this bad too.

What else would they do? Show us Ragna walking down the roads for 40 odd minutes until he reaches the NOL facility?

[BlackYakuzu94]

What else would they do? Show us Ragna walking down the roads for 40 odd minutes until he reaches the NOL facility?

Would have loved his Pizza delivery line.

[mAc Chaos]

What else would they do? Show us Ragna walking down the roads for 40 odd minutes until he reaches the NOL facility?

Explain where he was going, what he was doing, etc.

[Chaoschao222]

Explain where he was going, what he was doing, etc.

But we already knew where he was going, and what if he wasn't doing anything but walking?

[mAc Chaos]

But we already knew where he was going, and what if he wasn't doing anything but walking?

I knew becaue I played BB already, but looking at it as if I knew nothing about BB, then it would all be moving too fast. Who is the NOL, where are they, why is Ragna fighting them, who are all these people. etc.

On one level it makes sense since that is how CT itself plays.

But I am not sure if that necessarily translates well to an anime. Maybe if they keep explaining more as it goes.

[abadlime]

Might be wrong but didn't he encounter Arakune along the way or is that another loop?

I knew becaue I played BB already, but looking at it as if I knew nothing about BB, then it would all be moving too fast. Who is the NOL, where are they, why is Ragna fighting them, who are all these people. etc.

On one level it makes sense since that is how CT itself plays.

But I am not sure if that necessarily translates well to an anime. Maybe if they keep explaining more as it goes.

It's only been the first ep. I give it two more before i think its ok to complain about not knowing anything...

but we all know so...

Edited October 9, 2013 by abadlime

[Chaoschao222]

I knew becaue I played BB already, but looking at it as if I knew nothing about BB, then it would all be moving too fast. Who is the NOL, where are they, why is Ragna fighting them, who are all these people. etc.

Well yeah, general pacing's pretty fucked (for one whole episode), but as far as going from Noel to NOL I see no problems, or rather, no need to put something between those events if there's no events taking place. Like I can't imagine Ragna walking along with some random inner monologue about the struggle and how real it is working any better

[Hecatom]

Seeing some of the complains here now i know why all the usa cartoons need to narrate the actions while the characters are doing it, is like without it the viewers can't know shit of what is happening.

"Oh look, i need to run to take cover before that statue crush me when it falls" says while it runs to take cover while a statue crumbles over him

SMH

Edit

I assume that is why they add random narrative on segments that on the original dub are silent LOL

Edited October 9, 2013 by Hecatom