tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8720958827669276721.post662951047533568503..comments2023-09-22T10:42:10.896-07:00Comments on Plot Shield: Fractale: (lots of) thoughts after episode 1dotdashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06270663921267987965noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8720958827669276721.post-29091861842384146302011-01-24T07:10:40.903-08:002011-01-24T07:10:40.903-08:00Thanks for taking the time to read. I actually had...Thanks for taking the time to read. I actually had to break off watching about halfway through the first time because it literally had me screaming at the screen in rage. I was only able to come back and finish it by hovering with one hand over the mute button every time Clain spoke (his voice *really* bothered me).<br /><br />I felt, perhaps naively, that there were hints in this episode that the cliches were there for something more than merely their traditional purposes as you put it. Azuma has just started publishing this really hefty quarterly journal of sociology and cultural criticism and Fractale is being heftily promoted in its pages, so if it's aiming to grab the attention of that kind of audience, you've got to hope that there's something more significant than the usual guff within.<br /><br />That said, I don't think we should allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking that because he's clever that he's necessarily "on our side" as it were. In any case, the director has a wealth of experience in employing the otaku toolbox without the encumbrance of anything weightier, and I'm sure he's perfectly happy deploying cliche after cliche purely for their own pleasure in and of themselves.<br /><br />And yeah, I focussed mostly on the main character, but Phryne was a dreadful wet blanket. Haven't watched ep2 yet, but I'm sure Nessa will also find ways to annoy me in new and different ways.<br /><br />Oh, and I read your criticisms under the ghostlightning piece and endorse them thoroughly.dotdashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06270663921267987965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8720958827669276721.post-45172104177219184202011-01-23T09:19:21.950-08:002011-01-23T09:19:21.950-08:00It's interesting to see that the first episode...It's interesting to see that the first episode of Fractale has produced some fairly lengthy posts, such as the one by ghostlightning. I was, however, waiting for the one which would get to grips with the Azuma/otaku aspect of the show. This is certainly a great piece about that aspect of the episode. <br /><br />As I was watching my thoughts didn't stray to such interesting places because I was too busy being annoyed by the direction, shifts in tone and Phryne "I know all about your smile". As I didn't enjoy it on that level, I didn't bother returning to the episode with a critical eye. <br /><br />You speak mainly of Cain, which makes sense because he is clearly the character with which the audience is supposedly connecting. Yet it is the supporting cast you irk me, whether it's Phryne in Episode 1 or Nessa in Episode 2. <br /><br />Are these cliched,'anime-type' characters being presented so that the director/writer can comment on them, or will they only exist to serve their traditional purposes?<br /><br />I can only hope coming episodes will combine insight/commentary with a story that I actually want to watch.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922891971831353642noreply@blogger.com