Comments on: Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino- 1-3: when things that once were beautiful are bland

By: chris

chris — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:19:45 +0000

I think its good except for the fact that the characters look more fake than the first season. I bet if it was in english we can understand whats going on. But other than that its ok.

By: Sy

Sy — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:14:47 +0000

@ConcreteBadger: Sorry I wasn’t very clear. I did actually watch the second and third episode but by the third I’d totally lost interest in watching anymore after having pretty much already given up after the second.

By: ConcreteBadger

ConcreteBadger — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:35:49 +0000

@Sy: you’re unlucky in dropping the series there, because the opening ep is IMO pretty poor, and things only improve once the story gets going. I recommend seeing it as far as ep 2 or 3 before judging it one way or the other.

@hayase: lowering your expectations is probably the best plan - accepting that it’s not as good as season #1 is kinda essential to enjoying season #2 at all, or at least it is for me.

@Peter S: the first series was very character-driven, but now that they have already been introduced, it makes sense for the second to be more story-driven. The riot scene had me cringing too (how small IS their budget?!) but as long as the plot is decent, it should be worth a second chance.

@TheBigN: I’m still of the opinion that it’s a change that’s had fans up in arms - after all, the names and general likenesses are the only aspects that are the same. The music, different. The aesthetic, different. The direction, different. It is jarring, especially when you feel that the first season got more or less everything just right.

@Wildcard: again, the story I think will carry it when the visuals don’t. The potetntial’s there but these episodes are less…delicate?…in portraying the girls’ situations. The director seems to lack the confidence the previous one had somehow.

By: Wildcard

Wildcard — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:12:27 +0000

You’ve written exactly what I thought of it. It’s good, but the reduced production values let it down, while clumsy action sequences feel pretty weak when compared with the nail biting life and death fights of the first series.

The story is still the ace however. The first episode’s focus on action made it look hopeless, however the second episode reassured me that story was up to standard. It’s not a dazzling start, and comparison with Madhouse’s efforts make it look even worse but there’s still potential.

By: TheBigN

TheBigN — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:59:02 +0000

I think the problem really just is, “This isn’t what we’re used to”, at least music-wise, animation-wise, and character design-wise. I guess the question is, does the show at least retain the feeling that is the point of the entire series, and I’d say yes. I hope that there’s a little better execution though, since things seem a little forced.

By: Peter S

Peter S — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:53:47 +0000

I netflixed the first series to be ready for this one. I cringed when I saw the animation for the ep 1 riot, and thought maybe I’d better leave off, but after reading your post maybe I’ll give it a second chance.

The new season may carry more of the elements you expect in a series, such as an overarching story, and regular antagonist, but season one didn’t need those things. It cast a spell, introduced by the Delgados song (I can’t think of a more appropriate opening theme to a series), and we saw the day-to-day horrors of these girls’ lives through a wall of emotion. Walls of emotion don’t last long. Twelve episodes was quite enough. It might be interesting to see what they can do with a more story-driven approach.

By: hayase

hayase — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:47:24 +0000

I thought it picked up in the 3rd episode. I’m giving Il Teatrino another chance, the important thing would be that I’d just have to lower my expectations a bit.

By: Sy

Sy — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:42:48 +0000

I’ve given up watching this series. By the second episode it was just starting to feel like a tacky add on to the first season and I stopped trying to enjoy it. It wasn’t bad in all honesty but the first season set the bar and this second season just tripped and fell on it’s face.

At some point in the future I may give it another chance but for the moment it’s too much of a downgrade.