Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (TV)

[Munsu]

You know, it's quite possible there are different people working on the first two episodes and the last three. Maybe the director got sick or something.

Or Annopressed.

That's pretty standard, and there's also a budget to contend with so in on some episodes/scenes they splurge and in others they let go a bit.

I'd like to think that all shows have unlimited budgets, but sadly that's not reality... as much as we'd like for quality to be consitent (art/animation wise), it simply isn't feasible.

Of course, sometimes the low budget portions are unexplainably bad.

A term I've seen used around often is "sakuga", like scenes in which more budget to increase the quality of those particular scenes, and such or something along those lines.

But yeah, all can be explained by budget constraints, though of course some is laziness at times. One can be more understanding of these issues, but doesn't make them any less annoying when encountered.

That said, though I can appreciate great animation, poor animation often doesn't bother me. It's not a make or break issue for me unless this something incredibly substandard.

[KrayZ33]

But yeah, all can be explained by budget constraints, though of course some is laziness at times. One can be more understanding of these issues, but doesn't make them any less annoying when encountered.

I'd like to believe that it isn't lazyness, but time restrictions.

[shinta|hikari]

According to my vast knowledge of anime production obtained from Shirobako, animation companies outsource some of the animation work to smaller companies, who don't do quality work because they have a bunch of monkeys seated at the artist desks.

[shinta|hikari]

Ep 6






This episode was a step in the right direction. Ikoma admitted how stupid he was for letting go of the crane lever, and everyone overall just behaved more sensibly. Mumei's back to her cocky and cute self too.

The zombie congregation was more magical than I expected. They had some sort of core that pulled them in and allowed them to take shape. It wasn't just a random mass of bodies that suddenly look humanoid. And the core is a kabaneri. Interesting. WTF has Mumei's benefactor been doing?

Action was great again. Samurai guy was pretty cool despite my general hatred for him. I like how he and Ikoma can hate each other but still work together in a crisis.

However, the best part of this episode was this:

[Buffalobiian]

Benefactor? As in the "mother" who protected Mumei from the bullet?

The heart looked more like an ex-Kabaneri colleague.

Yukari (hereby called Train Woman) releasing the limit was hilarious. I had no idea why she started stripping. "Is the cabin about to be filled with steam? Is that why it's about to get hot suddenly?"

No, it was just a great opportunity to show off some lats.

And you know what? The lead-up to that was entirely unnecessary. They want the colony to catch up. They didn't want to lose it (because they couldn't). They ultimately risked derailing and forced everyone to push right (pushing - equally pointless).

But hey, every girl got to contribute and they played some nice music, so why not right?

[160518] TVアニメ「甲鉄城のカバネリ」Original Soundtrack／澤野弘之 [FLAC+CUE]
[Mashin] [160518] TVアニメ「甲鉄城のカバネリ」Original Soundtrack／澤野弘之 [320K]

[shinta|hikari]

Benefactor = The "brother" who saved her after her mother got killed by fear-crazed dude.

Her bro is probably doing experiments on kabaneri that led to the creation of these giant zombie things, you know, like SnK's Eren.

Train woman had to take off her clothes. She couldn't move properly with so many layers on. It took like one second to remove them, so it's worth it to gain extra maneuverability and comfort. I, for one, don't exercise in the gym with a coat. It's an excuse for fanservice, but a decent one IMO.

And this:
KoutetsujounoKabaneri-Episode6-69.jpg

They needed the extra speed because the monster would've easily killed them if the cannon failed to kill it, which happened once. Baiting it then successfully killing it was one thing, but surviving a failed attempt was another. Timing/aiming a shot against a target moving close to your speed is also much easier than one moving much faster.

Was the "pushing" really illogical? The pushing motion is probably meaningless, but everyone sticking themselves as closely as possible to one side of the train should at least affect the weight balance, right? I don't actually know, so I'm asking.

If you ask me, you're crazy for even bothering to complain after seeing Mumei's face here:

[Kraco]

Of course moving next to the right wall mattered, though pushing the wall action was funny. It's understandable, though, considering the time period. It probably made sense to the common people on board. It's not like the foreign expert would be there to explain how meaningless it was.

This episode was certainly a big step to the right direction. I had no complaints. Like has been said, even the giant was explained well enough. Above all I'm very happy Mumei is back to her previous relaxed self, albeit I imagine there might be even some positive changes in her personality. Perhaps another meeting with the pirate wouldn't anymore make her do stupid things.

[shinta|hikari]

Pirate X Mumei NTR scene incoming...

[Ryllharu]

Yukari (hereby called Train Woman) releasing the limit was hilarious. I had no idea why she started stripping. "Is the cabin about to be filled with steam? Is that why it's about to get hot suddenly?"

No, it was just a great opportunity to show off some lats.

At least call her Engineer-chan, because that's what she is. That scene made no fucking sense whatsoever. She wasn't restricted in any way. But she does have some badass muscles for a lady. That's some blacksmith muscles right there.

Why didn't the guy she send back to the gear use a fucking pipe to dislodge the meat? She says, "If you touch it, you're losing an arm at the least," and you don't take an object you can use from a distance?!

The English Aristocrat-Mechanic makes me laugh every time he says something. His mere presence is a mystery, a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Here I was thinking only Japan has this kabana issue. For a significant time period. Who the hell is this dude and where has he come from?

[Kraco]

The English Aristocrat-Mechanic makes me laugh every time he says something. His mere presence is a mystery, a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Here I was thinking only Japan has this kabana issue. For a significant time period. Who the hell is this dude and where has he come from?

The Japanese trains didn't appear out of nowhere. The first ones were imported from Europe. I guess he came with them, to familiarise the Japanese with the tech. Suddenly he couldn't get out anymore with the place being infested with flesh craving zombies. Maybe he married a Japanese woman or something and had decided to stay willingly much earlier.

[MFauli]

Lol, I´m glad everybody can agree that the train lady randomly stripping off her clothes was exactly that: random

And I agree, "a step in the right direction".

The chase scene felt intense, the way this giant swarm kabane kept running after the train had something truly creepy to it, a feeling this series had been lacking compared to Attack on Titan. What´s missing now are proper ways of fighting kabane and proper ways of introducing more dangerous kabane (that aren´t relying on shitty human-shaped swarms, really, that´s indefensibly stupid), as well as having a good mystery to it all.

One scene I really disliked, though: When Mumei looked at all the Kabane that Ikoma had slain and said "how is that possible, when we´re so weak?". Bullshit. Mumei would have killed all of these kabane with ease, had she not been trapped under a rock.

[shinta|hikari]

That's the point. Mumei's understanding of strength is result-biased. If you get trapped under a rock and are about to get killed, then you're weak. It doesn't matter if she could've beaten those fodder in her usual form because that's not what was happening. The strong don't get into such situations in the first place.

That's also why she was so shaken by pirate dude. It doesn't matter if she was underestimating him and that the gun was concealed (and that he couldn't shoot her anyway or get pawned by Ikoma and the gang). She was weak the moment he got the drop on her.

Basically, if you (or are about to) die, you're weak, not the other way around. That's why she got so confused when Ikoma saved them. Considering all the factors (Ikoma's lack of combat skill, Mumei getting trapped, them being surrounded), they were supposed to die, but all of a sudden, Ikoma shounen-hearted his way to victory.

[Buffalobiian]

WTF has Mumei's benefactor been doing?

I misread that as "WTF was Mumei's benefactor doing there?" (as the heart of the kabane colony).

As pointed out, pushing is useless if it doesn't move your center of gravity any more towards the right. The best thing to do would be to grab the right-bottom edge of the wall and lie against it. As Kraco said however, I guess not everyone did physics those days. Interestingly they actually folded those beds up - that's exactly what you should do.

The English Aristocrat-Mechanic makes me laugh every time he says something. His mere presence is a mystery, a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Here I was thinking only Japan has this kabana issue. For a significant time period. Who the hell is this dude and where has he come from?

We don't even know what he looks like with all those goggles. I'm hoping he plays more part than being around for lulz, but I'm okay if he doesn't.

@Shinta: Right now I'm seeing more parallels with this show than Titan, as far as "how zombies/half-zombies are made" goes.

As for as Titan comparisons go, Titan had better soundtracks. Both OSTs were filled with good songs. Kabaneri has around 3 on that CD.

[MFauli]

new episode is out
-----------------------

They finally went full-Attack on Titan, lol. If only it hadn´t taken half a season to get there, when AoT made it in episode 1 ;>

And holy batman, when did Mumei become such an annyoing fan-girl of Ikoma´s? This might the worst evolution of a character I´ve ever witnessed. Badass, cool, cold fighter in episode 1, to emotionally unstable, clingy, at times even cringy fan-girl. Ugh.

Anyway, the story finally gets going. Although I´d really like to know what makes this city safer than the first one that got overrun by kabane.

[Buffalobiian]

Anyway, the story finally gets going. Although I´d really like to know what makes this city safer than the first one that got overrun by kabane.

Not employing dumbasses that drop the bridge before confirming a train crew's humanity.

[shinta|hikari]

LOL.

Mumei's character development is ridiculously rushed. There's a good story in there, but they are going in leaps and bounds to tell it.

Other than that, it was a great episode where couples are formed, all of them worth rooting for.

Ikoma's VA is damaging this show more than Goku's damages DragonBall.

[KrayZ33]

Ikoma's VA is damaging this show more than Goku's damages DragonBall.

My view on his VA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ussCHoQttyQ

I like the character animation/style more and more each episode, the princess looked cute, so did Mumei and the rest.
Mumei did change quite a bit in the last two episodes, she's shifiting alot and it's seems so easy to sway her towards either side.

one ep she's all "The weak suck"
then she's "I must proof I'm not weak, ahhh *panic*"
and after that she's "I'm actually just a cute little girl *tehee :P*"

[Edort4]

Maybe this relationship/personalities "development" was needed, dunno, but it felt like a filler episode. All that happened in those +20 minutes could have happened in 4 divided throughout the other 6 or 7 episodes.

[Buffalobiian]

I just realised the opening parts of the OP are "Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress" sung in English.

[shinta|hikari]

The character episode felt like a good break from all the fighting. Anime is different from western TV series in that it doesn't try to impress the audience every episode. Some episodes are designed to be set up ones. It's just an inherent difference in the entertainment culture.

The biggest problem here, and throughout the series, is the abruptness of it all, especially Mumei's changes and Ikoma's voice.