M3: Sono Kuroki Hagane

[Raikoh]

So, I've been watching M3 and enjoying it quite a bit. I count it among some of the better anime that's aired this year (that I've seen, mind you). Just today, I've received news that it's apparently doing so abysmally in the market that both the BD and DVD releases are getting cancelled. Now, I'm somewhat dubious as to the truth of the matter (a tweet has confirmed that there's going to be SOME sort of explanation soon), but the idea is the important thing.

What's very worrying to me is that it seems like this itself might show one of the major faults of the anime industry today. M3 is pretty clearly a project created by someone who wanted to make an anime, not money. If it's bombing this hard because it eschews popular trends in favor of trying to do its own thing, for better or worse, that's a bit depressing to me. Of course, a large part of it might be due to the complete lack of care in the advertising. Before it aired, the website had a completely minimalistic "how much more black could this be? And the answer is... None." design, and the PV is... Almost completely unhelpful. So, not wanting to just let M3 roll over and die, I figured that the least I could do is try and spread the word a little bit.

Is anybody else watching M3? If so, what do you think of it? If not, why not? Is it because you didn't enjoy it, or just that it didn't catch your interest, or have you never even heard of it?

[Destiny_Gundam]

It had already been announced that all the home releases would be delayed to improve the product, so them being removed from Amazon seems like the logical thing to me. Why list a product when you don't know when it's going to be released?

Besides, there's no way it could be doing worse than Flowers of Evil. If that trash can still get released, no reason M3 can't.

So far as advertising goes, I think it was relying more on the star power of those involved (namely Mari Okada and Kawamori) to sell the show.

Anyways, the show itself was kinda eh at first. I didn't feel like the characters got proper introductions so they didn't really click with me at first. I thought Emiru was some middle aged woman drooling over high school boys initially, because why else would she be cleaning toilets instead of going into class? Then they put all that importance on her but it was hard to bring myself to care that much since I didn't know anything about her. This did improve once they finally showed her backstory.

Akashi has been consistantly well characterized, though. We get to see what his deal is from the start and it's easier to get attached to him. Sasame is fine too, since she is introduced a few episodes in and got a proper introduction at that time. Everyone else feels mostly irrelevant, though. They're there but don't get much to do.

Recent episodes have actually been really good, and that's thanks to how developed Akashi's character arc has been.

[Ryujin]

I've been enjoying this show; the opening guitar chords in the OP really sets the mood for me. In a way, the ambiguousness of the promotional material helped in that I had no real idea what to make of it, and consequentially made no false assumptions or expectations about it.

It's unfortunate that some people persist in the mindset that having mecha featured prominently in a show means that it has to have wall-to-wall action 24/7 and everything has to be explained in the first few episodes.

[Raikoh]

Agreed, I really don't like people judging M3 negatively by saying that it doesn't have enough action, or that the action that is present is disappointing. At its core, M3 is a psychological/horror series that has robots in it, not a robot series with horror elements. And even as a guy who isn't a huge fan of horror, but I know that one of the quickest ways to stop the feelings of dread and suspense - the cruxes of good horror - is to give the main characters a fighting chance. You don't see people complain that "Silent Hill" doesn't have enough action. Of course, the second half of the show might change this, but it really makes the Lightless Realm a lot scarier to know that nobody, not even the main characters, can even make a dent in the Corpses - and it takes all their firepower to take down an Admonition. It makes it feel very Lovecraftian, like the entire struggle is a backpedaling effort to slow down an inevitability rather than having a possibility of overcoming it. Grimdark? Possibly. But that's the way a lot of horror goes.

However, if they do go the other way and eventually have some sort of triumph, well, then that'll make it feel all the more worthwhile. We aren't dealing with a super protagonist who can overcome anything with his kickass skills, we're talking about regular, flawed people and their efforts of just doing their best when faced with an, up to this point, invincible foe.

[Outlaw]

I was a bit slow to warm to this one, with a week or two between seeing it, then watching the preview, then the first episode, then I finally came back and it wasn't till the third or fourth episode that I started watching regularly. At first I thought it would be like Persona but with mechs instead of demons.

For me the only off putting aspect was that the first episode felt like they just dropped all the characters into my lap in pretty short order, I actually wondered if I had clicked on episode two by mistake. Overall, it's been pretty good, I do want to see that scientist creep get his comeuppance though.

Spoiler

Kinda surprised they killed off Emiru so quickly, it really gave the impression that she wasn't dead dead. When the Sable showed up right after it wasn't hard to put two and two together and spoil the big surprise they had coming up.

Anyways how long this series is slated to run for?

[Raikoh]

Anyways how long this series is slated to run for?

It's two cour, and my sources say 24 episodes (which makes sense, episode 12 definitely felt like it was changing things up quite a bit, like the halfway point usually does).

[Destiny_Gundam]

I expected this to happen, and here it is:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00LBYUG9O
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00LBYUGDU

The individual releases were indeed cancelled. Because they're releasing it in box sets now.

[Ryujin]

Akashi just can't catch a break.

It's hilarious how, after several days/episodes, Heito's still dangling from Sable's cockpit like a pair of fuzzy dice.

Now I'm half-expecting a 3-way MA-Vess catfight between Aoshi, Emiru & Sasame for the rights to Akashi.

[Outlaw]

Despite Akashi being MIA this episode kinda ended on a warm fuzzy. About time they did something with Mahmu.

[Destiny_Gundam]

About time they did something with Mahmu.

My thoughts exactly. My biggest problem has always been lack of connection with most of the characters due to lackluster introductions. So this is appreciated, although I do feel it's a bit too late.

[Outlaw]

The sad part is that the characters DO have connections but they choose not to bring it up until the last second.

"We interrupt this plot line to tell you that Mahmu and Emiru totally used to hang, and Emiru was tryin' to be her bud this whole time."

Seriously, these kid have got to have the lousiest memories I've ever seen. Maybe it's just a result of the short run but it does come off as jarring anyways.

[Destiny_Gundam]

The sad part is that the characters DO have connections but they choose not to bring it up until the last second.

Yeah, so they can basically make up random stuff as they please and explain it away with "Oh they just didn't remember that!"

But at least Emiru and Mahmu did have some significant interactions previous in the show, so I don't consider it a total ass pull.

Also, why has no one punched Natsuiri in the face yet? Guy's just begging for it.

[Raikoh]

"We interrupt this plot line to tell you that Mahmu and Emiru totally used to hang, and Emiru was tryin' to be her bud this whole time."

I can honestly say that I've had moments in high school where people I spent some time with as a kid approached me and I couldn't remember anything about them. So for less social people (such as Mahmu) I think it's understandable. Besides, their time in the Lightless Realm has screwed with their heads already, so it could probably just be written off as that for some of the others. Minashi seems to have kept all his memories, though.

Based on the content of episodes 13 and 14, as well as the far more energetic OP and ED, I get the feeling that we're going to be seeing things get better for humanity from this point on. Maybe.

[Ryujin]

I got rather annoyed at Raika for saving that guy's bacon this episode.

Also Corpse-chan kawaii.

[Destiny_Gundam]

He's too trolltastic to die just yet.

If anything bad happens to Raika and Iwato, I'm gonna be pissed.

[Outlaw]

He's too trolltastic to die just yet.

If anything bad happens to Raika and Iwato, I'm gonna be pissed.

Despite the fact that I can never remember Iwato's name (I just call him hairband guy) I agree. With much less buildup than Sasame and Akashi, Raika and Iwato just feels right and has a much more natural feel. Of course knowing this show they'll turn Iwato into a limb and we'll end up with an even 2 male, 2 female.

Sooo...

Spoiler

- The government is a bunch of bastards. ([sarcasm] Whoa big surprise their! [/sarcasm])
-Sasame, Minashi, and Tsugumi are from a village of backwards, revenge driven, savages.
-Just judging by the ending it looks like Tsugumi blames everyone for running away even though their little trip to magic sparkle happy time and space dream land showed that it was her fault anyway. I guess I can't blame her too much, being all by yourself for nearly a decade would probably twist anyone's mind.

[Raikoh]

Despite the fact that I can never remember Iwato's name (I just call him hairband guy) I agree. With much less buildup than Sasame and Akashi, Raika and Iwato just feels right and has a much more natural feel. Of course knowing this show they'll turn Iwato into a limb and we'll end up with an even 2 male, 2 female.

I've seen some speculation that the name "M3" is because of the three Ma-Vesses, so it's possible that neither Raika nor Iwato are going to be LIM'd.

Though possibility of dying is not taken off the table, nor is the possibility of Minashi turning face (thus bringing the total number of allied Ma-Vesses down). We've had plenty, PLENTY of suffering so far.

Definitely not a predictable series, loving it more each week.

Also that moment when you realize Kamille's VA is now voicing an adult who constantly lies.

[Destiny_Gundam]

Phew,

Spoiler

they made it out okay

But boy,

Spoiler

Tsugumi went full yandere. Not that I blame her. Most people would go stir crazy being stuck in the lightless realm for 10 years.

[Outlaw]

But boy,

Spoiler

Tsugumi went full yandere. Not that I blame her. Most people would go stir crazy being stuck in the lightless realm for 10 years.

That, and her elders didn't exactly set the best example of magnanimity.

On that note:

Spoiler

I don't know that I would have relented like Akashi did when Tsugumi stopped his attack on the Corpse. It's not like a tiny little person could have done much to shield anyone in a fight like that anyway. I'm also getting the feeling from Tsugumi's response to going back with them and the scene with the Arbornine (sp?) at the end that Tsugumi may no longer be able to live outside the Lightless Relm.

PS:
Don't tease and embarrass the girl who's bandaging your bruised body.

[Ryujin]

Wow, this must be the first episode where the world didn't take a giant dump on Akashi. He even gets an insert song.