This probably best belongs here, because chances are I'm the only one who's even playing the game, and the topic is about the anime. If anyone wants to talk about the game as a strategy game, make a thread in Gaming Discussion about it.
Has anyone here watched Utawarerumono and/or played the game? If so, what are your thoughts on it?
I actually first saw Utawarerumono when it was a hentai game. Back then, I didn't even know any Japanese or what the name of the game was. When I saw it as an anime, I didn't even recognize it, and gave it ridiculous and stupid names like "That anime that is oh so bright and colourful but involves Ainu samurai and lots of blood". The first clips I ever saw from the anime were some gruesome GIFs and movie clips of Touka or Karura slaughtering soldiers, as well as that plamoo parody of one of Touka's scenes, which was where I derived a stupid nickname like that. That was, of course, until I noticed that Eruruu was in the anime--at the time Eruruu was the only character I even recognized. When I actually went and watched the series, I liked what I saw--it's a lot more interesting than watching a harem anime. Though, I wish the art style of the anime was even closer to the original game than how it stands right now.
I'm near the end of the PS2 game, (which is roughly at Episode 25 of the anime) and I must say that they cut out a lot of stuff in the transition from game to anime. The game takes itself a lot less seriously than the anime did, and there were some more fun segments that were trimmed down or just cut out altogether from the anime. For instance, there was a particular and amusing scene where Touka is picking through Hakuoro's food just to make sure it isn't poisoned--that was actually a small part of one of her character development arcs. There were some other interesting segments in the game that were just missing in the anime altogether, though they were mostly drama and comedy oriented. But I guess that's what happens when they try to cram a lengthy story into just 26 episodes.
Lastly, you know what I think one of the best things about Utawarerumono is? The voice actors Shuichi Ikeda (Char Aznable) and Yosuke Akimoto (Master Asia) play as major supporting characters in the story. And for Tokusatsu fans, the protagonist Hakuoro is played by Rikiya Koyama, who also played Joe The Haze in Kamen Rider Black RX.
Edit: I also wanted to say that the Utawarerumono TV ending theme, "Madoromi no Rinne", was done by Kawai Eri, who also did "Kiss Me Sunlights" from You-Know-What-Game.
Utawarerumono
- Yuusha Tokkyu Might Gaine
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I've been tempted to watch the anime, how is it?
Tell me bats, what are you really scared of? Failure to save this cesspool of a city? Not finding the Commissioner in time? Me, in a thong?-Joker Arkham Asylum
My father was a wheel! THE FIRST WHEEL! And you know what he transformed into?! NOTHING! But he did it with honor!-Jefire, Transformers 2
My father was a wheel! THE FIRST WHEEL! And you know what he transformed into?! NOTHING! But he did it with honor!-Jefire, Transformers 2
Differences aside, I think Utaware was a pretty good anime adaptation. The story for the most part is intact, but I've heard that it was harder for people to understand unless they've read the Wiki article or played the game. Utaware is also unusually violent and bloody for an eroge adaptation, which is where much of the entertainment value comes in. (Having a love for Hokuto no Ken and wanton violence helps here.) There are a few episodes featuring no combat, but it mostly seems wasteful, boring and completely devoid of drama or even comedy. If you're not the patient type, you probably wouldn't be able to stand it. Except for maybe anything featuring Touka.
Speaking of HnK, Karura's first appearance is very reminiscent of Nanto Suicho Ken's Rei...
But as I said before, there are some interesting stories in the game that I would've loved to see animated. One of the late game Urutorii stories is one such example. They could've also gone into greater detail over the character and plot development that did occur in the anime, since they skimmed over the final segments of the story.
The omake specials generally have some of the worst animation in the anime, and it's especially noticeable in the last two specials. However, they're a lot better than any of the peacetime episodes. The second one is sort of boring though. All of these specials happened in the game.
Honestly speaking though, I would've rather seen all of the notable drama and comedy segments right in the anime, even if it would've meant increasing the episode count to 40 or 50. It is inherently a harem anime/game, and a lot of the supporting characters are just lacking in depth compared to the game.
Speaking of HnK, Karura's first appearance is very reminiscent of Nanto Suicho Ken's Rei...
But as I said before, there are some interesting stories in the game that I would've loved to see animated. One of the late game Urutorii stories is one such example. They could've also gone into greater detail over the character and plot development that did occur in the anime, since they skimmed over the final segments of the story.
The omake specials generally have some of the worst animation in the anime, and it's especially noticeable in the last two specials. However, they're a lot better than any of the peacetime episodes. The second one is sort of boring though. All of these specials happened in the game.
Honestly speaking though, I would've rather seen all of the notable drama and comedy segments right in the anime, even if it would've meant increasing the episode count to 40 or 50. It is inherently a harem anime/game, and a lot of the supporting characters are just lacking in depth compared to the game.
-noel
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Just beat the game, and I thought I'd outline some of the major similarities and differences I noticed between the anime and game. Spoiler warning:
Anyhow, these are some examples of what's the same, what's different, and what is just missing in the transition from game to anime. But for the most part the story is still the same, and I'd still recommend watching the anime, especially since it's very unlikely one would play the game (even if he/she had a translation handy or could even read Japanese) just to see the story in its original form. It's still faithful to the original game anyway, considering they had to cram all they could into 26 episodes.
Lastly, I heard a bit of the ADV Films dub, which is atrocious. It isn't the voice acting quality--well, it's partially that, because they can't even pronounce the characters' names. (Come on, how hard is it to say Hah-Koo-O-Roh?) The general problem is that it sounds like they recorded the dub on a cheap microphone. At least they didn't butcher the series though.
- * A lot of the drama segments are further drawn out in the game. For instance, Hakuoro spends far longer in Eruruu's village than in the anime, running errands that don't involve violence and watching after Aruruu. One of these stories were adapted into the Utawarerumono manga, which is still ongoing as far as I know. I don't recommend reading it unless you're really obsessed, because it isn't a direct adaptation of either the game or anime. It just uses the same cast and setting.
* The pacing of the storyline is different from the anime. So in response to attonbitus, the final quarter of the anime makes more sense in the game. Kuuya is introduced a lot earlier, and you even get a glimpse of an Avu Kamuu before they're even deployed, as well as some brief flashbacks to Hakuoro's past long before it is even elaborated on.
* Because it's a game, (I guess) all party members are available in segments where in the anime, only Hakuoro was available. Actually, due to differences between game and anime, characters without combat abilities such as Eruruu, Urutorii, etc., were just cut out altogether, so only the fighters such as Haku himself, Oboro, Touka, Karura, etc., logged much combat time in the anime. As a result, major events in the game were slightly different from the anime. For instance, Eruruu was there when Hakuoro fought Orikakan, and she verbally punked him after the fight. Eat it, Orika.
* A few scenes in the anime didn't happen in the game either, and while some of them are cool, (i.e. Touka slaughtering the soldiers, which incidentally got turned into one of plamoo's animations) they're mostly just fanservice or otherwise useless.
* I want to use Touka as an example for this because she is my favorite character in the entire game partly for gameplay reasons, but mainly for being Touka. As I said before, characters in the game are better developed than they are in the anime--for instance, Touka gets a lot more story time in which Hakuoro does some fun stuff like go fishing with her, drinking sake together, Haku being choked to death by Touka in the name of love, (Because the corresponding hentai scene was omitted from the PS2 game) etc.. Also, in the anime (counting the omake) you saw some shades of her tsundere personality, like her love of cute things--the game shows this in even greater detail. In the game, she isn't afraid of showing her love of cute things, (if you watched the anime up to a particular point, notice how she tries to conceal it near Karura...) really likes Aruruu, and when it comes to Genjimaru, she swoons over him like a fangirl.
* On that note, I have never, ever heard Touka say "Kawaii niiyaa~" in the anime, which is her twisted way of calling something/someone cute. She says this a lot in the game and in the drama CDs. I think they got replaced with her making bizarre, inaudible sounds near anything considered cute or soul-eating. (Speaking of which, if any of you ever play the game, beware of Eruruu, because she will erode your soul, unlike in the anime.)
* Hakuoro and Eruruu, being the main characters, go through virtually the same struggles and development they did in the game. So I guess it isn't a big deal that they're missing out on the supporting characters, which means you aren't missing too much if you aren't concerned with the other characters.
* I once said the game doesn't take itself as seriously as the anime--not in the beginning, anyway. While it lasts, the game is generally more light hearted than the anime was, but the second half of the game seems a lot darker and moody.
* The ending of the game and anime are virtually the same, down to even having the same ending song. (Despite being a harem game, there is only ONE ending. So no, it's not really a dating sim.) However, the game's ending is far more depressing. I won't elaborate.
Anyhow, these are some examples of what's the same, what's different, and what is just missing in the transition from game to anime. But for the most part the story is still the same, and I'd still recommend watching the anime, especially since it's very unlikely one would play the game (even if he/she had a translation handy or could even read Japanese) just to see the story in its original form. It's still faithful to the original game anyway, considering they had to cram all they could into 26 episodes.
Lastly, I heard a bit of the ADV Films dub, which is atrocious. It isn't the voice acting quality--well, it's partially that, because they can't even pronounce the characters' names. (Come on, how hard is it to say Hah-Koo-O-Roh?) The general problem is that it sounds like they recorded the dub on a cheap microphone. At least they didn't butcher the series though.
-noel
Lol, I've watched the anime itself; both fansubs and the english dub (the dubs slightly disturbed me; some of the voices were okay yeah, but like you said the pronunciation of names wasn't good). I haven't had a chance to play the games yet and I'm doubtful I'll ever be able to but in the near future of I actually am able to play it, I'll be a satisfied lil' boy, .
Personally I loved the anime; Touka is my favorite character too, mainly because she has that cute, curious side beneath that honor-bound personality; she's also a pretty light-weight drinker, .
Dori and Gura come in second, mainly due to that one scene near the end of the series where they took advantage of an overly drunk Oboro, >>.
Personally I loved the anime; Touka is my favorite character too, mainly because she has that cute, curious side beneath that honor-bound personality; she's also a pretty light-weight drinker, .
Dori and Gura come in second, mainly due to that one scene near the end of the series where they took advantage of an overly drunk Oboro, >>.
bumpy
Apparently a three episode Utawarerumono OVA has been announced. The only confirmed info I could find was posted on ANN.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=9034
I've heard a bunch of other stuff from some other forums, like how the OVA will cover a specific story arc from the original game that got omitted from the anime, and that it would be animated by the team who did the opening sequence to the PS2 game.
On that note, assuming it will be, here's the two opening sequences for comparison:
PS2 Opening
Anime Opening
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=9034
I've heard a bunch of other stuff from some other forums, like how the OVA will cover a specific story arc from the original game that got omitted from the anime, and that it would be animated by the team who did the opening sequence to the PS2 game.
On that note, assuming it will be, here's the two opening sequences for comparison:
PS2 Opening
Anime Opening
-noel
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l like the second opening to the PS2 game a bit more than the first opening. (The second opening I saw after clicking the link to it in YouTube after watching the first opening.)
I also like Hakuoro and Kamyu/Mutsumi a bit more than the others. Hakuoro because he can make fans a deadly weapon, but also because he can transform into a god (literally), and Kamyu/Mutsumi partly because they remind me of Allelujah/Hallelujah from Gundam 00 and partly because Mutsumi has quite a pit of power (Orbiting Sat Cannons and powerful energy balls).
I also like Hakuoro and Kamyu/Mutsumi a bit more than the others. Hakuoro because he can make fans a deadly weapon, but also because he can transform into a god (literally), and Kamyu/Mutsumi partly because they remind me of Allelujah/Hallelujah from Gundam 00 and partly because Mutsumi has quite a pit of power (Orbiting Sat Cannons and powerful energy balls).