Makoto Shinkai English Fan Forum and Site

Herstal · Tracer Joined: 01 Mar 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Cornwall

I'll probably be thrown to the wolves for this, but... I've really gone off this guy's anime.

It's just so... the same.

each one is the same plot, just a different setting
(like the metal gear solid series, only you get bored going through it more than once)

Theres just nothing special about it, its got some fancy scenery and a high frame per second animation, but theres just no hook.
every anime goes like this:

I have a suspicion that shinkai was emotionaly burned in the past...

I watched Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust 5 times this week, its amazing. its got action, style and VARIED AND INTERESTING PLOTLINES, not to mention the deep emotional and moral themes of loss, self restraint, honour and* love, without being obviously about any of those things.
(I also saw the 1985 original which was -exceptionally- bad, even for the 80s)

whereas all the shinkai stuff I've seen is about guys wasting their entire lives waiting for something they'll never have. That's just depressing.
I get it already, he's trying to say "you only live once, go do stuff.", in that respect it's like naruto, only with the sillyness and fun surgically removed.

I suppose its not actually bad, its got good visuals, audio and the storyline is workable (when I say storyline, I mean the one he uses for all of them) I just don't think it's very good, for some reason I enjoyed it the first time around, but now I can't stand it.

I guess you could say that I really prefer a happy ending, on the other hand you could say I've just moved on...

unlike shinkai's male lead characters. Rolling Eyes

I'm not bashing the director, just the stories, in himself he seems quite talented.
some clever chap somewhere once said that there are only 7 main types of story, I think its time shinkai tried one of the other 6.

*left word out, reason for edit

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Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1073

Hey Herstal,

You're definitely entitled to your opinion Smile

There is a certain sameness to each of the stories but I don't think they're exactly the same. That's just my opinion.

I think we're all excited to see what the next film brings so hopefully we'll all be happy with whatever direction Shinkai takes.

Laz
_________________
You're a woman, I'm a calf ... you're a window, I'm a knife ... we come together making chance into starlight ... - Jeff Buckley

ここにいるよ. - Voices of a Distant Star

Fiction · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:47 am Post subject:

It's kind of hard to compare Vampire Hunter D. Mainly because Hideyuki Kikuchi is an experienced storyteller, and Bloodlust used the third novel in the series. So there was a bit more experience and material to draw upon. I can't really say much against Shinkai, because as a writer, I've stuck with a similar atmosphere with a lot of my recent stories. Although just the same, I can't say that I've stuck with a similar atmosphere with a lot of my stories because each one their differences that set each other apart. It's a little confusing I guess. For me, it's the hearts of my characters that change the feel.

Junpei · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:59 am Post subject:

I can understand what you mean about the repetition of the similar aspects in Shinkai's works and to some extent, I agree with you. But what attracts me most is how he manipulates one thing and alters it to form a new one, giving the sense not only does he have control over that particular aspect, he's given it life as its own - e.g. the 5 CM soundtrack which we all know so well - it's basically just 'One more time, One more chance' but they are all different in their own ways, which is what the beauty really is.

Now that I think about it, that was Tenmon...

Anyway, there's the visuals which I can never tire of, and that's good enough for me a thousands times over. Razz

Maltos · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject:

gleowine · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:36 pm Post subject:

I hope this doesn't sound like an apology for Mr. Shinkai, but he is still young (at least to me). These early works may just be the beginning of a long repertoire to come. Perhaps his best work is yet to come, as well.

Also, there have been a lot of great artists in the past, like Van Gogh and Picasso whose early works seemed fixed on the same theme. Only later did they break out and produce their "masterpieces," which probably wouldn't have been such if not for those early efforts.

But still, I think it's OK to get tired of something and move on. The wolfs will just have to starve for now. Poor lonely, starving wolfs! Who's next on the menu? Twisted Evil

Menasha · vc_bios_b960909 Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 822

It's Shinkais muse, obviously he was burned in the past ^_^ There's much to come from this director and I look forward to all the new things he will share with us.

On that account I agree but I see tons of great stuff from him in the future =)
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You know your old when, you reapeat things... you repeat things... you repeat things.

chowb321 · Lysithea Joined: 27 Apr 2008 Posts: 76

Well it's shinkai. Sure he may be stuck in his comfort zone but one thing's for sure is hopefully his visuals will improve and that he will always find ways to make us cry.

Laz · Laz Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 1073

I thought about what Herstal said again ... especially after watching Voices a few times on a flight recently ...

Is it the sameness or the content that you are tired of?

To some degree even Miyazaki's works are the same ... strong girl sets out on here own ... yadda yadda yadda ... Ponyo, Kiki, Nausiccaa, Spirited Away, even Howls Moving Castle has a similar theme.

Shinkai's themes of "longing" and "love" .... or something similar. None of the films ever ends with a definite resolution ... there's always the remainder of the story to be written by ourselves. In Voices ... Mikako's older self tells her that she will see Noboru again ... even though at the end she is in her ship ... that's not the end.

I don't even think Shinkai is telling us to "go do stuff" ... he doesn't tell us anything, he just lays the characters out against spectacular backgrounds and let's them do what humans do.

Anyway ... as I said before .. people are entitled to their own opinions and differences are what make things interesting Smile

Laz
_________________
You're a woman, I'm a calf ... you're a window, I'm a knife ... we come together making chance into starlight ... - Jeff Buckley

ここにいるよ. - Voices of a Distant Star

gleowine · Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:

I think that Shinkai's strength is in the short story form. I've read a lot of short stories (i.e. the literary kind), and there is a similar feel with Shinkai. The Short Story is succinct and self-contained, with none of the high drama and deep meaning of a novel or a play. If Shinkai were to do an anime series, I think it would be the same, each episode would be like a little gem with no grand message, sort of like Mushi-shi though different. So, the fact that he's only done a handful of works is liable to leave you with a sense of "Is that it? Isn't there more?"

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