Report UrFace21's Profile

The ending of cyberpunk also made me emotional for the same reasons, if i were in his shoes i would have settled down loooong before reaching that stage lol. Just shows my lack of ambition in thos areas. Even though his dream was essentially meaningless, his conviction and selflessness are still very admirable qualities, and further stresses the importance of interpersonal relations above materealistic prospects. I believe the pursuit of so called success can often blind people to other faculties that are far more important to battle existentialism and provide lasting happiness.

It seems we agree to some extent, but socialism is historically frowned upon in the US, so i don’t know if you are as inclined towards that ideology as i am. I completely agree that the possibility of drastic changes to the Us model is almost impossible due to how ingrained it is within the culture, but Bernie Sanders had beliefs very much in line with the Norwegian model and he almost became the democratic representative for the presidental campaign. Comparing the wealth of Jeff Bezos to the despair we both witnessed in Baltimore (The Wire), it is clear to me that something should be done to distribute resources and ultimately opportunities more fairly. The differences between rich and poor is considerably less here compared to the US, of course there are billionaires here as well, but measures are taken to focus taxation to avoid their increasing wealth. Safety nets for the lowest class are also very supportive and funded by taxation, which contributes to our favorable criminal stats. It is still possible to be an entrepreneur here and grow wealth independently, but the landscape isn’t as unforgiving as in more capitalistic countries. Accumumation of wealth is also falsely attributed and not linearly dependent with hard work, luck plays a big part as well, so the argument that billionares have earned the right to sit on those amounts of money without contributing relative to their wealth is absurd to me. In norway we have two important taxation methods to target these people. Since they often avoid a direct salary and rather take loans based on their stocks, we have a taxation that targets wealth, which includes all assets like stocks, property, machinery etc. In addition to this, we have a so called "exit tax", which targets people who try to move out of norway to tax havens to liquidify their assets.

Tokyo Ghoul had its moments, but i just feel like it wasted many characters and had a pretty messy narrative. That being said, the art was often very good and fit the aesthetic it went for. Kaneki is still somewhat of a complex character, but a few great panels and a somewhat coherent message does not make it any more consistent. I believe i had 20th CB at around an 8 or a 9 back in 2021, which was largely credited to friend as a character and the overall atmosphere of the manga. I still found most characterization to be forgetable, and the narrative was too long and messy. Some core ideas about the effects of bullying are still worth reflecting on, but they were not prevalent enough in the narrative as a whole to justify its length. It was an important change in pace for me when i returned to books and tv series, since they were less reliant on peaks and offered a slow, steady, consistent, focused narrative that really aimed to convey important topics. As we have discussed before, these types of stories create a thoughtprovoking lasting impression, which has far more value than the forgetable nature of many anime/manga. There are still solid examples of anime and manga that manage to do this correctly and still incorporate insane peaks, like HxH, aot and eva. Yeagerbonebone isn’t that active within the media scene these days, but if he makes a comeback to something we have discussed i will refer him to you.

Maturity for dissecting media is, as you illustrated, not necessarily implicative for maturity in other areas. My sister is very mature in many ways even though she haven’t had the greatest interest in "deep" media, and i don’t judge people for not having that interest either, though i still believe they are missing out lol. It is just that one of my core philosophies is to create lasting memories and constantly seek new knowledge, ideas, and experiences, so media that is designed to kill time is actually kind of scary to me. We only have a given amount of time in this life, why waste it away in ignorance? Not attempting to call you ignorant for enjoying such media, i would be a hypocrit as i have fallen victim to them myself lol. I watched Breaking Bad, BCS and Aot pretty much back to back to back, and they really got me started on my media journey. Aot is probably the most important of them, and has survived the longest as a solid favorite of mine.

Gintama has great comedy and characterization from ep 1, but it does take some time for most to become addicted. I find that humor in anime/manga/VN is rarely funny, and rather harms the series. Take puck in berserk or sasha in aot, which imo mostly hurt the quality of the story. Comedic relief is hard to get right, and should often be avoided. Gintama nails eccentric character/scenario driven humor, while also managing to balance it well in serious arcs.

I watched all of edgerunners the other day, and i thought it was very good. I gave it an 8/10 and found it to be directed in a refreshing way, effectively making me interested in a genre i normally lack interest in. Since we live in two countries that are virtually polar opposites politically, i don’t really know how you percieve this element of the cyberpunk genre. The norwegian political model is built on social democratic values, that aim to even out economical differences in its people. We have a comprehensive welfare program, that aims to make life easier for everyone in the country. As the US politically is further to the right, individualistic and in my opinion egotistical values dominate, which taken to the extreme implies a future similar to the world we see in edgerunners. The state is essentially useless, and the materealistic and individualistic aspirations have given birth to a totally corporatized society, where the metaphorical and physical distance laterally between the classes have grown out of proportions. The commentary on the futility of struggling against such an established system is a strong aspect of the series, where it effectively pushes the struggle to the extreme with the addition of drugs and mechanization, the latter implying the destruction of body and mind, all to create an illusion of hope and power. It stresses that even in such a dystopic world, interpersonal relations are still the most important aspect of a happy life. I hope i am not stepping on any toes politically lol, but i can’t lie to you either, the US model is very distasteful to me, and i am very much an anti-materalist, and i believe that equality brings the most happiness to all. Haha sorry for going political on you, but it is actually something i have been wanting to discuss with you since we have grown up in countries that are so different from one another

The reason behind my initial infatuation with Tokyo Ghoul was that at the time, i very much relied upon recommendations from Tiktok that categorized various anime and manga as inherently good or bad, mature or immature. This established a bias in me towards various series, and lead to me attempting to like the so called "good" series and doing my best to ignore any shortcommings to become apart of the fanbase. I guess it was essentially a combination of me desperately searching for new favorites and a yearning to be apart of the hype train for each series. I remember while reading Tokyo Ghoul i often found myself thinking that the story lacked any substance or clear direction, as well as lack of proper treatment of the cast. That being said, i waited patiently for the so called peaks that i had heard so much about, so when they finally arrived, i directed my entire attention to dissecting these moments and internalizing a love for the series as a whole, effectively ignoring the shortcommings i noticed. In that period i also loved edgy/over the top stuff in media, which is not the case anymore. Several of these arguments can also be applied to 20th century boys, as i found some moments to be very good, the mystery and friend as a character to be exciting, but the story is badly paced and too ambitious for what it accomplishes. I felt like i just skimmed through the chapters desperately searching for the "peaks", and ignored my obvious boredom and lack of interest in the rest of the story. I actually re-evalued my ratings on mal the other day, focusing on being more strict with the higher ratings and being honest with myself when reflecting on what each series actually means to me today. It is clear to me which series stands the test of time, and are actually important favorites of mine. Eva, HxH, aot, gintama, monster, punpun, OP, and totoro being the strongest examples.

I do agree with what you said about the dialogue not being the center of attention in anime, and that as long as it serves its purpose without being straight up bad it is fine. Regarding fata, i have accempted that i pushed through hours upon hours of mediocre storytelling to direct my focus once again to glazing the "peaks". I still believe some characters to hold some lasting merit, Morgana for instance, since her arc and contribution to the story is on many levels quite cleverly executed. After finishing certain parts of fata, i just experiences intense recency bias which made me view it far from objectively. It also didn't help that me and the user Yeagerbonebone on here are friends irl, so we glazed the hell out of the series while and after i finished it. I guess you live and you learn, and how we experience media and what we value changes with time.

I remember listening to "The Dark Side of the Moon" in february of 2022 right before turning 21, and i really dissected the lyrics and coherent message behind the album as a whole. The song "time" really got me scared, and now three years has passed in a flash. We are all at the mercy of time, so it is important to fill your days with memorable experiences and build meaningful relationships. I still feel like i am 19 years old in many ways, even though i have changed a lot in the last five years. I was always impressed by your maturity when dissecting media compared to others your age, it has always felt like we were pretty equal in our reflections on stuff even though i have lived three years longer than you. People borne in 2004 that i knew irl were always so childish to me, and i didn't really hang out or take them serious until like 2023 lol. My sister was born in 2004, and she transitioned from the classic vampire diaries etc. to more mature stuff that i recommend her just last year. I remember one of our first in depth conversations was on eva back in the summer of 2022, you must have been like 18 yrs old but you still had amazing insights. I guess i didn't take media that serious until i was like 19, so that might have impacted my ability to properly dissect stuff. I was always one of the best in class at literary analysis, so i must have had it in me even though i didn't really feel like doing it much outside of curriculum. I am curious about something, you live in california right? We are almost never awake at the same time to respond lol, the time difference is like 9 hrs right? I also just wanted to say that if you wish to both watch something you can turn your brain off and that is meaningful to have experienced with immense payoff, you should just start Gintama. It has remained a strong favorite of mine, and the episodic nature combined with occasional serious arcs is a great blueprint for periods when you don't have time to deepdive into a certain piece of media. Past ep 300 is consistenly some of the best anime i have ever watched, and i finished it three years ago so that says something. You can take your time with it, it is relaxing and funny most of the time, and has immense payoff the more you watch.

I guess i was somewhat imprecise when i said that Umineko had NSFW scenes. It was more so that sexuality was forcibly and inappropriately incorporated into the dialogue in a distastefult and inhuman way, which ruined any chance of immersion for me. Edgyness was another factor i struggled with, and i have found myself turning less tolerable to it in the last few years. This is kinda funny considering Tokyo Ghoul used to be a favorite of mine, something i am not proud of today lol. Your point regarding the difficulty of translating media that is already lacking in the dialogue department is spot on. An interesting point i wish to add here, is that when you step away from anime for a while, the dialogue in series otherwise considered masterpieces, such as AOT, seems over the top and at times unpolished when you return. This is further reinforced if you switch to dub, and compare the experience with the Tv Series we share as favorites. Maybe i am biased since my contemporary inclinations lie elsewhere, but it is still an intersting aspect that surfaces through comparisons of the mediums. It is comforting to hear you praise Muramasa since i believe we share opinions on what constitutes polished prose. If i ever return to VN's and you still hold it in high regard, i will start with Muramasa.

I completely agree that the praise Fata received in 2022 can be attributed to the hype train. In addition to this, it relies on emotional moments to constitute its merit, and thus falls short to live up to the praise upon further scrutiny. The dialogue is far too explicit, and thus practically insults its audiences intelligence. The themes are also not tighly written into the narrative, rather they are forced upon the reader through the variuous plot twists and explicit dialogue. I have suffered from hypetrains several times through these last five years, but they are at least somewhat easy to notice in retrospect, since my feelings and thoughts on the series are thoroughly dulled over time.

Wow, that tangent was deep. I do see how it would seem that the amount of time you have for such activities will decrease, but being strategic certainly helps. I find that if i actively plan my days in terms of school/work, exercise, and spare time it is not really that bad. Considering we live in different countries i would assume that the expected workload may differ. That being said, i managed to squeeze in time for media during my time at UNI, and now that i live at home and only apply for relevant jobs, i have all the time in the world. I expect it will seem far more hectic once i do get a job, but until then i will enjoy myself thoroughly. Do you find that dense media is too exhausting after completing your other responsibilities? Considering the relativity of time, me going from 20-24 yrs old went faster than your 17-21, so i can imagine that a lot must have changed for you in that time. Our conversations on media are to this day the most intellectually stimulating compared to my other online interactions, so you must try to envision your prime media era has yet to come!

I only read the first two episodes in the manga, and briefly started the third in VN format. I found it repusling for several reasons, firstly just the inappropriate and disgusting NSFW/fanservice, but also how the dialogue and writing in general reeks of amateurtism, which i find is consistent with most japanese media. Fata also suffered from this, especially the dialogue was often inconsistent and forced. That being said, i found parts of Requiem to be among the most emotional moments in the story, so it is definitely worth checking out. As i have aged three years since i read it, i don't really belive the style of VN's are suited to my current inclinations within media. I will go through my ratings on mal to adjust them to be in line with my current thoughts, Fata will probably land on a 7 or 8 as a whole. Reincarnation was tedious to get through, mostly due to boring and unnatural slice of life, and the return to themes and parts of Fata that i did not like.

I actually started edgerunners when it came out, but i never finished it for some reason. I enjoyed it, and i have been looking for a short anime to watch, so i will give it another go. As for Tv series, i finished Deadwood and the movie, with the latter being a disappointment compared to the rest of the series. It is still a 9/10 for me though, and i still find its three seasons to pack some of the best dialogue and characterization in the medium. I have chosen to start "The Twilight Zone", which has after six episodes already touched on a variety of important themes from the human condition.

What series, books etc. will you check out in the near future? I presume you are once again preoccupied with studies

I remember i really enjoyed the first book of the poem, the temptation of Eve in the garden, and the subsequent narration of their expulsion from the garden. The narration from The Archangel Michael about the future of mankind was also outstanding.

If you have not yet watched six feet under, i would encourage you to do so, as it offers an unparalleled grounded study of mortality and interpersonal relations. Deadwood is among my top shows now, i am almost finished with s3 and will watch the movie shortly. Excellent study of how language
supersede violence in the otherwise brutal American frontier. The characterization is among the best in television, and the dynamics are also top notch. The dialogue is perhaps its strongest aspect, easily surpassing contemporary and succeeding shows.

My inclination towards any visual novel recommendation would normally be quite skeptical, but as i trust your judgements in these matters i will look into it. Umineko and the reincarnation part of fata really left a sour taste in my mouth with regard to the medium lol. As for my other plans for media, i will be reading Twilight of Idols by Nietzsche after Monte Cristo. I will also be reading a book by Michel Houellebecq with two friends. As for tv series i have not made up my mind regarding what comes next, so i am open for recommendations.

Great to hear you got around to Paradise Lost, and i am happy that you enjoyed it. I agree with your thoughts on it, the commentary on free will and how it corrupts human nature is a great aspect of the poem. The prose is also a large reason why i liked it so much, even though it was quite challenging to get through. It was very dense so i have to refresh my thoughts on it to give more in depth reflections.

I have finished six feet under since we last spoke, as well as resumed my watch of Deadwood, where i am currently on s2. The dialogue, aesthetic, and characters are all extremely well put together, with the dialogue and Al Swearengen being especially praiseworthy. Six feet under was a strong 9 to weak 10 for me, definitely the most depressing show i have seen. It forces the viewer to confront mortality and existential questions in a down to earth yet horrifying way. I have also started a rewatch of mad men with some friends, and i like it even more this time around even though i finished it just a couple of months ago. Regarding Monte Cristo i have read about 150 pages, and it takes a long time since i am not currently in the mood for reading. That being said, the premise and story so far are engaging and easy to follow, so it is seems promising.

What is next for you in the world of media?

Heey, how is it going?

If i remember correctly you were studying medicin and economics right? This break is definitely needed, once i start working there probably wont be time for such breakes anymore.

I have seen almost all of s1 of Deadwood, but it got removed from hbo so now i will have to find it through other means. I have like 100 pages left of a norwegian book im reading, so i’ll be starting TCOMC right after finishing that. Keep me posted on your progress with Paradise Lost and renewed experience with aot/monster.

Thank you! So you are finishing a bachelors degree next year right? I am finished by integrated masters in engineering of electrical systems. I’ll probably start applying for jobs very soon, but i atleast plan to have an extended vacation until at least september. I started UNI straight from highschool and never took any time off, so i dont really worry that much about getting a job right away.

These HBO series are really something else, each one resonating with me in a unique way. I believe i rewatched all of aot in 2022, so it has been a couple years for me as well. I also watched Monster in the fall of 2022, and i do own the entire manga physicallyso i should probably do a reread soon. That being said, i do have several books lined up, starting with The Count of Monte Cristo, and i also ha e to finish Six Feet Under and Deadwood. Will you be reading anything in the near future?

Hey bro, sorry for the late reply! How is it going? Happy to hear you enjoyed BCS, it is also among my favorites. I also feel that the altered approach to storytelling compared to BB really succeeded in what it aimed to do. Comparing the series i feel like BB has a greater sense of direction, but BCS is more polished in terms of character utilization as you mentioned. Gilligans style of applying music is also once again an element i love with the series. Regarding the characters i would say that Jimmy reigns supreme, and the rest of the cast is very strong with consistent quality across the board. The show also offers as you mentioned great character dynamics, most notable with Jimmy/Chuck and Jimmy/Kim. I also like how tragic Howards character is. I would probably rank the two last seasons and s3 at the top, and s1 last as you said.

I just finished my thesis and graduated from college, so i have allot of time this summer to watch and read stuff. Rn i am on s2 of "Six Feet Under", and i would def recommend it to you. It is very raw and forces the viewer to face various exitential questions and fears.

It would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on Kafka on the Shore, so i would recommend it for that reason only even though i rate it a 3/10 haha

That aspect of Mad Men is also crucial, and i for one look down upon reducing the image of success and happiness to the level of wealth one has achieved.

Better Call Saul is very good, it is more reserved compared to breaking bad, and i can see arguments elevating both over the other, but i am more inclined towards BB due to it being more determined in its story telling.

Both 1984 and TGG were interesting, but i must say that i found the narrative quite boring in both. I didn’t really fancy any of the characters either, which further added to my lack of interest. What you mentioned about the folly of the american dream was a good aspect though, and i really hated the chracters that embodied the upper class of the novel (TGG). I might have found an english translation on amazon, though im not sure since it says "English/Norwegian". Here is the link if you are curious: https://www.amazon.com/Haugtussa-Forteljing-Norwegian-Arne-Garborg/dp/1277286817. Faust part 1 and 2 essentially tells the same story, but in completely different ways. Faust p1 is linear and easy enough to comprehend, but p2 jumps from one absurd situation to another while incorporating vast amounts of references and allusions to contemporary german society, history and mythology. I prefer p1, though both have some of the best written verse i have read. The language flows extremely well and you could easily read p1 in one sitting. It reads far better than shakespeare imo, considering both are plays. P1 is a tragedy, while P2 offers redemption for Faust. P2 is much more dense and complex, while p1 is more concise and entertaining. Frustration while reading p2 puts it below p1 for me.

I have read Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore by Murakami, and i vastly prefer the former. My biggest issues with his writing are how they are overtly sexual and how he writes women. Sex is written unrealistically and it seems his fetish for older woman/young man permeats his books, which i find distasteful. Norwegian wood is mostly good but has some issues with this, while kafka on the shore is plagued by these issues. The story in the latter is essentially about an edgy teenager with incest desires towards his mom and sister that moved away from him and his father when he was a kid. It is basically loosely inspired by Oedipus Rex but falling short in every way. I gave it a 3/10, the entire plot was stupid and nasty, with only a few redeeming qualities in how the plot followed two sepererate narratives with one of them not being from the teenagers perspectives.

House of Leaves is pretty damn good so far, currenlty about 2/3 through it.

I can totally see that, i also find myself less inclined to reading in such periods. I am still looking forward to your thoughts once you get around to reading it.

Mad Men was a great show, not on par with the likes of Sopranos and The Wire, but still a 9/10. I would say that the stretch from s2-s4 was the most consistent of the show, and it lost some momentum for the last three seasons(still very good). Donald Draper is for sure among my fav characters, how he embodies the human condition, search for meaning, existential dread and lack of identity was excellent. I loved how this show utilized music, and that they used music to end every episode. There are many examples of great scenes that does this, for instance the end of s6 when he shows his childhood home to his kids with Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" in the background. Themes of indulgence in debauchery, nihilism, patriarichal entitlement, womens emancipation were deeply integrated in the plot and characters, which elevates the series above its contemporaries like Breaking Bad. We have discussed this before, but this show also does not lean on plottwists and over the top, borderline unrealistic scenarios for entertainment, which adds to its longevity.

Since we last spoke i have read Faust, Pride & Prejudice, Kafka on the Shore, The Tempest, The Doors of Perception/Heaven and Hell, The Ice Palace, 1984, The Great Gatsby, and The Mountain Maid. The most noteworthy of these are Faust, Pride & Prejudice, The Ice Palace, The Tempest, and The Mountain Maid which i would all rate an 8/10. Faust part 1 was excellent, part 2 was extremely challenging to comprehend due to excessive references to greek mythology and an otherwise abstract and chaotic narrative. Pride & Prejudice was just tightly written, The Ice Palace was beautiful and tragic tale spoken in metaphor which i believe you would enjoy. The Mountain Maid is also something i believe you would like, but i am afraid it does not have an english translation. It was written by a Norweigan poet in 1895, and is essentially a collection of poems connected by a narrative of a girl in the country side of norway that becomes a psychic that can see and experience supernatural phenomena in nature and in humans. She is thus alienated from her local community, and her inner struggle becomes a symbol for the battle between good and evil in the human mind. it is written in the second official written language in norway, and was at times quite challenging due to its abstract nature and extensive vocabulary.

I have now started "House of Leaves", and will hopefully finish it within the next two weeks.

Hey, how you doing man? Have you gotten around to reading/watching anything interesting? I finished Mad Men and a couple books, nothing particularly crazy