Podcast XV: "Is Shinkai Boring?"

Professor Irony

Professor Irony

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Kick off your shoes, it's time to talk Makoto Shinkai!

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Following on from the European premiere at Scotland Loves Anime 2013, we're devoting an episode to Shinkai's latest feature, Garden of Words, while also taking some time to discuss his recent career and dare to ask if his work might just be a wee bit boring?

Direct Download: Nakama Britannica 15: "Is Shinkai boring?"

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/nak ... 475143039#

Great pains have been taken to remove any spoilers from this episode and thanks due once again to ConanThe3rd for help on the edit.

Tell us what we invariably forgot here, on Facebook or through email to podcast@animeuknews.net
 
Two out of three presenters of the UK's biggest and best* anime podcast hadn't seen anything by Shinkai prior to Garden of Words? Consider me shocked. And maybe a touch appalled. I think the two of you should at least suffer through Agatha for your loyal listeners.

Shinkai, man. I haven't watched She and Her Cat yet but everything else I find either unbearably dull (Place Promised, Agatha, Garden of Words) or unbearably heart-wrenching (Voices, 5cm). Either way, re-watching his stuff is a no-no.

*according to a 2013 survey of one person
 
A lot of you said it was the first time watching something from Shinkai, did you watch already something else?

First thing i watched was the place promised in our early days and i loved it. Then 5 "cent" per second was next and it was great too. It made me really like Shinkai but Journey to Agartha was kinda of meh, didnt really like it but this Garden of Words was very good again and very easy to see. Plus being in the garden a few days later made even like more the movie lol

EDIT: @fabricatedlunatic

You replied just before me but I just saw when I have confirmed my reply to the thread so to you, I have already watched everything from him as far as I remember and I did rewatched already 5 Centimeters. Didnt rewatch the others cause I dont have them on disc and I am waiting for Anime Limited to do something about it lol
 
Yeah, I don't know what it is really, but I've always found that Shinkai's films don't appeal to me for one reason or another. I tend to equate him (perhaps unfairly) with that sort of self-consciously worthy strain of navel-gazing drama you so often get in live-action indie cinema. I'm glad he's out there doing what he's doing, I'm just not sure what he's doing is for me.

Still, it's not like he's made a huge number of films, so I really ought to try and at least get through all the main ones. Maybe next time he puts a film out we can have a 'Shinkai Reloaded' episode and try again...

fabricatedlunatic said:
*according to a 2013 survey of one person
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And we salute you, sir.
 
I have to agree with Vivis, I've seen Places Promised and Garden of Words and found both of them dull - Places was an interesting premise, but Garden of Words just dragged for me. So seeing all the gushing praise for Shinkai's works did leave me thinking "am I the only one not getting it?". Glad to hear that other people share the same opinion!
 
It's a weird one. I had the opportunity to watch the Shinkai collection prior to recording this but i ultimately chose not to. I wanted to try and ask questions from the point of view of someone new to the series, but i don't feel i got that in as much as i'd hoped. Still, i talk some more, which i'm sorry for people. But hey. Hopefully our next episode isn't so far away ;p

Also, itunes is now up - so you now have no excuse to listen
 
Having trialled though Agartha once I can say yes.

And, seriously, sod him for trying to emotionally manipulate the audience by Killing the Rumiko Takahashi cat and then having it's corpse being gobbled up by... the king of spirits from Shaman King I guess? to show the rules of the world about 75% of the way through.

First and last of his work I'll bother with.
 
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I'd say that Makoto Shinkai's work isn't for everyone. It really depends what you might take from any film, not just anime - since we often take great pains to explain to those who know nothing of anime that they AREN'T cartoons, and they do embrace more than is often perceived by those who don't watch it. I think his work may have more appeal to those who also embrace "world cinema", and I say that not through a lens of snobbiness but rather with great sincerity, since the aspects of pacing, introspection and philosophy lend themselves as much to that genre as they do directly to anime. I don't think I'd consider his material to be inherently boring though.. His works are I think as likely to be shorter than your average anime feature than not, and I feel that both reflects and suits the "in and out statement" nature of his storytelling.
 
ConanThe3rd said:
Having trialled though Agartha once I can say yes.

And, seriously, sod him for trying to emotionally manipulate the audience by Killing the Rumiko Takahashi cat and then having it's corpse being gobbled up by... the king of spirits from Shaman King I guess? to show the rules of the world about 75% of the way through.

First and last of his work I'll bother with.
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So the only one you watched was Agartha? For me its the weakest of all of them by far. :\ The concept is totally different from the other ones for me. You should try one of the theres but dont start with Garden of Words, choose Place Promised or 5 Centimeters.
 
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bakum4tsu said:
ConanThe3rd said:
Having trialled though Agartha once I can say yes.

And, seriously, sod him for trying to emotionally manipulate the audience by Killing the Rumiko Takahashi cat and then having it's corpse being gobbled up by... the king of spirits from Shaman King I guess? to show the rules of the world about 75% of the way through.

First and last of his work I'll bother with.
Click to expand...


So the only one you watched was Agartha? For me its the weakest of all of them by far. :\ The concept is totally different from the other ones for me. You should try one of the theres but dont start with Garden of Words, choose Place Promised or 5 Centimeters.
Click to expand...


I say She and Her Cat and Voices of a Distant Star make a good introduction to him, Place Promised’s a good’ one tho.
 
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I agree with what others have said regarding Agartha being his weakest, because it really really is. It was too damn long for the type of story and ideas he has.

Personally my favourites are Place Promised (likely his best work), and 5 Centimetres. The ending does let down 5 Centimetres down a bit, but I still really enjoyed the animation and soundtrack, and the ending by no means ruined it for me.

I don't find Shinkai's works boring though, I've really enjoyed every work he's put out and likely always will. I really appreciate the themes and ideas that run through them and he evidently improves with every work. :)
 
I have tried to watch every one of Shinkai's works but can never get past 15 or so minutes cause i always feel incredibly bored. I love the way they look but that doesn't count for much if i can't connect to whats going on so yeah.
 
Problem with Shinkai is he just can't get out of his self indulged and imposed and inflicted "life's too short and there's no happyness ditch that he's dug by himself since Voices. For all the slagging that Argatha gets, it's at least the closest thing to a conclusive and relatively happy ending he's done yet, the rest I just want to slit my wrists and jump off the old Severn Bridge after watching. He just needs to change his theme and get over himself, other wise expect nothing else, but the same ol', same ol' in a different box and pretty wrappings. :roll:
 
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