Yeah I’d be sad too if I was you rookie, real disappointed in how you did out there…
Well while Valkyria has lost plenty of points for realism I suppose that since it is based on a turn based game with mild real time or so I have been told I suppose it is inevitable that the action isn’t going to be as frenetic as Company of Heroes. At least they do act like militia and by that I mean doing it wrong. Susie seems to be in the wrong line of work since she seems to be scared shitless and probably should be relegated to medic duties or digging fox holes. Alicia might learn to be a good shot, but her stance is wrong and it seems everyone doesn’t know how to use cover although the Imperial grunts seem to have some instances of brilliance. Still there is some promise as while the infantry are of the turn based RTS category, the tanks should liven things up a bit. If nothing else there are potato masher grenades and the Ersatz-Germans were rolling through the Ersatz-Ardennes in Ersatz-1940, though Ersatz-Erich von Manstein either seems to have been more cautious or this slow pace might be due to lack of Ersatz-Erwin Rommel and Ersatz-Heinz Guderian. I suppose it is in line with the game in that it’s not going to get GRIMDARK this quick, but here’s hoping that these guys start learning how to use cover.
Thank goodness finally a competent and orderly evacuation, best of all no Shinn Asukas were made.
Uh shoot first…seeing as you ain’t a bro feel free to taz’em.
A lot of things, Alicia next time do not let the prisoner turn and face you, keep him kneeling and let your shoutas pat him down next time, and for goodness sake never let him dig his own pocket.
Well these rookies at least have one thing going for them…thigh highs.
So the setting is in Ersatz-Holland which from the Ersatz-Adrain helmets might be Ersatz-France in which case things look bad though they at least have Ersatz-M-14s though it seems the Imperials got some Erstaz-Gewher 43s with carbine variants…So yeah it seems that they are sticking to the game more closely than to reality which is fine, but I just left like being nitpicky since I want Alicia and her team to improve over the couse of this, at least the Imperials are doing a better job with hand signals fire teams and having tanks operate in pairs. So there might be hope yet for the green horns even if they don’t rely on cover and blind fire. Still the idea of girls with rifles running about with tanks and bullshitting when surrounded does tickle my fancy a bit if they do get tactical I hope that at least within the context of the game it will look semi-plausible. It helps that the Imperial Prince looks mildly like Reinhard, maybe it will be so, but at least Alicia’s Milita uniform incorporates thigh highs now that is a uniform choice I approve of. Still drafting 15 year old kids is a bad idea, but here’s hoping the Gallian Defense Force evolves into something on par with the IDF in terms of raw military power. Imperials being mildly German will at least forgo Intifada and go for the more effective Blitzkrieg minus Stukas and other aircraft. At least with cartoon violence we will be spared the crying over dead civlians since they at least happened upon the brilliant idea of getting them all out and putting up a vanguard to cover their flight, in that regards they already beat out just about many wannabe commanders barring some of those in LoGH and Macross. Hooray for evacuation!
I think we found our Blithe…but we’ll fix her.
You hesitated why?
USE COVER!
At least these Imperials have it down.
We’ll have to work on your method of entry…
My only complaint is the use of rivets instead of welds…
I approve of the use of potato mashers…
Yes use cover!
We’ll get you your Field Kitchen Assault Badge real soon.
Behold the upgunned Panzer III…that is no 50mm long.
Oddly enough these look like Japanese Tanks…not very German if you ask me.
Calawain’s Commentary
Despite the paltry small squadron tactics that Crusader pointed out (such as turning around in the open and returning fire while standing straight up), I rather enjoyed the first episode. It has an obvious RPG feel (which should not be surprising considering what it is based on), and that’s something I usually enjoy being a huge RPG fan.
Marina Inoue (Alicia) is one of my favorite seiyuu (Matsurika from Maria+Holic, Kana from Minami-Ke and Chiri from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei as some examples), and I could certainly listen to her kicking some ass this season. Susumu Chiba (Welkin) is fine and I rather enjoy Houko Kuwashima (Isara), so the voice cast looks pretty solid.
I’ve always been a big history buff, especially of 20th century warfare, so I’m excited to watch something that is at least roughly based on the World War I era. The whole invasion of a small neutral country to possibly get at your major enemy does give off hints of the German invasion at the start of the First World War. One wonders if it will fare better than the poor Schlieffen plan. Although it is highly unlikely the Belgian militia was full of such delicious bishoujos. Crusader pointed out to me that with all the windmills, perhaps they were instead trying to reference the Netherlands. That gives a higher priority of bishoujos indeed.
Fight onwards militamen, I for one shall follow your gallant journey to defeat the Schlieffen plan with moe and sketches of fish!
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34 Comments
It seems pretty soon after the release of this game to be making an anime – I mean, if you are just dying for the story without all the game in between, you could always just watch the FMVs. I bet you could find them on youtube or something…
That being said, the FMVs from the actual game are not only better animated (they tried to do some brush stroke something on this anime and it looks neat, but it’s no PS3 cell shade) but the plot is better as well. Alicia was no where near as dumb, and Welkin was nowhere near as complacent about the prisoner business – in fact, that whole deal lasted about 100 yards of marching before they saw someone from the village they both knew and could identify them. They just drew out the prisoner thing to make it interesting (strangely ironic, since it made it less so).
Furthermore, the racism against the Darksen race is much more profound, as one would expect for a show that so thinly mirrors WW2 Europe (the continent is called Europa in the game : ) The attacking soldiers are the ones that are brutal to the poor Darksen girl, calling her names and mentioning the stench that follows her around.
As for your fears over the terrible tactics used, you’ll be happy to know that the game endorses and uses cover constantly. In fact, if you are bending down behind cover the enemy is unable to headshot you for the 4x bonus, even if they do hit your head.
I’m probably going to skip this one, especially since I just finished the game not 3 months ago. The gameplay parts were actually pretty sweet; I highly recommend the game itself
Those tanks in the last screencap remind me most of the American M3 Medium beacuse of the sponsons, but I’m not very hot on identifying WW2 vehicles. Which bits of their design look Japanese?
Glad you guys decided to start blogging this show, it has a lot of promise I think.
Yeah, it’s certainly a fantasy version of World War II. But that was the appeal of the game too. While some serious themes like racism and the nature of war and what an enemy is pop up here and there, it’s for the most part the blitzkrieg with magic girls, and I don’t see that as a bad combination for quality entertainment.
@jiff
I have heard good things about the game, though it just got bumped down my list of games as I just started Madworld. Good to know that elsewhere Alicia wasn’t so green.
@IKnight
Given the use of rivets it has a more Japanese feel since every one else found out how much better welds were in preserving hull integrity, this was mostly since the Japanese early on did not have to face too much anti-tank weapons in the 1930s and the early phase of the Pacific. Once hit rivets had this nasty habit of popping out all over the place, hence welding and welding quality was important in most tank designs of the era. Also it reminded me more of a Type 93/95. The M3 and Char B1 had hull mounted guns too but they were significantly larger than the turret mounted weapon.
@manwiththemachinegun
I just hope these rookies don’t stay as rookies.
I have to disagree with you Crusader in the complaint about tactics. Like you I did notice the lack of military tactics on Alicia’s part and thought that in many ways this made the show good. She did everything just like a green newb would do and well she was in fact a newb. all those kids are. Maybe some of the older guys may have military experience but Alicia definetly did not. The Militia is called townwatch not Devil’s Brigade and they dress more like firemen then actually military combatants. If you think about it for a second the lack of well executed tactics on the part of Alicia actually adds realism to the show. If you all so notice Gunther however did display some degree of military training. He detected the enemy and was able to avoid detection. He knew to run for cover. His sister also displayed some skills as well.
So quit complaining and just enjoy the show
I also liked that the militia kinda sucked, because you know people like Susie just joined to ogle fit guys. When you think about how Alicia is just a baker, her maddeningly incompetent use of cover (or lack thereof) makes sense. You would think even a civilian would know to kneel around the corner rather than standing in front of the corner, but oh well.
The game is about 100% better at telling the story than this anime is.
The changes they’ve made in the anime are only hurting the story, not enhancing it. For instance like jiff said, the whole misunderstanding of Welkin being a spy lasted for about 2-3 minutes in the game. Here they have it go on for nearly the whole 24 minutes.
Also, the way Isara is introduced in the game is significantly better and shows her to have much more courage as she takes out 2 of the enemy troops on her own (and does not foght with Alicia at all).
The game is significantly better in the ways you’d think the anime might be. Though, I will continue to watch because I do love the game so much. I want to see how much they kill games story.
And yes, for anyone thinking the anime is only so-so, trust me, play the game, you won’t be disappointed.
Oh, also, Susie was never around in the beginning of the game, so you didn’t have to see her be annoying and incompetent like you do here.
Guess they thought adding that “improved” the anime.
@QBert
I said off the bat they were militia and that they were justifiably doing things wrong, it still doesn’t make it any less painful to watch at times. Still I hope Alicia will get better.
@Kabitzin
Susie is just oozing draftee, I hope the poor kid learns quick.
@Karisu
They’re deviating already…it could use more tank and less Welkin being Welkin.
Considering I’m even MORE picky than Crusader about combat, the only awesomeness this shows is the art. And the girls.
Now had they added health bars and parody crap like Guru Guru I would be ALL OVER the “Rpg turn based” feel of it.
People comparing the game to the anime, they’re different mediums. They require different approaches. Metal Gear Solid 4 had excellent cut scenes, but if you were to broadcast them on television and play them as a series, they would be terrible.
Same with Valkyira Chronicles. The cutscenes in the game served as only short intermissions to link gameplay segments together, not so with the anime. Therefore, a different approach has to be taken completely.
You’ll the same kind of people that say “Oh, the book is so much better.” No, they’re different mediums and just incompatible. In reading, you’re imagination does a lot of the work and it takes you a couple days to read the book, while a book is a director’s interpretation that lat from mere 30 mintues to a paltry 4 hours.
I mean, what do you expect? Did you want the Studio to ask SEGA to make the anime using the PS3 game engine?
Yeah, sheesh. I guess if it’s not a 100% copy of the game it’s no good for some. Different medium, different story telling. As for the misunderstanding, I’m glad they spent more time on the issue of Welkin’s ’spying’. A country being invaded is going to be paranoid in the best of circumstances. And Isara saving Alicia is a quick way for Alicia to trust a “Darscen” pig dog.
And Crusader, I think you’ll be satisfied if a certain drill sergeant manages to show up once a few more events happen…
comparing game cut-scenes to their anime counterparts is stupid. A game is meant to be played and animes meant to be watched.
I found it annoying myself watching a lot of the mistakes the militia made. I know they would fight poorly and all that still doesn’t mean it isn’t painful. Anyway I approve of the use of thigh highs. I’m watching just cause I am a fan of the game and plan on getting it one day due to it being so damn innovative. Hopefully Welkin and the sergeant you mentioned teach these militia members how to kick ass.
@D=
Innovation = Uniforms with thigh highs.
@lubczyk
I wouldn’t exactly use that analogy, the way it panned out MGS4 seemed to be almost like cut scenes interspersed with game play, moreover I don’t consider tapping a button during cut scenes as much of a game in and of itself. I wish people would actually bother to read with a little more effort I panned Alicia for being a green rookie, it’s not that it was terrible just that Alicia wasn’t making properuse of cover. If there was one thing I would have liked it would be that the characters hold their weapons properly. Hopefully that will change.
@manwiththemachinegun
If said drill sergeant is from a kinder gentler Army I’ll have none of it, now if he/she happens to be similar to a certain Gunnery Sergeant…well there’s hope for Alicia yet.
@KLA
Please elaborate they are both visual media, be more specific.
@Incognito
Indeed it seems not every one picked on the fact I took issue with Alicia being greener than Impz’s hair and not with the episode in general. I hope this is only a temporary pain, I’d hate to see Alicia die from keeping her rookie ways.
@lubczyk :
I disagree fully with your analogy. While there is a stretch and artistic liscense to take into account when transcribing a book into film, the only thing they had to do here was play the FMVs with a quick new scene for the gameplay battle in between :\ Any change they do can be reduced to pandering. Let the idiot moe that has taken the place of 3d chars be my proof /drops mic
If I remember correctly, the story behind Susie is that despite being a self-pronounced pacifist, her extremely wealthy family forced her to join the militia for the sake of family honor.
While I fully expect to be frustrated with a lot of the show (and episode 1 did not disapoint), I’m still somewhat excited to see how they flesh out the characters of the supporting cast. While the game offered a brief bios, and their character potentials gives you a general sense of their personality, it really wasn’t enough.
Valkyria Chronicles was no Jagged Alliance 2.
@Anonymous
JA2…oh man I loved that game. Ivan…that man was a hilarious killing machine.
Games this… Games that… Who the f@%$ cares!!!! 1st ep just rock and a total fun. That is enough. Period.
Just hope the rest of the series keep this momentum up.
Zettai ryouki should be mandatory, and are there MG42s and Nebelwerfers?
BTW I had this wierd mental image of Minami Kana as the lead in Wolfenstein 3D in the screenshot above: http://that.animeblogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/snapshot20090408003653.jpg
@Anonymous
Its extremely sad how these games still can’t match the gameplay/characterization of a 12 year old game.
All you anime adaptation haters have never had to direct a show/movie/play/book adaption or any major production in your lives, so I don’t think you’re opinions have much validity at all. Look, I may rag on Gundam 00, but the point is that’s all I can do. I’ve never had to write, direct, animate anything with a large team.
We’re all Sunday Morning Quarterbacks when it comes to most media. All we can do is be critical since we’re all spoiled.
I can only imagine our reaction if our only access to anime were a couple shows on the local cable networks weekly, like in the days of the 56k modem and such.
It’s easy to criticize since you don’t have to do much.
I’m sorry, I just stand people bitching that movie/book/anime/tv series adaptation is better/worse than movie/bookanime tv series y. It really screams ignorance of the processes involved.
Rather than complaining that the show is unfaithful to the game, as someone who has completed the game twice I have a beef with the characters they choose to represent Squad 7. No Juno to have the love triangle with Alicia, no Lynn to complement Kyle and no sadistic June cackling madly when she puts bullet holes in Imps. Ah well, with such a huge cast it was unsurprising that the animators can’t fit in everyone….
@lubczyk
Wait, what? So you have directed such a show, and that’s why your opinion has so much more validity?
By your reasoning, we could rate the quality of books on their lengths, since it must be more difficult to write more words. Also, any TV show is better than any film, since more time was put into the production.
Being critical is not the same as being dismissive; a critical watching allows one to discern whether or not a show compares favorably to previous shows. You sound like you have never seen a poorly made anime in your life. Have you? If so, how can you be so callous as to not love the hell out of it, after all the work that went into it?
As for what our opinions would be like if there were fewer shows to choose from: it would be the exact same. The quality of a production is independent of the number of productions.
Let’s look at another medium. Shakespeare’s play Hamlet has been adapted many times in many ways, including several film adaptations. I think the Olivier version was superior to the Gibson version. I thought the Branagh version was the best one ever. While I’d be willing to discuss someone else’s opinion on the ranking, I would not be open to the idea that they were all the same quality simply because I personally have never directed a Shakespeare adaptation.
I dont played the game yet, but agree with the idea that is possible that the animation team are trying to make the militia looks awfully innept for realism and have a better contrast betwen the first chapter of innocent and inexperienced kids and the end whith battle hardened veterans. If these work or not, depend a lot of if they are able to kill the kids and the innocence of the survivors with them. But… the “carton like” style of drawing is a reminder that these is not trying to make it look fully realist from the begining, so I think that if we expect more realism from militia girls in miniskirts, better we try to look another anime. Now… Welkin looks even more stupid to me, he have some kind of military training or at least some natural aptitude for combat from the Hero DNA of is family. He got a chance to end the misundertanding when encountered a townsfolk that know him an Alicia, but in place of take the chance, he just keep making Isara wait for him and make the militia lose time with him. The contradiction of not bother with make Alicia look stupid and later risking Alicia shoot an innocent in the back for meet Isara is so stupid, that I think that he deserve to get killed for save human race of keep defective DNA. Hmm… if they keep showing miniskirts and get some fights with tanks, I can keep watching, because I am not hoping for a great anime anyway, just girls and tanks, in especial the tank part.
http://that.animeblogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/snapshot20090408003653.jpg
There is no rear aperature sight. There is no hooded front blade sight. THERE IS A FRONT APERATURE where the hooded front blade should be.
How do you suppose they aim these wacky guns?
@realism
You realize that’s EXACTLY their excuse for WHY no one has been HIT yet RIGHT?
@Crusader
Alicia’s napkin hoody thing just fits in with the thigh highs and water brush palette to create the ultimate “good girl battul maido”
It’d be nice to see a post where you compare the hardware in Valkyria Chronicles to their real life counterparts.
Some parts of ep 1 almost reminded me of the Metal Gear series.
And I still shake my head to the day why Susie is in the Bruhl militia.
Oh hey speaking of the war genre, when the hell is Cao Cao coming out? Even Basara came out. We have the girly war covered, the troll war covered, now all we need is an actual war covered. Need to cover for Ki Shodar’s slowdown to once every TWO days instead of his wtf speed of every 3/4th days.
Great first episode, hope they put more animation effort into the battle scenes in the future though.
Still, looking forward to when Jun Fukuyama is going to make his character debut…
After recently purchasing and playing the actual game this is based on, I find the changes to Alicia’s character rather disappointing. In the game at least, she’s presented as a militiaman (militiawoman?) of some capability and experience. To the point where regular militiamen salute her and follow her orders.
It’s also disappointing to see her ignore cover when it’s one of the very first lessons taught in the game.
@Crusader
You really should try to at the very least play the game when you get the chance. It’s one of the most innovative “turn-based” strategy games out for any console. Interesting bit is that, the fact that you actually control a unit from a third person Gears’ or War/Uncharted-like POV and that units out of turn can still shoot at moving units in turn means that it can get a bit hectic at times (especially if your trying to move up on a well defended position).