#8-10 episode seasons

[claymind]

It's also something that's been lost in tv series iver the last decade or so. Shows used to have roughly 21 episodes per season, but these days seasons are 8-10 episodes long. It's all plot, there is no breathing room, no room for silliness etc. Just streamlined story. It's very noticeable when you compare the tei: the older shows can be quite relaxing to watch, but the shows from the past few years are a bit exhausting because there is so much crammed into so little space. It's a big downgrade and a huge shame.

I told Miyazaki I love the “gratuitous motion” in his films; instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or they will sigh, or look in a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are.

“We have a word for that in Japanese,” he said. “It’s called ma. Emptiness. It’s there intentionally.”

Is that like the “pillow words” that separate phrases in Japanese poetry?

“I don’t think it’s like the pillow word.” He clapped his hands three or four times. “The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness, But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension. If you just have constant tension at 80 degrees all the time you just get numb.”

Which helps explain why Miyazaki’s films are more absorbing and involving than the frantic cheerful action in a lot of American animation. I asked him to explain that a little more.

“The people who make the movies are scared of silence, so they want to paper and plaster it over,” he said. “They’re worried that the audience will get bored. They might go up and get some popcorn.

But just because it’s 80 percent intense all the time doesn’t mean the kids are going to bless you with their concentration. What really matters is the underlying emotions–that you never let go of those.

— Roger Ebert in conversation with Hiyao Miyazaki

[sprinklesharkie]

saw this and couldn't stop myself

[shepscapades]

okay am i crazy? someone please tell me I'm crazy, I saw the thumbnail for Xisuma's newest hermitcraft episode and was immediately reminded of the deepslate/blackstone palette and building style of all of the buildings from the Evil Empire in season 8. Clicked on the video and the introduction "Previously, on Hermitcraft" was voiced with Evil Xisuma's voice filters. I had thought Xisuma said in a recent FAQ video he had no plans to bring Evil X back into hermitcraft plot because the storytelling wasn't really his top priority, but this kind of seems like foreshadowing of some kind? Thoughts?Regardless, kind of a sickening thought for c!xisuma that Ex might just be. lurking. very cool <sweating

[correct-hermitcraft-quotes]

Zedaph: This is rule five- four? Five! Rule five is; Aways belittle anything you have on a lead, it's the only way.

Skizz: Okay...

Zedaph: You gotta, assert dominance, you know?

[gunpowder-gemini]

My heart goes out to everyone finally figuring out that we aren't getting the death worm this season, I am really excited to see it animated too. But tbh there was never any way it would fit

Like think about everything that happens in the cursed house arc. There is SO MUCH there that I personally think just the death worm stuff is going to be 5-6 episodes on it's own to get through it. They didn't have enough episodes left even if they completely skipped the serpo arc.

Personally I've always figured the episodes are gonna shake out like this:

Ep 8 - shenanigans with Okarun/Aira and getting in to empty space (I was right! though I wasn't sure we'd get to Acro Aira but in hindsight that's a perfect cliffhanger cut point)

Ep 9 - the fight, probably ending with the big final blow

Ep 10 - public humiliation and mr. shrimp joins the team, Jiji appears at the end!

Ep 11 - Jiji is actually introduced and goes to school with them, ending with Taro appearing "chasing" Okarun

Ep 12 - anatomical dummies shenanigans and a sort of cliffhanger teasing the cursed house arc next season

I think people forget that it takes seconds to read a fight scene when it's just a few sequential images but several MINUTES to show that same fight scene animated. The Serpo arc is largely action, so it's no suprise it's taking a couple episodes. Also dialogue! Dialogue takes longer to voice act than it does to read. There's only so much you can fit into like, 25 mins

[evilrat-sabre]

I can't stress enough how funny a Joehills in distress is. This has been living rent free in my mind for days now. Mr Joe Hills is really clever just not that time lol <3

[mc-twizzler]

dean rebounding from cass with benny … then immediately breaking up with him when cass ends up being alive and out of purgatory is so messy-lesbian of him 🤭

[light-glue-blazed-terracotta]

besties holding hands 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

[danielslaw]

DANIEL LARUSSO AND SAMANTHA LARUSSO HUGS THROUGH THE SERIES COBRA KAI

[jtspaderstills]

him🤏🏻

[knifeturtlelives]

I agree with a lot of what's been said about the pacing (namely that this already great season could have been even better with an extra beat between eps 5 & 6, and likely another between 7 & 8) but I just want to take a second to remember what a fucking accomplishment this season is.

Like, just off the top of my head: they managed to expand the world-building of the show's pirate universe, add compelling new characters, deepen the central relationship in a genuinely complex and nuanced way with rich character arcs for both, at least suggest at greater complexity and emotional development for many of the background characters, and produce more expansive and technically challenging visuals including some very impressive action and crowd sequences. And they did all that with two fewer episodes, while still maintaining the original tone of the show and keeping run times under 30 minutes apiece.

It's not perfect, and they're not equally successful on all fronts, but it is extremely fucking good, and the fact that it gets anywhere close within those limitations is frankly an astounding artistic achievement

[geekynichelle]

I take it that people calling Invincible Fight Girl slow have either never watched anime or only watch shows that are on streaming services.

[aishazero9i18r]

Wakfu - The Great Wave webtoon preview thumbnail screenshot from Ankama launcher and ho boi I do not like where this thing going and I am genuinely scared jamshjdbdhd oh hey Aurora is back :D

Also we got lil Yugo again hhhhhhh this is Yugo… right? R i g h t ? ? ?

[correct-hermitcraft-quotes]

False: So I was wondering... do you wanna- throws decapitated head on the floor -be Ren?

Iskall: Oh yes! OH YES!

[star-trek-dumb-comics]

Ok so I finally watched Prodigy ! And it was surprisingly good. This is obviously a kids' show but I ended up being pretty invested in the story. The main character started as Ezra Bridger-ass annoying but he's grown on me. Genuinely I think this might be the best new trek show with Lower Decks lmao. It even got me caring about what happens to CHAKOTAY of all things !

Also it had GREAT alien rep omfg there were so few humans I LOVE THIS SHIT !!! especially UFP founding members rep ahhhhh !!!!!!!!!! I've been wanting this for YEARS they did it for me

[allmyandroids]

Raymond Reddington

Season 5 Episode 8 - Ian Garvey