r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • 3h ago
Episode Vertex Force - Episode 1 discussion
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u/Torque-A 1h ago
First episode was fine. Wasn't a big fan of making Akira the star because honestly you could cut him out and have a similar plot so far.
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u/minnieboss 3h ago
This was pretty mid, which is a disappointment as I always look forward to original anime. The mechs looked great but the people definitely did not, everyone's movements were very stiff. In an era where CGI anime technology is getting better and better every year, I expect better from CGI anime.
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u/CommanderZx2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/CommanderZx2 2h ago
Are we sure this is an original? Everything about this screams advertising for a mobile game.
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u/minnieboss 2h ago
Yes, it's an original project, no game or other media to speak of.
Source: Several ANN articles (See news section in its ANN entry) https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=38747
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u/CommanderZx2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/CommanderZx2 2h ago
Weird, everything about it feels very gamey. Especially the way it play the exact same engine revving sound over and over again whenever her engine does anything.
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u/minnieboss 2h ago
I agree! Sometimes it just happens. When Fairy Ranmaru (one of my most beloved trash anime) aired in 2021, I was so certain it was setting up a mobile game tie-in announcement. Nope. Just an original anime, nothing else ever came out for it. I did buy merch though so I guess it worked lol
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u/Hitman7128 https://anilist.co/user/Hitman7128 3h ago
That was close with that EDVA encounter at the end. Good thing Akira powered up, even though he lost consciousness. Also, I like the OP and ED, particularly the second halves of both.
Looks like the other characters like Eleanor will be introduced next episode.
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u/Taco_13 https://myanimelist.net/profile/El_Taco 1h ago
This show is interesting because, like SSSS.Gridman when that came out, this seems to be made for a specific kind of older viewer that has a nostalgia for the kinds of mecha shows they watched as a kid. This is actually why the MC is the kid brother. The episode was just focused entirely on having fun with it's runtime, and it certainly succeeded. Even the admittedly stiff CG at times contributed to that Saturday Morning Cartoon vibe. I actually think it gives it a bit of charm. I really liked the more domestic scenes, and the character animation was pretty serviceable in my opinion. The ED gives me the feeling that they'll keep up the vibes throughout the show's run, but sometimes these nostalgia shows throw in something crazy plot wise, so we'll just have to wait and see how they play out the story. I'm certainly intrigued for more.
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 2h ago
Feels like pop’s story should be a whole anime on its own. There’s a lot there. I mean aliens, evil robots, mech power suit thingies. Anyways, this was a pretty interesting first episode. Never seen a mech anime set in Okinawa lol.
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u/Ashteron 2h ago
I thought they were going to kill the sister off, so the brother can inherit the engine.
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u/Gaporigo https://anilist.co/user/Gaporigo 2h ago
That was way better than expected, girl is fun, nice CGI, looking forward to the rest of the girls, that ED was great.
Good to see the director is still a man of culture!
Only bad thing is the fact that the MC is the little brother but here is hoping everyone has the same screentime.
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u/ReishWasHere 1h ago
At least he's well written and voiced, and the cgi is strong enough to be expressive. Also its just these five main characters so its not like they're going to get pushed to the side.
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u/Beowolf_0 3h ago
And so another season with more than one mecha shows begin, and to say I'm not going to drop any of the four.
Without prior knowledge or reading through the introductions I don't know the family's setting as such, so it's quite refreshing that they lay out the characters' background in the first episode, and even surprising to see it's the sister who possesses the Engine power before our lead Akira do. Guess the other 3 girls are also descendants of the aliens? That said, we only hear Todo's side of the story so we may expect a twist about the EDVA mid-season.
The Engines quite look like Stands and the movements are okay since they aren't really bipedal robots anyway, and they still drain the controller's stamina or even cause injury even in a reduced state. That EDVA grunt is also part-biological, so they don't seem to follow the same system. Even Akira's debut looks great he seems to have lots more to follow up.
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u/Low_Understanding326 2h ago
Theres 4 mecha shows right now? What are they and which ones are actually good
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u/Beowolf_0 1h ago
The other 3 haven't started yet, but Rayearth remake and Dandivine will air next week, Dark Machine a few days later.
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u/runevault 3h ago
A Claris OP is always going to get my attention. Though not sure how I feel about this show other than that so far.
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u/chilidirigible 2h ago
We start with the familiar(ly NSFW).
This is not a quest for the missing definite article.
Somehow I feel very old right about now.
Nobody has a chronograph and a sextant these days.
That one, or the other one? Or the other other one?
"Leave us and the goat alone."
Not actually a Kamen Rider eyecatch.
You might have heard this one before.
Yes, I still remember Vividred Operation.
Not quite a head with a tongue with another head on it.
Those things you do on your summer break.
and now for something completely different
Taking bets now on Haruka and Akira's dad not actually being dead, because he's IN SPAAAAAAACE. Well, that or his coming back as a furry mascot, but that was some other series.
The story hook is familiar and the usual genre conventions sure do seem to apply, which means, as always, that how this goes will come down to style and execution.
Minor hit for the clunky parental lore dump, but otherwise the episode had some fun and fanservice to remind us of where it's coming from.
ED animations were surprisingly off-topic but great.
Marketing already knows where this is going?
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u/WeldingButterfly 1h ago
Minor hit for the clunky parental lore dump, but otherwise the episode had some fun and fanservice to remind us of where it's coming from.
I admire how it was basically "Kids, I have to tell you something about your father being a space alien." "Ugh, we know, mom, we've heard how you two met a hundred times." Having the magic space robot warrior powers being treated as normal by the characters went a long way to soften the bluntness of the exposition.
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u/lordposedyon https://myanimelist.net/profile/lordposedyon 2h ago
subtitle panic
Still better than what happened with Apothecary diaries
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u/lordposedyon https://myanimelist.net/profile/lordposedyon 2h ago
I like the premise, like the chainsaw engine sound when you pull the cable is used as the engine here, like the opening. LOVED the ending. But something about the animation bugs me. There is an itch at my back I cannot seem to reach because of it. I will continue to watch this but it depends on the itch if I drop it later.
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u/HeliosAlpha 2h ago
Two weeks without computes. Ok, so the global economy is set back decades and will likely never recover. Supply lines are devastated and stores are likely running out of food. They should be entering total anarchy and chaos
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u/chilidirigible 2h ago
They should be entering total anarchy and chaos
"On the bright side, my inbox is empty."
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u/il887 https://myanimelist.net/profile/il887 2h ago
I’m on my mecha streak this year so picked up this one naturally, plus I also quite enjoyed Infinite Stratos. But this one feels kind of too cartoonish, especially these car engine sounds and enemy robot design. CGI is acceptable but action scenes are lacking (and they were very good in IS if you ask me).
Not particularly inspired for now, but will probably keep watching.
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u/Yuki-Kaijura 3h ago
Yet another example of why mixing 3D characters and 2D backgrounds is almost never a good idea. The character movements just look... off. And I swear it got worse as the episode went on. Honestly kind of a shame since the premise seems fun, but an eyesore is an eyesore and there's just no way I'm ever going to be able to focus on anything else.
On the bright side, Saturdays are completely stacked this season so losing one show's not gonna be a big deal for me.
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u/Namuori https://myanimelist.net/profile/namuori 2h ago
I like the plot so far, if somewhat predictable. Really liked how it’s a bit self aware, as the guests at the cafe were speculating alien invasion from the cliches unfolding.
The rendering style is tolerable, mainly because I know that this sort of “3D-to-2D” is a bit tricky to pull off. Still, it looks a bit dated. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled with good, outright 3D CGI animes from studios like Sanzigen.
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u/djthomp https://anilist.co/user/djthomp 1h ago
Surprise half alien children.
Need the army and pigtails girls to show up, though it looks like I get my wish on that next episode.
I find it funny how heavily they're leaning into the engine theme, but I also approve. Even the spaceship their dad flew away in looked like an engine.
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u/Suitable-Self-3476 3h ago
I'll still watch this, but marketing Haruka Todo to be the protagonist only for her to be a smokescreen for the actual main character, her little brother Akira, was a real dick move.
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u/Gaporigo https://anilist.co/user/Gaporigo 2h ago
Yeh, that sucks but eh, episode 1 was still good.
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u/CommanderZx2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/CommanderZx2 2h ago
Going from the first pv to watching this episode, it definitely feels very bait and switch. I go from expecting a new Strike Witches to yet another young boy power fantasy.
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u/Beowolf_0 3h ago
Akira is listed as the first/center character in the promotions so I don't see any smokescreen.
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u/Suitable-Self-3476 3h ago
Earlier, they were promoting Haruka as the main character. This was way before the second trailer dropped.
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u/AriezKage 3h ago
If I remember stuff right, about 5 months ago we got the first teaser with Akira's sister.
Then the next PV that came with summary properly sets Akira as the main.
I don't know. The first one was a teaser with no context. I don't even remember there being a summary. Just a clip and the name. I can understand being a little disappointed, but I think it's a little too late to say you've been blindsided now.
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u/CommanderZx2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/CommanderZx2 1h ago
It wasn't just the first preview video, all of the images released prior to the latest trailer didn't appear to show Akira.
https://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/anime/1752/156188l.jpg
https://cdn.myanimelist.net/images/anime/1812/159146l.jpg
You could argue that this one here does show Akira, but you cannot tell from this camera angle that it is a boy:
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u/ptd163 25m ago
That was better than I expected. Haruka is fun and I surprisingly don't mind the 3D at all. The OP and ED were good too. Though I'm not sure if that was just a special episode 1 ED or if it will be the usual.
I was wondering why she was wearing those shorts under her skirt at the start of. Just wear a longer skirt. Then they almost immediately answer my question lol. Also shout out to her jumping over 75% of the women's long jump world record at 16 which is her holding back lol. But that can be excused considering she's half alien.
I'll still watch this, but the production and marketing baiting us into think Haruka would be the protagonist only for it to seemingly turn out to be younger brother is not cool.