LZH Watches: No Game No Life Episodes 1-4 || 3/12 - 3/19

[Championbeef]

For this week, lets watch the first four episodes of No Game, No Life. Feel free to talk about the episodes as much as you like here, and feel free to move on ahead. However, please do not discuss events which happen in later episodes. Feel free to use whatever site you want, but you can click on the description of the show here to be taken to the site I use.

NO GAME NO LIFE The story of No Game, No Life centers around Sora and Shiro, a brother and sister whose reputations as brilliant NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) hikikomori (shut-in) gamers have spawned urban legends all over the Internet. These two gamers even consider the real world as just another "crappy game." One day, they are summoned by a boy named "God" to an alternate world. There, God has prohibited war and declared this to be a world where "everything is decided by games"—even national borders. Humanity has been driven back into one remaining city by the other races. Will Sora and Shiro, the good-for-nothing brother and sister, become the "Saviors of Humanity" on this alternate world? "Well, let's start playing."

[LionOrphenoc]

I'm watching through episode one as I type, this is the second time I've watched through this series. I actually rather liked the intro as it set up in a few ways how people in games respond to "blank" and what they're misconception is of the character compared to the reality. The NEET life style of Sora and Shiro is pretty amusing as well, even if it's a tad over exagerated, but we all know there are people out there living a more realistic version of this life style.

I'd forgotten how many panty shots there were of Shiro in this... This bothers me a little too much considering she's an eleven year old girl...

The foreshadowing as they fall from the sky whilst talking to Tet is interesting as well, considering you see a fair few characters that appear this early in the show, though I hate to spoil it for you all this anime will be cutting the story short, and I'm not sure if Season 2 has been announced yet.

Sora's response to the world changing and thinking it's bugged out amused me on a few levels.

The fact they got the world's history from 3 men now in their underwear really does set the tone for how important the pledges are in this world, despite them begging for some trousers and Sora's cold indifference whilst sticking to the rules.

Steph failing at games, sadly for her this pretty much becomes a pattern as time goes on, but it the fact they're gambling for whomever is going to rule the kingdom and the fact they actually stroll into this completely by chance, but it's an anime series so it can be forgiven.

Their first poker game sets the rule that cheating is only against the rules if it's caught, which makes the point it's all about guile and wit. Also is using an elf really cheating? Really?

[krashr1]

This is a re-watch for me, caught it when it was five episodes in during simulcast. This is every bit as entertaining the second time around. The first four episodes do a great job of introducing the world, the main characters and the over arching theme. It's great watching an anime that doesn't take it self too seriously, despite the circumstances that Imanity finds itself in at the start. I totally forgot about that scene in episode 2 where they lose sight of each other. All-in-all, good fun and, even though, knowing how it all turns out by the end of the first season, I'm looking forward to finishing this one again. Totally forgot, how funny it was when Tet visited them at the end of episode 4 and Stephanie freaked out. Watching Sora and Shiro react so non-chalantly was pretty hilarious.

[jasonrm]

I haven't had the time to re-watch more than episode one, but I'd forgotten how much I liked the opening and ending music. I love how the main characters aren't ignorant of their abilities and strength like so many tend to be. No episode after episode "I can't die here, not yet" and then somehow finding "the power within" to overcome whatever challenge of the week.

If work-work and lzh-work ever let up, maybe I'll catch up, lol.

[Championbeef]

I agree with what has been said here mostly. The first episode really works well to introduce the viewer to the world. In most worlds like this, things about the world are gradually revealed, but in NGNL, you learn pretty much everything you need to know at the start. Moving into episode 2, we can further see the power of losing and winning as Sora gains Steph as a loyal follower whether she likes it or not. We also see Sora's burning desire to win everything poke through showing off the confident character that he is. In the 3rd and 4th episode we see just how powerful the magic of this world really is with cheating and interfering with games. But, through it all, Sora and Shiro pull through to become rulers of Erika, and declare they desire to rule everything to God. Overall, the first episodes really work well to set up the show and show off everything about the main character. Even the panty shots :/

[Katzman79]

Okay I am really really late on this one but I am trying to catch up with things here.

Episode 1: Okay I have to admit from the first moment I was expecting a bit of a .hack clone but it was interesting how it shifted focus into something different. There's still a few things similar to .hack, but it's different enough to grab my attention. The animation is fine enough though not spectacular. There is a bit of a disturbing undertone (some might say overtone) in the relationship between the two main leads. Unlike with most animes I have seen there was a distinct lack of an exposition dump. There was a massive one at the start, but after that the information to get you up to speed with the world was woven quite well into the episode.

Episode 2: Half way through this my thoughts changed quite drastically. I no longer saw this as .hack but begun to equate it very much with Disgaea. In fact I got an Adell from Disgaea 2 vibe from Sora and I sort of get a Rozalin feel from Steph. The second episode is very silly, and the reaction of Steph is quite frankly ludicrous, but that's no bad thing as for me when an anime is silly and over the top and some may say cringe-worthy is normally how I like my anime and manga. I've always had a soft spot for the socially-awkward male lead who has moments of coolness ever since I watch Tenchi Muyo. So far so good on this series.

Episode 3: Interesting switch of events and an interesting game and I keep getting correlations with other animes or games in my head, and with the third episode all I can think of is Yu-Gi-Oh. While the game of chess has always been a synonym for warfare, I don't think I've seen it quite so literal before. As an episode though it really is impossible not to compare it to an episode of Yu-Gi-Oh that is focused on a card duel.

Episode 4: Quite the way to end the duel and so far, 4 episodes in, it's a strange series. The way that it mixes up the serious and moralistic moments with the silly, slapstick style of anime is unusual. It jumps from moments of 10 minutes of seriousness straight into wacky hijinks that it almost feels like whiplash. I am tending to prefer the hijinks over the seriousness, but given the nature of the series it needs those seriousness. It's interesting the depth they go into when dealing with the odds involved in the game. I do wonder if the creator took their time to delve into game-theory for this series. Suffice to say I will be continuing this.

Time to go searching for the next post in this collection.