No Game, No Life – 02
Overflowing with excitement (in more ways than one)
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I almost wrote “No Friends, No Life” as the title of the show…which would still be pretty accurate given how the main characters are such losers. But things turn around this week and they make one new friend! Sort of! I like laughing at the mix of social ineptitude and brilliance that these siblings possess, so I’ll be following them on their adventures. |
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I didn’t join in for the first impressions post, but I am going to tag with OC for the rest of this crazy anime because it reminds me of Mondaiji and that is never a bad thing to me! I just want to see where Sora and Shiro end up next. |
No Sisters, No Incest
“I promise not to secretly be in love with you when I grow up”
Foshizzel // I have to say a huge thank you to the creators of No Game No Life for making Shiro and Sora NOT having a kind of romantic feelings for each other because I know everyone is tired of that plot line being repeated over and over again, but at the same time it appears that both characters are very attached to each other and I guess they can’t be apart for long periods of time? For me that whole thing came off as very comical and speaking of funny moments this episode had a ton. I think I died laughing every time Sora was acting perverted along with Shiro who wanted to take pictures of Steph or the moment when he flipped out after Shiro turned him down followed by Steph smashing her head into floors, walls, giving us her best Jojo-like scream and falling in love with Sora?! I swear this whole episode was comic gold, but I think some out there watching would say alright enough is enough when are we going to focus on the story and not spend hours laughing right? For those out there we did get some story development with Sora and Shiro eventually making friends with Steph after they discovered her country is in danger of being taken over, but now we just have to wait for Sora to step up and take Kurami down and become the new king!
Two Genius Dorks
Overcooled // For a show about games, I was sad they didn’t focus too much on setting up an interesting game for us last week. The poker match, chess game and the MMO battle were all too short to really enjoy. Now I see that episode one was just a tasting menu of all the various aspects of the show. Episode 2 expands on the gaming rules by giving us a longer game with more tension and higher stakes. Okay, so it’s still rock-paper-scissors, but at least we’re going somewhere. I liked seeing Steph struggle uselessly to pick her move, turning something as benign as a children’s game into a game of deception and intimidation. She puts a lot of thought into her choice, but she’s still one step behind. That just shows us how much of a powerful opponent Sora is. He’s capable of beating a girl that’s thinking this many steps ahead. He’s not just a pro…he’s better than most pros.
It’s a really good sign for future games too. I like how they make you really understand their reasoning, kinda like a Phi Brain puzzle. I’m a big fan of psychological warfare and battles of wits instead of two buff dudes just punching each other blindly (although sometimes that’s fun too). No Game, No Life nails that. I can’t wait until the siblings get into more complex games that span longer periods of time and require even more skill. The main characters are so perfect at what they do that there’s no question of them winning or losing…but seeing just how badly they fuck up their opponent is a treat in of itself.
That being said, the rock-paper-scissors things was only an introduction to the madness of the rest of the episode. I expected some comedy, but the show completely flips out and starts firing ridiculous jokes a mile a minute. It’s unexpected, but oddly welcome. I liked how we suddenly went from a very serious moment of Sora’s diabolical plan reveal into a non-stop series of gags that poked fun at the show. No Game, No Life doesn’t take any of this seriously because the overall goal of the show is to give viewers a good time. The way it follows that incredibly cerebral rock-paper-scissors match is almost like saying “yeah, we know that was pretty heavy for a dumb game. Let’s lighten the mood by making fun of how loser-like these kids are!”
Unimpressed, and slightly afraid.
All of a sudden, the show becomes a sort of parody of male power fantasy anime where the main guy inexplicably has women falling for him even though he’s a loser. Compare this to Sword Art Online where Kirito has all of the girls (including his own sister) swooning and kissing his boots in admiration. There’s no trick to this, it’s just implied that he’s so damn perfect he attracts all these girls on his own. It’s pure charm. In fact, compare it to any anime where a complete loser main character ends up with a harem of girls desperate to become his waifu.
Sora, however, is a big loser that is not capable of summoning a harem of girls out of wish fulfillment plot rules. He has to use the laws of the universe as a binding contract to force her to fall in love with him. Note that this isn’t a contract to simple be a master and servant, where love just happens naturally afterwards. This is a contract that quite literally gives her no other choice but to fall head over heels for the male lead. Because the only way such a pathetic, jobless, sister-obsessed shut-in can ever get a girl is by forcing her. Wow.
Our genius womanizer, ladies and gentlemen.
I don’t think No Game, No Life intends to have such a cutting message, but it makes me pleased to interpret it as such. Guys are so eager to believe that girls will just fall into their lap for no reason, but it’s really only happening because the laws of anime are making it so for these otherwise unremarkable main characters. There’s even some fun poked at incest, with Sora outright denying that he’s interested in his sister because she’s underaged, and…well..his sister. It’s calling out all the creepy lolicons who really wanted to see Shiro and Sora get together. Not only that, it’s shaking them by the shoulders and begging them to stop. I’m not so proud of Sora trying to snap photos of his new lover in the bath, but at least he agrees with Shiro that bathing together would be child porn. Another important note that maybe some other anime should think about?
All that being said, I’m extremely skeptical a show like this would continue to endorse more realistic values. Heck, I’m not even sure anyone else feels that the comedy was self-parodying. Anyways, the fact remains that Shiro and Sora are so close that imagining things going a few steps further in their relationship isn’t very hard (if you want to). Even though they make fun of the issue, it still remains in the show. It’s still there. We’re not really progressing away from those wretched “I Wanna Bang My Imouto” anime if we’re still hinting at it, are we? I also suspect that Steph will genuinely fall for Sora by the time the show is over, which kind of ruins any attempts to show that girls don’t just fall into your lap.
Nice try but no
Still, I enjoy that it’s mocking the male wish fulfillment genre…even if only a little. Sora and Shiro are perfect in many ways (in terms of their intelligence and skill), but the way they lack things like simple social skills or a desire for anything other than games reallllly sets them back. They are so unstable that they can’t even be pulled apart, or else they go into shock. You can bet that’s going to be used on the later on to mess them up.
Extra Games from Fosh:
Go ahead and high five your monitor!
Shiro is the best little sister of the season!
Just don’t take her away from Sora…
Whoa! Time to lay off the drugs Steph.
It only took two episodes to make me fall in love this series thanks to funny characters, but I can totally understand the few people out there that dislike the use of all the bright colors! Yeah that is a slight problem for me as well but I just think of it as a different choice in style. So anyway what did you like about the second episode? Did you enjoy watching Steph and Sora act all goofy or were you more interested in the actual plot of Sora trying to become a king?
On a lighter note, I’m enjoying the show. It’s reminds me a lot of Phi Brain because the humour is dorky as hell and the main characters are just big losers who only care about games/puzzles and suck at everything else. The games are also incredibly stylized and dramatic. That’s a big reason why I’m enjoying the show. It’s just fun! It’s also making fun of lame male MC’s getting all the chicks for no reason, and I love it! Someone needs to call them out on that. I just didn’t expect it to be the guy who’s perfect at every game and by all means should be attracting a harem of his own, based on anime logic.
No Bara, No Life
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 154 comments
lol this show is awesome. I love the comedy and the “Steph-o-Scope” is hilarious. I do have the agree that their psychological need to stay close to each other is definitely going to be used against and it is certainly an interesting weakness. I also enjoy how wickedly good at deception and games Sora is to be able pull one over on Steph in such a way. She may not be the best opponent to show off how smart he is, but it certainly gave them chances to practice drawing Sora’s evil eye.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It’s because they work as a team and are dependent on each other’s skills. Both are aware of this possible weakness. One makes up for what the other lacks. Separate them for any reason and they’ll collapse.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
And that is what I love so much about them. They take two steps forward, but that weakness takes them at least a step back. Steph is, perhaps a small bit, aware of this weakness. They better treat her right. And not just because she one of my fav characters this season.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Can’t wait to see the siblings try and tackle a more formidable foe. Once they realize this weakness, as Steph does, it should be an interesting obstacle for them to overcome.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 154 comments
And of course it is going to be very comedic as well.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It wouldn’t be right if it wasn’t.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Steph-o-Scope was amazing! I imagine most anime fans have their own “visions” when they watch certain series xD
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 154 comments
Of course. That is part of what makes it so hilarious to me.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Skylion-o-Scope has no Mr. Steam and no Ladles.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*Insert StephScope(tm)!*
Mr. Steam is our good friend! The To*** Youth blahblah ordinance is our enemy! Also the part where Shiro pats her chest is amusing when she discovers that Steph aged 11 had a rack already.
Kamiya Yuu is taking the piss-shit out of all the anti-lolicons out there. He’s just being very sarcastic.
Sora is just waiting 7 more years for Shiro. Remember they’re not blood related so it is fine once Shiro grows a little more. ^^
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
If Shiro wants anything to blame for inequality, it should be Steph’s family genes. 😉 In Soul Eater Not!, Tsugumi was telling Meme how they were the same because of their age but got depressed after seeing how Meme’s bust was bigger than hers.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…but Anya has a Royal Rack…
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Noooooooooo! I don’t want incest to ruin No Game No Life because it is killing Mahouka very quickly -____-
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 154 comments
I wouldn’t say it is killing it so much as it is wasting our time when they could be doing other stuff.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
AMEN well said my friend~
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
But with such interesting Index/Railgun-like concepts and world building in the series, it’s nothing but a shame watching them take a back seat to the incest factor.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m very sure that at least part of this episode could have been used in a bibliography for complex sibling and underage relationships; but just part, and you better have more in the bag or that biblio is gonna get punked!
Having said that, I’m sure that Di Gi is right. It’s a very sarcastic piss take to both lolicons and anti-lolicons. I’m only hoping it doesn’t lead to bad ties in the real world.
Goodness, this episode gave me everything I wanted and then some. If they keep this sort of pacing up, mixing it here and there with other bits of the world, we will have a huge winner on our hands.
Awesome tag.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I appreciate that it’s more than just “I want to bang my imouto.” It’s a more complex relationship. That being said, it really does tease both parties with hints of them being slightly closer than normal siblings and yet outright denying any attraction. It’s weird, but I’m glad they won’t be hooking up any time soon.
It should be interesting ride this season!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yeah, that was a good discussion on the Meteverse talk. Commercially speaking they have some rather interesting takes on making a broader appeal, don’t they?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The only thing that was offputting to me was Steph’s over-reactions to her forced infatuation with Sora. I’m not a fan of character self-abuse, especially repeated that much.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I thought it way to comedic to take seriously.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It quickly reaches past comedic for me. Like half of one of those instances would have been more than enough for comedy for me. Then it starts getting uncomfortable.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
At least she seems to be over that now. Next week should be free of forehead-on-wall smashing action. :B
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Comedy-dayo!
It actually reinforces her loathing for Sora everytime she does something loveydovey for him. Yes, it wears out after a while but you can see how much she hates herself/him/kami-sama for doing it. Also as Jibril later points out, his command was only for that instant and shouldn’t be ongoing… unless…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yeah, it’s the unless part that has great interest to me.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It’s been a while since you two Tag Teamed. Must have been time to end the cool out period.
Sweet episode. Good thing there were no incestuous vibes between Sora and Shiro. Rather, they’re more like two halves of a whole. Sora is almost like Mondaji’s Izayoi but vulnerable in some areas. He’s not super strong and he’s susceptible to his perversion clouding his near perfect judgment.
The Rock-Paper-Scissors battle with Steph screamed Phi Brain when the analysis showed up. If there’s anything she can learn from her losing experiences, it’s to not let her emotions get the best of her and pay close attention to the words of the opponent she’s playing a high stakes game with. Wow, that self-abuse by smashing her head into various things sure looks painful. Someone’s going to need an aspirin in the morning.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Yeah, I think the last time was SAO? I can barely even remember!
If they go the full incest route then I don’t know if I can handle it. :/ I’m glad Sora has some weaknesses to round out how smart he is. Sometimes he comes off as being pretty suave, like when he picks up Steph’s dress. But deep down, I know he’s a dork =w=
Yeah, the screen explaining her chances in detail was very Phi Brain. I like the similarities between the two (anything similar to Phi Brain is good in my books).
Maybe she only likes Sora now because all the head-bashing gave her brain damage….
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yep we tagged on Guilty Crown and SAO when they originally aired and now with No Game No Life it should be a fun series to follow week after week~
Thank god! Shiro and Sora are great characters that do not follow the common theme of siblings that want in each others pants so I am really happy! I don’t want ore Mahouka shows with incest being part of the “plot” seriously it is not needed in this IMO.
Yeah this series is very Phi-brain in nature and I look forward to seeing all the games Shiro and Sora get pulled into like the chess match from ep1? Yeah that was inside Shiro’s head, but I could totally see them playing chess later on against the main god xD
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I guess the reason for the way Sora and Shiro are is because the creator of No Game, No Life wasn’t born and raised in Japan, but in Brazil, a christian country, with a conservative mind. Even though he lived a long time in Japan, he probably don’t share the same concepts and fetishes and won’t agree to put them in his manga for comercial sucess. One thing is for sure, it probably is more appealing to western viewers.
And I really felt the despair when Sora and Shiro were apart. That was true despair.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
That is a great reminder of where the show is coming from. It gives rather good insight. But, it does suggest exactly how much influence the mangaka has over the script and production.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
So the author is steering clear of Japanese elements known to spark aggressive controversy. A smart move, if you ask me. Better safe than sorry.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…but it that it works as great character elements is the best thing. And color me intrigued, I’m looking up his other works. Clockwork Planet sounds interesting.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Kamiya Yuu is a imouto-con lolicon.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’ll wait to read the material before I join in….
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
earth – loli usagi
greedpacked – loli imouto
artwork – technicolour hair ecchi.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Imoutocon lolicon? Oh dear God, I hope not.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
LOLimoutocon sounds better.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
And so it shall be… soraraion-lolimoutocon oniichan~~~
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
LOLimoutocon ahahahah
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Hai! Fozz-precure-lolimoutocon onii-sama~~~
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
wow they things you learn about your own brother.. so thats your title around here…
LOLimoutocon desu!~..this is a nice combination…
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
two eps in and i find this to be an enjoyable series that has me willing to tune in every week to see the siblings and steph in action but i dont find it to be this incredible series like many are making it out to be (i want to understand the praise but i cant quite wrap my mind around it yet). In my opinion, this show is pretty generic but its that “good” type of generic…nothing to quite write home about but good enough to be entertaining and appealing without getting annoying. I would praise the execution, but then again the execution is pretty middle ground as well. Still, if you want a fun way to kill time on wednesdays, no game no life is the show to do it and im intrigued enough to tune in.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
FK YA! Episode two was really fantastic and I love that Shiro and Sora are quite close without it coming off as EWWWW INCEST-Y and I am very thankful for that.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
pretty much what im like about Shiro and Sora, not too incesty toward each other, the idea of the anime is pretty interesting as well, can’t wait to see what games they play next.