Joint Review of Fairy Tail 275: The Drunk Falcon

[FrostyMouse]

So, this brings us to our second FT JR as a group, and supposedly third overall.

Welcome all to another week. Jyten joins us as our new member.

Intro:
- Main review part -
Analysis:
Impressions:
----------------------------
Predictions:
Credits:

 

[benelori]

Welcome Jyten!!\o/....

Again, you can just tell me what do, and I will do it, and will possibly come with some ideas in the process....but if this time there will be enough folks, then I will gladly step aside...

 

[Jyten]

Sup, o/!

Frosty is being ambiguous with what he needs/wants me to analyze so what's up? If I do, do any analysis it'll probably come tomorrow. I like at least one day for the manga just to be awesome. That way I can critic things after the honeymoon phase.

 

[FrostyMouse]

Jyten, we're not exactly on a time schedule here. Well, we are, but as long as it comes out within a few days of the chapter release, it's fine. Not everyone's always going to be available on the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday when we actually get the chapter, so...

How exactly was I ambiguous about stuff?

I thought this was fairly clear: I just wanted you to post, so that you'll be subscribed to the thread. Tell us something, like that you want to be called Jyten, I don't know. Do you have any specific thoughts on something? We do reviews in three sections on MH: analysis, impressions, predictions.

No, we all participate and change sections each week. For example, for 274, I did the impressions, but for 275, I'll do the predictions or something.

---------- Post added at 04:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:14 PM ----------

Welcome Jyten!!\o/....

Again, you can just tell me what do, and I will do it, and will possibly come with some ideas in the process....but if this time there will be enough folks, then I will gladly step aside...

I'm open to all ideas. The idea of one person being in control of the review isn't exactly how I like it. I'd prefer for things to work out as we go along.

Um, well, I've only managed to get Jyten, and that's because we were waterboarding him...I couldn't get Darj or anyone else to participate, so if you wouldn't mind, we'd love for you to stay with us, Bene.

 

[benelori]

I'm open to all ideas. The idea of one person being in control of the review isn't exactly how I like it. I'd prefer for things to work out as we go along.

Same here

Um, well, I've only managed to get Jyten, and that's because we were waterboarding him...I couldn't get Darj or anyone else to participate, so if you wouldn't mind, we'd love for you to stay with us, Bene.

Awesome \o/

---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------

Sup, o/!

Frosty is being ambiguous with what he needs/wants me to analyze so what's up? If I do, do any analysis it'll probably come tomorrow. I like at least one day for the manga just to be awesome. That way I can critic things after the honeymoon phase.

Well first all the people who want to contribute need to gather here...for now we are 3...k-dom also had a part last week...so he might show up as well...

---

I suggest couple of small additions to what we did last week...

First...there's no distinction between analysis and impressions...based on the content of the last review, k-dom did more of an impression thing and Frosty did more analysis...so we definitely have to make it clear what analysis means and what impressions mean...in my opinion analysis is a detached point of view that doesn't offer opinions...and impression is the more subjective part...
For example in this chapter...an analysis would be that The first part of the chapter reiterated the theme of friendship and unity in FT, and all the FT cast remains true to their characters....impression would be something like In the context of current events that party was totally useless, because it took away screentime from other important sub-plots, like the arranged nature of the entire event, the mystery surounding Charle, etc......
Impressions would be an opinion based on the facts presented in the analysis part...

Second...we need a poll, and we need to start asking questions from the readers, to establish a dialogue...I think that is important...for example leave ambiguous predictions to the readers to decide, or sometimes leave out a personal interpretation of the events to get the reader to fill in

3rd....read the posts and critique that focuses on the review itself and correct some of these things the readers are pointing out...

 

[FrostyMouse]

On the plus side, Lucy got an awesome looking scene in the premonition. Singing amidst the chaos is awesome. Perhaps my impressions were wrong. :P

I'm not doing the impressions this week anyway.

 

[benelori]

I can take impressions then this time...

 

[FrostyMouse]

Same here

Awesome \o/

---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------



Well first all the people who want to contribute need to gather here...for now we are 3...k-dom also had a part last week...so he might show up as well...

---

---

We'll see if he turns up.

I suggest couple of small additions to what we did last week...

First...there's no distinction between analysis and impressions...based on the content of the last review, k-dom did more of an impression thing and Frosty did more analysis...so we definitely have to make it clear what analysis means and what impressions mean...in my opinion analysis is a detached point of view that doesn't offer opinions...and impression is the more subjective part...
For example in this chapter...an analysis would be that The first part of the chapter reiterated the theme of friendship and unity in FT, and all the FT cast remains true to their characters....impression would be something like In the context of current events that party was totally useless, because it took away screentime from other important sub-plots, like the arranged nature of the entire event, the mystery surounding Charle, etc......

Second...we need a poll, and we need to start asking questions from the readers, to establish a dialogue...I think that is important...for example leave ambiguous predictions to the readers to decide, or sometimes leave out a personal interpretation of the events to get the reader to fill in

Alpha had that explanation of how we make the difference between analysis and impressions, but if you look at it, it's basically the same thing. I think we definitely need to delineate the difference more clearly.

Spoiler

Impressions:

If the predictions require a good amount of knowledge about the series in general, the impressions section focuses on one individual chapter instead. Generally, this section can be divided into three main “sub-sections”. Plot, Art, and Characters. Obviously, these section can have an endless amount of their won sub-sections, but that’s something you review when you’re confident enough.

For beginners, just make some comments about those three sub-sections I mentioned and everything will be fine. Add a small remark about your opinion of the whole chapter and the impressions section is ready.


Analysis:

I daresay, that this section is the toughest one. It’s kinda like a “reverse-prediction”. A prediction requires knowledge about the previous chapter to imagine how the future will look like. The analysis requires the same knowledge, but instead you have to explain how this chapter fits into the storyline of the chapters before it. It’s actually rather complicated to explain, especially since there are no strict rules or guidelines for a review format and additionally every reviewer evolves his/her own writing style, so that easiest thing to do here, is really just read other people’s reviews and try do it “like them”. You’ll develop your own style in the process.

One of the biggest mistakes beginner reviewers make is writing a summary. DO NOT EVER WRITE A SUMMARY! You mention what happened in the chapter, and after that you explain what it means. The explanation part is the most important thing in this section. If you don’t write it, the analysis section becomes a boring text version of what the reader has already seen in pictures.

Yeah, I do think I made too much analysis there. If you'll recall, I was worried about that. The last impression section I did for a JR was more impressiony than this one:

Spoiler

This current chapter directly followed the previous chapter, more so than many chapters actually do, as there wasn't a small timeskip.

The chapter as a whole was a significant improvement on the previous week's chapter. Nothing new was revealed to the readers, only to the characters. The most positive part of this chapter was Azuki's character development. However, you can still argue about the fan base in this chapter. Fukuda's actions were largely harmful, in that only about 20% of the otaku believed in MashiroXAzuki, whereas the rest even began to hate Fukuda as well, so nothing surprising there. Azuki's speech was the only thing keeping this chapter afloat because it was generally lackluster.

We earned the right to see that Ohba can draw pretty cell phones once again, but that's not the characters. The facial expressions of the chief of Prince Eight, Fukuda, Yuujirou, and Fukuda's assistants were the same as always, which was, as usual, a letdown. Azuki appeared to be the only one whom Ohba had taken significant time to draw this chapter, but that can't simply be argued away because the chapter was focused on her. The art level seems to have dipped again; not even Mashiro had his usual definition, it just looked careless.

Both Fukuda and Azuki had plot-valuable speeches, through which they both earned development. Did it feel a bit forced? Yes. Was it good for Azuki to finally make that massive love announcement to show that their relationship isn't just smoke and mirrors? Definitely, and it's one of the only times it's been present throughout Bakuman, with Azuki's heroine status being much in debate.

Overall, we posted it up, but I wasn't that happy with the 274 JR. I did say that it was a trial run, but eh...

A poll is definitely a useful part. I have noticed that a lot of people don't comment on the reviews or vote on the polls for series outside of the Big 3, so we'll need some way to hook them in and maintain their interest level.

---------- Post added at 05:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 PM ----------

I can take impressions then this time...

Sounds like a plan.

 

[k-dom]

Hi, already at work as I can see
Nothing much to be reviewed in this chapter that was my first impression :-)
You tell me what to do

 

[alphabeta]

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---------- Post added at 10:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 PM ----------



---------- Post added at 10:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------

Frosty, whaddya mean by not liking that one person is in charge of the review? It's not like you dictate the mood here. As a team captain, you have more of an organizational role, rather than anything else.

 

[FrostyMouse]

Frosty, whaddya mean by not liking that one person is in charge of the review? It's not like you dictate the mood here. As a team captain, you have more of an organizational role, rather than anything else.

Exactly what it says on the tin...

I'm open to all ideas. The idea of one person being in control of the review isn't exactly how I like it. I'd prefer for things to work out as we go along.

If that's not obvious enough, as it apparently wasn't, seeing as you asked a question about it, what I meant was that instead of just one person making the decisions, it's better if there is still someone who does the organizing, but a lot of the decisions are done by group consensus. Opinions are what we want.

How was any of that not obvious? I know English isn't your first language, but I can't see how that was confusing...

 

[alphabeta]

How was any of that not obvious? I know English isn't your first language, but I can't see how that was confusing...

Wrong place, bro. With that kinda attitude you need to go to the Proofreaders' HQ. This is the Reviewer Alliance HQ. For the record, English isn't even my second language, but my third, though I doubt that would change your opinion about me.

Last but not least, what exact decisions do you think should be done by group consensus, rather than by the team captain? From what I've seen so far you want to change the format of a JR and not the organizational structure.

 

[FrostyMouse]

Wrong place, bro. With that kinda attitude you need to go to the Proofreaders' HQ. This is the Reviewer Alliance HQ. For the record, English isn't even my second language, but my third, though I doubt that would change your opinion about me.

Last but not least, what exact decisions do you think should be done by group consensus, rather than by the team captain? From what I've seen so far you want to change the format of a JR and not the organizational structure.

The language barrier here is somehow making my words unclear, and for that, I apologize. I guess my jokes were not easy to understand. :P

I was joking around and it's about a trope, which is conveniently called Exactly What it Says on the Tin.

Look at this thread as a whole, alpha. Bene and I are having a discussion about the aspects of the review, and what we'd like to do differently from the previous review. It's not just me saying, "Here's how we're doing it and that's it." Discussion is necessary for good cooperation between members. We may also perhaps slightly alter how the analysis and the impressions work, but that'll come over time.

 

[alphabeta]

The language barrier here is somehow making my words unclear, and for that, I apologize. I guess my jokes were not easy to understand. :P

I was joking around and it's about a trope, which is conveniently called Exactly What it Says on the Tin.

Look at this thread as a whole, alpha. Bene and I are having a discussion about the aspects of the review, and what we'd like to do differently from the previous review. It's not just me saying, "Here's how we're doing it and that's it." Discussion is necessary for good cooperation between members. We may also perhaps slightly alter how the analysis and the impressions work, but that'll come over time.

Yeah, doesn't seems like puns are going to work in this situation.

On the other hand, strictly speaking, the discussion you and bene have should be theoretically carried out in the RA HQ Thread since it touches on a global subject for all future JRs. What in its turn means that this stops being something on your level only and goes into "my jurisdiction" as the RA's leader, so ultimately, it'd be me who would make the decision whether to make any changes to the format.

Then again, bene just went and added 5 sub-categories to the analysis in the naruto JR, so I'm kinda contradicting myself >_>

 

[FrostyMouse]

Yeah, doesn't seems like puns are going to work in this situation.

On the other hand, strictly speaking, the discussion you and bene have should be theoretically carried out in the RA HQ Thread since it touches on a global subject for all future JRs. What in its turn means that this stops being something on your level only and goes into "my jurisdiction" as the RA's leader, so ultimately, it'd be me who would make the decision whether to make any changes to the format.

Then again, bene just went and added 5 sub-categories to the analysis in the naruto JR, so I'm kinda contradicting myself >_>

Perhaps jokes that like just don't translate well.

Not every series will necessarily have the same things, so I could understand if there was more detail and focus in the Naruto JR than here, for example. I would focus on different things in an FT JR than I would for a Naruto JR, as they're different series. In the FT JR, you saw that I focused on Mashima's words to us, and how over time, he's been less than truthful. In a Naruto JR, I'd look more at the content of the chapter and how it relates to possible character development, like how we learned that Tsunade is closer to Hashirama (in some ways) than we'd thought. Overall, all JRs will probably end up discussing the same points, but there could be a theme which is consistent throughout a specific JR.

 

[alphabeta]

Fine, in all this theoreticall talk, we still don't have a set distribution of the sections, not to mention even the actual sections itself? Maybe we should focus on the matter at hand more?

 

[FrostyMouse]

Right, so...

Bene was doing the Impressions.
k-dom will do the Predictions
Jyten and I will do the Analysis

Once I got back from class tomorrow, it's the final test of the class, I was going to organize the sections more clearly. It will still remain in a three section business, but the exact content will be decided tomorrow.

 

[k-dom]

I was thinking, in order to make the review a bit more homogeneous, what about everyone gives a quick resume of his impressions on the chapter before we decide the positions next time ?

 

[alphabeta]

I was thinking, in order to make the review a bit more homogeneous, what about everyone gives a quick resume of his impressions on the chapter before we decide the positions next time ?

You something similiar to what happens in the Naruto JR now?

Positions switch (should switch ) from JR to JR, anyway.

 

[Jyten]

Right, so...

Bene was doing the Impressions.
k-dom will do the Predictions
Jyten and I will do the Analysis

Once I got back from class tomorrow, it's the final test of the class, I was going to organize the sections more clearly. It will still remain in a three section business, but the exact content will be decided tomorrow.

Okay I should have the Analysis done today or tomorrow.