Meeting Date: 10/10/2016
Mike Ferreira: Welcome to the first meeting of the Anime Herald Weekly Anime Club, a prestigious organization founded by a few of us who said “we should do that!” I’m Mike Ferreira, editor-in-chief, and general taskmaster.
Mike Ferreira: This season, we have L.B. Bryant, Anthony Simpson, and Lydia Rivers as part of our crew. Say hi, everyone.
L.B. Bryant: Hi everyone!
Anthony Simpson: Hiyo!!!!
Mike Ferreira: This season, we’re taking a look at Drifters, based on Kouta Hirano’s manga of the same name. A bit of background: Kenichi Suzuki, who directed Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, is directing the project at Hoods Studio.
Mike Ferreira: That said, what were your gut impressions of the first episode, everyone?
L.B. Bryant: Gut impression? I really enjoyed it. There were some parts that I totally expected such as the blood/gore (it is from the Hellsing team after all) but the humorous parts caught me off guard which made it all the more enjoyable.
Mike Ferreira: I’m with you, there. I’m really glad that they were able to keep Hirano’s quirky sense of humor intact. It kept things from getting too overbearing
Anthony Simpson: Let me start by saying that this was not something I was going to check out.  Not that I though it was going to be garbage, but reading the initial description gave me the impression that it would be better watched via marathon instead of week to week.  First impression. I enjoyed the blood and gore parts of the first half, I though it was a great. The comedy was…. there. I wasn’t crazy about the comedy.
L.B. Bryant: The comedy kept me engaged honestly. If this had been blood and guts from start to finish, my brain would’ve checked out.
Anthony Simpson: The timing of the comedy wasn’t there for me.
Mike Ferreira: I’ll agree that it’s certainly not for everyone. The comedic moments seem to come from literally nowhere.
Mike Ferreira: Like – “you’re bleeding from your wounds, now pluck the damn chicken”
L.B. Bryant: I can agree that some of the jokes totally missed but when they were first meeting in the castle and learning about each other’s identities? That had me laughing out loud.
Anthony Simpson: Now that I did enjoy.
Mike Ferreira: Nobunaga’s face in that scene was priceless
Anthony Simpson: Speaking of faces, I love the character designs for this show.
L.B. Bryant: Am I the only one who got a serious Attack on Titan feeling from the animation style and character designs?
Mike Ferreira: Yes and no… I got more Hellsing Ultimate from it, but I did see some AoT vibes.
L.B. Bryant: Ok, so I wasn’t completely imagining it.
Mike Ferreira: Personally, I loved the animation style in battle – the combat flowed beautifully, and there was a very real energy to battle that pulled you in.
Anthony Simpson: I can see the AoT vibes from the Promo Artwork.
Anthony Simpson: That battle animation was great. Probably the best animation at least from the stuff I checked out already this season.
Mike Ferreira: Definitely. there was certain feeling of fluidity to the battles, even though you could see a few constraints brought about by the show’s budget
Anthony Simpson: I would have been fine if that whole battle would have lasted the whole episode.  That is how much I enjoyed it.
Mike Ferreira: I loved the battle, but I’m not sure if a whole episode wouldn’t have dragged on. However, if they can keep future battle scenes on that level I’ll be a very happy viewer.
Mike Ferreira: (Also, I want to know who that clerk was and why he was on a damned coffee break)
L.B. Bryant: So, I’d like to ask this of you all because one thing that intrigues me about this show is how many questions it raised in my head by the end… what were the biggest things that you were left wondering about by the end?
Mike Ferreira: Personally, I’m a bit torn there… between “why are they in this fantasy world” and “who the hell are these elves?”
Anthony Simpson: My guess for the clerk… some kind of deity.  I never read the manga so I’m throwing darts at the board on this one.
Mike Ferreira: Yeah… I haven’t read the manga either – I’m kind of flying blind
Anthony Simpson: Speaking of elves.  I like how they made it so they are not speaking the same language as everyone else.
L.B. Bryant: I agree there.
Mike Ferreira: Likewise – that could have easily gone hokey by making them speak perfect Japanese.
Mike Ferreira: I wonder how they’ll handle it in the dub
Anthony Simpson: Funimation might do what they did for The Devil is a Part Timer where those characters from the other world spoke a more or less made up language at first.  That or since it’s a broadcast dub they might just leave that part as it is now in the Japanese and redub it for the disc release.
L.B. Bryant: My biggest wonder is actually from that meeting with Nobunaga. Out of the seemingly many “Drifters” who are sent to this world, the first person he is brought to and meets is a famous Japanese figure. Is this intentional? Are people from various countries/regions grouped together when they arrive in this world or was that just happenstance?
Mike Ferreira: My guess is it’s intentional, but to which degree, I don’t know.
Anthony Simpson: I would have to agree intentional as well.
Mike Ferreira: I’m just hoping that it doesn’t turn into “suddenly: Nazis” again
Anthony Simpson: I’m going to agree with Mike that my biggest wonder is the fantasy world part.
L.B. Bryant: Well, we do have those other “Drifters” who I believe are from somewhere in Europe plus that one soldier who appeared right after the MC was transported.
Mike Ferreira: I’m curious too – the other soldier was clearly from Nam
Anthony Simpson: I was getting a Full Metal Jacket vibe from that soldier from Nam.
Mike Ferreira: Definitely
Mike Ferreira: Hrm… we’re hitting our time for the week – so any closing thoughts, anybody?
L.B. Bryant: Enjoyed this far more than I expected. I normally don’t go into series that are seriously bloody and violent but this first episode tickled me in just the right way.
Anthony Simpson: I’m interested in seeing where the show goes from here.
Mike Ferreira: And I’m genuinely enjoying it – I can’t wait to see what next week brings.
Mike Ferreira: And that’s all the time we have this week. Thanks for joining up for this crazy experimental club, guys. It’s a pleasure so far.
L.B. Bryant: Looking forward to doing this again next week!
Anthony Simpson: Same here.
Mike Ferreira: Likewise.
