Yeah, they keep inserting little hints here and there that it could be a serious show, and I don't know how I feel about it. I don't think the characters or plot are being done is such a way that could pull of serious themes, they really are suited to just being 'fun'. For me, that's the way I want it to stay, but I could be wrong, they may find a way of exploring some deeper themes without making it feel out of place, but I doubt it...
I'm glad my point came across, I thought I was being really unclear and vague lol
Yeah the characters aren't amazing, I really do like the ambition side of things, but I agree that it seems a bit far-fetched that they can use their 'gaming knowledge' to the degree that they do. But for me I think it's what Hewitt was talking about a while back, if the emphasis is on the games then you really don't need strong characters, it's the games that will sell the show, but at the moment I'm not sure if they will concentrate on the games... I don't know, I'm not explaining it well, but I think it has potential to be enjoyable or fall flat on it's face.
Yeah I think the games will be the selling point, but imo the difference between the MCs of NGNL and Yugioh (the simile Hewitt was making, and not the "card game" Yugioh but when it was still about mastering games) is that Yugi is initially a weak character who is strengthened by his resolve and emotions. This stimulates the appearance of the pharaoh, who is the actual King of Games; his dominance actually makes sense because the correlation between the King of all games and the challenges that he accepts make sense. Plus, since he's an Egyptian relic so to speak, it's a lot more plausible that basic games or puzzles that he sets out in the story actually correlates with his experience. Yugi's development as a character from his weak, unconfident nature that develops to become a stronger person thanks to the presence of the pharaoh makes the anime/manga that much more engaging to me (plus, the original Yugioh was not very shounen, so that made it more entertaining).
NGNL correlates computer gaming experience (online chess, poker, have at you) and brings it to real life play and seemingly makes the MC's amazing at it. It really doesn't make any sense. If you have no social skills, how would you be able to tell whether the innkeeper is lying to you about how much a gold coin is worth? How would you be able to read the poker faces of you're enemies? Why is the subliminal message here if you're good at computer games, you're good at every game that requires physical or eye-to-eye contact? Plus, the anime immediately sets out to make this duo all powerful and knowing with little flaws to start out with alongside with a set of skill that really shouldn't help all that much in this world. The selling point are the games for sure, but I have no doubt the studio is making the pair to be OP as possible to give the audience some kind of flavor and opinion about gamers or something, or the studio is trying to make your typical OP shounen character for a selling point. I just don't like it at all because it seems pretty mindless and potentially shounen. I think I'll give it a chance once my summer vacation starts, but it's hard to enjoy something when my particular preference in anime is the presence of interesting characters.
Oh yeah, apparently Drone likes NGNL.
/shotsfired
The lack of Tonari no Seki-kun in that list hurts me deeply.
This'll probably be another laundry anime for me since they're short. Looking forward to it!
Btw, is Hamatora any good? When I read the synopsis, it sounded like my kind of anime, but then I read the top reviews on MAL and it says it had lost potential. I'm torn.
EDIT: Huh, apparently Hitsuga no Chaika got a season 2 and apparently it was well-received. I'll give it another chance.