Hacker Cinema
Demon Slayer
2003 · Film · 84 min
Directed by James Cotten
Five delinquent teenagers are assigned the task of converting a long-abandoned mental hospital in South Central Los Angeles into a community center. Little do they know that the hospital is the site of centuries of supernatural mayhem and murder. Plagued by terrors beyond belief, the teenagers must fight to survive a battle where the division between the living and the dead is shattered.
1 positive7 neutralfrom 8 commenters
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9 comments on Hacker News
There is a balance to be found here.
I had the improbable experience of contracting with a community of foxes and then made up the cover story that "this is a character I play to get better smiles when I do street photography" and then made that story true.
So most of the time I am the one-and-only fox-photographer and feel unique but there are some places where a lot of beastly people are around and I think "I feel like just another fur". I don't think of myself as a fur at all but I find that being out as a hard-working therianthrope it has an effect on all sorts of closeted furs and therians and whatnot and when a fur asks me "are you a fur?" I feel bad disappointing them.
The whole thing is possible because of a database of legends that exist in folklore and pop culture. If I go out in a kitsune mask I think about 20% of people have seen Naruto or Demon Slayer and recognize who I am right away and in that situation I think of myself as the cast member at Disney whose job is easy because guests have already seen the movie. Even though I work from sinosphere legends, the fox-photographer is legible because people agree about what kind of animal a fox is anywhere there are foxes.
https://mastodon.social/@UP8/116598755105086140
The second screen effect is largely overstated when it comes to why movies suck. While it’s true for some movies and TV shows that end up being streaming exclusives, the same problem doesn’t exist in theatrical releases or even shows for TV for streaming services like HBO.
Modern movies suck mostly because of Hollywood mostly being risk averse and prioritizing profit over everything else. This leads to IPs being sequels, prequels, remakes, “parts of the universe” or adaptations of existing successful IPs. This also leads to creative directions that are “designed to pull maximum audiences” or in other words average. Almost every single Marvel movie has the same plot with a few changes in characters. It also translates to situations where ideas that would otherwise be successful being tabled. K-POP demon hunters is a great example, an original IP, that audiences want, being sold to Netflix because the executives somewhere did a couple of focus groups and came to the conclusion that this won’t work. Another side effect is lack of innovation. Pixar animation has largely been stale for years now, meanwhile Ne Zha 2 is taking in billions worldwide, Demon Slayer is was one of the most popular movies in the US despite its limited release and Arcane is one of the best rated TV shows ever. There’s a lot more like fewer stand ins to save money that make scenes look “empty and soulless”, overuse of CGI, overuse of Pedro Pascal, etc.
All in all, it’s enshittification if movies because less profit is unacceptable.
This might be slightly off topic, but after the Sora 2/anime controversy I just looked up how much does it cost to make your average anime - it turns out that top tier 26 ep anime shows like Chainsaw Man, Delicious In Dungeon or box office movies like Demon Slayer cost between $10-$20m to make. Now I don't know how much they spend on Sora 2, but I'd imagine tens of billions. For that money, you could make a thousand such shows.
While this post is full of conjecture, and somewhat unrelated to LLMs, but not their economics - I wonder how the insane capex is going to be justified even if AI becomes fully capable of replacing salaried professionals, they'll still end up paying much much more than what it'd have cost to just hire that armies of professionals for decades.
Their anime vid gen is really, really impressive. The results I've seen aren't /good/ from an industry-standard (nothing compared to the likes of the Demon Slayer movie I watched in theatres recently), but I legitimately couldn't tell that it was AI-generated. Massive step up from Sora 1 and other vid gen models.
Here's to hoping that the industry will adapt to have it aid animators for in-betweening and other things that supplement production. Anime studios are infamously terrible with overworking their employees, so I legitimately see benefits coming from this tool if devs can get it to function as proper frame interpolation (where animators do the keyframes themselves and the model in-betweens).
Paint by Numbers is a captivating artistic activity that combines creativity, relaxation, and precision. It offers a unique approach to painting where numbered areas on a canvas correspond to specific colors. By following these numbered patterns, even beginners can create beautiful , advanced and intricate artworks with ease. Paint by Numbers provides a structured yet enjoyable way to explore the world of art and unleash your inner artist. The popularity of anime paint by numbers has led to a diverse range of designs and themes, catering to a wide spectrum of tastes and preferences. From popular series like “Demon Slayer,” “One Piece,” and “Naruto” to beloved Studio Ghibli films, there is an abundance of options for anime enthusiasts to explore and express their creativity. The availability of these kits online and in specialized stores further contributes to the accessibility and growth of this niche.
Manga Paint by Numbers: Embrace the Manga Style Manga Paint by Numbers lets you embrace the unique art style of Japanese manga. Whether you’re a fan of action-packed adventures, heartwarming romances, or thrilling mysteries, you can channel your love for manga into artistic expression. With carefully designed templates that capture the essence of manga panels, you can create dynamic and visually striking artwork. Manga Paint by Numbers combines the joy of painting with the charm of manga, enabling you to create stunning manga-inspired masterpieces.
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Embark on a grand artistic adventure with “One Piece” Paint by Numbers. Join Luffy and his crew as they search for the ultimate treasure, the One Piece. With carefully crafted templates featuring iconic characters and memorable moments from the series, you can relive the excitement of this beloved pirate tale. Paint by Numbers allows you to depict the spirit of friendship, epic battles, and boundless dreams that define “One Piece.” Let your brush strokes sail you away to the vast world of pirates and create a masterpiece worthy of the Grand Line.
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5. Naruto Paint by Numbers: Journey with the Shinobi
Experience the world of ninjas and shinobi with Naruto Paint by Numbers. Follow the path of Naruto Uzumaki and his friends as they navigate the trials and tribulations of the shinobi world. With Naruto Paint by Numbers, you can recreate the intense battles, heartfelt moments, and iconic characters from the Naruto series. Express your admiration for Naruto’s determination, Sasuke’s ambition, or Kakashi’s wisdom through your artistic interpretation. Let your brush strokes bring the energy and spirit of Naruto to life.
> not so many modern anime classics.
At most only because there's so much more out there.
The general consensus is that Oshi no Ko is as good as any classic (and is by the same author as the already classic Kaguya-sama) and that only aired one episode a week ago so far. A new season of Demon Slayer started ten days ago and that's the manga with the most per-volume sales ever, surpassing even Dragon Ball. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm talking about things that happened within the past two weeks alone.
Funny, I thought I'd previously only heard that from an anime series (Demon Slayer). But since I watched every episode of QI I must've heard it there too. Maybe it was just the repeat mention that stuck. In any case I won't give too much credit to something I've heard on QI and/or Demon Slayer. It is a neat, somewhat poetic, idea though.
Yup. FMA: Brotherhood just hits the classic hero tropes and tells it to you straight.
I don't think its a bad thing. The Hero's Journey / Monomyth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey) has been told again and again in almost all media across all cultures.
Its just a storytelling style that's somehow got permanent, widespread appeal. Since its a "familiar story", I definitely think it plays to the advantage as a "starter anime". It gives a sense of familiarity to the audience, especially if they aren't used to anime yet.
Since the Hero's Journey / Monomyth is so popular, of course there's tons of animes that follow that style (and most "starter" animes IMO are a large-scale hero's journey).
Given the shear number of choices: Naruto, FMA, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Bleach, Dragonball Z, Soul Eater, Sailor Moon, etc. etc... there's a lot to choose from. FMA: Brotherhood just so happens to be the one I think is best.
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I'm mean... we're into what? The 14 year of Marvel movies following the Monomyth formula? This Monomyth / Hero's Journey is hardly unique to anime. The few other mainstream shows that come out with widespread appeal (John Wick, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc. etc.) are just more of the Hero's Journey formula.
Its not a bad formula, not by any stretch of the imagination.
> Is NGE worth watching for someone who never was really into anime?
Maybe? NGE is not very representative of anime in general. Its definitely its own creature.
These days, "anime" lovers like "That Time I was Reincarnated as a Slime", "Naruto", "My Hero Academia", or "Demon Slayer". And back then, this "style" was carried by Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z.
You know: powerful hero collects a bunch of things and saves the world kind of plot. None of these shows are anything like NGE. I'd say people who like NGE will probably not like Demon Slayer, and vice versa.
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NGE is an existential mecha-pilot anime about depression, being forced into a losing battle with powers you don't understand. If you feel like dragging yourself through 26 episodes of that, yeah, go ahead.
But this ain't the happy-go-lucky overpowered main character always wins kinda show that's popular by 2020 standards. That's for sure.
Don't get me wrong, I like both style of shows (!!!), and both have their place. But "anime" is so diverse that you really can't compare this story with other great anime stories.
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That being said, I'd say the perfect "starter anime" is "Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood". This show has a lot of the crazy fights you'd see in some of the more battle-oriented anime, but also has some deeper self-introspection that was more common to 90s era anime.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood hits a lot of themes and concepts that seem universal, that many people both anime-fans and non-anime fans can enjoy.
EDIT: In particular, the main character: Edward Elric, may be a kid but he grows up through the show and becomes a hero. Not your typical "anime superpower" growth (Naruto/Demon Slayer / Dragonball Z)... but instead actual outlook on life and maturity kind of growth. Yes, its a hero's journey but there's a reason this story is told over and over again, its a classic epic tale setup with widespread appeal.
What's exceptional is that Edward Elric is a mostly mature character even from episode 1. So starting from a largely mature character and seeing him grow even more is quite spectacular honestly. FMA just does the hero's tale extremely well, far better than most typical anime... with a few deconstructive bits thrown in here and there.
NGE is almost a self-loathing kind of story that makes you feel pitiful. Its good at it too, but I don't think it'd be popular or mainstream. NGE is really out there and goes 100% for whatever depressing feeling its trying to drag you into. I really don't think its something I'd typically share (despite its widespread acclaim, it really is a niche-storyline IMO that few people would enjoy).
EDIT: In contrast: FMA does have a couple of self-loathing parts (The early "Tucker" arc is especially a horrific ordeal), but never quite to the degree that NGE ever gets to. Its still horrific what happens in FMA: Brotherhood, but you never really lose hope in Edward Elric. You can root for the hero from the beginning and never lose faith.
In contrast, NGE absolutely expects you to lose faith in Shinji Ikari, his father, and the entire set of humans involved in the plot. These are not good people. You're watching a train-wreck in slow motion. This is very unusual, even by anime standards.
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Lets put this in terms of WW2 movies. There's lots of WW2 movies: like "Downfall / Der Untergang" and "Midway". Both have their benefits, both are WW2 movies.
But "Downfall / Der Untergang" is simply going to be more niche because the depressing stories are just less popular than the mainstream happy / boom boom fighting movies (like Midway).
If you were trying to get people into WW2 movies, would you start them on "Downfall / Der Untergang" ?? Probably not. Similarly, I wouldn't recommend NGE to a beginner anime watcher... I'd start you on something happier and more mainstream.