I really don't know what to think. I personally don't like the main characters outside of breif, but they're still interesting. The show is put together well. There's no law out there that says you have to like the protags to like a show I guess.

style over substance

Before the show came out, I didn't really like the art style to it, one of the reasons why I watch anime in the first place is becuase they actually have good art, compared to cartoons which are usually crude squiggly drawings or overly rough jagged and very basic representations of what may or may not be humans, the caliber of which you might find pined up on the walls in most elementary school classrooms, but I figured that because it was Ginax, this might be a joke on their part or be over shadowed by something unexpectedly awesome in the show.

After finally watching the show, I was a bit disappointed to see that the it really was all in that art style, but figured that if the show was gonna be crammed full of action, that it would warrant such poor art.
After all, more often then not with more anime, the art quality takes an enormous dive when the action picks up.
So at least Panty and Stocking could stay consistent in this regard and perhaps such lower quality also would allow for action sequences the likes of which we've only dreamed of before.. but this didn't really seem to be the case past a few select scenes in the first few eps.

crappy art aside, my real complant with this show is the content.
It's smut!
I dropped this show when it became more about sex then anything else.

I've heard people try to tell me this show is trying to make a statement or make fun of western media, were the cartoons all look crappy like this, and the tv shows are all centered around crap like sex, but from what I can see, this show is promoting such things if anything, and I don't find it funny at all, just disgusting.

The way I saw it,
Shitty art + shitty content + shitty humor = why the hell am I watching this?

A show can have shitty components but still be good because they were executed or composed well.

Anyway, I dropped this series after episode two because the writing was too crass for me. I certainly liked the art style and music, I just couldn't sitting there for 20 minutes being bored though.

I haven't bothered giving it a view yet, but I've far more negative things than positive. If it turns out to be nothing more than toilet and sex jokes I'll drop it..

I haven't watched past episode 2 yet, kinda lost interest.

It can be funny at times, others it's just trying too hard to be funny. It's like gainax is trying to troll the Otaku audience with it. Not one to use troll with things like this due to the kuboshit, but it seems like it as they seem to be making it to be as rage inducing to that audience as possible.

>>19
I have a rule that I stop watchinga show the moment they do poop jokes because in most cases it shows that they have run out of ideas.
Needless to say I dropped it before episode 1 was over.

Aside from the first half of episode 1, I can confidently state that this is my favourite show of the year. Like with Oda and his manga One Piece, you can just tangibly perceive how much the staff is having a blast with it and it makes watching it even more enjoyable. I've watched every episode at least twice and watched the latest 5th episode five times already. And this is the first real instance when the character designs really wowed me. How does Nishigori do it? And man, is the OST ever good.

I see a lot of people hating on the content, labelling it as immature stupid shit but I personally find it easier for me to just sit back and enjoy because the show revels in its immaturity. With other shows (like with several other shows this season I tried), I end up finding it painfully stupid/immature and I literally can't watch more than 10 minutes of it.

But in any case, I don't really care if my Tohnobros despise it or feel meh about the show. I'm just shocked how polarizingly different people's tastes can be. So I hope you're all enjoying whatever you're watching this show.

>>34
Gainax is honestly not trying to troll anybody with this show. Anybody labelling this show as Gainax's big middle finger to moe-obssessed otakus is retarded. This is just what the staff genuinely enjoys doing and I do think it's a shame that so many anime fans are instinctively appalled by this.

gainax have this cult of personality to the point where people circlejerk over each individual animator and director involved. Fans love to pick apart the technical aspects of it rather than seeing the show as a whole. Sounds like otaku pandering to me.

>>71
I agree. Also I believe people to be expecting masterpieces from Gainax every time. Gainax is just an anime making studio.

>>21
You know, I think about this statement "style over substance" to myself from time to time. With something like material goods such as cars, it's a perfectly valid statement since "style/beauty" and "substance/utility" are two main elements that one should consider something before buying. But when it comes to art (I'm using this word in the general sense, I'm not implying that anime is high art or anything) that has no utilitarian purpose, just what is meant by substance?

From my experience, most people seem to think a show with substance means having depth/character development/symbolism or just a provocative theme that makes you think about life or whatever. But I don’t think that’s what substance should exactly mean for art.

Because by the very definition of the word substance, it should refer to any matter that makes up a certain thing. And even though for a t-shirt, this would be something like the fabric, art is usually much more intangible than that. So the “substance” for art should really refer to any element which makes up that art. Following this definition, the elements commonly brushed off as “style” should be on equal footing as “substance.” In short, style can BE substance.

I’m sorry if I rambled on too much and I do apologize if this idea comes off as retarded to you, but I’ve always wondered why people seem to value “substance” over “style” so much in art. I don’t think people should demerit a well executed and fun show like Dead Leaves just because it may not have the thematic complexity as you might find in a show like Planetes.

>>71
What's wrong with people picking out a show's strongest asset and discussing it? Is it bad for Sora no Woto fans to talk about setting and constantly theorize over it? Is it bad for Seto no Hanayome fans to talk about how funny the humour was? Is it bad for P&S fans to talk about how much they liked the art/animation? Not every show can be fantastic in every department.

>>73
>>75
the whole point of art is people using a medium to create something that conveys a message. that 'message' is very abstract and undefinable. If you watch anime, and you feel something, that's the message, or the substance. I think people can generally agree that they've seen some shows or read some books that move them emotionally or mentally or in some sense. Whereas another studio would say "I'm going to beautifully animate this scene to create great sadness/excitement/drama in the context of the story" gainax would say "I'm going to beautifully animate this scene just because I like animating so much" which I feel is rather degenerate and stagnant and misses the point of creating art in the first place.

>>76
I wouldn't so far as to call it a "message" but as you've said, I agree with your comment that "move them emotionally or mentally or in some sense."

Following your very logic, I'd say Gainax is succeeding quite well with P&S because it makes me have a spirited high and fills me with genuine excitement that no other show has come even close to doing this year. I think you're looking at Gainax with much too jaded eyes. I can understand if you don't like the show, but the staff at Gainax can only pull off the "great sadness/excitement/drama in the context of the story" BECAUSE they have a genuine love for their work.

Of course, there is that whole argument that art shouldn't need to serve anyone but satisfy the creator's needs but let's not get into that.

>>77
I'm speaking in general terms. I haven't seen the show. That's just the attitude gainax embodies. Thats why they have pretentious fans, that's why I don't like them. I'm not saying it has no substance at all. It just seems like it's heading in that direction.

Saying "art shouldn't need to serve anyone but satisfy the creator's needs" is stupid, it's basically a get-out-jail-free card for any sort of criticism.

>>78
Yes I know you weren't saying that the show didn't have substance. My main point was that style can be substance so no matter how flashy Gainax makes their future anime, it will still be substantial.

Why does Gainax hate in-between frames?

It makes it a headache to watch their stuff. Even flash tweening would be better.

The first Gainax show I actually enjoy since FLCL.