This is why the smart heroes/villians/adventurers avoid the calling out attack thing. I think there might be a connection I can point out there about it tying into the story quality or something about me always having preferred cartoons/comics over anime/manga but I’ve never been good at coming up with that sort of thing.
I always figured the true purpose of that was to let your allies know what’s going on so that they can make their own plans accordingly. Yeah, your opponent gets to hear what you said but hopefully they don’t know you like your allies do and in any event it’s more important to coordinate with them then to baffle the enemy.
The other theory bouncing around in my mind is that the called attacks are actually passwords. You don’t want your attack powers going off by accident so setting it up so that only a certain phrase allows you to activate them keeps everyone around you safe and allows you normal human interaction. 🙂
I’ve settled on that its really about exposition to the fourth wall to let the audience or reader know what is or is about to happen, setting up expectations, infusing uniqueness into the action, and partially to burn screen time to help draw out the battle from ending too fast.
In some ways its also about marketing. It helps when all the fans are on the same page as what to call that one cool attack move.
Of course, none of that stops it from being good parody material, and deservedly so.
As long as new children are born into this world, they will learn this and always shall. The important part is not to let that small child with you be smothered by the adult. Now raise your chosen focus high and say this three word phrase: “Childhood Nostalgic Recollection!!” (magic lights and sounds abound)
Well, when you drive your car you do shout out “Turn Signal!” and “Gear shift!” and “Gas Pedal” when you use them, don’t you? I mean I assume everyone does that, right?
Now that the Battle for St. Charlie had broken out (however temporarily), I find myself wondering if this page http://skin-horse.com/comic/wait-to-meet-2/ was purely a gag or a suggestion that a certain Chekov’s gun might yet be fired…
But, how it is, we’re nearing the endgame – for to end yet again (and other fizzles), so as the story was told we begun with happy days then catastrophe, come and go, accumulating the lost ones and meeting the unnamable, and found and named it’s the end, or the beginning for human wishes to come true, or neither, or not I can tell, what where…
(my apologies for the em dash, it should actually be a comma, and the ellipsis should be a full point, but it wouldn’t manage readability, if it’s somehow of importance as is)
You know, I’m wondering how Anasigma is excluded from the reality blindess effect? Because, if Tip infiltrates them, finds whatever is doing it, and then goes, “What does this button do?” and then Mr Green and the rest of Anasigma suddenly aren’t excluded from it …?
Very clever of her. It’s like using the wrong turn signal when you’re trying to shake a tail. People are so used to the convention that even someone on alert for you to deceive them will be surprised by it.
She frees herself from Ira’s bonds. The bodyguard’s weapons are drawn. An anti-freeze shield gets a flamethrower yield. But she calls the weapons all wrong.
So…
This is NOT about today’s strip.
It is about “The Dire Days of Willoweep Manor”
Purchased it on Kindle.
I found it impossible to read on my device, as the screen size was just too small.
However, there is a PC app for kindle, and I was able to read it there. 🙂 (Yay me for figuring it out.)
It’s a great book, I loved it, I’ll give it a 5 out of 5 stars.
Just, er, don’t read it on Kindle. On your PC or in hard cover, yes.
Wow! What sort of mad scientist did it take to invent those things?
I mean, a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, they never invented “paper” and “writing”. Just datapads.
*grin*
Even MORE amazing is this thing called a “newspaper”. A portable one-to-many distributed database requiring no batteries yet supporting WYSIWYG text and graphics (some in FULL COLOR) in a flexible display that can not only be viewed in full sunlight without washing out but actually separated into sections to be shared between multiple users or even clipped into snippets for archival purposes!
Did that idea come to you in a dream? Someone should really endeavor to produce such a thing. With a little effort, we could render the internet almost obsolete!
But to counter whoever corrected you, Despicable Me 2 is, in point of fact, a “Minions movie”, since it features the Minions. And the movies with “Minions” in the title are actually a part of the “Despicable Me” franchise.
Maybe because underneath all that brilliant plotting and planning lurks a complete idiot.
But incidentally, Duane, the cure works on Mads and Mundanes alike. It turns Mads normal, and turns Mundanes even more normal. So Ira wouldn’t have to be Mad (and he isn’t) for it to work on him.
WHAT A GOOD INTERACTION! I can’t believe I’ve never seen this subversion of the trope, what a great idea to cheat and call the wrong thing!!! (This sounds sarcastic, but I am genuinely and truly charmed!)
Is this a reference to the bad original English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics? In the PSX version of the game the Blaze gun shot ice and the Blizzard gun shot fire
I love this so much. Especially how pleased with herself she looks in panel 3.
Yeah, the whole strip looks great, but panel 3 is my favourite too.
Oh no, it’s him. The shoe guy.
How can I Counterspell if you don’t call out the right spell?!
Is that Echo Bravo? He’s recovered nicely.
Marvelous! Hooray for Ruby! It just makes sense any attempt to shut her down would trigger battle mode.
And I just love how dynamic each panel is! I’m reminded of Adam West’s deathtrap escapes on “Batman”.
Extirpation ray!
This is why the smart heroes/villians/adventurers avoid the calling out attack thing. I think there might be a connection I can point out there about it tying into the story quality or something about me always having preferred cartoons/comics over anime/manga but I’ve never been good at coming up with that sort of thing.
I always figured the true purpose of that was to let your allies know what’s going on so that they can make their own plans accordingly. Yeah, your opponent gets to hear what you said but hopefully they don’t know you like your allies do and in any event it’s more important to coordinate with them then to baffle the enemy.
The other theory bouncing around in my mind is that the called attacks are actually passwords. You don’t want your attack powers going off by accident so setting it up so that only a certain phrase allows you to activate them keeps everyone around you safe and allows you normal human interaction. 🙂
Towering Barbarian, I’m in your camp! 😉
The only problem I can see with the password concept is laryngitis…
I’ve settled on that its really about exposition to the fourth wall to let the audience or reader know what is or is about to happen, setting up expectations, infusing uniqueness into the action, and partially to burn screen time to help draw out the battle from ending too fast.
In some ways its also about marketing. It helps when all the fans are on the same page as what to call that one cool attack move.
Of course, none of that stops it from being good parody material, and deservedly so.
I’m in your camp, Jerry A. How will the children acting out these characters & situations know what to shout? Please tell me children still do that…
As long as new children are born into this world, they will learn this and always shall. The important part is not to let that small child with you be smothered by the adult. Now raise your chosen focus high and say this three word phrase: “Childhood Nostalgic Recollection!!” (magic lights and sounds abound)
I prefer to shout “Leg sweep!”
Well, when you drive your car you do shout out “Turn Signal!” and “Gear shift!” and “Gas Pedal” when you use them, don’t you? I mean I assume everyone does that, right?
That’s for the Driving Instructor. It’s like “Form Blazing Sword!”, the head pilot says it, but its the arm pilots that do it 😉
Jerry, you’re probably right. But that’s just too pragmatic and realistic for my tastes!
And then there is Usop…
Quick! Hide behind the FWOOSH sound effect! It’s fireproof.
Fireproof Wall Of Oxygen SHield. Indubitably.
Gomu gomu no misdirection!
Is that an anime title?
Butchered anime attack name~
Unless you call Misdirection!
Now that the Battle for St. Charlie had broken out (however temporarily), I find myself wondering if this page http://skin-horse.com/comic/wait-to-meet-2/ was purely a gag or a suggestion that a certain Chekov’s gun might yet be fired…
Eek! That is a very disturbing thought!
(Of course, given the name, it’s also plausible that we will just keep on waiting for them to show up.)
That would be Absurd! ^_~
But, how it is, we’re nearing the endgame – for to end yet again (and other fizzles), so as the story was told we begun with happy days then catastrophe, come and go, accumulating the lost ones and meeting the unnamable, and found and named it’s the end, or the beginning for human wishes to come true, or neither, or not I can tell, what where…
(my apologies for the em dash, it should actually be a comma, and the ellipsis should be a full point, but it wouldn’t manage readability, if it’s somehow of importance as is)
I love this whole strip
Oh I like her, she is *clever*. 🙂
Ruby’s good, but I’m worried it won’t be enough. Also I appreciate that she was savvy enough to pull that trick.
You know, I’m wondering how Anasigma is excluded from the reality blindess effect? Because, if Tip infiltrates them, finds whatever is doing it, and then goes, “What does this button do?” and then Mr Green and the rest of Anasigma suddenly aren’t excluded from it …?
Well, it could be amusing.
Very clever of her. It’s like using the wrong turn signal when you’re trying to shake a tail. People are so used to the convention that even someone on alert for you to deceive them will be surprised by it.
She frees herself from Ira’s bonds. The bodyguard’s weapons are drawn. An anti-freeze shield gets a flamethrower yield. But she calls the weapons all wrong.
So…
This is NOT about today’s strip.
It is about “The Dire Days of Willoweep Manor”
Purchased it on Kindle.
I found it impossible to read on my device, as the screen size was just too small.
However, there is a PC app for kindle, and I was able to read it there. 🙂 (Yay me for figuring it out.)
It’s a great book, I loved it, I’ll give it a 5 out of 5 stars.
Just, er, don’t read it on Kindle. On your PC or in hard cover, yes.
There are these things called “books,” paper with printing on it and bound together, which make pretty easy reading in most cases.
Wow! What sort of mad scientist did it take to invent those things?
I mean, a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, they never invented “paper” and “writing”. Just datapads.
*grin*
Even MORE amazing is this thing called a “newspaper”. A portable one-to-many distributed database requiring no batteries yet supporting WYSIWYG text and graphics (some in FULL COLOR) in a flexible display that can not only be viewed in full sunlight without washing out but actually separated into sections to be shared between multiple users or even clipped into snippets for archival purposes!
Did that idea come to you in a dream? Someone should really endeavor to produce such a thing. With a little effort, we could render the internet almost obsolete!
Somebody has been watching the Minions movies.
My apologies to the forum. It has been pointed out that the scene I was referring to was actually in Despicable Me 2.
But to counter whoever corrected you, Despicable Me 2 is, in point of fact, a “Minions movie”, since it features the Minions. And the movies with “Minions” in the title are actually a part of the “Despicable Me” franchise.
This is how to win every fight in anime.
Also, I love the “SHEEN”. Is that an unsound effect?
That’s the sound effect in every movie ever when a sword is withdrawn from its scabbard.
By the way—antifreeze?
I think the cure will work on Mr. Green (who has been a mad genius this whole time)
and all that is left is Ira.
Sorry for the spoiler……
There’s some reason why Ira / Mr. Green pursues this agenda with such vigor. I have no idea what that is.
Maybe because underneath all that brilliant plotting and planning lurks a complete idiot.
But incidentally, Duane, the cure works on Mads and Mundanes alike. It turns Mads normal, and turns Mundanes even more normal. So Ira wouldn’t have to be Mad (and he isn’t) for it to work on him.
WHAT A GOOD INTERACTION! I can’t believe I’ve never seen this subversion of the trope, what a great idea to cheat and call the wrong thing!!! (This sounds sarcastic, but I am genuinely and truly charmed!)
Is this a reference to the bad original English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics? In the PSX version of the game the Blaze gun shot ice and the Blizzard gun shot fire