Let's talk about all things anime here. As a fellow anime lover, I humbly request that, in cases where we need to mention spoilers, we give adequate spoiler warning.
I'll start the discussion with a brief introduction to Attack on Titan, as it seems not mentioned here very often.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fattack-on-titan_zps2ff5f516.jpg&hash=4497f48b8fcdcca78e5364af420330d239eacf13) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/attack-on-titan_zps2ff5f516.jpg.html)
Probably the most talked-about anime show in 2013 that sparked another wave of interest from around the world. Made it to the mainstream media, at least in Hong Kong. During its TV run, I see "Attack on ..." everywhere. Serious, mature, hard-hitting and anyone can die action show that is completely different from typical shonen fair. Humans with Napoleonic level technology face off innumerable human-eating giants who have conquered the world except the last human stronghold. The giants are not interested in communication or diplomacy. The only way to kill a giant is to cut off a large chunk of meat from its neck at the back. For decades, humanity think they can hide forever behind the huge walls. The story begins when a never-before seen super giant knocks down a part of the outermost wall.
I've noticed that many animators appear to be threatened by the female nose.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 25, 2014, 08:45:03 PM
I've noticed that many animators appear to be threatened by the female nose.
That's true, but there are exceptions. See Nico Robin of One Piece and everybody in Vision of Escaflowne. Giving them noses make for a more European and mature look. I guess they want to keep the females cute.
Nico Robin of One Piece
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fnico_robin_zps0bef1e4f.jpg&hash=66bb8de67bfdffa7d2d43c4f8f84044076dfe290) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/nico_robin_zps0bef1e4f.jpg.html)
Hitomi of Escaflowne
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fhitomi-9010_zps2a0ff88c.jpg&hash=c58d8dccc6c274e5230c68ff8fb5457e6d35b46d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/hitomi-9010_zps2a0ff88c.jpg.html)
I'd have given 50/50 odds on the gender of that first "woman".
Quote from: garbon on February 25, 2014, 10:02:29 PM
I'd have given 50/50 odds on the gender of that first "woman".
To remove all doubt :contract:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fnicorobin2_zpsc09f8140.jpg&hash=ea35966a84791cbf5e00bcae149d45a7ba147465) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/nicorobin2_zpsc09f8140.jpg.html)
Isn't Nico a man's name?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 25, 2014, 10:09:20 PM
Isn't Nico a man's name?
In the One Piece universe, last names go first, first names go last. So Nico is her family name. Her given name is Robin.
Quote from: Monoriu on February 25, 2014, 10:07:30 PM
Quote from: garbon on February 25, 2014, 10:02:29 PM
I'd have given 50/50 odds on the gender of that first "woman".
To remove all doubt :contract:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fnicorobin2_zpsc09f8140.jpg&hash=ea35966a84791cbf5e00bcae149d45a7ba147465) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/nicorobin2_zpsc09f8140.jpg.html)
So a man who transitioned?
Quote from: garbon on February 25, 2014, 10:26:40 PM
So a man who transitioned?
:lol:
She is 100% female.
Attack on Titan is on Netflix streaming. I've found it to be enjoyable nightmare-fuel so far. :thumbsup:
Quote from: garbon on February 25, 2014, 10:26:40 PM
So a man who transitioned?
Or possibly a human-giraffe hybrid.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 26, 2014, 12:34:26 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 25, 2014, 10:26:40 PM
So a man who transitioned?
Or possibly a human-giraffe hybrid.
You have no idea what a human-giraffe hybrid means in the One Piece universe :lol: It is a spoiler, so I'll avoid posting it. But you can look it up, there really is one in One Piece.
People in the Titan universe need to build steam mechas that can punch the giants to death.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FClannad-clannad-12799954-1600-1200_zps3efc5d56.jpg&hash=e42b849f1c1d6a78818a834edeaef2c138f419dd) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Clannad-clannad-12799954-1600-1200_zps3efc5d56.jpg.html)
This is a more traditional anime moe girl design, with huge eyes, tiny noses and mouths. They are high school students but look a lot younger than they should be.
The anime is called Clannad, adaptation of a visual novel by Key Visual Arts. That company is famous/notorious for making content specifically designed to make people cry. They are singlehandedly responsible for increasing tissue consumption around the world by some percentage points. Clannad is probably their most successful attempt. It may look like a harem series with a single male lead helping a whole bunch of cute girls with their problems, and a lot of these girls fall for him. But underneath the harem facade, there is a very emotional story with no fanservice. I honestly had trouble sleeping after seeing the offending episodes. Frequently voted as the anime with the saddest scenes ever.
After seeing it mentioned in the other thread I've half arsedly started watching nobunas ambition.
Tis odd. Like a mash up of a high school harem comedy with a tsunsere primary and the standard sengoku story. They make a lot of mention of the nobunagas ambition game. Is there a link between the developers of the two? Seems odd they could do this otherwise
Quote from: Tyr on February 26, 2014, 04:42:03 AM
After seeing it mentioned in the other thread I've half arsedly started watching nobunas ambition.
Tis odd. Like a mash up of a high school harem comedy with a tsunsere primary and the standard sengoku story. They make a lot of mention of the nobunagas ambition game. Is there a link between the developers of the two? Seems odd they could do this otherwise
No, KOEI, the developer of the Nobunaga's Ambition Game, is not involved. Nobunaga's Ambition is extremely popular and well-known (I've played almost every incarnation) that it is the gold standard in Sengoku era strategy gaming. So the anime makes a lot of lightly-veiled references to the game.
I like the anime very much. The harem antics aside, I like how the protagonist try to dig up the hidden softer side in Nobuna in order to change history for the better. Good mix of serious historical events, battles and light-hearted comedy. The animation is also pretty well done. There seems at least an above average budget there.
Too bad it is unlikely that we'll get a second season. There should be 10 light novels, and the anime has only used four novels so far. There is even a teaser at the end. But I read somewhere that poor disc sales mean the investors are unwilling to put money on a second season.
To do something to raise the tone of this thread, i've decided to periodically do anime spotlights on worthier titles.
The first I'll be talking about is Saraiya Goyou/ House of Five Leaves. I'll avoid elitist terminology and try to stick to plain English.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffrikadasmil.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fsarai-ya-goyou-01-large-35.jpg&hash=f8e770f0e0334c8f33240614469034e094a73d7d)
Saraiya Goyou is a story that centers on a Ronin and his underworld connections sometime in 17th-18th century Tokyo. The art is distinctive and can be a bit offputting at first, but it is expressive and fits the tone of the story. Also unique and well utilized is the music; the soundtrack throughout the episodes has relaxed European influences that create an odd, cosmopolitan feel.
At twelve episodes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Although plenty of story and background for the principle cast is present, the story manages to feel very slow paced; it has a lazy atmosphere that draws you in. It is primarily a character drama. The characters circumstances, how they relate to each other, and the setting they inhabit are the principal draw. Fanservice in either the form of erotic pandering, low-hanging humor or action is more or less entirely absent.
I know I'm late to the party, but I'm loving Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It does everything good serious sci-fi does.
And now for something a little different. My anime taste is quite mainstream. I usually stick to the popular stuff. Scrapped Princess is less known.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FScrapped_Princess_14_zpsfabee1b0.jpg&hash=aeccf73fa42ea1dc865bc1796b5e8a8a797e6754) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Scrapped_Princess_14_zpsfabee1b0.jpg.html)
I have no idea why this isn't more popular. The story is about a princess who is abandoned by her family and hunted by the whole world. There is a prophecy since the day she was born that she will destroy the world. The story is about her, with the help of her adopted siblings and other allies, attempts to escape her hunters and to unearth the conspiracy behind. Having watched the show, my impression is that no sane human being can guess the true motive for hunting her. The plot is intriguing, the artwork puts a lot of popular shows to shame, there is an effective series of emotional punches that leave a lasting impression, and the voice work of the three leads is amazing (Fumiko Orikasa, Shin-ichiro Miki, Sayaka Ohara).
Their noses have been replaced with moles.
Quote from: Monoriu on February 26, 2014, 08:36:48 PM
I have no idea why this isn't more popular. The story is about a princess who is abandoned by her family and hunted by the whole world. There is a prophecy since the day she was born that she will destroy the world. The story is about her, with the help of her adopted siblings and other allies, attempts to escape her hunters and to unearth the conspiracy behind. Having watched the show, my impression is that no sane human being can guess the true motive for hunting her. The plot is intriguing, the artwork puts a lot of popular shows to shame, there is an effective series of emotional punches that leave a lasting impression, and the voice work of the three leads is amazing (Fumiko Orikasa, Shin-ichiro Miki, Sayaka Ohara).
My anime club in university watched this back in the day and we all loved it.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 26, 2014, 08:41:18 PM
Their noses have been replaced with moles.
I once had the same problem. I have now gotten used to it. I am watching Vision of Escaflowne now and *everybody* has normal noses. I know I shouldn't be, but the normal noses (see Hitomi above) actually bother me a bit :lol:
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 26, 2014, 08:46:42 PM
My anime club in university watched this back in the day and we all loved it.
Anything else that your club watched and liked?
The Rurouni Kenshin OVA (original video animation - basically the anime version of a direct to dvd movie) Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal is one of the things we liked the best.
Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jyTf1ZU0vI
It was short, four half hour long episodes, basically a self contained movie. It's a prologue, much more serious, realistic and dark than the series it's setting the stage for.
It's about a young boy who is orphaned and sold into slavery. The slave caravan he's with his massacred by bandits and he is saved at the last minute by a wandering swordsman who adopts him. He grows and masters the art and abandons his master in a fit of idealistic teenage fervor to join the revolution against the shogunate. At the age of 13 he becomes an assassin for the Chōshū clan and Katsura Kogorō (later known as Kido Takayoshi) in particular.
A year passes and he becomes traumatized by the experience and eventually falls in love with a mysterious older woman. As one would expect things end rather tragically.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FGwdyslw.jpg&hash=4c28405495fddc793e4a2c1b1c1ff01fe410d082) (http://imgur.com/Gwdyslw)
Yes, I've heard lots of people say good things about the Rurouni Kenshin OVA. The OVA has been sitting in my HDD forever. But my personal rule is that either I don't watch it, or I watch the whole thing. I understand that there are like 100 episodes, a few OVAs and a couple of movies in the entire Rurouni Kenshin universe. I'll get around to do it at some point in the future, but it will take years before I get there. Just grabbing all the episodes and the subtitle files is probably a mini-project of its own.
Trust and Betrayal is completely self contained, you don't have to know anything about the rest of the series to understand and enjoy it. Frankly it's much better than the anime and other OVA. If you want to know more about Kenshin after watching it, read the manga.
I am working on Naruto now. 570+ episodes, plus 9 movies and about the same number of OVAs. I watched the 332nd episode last night, and my pace is 4 episodes per week. Since the anime is ongoing and they broadcast 1 episode a week (usually), that means I am catching up at a pace of 3 episodes per week. At the current rate, it'll take me 80 weeks just to catch up :lol:
All the best shows nowadays do like 13 episodes a year. Because having a huge team of writers and rushing content are not a good way to maintain quality. :thumbsdown:
Quote from: Monoriu on February 26, 2014, 09:47:44 PM
I am working on Naruto now. 570+ episodes, plus 9 movies and about the same number of OVAs. I watched the 332nd episode last night, and my pace is 4 episodes per week. Since the anime is ongoing and they broadcast 1 episode a week (usually), that means I am catching up at a pace of 3 episodes per week. At the current rate, it'll take me 80 weeks just to catch up :lol:
Why would you do that? Naruto and big series like that have so many shitty filer episodes because they keep catching up to the manga. If you like Naruto, or Bleach or One Piece read the manga.
Anyways, here's another show my club loved. The OVA for
Read or Die. It is also four episodes and two hours.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI2lftWJIpw
This focuses on Yomiko Readman, AKA the Paper, an agent for the British Library Secret service. She's basically a mutant who can manipulate paper into any shape and make it stronger than steel. She and her compatriots end up fighting an evil organization that [spoiler]Clones famous geniuses from history and genetically engineers them to have super powers. Their end goal is to transmit Beethoven secret suicide symphony to the world and cause everyone to kill themselves.[/spoiler]
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ea-wannabe.com%2Fdvd%2Frod_ova_1_cover.jpg&hash=9dc8159c592b3154f1026eec1a3b88d7461e2b2f)
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 26, 2014, 09:56:09 PM
All the best shows nowadays do like 13 episodes a year. Because having a huge team of writers and rushing content are not a good way to maintain quality. :thumbsdown:
Yeah, 1-2 seasons is the way to go. Lower financial committment for investors and faster pace for viewers. Very few shows are multi-season now, and those typically suffer from snail pace (One Piece) or too much filler (Naruto).
I've seen some shows that "cheat"* and only do 10 episodes (Fate/kaleid liner) :lol: Well, I don't mind. That's much better than adding filler, doing summary episodes, slowing down the pace or other tricks to drag it out to 13.
*for those who don't know, there are supposed to be 4 anime seasons every year. Each season supposedly has 12/13 episodes. So 10 episodes is not enough to fill the assigned timeslot.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 26, 2014, 10:15:14 PM
Why would you do that? Naruto and big series like that have so many shitty filer episodes because they keep catching up to the manga. If you like Naruto, or Bleach or One Piece read the manga.
I've tried to read manga, but for some reason I am just not into the format. I am pretty much anime only.
I have done all the 600+ episodes, and all the OVAs and movies for One Piece. It is actually pretty enjoyable overall, despite the slow pace. There are ups and downs in such a big series. The best arcs (Alabasta, Water 7, Paramount War etc) are outstanding. One Piece doesn't have a lot of filler. They've made a decision to do 1 manga chapter per episode, so they won't catch up. Naruto is riddled with filler, but not every filler episode is total crap. Some are, some are not. The non-filler episodes are very good, generally.
Bleach is 300+ episodes, and they have stopped doing the anime. It is sitting in my HDD. I'll do it after Naruto :ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on February 26, 2014, 08:36:48 PM
And now for something a little different. My anime taste is quite mainstream. I usually stick to the popular stuff. Scrapped Princess is less known.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FScrapped_Princess_14_zpsfabee1b0.jpg&hash=aeccf73fa42ea1dc865bc1796b5e8a8a797e6754) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Scrapped_Princess_14_zpsfabee1b0.jpg.html)
I have no idea why this isn't more popular. The story is about a princess who is abandoned by her family and hunted by the whole world. There is a prophecy since the day she was born that she will destroy the world. The story is about her, with the help of her adopted siblings and other allies, attempts to escape her hunters and to unearth the conspiracy behind. Having watched the show, my impression is that no sane human being can guess the true motive for hunting her. The plot is intriguing, the artwork puts a lot of popular shows to shame, there is an effective series of emotional punches that leave a lasting impression, and the voice work of the three leads is amazing (Fumiko Orikasa, Shin-ichiro Miki, Sayaka Ohara).
Seconded. One of the better series on my anime shelves, and one where the strange mixture of names and references is actually meaningful ("Dustvin" :D.)
I'd be interested in learning more of its production history; it's structured more like a 13 episode/45minute series than a 26 episode/23 minute series. As a viewer it looks as if broadcast slot plans changed at the last minute.
The Manga, however, is terrible.
Aria is a confusing name in anime. "Aria the Scarlet Ammo" exists as a standalone series with no ties to anything else with Aria in the name;
Aria the Animation, Aria the Natural, and Aria the Origination, are three sequential series in the same continuity- effectively one story.
The story is primarily a setting; Neo-Venezia, a vacation spot on the terraformed planet of Mars.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fjo09f1p5lBc%2Fhqdefault.jpg&hash=3d5dc038add4cbc180a8b8d6e1e1166c805e50f5)
The story is very low-impact, peaceful and free of conflict, and is persistently optimistic and infectiously happy in its outlook, encouraging the viewer to use Neo-Venezia as a sort of funhouse mirror through which we can see our own lives more happily than we did before.
The protagonist is a tour-guide in training; a career introducing the city to visitors is a backdrop by which it is introduced to us. The music is some of the best to be found in Anime, while the technical quality of the animation and illustration increases markedly with each installment of the series. (Having multiple issues in the first series with being off-model and lackluster in general.)
As the series matures, its ever-present subthemes about the passage of time become more personal, and evolve into an understated but powerful message about transience.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pageresource.com%2Fwallpapers%2Fwallpaper%2Fcartoon-store-aria-the-animation_483626.jpg&hash=08327b021f01588e8a46b53932b6f9871d22fe2e)
Lettow, the stuff you post is really an eye-opener to me. I've never heard of the anime shows that you mentioned. Very interesting.
Black Lagoon(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQUNgqW3.jpg&hash=43a44794626ef3090014cb7f2a6055d27828ddc5) (http://imgur.com/QUNgqW3)
A classic tale of organized crime, piracy and foul mouthed homicidal crazy women set in Thailand in the early 90s.
Rock, a young Monoesque salary-man is kidnapped. His corporation sends mercenaries to kill him and everyone involved because he has information on their sale of nuclear secrets to a rouge state. His quick thinking allows them to turn the table on the pursers and come out victorious. At the end, even though he has a chance to go back to his company and old life, he turns his back on the society that betrayed him and decides to stay with the Black Lagoon company.
The interaction between the idealistic straight man Rock and the nihilistic Revy is the key to the show. Revy is around 20, half Chinese and grew up in ghetto in NYC. She's an unstoppable killing machine.
Quote"Rock, if you think about it, other than this, what do we really value in life? God? Love? Don't make me laugh. When I was a brat, crawling around in that shithole city, it seemed God and Love were always sold out when I went looking. Before I knew better, I clung to God and prayed to Him every single night — yeah, I believed in God right up until that night the cops beat the hell out of me for no reason at all. All they saw when they looked at me was another little ghetto rat. With no power and no God, what's left for a poor little Chinese bitch to rely on? It's money, of course, and guns. Fuckin' A. With these two things, the world's a great place."
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FdZ78Jk9.png&hash=e7b3145df0afaaa444bffabdf542712a44042f7d) (http://imgur.com/dZ78Jk9)
With two prominent exceptions, Dutch the Captain of the Lagoon Company and Mr. Chang the local boss of the Triads, this anime features a huge cast of female badasses, most prominent among the a former Spetsnaz officer who fought in Afghanistan that runs the Russian mafia, a nun that deals drugs and guns, and a "maid" that was a former FARC assassin.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FDW4rzgD.jpg&hash=ff3ecd6b242c144ead1298d34b2d244c9c419265) (http://imgur.com/DW4rzgD)
Unlike most animes, it has a pretty good dub. Here's episode one.
http://animewaffles.tv/Android-Black-Lagoon-Episode-1-English-Dubbed-16165
If you prefer subtitles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vrfcSKTptE
EDIT: Some good cosplay as well
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fl5qZLZZ.jpg&hash=76074a458c60329c9065e2ae74130e77a7b99cd1) (http://imgur.com/l5qZLZZ)
Have you ever gotten a boner watching anime Mono?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 27, 2014, 08:43:43 PM
Have you ever gotten a boner watching anime Mono?
Hmm, I do watch porn, and some of the porn is in anime format, if that is what you are asking. There is a pretty clear line between h-anime and mainstream anime though. When I watch mainstream anime, I don't go for the fanservice. Shows that are filled to the brim with fanservice tend to be boring ones, but there are exceptions to this rule.
This reminds me of a story. Some Japanese voice actresses are mainstream anime only. Some do h-anime only. Some do both. The ones who do both almost always use alternative names for their h-roles. The Japanese are quite conservative about this, and the voice actresses are not supposed to do both genres.
A reporter asked a mainstream voice actress about her most memorable role. Her answer is an h-anime character :sleep:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FThe-Disappearance-of-Haruhi-Suzumiya_zpsf4a0f9d9.jpg&hash=8c45b0abe198b001cbb52092075ce6b13886ca91) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/The-Disappearance-of-Haruhi-Suzumiya_zpsf4a0f9d9.jpg.html)
Pictured above, the 5 main characters of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
The anime show is one of the most popular ones in the 00s, and has a huge international following. Amazing achievement considering that there are only 28 episodes and 1 movie. Japanese high school adventure at its wildest and whackiest. How whacky? In its first broadcast run, they broadcast the episodes out of order, just to tell the audience how crazy the show is. The premise seems boring: 5 characters form a social club and do crazy things together. But it works. Very entertaining, very surprising, and very funny at times. It has to be seen to be believed. The movie, Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, is a continuation and is even better than the TV series. A true emotional roller-coaster.
Legendary production quality. This is the show that made Kyoto Animation Studio's name. Star-making roles for two major seiyuus, Aya Hirano and Tomokazu Sugita.
One word of warning though. I always watch every episode of an anime show, including fillers. I did the same for this series, and I immensely regretted that decision. Seriously, this is the only show where it is not advisable to watch every episode, even though there are only 28 of them. You'll know what I mean when you get there. Just...go to the end for the sake of sanity.
Explanation and spoiler below.
[spoiler]
8 of the episodes are almost identical. They share nearly the same dialogue, the same scenes, the same plot. Granted, they are animated from scratch and all the lines are re-recorded each time. So you have characters doing the same thing, speaking the same lines but wearing differnet clothing, and the camera is from a different angle in those 8 episodes. It is a trap for the audience, just to tell them how far they are willing to go in this crazy show. Yes, it caused a huge uproar during its broadcast run and fans almost revolted. One of the reasons why no sequels are made for this otherwise immensely popular show. If you are new to this series, just watch the 2nd (yes, the 2nd one, not the first) and the last episode in that arc. That's more than enough. [/spoiler]
That's a terrible description of what The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is all about.
Kyon is a regular apathetic high school student who gets roped into the SOS brigade by it's eccentric founder, Haruhi Suzumiya. She's obsessed with finding aliens, time travelers and ESPers. Kyon is stunned to discover that unbeknownst to Haruhi that every other member of the club is one of those things. It turns out that Haruhi is a [spoiler]reality warper, a self-actualized god who has subconsciously brought these thing into being throughout the world and the universe through her own desires for a less banal existence. The mission of Kyon and the rest of the club members it to keep her in the dark about her abilities and keep her amused, else if she gets too depressed she may totally rewrite reality in a fit of pique. The eight episodes you were talking about, while it did go on too long, was a time loop caused by Haruhi. [/spoiler]
The first season is definitely one of the greatest animes of all time.
I love Haruhi Suzumiya. On the surface it seems to be typical fan servicey crap about high school kids. But its actually a pretty awesome and deep science fictiony story.
And yeah. Endless Eight went on way too long. What the hell? They even re-animated most of it too so they didn't save on production...
I really hope that some day the producers speak up on whether they were intending to troll there. I'd love to read more on the reaction at the time.
Which order do you watch it in? Which is best? I stuck with the as broadcast order and though it was tricky at first it worked out and the choice became clear./
I hope once my Japanese is up to scratch to pick up the books.
My reccommendation-
(The Legend of) Black Heaven
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Down trodden salaryman lives in a shitty small apartment out in western Tokyo with his wife and young son. In his younger days he had been the lead guitarist of an awesome rock band, but today he just goes to work, goes home, rinse-repeat.
But then in something of a cross between The Last Star Fighter and Macross a bunch of aliens who don't quite understand music recruit him to help fight their war as his guitar playing can power their ultimate weapon.
At first he doesn't understand what is going on and thinks an attractive lady simply wants him to perform somewhere. After each battle he is teleported back to his life. Hijinks ensue as he is caught between the two worlds and eventually comes to realise what is actually happening.
Given Mono has always been Mono I don't think this "Once I had a dream but now I'm nothing" thing is quite him. But I related.
One thing that is interesting about this is the animation. Much of it is in an archaic 1990s style of the type I've not seen for a long while. It was made circa 2000 though so some computer effects do creep in...The animation overall is rather shitty. But the music is great.
I see this thread is an uphill struggle.
Hyouge Mono
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Hyouge Mono is another samurai anime- but it has a very unusual focus that makes it well worth the time. With the narrative situated close to the highest powers in Japan at the time, there is a lot of political discussion, treachery and plotting, but it all plays second fiddle to Tea Ceremony and Aesthetics.
Giving huge spotlight to Sen no Rikyu, the founder of modern tea ceremony, the protagonist is an aesthete Sen no Rikyu's methods have captivated, Furuta Sasuke. The anime displays unbelievable enthusiasm and excitement for porcelain and lacquerware, and the influence they have on Japan. Hyouge Mono is grounded in realism but consistently over the top; the facial reactions of Furuta Sasuke alone are a delight to watch. A central theme is the difficulty in reconciling the obligations and outlook of a warrior to the affectations and aspirations of an aesthete.
In 2014, tea ceremony is an inflexible, rarified and stuffy discipline. Hyouge Mono presents it as a decisive tool of statecraft as well as experimental high art. It gives a fresh look on Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and other big names in Japanese history as well, but it never loses sight of its engrishy undertitle, "Tea for Universe, Tea for Life"
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Recommend osmething that is availble on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or that crunchy roll thing. It can't be depressing. Or stupid.
Quote from: Tyr on February 28, 2014, 08:34:57 PM
Which order do you watch it in? Which is best? I stuck with the as broadcast order and though it was tricky at first it worked out and the choice became clear./
I watched it in chronological order. 28 episodes, then Disappearance.
Hey all Haruhi fans here - They have announced a new anime series: Disappearance of Nagato Yuki! No ETA yet, but that's really good news. No idea if Kyoto Animation will be the studio.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on February 28, 2014, 09:03:53 PM
Recommend osmething that is availble on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or that crunchy roll thing. It can't be depressing. Or stupid.
Of the ones that I have mentioned here: Clannad is a strong contender for *the* most depressing anime show ever. Attack on Titans and Scrapped Princess are nightmare fuel and a tearjerker respectively. Haruhi is generally light-hearted and funny. Most of the time :ph34r:
I don't watch anime via streaming. The files are on my HDD.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on February 28, 2014, 09:03:53 PM
Recommend osmething that is availble on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or that crunchy roll thing. It can't be depressing. Or stupid.
Looking at what's available for "free" on Amazon Prime page at Amazon.com there's a lot of stuff that I've enjoyed, but not a lot of stuff that I'd recommend as someone's opening experience.
The best thing there is probably "
Elfen Lied", but that's almost as depressing as anime gets. Although I note that "
Clannad", which Monoriu recommends but that I've never seen, also appears to be available.
"
Rahxephon" also has a deeply depressing episode, then compounds it with an "
Evangelion Wannabe Mindfuck ending".
If Amazon Prime has the subtitled as well as dubbed versions, the first season of "
Orphen" might be worth a look given the deeply satisfying ending. Unfortunately there's a few dud episodes in the 26. If it's just the dub, forget it.
I'd recommend "
Mahoromatic", except for the fact that what they describe as season 1 is actually season 2 so will make no sense whatsoever to a new viewer. :rolleyes: Plus compared to the Manga the ending both jars and sucks in typical Gainax fashion. :glare: Plus the Manga ending doesn't make the most powerful existence shown in the show appear to be a complete prick the way the anime ending does. :mad:
-------------------------------------
As for the other (complete) stuff on there that I've seen (so feel semi-qualified to comment on.) -
"Tears To Tiara" - beautiful character designs but drawn out and episodic (due to its nature as a game adaptation.) Worth viewing later if a liking for anime is discovered.
"UFO Ultramaiden" & "UFO Ultramaiden Series 2" - funny but very fanservicy with a turn to the serious in season 2 (a very good turn to the serious; season 2 is much better than season 1.) Also worth watching for the interactions of Hydra and Akina that lead to the one composite character in anime that depends for its strength and existence on how antagonistic towards each other the components feel (rather than the more normal "friendship and love" being required.)
"Orphen Series 2" - a terrible sequel best avoided.
"He is my Master" - Occasionally funny but mostly the fetishist end of fanservice. For the curious only (which I was, to my slight shame, at one point.)
"To Love Ru" - a terrible adaptation of a very good source Manga. Occasionally the quality shows through, but it's definitely not a show to start an anime viewing career with.
"Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok" - average but inoffensive. And ends with threads unresolved and on an effective semi-cliffhanger as the anime stops just as the second series of the Manga starts. Very lightweight too.
"
Angel Beats" - almost certainly one of the three most recommended shows in anime circles that's available on Prime. Despite only being 13 episodes I found that it dragged; however, other people consider it one of Japan's recent "masterpieces".
"Destiny of the Shrine Maiden" - avoid. I honest to God cannot believe I watched this dreck.
"This Ugly Yet Beautiful World" - another series with beautiful character design, a decent build-up, likeable characters...and a let-down Gainax ending. Gainax trying too hard for an anniversary show. Still worth watching if you're into anime though.
"Kamisama Dolls" - a surprisingly enjoyable show from a recent season. Might even be worth watching if you're new to anime, especially at only a season's worth. It was one of my favourite shows of recent seasons.
"Taisho Baseball Girls." - the summary on Amazon says it all. Girls trying to do a "boys" activity in the traditional Taisho era. As with the above series, surprisingly enjoyable, albeit quite slow and measured. Probably not a good idea for an introductory show, but worth a look as something a bit different to the "standard" anime fare.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fangelbeats_zps7e3bb737.jpg&hash=20d4f48ca87cf4412ef976a5c00c173fdd2bb0d1) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/angelbeats_zps7e3bb737.jpg.html)
Angel Beats is one of my most favourite anime shows. This is yet another masterpiece based on a Key Visual Arts work, on par with Clannad in terms of quality. Whereas Clannad has 44 episodes plus OVAs, Angel Beats only has 13 episodes plus one OVA, so it is easier to get into.
The entire story takes place in the afterlife. The male protagonist is dead and he meets Yuri, pictured on the right. She and other students are on a mission to fight god and god's representative, Angel (girl on left), in this world. Angel's goal is not immediately apparent, but she is seen alone and is often engaged in battle with all other students.
The story is full of both funny and depressing moments. The show effectively controls my emotions the moment I start watching it. I'll never forget the ending, and I frequently rewatch it. I particularly love three songs in this show: My Soul, Your Beats (opening), Brave Song (ending), and The Most Precious Treasure (insert song for the ending scene, also the best among the three). I hesitate to post the youtube links as they contain massive spoilers. Also superb performance by Kana Hanazawa (as Angel), arguably one of the most popular seiyuus in Japan right now.
I was a bit incredulous to hear these submissions for what constitutes depressing anime, but I thought i'd throw my ring in the hat.
Aoi Bungaku
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Aoi Bungaku, loosely translated to "Evergreen Literature", is actually several series in one, with different creative staff, artistic styles, and source material. Therefore the quality is necessarily uneven, but while not uniform, uncommonly excellent. Each arc is the animation of a piece of Japanese literature, and can make for an excellent entryway for the uninitiated; Forewards and afterwards address the circumstances of the author and his story.
The troubled Osamu Dazai is the flagship of the series; of the twelve episodes, six are given over to his works: No Longer Human, and Run, Melos! The stories are each in their own way interesting, but the directors in some cases clearly felt the challenge to breathe new life into them for a new audience, and took interesting creative liberties.
The stories:
No Longer Human deals with social alienation, rejection and issues of self worth spiraling into self-abuse in many forms. Osamu Dazai was something of a suicide enthusiast, attempting it close to a dozen times before success, and this work is largely biographical. An unsettling and beautiful piece, and (in my opinion) the best Aoi Bungaku has to offer.
in the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom - in the 12th century, a mountain bandit accosts a merchant and steals his beautiful, refined wife; This is the beginning of all his problems.
Kokoro- A complex tale that animation and new direction assists the most. Set in 1914 Japan, it is a busy work that at its heart could be called a love triangle. Of course, there are two sides to every story..
Run, Melos!- An adaptation of ancient greek Legend, Dazai wrote this during his flirtation with the western world and reflections on friendship. Dramatic and excellently told, with a fresh layer of subtext.
Hell Screen!- A great tyrant contracts an artist to immortalize his grandeur, but the artist's conscience gets in the way of creating his propaganda. What he wants to draw instead would certainly cost him his head, so anything he created would necessarily be elegiac in nature.
The Spider's Thread: Buddhist moralism. A wicked man is cast into hell, but finds a flicker of redemption in the one good deed of his life; suffering a spider to rest unmolested in its web. From even one good deed salvation can be found, but the road is fraught with perils entirely of one's own creation.
Quote from: Agelastus on March 01, 2014, 04:34:27 AM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on February 28, 2014, 09:03:53 PM
Recommend osmething that is availble on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or that crunchy roll thing. It can't be depressing. Or stupid.
Looking at what's available for "free" on Amazon Prime page at Amazon.com there's a lot of stuff that I've enjoyed, but not a lot of stuff that I'd recommend as someone's opening experience.
The best thing there is probably "Elfen Lied", but that's almost as depressing as anime gets. Although I note that "Clannad", which Monoriu recommends but that I've never seen, also appears to be available.
"Rahxephon" also has a deeply depressing episode, then compounds it with an "Evangelion Wannabe Mindfuck ending".
If Amazon Prime has the subtitled as well as dubbed versions, the first season of "Orphen" might be worth a look given the deeply satisfying ending. Unfortunately there's a few dud episodes in the 26. If it's just the dub, forget it.
I'd recommend "Mahoromatic", except for the fact that what they describe as season 1 is actually season 2 so will make no sense whatsoever to a new viewer. :rolleyes: Plus compared to the Manga the ending both jars and sucks in typical Gainax fashion. :glare: Plus the Manga ending doesn't make the most powerful existence shown in the show appear to be a complete prick the way the anime ending does. :mad:
-------------------------------------
As for the other (complete) stuff on there that I've seen (so feel semi-qualified to comment on.) -
"Tears To Tiara" - beautiful character designs but drawn out and episodic (due to its nature as a game adaptation.) Worth viewing later if a liking for anime is discovered.
"UFO Ultramaiden" & "UFO Ultramaiden Series 2" - funny but very fanservicy with a turn to the serious in season 2 (a very good turn to the serious; season 2 is much better than season 1.) Also worth watching for the interactions of Hydra and Akina that lead to the one composite character in anime that depends for its strength and existence on how antagonistic towards each other the components feel (rather than the more normal "friendship and love" being required.)
"Orphen Series 2" - a terrible sequel best avoided.
"He is my Master" - Occasionally funny but mostly the fetishist end of fanservice. For the curious only (which I was, to my slight shame, at one point.)
"To Love Ru" - a terrible adaptation of a very good source Manga. Occasionally the quality shows through, but it's definitely not a show to start an anime viewing career with.
"Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok" - average but inoffensive. And ends with threads unresolved and on an effective semi-cliffhanger as the anime stops just as the second series of the Manga starts. Very lightweight too.
"Angel Beats" - almost certainly one of the three most recommended shows in anime circles that's available on Prime. Despite only being 13 episodes I found that it dragged; however, other people consider it one of Japan's recent "masterpieces".
"Destiny of the Shrine Maiden" - avoid. I honest to God cannot believe I watched this dreck.
"This Ugly Yet Beautiful World" - another series with beautiful character design, a decent build-up, likeable characters...and a let-down Gainax ending. Gainax trying too hard for an anniversary show. Still worth watching if you're into anime though.
"Kamisama Dolls" - a surprisingly enjoyable show from a recent season. Might even be worth watching if you're new to anime, especially at only a season's worth. It was one of my favourite shows of recent seasons.
"Taisho Baseball Girls." - the summary on Amazon says it all. Girls trying to do a "boys" activity in the traditional Taisho era. As with the above series, surprisingly enjoyable, albeit quite slow and measured. Probably not a good idea for an introductory show, but worth a look as something a bit different to the "standard" anime fare.
Of this list, I've only completed Angel Beats and Clannad. I don't have the heart to watch Elfen Lied. Only watched a scene here and a scene there. I have nothing against gornfests, but this is clearly one. Viewers should expect (half) nudity, internal organs, and lots and lots of blood. It does its job of presenting a depressing story about little girls cursed with superpowers brilliantly. My stomach turns whenever I *try to* watch this one. Excellent opening song, Lilium, that deserves a place in the anime music hall of fame.
To Love Ru. This is a very fanservice series. (Half) nudity, lots of boobs and like a dozen female characters falling for a nice-guy protagonist harem set-up, etc. I abandoned it after a few episodes, as I watched it primarily for Haruka Tomatsu's performance. I only watched like 4 episodes, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
Never even heard of the others :blush:
BTW, there is a new anime series called Gokukoku no Brynhildr coming up in April 2014. Fans should note that this show is based on a manga by the same author as Elfen Lied. I am going to follow it. From the very limited info that I've read, this one is as depressing as Elfen Lied :ph34r:
Clannad was depressing. I liked it, but it was depressing.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 01, 2014, 07:52:23 AM
Never even heard of the others :blush:
Probably because half the titles have been Americanised; I had to check further into a couple of them to see if they were really the things I'd watched! :)
Even more amusingly, some of them have been renamed subsequent to their original American release; the dreck that I posted that I could not believe I'd watched (or, to be honest bought) has a very different title on the cover of my copy.
Take "UFO Ultramaiden" from the list. That was originally released in the USA as "UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie". The original Japanese title actually translates as "UFO Princess Valkyrie".
And I've just realised I missed a series from my list, precisely because of this rampant renaming. :blush:
"Samurai Girls" - enjoyable fanservice set in a parallel reality Japan with a reasonable amount of plot. Good animation and character design as well. However, once again not a show that I'd recommend as a "first series" for a prospective anime viewer.
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The female lead Misuzu of the show Air, a short but very well known show with 12 episodes, 2 OVA episodes and 1 movie. A trevelling show-man walks the earth in order to continue his family tradition of searching for the "girl in the sky". He thinks he may have found her when he meets the girl above.
The show is once again based on a visual novel developed by Key Visuals Arts, a company that specialises in the art of making people cry. Like Clannad, this is based on the male lead helping various girls with tragic backstories formula, this time without the school setting. Rivers of tears have been shed around the world as a result. The plot is not straightforward by any means and some rewatching maybe necessary to understand it. It is however excellent as a show with extremely emotional and depressing scenes. Considered one of the 4 masterpieces of Key (Clannad, Air, Angel Beats and Kanon).
I also have to mention the opening song, Bird's Poem. The song is commonly considered in Japan to be the "Anthem for Anime", with good reason.
Don't scroll down to see the youtube comments if you don't want to be spoiled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp56vlR-_5A
Aozora (literally, blue sky), insert song for the ending episode. This song plus the "goal" scene tend to have the effect of completely breaking people down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJXEyfyNyac
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Just finished watching Vision of Escaflowne, a 90s mecha classic. Hitomi, an ordinary school girl somehow enters a fantasy world of a medieval setting mixed with mechas and flying fortresses. She must find a way to help her new friends there in the fight against an evil empire, and to go back home. Sometimes described as a "Macross with divination instead of songs".
Two things inspired me to watch it - (1) I am a huge fan of Yoko Kanno, one of the best composers for games/anime music in Japan, and she scored the music for this show and (2) this is the debut role of then 16-year old Maaya Sakamoto as Hitomi. These are related as this was the first time that Sakamoto performed the songs written by Kanno. The two would form a long-lasting relationship from this point on, with Sakamoto being the designated singer for Kanno. I consider Sakamoto as the seiyuu with probably the most gifted voice in the industry. Considering that this is an industry packed with the best female voices in Japan...
The story is decent and it compares well with other mecha shows, though it is not on the same level as, say, Gundam Seed. The visual style feels a bit archaic by now, but the animation quality has withstood the test of time. Nose fetishists should note that almost everybody in this show has proper noses. 26 episodes and 1 movie. There are at least 4 OST CDs released for such a short show.
I honestly have no idea how the subtitle groups sustain themselves. Judging from the credits, subbing an episode requires the efforts of around 5-6 people. Translation, timing, editing, distribution, somehow obtaining a good source of the video from Japan, working with computer file formats, some minor effects (like adding their logos to the videos).
They are fast. They usually get the finished product out within like 4-12 hours of a show airing in Japan. They are dedicated. One subbing group has been doing the One Piece anime for 15 years straight. The folks were probably students 15 years ago and had the time. They are probably married and have full-time jobs by now. They are still doing it, and yes, around 4-6 hours after the show has been aired in Japan. They care. A lot of subbing groups don't just release the episode and be done with it. They fix errors, add notes explaining the Japanese cultural backgrounds to certain terms or the gag used, etc. It is a lot of work. A lot of anime are late night shows, broadcast in 1-2am in the morning, Japanese time. That means those folks have to stay up during the night for release in the morning. The translation quality is generally very good.
And I don't even know why they do it. Some of them do try to make money out of it. Advertisements on their sites. This probably helps a bit, but most of the time they use third party websites for distribution, for both legal and bandwidth reasons. Selling CDs (some people don't have the bandwidth to download a 250GB show like Dragonball). Only works for shows with a huge number of episodes. One group inserts TV advertisements into the video (I avoid them). Donations. No idea how much they get, but I know for certain that I have never donated and will never do so.
Yeah, its weird, doesn't really make logical sense. I guess they have competition amongst themselves and that's why they do it?
American shows get subtitles within minutes of being aired, in multiple languages and all for free. It isn't something exclusive to anime, a lot of people just have a lot of time in their hands and are huge fans of these shows.
I suppose it gives you online street cred to get a lot of downloads of your subtitles.
Any love for Sword Art Online here?
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Based on a best selling light novel in Japan. Technology now allows full immersion into a medieval fantasy style massive online RPG. But a game developer has decided to trap 10,000 players within his creation. He refuses to let the players log out, unless one of them clears all 100 levels of the game and kills the final boss. Death in the game world means death in the real world. The show takes the view point of Kirito (left). He is basically a lone hero who loves doing one-man crusades to solve all his problems.
This is a very serious show with potentially very depressing moments, and people do die for real. Due to the deaths, it has a much more serious tone than other "Trapped in a game world" shows, e.g. Log Horizon. Legendary music composer Yuki Kajiura scored the music (she is my no. 1, Yoko Kanno is no. 2. She also scored the music for shows like Noir, Madoka Magica, Fate Zero, and many other shows). The OST Swordland + Kirito's awesome one-man crusades = win
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byFkvbz2Za0
The show has two arcs. The first arc is, in my opinion, hall of fame material. I still fondly remember the days when I would get up at 6am on Sunday mornings because I couldn't wait any longer to watch it. The story of the second arc is still enjoyable, but I think it is not as good as the first one. 25 episodes plus 1 2-hour TV special (recaps with some new scenes).
2nd season has been announced and will hopefully air within 2014. The most important point is that Miyuki Sawashiro will voice the female lead this time. Haruka Tomatsu as Asuna (girl on the right in the pic) is superb but I have every reason to believe that Sawashiro will be a total win.
Quote from: Kleves on February 26, 2014, 12:31:05 AM
Attack on Titan is on Netflix streaming. I've found it to be enjoyable nightmare-fuel so far. :thumbsup:
Oh shit, I'll get it right now!!!
Ok. Attack on titan is in my list.
Is there any other anime I must see that is in Netflix?
And I mean adult anime, as in adult topics, not childish crap like Trigun or Heaven's lost property.
Spice and the fox was a disappointment too, despite the medieval setting.
Quote from: Siege on March 03, 2014, 10:17:14 AM
Ok. Attack on titan is in my list.
Is there any other anime I must see that is in Netflix?
And I mean adult anime, as in adult topics, not childish crap like Trigun or Heaven's lost property.
Spice and the fox was a disappointment too, despite the medieval setting.
No idea if it is on netflix or not. But for a mature series, Madoka Magica is the best anime show that I've ever seen. I like it even more than Attack on Titan. Despite how it looks, it is definitely not a children's show. Don't be fooled by the official posters. And I suggest that you don't google anything about it. Absolutely no screenshots.
Another one that is really dark is Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Why is rage so common in anime?
Is it a cultural thing? Do Asian people believe rage wins battles?
Episode 1 of Attack on Titan.
Don't they plan the missions before going out?
That scout regiment sucks. You plan before going out. Only talking should be coordination and adjustment, not planning the whole thing.
I just finished episode 1.
Wow. That was incredible.
All the bad impression I got from the beginning, from the opening scenes, was like gone by the end.
Very smart approach to dealing with the perception of safety we have in our lives, and how that safety can be gone in a second.
Also, the civilians' perception of military service, the "why", the reasons civilians think people join the military. I have seen this many times.
Very interesting show.
Quote from: Siege on March 03, 2014, 12:28:19 PM
Why is rage so common in anime?
Is it a cultural thing? Do Asian people believe rage wins battles?
Episode 1 of Attack on Titan.
Don't they plan the missions before going out?
That scout regiment sucks. You plan before going out. Only talking should be coordination and adjustment, not planning the whole thing.
I won't call it rage, but "you'll win if you are more determined/have more willpower than the other guy" is a big romantic theme in a lot of shonen anime fight shows. My theory is that the target audience of anime is often teenagers and young adults, who are relatively powerless against the adults. The idea that determination alone will win fights is probably a big draw.
A test of whether an anime show is mature or not is whether willpower alone will win fights. The mature shows tend to subvert this :ph34r:
Yes, Attack on Titan is one of the best shows in recent memory. Don't forget to grab the OVA as well.
It seems to me that the way we watch anime is different. I get the video and subtitle files and play them from my HDD. Some of you watch them online.
It was really hard for me at first. I once had to grab points on various forums on a daily basis and click like 50 times just to get one file. I had to dig through countless layers of pop-ups only to realise that everything was a lie. Now that I have the tools of the trade, things are easier for me.
1. Sites for getting the BT keys. One Chinese and one English. No bullshit, has to distribute the keys for real and for free. And must have a workable search engine. The English one is nyaa.se. Registration is not required. Won't bother you with the Chinese one. If you have a choice, always pick bdrip over tvrip. A lot of studios fix/enhance the scenes in the blu-ray discs. Also avoids the annoying TV announcements (there is an earthquake in some Japanese prefecture etc).
2. Utorrent 3.3.
3. emule. Let's face it. People are lazy. They only want to watch the short and new shows. Old stuff are hard to get. Monster shows with 500 plus episodes are almost impossible to get. Almost. That's why we need emule. File sharing that allows the sharing of obscure and uncommon content. Not uncommon to wait 3 months for a single file, but it is worth it. There is a search engine in emule. Search for the show you want, wait a few weeks, and it may appear on your HDD. Or not.
4. A search engine for subtitle files. For some reason, probably legal in nature, it is much easier to get Raws, a term that means the original Japanese video without any subtitles or dubbing. A lot of these are even available in 1080p. So the trick is to get the subtitle files to match the video files. I have found such a search engine, but it is Chinese only. So won't bother you.
5. Related to 4, a subtitle editor. The timing of the subtitles and the video often don't sync. Say, a distributor may decide to add a 10 second long whatever at the beginning of the video in his region. Trust me, even a 0.5 second difference puts everything out of sync. I need to fix it myself. It is not that difficult once I get the hang of it. My favourite editor is Aegisub.
6. A decent video player. I use VLC player.
7. An anime forum that doesn't frown on file sharing. Seriously, even with all the tools above, sometimes I just can't get it. The last resort is to go to a forum and beg for the subtitle files. Subtitle files are tiny, like less than 100kb for an episode.
Since I have mentioned Sword Art Online, it is mandatory for me to talk about Accel World as well.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Faccel_world_wallpaper_12-1440x900_zpsf047b4f3.jpg&hash=903516008085f5427af9cf5bb9d3ecdbd4532d8f) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/accel_world_wallpaper_12-1440x900_zpsf047b4f3.jpg.html)
Basically, poor man's Sword Art Online. They are different stories. The only in-universe link is that both nominally take place in the same universe, but Accel World takes place a couple of decades after the events in Sword Art Online. Everything else is different. The real connection between the two is that they are both based on best-selling novels by the same author. Sword Art Online is no.1; Accel World is a distant no. 2.
Unusual in that it has a short, fat male lead (see above). One day, Kuroyukihime (literally, black snow princess) introduced him to the Accel World, where participants can think many times faster than normal. This enables them to cheat in exams etc. To accelerate, users need to use points. The points are obtained by fighting other users in an online game using avaters. Winners gain points; losers lose them. The avatars are determined by the programme and are based on the deepest subconscious desires of the users. The goal of the game is to reach level 10. Players level up by beating others. The highest level so far reached by any player is level 9 (there is a specific reason for that). Kuroyukihime wants to achieve level 10, and the male lead is determined to help her.
Very enjoyable in its own right, though not up to the level of Sword Art Online. A lot of people can't accept the idea of an obese protagonist, even though they mostly fight using avatars. It is a mostly serious show. Not as depressing as Sword Art Online because no one dies for real. The worst that can happen to a user in Accel World is to lose all points. If that happens, the programme will uninstall itself and the user loses all memories of events related to the game.
24 episodes plus 2 OVA episodes. Not sure if there will be a second season. The novels are on-going and they have only adapted a small portion of them into anime.
I just finished Attack on Titan.
Absolutely great.
I gave it 4 stars to the first 15 episodes, but only 3 to the last 10.
The last 10 episodes are not that bad, its just the storyline, from the moment the female titan appears, gets kind of predictable and annoying.
In general, it is a great show. Definitively the best I have seen in very long while.
Sustains:
1- Character development was great. Background stories and flashbacks were worked very well into the storyline.
2- Animation was above and beyond. Color matte was right up my alley.
3- Very deep adult topics, consequences of decision making process, challenges of a high operational tempo for a combat unit.
Improvements:
1- They need to tone down the rage thing. Rage does not wins battles.
2- Love subplot needs better development. I found it very powerful in the first 15 episodes, but it gets diluted by the end. The contrast is noticeable.
3- The female titan was underdeveloped as a character. It seems like the producers ran out of ideas and decided to drop a superpower into the storyline to spice things up.
Overall, great show, original technological developments, and many other great ideas.
The GRR Martin influence was obvious, but that's ok.
The "normal" titans are clearly Miyazaki influenced, but that's ok too.
Do you like the first opening song? I love it. Not a big fan of the second one though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ju9FJNHJc
(it is very loud. Dunno how to desribe it, but it is very rockish or heavy metal or some such)
The title "Attack on Titan" itself is a little odd to a Chinese. When I first look at the kanji, I thought the translation should be "Titans on the attack". "Attack on titan" seems to be the reverse of what it should be. But I just can't believe that it is a simple translation error. There must be a deeper meaning to it. After I've seen the show, I think the translation echos the idea that humans should not wait behind walls to be attacked, but should take the initiative and fight the enemy proactively.
I fastforward through the opening titles.
The cuts are too fast for my taste.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phil-guy.com%2Ffiles%2Fprincess-mononoke-website.png&hash=85fe30e3cd9ab76860558dafc1f43295e940efab)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fth03.deviantart.net%2Ffs71%2FPRE%2Fi%2F2012%2F230%2Ff%2Ff%2Fprincess_mononoke_by_sanguisgelidus-d4velzs.jpg&hash=65c8a4e97f405f48525ae428f9bc651e31cf910f)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffc08.deviantart.net%2Ffs70%2Fi%2F2013%2F103%2F6%2Fa%2Fprincess_mononoke_by_adelenta-d61l8v1.jpg&hash=71b67d7d4defbe7fa841af3ee46fb47a64648eeb)
Quote from: Siege on March 04, 2014, 01:20:55 AM
I fastforward through the opening titles.
The cuts are too fast for my taste.
The two Attack on Titan opening songs are the best selling anime songs in Japan in 2013. I am not a fan of the opening visuals as well, but give the songs a chance.
Have you seen the Attack on Titan OVA Ilse's Journal? Pretty nice. The side-story is canon, not fanservice filler.
I've said it countless times before and I'll say it again: Madoka Magica is even better :contract:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FMadokaMagica_zps511a29a2.jpg&hash=75d3705790fb5a7d41283cbcfd87c780c4d8ef82) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/MadokaMagica_zps511a29a2.jpg.html)
I love the serious, mature and dark shows. But sometimes, I need a break from all the character deaths, end of the world threats, the emotional trauma, and the tragic backstories. I just want a laugh, a light-hearted show with a good plot but without the senseless fanservice and boobs.
This is it, Hataraku Maou-sama, or the Devil is a part-timer.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FHatarakuMaou-sama_zpsff24d7a6.jpg&hash=66dd091d01f5af63eca63c101fc4321393d31fa1) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/HatarakuMaou-sama_zpsff24d7a6.jpg.html)
The burger flipper on the right hand side is Satan. He tried to conquer his fantasy world, but his forces were turned back by the hero (girl on left). Just before his final defeat, Satan escaped to real world Tokyo. He now intends to work his way up the corporate ladder and conquer Japan instead. The hero followed him to Japan, where neither can use their magic. The ordinary human girl in the middle has fallen for Satan. The Satan and hero now try to live ordinary lives, but their past will soon catch up to them.
There was little expectation for this show when it was first aired. But the actually pretty funny moments, awesome fight scenes and interesting characters have made this show the surprise hit of 2013. It frequently squeezed itself into the top anime show charts that are normally dominated by big budget shows.
Little Norse Prince.
Is there a anime movie called "The Submarine Empire"?
That was the Israeli dub, but I have no idea of the original name. This is from the 80s.
Quote from: Siege on March 04, 2014, 03:30:07 AM
Little Norse Prince.
Is there a anime movie called "The Submarine Empire"?
That was the Israeli dub, but I have no idea of the original name. This is from the 80s.
I am just guessing, but do you mean this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silent_Service
During the cold war, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force jointly developed a nuclear submarine with the United States Navy. On its maiden voyage, the captain of the submarine declares the submarine to be an independent state, "Yamato."
The immensely popular Fate series. There are altogether 4 anime series set in this universe. Fate/stay night and Fate/zero are core series. Fate/Kaleid Liner and Carnival Phantasm are spin-offs.
In the Fate universe, there is a holy grail that grants any wish. Every few years/decades, the grail summons 7 magicians, called masters, to fight each other. The winner may ask the grail to grant one wish. Each master will summon a "servant", a living magical warrior who is an historical or mythical figure (say, Achillies), to help with the fight. The setting is the modern real world where a select few wield magic but the general pupulation is unaware of anything magical. The core idea is 7 teams battle it out in whatever way they want.
Fate/Zero
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Ffate-zero-2_zps314cd26d.jpg&hash=a1205c19962da26a054e82f12dcbc311a2547d99) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/fate-zero-2_zps314cd26d.jpg.html)
Fate/Stay Night
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fcit_fate_stay_night_are_you_my_master_zpsd9b7d833.jpg&hash=a9092fca024ed3b256480e24a0be2dbe3936995e) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/cit_fate_stay_night_are_you_my_master_zpsd9b7d833.jpg.html)
Zero and Stay Night depicts the 4th and the 5th holy grail war respectively. Stay night came out 5/6 years before Zero, but Zero is the prequel. A hard decision for a newcomer to the series is which one to watch first, because watching one of them will inevitably spoil the other.
My suggestion is to watch Zero first, simply because it is the better show, and deserve to be watched unspoiled. Zero is based on a light novel by Gen "Urobutcher" Urobuchi, the guy who wrote the script for highly acclaimed Madoka Magica. His nickname should tell you what the tone of the series is. Zero has the better story, better graphics, a much darker tone, and a mostly adult cast. Stay night is good, but Zero is great. Stay night is, while serious overall and can be dark sometimes, relatively light. It has a mostly teenager cast, and has many romance, high school and slice of life moments. Zero is darker than black throughout. And most importantly, Zero is scored by none other than Yuki Kajiura. Ladies and gentlemen, Point Zero -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHPXTnCSzJw
One word about zero. The first episode, which is over 40 minutes long, is a giant info dump. It is very tough for a newcomer to the Fate world, as the bulk of the 14 major characters, the setting, and many other supporting characters are introduced in one go. Don't worry about it. Just go on.
The girl pictured in both photos above is Saber, a servant (not her real name. Saber is a class, like archer, lancer etc. The idea is to hide her real historical identity so that her enemies will not figure out her weaknesses). For some reason she is super-popular in Japan, almost always finishing somewhere in the top 10 in most popular female anime character polls even years after the completion of the anime shows.
Zero has 25 episodes. Stay night has 24, plus one movie. Suggested watching order is Zero - Stay night TV series - Stay night movie - Kaleid Liner - Carnival Phantasm.
My club watched Fate Stay Night and mocked it mercilessly. We especially found Saber's true identity absolutely ludicrous, all of us assuming that she was [spoiler]Joan of Arc rather than...it's too stupid to put in print[/spoiler] I suppose that's something that an Eastern audience wouldn't have any preconceptions about though.
Zero might have been adapted from a novel, but wasn't Fate Stay Night originally adapted from an ero-game?
What's the name?
Fate Zero or Zero Fate, or Fate/Zero?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 04, 2014, 09:06:21 PM
My club watched Fate Stay Night and mocked it mercilessly. We especially found Saber's true identity absolutely ludicrous, all of us assuming that she was. I suppose that's something that an Eastern audience wouldn't have any preconceptions about though.
Zero might have been adapted from a novel, but wasn't Fate Stay Night originally adapted from an ero-game?
Yes, Fate Stay Night was originally an ero-game. It was a stupid idea. Like a lot of Japanese visual novels, the non-porno content was already extremely well-thought out and rich, and could stand on its own. They just had to add some porn into it to get more buyers. The anime took out all the porn stuff and is a clean version with very little fanservice.
Saber's identity is revealed in the first episode of zero. They assumed that viewers had already watched Stay Night. That's when I found out. I personally found it to be a bit of cheating on the part of the writers, but I got over it quickly.
You guys probably found out when Saber screamed the name of...err...her ultimate technique, right? I can't help but laugh when I imagined your clubmates' faces :lol:
Quote from: Siege on March 04, 2014, 09:09:06 PM
What's the name?
Fate Zero or Zero Fate, or Fate/Zero?
I've seen people write it as Fate/Zero or Fate Zero. The former is used more often, I think. No one writes it as Zero Fate.
What's with the fllamethrower coming out of the dude/chick's crotch Mono? :unsure:
The naming can be strange. What does Fate Stay Night mean? Sometimes anime shows sound like they are named by drawing random words from a hat.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 04, 2014, 10:17:36 PM
What's with the fllamethrower coming out of the dude/chick's crotch Mono? :unsure:
Chick :P When Saber uses her ultimate technique, light comes out from her sword and it functions like a wave motion cannon, striking her target from a great distance. Like I said, Saber is super popular and is the main draw of the series. The light makes sure that people will notice her. That's why she is placed so prominently in the poster, at the expense of everybody else.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 04, 2014, 10:25:04 PM
The naming can be strange. What does Fate Stay Night mean? Sometimes anime shows sound like they are named by drawing random words from a hat.
Beats me. Fate is the name of the series, so it is usually written as Fate/Stay Night. I've read a ton of conflicting theories on what Stay Night means. The majority of them agree that the two words need to be understood separately, i.e. don't think what "stay night" means. Think what "stay" represents and what "night" represents. Night is easier to understand because this is a bit like a Harry Potter universe where magic is hidden from the population. So the majority of the fights take place at night to avoid detection. "Stay" is the hardest one. If I remember correctly, it represents Saber's conflicting desires to "stay" in this world (she is an historical figure after all) or to go back to her original world. I am sure there are a million other different interpretations.
My suggestion is not to think too much about it. Zero is easy to understand. Where everything began.
This discussion about fate/stay night overlooks that its primary form is a visual novel PC game.
Fate/Stay Night, itself a fine story with a huge fanbase, was given such a poor rendering in anime that most fans of the fate series won't recognize its existence.
(Tsukihime, in the same multiverse by the same people, has the exact same situation, and Tsukihime is also drawn upon heavily for Carnivale Phantasm, a sort of parody show Monoriu mentioned.)
Fate/Zero, a prequel to Fate/Stay Night, was done wonderful justice as an anime and thus is the best anime associated with the franchise. Ilya's magical girl spinoff is an unrelated, non-canon spinoff, which is very adorable but expects an understanding of the fate franchise and the tropes of magical girl shows from its audience.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 05, 2014, 12:39:30 AM
This discussion about fate/stay night overlooks that its primary form is a visual novel PC game.
Fate/Stay Night, itself a fine story with a huge fanbase, was given such a poor rendering in anime that most fans of the fate series won't recognize its existence.
(Tsukihime, in the same multiverse by the same people, has the exact same situation, and Tsukihime is also drawn upon heavily for Carnivale Phantasm, a sort of parody show Monoriu mentioned.)
Fate/Zero, a prequel to Fate/Stay Night, was done wonderful justice as an anime and thus is the best anime associated with the franchise. Ilya's magical girl spinoff is an unrelated, non-canon spinoff, which is very adorable but expects an understanding of the fate franchise and the tropes of magical girl shows from its audience.
Do you know if the recently announced new Fate anime will be a remake of Stay Night, adaptation of the Heavens Feel route, or something else? I myself am ok with the Stay Night anime, but I am quite disappointed with the Unlimited Blade Works movie. The story feels too rushed and it tried to do too much. Very confusing. I haven't played the visual novel, so those who have may feel differently.
I am pleasantly surprised by Fate/Kaleid Liner. I went in with low expectations, and only watched it because it is set in the Fate universe. It certainly isn't a classic or anywhere near the level of Fate Zero, but I was entertained when I watched it.
For those who don't know, Kaleid Liner is set in an alternate universe focusing on Ilya, a side character in Stay Night and Zero. She becomes a magical girl in this series, and must partner with another magical girl to complete her mission. Some Stay Night characters return for the show, and there are also new characters introduced. Not a bad show for fans of the Fate universe, but anyone who is not already familiar with the whole setting will be very confused.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FKaleidLiner_zps4028eec9.jpg&hash=a39f9ec8407b80441bdc4b5ff9272ccc51ffcadc) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/KaleidLiner_zps4028eec9.jpg.html)
I am not qualified to give an opinion on Carnival Phantasm, because I haven't completed it. It requires an understanding of both Fate and another show called Tsukihime, which I know nothing about.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fcarnival-phantasm_zps3d3071d3.jpg&hash=c90b9c7790493d74232beddcf9069effb16f0390) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/carnival-phantasm_zps3d3071d3.jpg.html)
On the understanding that you don't trust what I am about to write, Carnival Phantasm is as light hearted as possible. There is no plot. Basically, it is a collection of self-parodies and "official fan-fiction" about Fate and Tsukihime. The sole aim is to see the return of familiar characters, and to have a good laugh. One episode I saw is about all the major Fate characters sitting together playing mini-games, telling jokes, messing around and answering questions from a host. For die-hard fans only.
I looked into that Attack on Titan show as I've seen it mentioned all over the place.
I knew nothing about it before I started watching. It was totally not what I expected. In my head I had a mental image of semi-hard science fiction, Starship Troopers style mechs. You know. With Titan.
But no.
It seems pretty good a few episodes in. I believe I'll be able to sit through this one.
Quote from: Tyr on March 05, 2014, 04:11:36 AM
I looked into that Attack on Titan show as I've seen it mentioned all over the place.
I knew nothing about it before I started watching. It was totally not what I expected. In my head I had a mental image of semi-hard science fiction, Starship Troopers style mechs. You know. With Titan.
But no.
It seems pretty good a few episodes in. I believe I'll be able to sit through this one.
My top 5 shows of the 2010s are Madoka Magica, Attack on Titan, Fate Zero, Angel Beats and Sword Art Online. In that order.
I tried Madoka. Dozed off whilst on my first time watching the first two episodes.....
Quote from: Tyr on March 05, 2014, 05:54:07 AM
I tried Madoka. Dozed off whilst on my first time watching the first two episodes.....
That's a common problem (and a valid complaint against the series). You stopped at *the* weakest episode, where the real story had yet to begin. Episode 1 is character introduction. Episode 2 is explain the world. I suggest that you go back and continue watching :contract:
Quote from: Monoriu on March 04, 2014, 10:40:25 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 04, 2014, 10:25:04 PM
The naming can be strange. What does Fate Stay Night mean? Sometimes anime shows sound like they are named by drawing random words from a hat.
Beats me. Fate is the name of the series, so it is usually written as Fate/Stay Night. I've read a ton of conflicting theories on what Stay Night means. The majority of them agree that the two words need to be understood separately, i.e. don't think what "stay night" means. Think what "stay" represents and what "night" represents. Night is easier to understand because this is a bit like a Harry Potter universe where magic is hidden from the population. So the majority of the fights take place at night to avoid detection. "Stay" is the hardest one. If I remember correctly, it represents Saber's conflicting desires to "stay" in this world (she is an historical figure after all) or to go back to her original world. I am sure there are a million other different interpretations.
My suggestion is not to think too much about it. Zero is easy to understand. Where everything began.
"Stay" in English can also mean stop (an archaicism) and "Night" has metaphorical links with endings and death; given that the Grail is "faulty" and how it responded to Kiritsugu's wish "Stay Night" could simply be a poetic way of saying "stop the end" (of the world.)
Just a theory, of course.
The Chinese translation avoids the stay night problem altogether. They just ignore the "stay" part and change it to "a fateful night that lasts forever". It is precisely four words in Chinese too. The bulk of Chinese idioms are in four words. It is a pretty neat translation.
I gave up on the stay night thing a long time ago. I just classify it as a bad idea and move on :lol:
Probably means something like this. :perv:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAOQkSFTKMw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAOQkSFTKMw)
A lot of anime names don't really make sense. The popular Nanoha series is known as "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha". I just don't know what's so "lyrical" about it. The official name of Madoka Magica is Puella Magi Madoka (a star) Magica. There is a huge debate on the correctness of Puella Magi in this case. Even if we assume it is correct, the star thing just boggles the mind. Not to mention the exact meaning of "magica". I am also not sure if "Girls und Panzer" is entirely correct German usage. The second season of Code Geass is known as "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2". What does R2 stand for? It could be "round 2" or some combination of "rebellion", "revolt", "revolution" etc. "Angel Beats" is odd as hell, given the "beats" thing actually refers to [spoiler]the heart beats of Angel[/spoiler]. This is just off the top of my head, and I am sure there are a ton of other examples.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 05, 2014, 10:05:46 AM
I am also not sure if "Girls und Panzer" is entirely correct German usage.
Madchen (Amick) und Panzer? :hmm:
Quote from: Agelastus on March 05, 2014, 08:17:10 AM
"Stay" in English can also mean stop (an archaicism)
Isn't that a fairly common use of it for legal proceedings?
Quote from: garbon on March 05, 2014, 10:32:41 AM
Quote from: Agelastus on March 05, 2014, 08:17:10 AM
"Stay" in English can also mean stop (an archaicism)
Isn't that a fairly common use of it for legal proceedings?
Yes, it is. Legal terms tend to remain fairly static. "stop" or "delay" (on reflection the latter usage may be a better theory for the meaning of the word in the title given that the Nasuverse is one where humanity etc. is eventually doomed regardless of what the protagonists do.)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fstein_gate_image_song_cover_zpscbb4b667.jpg&hash=915cc3a4a99c96d3e260a0f281d4de864502119d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/stein_gate_image_song_cover_zpscbb4b667.jpg.html)
Steins Gate is probably well within my top 10 favourite anime shows of the 2010s. It is a time-travel story. Okabe (guy on the right) likes to role play as a mad scientist but in truth does nothing but hang with his friends all day. His life changed when his group discovered a way to send emails to their past selves. I forgot the exact mechanics but it involved the use of his microwave, frozen fried chicken, bananas, electric shock and mobile phones. So they started sending stuff like the correct lottery numbers back to their past selves. Very soon things spiraled out of control due to the butterfly effect.
Started as somewhat light-hearted, but the story progressively became more serious, even nightmarish by the middle. Everything was very well done. I couldn't help but marathon through the very engaging second half. Time travel stories are typically convoluted and difficult to understand, but Steins Gate presented a narrative that is reasonably easy to follow. It explored the problem of knowing what was to come and trying to change it, only to screw up in some other way brilliantly.
24 episodes + 1 OVA + 1 movie. The movie takes the view point of Okabe's love interest, Kirisu (girl in the middle).
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 04, 2014, 10:25:04 PM
The naming can be strange. What does Fate Stay Night mean? Sometimes anime shows sound like they are named by drawing random words from a hat.
All your bases are belong to me.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 05, 2014, 08:01:28 PMit involved the use of his microwave, frozen fried chicken, bananas, electric shock and mobile phones.
It's brilliant! :o
Can you guys tell me which of these anime are good, as in adult theme:
.hack/quantum OVA
Alakazam
Animen
Yamada's First time
Baka and Test
Black Butler
Blade of the phantom master
Chaos head
Chobits
Chrome shelled regious
D. Gray man
Eden of the East
Fairy Tail
Ghost hunt
Girls Bravo
Heaven's lost property
Hero tales
Hetalia
Initial D
Kaze no stigma
Kenichi, the mightiest disciple
Kite
Legend of the legendary heroes
Mazinkaiser SKL
Moonphase
My bride is a mermaid
Okami-san
Princess jellyfish
Rin, Daughters of Mnemosyne
Rosario plus vampire
Sekirei
Soul Eater
Welcome to the NHK
Quote from: Siege on March 05, 2014, 08:56:56 PM
Can you guys tell me which of these anime are good, as in adult theme:
.hack/quantum OVA
Alakazam
Animen
Yamada's First time
Baka and Test
Black Butler
Blade of the phantom master
Chaos head
Chobits
Chrome shelled regious
D. Gray man
Eden of the East
Fairy Tail
Ghost hunt
Girls Bravo
Heaven's lost property
Hero tales
Hetalia
Initial D
Kaze no stigma
Kenichi, the mightiest disciple
Kite
Legend of the legendary heroes
Mazinkaiser SKL
Moonphase
My bride is a mermaid
Okami-san
Princess jellyfish
Rin, Daughters of Mnemosyne
Rosario plus vampire
Sekirei
Soul Eater
Welcome to the NHK
Of this list, I have only completed Fairy Tail, Moonphase, and Rosario plus Vampire.
Fairy Tail is a pretty standard shonen adventure fight series (like Dragonball, One Piece), though a very good one at that. I won't call it serious or mature, but it is very entertaining shonen. 175 episodes, 1 movie and like 8 OVAs. It is a pretty big time investment. The anime has been on a one year hiatus due to catching up with the manga. They will relaunch the anime in April.
I find Moonphase somewhat boring. The story is about a cute female vampire living among a human household and their attempts to resist other vampires from taking her back. The main attractions are the signature style of the director and the superb voice performances. It was the beginning of a very successful collaboration among Shaft (studio), Akiyuki Shinbo (director), Chiwa Saito (lead female voice actress), and Hiroshi Kamiya (lead male voice actor). This group will continue to collaborate on many successful shows to come. I watched it primarily because I am a big Shinbo and Saito fan (they collaborated in other shows like Bakemonogatari and Madoka Magica). No, I won't call it an adult anime.
Rosario plus Vampire is probably one of the worst anime shows that I have watched in recent memory. A botched adaptation of a popular manga. The anime is the very definition of a boring, plotless harem show with hundreds if not thousands of panty shots inserted for no reason other than fanservice. Probably the only reason to watch it is if you are a fan of Nana Mizuki, who is arguably one of the best singers among this generation of seiyuus. I strongly recommend that you check out her songs.
I've only watched one episode of Sekirei. Basically a fanservice show with like several dozen female characters in skimpy costumes to satisfy every fetish.
Chaos Head (I've never watched any) technically takes place in the same universe as Steins Gate. The reason I haven't watched it is that it is almost universally penned by critics. That's all I know.
Initial D is a super popular car racing story. I haven't watched any. Not interested in car racing.
Legend of the legendary heroes has been sitting on my harddrive forever. Medieval fantasy adventure, if I remember correctly.
I started Eden of the East, and its quite an interesting drama.
I think I'm gonna keep watching.
Mono, anything about Chrome shelled regious?
The picture looks interesting.
Quote from: Siege on March 05, 2014, 09:50:15 PM
Mono, anything about Chrome shelled regious?
The picture looks interesting.
Never heard of this one, or Eden of the East.
I think you are going to like Eden of the East.
Post a quick review after you watch it.
It is current times suspense. Made in 2009.
A guy wakes up in complete memory loss in front of the Whitehouse naked with a cellphone and a gun.
Quote from: Siege on March 05, 2014, 10:41:42 PM
I think you are going to like Eden of the East.
Post a quick review after you watch it.
It is current times suspense. Made in 2009.
A guy wakes up in complete memory loss in front of the Whitehouse naked with a cellphone and a gun.
I've looked at the wiki description and it does sound very interesting. I'll definitely watch it. Though I have a pretty big backlog to clear and it'll be sometime before I get to this one :D
Currently watching Kara no Kyōkai, literally, boundery of emptiness/sky/air. Everybody says this is difficult to understand. They are absolutely right :ph34r:
If you want to watch something with adult themes, watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 05, 2014, 11:36:50 PM
If you want to watch something with adult themes, watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Seconded. One of the best shows of all time. The 2003 version isn't as good but is entertaining in its own right. If you have the time, watch both. Otherwise, just watch Brotherhood. Both versions are animated by the same studio, and they are two different versions of the story. The difference is that, when the 2003 version was released, the manga was still ongoing. So the first half followed the manga, while the ending was different from the manga. Brotherhood followed the manga much more faithfully, and is the better story. Brotherhood is 64 episodes plus one movie (the movie is a side story). The 2003 version is 50+ episodes plus one movie (the movie provides the "true end").
In answer to Mono's top 5 from 2010-2013, i've decided on a top 10. Madoka and Fate/Zero may have had a shot at appearing in this list; because of a wish to spare redundancy, they will not. Similarly, Saraiya Goyou and Hyouge Mono won't be making appearances either, although Saraiya Goyou may well have topped the list. I won't try to make it a linear top 10, or unduly burden the thread with a glut of pictures.
Sora no Woto- The sort of mellow post-apocalyptic show Japan specializes in, Sora no Woto features a cast of female soldiers staffing a lonely military post in a shattered world. With strong European influences in architecture, geopolitics and uniforms, it is a thought-provoking, cute show.
Hidamari Sketch- Art heavily reminiscent of Madoka owing to the fact it shares the same illustrator, Hidamari Sketch is a lazy and cute narrative about four high school students at an art school. It has no crises to speak of, and is very fluffy. This sort of show is exceedingly popular in Japan, and Hidamari Sketch stands out as particularly talented at what it does.
Tatami Galaxy- A young man entering college finds his pursuit of the "Rose-colored campus life" disrupted by his surroundings and lack of realistic vision. He becomes caught in a time warp that looks at the strings of fate, self-determination and friendship.
Nichijou- An experimental offering by Kyoto Animation as well as something of a financial failure, Nichijou has distinctive art and animation that gives it a great sense of life, and is at heart a sketch comedy with a large side-business in warm fuzzy feelings. It could be well described as a more absurdist Azumanga Daioh.
Usagi Drop- A single man nearing middle-age takes care of a young toddler, and confronts the large adjustment it brings to his life. Hits a good mix of tension, drama and warmth.
Yuru Yuri- A light lesbian comedy about middle schoolers. That is a tall statement for people without heavy exposure to anime culture to handle, but it neither lewd nor serious, while being geniunely funny. The second season is much stronger than the first.
Girls Und Panzer- Doesn't significantly vary from the expectations set by the title. Different High Schools' Panzer Clubs fight in tournaments, with all except for the protagonist high school having a theme nationality. (The match against the Italian high school is particularly memorable.)
Sakamichi no Apollon- A period drama in postwar Kyushu, revolving around the life of a few high school musicians. Unusually mature and serious in its outlook, Sakamichi no Apollon features lots of Jazz, Kyushu dialect, and angst. The music is augmented by the Yoko Kanno mono thinks so highly of.
Thermae Romae- A Roman Architect and Bathhouse enthusiast finds himself the beneficiary of portals in time and space that briefly spit him out into modern day Japan's public bathhouses. His comparisons between the two country's bathing culture, and his attempts to apply what he learns backtime, easily carry the short comedy.
It's Not My Fault I'm Not Popular!/ Watamote- A high school girl's freshman year is a disabusement of the illusions the seedy side of her culture taught her about being a Japanese High School Girl; she struggles with puberty and why nobody actually likes her or courts her favor, but is her own worst enemy.
They just released the Blu-ray disc of the movie version of Anohana.
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Anohana is short form for The Flower We Saw That Day, which is itself a short form for the official name of the anime, We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day. I gave up a long time ago trying to remember all that, so I'll just call it Anohana.
A group of 6 kids were very good friends with each other many years ago. One day, Menma (girl in white) died in an accident, and the others soon drifted apart. The story began when they became teenagers, and she came back as a very friendly ghost with zero ounce of malice. She had a wish that she wanted to fulfill, and had forgotten what it was. The other five friends began to rediscover their relationships with each other when they tried to help Menma.
The story is very moving, probably one of the most tearjerking stories of the 2010s alongside Madoka Magica and Angel Beats. There is a good reason why the audience of the movie version are each handed a box of tissue when they entered the theatres. The deep characters and complex web of relationships among them make for a very rich 11-episode story.
My top 10 of 2010s anime shows
1. Madoka Magica
2. Attack on Titan
3. Fate/Zero
4. Angel Beats
5. Sword Art Online
6. Steins Gate
7. Girls und Panzer
8. Anohana/The Flower We Saw That Day
9. Monogatari Series
10. The Devil is a Part-timer
If it is my top 10 anime shows of all time, it'll be -
1. Madoka Magica
2. Attack on Titan
3. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
4. Fate/Zero
5. Angel Beats
6. Code Geass
7. Clannad
8. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
9. Gundam Seed
10. Neon Genesis Evangelion
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Quick top 9
Quote from: Siege on March 05, 2014, 09:50:15 PM
Mono, anything about Chrome shelled regios?
The picture looks interesting.
A decent anime that needs a second/third season (since it stopped about a third of the way (IIRC) through the Light Novel series.) Unfortunately, it didn't sell well enough for that.
Pros: A fascinating world (where giant cities roam a wasteland occupied by creatures that eat humans and that seem to have an at least partially transdimensional origin, and who compete against each other in games/tournaments for access to resources such as mines.) Intriguing storyline. Interesting characters. Decent balance of serious and more comedic moments. Occasionally genuinely inspired with the atmosphere it creates (although it's a bit of a spoiler the episodes involving a destroyed city and the flashbacks to the last time several of the protagonists saw it is both tense and chilling.)
Cons: Bad reviews compared to the light novel source. A half-assed harem (or half implemented - either don't have a harem part or do it properly, I quite like both ways.) Stops at too early a part of the light novels so fails to explain enough in its rush to have a reasonable ending.
Ultimate Con - I've read the last few pages of the Light Novel and absolutely loathe the resolution of the romantic subplot.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 06, 2014, 06:36:45 AM
Quick top 9
The only one that I recognise is Legend of Galactic Heroes. I do love that show. What's the other 8?
The one in the left bottom corner is this. It's pretty good, not lighthearted fare though, it can be quite disturbing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kino%27s_Journey
I can only comment on a few.
Quote from: Siege on March 05, 2014, 08:56:56 PM
.hack/quantum OVA
Alakazam
Animen
Yamada's First time
Baka and Test - very, very funny show but doesn't really have an adult theme. Involves a school that bases the class facilities on the level of their academic achievement, but that also allows the students to upset the status quo via challenge matches using "Summoned Beasts" (actually holographic chibi avatars.) The lead character is probably the least annoying genuinely stupid guy in anime.
Black Butler
Blade of the phantom master
Chaos head - poor adaptation of a popular visual novel; it is, however, probably the most adult of all the shows on the list.
Chobits
Chrome shelled regios - see my above post
D. Gray man
Eden of the East
Fairy Tail - enjoyable lengthy anime based on a shonen manga with two advantages over Naruto. Firstly, has many more (and much stronger) female characters and secondly has much superior fillers (the largest arc of which has been largely canonised by references in the Manga.) Also due to restart soon.
Ghost hunt - a gem. A show that I first watched as a fansub, but that I then bought on DVD to support the industry. Follows a team of psychic researchers, most have whom have (not too dark) secrets through a series of cases that are treated in an absolutely straight and serious fashion. Everyone gets to shine at one point or another. The only issue is that they never animated the last two books of the series (only doing the first six.) I believe the last two books are translated on Baka-Tsuki however.
http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Main_Page
Girls Bravo - a gem of another kind, probably not to your taste though. One guy, many girls, and probably the best of all the fanservice comedies I've seen.
Heaven's lost property - Or more probably known to Mon as "Sora no Otoshimo". A very enjoyable adaptation of a good Manga (that has just finished - we should have a third season soon.) Magnificent animation and excellent music, but a main character who is unlikeable and likeable in equal measures. The supporting cast though is excellent and never less than interesting. And the story manages its tonal shifts exquisitely (since the series varies between scenes of complete absurdity and some serious psychological torture and mental abuse, this is vital.)
Hero tales
Hetalia
Initial D
Kaze no stigma - average adaptation of a light novel series left sadly unfinished by the author's death. Excellent character design and a show that doesn't flinch from showing that sometimes you can't save everybody. If you like a show involving people with supernatural powers you may enjoy it.
Kenichi, the mightiest disciple
Kite
Legend of the legendary heroes - effectively the prologue for a longer series of light novels. Decent swords and sorcery comedy romp contrasting with diversions into much, much darker territory. Manages to have a reasonable ending despite the set-up nature of the series but still leaves a lot hanging. Several of the subsequent novels have been translated on Baka Tsuki.
Mazinkaiser SKL
Moonphase
My bride is a mermaid
Okami-san
Princess jellyfish
Rin, Daughters of Mnemosyne
Rosario plus vampire - probably one of the top three worst anime adaptations of a manga of all time. Threw out the plot and most of the characterisation from the Manga and just retained the comedy - with particularly dire consequences. Read the Manga (which I heartily recommend) and ignore this dreck.
Sekirei
Soul Eater
Welcome to the NHK
Bottom right of Lettow's post is Emma.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_(manga)
And top left appears to be Aria.
But I'm not sure of most of the rest either.
Given that Saraiya Goyou quite literally featured a few pages back, i'm a little surprised. But if an explanation is needed, Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Aria, Mushishi, Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Tatami Galaxy, Saraiya Goyou, Sketchbook: Full Color's
Kino no Tabi, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Emma
Top to Bottom is roughly in order of esteem they are held. Aria takes pride of place.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 06, 2014, 07:51:23 AM
Given that Saraiya Goyou quite literally featured a few pages back, i'm a little surprised. But if an explanation is needed, Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Aria, Mushishi, Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Tatami Galaxy, Saraiya Goyou, Sketchbook: Full Color's
Kino no Tabi, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Emma
Top to Bottom is roughly in order of esteem they are held. Aria takes pride of place.
Since you've watched so many anime shows, I am going to just trust you and grab your number 1 show. That, and I noticed that Chiwa Saito, my favourite seiyuu, is part of the cast :bowler:
Sounds right up Lettow's alley! :D
QuoteThe Comics Journal as "quite conceivably the best comics series ever created for elementary-school girls,"
QuoteRosario plus vampire - probably one of the top three worst anime adaptations of a manga of all time. Threw out the plot and most of the characterisation from the Manga and just retained the comedy - with particularly dire consequences. Read the Manga (which I heartily recommend) and ignore this dreck.
I quite enjoyed that one. Quite a nice piece of cheap and silly fan servicey junk.
Quote from: Tyr on March 06, 2014, 08:45:50 AM
QuoteRosario plus vampire - probably one of the top three worst anime adaptations of a manga of all time. Threw out the plot and most of the characterisation from the Manga and just retained the comedy - with particularly dire consequences. Read the Manga (which I heartily recommend) and ignore this dreck.
I quite enjoyed that one. Quite a nice piece of cheap and silly fan servicey junk.
A good description of it; unfortunately I, like an awful lot of the viewers of the show, had read the Manga.
It works well enough if one thinks of it as an original production, I suppose.
Quote from: Agelastus on March 06, 2014, 11:34:34 AM
Quote from: Tyr on March 06, 2014, 08:45:50 AM
QuoteRosario plus vampire - probably one of the top three worst anime adaptations of a manga of all time. Threw out the plot and most of the characterisation from the Manga and just retained the comedy - with particularly dire consequences. Read the Manga (which I heartily recommend) and ignore this dreck.
I quite enjoyed that one. Quite a nice piece of cheap and silly fan servicey junk.
A good description of it; unfortunately I, like an awful lot of the viewers of the show, had read the Manga.
It works well enough if one thinks of it as an original production, I suppose.
I haven't read the manga. But I agree with you that it is an awful anime show. Though I do love the voice performances. Moka is voiced by Nana Misuki, arguably the most successful seiyuu singer. Outer Moka is exactly the kind of role that suits her; Inner Moka is playing against type. "Tsundere queen" Rie Kugimiya as Mizore is even more playing against type. Chiwa Saito as Koko Shuzen is perhaps the last of her roles as genki girls before her successful transition to cool big sister type roles. I did laugh out loud when Koko (Chiwa Saito) said "Urusai Urusai Urusai" to Mizore (Rie Kugimiya). Rie's most famous role is tsundere Shana, who loves saying those 3 words in her anime.
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Pictured above is Ayu, from the anime Kanon. This completes the introductions of what I think are the 4 best anime shows adapted from a Key Visual Arts Work (the other 3 being Clannad, Angel Beats and Air).
Once again, this follows the nice-guy male protagonist helping a bunch of females with tragic backstories formula used in Clannad and Air. The overall tone of Kanon is a bit more optimistic and positive than Clannad or Air. It is less of a tearjerker, in other words. All of Key's work has a heavy dose of supernatural elements, and this is no exception. The focus in Kanon is miracles.
For some reason, Key likes to get both Toei and Kyoto Animation to do parallel adaptations of its work. For both Clannad and Air, Kyoto Animation did the TV series (masterpieces), and Toei did the movies (forgettable). For Kanon, both studios did a TV anime adaptation. They both tell almost the exact same story, and the majority of the seiyuus (except the male lead) are identical.
The 2006 Kyoto version should be easy to find. I couldn't find the 2002 Toei version anywhere. So I spent a lot of time looking for it, and in the end had to beg on an amine forum for the videos. After watching both versions, I can safely say that all that effort is totally wasted, because once again the quality gap between the two versions is immense - the Kyoto version is much better, particularly in terms of animation quality. Say, the same ballroom dancing scene. In the Kyoto version, the characters actually danced. In the Toei version, I only saw the backs of the characters, and they moved an inch to the left, then an inch to the right to represent their dances.
So, the Spring 2014 anime season will begin next month. They have pretty much announced the line-up, and I am picking the shows that I want to follow.
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The Irregular at Magic High School. At a magic high school, the sister is a top student while her brother is a bummer. That kind of setting usually won't interest me, but this seems to be the most hyped show in Spring 2014. This comes consistently on top in most anticipated shows polls. So yes, the only reason I am going to follow it is to see just what the hype is all about.
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Devil's Riddle. The protagonist is a student. Everybody else in her class are assassins targetting her. One of the assassins has developed feelings for her and now wants to protect her. Presumably, the picture depicts the pair. What interests me are two additional pieces of information: (a) this is not a comedy and (2) this is an all-girls school. Almost the exact opposite of Irregular at Magic High School, because the premise does interest me, but there is almost no hype surrounding this.
Two more upcoming shows for the Spring 2014 season.
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Gokukoku no Brynhildr. Gokukoku means extreme black. No idea what Brynhildr means. I avoid reading too much in wikis to stay away from spoilers. The only reason I am going to watch this is because the manga artist of the source material is the same man who wrote the Elfen Lied manga. The name seems to imply that this is going to be a depressing show.
This one is simply "follow the manga artist" :blush:
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Mekaku City Actors. It is supposedly about a group of people with superpowers all related to the eye. That's all I know. The only reason I am watching it is because it is directed by Shinbo and animated by Shaft, my favourite anime makers because they are the people behind Madoka Magica. Granted, these folks produce a ton of stuff and some of them are crap. What's really interesting to me is the staff list. Shinbo is, as usual, "chief director". He has promoted one of his underlings as director. This is nothing new and is his usual practice. (He is too famous in Japan and so Shaft puts his name on everything.) But this time, the director of this anime show was episode director for two particular episodes in Madoka Magica. These two are widely considered the best episodes in the series that successfully redefined the story. I even consider one of them the best anime episode of all time.
This one is even worse, just "follow the director" :blush: :blush:
Quote from: Monoriu on March 07, 2014, 02:21:17 AM
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Gokukoku no Brynhildr. Gokukoku means extreme black. No idea what Brynhildr means. I avoid reading too much in wikis to stay away from spoilers. The only reason I am going to watch this is because the manga artist of the source material is the same man who wrote the Elfen Lied manga. The name seems to imply that this is going to be a depressing show.
This one is simply "follow the manga artist" :blush:
The Brynhildr part is a reference to -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brynhildr
and to Valkyries in general, presumably, given the nature of much of the cast (it's been too long since I read a bit of it for me to recall if the project name is related or not.)
And yes, it is "black"; my tolerance for it died in the first 20 chapters. Although it was good enough that I may go back to it one day when I'm in the right mood.
-----------
As for Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei ("The Irregular at Magic High School") I have high hopes for the series. The LNs are supposed to be quite dull (at least, not to English readers taste) but the multiple Manga series based off of it have been universally decent. It's on my list for the new season as well.
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Black Bullet. Set in a world where a certain virus/paraside has wiped out humanity. Humans have to stay behind walls. This sounds a bit similar to the Attack on Titan setting. And it seems a bit dark. I think. So I am going to follow it.
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Fairy Tail. As mentioned above, the anime went on a hiatus a year ago due to catching up with the manga. It will be relaunched in April, and I am following it. They practically stopped the show in the middle of an arc with tons of unresolved plot points.
So Attack on Titan. Spoilers lie ahead.
[spoiler]I'm up to episode 13. A few episodes ago the main character was eaten by a Titan. I was thinking "HOLY SHIT! AWESOME!". That kid did seem to be such a cliched main character, even right down to his cool name, Jaeger. How fitting would it be to have a bit of realism and after all the build up kill him off so early? Shifting the main character position onto the third character, Armin, would have been interesting.
But alas no. It looks like they are heading down a very cliched route after all with Erin, in very silly style, having this big power. I kind of saw that coming the moment the Titan killing Titan appeared but...oh well.
It's still good and I will still watch but I think that was a lost chance.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Mikasa would lose all purpose in life if what you proposed actually happened. You kill one character and end up losing two ;)[/spoiler]
You know what I am really worried about?
Streaming. It is just easier. My wife watches a lot of TV drama (not anime, sadly), and she absolutely refuses to BT anything. Too much hassle for her. She just wants to click on a link, watch it, then move on.
Right now BT still has a lot of advantages. Better resolution, better reliability, whole screen, no lag, etc. I also keep everything that I've ever watched. Thing is, BT relies on other people willing to share. If streaming takes over completely, there'll be no BT.
The trend is that streaming seems to be winning. Sigh.
How often do you rewatch old series?
Streaming will take over completely, but I doubt anyone will be able to get all content from one source.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 07, 2014, 11:07:31 AM
How often do you rewatch old series?
Not very often :blush: But every now and then, I read a comment about "X said Y in episode ZZZ, this foreshadowed what happened 35 episodes later". I went "huh?" and rewatched the episode in question to see if this was true.
I also decided to hypnotise myself that the cost of 4T external HDDs are close to zero, on a per anime show basis :sleep:
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 07, 2014, 01:58:45 PM
Streaming will take over completely, but I doubt anyone will be able to get all content from one source.
Just why is it that all my favourite IT tools, be it internet explorer, yahoo search, or whatever, seem to get defeated all the time :glare:
Quote from: Siege on March 05, 2014, 08:56:56 PM
Can you guys tell me which of these anime are good, as in adult theme:
.hack/quantum OVA
Alakazam
Animen
Yamada's First time
Baka and Test
Black Butler
Blade of the phantom master
Chaos head
Chobits
Chrome shelled regious
D. Gray man
Eden of the East
Fairy Tail
Ghost hunt
Girls Bravo
Heaven's lost property
Hero tales
Hetalia
Initial D
Kaze no stigma
Kenichi, the mightiest disciple
Kite
Legend of the legendary heroes
Mazinkaiser SKL
Moonphase
My bride is a mermaid
Okami-san
Princess jellyfish
Rin, Daughters of Mnemosyne
Rosario plus vampire
Sekirei
Soul Eater
Welcome to the NHK
Initial D is a coming of age story about a high school student racing prodigy who faces progressively more difficult racers. I thought they managed to build up real excitement at the races; but I did see it on a big screen with an audience at an anime club. Watching it on your own probably won't be as thrilling.
Welcome to the NHK is the story about a shut-in who goes on all sorts of wacky adventures (mostly through Tokyo's nerd sub-culture.) The premise seemed flawed to me and the resolutions too neat. That being said there are some genuinely funny moments in it.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fgundam_seed_1_1024_zps80312ecf.jpg&hash=17b1d7c6ff3148012a17c345cad214b398431100) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/gundam_seed_1_1024_zps80312ecf.jpg.html)
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed. Most people have heard of Gundam, and there are a ton of shows and continuity reboots in this universe. Gundam Seed represents yet another reboot, with a new cast and a new timeline. The world is divided into two broad factions. Normal humans who mostly live on earth, and "coordinators", or genetically enhanced humans, who mostly live in space colonies. The two guys pictured above are childhood friends who were separated. Their reunion took place on the battlefield when they discovered that they had joined a different faction.
This is one of the most highly acclaimed Gundam shows in the 21st century. The plot of the first half of the story is almost identical to the 70s original Gundam show (standard gundam formula: one side develops a super-prototype in secret, the other side tries to steal it. A teenager falls into cockpit of said prototype, he and his friends escape to space, then to earth, and their own military abandons them). But somewhere in the middle of the story, the plot took a completely new and unexpected direction that turned the story upside down. IMHO, this is one of the best gundam shows that I've seen. It proved so popular that they broadcast a HD-remastered version of the show a year or two ago.
A particular highlight of the series is its music. Almost a decade after its original broadcast run, the opening, insert and ending songs for this show are still popular in the anime music charts. Among the large number of musicians that contribued is Yuki Kajiura. Akatsuki no kuruma (literally, chariot of dawn) was possibly her breakout song in the industry. The song was a huge tearjerker when combined with a very moving scene in the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrqzzLr0hgM
This song helped little known Yuuka Nanri defeat the then J-pop queens (not seiyuu singers of niche anime songs, but mainstream J-pop) in the sales charts. (Kajiura is at the keyboard in the video)
Distance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPE9epMOIU8
Although we were always together (this one is loud)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLoolBpFjzE
Rewatching varies by show. Aria and Hidamari Sketch are largely detached from having an actual plot, which renders them both very rewatchable. I believe i've seen every episode of Aria at least five times at some point or another.
Downloading is of course the way to go. There's an elitist circle around it, so I don't think it's going anywhere compared to streaming. The fansubbers and so on tend to promote their own torrents.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 07, 2014, 02:57:25 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 07, 2014, 01:58:45 PM
Streaming will take over completely, but I doubt anyone will be able to get all content from one source.
Just why is it that all my favourite IT tools, be it internet explorer, yahoo search, or whatever, seem to get defeated all the time :glare:
It's the information age, you have to adapt constantly.
I was going to say the answer is because people want his money and he doesn't want to give it to them. :P
I don't think streaming is going to kill torrents though. Like I said, not all content will be available from all providers, so a natural opportunity for arbitrage will exist. BT fills that role nicely (at least for those users).
I don't think streaming killing torrents will happen anytime soon but eventually, as bandwith becomes laughably huge and low quality streams a strange rarity, things will shift.
There's mutterings that most things could move towards streaming. Even processing power.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 08, 2014, 12:50:04 AM
I was going to say the answer is because people want his money and he doesn't want to give it to them. :P
The other day my wife complained about the huge amounts of money that I spent on anime (she hates anime). I then pointed out that, all these years, my spending on anime had been limited to 2 movie tickets. That's what, US$70.
Although I didn't mention the 3-4 external HDDs that contain nothing but anime :ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on March 08, 2014, 02:54:00 AM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 08, 2014, 12:50:04 AM
I was going to say the answer is because people want his money and he doesn't want to give it to them. :P
The other day my wife complained about the huge amounts of money that I spent on anime (she hates anime). I then pointed out that, all these years, my spending on anime had been limited to 2 movie tickets. That's what, US$70.
Although I didn't mention the 3-4 external HDDs that contain nothing but anime :ph34r:
Does that include backups or not?
Quote from: Agelastus on March 08, 2014, 06:12:42 AM
Does that include backups or not?
Includes backups, though I haven't backed up everything.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FBakemonogatari_zps4391a855.jpg&hash=f32018bcded8ce00b1924a0d41afd8bc122fb315) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Bakemonogatari_zps4391a855.jpg.html)
Monogatari (literally, stories) Series. Pictured above is one of the main female leads, Hitagi Senjōgahara. (Senjo means battlefield. Gahara is often associated with one of the most famous battles in the Sengoku era). Yes, she does use office supplies as weapons :ph34r:
I've talked about it in some other thread, but I'll do it again here. Madoka Magica is Shaft/Shinbo's no. 1 series, both in terms of sales and critical acclaim. Monogatari is their second most successful title. Based on a best-selling novel. It is mainly a story about abominations, ghosts and other oddities. Nice-guy male lead helping a bunch of moe female girls that are possessed by various different supernatural elements. It is called monogatari series because it comprises many short stories, each focusing on one female and one oddity.
The stories are well written, with memorable characters and interesting plot twists. But it is easy to tell that they are, in a way, very dry. There is not much action. The fight scenes are few and far in between. Some episodes contain nothing but the main characters chatting and flirting with each other. I haven't read the original novels, but they must be very dialogue heavy. Shaft/Shinbo's success is to use their distinctive visuals to present the story in a way that makes it interesting to follow. Just look at a screenshot of this series (without characters) and it is easy to tell it is Monogatari. For example -
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F5e353e0778e70d58a1a56ba812c50f48_zps622b1ccc.jpg&hash=24ab9e5a721e679a7f6f65fedfca7d0da661c771) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/5e353e0778e70d58a1a56ba812c50f48_zps622b1ccc.jpg.html)
If you are into distinctive visual styles and the "Shaftness", this series has it all. 50+ episodes so far.
Does she keep these office supplies stored in her crotch until she needs them?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 08, 2014, 07:55:11 PM
Does she keep these office supplies stored in her crotch until she needs them?
Somewhere under her skirt, yes :ph34r:
My first impression of the series was less than good. I only watched it just to see what the hype was all about. Looking back, the moment I began to change my opinion was when she appeared on screen, speaking in a deadpan voice and attacking people with a stapler in episode 1 (watch it and you'll see what I mean). Senjogahara is one of the most iconic figures of the series. She is voiced by Chiwa Saito, commonly considered Shinbo's favourite voice actress.
Currently reading A Certain Scientific Railgun, about teenage psychers in the near future. I'm liking it so far.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fenglish-dub.kametsu.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F04%2FEP1-Misaka-Railgun-Shoot.png&hash=04dd5a157f36c117501e03e3f432b854e537f505)
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 09, 2014, 08:28:26 AM
Currently reading A Certain Scientific Railgun, about teenage psychers in the near future. I'm liking it so far.
Oh this has been sitting on my HDD forever. 2 seasons of A Certain Magical Index and another 2 seasons of A Certain Scientific Railgun (spinoff of the former) = 96 episodes and 1 movie. I haven't watched a single episode, but I think Only My Railgun is a very cool song, despite its pretty extreme rockish arrangement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGAA4IFEPb0
I'll watch it. Sooner or later :ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on March 09, 2014, 05:21:50 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 09, 2014, 08:28:26 AM
Currently reading A Certain Scientific Railgun, about teenage psychers in the near future. I'm liking it so far.
Oh this has been sitting on my HDD forever. 2 seasons of A Certain Magical Index and another 2 seasons of A Certain Scientific Railgun (spinoff of the former) = 96 episodes and 1 movie. I haven't watched a single episode, but I think Only My Railgun is a very cool song, despite its pretty extreme rockish arrangement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGAA4IFEPb0
I'll watch it. Sooner or later :ph34r:
Do. It's good - very, very good (Railgun being better than Index despite having a bunch of anime original stuff; however, you need to watch Index Season I before seeing Railgun Season 2 to get the full perspective on the impressive "Sisters" arc.)
Index?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 09, 2014, 06:12:28 PM
Index?
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun is a spin-off of To Aru Majutsu no Index.
http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=To_Aru_Majutsu_no_Index
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Aru_Majutsu_no_Index
Quote from: Agelastus on March 09, 2014, 05:53:23 PM
Do. It's good - very, very good (Railgun being better than Index despite having a bunch of anime original stuff; however, you need to watch Index Season I before seeing Railgun Season 2 to get the full perspective on the impressive "Sisters" arc.)
I always start from the beginning. So, what is the best watching order? I plan to do Index I, Index II, Railgun I, Railgun II. Or is it Index I, Railgun I, Index II, Railgun II? I have no idea, and don't want to read spoilers in wikis.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FNanoha_zps5183b89f.jpg&hash=455cd9e4a778822dacd75e59a81133184ffd8f74) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Nanoha_zps5183b89f.jpg.html)
The ultra popular Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series. Pictured above are Nanoha (white) and Fate (black), two extremely popular characters in Japan. The original series was aired in 2004. These two are still regularly featured in magazine covers today.
Nanoha is what a magical girl series should be (Madoka Magica is not). The basic formula is a helpful, talking mascot connects with a young girl, and grants her magical powers. She continues with her original life, but when called upon, will need to transform into a magical girl to battle magical abominations, fight dark magical girl and/or collect some artifact with magic, and the power of love and friendship.
Nanoha basically stays true to this formula with one exception. There is a particular emphasis on the fight scenes, and they do it the mecha way, with gundam-style beam spams and macross-style missle massacres. They deliberately make it so Nanoha looks a bit like the original white gundam. They in fact share the same nickname, white devil.
This series is a huge ongoing multimedia project, and the anime is only part of it. There are 3 seasons, original (13 episodes), A's (13) and Strikers (26). So far there are two movies, summaries of the first and second seasons respectively.
Original series: the only season directed by Shinbo. Starts off extremely slowly. The first 3 episodes are very boring run-of-the-mill sleep inducing episodes with little plot progression. Everything changes as soon as Fate appears in episode 4 or so. Decent series.
A's: best season of the series. Starts off with a spectacular confrontation and gets better from there. The plot moves quickly and the story is heartwarming. Highly recommended.
Strikers: in my opinion the weakest season. Stretched things out too much. Too many characters, both on the heroes side and the antagonist side. Too many training episodes with nothing happening. That's why the upcoming third movie will not be a summary of this season but instead will be new content.
The most efficient way to watch this series is just to watch Movies 1 and 2. They are good summaries of the first two seasons, with much improved graphics, pacing and story. The movies were released in recent years with a good budget, and it showed. The third season can be ignored.
I wish my Japanese was good enough to read grown up manga :(
Quote from: Monoriu on March 09, 2014, 07:45:02 PM
Quote from: Agelastus on March 09, 2014, 05:53:23 PM
Do. It's good - very, very good (Railgun being better than Index despite having a bunch of anime original stuff; however, you need to watch Index Season I before seeing Railgun Season 2 to get the full perspective on the impressive "Sisters" arc.)
I always start from the beginning. So, what is the best watching order? I plan to do Index I, Index II, Railgun I, Railgun II. Or is it Index I, Railgun I, Index II, Railgun II? I have no idea, and don't want to read spoilers in wikis.
Production order is Index I, Railgun I, Index II, "Endymion", Railgun II.
However, Chronological order would be Railgun I (which takes place either before or during the first two arcs of Index but apart from a few cameo appearances doesn't connect with Index at all), Index I, Railgun II (which mostly takes place during Index I - specifically, the majority of the season is Railgun's take on the "Sisters" Arc, which is the third of six arcs of Index I) and then Index II; "Endymion" fits after the second arc of Index II, apparently.
There is an excellent chart here on Baka Tsuki listing the dates of events -
http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/images/7/7d/A_Certain_Unified_Calendar.png
Also have you got the OVA that fits between Railgun I and II?
As for viewing order I watched them soon after they were originally broadcast (in most cases as soon as the episode was subbed.
If I were you I'd either watch them in production order (as Index and Railgun really don't overlap too much and Railgun pretty much assumes that the viewers know who Misaka Mikoto, "BiriBiri", is from the get-go despite chronologically starting before Index) or use that chart and break them down into chronological order.
As for "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha", I'm a heretic; I like StrikerS the best. While the characters are fine as kids they're much less one-dimensional as grown-ups (even Nanoha.)
But then, when it comes to the Mangas I much prefer "Force" to "Vivid"; which makes me something of an ultimate heretic in Nanoha fandom without even getting into the Shipping Wars. :showoff:
Quote from: Tyr on March 10, 2014, 02:04:26 AM
I wish my Japanese was good enough to read grown up manga :(
One thing I've learned is that it is very inefficient to learn Japanese by watching subtitled anime. As long as I am relying on the subtitles, my Japanese won't improve at all.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 10, 2014, 06:39:17 AM
Quote from: Tyr on March 10, 2014, 02:04:26 AM
I wish my Japanese was good enough to read grown up manga :(
One thing I've learned is that it is very inefficient to learn Japanese by watching subtitled anime. As long as I am relying on the subtitles, my Japanese won't improve at all.
Anime uses weird Japanese too. Drama is better for that purpose. Though yeah, neither is optimum, I either learn or I enjoy, its hard to do both at once.
Quote from: Agelastus on March 10, 2014, 03:24:42 AM
Also have you got the OVA that fits between Railgun I and II?
Yup. Got every episode and moive, just don't have the time to watch 96 episodes :wacko:
Yet :menace:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fambition-of-oda-nobuna_zps5c4658a5.jpg&hash=489161457ed7dc1176fbf97cb4186514043b5af2) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/ambition-of-oda-nobuna_zps5c4658a5.jpg.html)
The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, mentioned earlier in the thread. Yoshiharu Sagara (or Saru for short) is an ordinary high school student who somehow time-travelled to the Sengoku era. In this world, the majority of the historical Sengoku samurai generals have been replaced by pretty and fierce young girls, and Nobuna replaced the historical Nobunaga. The first 1 minute of the anime consisted of the historical Hideyoshi dying in Saru's place, so Saru ended up replacing him (Saru means monkey, and most novels portray Nobunaga calling Hideyoshi "monkey"). He must use his knowledge of the video game "Ambition of Oda Nobunaga" to help Nobuna conquer Japan. Historically, Nobunaga is known as a tyrant. Saru wants to change that, and help mold a gentler Nobuna.
(Nobuna's clothing and pose in the pic above is a deliberate attempt to look like Nobunaga's appearance [without the bra of course] in the cover of KOEI's video game).
I like this anime very much. Although it sounds like a fanservice and harem series (and there is indeed a fair amount of these), it is a lot more than that. It never strays too far from its historical roots, and contains a good balance of comedic and serious moments. The animation is of above average quality. Saru's knowledge of Japanese history is not an absolute advantage, because he has changed history too much, and is basically in unknown territory. A particular focus of the story is Nobuna's internal struggle to be a ruthless warlord just like her historical counterpart, and a conflicting desire to be herself, which is a lot nicer than she appears to be.
12 episodes. Too bad there is no news of a second season. The news is that the merchandise and disc sales are decent, but not sufficient to justify the relatively high production costs.
They really need to make at least a second season, given Yoshihara's next bit of interference really throws everything off what remaining rails the history he knew had.
[Once again, thank God for Baka-Tsuki and its dedicated translators.]
I played a ridiculous amount of Nobunaga's Ambition. :lol:
Quote from: Agelastus on March 11, 2014, 05:37:02 AM
They really need to make at least a second season, given Yoshihara's next bit of interference really throws everything off what remaining rails the history he knew had.
[Once again, thank God for Baka-Tsuki and its dedicated translators.]
I am not going to read the novels. Just in case they make a second season :ph34r:
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 11, 2014, 07:57:28 AM
I played a ridiculous amount of Nobunaga's Ambition. :lol:
Same here. I played every game except the very first one.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F421896Shakugan_no_Shana-43535_zps007737e3.jpg&hash=6a6450f0f185b91bddcf93d0c4c64cee0719c8bf) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/421896Shakugan_no_Shana-43535_zps007737e3.jpg.html)
Shakugan no Shana, literally Shana of the Burning Eyes. *The* show that popularised the short, flat-chested, violent, sugar-and-ice personality, socially awkward type of female lead who treats her love interest like dirt but also falls for him and cannot spit it out. Also permanently established (or pigeon-holed) seiyuu Rie Kugimiya's status as tsundere queen (tsun means proud or hostile, dere means lovely). She will go on to voice a ton of Shana-clones in other shows.
It took me awhile to get the basic concepts of the world. There exists another dimension called the crimson world, and there resides crimson denizens and lords. The denizens consume "the power of existance" of real world humans. Once consumed, the humans temporarily become "torches", who will disappear after a short while. When they disappear, their entire existance will be erased, i.e. families will forget them, appearance on photographs will be gone etc. Many crimson lords however think this is harmful and unsets the balance of the universe. So these lords form personal bonds with selected humans, who become "flame hazes" that battle the denizens in a never-ending struggle. Shana is a flame haze. The story begins when she meets the male lead and informs him that he has already been turned into a torch.
It is a decent anime show, with ups and downs. The setting is unique and the concepts are interesting but can be difficult for a newcomer. The author seems to have trouble deciding whether this is a somewhat dark science fiction fight series or a light-hearted school drama with a love triangle, and tried to do both with mixed results. My take is that he did very well with the former but a mediocre job with the latter.
This is a moderately long series, with 3 seasons, a total of 72 TV episodes, 5 OVAs and 1 movie. Season 1 is decent, season 2 is boring due to too much filler and a focus on the love triangle. Season 3 ditched the school drama, returned to form and is the best season. The movie is an alternative (and probably better) version of the first third of season 1.
Attack on Titan is the best thing ever.
I really liked it despite normally not liking wanna-be-serious shonen stuff.
Though it does heavily eat into a story I was wanting to write and now if I ever do so it would seem to be a rip off except with ironclads instead of grappling hooks.
But I've seen every episode. AGGGGGHHHH!
Thank god at least with this one, unlike other inconclusivly ending anime series I've liked in the past, there looks set to be a sequel.
Attack on Titan is probably the only series that I am 100% certain will have an anime sequel, due to its sheer popularity and the fact that the manga has already gone a lot further than the anime.
I am not even sure if Madoka Magica will have a sequel or not. It is an anime original series, so there is no source material to rely on. Gen Urobuchi, the script writer, appears not to have any further ideas or interest in doing more Madoka. They'll have to bring in other writers. On the other hand the latest movie does leave a pretty big opening for a sequel. The biggest assurance I have heard is that Madoka is a $40 billion yen industry.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FGargantia-01_zpsd3a58105.jpg&hash=0ddf0057f2216b97c05520b3f040b43d0043c2eb) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Gargantia-01_zpsd3a58105.jpg.html)
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet. I have yet to see a description of this anime that does not feature prominently a sentence mentioning Gen Urobuchi as the script writer. He is the writer behind block busters Fate/Zero and Madoka Magica.
In the distant future, mankind has left the Earth and now lives in space colonies. They live in a militaristic society where children are trained to become soldiers from the day they are born, and those who are deemed unfit are discarded, because humanity are engaged in a never-ending war with an alien squid-like lifeform. The story begins when humanity launches an all-out attack on the aliens and are repulsed. Redo, the protagonist, escapes through a wormhole and ends up on Earth (the verdurous planet). He finds a planet that is entirely covered by an ocean, and the remaining humans, with 20th/21st century technology, lives in floating, moving cities formed by locking many ships together. Gargantia is the city that picks him up. There, he must gain the trust of the Gargantia residents, adjust to civilian life, and find a new purpose in life.
By Urobuchi/Urobucher standards, this is light-hearted. It is probably his most humane work that I've seen. His trademark plot twists, character deaths and disturbing scenes are all here, but they are no where near as dark as Fate/Zero or Madoka Magica. The first half is pretty fun and optimistic, and the story only gets serious in the second half. It is an enjoyable flick and a coming of age story. 13 episodes and 2 OVAs. A lot of OVAs are fanservicy crap, but these OVAs are especially good that won't feel out of place even if they are aired with the others.
Second season has already been announced, though no details are available. No idea how they are going to do it though, because season 1 does wrap things up nicely with all the outstanding major plot elements resolved.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 12, 2014, 07:56:09 PM
In the distant future, mankind has left the Earth and now lives in space colonies. They live in a militaristic society where children are trained to become soldiers from the day they are born, and those who are deemed unfit are discarded, because humanity are engaged in a never-ending war with an alien squid-like lifeform.
:cthulu:
Quote from: Savonarola on March 13, 2014, 08:11:05 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 12, 2014, 07:56:09 PM
In the distant future, mankind has left the Earth and now lives in space colonies. They live in a militaristic society where children are trained to become soldiers from the day they are born, and those who are deemed unfit are discarded, because humanity are engaged in a never-ending war with an alien squid-like lifeform.
:cthulu:
In many ways the setting is grimmer than that, although in general, as Monoriu said, the story isn't. I'll second Mono's recommendation, although with the caveat that its better not to think about some of the unlikely coincidences of the story based on what we know of the background of this world.
Quote from: Agelastus on March 13, 2014, 08:18:13 AM
In many ways the setting is grimmer than that, although in general, as Monoriu said, the story isn't. I'll second Mono's recommendation, although with the caveat that its better not to think about some of the unlikely coincidences of the story based on what we know of the background of this world.
Do elaborate. I am not aware of these...coincidences. What are they :unsure:
Quote from: Monoriu on March 13, 2014, 08:33:16 AM
Quote from: Agelastus on March 13, 2014, 08:18:13 AM
In many ways the setting is grimmer than that, although in general, as Monoriu said, the story isn't. I'll second Mono's recommendation, although with the caveat that its better not to think about some of the unlikely coincidences of the story based on what we know of the background of this world.
Do elaborate. I am not aware of these...coincidences. What are they :unsure:
As an example, the evolver base where one of the character's elder brother died.
Gargantia supposedly travels the oceans of the world drifting wherever the "currents" take it; yet after all those years the evolver base is within a few days travel at most of where Gargantia is during the storyline.
That's one hell of a coincidence. There's others.
Then there's the "oddities"; such as the captain-designate of Gargantia having a map on her wall showing the Earth as it would be if the magnetic poles had reversed (south is at the top) and if most of the world had flooded apart from some mountain areas (specifically, the Tibetan plateau/Himalayas is visible in the right place; as is parts of the Andes and Rockies) yet all dialogue in the show says there's no land left at all. Certainly no-one on the Gargantia has ever seen it.
Or how the breakaway fleet travelled to the evolvers base given the power source of the ships - does the base sit on a permanent "current"? Or is this another of the coincidences, a "current" conveniently forming? Or were they so fanatical that they were willing to commit suicide if there was no way to recharge their batteries at the evolver base - something not born out by their general attitude?
Since the breakaway fleet must have travelled in a different direction to Gargantia (or else there'd be no point in the breakaway) how come Gargantia's people were so relieved earlier in the series to see a new current forming ahead of them if it was so easy for the breakaway group to reach the evolvers base?*
There's quite a few bits that don't bear close scrutiny.
*On reflection, and considering it now, I suppose the new current might have gone to the evolvers base in one direction and elsewhere in the other - a "T-junction" rather than an extension of the current they were on.
But then we get back to the coincidence level of having the evolver base so close to them since we're now adding to it by having a "current" open up at exactly the right time.
A sort of high-minded Fantasy/ Science Fiction blend, Gankutsuou is a very loose retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo. Contains space vampires.
The Count of Monte Cristo is more suited than it seems at first glance to being turned into a Galactic Drama; a free hand with the original work and truly innovative (reminiscent only perhaps of some scenes in Michiko and Hatchin) artwork give it the distinct feel of its own story, despite being steeped in the grandeur of Dumas's original work.
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For mono, i'll mention that high-society Japanese is a nice fit for the nobility-flecked cast of Monte Cristo, and that was a particular joy for me to listen to. The Count's every word is delightful.
Gankutsuou in it's early chapters follows the Count of Monte Cristo so closely that I was wondering how they were going to handle Eugénie and her piano teacher. (They changed her relationship with Albert substantially as the story progressed.)
I thought Gankutsuou had it's drawbacks; by eliminating the first hundred pages of The Count of Monte Cristo they removed the best part of the book. By focusing on the younger generation rather than the count the story turned into a soap opera (with Edmond Dantès as his own evil twin.) Still it was an interesting experiment with fascinating animation.
This art style reminds of the witch barriers of Madoka Magica.
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One Piece. This is huge. It is *the* best selling manga in history, not one of the best. Annual sales of One Piece manga is several multiples of the no.2 one. It is almost impossible to go to Japan and not bump into One Piece merchandise at some point. The anime has been going on for 15 years, non-stop. There are 635 episodes, 3 OVAs, 7-8 TV specials, and 12 movies. Yes, I've watched everything.
One Piece is a shonen show with a pirate setting. The author makes no secret that he is a huge Dragonball fan, and the similarity shows. It is about fights, adventure, friendship, and above all, dreams. The former Pirate King had been publicly executed. Just before his death, he urged everybody to look for his treasure. This triggered the great piracy era. The progatonist, Luffy, is determined to assemble a crew to find the treasure, known as One Piece. He believes that it is located at the end of the Grand Line, one of the world's oceans. By finding the treasure and reaching the end of the world, he would become the new pirate king. His ship and crew travel from island to island, meeting new friends and fighting enemies everywhere. Luffy doesn't engage in piracy in the traditional sense. A pirate to him means someone who is free to do whatever he wants, up to and including fighting the government if necessary.
This is epic in scale. The author never stops coming up with new ideas and characters after so many years. The only thing that is missing from the show is romance. Otherwise, it has it all. Fights, comedy, serious moments, emotional scenes, nightmarish shots, many of them memorable ones. It takes a story arc approach, with one island usually serving as one big story arc. There are really good arcs and mediocre arc out of the 635 episodes. One common piece of advice for newcomers is to stay until you reach the Arlong arc (ep. 31-45).
Compared to Naruto, another popular shonen show, One Piece doesn't have too many filler episodes. They avoid this by dragging the story out. The rule of thumb is that each anime episode should consist of two manga chapters (they usually publish one manga chapter and broadcast one episode per week). So the problem of catching up to the manga is easy to see. One Piece avoids the problem by only adapting one manga chapter per episode. So the pace is very slow, especially in recent years when they largely stopped making fillers.
To really enjoy One Piece, one must start from episode 1 and complete the whole thing. But if you have to pick an arc to watch, in my opinion, the best arcs are -
Arlong (ep. 31-45)
Alabasta (ep. 62-135)
Water 7 (ep. 229-312)
Summit war (ep. 385-489)
The movies is a horrible place to start watching One Piece. The majority of them are non-canon.
The opportunity cost of watching One Piece is enormous. With that much time invested into anime, you could easily watch thirty shows of a more average length. I can't imagine some shonen show aiming to pander to the widest possible audience is worth that much time.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 15, 2014, 12:17:02 AM
The opportunity cost of watching One Piece is enormous. With that much time invested into anime, you could easily watch thirty shows of a more average length. I can't imagine some shonen show aiming to pander to the widest possible audience is worth that much time.
To a certain extent that is true. But One Piece is really quite good. Not Madoka, Angel Beats or Fate Zero level good, but still better than like 80% of the shows out there. Those 600 episodes just went by like a breeze. There aren't enough average length shows that are as good.
Everybody in japan seems to like one piece. It gives you something to talk about. That being said I've only ever read the first chapter of the manga. It doesn't appeal to me at all. I really should try watching the first series at least to have a basic idea of what it's about.
The time investment point is really true about reading but with anime... There's not so much awesome stuff out there
Quote from: Tyr on March 15, 2014, 03:49:35 AM
Everybody in japan seems to like one piece. It gives you something to talk about. That being said I've only ever read the first chapter of the manga. It doesn't appeal to me at all. I really should try watching the first series at least to have a basic idea of what it's about.
The time investment point is really true about reading but with anime... There's not so much awesome stuff out there
Like I said, you have to stick around until the Arlong arc. Just like Madoka. You just have to stick around past the first two episodes.
I find it very hard to credit both of you when you say there isn't enough awesome stuff out there. I still have a swelling list of things I would like to see, and I suspect I've seen more than either of you. Practically speaking, more comes out each season than I can watch, and it's a rare season that doesn't produce around five passable shows. Five episodes a week is a lot when there's already an endless backlog of material to unearth. I've actually yet to watch Berserk, which is enormously acclaimed; I'm looking forward to finally watching it among other things.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 15, 2014, 04:23:33 AM
I find it very hard to credit both of you when you say there isn't enough awesome stuff out there. I still have a swelling list of things I would like to see, and I suspect I've seen more than either of you. Practically speaking, more comes out each season than I can watch, and it's a rare season that doesn't produce around five passable shows. Five episodes a week is a lot when there's already an endless backlog of material to unearth. I've actually yet to watch Berserk, which is enormously acclaimed; I'm looking forward to finally watching it among other things.
There is no doubt in my mind that you've seen more anime than me. I haven't even heard of most of the stuff that you mention. :worthy:
Yeah, I have an enormous backlog to go through as well. But like I said, I find One Piece to be a very enjoyable show. It doesn't belong to my top 10 list, mainly due to its extremely slow pace. I am however prepared to consider it if I were to make a top 20 list though.
Berserk eh? I will check it out.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2014, 03:51:34 AM
Quote from: Tyr on March 15, 2014, 03:49:35 AM
Everybody in japan seems to like one piece. It gives you something to talk about. That being said I've only ever read the first chapter of the manga. It doesn't appeal to me at all. I really should try watching the first series at least to have a basic idea of what it's about.
The time investment point is really true about reading but with anime... There's not so much awesome stuff out there
Like I said, you have to stick around until the Arlong arc. Just like Madoka. You just have to stick around past the first two episodes.
I just hate the fucking art style and that carriers over from the manga to the anime. Read like three chapters and just couldn't do it.
Lettow, have you seen Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi? It's great and I think it's right up your alley.
I almost forgot. The Arlong arc in One Piece was broadcast like 14, 15 years ago. They recently remade that arc into a 2-hour TV special. All the visuals and voice acting was redone. Not a bad way to try to get into the series.
It is called Episode of Nami.
Abenobashi is great, but its a little too lewd and irreverent for my tastes. It is something like Tatami Galaxy meets Tamako Market.
The celebration of the almost anachronistic shopping streets that Tamako Market and Abenoshi both engage in is really charming to me; Tamako Market suffered from poor story direction and is regarded as a failure for Kyoto Animation, but I like it more than anything they've done recently. Its saccharine warm tone is closer to what I look for in anime than Abenobashi; both are underrated anime worth someone's consideration.
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Code Geass, also known as Lelouch of the Rebellion, is one of my most favourite anime shows and is a huge success on an international scale. It is a faux-mecha show. There are tons of powerful mechas, but they are not central to the story like Gundam. The focus of the story is about how Lelouch makes use of his superpower and his brains to scheme his way toward his objective.
In this alternative timeline on Earth, Britain never lost the 13 colonies. It successfully established a huge social darwinist empire that covered several continents. Japan is part of the empire and its name has been taken away, only known as Area 11. Lelouch is a genius student, and he wants to lead the Japanese resistance movement to overthrow the Britannian empire. That sounds like a pipedream, until he met C.C. (the girl with greenish hair), who granted him a form mental superpower. Code Geass is the name of the superpower.
Code Geass is a fast-paced and complex story with a huge cast. Lelouch himself is a genius chessmaster but an average mecha pilot. He comes up with crazy wild schemes and can be very ruthless, but also has a caring side, especially for his little sister. It is very addictive to see how his schemes unfold. They sometimes work, but also backfires spectacularly other times. It is one of the most engaging anime stories I've seen. 50 episodes and 2 OVAs.
They are releasing a new OVA series set in the same world but features a different cast called Akito the Exiled. 2 episodes released so far but is not yet complete.
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Kara no Kyoukai, also known as Garden of Sinners. Kara no Kyoukai means boundary of emptiness.
What I expected: Yuki Kajiura music, gorgeous visuals by UFO table (the folks behind highly acclaimed Fate Zero), source novel by Kinoko Nasu, the mastermind of the Fate universe, main female lead voiced by Maaya Sakamoto.
What I got: all of the above. Plus: murder mysteries, philosophical babbling, mind screw, more blood in an anime than anything I have seen so far (except maybe Elfen Lied), super complex plot, gore, detailed rape scene, cannibalism, a special 30-minute episode that consisted of nothing but 2 people talking to each other about philosophical stuff for, yes, 30 minutes.
Don't get me wrong. If you can swallow all that, it is a really good show. The story is interesting, the visuals are wonderful, and the characters endearing. Basically, it is about a small detective agency that specialises in solving murders or crime involving the supernatural. Shiki, pictured above, is the primary hitman of the agency. She of course has a most unusual background and her own supernatural abilities. That, and she is a knife nut.
Garden of Sinners is unique in that it is not a TV series. It consists of a series of 8 movies, and 2 roughly 30-minute special episodes. The total running time is roughly equivalent to 2 seasons, or 26 episodes.
It is also one of the most difficult to understand shows I've seen. There are two problems: the show expects familiarity with the source material and its complex concepts. Two, this anime loves showing things out of order. The first movie is about the detective agency solving murder mysteries without any introduction to the background of the major characters. These are only slowly revealed in subsequent movies. They love doing it even within the same movie.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 17, 2014, 08:57:58 PM
detailed rape scene,
Were tentacles involved? :cthulu:
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 17, 2014, 11:44:59 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 17, 2014, 08:57:58 PM
detailed rape scene,
Were tentacles involved? :cthulu:
No. It was handled realistically and seriously. Also extremely sad and disturbing. :(
Kudos to Noto Mamiko for her superb performance throughout the entire movie. It was worth it just to hear her voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Snl7mkZ-zI
This song just rings in my head all day. Imagine the death of a loved one and listen to this song. Yuki Kajiura magic at work.
She is too lazy (just kidding. She is such a workaholic that workaholics call her scary) to name the soundtracks used in Garden of Sinners though. 8 movies, with like 30 tracks for each. That's like two to three hundred tracks. So she just named them M1, M2, M3, ...
is Black Butler any good?
Quote from: Siege on March 18, 2014, 07:47:25 PM
is Black Butler any good?
I've heard about it, and it is on my long-term to-do list. Haven't seen any though. Supposed to be quite popular and there is a film version with real actors.
The reason I've heard about it is because of this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I9UxxhFxGs
Excellent insert song by Yuki Kajiura.
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Now, something from a bygone age. Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro. It was directed by world-famous Hayao Miyazaki in the late 70s, and in fact was his first feature-length film. I enjoyed it greatly when I was a kid.
Lupin III is a long-running manga/anime series in Japan. He is a "gentleman thief" who largely steals from criminals a lot worse than him. He and his gang have almost reached national icon status in Japan. Although fundamentally not a bad person, Lupin is also boastful, reckless, rude and is a playboy. A common criticism of this film is that Miyazaki's version of Lupin is completely selfless and noble, even going so far as to reject the obvious advances of the female lead.
The film starts with Lupin stealing a huge sum of cash from a casino, only to discover that all the money are counterfeit. Intent on revenge, he went after the mastermind, who was ruler of the smallest (fictional) nation in Europe. On his way, he witnessed a car chase of a gang going after a beautiful lady in a wedding dress. Lupin being Lupin, he immediately tried to help the girl without knowing what was going on. That's the beginning of his involvement with an age-old political feud between two families.
This is Miyazaki's forgotten masterpiece. It is no where near as well-known as Nausicaa or Spirited Away, but it is just as good. A lot of people don't like it because of the obvious differences with the anime/manga version of Lupin. BTW, the female lead in this film, Sumi Shimamoto, also voiced Nausicaa. She was in fact Miyazaki's favourite voice actress before the relationship fell apart. How bad was it? So bad that Miyazaki largely stopped using seiyuus at all. He now relies on actors to voice his characters.
Cagliostro is great.
Didn't know that about Miyizaki, after all his movies are the only animes to get famous hollyowood actors to dub them (altough Cagliostro was too early in his career to get that treatment).
How loosely is Lupin III based off Arsene Lupin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin)?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 18, 2014, 11:30:29 PM
Cagliostro is great.
Didn't know that about Miyizaki, after all his movies are the only animes to get famous hollyowood actors to dub them (altough Cagliostro was too early in his career to get that treatment).
He has odd taste about the voices. In his latest movie, the Wind Rises, the male lead is voiced by none other than Hideaki Anno. For those who don't know, Anno is the
director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. He has some minor acting experiences, but his main job is a director/script writer.
This is the equivalent of having someone like George Lucas star as the male lead in somebody else's movie.
Quote from: Syt on March 18, 2014, 11:40:39 PM
How loosely is Lupin III based off Arsene Lupin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin)?
No clue. I have only watched a couple of Lupin III movies and never touched the Arsene Lupin material.
Quote from: Syt on March 18, 2014, 11:40:39 PM
How loosely is Lupin III based off Arsene Lupin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin)?
It's based on him, but heirs in France would have none of it so they changed the French name to "Edgar de la Cambriole" (Edgar of Burglary).
I liked the anime as a kid but it's very un-PC now, with Edgar doing Nazi-salutes for comedy in Germany to piss off people.
I wonder how they got away with it, probably because it was for kids and nobody watched the episode in question.
Black Butler is a show targeted at (young) women. Elegant, lithe men in tailored uniforms with dark, mysterious pasts are the draw.
Lupin III was shown over here when I was a kid, during anime's heyday in Spain in the early 90s. It was great fun, one of my favorite shows back then.
Never saw the Cagliostro film until much later though. It is pretty good indeed.
I never saw the Lupin series until many many years after Castle. I've still only ever seen snippets actually.
Castle was one of the first animes I ever saw actually, one of the few the sci fi channel had the rights for with their old Thursday night anime slot. It is awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUfFUegH1LA
I almost forgot. Fire Treasure, the theme song for the Cagliostro movie, is one of my favourite anime songs. No idea why it is called that though :lol:
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Another classic, Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket. It is a very short OVA series with 6 episodes only, and is considered one of the best Gundam stories. Notable for taking many innovative approaches to a tired formula:
- it is seen from the view point of the opposing side, the Zeons and Zakus
- everybody is ordinary. No super soldiers, genetically modified people, or New Types with psychic powers.
- the mechanical designs are realistic. No Gundam that can defeat 25 enemies at once. No invincible Gundam that ignore enemy fire.
- the protagonist is an elementary student who never pilots a Gundam. No student falling into a cockpit plot. The pilots are all adults.
- almost the entire story takes place inside a space colony.
The show is a side story of the original 0079 Gundam story (hence War in the Pocket as it doesn't affect the main story). The Earth Federation is testing a new Gundam on Earth, and the Zeons are determined to destroy it. The Zeon mission failed, and they lost one team member. The Earth Federation sent the prototype to a neutral space colony, and the Zeon pursued it. A new rookie team member, Bernie, is sent to replace the deceased veteran, but he is not trusted by the rest of the team. The elementary student discovered the Zeon infiltration team by chance. To keep a low profile, the Zeon team tasked the new guy to watch over the kid. Meanwhile, Bernie meets a pretty girl who is literally the girl next door, and they immediately take an interest in each other.
[spoiler]The girl is actually the test pilot of the Gundam prototype, so they are lovers on opposing sides[/spoiler]
Also notable that this is one of "seiyuu queen" Megumi Hayashibara's earliest roles. The 12 year old protagonist is voiced by an actual 12 year old at the time.
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Spice and Wolf, best known as the anime show with "economics". I think that is slightly misleading, as it really doesn't go into any economic theory at all. What it does is focusing on the trading, scheming and alliance-making parts at the expense of direct combat.
The anime is set in the medieval world. Lawrance is a travelling merchant. He uses a wagon to move from city to city, buying low and selling high (hence the "Spice"). Holo, the girl next to him, is actually a goddess who usually appears in the form of a young girl. Her true form is a giant wolf (hence the "Wolf"). Even in her human form, she retains her wolf tail and ears but have to hide them in front of others. Centuries ago (yes, Holo is much older than Lawrence), Holo made a pact with a village. The villagers would worship her, and in exchange Holo would ensure decent harvest. But as the years have gone by, the villagers have turned ungrateful. Holo met Lawrence by chance and took the opportunity to escape from the village. Her stated reason was to go back to her birthplace, but it seemed that she was really more interested in following Lawrence. The story is about their travels and Lawrance's schemes to make money.
It is a decent show. Its main attraction is that it is different from the usual shonen adventure, mecha, romantic comedy, harem, school drama or magical girl themes common in anime. The trading plots are thought-provoking and they do a good job of retaining interest. The setting is quite realistic aside from Holo's deity status, and she does have to keep a low profile. Another focus of the story is about the relationship between Holo and Lawrence. They obviously like each other, but both are unable to spit it out. Lawrence is more reserved and mature while Holo is playful and child-like. Lawrence's problem is he knows that Holo has a much longer lifespan than him.
Two seasons, 24 episodes plus 2 OVA episodes. There should be enough light novel material for another season, but so far there is no news. The reason this kind of show isn't made very often is because of limited merchandise sales.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 18, 2014, 11:41:42 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 18, 2014, 11:30:29 PM
Cagliostro is great.
Didn't know that about Miyizaki, after all his movies are the only animes to get famous hollyowood actors to dub them (altough Cagliostro was too early in his career to get that treatment).
He has odd taste about the voices. In his latest movie, the Wind Rises, the male lead is voiced by none other than Hideaki Anno. For those who don't know, Anno is the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. He has some minor acting experiences, but his main job is a director/script writer.
This is the equivalent of having someone like George Lucas star as the male lead in somebody else's movie.
I'm going to go see that tomorrow.
Given the subject matter and what appears to be scenes of Hiroshima and/or Nagasaki in the trailer, the prospective name of the review is "How do you like airpower now, bitch?", but it seems a little inflammatory.
(Maybe he cast Anno as a way to distract him from cutting himself.)
Quote from: Monoriu on March 16, 2014, 09:26:31 PM
Code Geass, also known as Lelouch of the Rebellion, is one of my most favourite anime shows and is a huge success on an international scale. It is a faux-mecha show. There are tons of powerful mechas, but they are not central to the story like Gundam. The focus of the story is about how Lelouch makes use of his superpower and his brains to scheme his way toward his objective.
In this alternative timeline on Earth, Britain never lost the 13 colonies. It successfully established a huge social darwinist empire that covered several continents. Japan is part of the empire and its name has been taken away, only known as Area 11.
Sure, just like South Africa.
Anyway, I suppose one of these days I need to sit down and watch the whole thing, but you forgot to mention the racist caricatures.
Quote from: Ideologue on March 21, 2014, 07:55:32 PM
(Maybe he cast Anno as a way to distract him from cutting himself.)
Anno and Miyazaki are very good friends, and admire each other a lot. In his most recent Evangelion movie, Anno put in a bizarre sequence right at the beginning. A deliberately poorly made model of a giant robot that is a homage to the robot seen in Nausicaa is inserted into real life footage. After a couple of minutes of stuff that is only symbolically relevant to the story, the movie begins. I thought I was watching an advertisement for an upcoming godzilla movie.
Lettow, you seen this?
http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2014/03/12/gkids-to-distribute-studio-ghiblis-the-tale-of-the-princess-kaguya-in-north-america
I have not. I am interested in seeing it, although of course I have no interest in the english dub.
I actually wonder at the export potential of the story, really..
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 23, 2014, 07:09:49 AM
I have not. I am interested in seeing it, although of course I have no interest in the english dub.
I actually wonder at the export potential of the story, really..
I agree. I bet most people in Japan have heard of the story at some point in their lives. It is probably their oldest and most well-known folk story. Not sure if it will appeal to an audience that lack the cultural background.
Lovely visuals and music. I originally have no interest in the story, but I've changed my mind after seeing this preview. Thanks for posting this.
BTW, Queen Millennia is one of my favourite shows as a kid. It is a mix of Galaxy Express 999 and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. As far as I know, no Chinese or English subtitles are available for this show. Someone is doing the English subtitles, but it has taken them like 8 years to do 14 episodes <_<
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Maou Yuusha. Maou means demon lord. Yuusha means hero. In a medieval fantasy world, humans and demons are fighting a perpetual war. The human Hero intends to end the war by going straight to the Demon Lord's castle to slay his opponent. The Demon Lord turns out to be a pretty, nerdish, ditzy girl who is a peace-loving scholar specialising in economics and is somehow already crazily in love with the Hero even before their first meeting. She points out that too many people from both sides benefit from the war, and killing her won't end it. She intends to find an alternative way to achieve lasting peace. The two agree to cooperate on their common goal.
Jokingly referred to as the "third season" of Spice and Wolf. The two series are entirely different stories by different authors. What they have in common are a focus on the non-combat aspects and the interactions between the leading couple, specifically a playful female and a more reserved male. The production company deliberately invoked the comparison by hiring the same voice actors as the leads of both shows - Jun Fukuyama as Lawrence and Hero, and Ami Koshimizu as Holo and Demon Queen. The two also voiced a close pair in Code Geass. None of the characters have names. They refer to each other as "Hero", "Female Knight", "Head Maid" etc.
Like Spice and Wolf, the appeal of the show is that it is different. Sort of the beginning of a recent trend of shows focusing on the interactions between the Demon Lord and the Hero.
The 2014 Winter (January - March) anime season is drawing to a close. This isn't a great season as I am not aware of any must-sees or heavy weights.
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My favourite show of the season is Witchcraft Works, arguably the sleeper hit of the season. The last episode was broadcast 2 days ago. The stoic but incredibly popular Kagari is the "princess" of the school, complete with her own personal fan club who fight for the honour of having lunch with her. Honoka is an ordinary male student. One day, a tower collasped on him. Kagari showed up flying with a witch broom and saved him. She informed him that she is a witch, and her mission is to protect him. Then she called him "princess".
I like the premise, but I was initially turned off by the comically large breasts of Kagari. My opinion began to change when I noticed that the director of the show also made the really good Girls und Panzer series. I decided to follow it after learning that it was getting raving reviews and was one of the shows with the highest number of BD/DVD pre-orders of this season, despite the nonexistant hype before it was aired.
I find it the most addictive show of the season, and I eagerly anticipate it every week. It is very comfortable with the fact that it is totally over-the-top and crazy. It is a very good comedy but it isn't just that. There is a very intelligent and interesting plot underpinning the story. Honoka is hunted by many rival witches, and the reasons are slowly revealed, layer by layer. My worry that it is a fanservice laden show proved to be largely misplaced. Yes, her breasts are still completely out of proportion, but the fanservice is kept to a reasonable and fun level. The animation is very well done, and there is a good mix of new seiyuu talent and big name veterans.
I had a passing interest in this that was deterred by its cheap fanservice vibe. Since you thought well of it, i'll give it a shot.
A show I haven't seen much mention so far is Revolutionary Girl Utena
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Madoka gets far more credit than it deserves for experimental firsts in a magical girl show; generally by people who haven't seen much mahou shoujo besides Madoka itself. Utena has the feel of an Arthouse piece; much about it is not adequately explained, more is open to interpretation, and it almost seems to be daring the viewer to call it out on being insubstantial, empty allegory.
It has enough interpretations that surprising levels of scholarly analysis have gone into it; there are essays compiled on old websites out there. It is a very unique anime, and grew on me strongly through the force of its repetition and compelling oddity. There isn't really anything else like it.
Honoka's a girls name right?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 25, 2014, 12:16:44 AM
Honoka's a girls name right?
Honoka was originally supposed to be a female character. Yes, it was originally planned as a yuri show. The manga artist had a change of mind and turned him a male as a last minute change. That's one of the reasons why Kagari calls him "princess". That line works better if Honoka is a male :lol:
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 25, 2014, 12:09:50 AM
I had a passing interest in this that was deterred by its cheap fanservice vibe. Since you thought well of it, i'll give it a shot.
A show I haven't seen much mention so far is Revolutionary Girl Utena
The fanservice level of Witchcraft Works is comparable to Girls und Panzer, i.e., not much, despite the disproportionate number of female characters. I only recall one instance of Kagari teasing Honoka. There is a recurring bikini girl who is not really relevant to the plot. That's about it. Everybody else's attire is quite conservative by anime standards, as you can see from the poster.
Utena has been sitting forever in my HDD. Its turn will come, sooner or later.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 24, 2014, 09:36:48 PM
The 2014 Winter (January - March) anime season is drawing to a close. This isn't a great season as I am not aware of any must-sees or heavy weights.
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My favourite show of the season is Witchcraft Works, arguably the sleeper hit of the season. The last episode was broadcast 2 days ago. The stoic but incredibly popular Kagari is the "princess" of the school, complete with her own personal fan club who fight for the honour of having lunch with her. Honoka is an ordinary male student. One day, a tower collasped on him. Kagari showed up flying with a witch broom and saved him. She informed him that she is a witch, and her mission is to protect him. Then she called him "princess".
I like the premise, but I was initially turned off by the comically large breasts of Kagari. My opinion began to change when I noticed that the director of the show also made the really good Girls und Panzer series. I decided to follow it after learning that it was getting raving reviews and was one of the shows with the highest number of BD/DVD pre-orders of this season, despite the nonexistant hype before it was aired.
I find it the most addictive show of the season, and I eagerly anticipate it every week. It is very comfortable with the fact that it is totally over-the-top and crazy. It is a very good comedy but it isn't just that. There is a very intelligent and interesting plot underpinning the story. Honoka is hunted by many rival witches, and the reasons are slowly revealed, layer by layer. My worry that it is a fanservice laden show proved to be largely misplaced. Yes, her breasts are still completely out of proportion, but the fanservice is kept to a reasonable and fun level. The animation is very well done, and there is a good mix of new seiyuu talent and big name veterans.
It also has the single most addictive/catchy closing credits of any show I've seen in the last five years.
As for this season I agree that there's been no stand-out shows; the best have mostly been the second cours of the previous season's shows. "Strike the Blood" in particular maintained its high quality.
Quote from: Agelastus on March 25, 2014, 03:49:32 AM
It also has the single most addictive/catchy closing credits of any show I've seen in the last five years.
This is one of my favourite ending songs -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkctSzlAKtg
Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru (roughly, you and I are alike), by Yuki Kagiura, 4th ending song in Gundam Seed Destiny.
Another one, Your Silver Garden. Ending theme of Madoka Magica: Rebellion Story movie, also by Yuki Kajiura.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKQ5p0Ya6XU
(the video is spoiler free, but don't read the comments if you don't want to be spoiled about Madoka)
Quote from: Monoriu on March 24, 2014, 09:36:48 PM
My favourite show of the season is Witchcraft Works, arguably the sleeper hit of the season. The last episode was broadcast 2 days ago. The stoic but incredibly popular Kagari is the "princess" of the school, complete with her own personal fan club who fight for the honour of having lunch with her. Honoka is an ordinary male student. One day, a tower collasped on him. Kagari showed up flying with a witch broom and saved him. She informed him that she is a witch, and her mission is to protect him. Then she called him "princess".
I like the premise, but I was initially turned off by the comically large breasts of Kagari. My opinion began to change when I noticed that the director of the show also made the really good Girls und Panzer series. I decided to follow it after learning that it was getting raving reviews and was one of the shows with the highest number of BD/DVD pre-orders of this season, despite the nonexistant hype before it was aired.
I find it the most addictive show of the season, and I eagerly anticipate it every week. It is very comfortable with the fact that it is totally over-the-top and crazy. It is a very good comedy but it isn't just that. There is a very intelligent and interesting plot underpinning the story. Honoka is hunted by many rival witches, and the reasons are slowly revealed, layer by layer. My worry that it is a fanservice laden show proved to be largely misplaced. Yes, her breasts are still completely out of proportion, but the fanservice is kept to a reasonable and fun level. The animation is very well done, and there is a good mix of new seiyuu talent and big name veterans.
Somehow your description made me think of Urusei Yatsura.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 06:29:42 AM
This is one of my favourite ending songs -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkctSzlAKtg
Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru (roughly, you and I are alike), by Yuki Kagiura, 4th ending song in Gundam Seed Destiny.
That's...damn poor, even by Gundam Seed standards.
Sorry, I didn't hear or see anything special there. :(
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 06:29:42 AMAnother one, Your Silver Garden. Ending theme of Madoka Magica: Rebellion Story movie, also by Yuki Kajiura.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKQ5p0Ya6XU
(the video is spoiler free, but don't read the comments if you don't want to be spoiled about Madoka)
Don't worry, that movie's been pretty thoroughly spoiled for me by the various squeals of outrage in the author's notes of several fanfic writers. :D
Not that I can disagree with them from what I've heard at least concerning the last few minutes of said film.
As for the music, it's definitely better than your first example. Not enough to my taste for me to call it a classic though.
But as I said, here's a Youtube of Witch-craft works ending (unfortunately, without subtitles.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-3Fgrn7Rls
It's not just "catchy"; what makes it addictive is the imagery. Five chibi witches singing a jaunty song while being strapped to various torture devices. It's just so incongruous (even given the tone of the anime) that one can't help but watch it again and again. Plus given the ambiguous status in the anime of said five witches (enemy, ally, comic relief, sideshow etc.) it makes it all the funnier that they're the closing sequence leads and not the main characters.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 01:15:10 AM
Honoka was originally supposed to be a female character.
I saw an episode of Utena, and trust me, there are no male characters in that show. :P
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on March 25, 2014, 05:39:04 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 01:15:10 AM
Honoka was originally supposed to be a female character.
I saw an episode of Utena, and trust me, there are no male characters in that show. :P
Of course I trust you. Utena is considered a yuri (i.e. lesbian) classic. People watch it specifically for the girls love angle. The Chinese translation means "Girls' revolution".
Quote from: Agelastus on March 25, 2014, 12:09:06 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 06:29:42 AM
This is one of my favourite ending songs -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkctSzlAKtg
Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru (roughly, you and I are alike), by Yuki Kagiura, 4th ending song in Gundam Seed Destiny.
That's...damn poor, even by Gundam Seed standards.
Sorry, I didn't hear or see anything special there. :(
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 06:29:42 AMAnother one, Your Silver Garden. Ending theme of Madoka Magica: Rebellion Story movie, also by Yuki Kajiura.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKQ5p0Ya6XU
(the video is spoiler free, but don't read the comments if you don't want to be spoiled about Madoka)
Don't worry, that movie's been pretty thoroughly spoiled for me by the various squeals of outrage in the author's notes of several fanfic writers. :D
Not that I can disagree with them from what I've heard at least concerning the last few minutes of said film.
As for the music, it's definitely better than your first example. Not enough to my taste for me to call it a classic though.
But as I said, here's a Youtube of Witch-craft works ending (unfortunately, without subtitles.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-3Fgrn7Rls
It's not just "catchy"; what makes it addictive is the imagery. Five chibi witches singing a jaunty song while being strapped to various torture devices. It's just so incongruous (even given the tone of the anime) that one can't help but watch it again and again. Plus given the ambiguous status in the anime of said five witches (enemy, ally, comic relief, sideshow etc.) it makes it all the funnier that they're the closing sequence leads and not the main characters.
We have different tastes then :) I am a stereo person, i.e. if I like a song, I listen to it in the stereo system, so the images are not relevant to me. I prefer the serious, depressing or grand-sounding themes. I am also a melody person, and don't really care about the lyrics.
About Rebellion Story: I LOVE the ending. As a fan of the series and a fan of Akemi Homura specifically, I think it is the perfect ending. I still remember watching it in the theatre (US$35 per ticket, damn). When...the moment came, I kept saying no, no, you shouldn't give up. Then she did it. I almost cheered.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 07:08:01 PM
About Rebellion Story: I LOVE the ending. As a fan of the series and a fan of Akemi Homura specifically, I think it is the perfect ending. I still remember watching it in the theatre (US$35 per ticket, damn). When...the moment came, I kept saying no, no, you shouldn't give up. Then she did it. I almost cheered.
Peculiar; everything I've heard about the ending suggests that Akemi Homura finally snaps and betrays everything her character stood for and Madoka's own wishes. Hence the rage among a chunk of the Madoka fandom at the last few minutes of the movie.
It does end doesn't it with Homura usurping or gaining powers equivalent to Madoka's and effectively locking Madoka up in a personal "la-la-land" for "her own good", doesn't it?
I've also heard that it was not Urobutcher's preferred ending (which was pretty much exactly the opposite of those last few minutes) but that other parties involved wanted to leave a sequel hook open (presumably due to having Yen signs in their eyes.)
Spoilers about the Madoka TV series and the Rebellion Movie.
[spoiler]First, it is Urobuchi's ending. What he meant was, in his first outline of the story, the story ended with Madoka taking Homura to magical girl heaven. Then Shinbo gave him the idea of making them enemies. Urobuchi considered the idea a breakthrough that would let him write a better story, and changed the ending. Then he wrote the first draft of the script based on that idea. He embraced the idea; he wasn't forced to change it.
I consider what Homura did totally within her character. Homura has always acted against Madoka's wishes to contract in the TV series, for her own good. The movie ending is simply the logical extreme of the same line of thinking. Homura thinks she is doing what Madoka's true desires (as opposed to duty) are, as shown in the flower fields scene in the movie.
Also, Homura acting all devilish is perfectly consistent with her practice of putting up a tough as nails mask. Her actions betray her true intentions though, as she fulfilled every single one of the magical girls' wishes (as usual). Tellingly, including the wishes of her sworn enemy, Sayaka. See Kamijou's hand as evidence. What kind of person goes out of her way to ensure that the wishes of her opponent are fulfilled? Homura wasting Kyoko's apple and breaking a tea cup in front of Mami is petty mischief at worst. If the worst acts of an all-powerful devil that has universe rewriting powers is to commit petty mischief, I have a real problem calling that person the devil.
[/spoiler]
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Log Horizon. A two-season show that ended last weekend. Second season has just been announced for the Fall 2014 season (Oct - Dec). The show that will forever be compared with Sword Art Online, as they both share the same premise - thousands of gamers trapped in a virtual reality medieval fantasy game world.
The similarity ends there, I think. Sword Art Online is very depressing, Log Horizon strikes a balance between serious and light-hearted. Sword Art Online is about the protagonist's one-man crusades to solve all his problems. Log Horizon is about team work, party tactics, making alliances, back-room deals. Sword Art Online has one viewpoint and maybe 2 major female characters. Almost everybody else are minor or one-episode characters. Log Horizon has dozens and dozens of named characters and multiple viewpoints. The protagonist of Sword Art Online is a lone swordman specialising in cutting things up. Log Horizon's Shiroe is an enchanter and a leader who doesn't go into battle very often. He works behind the scenes, organises his allies and comes up with complex plans. TV stations have been fined for airing Sword Art Online uncensored (there are one or two problematic scenes, of the sexually violent kind. No, not fanservice. More like fan-disservice). Log Horizon is clearly for all ages. Dying in Sword Art Online means death in the real world. Characters who die in Log Horizon are regenerated in-game quickly.
Me? I like Sword Art Online a lot more. It gives me nightmares. Log Horizon is an enjoyable flick; but Sword Art Online is a great show that will be remembered for years to come.
Log Horizon's second season could be somewhat problematic. They've animated five of the seven books and there's only supposed to be one more published by the time the second season is due. That either means a one cour sequel or "anime original" filler. :yuk:
Quote from: Agelastus on March 26, 2014, 03:03:52 AM
Log Horizon's second season could be somewhat problematic. They've animated five of the seven books and there's only supposed to be one more published by the time the second season is due. That either means a one cour sequel or "anime original" filler. :yuk:
Is Log Horizon that popular to get a second season so soon? The second season of Sword Art Online will be broadcast 2 years after the first season, and Sword Art Online is a best selling novel. The second season of Log Horizon is announced at the end of the first season, and the gap is only 6 months apart. Almost as if they planned the whole thing in advance.
I'd prefer it if they make a second season for Accel World.
But I am a sucker for sequels. I almost always watch them. That, and I totally enjoyed Chiwa Saito's performance in the last Log Horizon episode. Seems her character will have a major role in the second season.
I know a lot of people here like Kantai collection (i.e. moe anime girls representing WWII era warships). Here is Bismarck's design -
http://kancolle.wikia.com/wiki/Bismarck
No ETA for the anime yet, and still don't know what the story is all about.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 26, 2014, 08:11:22 AM
I know a lot of people here like Kantai collection (i.e. moe anime girls representing WWII era warships). Here is Bismarck's design -
http://kancolle.wikia.com/wiki/Bismarck
No ETA for the anime yet, and still don't know what the story is all about.
Man, this touches upon my "Blonde Nazi female officer" fetish. I need this show now.
Quote
It is I, the pride of Deutschland, the nameship of the Bismarck super dreadnaughts.
Germanic designs are just beautiful and dignified, nein? It's alright, you can praise me more.
:ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 09:22:18 PM
Log Horizon.
If "Lost Horizon" was set it in Canada, this is what it would be called. :Canuck:
The Royal Geographical Society sends two explorers to an unmapped location in the Canadian Rockies; eccentric British millionaire Jos Q. Eis and all-American boy Timothy Olsen. Hilarity ensues as cultures collide on the train trip to Peace River. Our intrepid explorers set off on what promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. As they go deep into the mountains a blizzard strikes, and they fall hopelessly lost in the snow. They awaken at a mysterious mountain city which the natives call Neilgra-la. There they find people have extraordinary longevity and are dedicated to egotism, dreadnoughts and justice; but perhaps everything is not as it seems...
Quote from: celedhring on March 26, 2014, 12:24:13 PM
Man, this touches upon my "Blonde Nazi female officer" fetish. I need this show now.
I suppose there'll be a Tirpitz-chan too :cool:
They've also announced two German destroyers, Z1 and Z3
http://kancolle.wikia.com/wiki/Z1
http://kancolle.wikia.com/wiki/Z3
Quote from: Monoriu on March 26, 2014, 05:00:20 PM
They've also announced two German destroyers, Z1 and Z3
http://kancolle.wikia.com/wiki/Z1
http://kancolle.wikia.com/wiki/Z3
Quotenn, what is it? My boiler needs servicing...
:perv:
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Nisekoi. Nise means fake. Koi means love. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is a 2-season series, and they are roughly at the mid point of broadcasting it. So I've only seen half of it, like everybody else.
Romantic comedy, Shaft/Shinbo-style. Yes, once again I am watching it just because it is Shaft/Shinbo, of Madoka Magica fame. The protagonists pictured above are children of the leaders of two rival yakuzas/gangs. Their respective leaders are actually friends with each other. The problem is that their underlings want war. So they forced their children to act like a couple to stop the violence - no family infighting. The first problem is that the male protagonist is interested in another girl, who in turn is interested in him, but neither is aware of the other's feelings. The second problem is that the underlings don't really buy the fake love story and want to bust them. The third problem is that the fake love gets not so fake as time goes on.
I don't think the story is getting anywhere, but it is good fun and the characters are adorable. Not just the usual oblivious to love male protagonist or the tsundere female lead. Every side character is adorable in their own way. The lovely and shy #2 girl who cannot spit out her true feelings for the dude. Her snarking, scheming, anything goes sidekick who will stop at nothing to pair them up. The cute gangster underlings who really have (what they think is) their young masters' happiness at heart. The female lead's bodyguard/classmate who pulls out a gun at the slightest provocation but also has a bodyguard crush.
Is it groundbreaking? Of course not. Is it entertaining? Does it make me laugh? Do I want to continue watching it? Yes, yes, and yes.
Broadcast time is very late in the evening of every Saturday, Japanese time.
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Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. Chunibyo is literally "Grade 8 syndrome". It means a tendency for that age group of students to play make-belief to the extent that they see everything through fantansy lenses. Say, someone suffering from Chunibyo will say -
"The water magician's power is too strong. Bring reinforcements." (Chuni-speak)
(Translation) "It is pouring outside. Bring me an umbrella."
The girl in the picture above has perfectly normal eyesight. She is constantly wearing that eye-patch because she believes she is the "evil lord of true eyesight". She wears a yellowish, glowing contact lens underneath that eye-patch, which she takes off whenever she needs to power up. The protagonist imagined himself as the "dark flame master" in junior high school, but he has since grown out of it. To escape his embarrassing past, he transferred to a different high school and now behaved like a normal student. The problem is that he meets the above girl who tried to drag him back to the illusionary world.
The main draw of the show is the fun made possible by the "Chunibyo lenses". Whenever there is a fight, the anime will alternate between showing the chuni-illusions as imagined by the characters (e.g. battling with giant hammers several times larger than their bodies), and showing what is really going on (merely swinging umbrellas at each other). The show is made by Kyoto animation known for its high animation quality, and it shows.
For me, it is a case of "everybody likes it, but somehow it doesn't click for me". I watched it to see what the hype is all about, as everybody seems to like it. There is a pretty serious romance story mixed with all the chuni stuff, and I must say I am not into serious romance shows.
2 seasons, 12 episodes each. The last episode was broadcast yesterday.
The Madoka Magica Movie 3: Rebellion Story BD is now...available. nyaa.se, search for Madoka Movie. Don't search for Rebellion Story. The BD video release includes official English subtitles, so even the raw video is ok. I know I've talked about my favourite anime show a lot, but I am going to have to repeat myself one more time.
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The show that has conquered the popularity charts internationally, won multiple awards, set new box office records, and is said to be worth $40 billion yen. That's huge considering that there are only 12 TV episodes and 3 movies (2 of them are mere compilations).
First, it is not a children's show, despite how it looks. It is a very serious affair aimed at an adult audience. Second, if you intend to watch it, avoid spoilers at all costs. That means no wikis, no reviews, no screenshots, of any kind. It is so popular that it is mentioned everywhere, and most fans assume that everybody else already know about the major plot twists. Don't even look at the DVD/BD covers. Third, the story starts off slowly. A lot of people give up in the first 2 TV episodes. Fourth, the watching order. I suggest the 12 TV episodes, then Movie 3. Movies 1 and 2 are summaries of the 12 episodes, with better graphics but a spoiler opening. Fifth, there is no way anybody can understand what's going on if one watches movie 3 without going through the TV series.
There is not much I can say about the show without going into spoiler territory. In this world, middle school girls are offered the opportunity to make a single wish, for the price of becoming a magical girl to combat monsters known as witches. Ordinary school girl Madoka Kaneme wants to contract, even if she has no wish to fulfill. New transfer student, the mysterious, tight-lipped and cold Homura Akemi, already a magical girl, is determined to stop Madoka at all costs.
My take on Movie 3. It is a worthy sequel to a legendary series. I went in with low expectations, thinking that it would be impossible for them to outdo themselves or even to match the TV series. I was wrong. I've watched it many, many times, but all kinds of emotions still flooded in when I rewatched it in BD quality once more. Yes, the story is very divisive among fans, and different people will have very different interpretations. I belong to the group that think this is great, and at least matches the quality of the TV series. In terms of production quality, only the Evangelion movies are of the same level of visual quality. The visuals are better than 99% of anime movies.
Of all the shows that I have watched in the past 30 years, this is my favourite. I still keep discovering new meanings from it even after I have watched it over 10 times.
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Silver Spoon. Slice of life, agricultural high school style. Or Full Metal Alchemist style. The number one selling point of this series is that it is based on a manga by the same author as Full Metal Alchemist.
The story is about a student who abandoned the normal Japanese high schools and chooses a remote one in Hokkaido that specialises in agricultural subjects. He has to take care of horses, make cheese, clean eggs, milk cows etc. There is not much of an overall plot and it is an entirely different animal compared with Full Metal Alchemist. The story is also very down to earth, with no supernatural or magical elements whatsoever.
It is very interesting to see what an agricultural high school looks like, and the story also explores the life of being a Japanese farmer, as most of the students of the school are children of these farmers. Most of the show is fun and light-hearted, but the anime also explores the downsides of being a small-scale Japanese farmer.
22 episodes, and the last episode was broadcast last week. A very interesting take on Japanese high school life, but no where near the level of Full Metal Alchemist.
Quote from: Savonarola on March 26, 2014, 04:29:57 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 09:22:18 PM
Log Horizon.
If "Lost Horizon" was set it in Canada, this is what it would be called. :Canuck:
The Royal Geographical Society sends two explorers to an unmapped location in the Canadian Rockies; eccentric British millionaire Jos Q. Eis and all-American boy Timothy Olsen. Hilarity ensues as cultures collide on the train trip to Peace River. Our intrepid explorers set off on what promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. As they go deep into the mountains a blizzard strikes, and they fall hopelessly lost in the snow. They awaken at a mysterious mountain city which the natives call Neilgra-la. There they find people have extraordinary longevity and are dedicated to egotism, dreadnoughts and justice; but perhaps everything is not as it seems...
As a one-time member of the Peace River bar, I can tell you it's not in the Rockies. :rolleyes:
I am watching Ghost in the Shell now, and one of the episode titles is this -
¥€$ (=yes)
I think this is absolutely brilliant.
Quote from: Barrister on March 31, 2014, 11:17:09 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on March 26, 2014, 04:29:57 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 09:22:18 PM
Log Horizon.
If "Lost Horizon" was set it in Canada, this is what it would be called. :Canuck:
The Royal Geographical Society sends two explorers to an unmapped location in the Canadian Rockies; eccentric British millionaire Jos Q. Eis and all-American boy Timothy Olsen. Hilarity ensues as cultures collide on the train trip to Peace River. Our intrepid explorers set off on what promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. As they go deep into the mountains a blizzard strikes, and they fall hopelessly lost in the snow. They awaken at a mysterious mountain city which the natives call Neilgra-la. There they find people have extraordinary longevity and are dedicated to egotism, dreadnoughts and justice; but perhaps everything is not as it seems...
As a one-time member of the Peace River bar, I can tell you it's not in the Rockies. :rolleyes:
I presume he meant that as just the end of the rail line before heading towards the Rockies.
Still seems like a detour though.
Quote from: Tonitrus on April 01, 2014, 06:03:59 AM
I presume he meant that as just the end of the rail line before heading towards the Rockies.
Still seems like a detour though.
I thought it was an amusing choice for the end of the line; but if you really need verisimilitude in a throwaway blurb about a utopia run by Neil then Tim O and Jos Q took the train to Calgary instead. :alberta:
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Magi. Shonen adventure series, Arabian nights style. This fantasy and magical world is divided into many different empires and kingdoms. Mysterious dungeons have appeared throughout the lands. Each dungeon is inhabited by a djinn. Those who conquer the dungeon earn the allegiance of the djinn, and become powerful magic users. There is a special class of magicians known as magi, who can make use of the magic in the surroundings. Aladdin is a magi, and he meets Alibaba during his travels. The two of them aim to conquer a dungeon together. During their travels, they meet allies and enemies, and get involved in the wars among the empires.
This series distinguishes itself from other shonen series (e.g. Dragonball, One Piece, Naruto etc) by its willingness to deal with more mature and difficult subjects like slavery, racism, politics, war and peace. The different empires have their own themes and sets of characters, e.g. there is one based on the ancient Chinese empire, another one based on the Roman empire. The cast is huge, and there are multiple viewpoints. The series is known for having very famous seiyuus voicing everyobdy, even minor characters. Another advantage is that there are only 50 episodes so far, so it is less of a time investment. The story has yet to end though.
I however feel that, as far as shonen goes, there are better stories out there. Magi is a decent series, but Fairy Tail, One Piece and the non-filler episodes of Naruto are all more engaging and interesting.
Quote from: Tonitrus on April 01, 2014, 06:03:59 AM
Quote from: Barrister on March 31, 2014, 11:17:09 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on March 26, 2014, 04:29:57 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 25, 2014, 09:22:18 PM
Log Horizon.
If "Lost Horizon" was set it in Canada, this is what it would be called. :Canuck:
The Royal Geographical Society sends two explorers to an unmapped location in the Canadian Rockies; eccentric British millionaire Jos Q. Eis and all-American boy Timothy Olsen. Hilarity ensues as cultures collide on the train trip to Peace River. Our intrepid explorers set off on what promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. As they go deep into the mountains a blizzard strikes, and they fall hopelessly lost in the snow. They awaken at a mysterious mountain city which the natives call Neilgra-la. There they find people have extraordinary longevity and are dedicated to egotism, dreadnoughts and justice; but perhaps everything is not as it seems...
As a one-time member of the Peace River bar, I can tell you it's not in the Rockies. :rolleyes:
I presume he meant that as just the end of the rail line before heading towards the Rockies.
Still seems like a detour though.
Logistics aside, I find that premise fascinating.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 01, 2014, 01:21:35 AM
I am watching Ghost in the Shell now, and one of the episode titles is this -
¥€$ (=yes)
I think this is absolutely brilliant.
Overall it's a rather brilliant show.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 01, 2014, 11:25:41 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 01, 2014, 01:21:35 AM
I am watching Ghost in the Shell now, and one of the episode titles is this -
¥€$ (=yes)
I think this is absolutely brilliant.
Overall it's a rather brilliant show.
But also beyond sick at times :yuk:
One of the most heartbreaking moments in Sword Art Online is when Sachi sings Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer to Kirito. The whole episode is like stabbing the audience in the heart; the song is like twisting the knife twice. I've been looking for a version of that song that is performed in a similar way. I've finally found it -
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer - Aoi Teshima
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxYLb9FwEFQ
:lol:
If you think that is moving, you should check out Alanis Morissette's rendition of My Humps.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 02, 2014, 07:40:04 AM
:lol:
If you think that is moving, you should check out Alanis Morissette's rendition of My Humps.
It is only moving if you have watched that episode :ph34r:
Thanks for the suggestion though. Anything else?
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Bodacious Space Pirates. This is one of the shows where the name is a problem. I don't know how "bodacious" sounds to westerners, but the show is translated as "violent space pirates" in Chinese. Another name for the show is "miniskirt space pirates". Neither "violent" nor "miniskirt" is an accurate reflection of the series. It is a light comedy/adventure series, has nothing to do with harem and there is not much fanservice.
In a distant planet in the future, the government has issued letters of marque to several space piracy groups, allowing them to raid commerce shipping under certain rules. These permits must be passed down the family, and this is how a teenage girl become the captain of one such pirate ship. The "raids" are actually highly scripted events that are agreed upon in advance between the pirates and the shipping companies. The pirates take the valuables of the passengers, who are then compensated by the insurance companies. The shipping companies consider it a sort of entertainment for their guests, who welcome them as a harmless adventure. Any injuries sustained throughout the raids are faked. In addition to these, the space pirates also take odd jobs like rescuing hostages, investigating strange events, participating in space races etc.
Despite the premise of a teenage girl leading a bunch of space pirates, everything else is quite realistic. The description of the space battles is quite impressive and detailed. They don't solve all their problems by charging ahead and firing missles in all directions. They actually engage in electronic and cyber warfare. Also nice that there are no excessive reliance on mechas or psyhic powers.
Should have just left the title in the original mix of Japanese and English that the anime used; "Mouretsu Pirates" or "Mouretsu space pirates" is meaningless to an English speaker but still sounds better than "bodacious" or "miniskirt".
It is a very good series (and the premise isn't quite as silly as it sounds; the original letters of marque were real, issued during a rebellion led by Sea of the Morningstar against its Colonial masters - then both sides got thumped by a third party that doesn't really care what individual systems do as long as they don't fight each other and things evolved from there.)
I second the recommendation; it's a good enough series that I've actually bought the DVD release.
I almost forgot. The opening for Bodacious Space Pirates. This isn't music that I'd like to hear on my stereo system over and over. But I do remember it, and it is one of those songs that keep ringing in my head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcBXhDCQNJE
(warning: this isn't mellow and depressing. More like loud and rockish)
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Little Busters. Yet another anime show based on a Key Visual Arts visual novel. A bit different from the other four Key Visual Arts work (Angel Beats, Clannad, Kanon and Air) that Little Busters has a stronger emphasis on friendship, and the harem aspects are toned down a bit.
Little Busters is the name of a group of five friends. One day, they decided to form a high school baseball team, so they needed to recruit additional members. The task falls to protagonist Riki, who must help the potential members to solve their problems. The task is complicated by mysterious messages popping up from time to time that he and his friend needed to complete certain tasks to uncover the mystery of the world. The story follows the basic Key formula of a male protagonist running around helping females (yes, all potential new members are girls) with their tragic pasts.
If I need to rank these five shows, my ranking is Angel Beats, Clannad, Air, Kanon and Little Busters. Angel Beats and Clannad are timeless classics. Air and Kanon are very good shows if you like all things Key. If you have seen the other four and like them, Little Busters is a must see, but I don't think it is as good as the other four. The tragic pasts of the girls feel a little weird this time. There is an overall "mystery of the world" plot, but my feeling is that it is a little weak in the sustaining disbelief department. Key Visual Arts is notorious for producing content that makes people cry. Perhaps it is a deliberate attempt to tone down the crying part this time, but I'd say the story is not moving enough. It is not a bad show; it just doesn't live up to the standards set by the other shows.
The show is in an odd position now. The main show has ended with 2 seasons and 39 episodes plus 1 OVA. A new OVA series (EX route) with new girls is being released right now. So far 3 episodes have been released and more are coming.
Unlike all the other Key-based shows I'm actually considering hunting down and watching Little Busters if I have the time; now I know the key conceit behind the show it's actually interesting me.
Quote from: Agelastus on April 07, 2014, 05:25:20 AM
Unlike all the other Key-based shows I'm actually considering hunting down and watching Little Busters if I have the time; now I know the key conceit behind the show it's actually interesting me.
This is probably one of those shows where it is more interesting to know the main secret before watching the show. Looking back, I didn't realise that I needed to look for the subtle hints when I watched the first 30 episodes, and missed quite a lot of things. But I just don't have the time to rewatch 30 episodes.
BTW, the EX route so far is very interesting, actually more interesting than the main story.
I found this link which is pretty interesting. Lists the anime shows by the number of internet votes they each get. Good way to find the more popular and mainstream titles.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/ratings-anime.php?top50=best_bayesian
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Girls und Panzer. World of tanks, the anime. In this world, "tankery" is a national sport for middle/high school girls, on the same level as tea preparation and swimming. There are unspecified protection measures in place so that nobody dies.
This is one of the best shows that I've seen, despite the unusual premise. To fully enjoy this show, there are quite a few aspects that viewers need to overlook. Don't ask why the sport is girls only, who pays for all the tanks, why all the schools are located on the decks of giant aircraft carriers, how come nobody dies from the battles, how come the tanks are fixed so quickly, how a school girl can load and fire an 88 gun on a Tiger tank, how come the girls know how to operate these tanks with so little training etc. Just forget all that.
This is actually a reasonably realistic tank and wargame show. All the tanks shown so far are realistically drawn WWII tanks. The highlight of the series is the actual battles. Granted, some of the tactics used are quite whacky, but there is no magic, psychic powers or mechs involved. The show never drifts too far from its realism roots. Another attractive aspect is that the battles are shown in great detail. They don't waste too much time on character interactions and development. There are dozens of characters (because they show the correct number of crew for each tank), but only the few major ones are described in detail. Precious screentime and budget are spent on what matters most, i.e. the battles themselves, not the chit-chat beforehand. And there is very little fanservice. The director challenged the animation crew to *try* to insert a panty shot without him noticing, because he won't allow any.
Girls und Panzer is probably the most enjoyable show to come out of Japan in years. It's appeal seems to be almost universal among western anime fans; I don't see why it shouldn't appeal to non-anime fans either.
You can tell that its popular by the price of the British DVD version. <_< And by the fact that for the first time that I can recall we're actually getting the "specials" that the Japanese include on their DVD releases - albeit as a separate, also pricy, release. :mad:
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2014, 11:13:02 PM
Girls und Panzer. World of tanks, the anime. In this world, "tankery" is a national sport for middle/high school girls, on the same level as tea preparation and swimming.
I always preferred the "Tankwondo" name used by the best of the subbing groups; "Tankery" sounds dumb to me. Almost better if they'd left the sport as "Senshado" in the English - it's not as if Kendo gets translated to "Swordery" or a western term such as "fencing" after all.
As for the background have you watched the specials? The whole schoolships thing actually goes back to Roman and Greek times in GuPs alternate world [Neil would probably love the fact that the first modern schoolship was an overgrown HMS Dreadnought!]
Don't ask me about how they actually built the current schoolships, of course.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2014, 11:13:02 PMAnd there is very little fanservice. The director challenged the animation crew to *try* to insert a panty shot without him noticing, because he won't allow any.
Which is why at one point we have the most well endowed member of the student council washing down her team's tank in a bikini! :lol:
There's something about it that just puts me off watching it.
Interestingly since I watched Attack on Titan it seems to have really hit the mainstream in Japan. 7-11 currently has a promotion based on it and there is another TV commercial (for what I can't remember) using it :lol:
I've got a bunch of pictures from a pilgrimage to Girls und Panzer's tiny hometown; but the more material contribution to this discussion is that the tanks are crewed by separate high school clubs, and of these, the history club is magical.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzwNNbO7h0 This basically makes my heart flutter.
I have only watched a bunch of episodes of G&P, but I did like their sincere parody of the clichéed high school sports team series. And it's decent panzer porn.
Quote from: Lettow77 on April 09, 2014, 08:16:03 AM
I've got a bunch of pictures from a pilgrimage to Girls und Panzer's tiny hometown; but the more material contribution to this discussion is that the tanks are crewed by separate high school clubs, and of these, the history club is magical.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHzwNNbO7h0 This basically makes my heart flutter.
For those who don't understand the video:
Each of the tanks of the protagonists' side is crewed by a different high school club. There is a volleyball club, history club, automobile club, internet gaming club etc. They are celebrating, and each club needs to perform something other than their usual schtick on the stage. The history club is pretending to perform a play, but actually they are trying to insert all sorts of historical references into their dialogue. That's why one of the student council members considers them cheating and shut down the show. The historical stuff that they mentioned includes all sorts of American civil war references, e.g. Robert E Lee is the best general of the war, Lincoln was assassinated in a theatre etc.
Quote from: Agelastus on April 09, 2014, 07:47:45 AM
Girls und Panzer is probably the most enjoyable show to come out of Japan in years. It's appeal seems to be almost universal among western anime fans; I don't see why it shouldn't appeal to non-anime fans either.
You can tell that its popular by the price of the British DVD version. <_< And by the fact that for the first time that I can recall we're actually getting the "specials" that the Japanese include on their DVD releases - albeit as a separate, also pricy, release. :mad:
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2014, 11:13:02 PM
Girls und Panzer. World of tanks, the anime. In this world, "tankery" is a national sport for middle/high school girls, on the same level as tea preparation and swimming.
I always preferred the "Tankwondo" name used by the best of the subbing groups; "Tankery" sounds dumb to me. Almost better if they'd left the sport as "Senshado" in the English - it's not as if Kendo gets translated to "Swordery" or a western term such as "fencing" after all.
As for the background have you watched the specials? The whole schoolships thing actually goes back to Roman and Greek times in GuPs alternate world [Neil would probably love the fact that the first modern schoolship was an overgrown HMS Dreadnought!]
Don't ask me about how they actually built the current schoolships, of course.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2014, 11:13:02 PMAnd there is very little fanservice. The director challenged the animation crew to *try* to insert a panty shot without him noticing, because he won't allow any.
Which is why at one point we have the most well endowed member of the student council washing down her team's tank in a bikini! :lol:
I have no idea about the English translation conventions. I watched the video with Chinese subtitles :D
It is a great show, but I was initially put off by the entire idea of school girls driving tanks. I assumed it was another fanservice show. I only admitted that I was wrong when I read the raving reviews that the show got everywhere.
Yeah, I watched all the specials and OVAs. Even the aircraft carriers are crewed by school girls. :wacko:
I am eagerly anticipating the upcoming OVA. Is it going to be on the battle with the Italians?
Quote from: Tyr on April 09, 2014, 07:56:47 AM
There's something about it that just puts me off watching it.
Interestingly since I watched Attack on Titan it seems to have really hit the mainstream in Japan. 7-11 currently has a promotion based on it and there is another TV commercial (for what I can't remember) using it :lol:
When I was in Japan, I saw One Piece stuff everywhere. I also saw Attack on Titan, Madoka Magica, Naruto and Bleach stuff, but none of them are as big as One Piece. None of them is a match for Tony Tony Chopper :lol:
Interestingly Levi is possibly the most popular Attack on Titan character, even though he isn't one of the big 3. For Madoka Magica, it is Akemi Homura. Hinata is the breakout character for Naruto, I think, and she possibly helped propel Nana Mizuki to stardom. No idea about Bleach as I haven't watched any.
So I have watched at least one episode of all the new shows in this season. First impressions.
Riddle Story of Devil: 8/10. My favourite so far. The overall tone is creepy and disturbing. Lots of mysteries that are only slowly revealed. The yuri (lesbian) undertones are handled quite well - nothing too explicit, yet not too subtle. Blatent plagiarism of character traits from Madoka Magica, and almost every character appears over-the-top and insane. Outstanding voice work by Hisako Kanemoto as Haru.
Irregular at Magic Highschool: 7/10 "Irregular" is a very poor choice of word, and probably an incorrect translation. The main character is a dead serious, mature, icy cold and highly competent student, who is somehow sorted into the "poor performing" half of the class. The world looks huge, with tons of characters, complicated magic rules, and a rich backstory. The hype surrounding this show seems well-justified. Looking forward to this one.
Brynhildr in the Darkness: 6/10 From the same author as Elfen Lied. The story is intriguing and it looks to be sliding toward a really sad, depressing and horrific path. Nothing substantial happened in the first two episodes. The execution looks a little lacking as some of the scenes that should be emotional and moving seem to lack punch. Wins the title of "most disturbing scene" so far.
Mekaku City Actors: 4/10 Story is boring so far. First episode only talks about an otaku with his computer programme girlfriend. They go out to buy a replacement keyboard and somehow become hostages in a robbery. The director has done a lot to make an uninspiring story somewhat interesting. Art style is similar to Monogatari series.
Black Bullet: 7/10 Looks promising, with an Attack on Titan humans-under-siege-by-monsters feel. Lots of emotional contrasts - light, comedic moments mixed with serious, graphical fights.
Fairy Tail: 6/10 Continuation of a good shonen fight story. Continues right from where they left off a year ago. Didn't waste too much time on recaps and introductions. Pace is a little slow for now. Hope it picks up soon.
Nisekoi: 8/10 second half of a two-cour romantic comedy. New girl makes me laugh out loud. The story is cliched and unimaginative, but the excution is excellent and the comedic moments work.
Jesus H Christ with Big Eyes and a Little Mouth, Mono.
QuoteEven the aircraft carriers are crewed by school girls.
OK, so that sounds a little hot. Maybe.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 13, 2014, 10:29:38 PM
Jesus H Christ with Big Eyes and a Little Mouth, Mono.
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Yeah, I Googled that.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 13, 2014, 10:29:38 PM
Jesus H Christ with Big Eyes and a Little Mouth, Mono.
QuoteEven the aircraft carriers are crewed by school girls.
OK, so that sounds a little hot. Maybe.
Not to disappoint you, but there is very little coverage of the aircraft carriers in the show proper :P
If you don't prefer the anime style of moe girls with big eyes, small mouths and non-existant noses, Attack on Titan, Ghost in the Shell and Legend of Galactic Heroes are probably suitable for you :contract:
Quote from: Monoriu on April 13, 2014, 10:24:25 PM
Irregular at Magic Highschool: 7/10 "Irregular" is a very poor choice of word, and probably an incorrect translation. The main character is a dead serious, mature, icy cold and highly competent student, who is somehow sorted into the "poor performing" half of the class. The world looks huge, with tons of characters, complicated magic rules, and a rich backstory. The hype surrounding this show seems well-justified. Looking forward to this one.
The map of the post World War III world made me do a spit-take. :lol:
Why was the East EU the western part? Why was the West EU the eastern part? (the actual division was Latin/Germanic and hangers on judging by the map.) Why are Japan and China the only two nations in the world that don't seem to have federated with anybody? How on Earth does the Perso-Indian Federation (or whatever the name was) get its name - Iran has always been Iran to the natives of the country so a Federation would be Irano-Indian. Not that the existence of a united Islamic-Hindu state makes much sense but still, it is eighty years in the future so one has to allow a little license...and possibly the existence of Khan Noonien Singh since the state seemed to resemble his Empire from more traditional Star Trek versions of the Eugenics Wars.
For all that I enjoyed the first episode; compared to the Manga (I haven't read the novel) it was a lot more explicit about the existence of the darker parts of the "siblings" pasts which I thought made a good contrast with the high school scenes. There was a certain dissonance between the home and school scenes that worked very well.
Quote from: Agelastus on April 14, 2014, 07:50:16 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 13, 2014, 10:24:25 PM
Irregular at Magic Highschool: 7/10 "Irregular" is a very poor choice of word, and probably an incorrect translation. The main character is a dead serious, mature, icy cold and highly competent student, who is somehow sorted into the "poor performing" half of the class. The world looks huge, with tons of characters, complicated magic rules, and a rich backstory. The hype surrounding this show seems well-justified. Looking forward to this one.
The map of the post World War III world made me do a spit-take. :lol:
Why was the East EU the western part? Why was the West EU the eastern part? (the actual division was Latin/Germanic and hangers on judging by the map.) Why are Japan and China the only two nations in the world that don't seem to have federated with anybody? How on Earth does the Perso-Indian Federation (or whatever the name was) get its name - Iran has always been Iran to the natives of the country so a Federation would be Irano-Indian. Not that the existence of a united Islamic-Hindu state makes much sense but still, it is eighty years in the future so one has to allow a little license...and possibly the existence of Khan Noonien Singh since the state seemed to resemble his Empire from more traditional Star Trek versions of the Eugenics Wars.
For all that I enjoyed the first episode; compared to the Manga (I haven't read the novel) it was a lot more explicit about the existence of the darker parts of the "siblings" pasts which I thought made a good contrast with the high school scenes. There was a certain dissonance between the home and school scenes that worked very well.
My wife watched this for about 30 seconds, and she happened to bump into the WWIII intro. She was like, "if they are in trouble, they should work together, not fight a world war. I hate your anime."
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Mirai Nikki, or Future Diary. A survival game where 12 people were given diaries that accurately predict the future in different ways. The goal of the game is to kill all the other diary holders and become god, literally. Wimpy Yukiteru has a diary that predicts everything that happens around him. The problem is he uses his diary for purposes like getting great scores, and very soon attracts the attention of other diary holders who intend to kill him.
The real highlight of the show is Yuno Gasai, another diary holder pictured above. There are plenty of anime characters who are clingy jealous girlfriends played for laughs. Yuno Gasai is not that. She is a mass-murdering psychopath who has a body count probably higher than the rest of the cast combined, and she chops people up with glee. She carries human skulls with her when she travels, talks to the corpses of her victims, and shows no hesitation whatsoever of killing 4-year olds. Her "love" for Yukiteru is taken to insane levels. Her diary predicts what happens to Yukiteru in 10-minute intervals. She obsessively stalks him, breaks into his house with a hammer to cook for him (and much more), gives him a wet kiss in episode 1 (in Japan, kissing is a huge deal and a lot of romance shows reserve the kiss for the climatic moment in the last episode), intends to kill anyone who befriends him, and is more than willing to charge special police tactical teams head on to protect him etc. Yukiteru is terrified of her, but he is also forced to use a loyal ally and competent melee figher as a bodyguard in the survival game.
The show can be quite sick at times and is filled with gore and nudity. It is also one of the better shows that I watched recently and Yuno Gasai (Gasai, a real Japanese last name, literally means my wife) is one of the most memorable anime characters ever created. She is the goddess of mental girlfriends. All of the diary holders have unique abilities and colourful stories that make them endearing. There is fast-paced, nonstop action with interesting plot twists. It is just one step below true classics, as some of the side character actions aren't as well justified as they can be, and the production qualities aren't the best that I've seen.
I watched two episodes of Attack on Titan. So far, I hate it.
Why the obsession with a siege mentality? How many animes have that as a central premise anyway? I know I've seen at least three where the people were holed up inside their cities and the countryside was full of monsters. Why the huge flesh monsters? It's always flesh monsters. Mindless ones.
(This may be my ignorance--maybe the east asian concept of a demon is historically flesh monsterish and I'm just not plugged-in Tyr-style.)
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on June 09, 2014, 02:35:09 AM
I watched two episodes of Attack on Titan. So far, I hate it.
Why the obsession with a siege mentality? How many animes have that as a central premise anyway? I know I've seen at least three where the people were holed up inside their cities and the countryside was full of monsters. Why the huge flesh monsters? It's always flesh monsters. Mindless ones.
(This may be my ignorance--maybe the east asian concept of a demon is historically flesh monsterish and I'm just not plugged-in Tyr-style.)
Too bad. Every anime show has haters and even the best ones are no exception. I was hooked from the start.
Black Bullet (being aired right now) has the same premise. City under siege and the countryside is full of monsters. Neon Genesis Evangelion and the original Macross are also siege-like shows. I love them. I don't think they are too common though. I think there are far more mecha, magical girl, harem or school romance shows.
As for the giants being mindless: [spoiler]keep watching. Not all of them are mindless :ph34r: [/spoiler]
Is there any particular kind of anime show that may interest you?
Honestly, I'm more curious about what these recurring themes say about Japanese culture and society. Why does the siege thing play well? Is there maybe a person who was involved in all of these shows who just really likes that kind of setting? Do many Asian guys feel like they actually live under siege and these are an analogy for modern life? I can get that.
But I don't dislike anything out of reflex. I plan to watch maybe three more of AoT before I take it out of the queue. I'm pretty forgiving, honestly. Some things take time to get traction. Hell, If Seinfeld had been aired on Fox instead of NBC it would never have gotten a second season. It didn't fit Fox's requirements in season one.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on June 09, 2014, 03:16:59 AM
Honestly, I'm more curious about what these recurring themes say about Japanese culture and society. Why does the siege thing play well? Is there maybe a person who was involved in all of these shows who just really likes that kind of setting? Do many Asian guys feel like they actually live under siege and these are an analogy for modern life? I can get that.
But I don't dislike anything out of reflex. I plan to watch maybe three more of AoT before I take it out of the queue. I'm pretty forgiving, honestly. Some things take time to get traction. Hell, If Seinfeld had been aired on Fox instead of NBC it would never have gotten a second season. It didn't fit Fox's requirements in season one.
As you know, Attack on Titan is adapted from a manga. The manga was actually shunned by many major publishing houses when it started because the premise was unusual. I don't think a siege is a very common setting in anime.
As for the layout of the Attack on Titan anime: [spoiler]episodes 3 and 4 are training episodes which can be a bit slow. Episode 5 is the beginning of the first major battle arc. Suggest that you don't drop the show until you reach at least episodes 5/6[/spoiler]
Oh well maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm not a consistent anime watcher and I have noticed the siege thingy. Desert Punk, for example.
Madoka Magica, which you so endorse, is on Netflix now. How many should I go though again?
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on June 09, 2014, 03:46:14 AM
Oh well maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm not a consistent anime watcher and I have noticed the siege thingy. Desert Punk, for example.
Madoka Magica, which you so endorse, is on Netflix now. How many should I go though again?
Madoka Magica is 12 TV episodes and 3 movies. Movies 1 and 2 (Beginning Story and Eternal Story) are compilation movies that tell almost the same story as the 12 episodes, with better pacing and graphics. If you haven't been spoiled about the story, I suggest that you go through the 12 episodes first. This is because the two movies assume that the viewers are already familiar with the story and contains a major spoiler opening sequence.
The real story has yet to begin by the end of the second episode. So suggest that you stick with the show past that point.
Movie 3 (Rebellion story) is the sequel to the 12 episodes.
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Ghost in the Shell. Ghost means soul; shell means body in the story. It is a police and crime story set in the distant future where most people have some kind of cybernetics implanted into their bodies, and many are full cyborgs. The female protagonist is one such cyborg.
The show almost feels like a western animation show rather than Japanese anime. The cast are all adults and the character designs are rather realistic. It certainly aims at a more mature audience, and explores philosophical themes like the relationship between soul and body. Lots of computer hacking, cyberpunk culture, politics, philosophical babbling, government corruption, awesome fighting scenes, awesome music (done by gamed composer Yoko Kanno). There is even a claim that the Matrix movies drew inspiration from this series.
A major problem with the show is, when I type "ghost in the shell" in any search engine, I get tons of different names and I have no idea which is which. I have watched them all and here is a quick guide.
Not counting the manga, there are 3 continuities, with different character designs in each.
Continuity 1
Ghost in the Shell (1995): a famed standalone movie released in 1995.
Ghost in the Shell 2.0: a scene-by-scene remake of the 1995 movie, with updated graphics. The plot and sequence are identical.
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. Sequel of the 1995 movie.
Continuity 2
Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone complex (maybe shortened to SAC). A 26 episode anime.
Ghost in the Shell: Laughing man. Compilation movie of Stand Alone Complex.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone complex 2nd GIG. A 26 episode anime that is a sequel to Stand Alone Complex.
Ghost in the Shell: Individual 11. Compilation movie of Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone complex solid state society. Some call it a movie, some call it an OVA. Sequel to Stand Alone complex 2nd GIG.
Continuity 3
Ghost in the Shell: Arise. There are supposed to be 4 movies/OVAs. Only the first 2 have been released. They are working on the 3rd and 4th shows.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 09, 2014, 10:00:40 PM
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Ghost in the Shell. Ghost means soul; shell means body in the story. It is a police and crime story set in the distant future where most people have some kind of cybernetics implanted into their bodies, and many are full cyborgs. The female protagonist is one such cyborg.
The show almost feels like a western animation show rather than Japanese anime. The cast are all adults and the character designs are rather realistic. It certainly aims at a more mature audience, and explores philosophical themes like the relationship between soul and body. Lots of computer hacking, cyberpunk culture, politics, philosophical babbling, government corruption, awesome fighting scenes, awesome music (done by gamed composer Yoko Kanno). There is even a claim that the Matrix movies drew inspiration from this series.
A major problem with the show is, when I type "ghost in the shell" in any search engine, I get tons of different names and I have no idea which is which. I have watched them all and here is a quick guide.
Not counting the manga, there are 3 continuities, with different character designs in each.
Continuity 1
Ghost in the Shell (1995): a famed standalone movie released in 1995.
Ghost in the Shell 2.0: a scene-by-scene remake of the 1995 movie, with updated graphics. The plot and sequence are identical.
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. Sequel of the 1995 movie.
Continuity 2
Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone complex (maybe shortened to SAC). A 26 episode anime.
Ghost in the Shell: Laughing man. Compilation movie of Stand Alone Complex.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone complex 2nd GIG. A 26 episode anime that is a sequel to Stand Alone Complex.
Ghost in the Shell: Individual 11. Compilation movie of Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand alone complex solid state society. Some call it a movie, some call it an OVA. Sequel to Stand Alone complex 2nd GIG.
Continuity 3
Ghost in the Shell: Arise. There are supposed to be 4 movies/OVAs. Only the first 2 have been released. They are working on the 3rd and 4th shows.
If you ever get a chance read "Neuromancer" by William Gibson. It's the grandfather of all cyber-punk; "Ghost in the Shell" borrows quite liberally from it.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 09, 2014, 10:00:40 PM
Ghost in the Shell. Ghost means soul; shell means body in the story. It is a police and crime story set in the distant future where most people have some kind of cybernetics implanted into their bodies, and many are full cyborgs. The female protagonist is one such cyborg.
All those scenes of Major Motoko Kusanagi in her underwear and the high pitch voiced Tachikoma could only have come from Japanese anime. :P
Quote from: Savonarola on June 10, 2014, 04:19:07 PM
If you ever get a chance read "Neuromancer" by William Gibson. It's the grandfather of all cyber-punk; "Ghost in the Shell" borrows quite liberally from it.
Molly Millions would kick Major Kusanagi's ass.
Quote from: Savonarola on June 10, 2014, 04:19:47 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on June 09, 2014, 10:00:40 PM
Ghost in the Shell. Ghost means soul; shell means body in the story. It is a police and crime story set in the distant future where most people have some kind of cybernetics implanted into their bodies, and many are full cyborgs. The female protagonist is one such cyborg.
All those scenes of Major Motoko Kusanagi in her underwear and the high pitch voiced Tachikoma could only have come from Japanese anime. :P
I hate the Tachikomas. They just feel...out of place in the story. I don't think they appear in Continuity 1 and I am glad for that. I am usually fine with childish antics and cute things in general, but these guys are simply annoying. I usually insist in watching everything in an anime, but I just can't stand the Tachikoma monologues at the end of the Stand Alone Complex episodes. I admit that I skipped most of them.
I am willing to reason that the major frequently appeared nude in the Continuity 1 movies due to the fact that she needed to activate her cloak system :cool:. I do find her outfit in the Stand Alone Complex episodes...odd. :sleep:
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Macross Frontier. Released in 2008, the show celebrates the 25th anniversary of the original Macross anime. It takes place a few decades after the original but in the same setting, and features a totally new cast and story.
It takes pains to retain most of the elements that make the original Macross great. Weaponised songs, a love triangle, fighters that can transform into mecha soldiers, unknown aliens that respond to singing, a Miss Macross contest, a male pilot as the protagonist, a badass mentor. Yes, they did mention Lin Min May a couple of times and even showed her portrait. There is an entire episode dedicated to trolling the audience about the badass mentor. In the original Macross, Roy Focker's girlfriend promised the make him some pineapple salad. He performed some heroics on a mission, then went to said girlfriends place to play guitar, but died before eating the salad. Cut to the empty cockpit which was completely shot up and full of blood. This time, it is "pineapple bread", and the guy went to a threatre instead, and once again the maintenance crew were shocked when they saw the cockpit.
Instead of the pilot having to choose between a famed singer and his strict female superior, this time both female love interests are singers. One is a confident, kickass, princessly big syster type. The other is a cute, timid, and kind small sister type. What amuses me is that, although the two girls should be fierce competitors both professionally and romantically, they are in fact best buddies to each other even though they are fully aware that they love the same guy. To the point that fans jokingly point out that there is no need for the guy to choose: they'll do fine with 3 people under the same roof.
The battle scenes are beyond awesome. Only the Evangelion and Madoka movies are in the same league. Yoko Kanno did the music, and she did not disappoint. Some samples:
Aimo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL4KkYaLJA0
Lion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzCgTU5IJBI
There are two movies that are an alternative retelling of the story with some significant changes.
It is really depressing news that somebody has started a fundraising website for the animators, i.e. the guys who actually draw the stuff.
http://animator.main.jp/support.html
The problem as I understand is that most of the anime studios are in Tokyo, where the cost of living is very high. According to this website, the pay of junior animators is around US$11k per year, and 90% of animators quit within 3 years.
They have my sympathies but no, I will not contribute :P
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I listened to you guys and watched A Certain Magical Index. Based on a very popular series of novels. In the Academic City where the majority of the population are students and a huge number of them possess super powers, the only power the protagonist has is the ability to cancel all super powers and magic. By chance, he meets Index, a nun from outside the Academic City. There is a magical world outside with churches, magicians and whatnot (super powers within the city is considered a science). Index has memorised like 103,000 magical tomes, and it is up to the protagonist to save her from whatever power is chasing her.
Basically a shonen adventure series with a "girl of the week" format. And a good one at that. Each story arc seems to focus on one or more girls who may or may not appear as an adversary. Generally, in anime shows, they try to avoid a situation where a male protagonist fights a cute female. Usually, it is female-on-female violence, or they fight using subtle magical power. But see, our male protagonist doesn't have any power other than magic cancel. His only offensive power is regular street fight punches. Since a lot of his enemies are cute females, the only way he can defeat them is to punch them. In the face. This anime has no qualms about showing the process in detail.
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A Certain Scientific Railgun, spinoff of Magical Index. The story takes place in the same world as Index. This one focuses on Misaka Mikoto, one of the "girl of the week" in the Index series, and her three female friends. Mikoto is one of the most powerful students with the electro-master ability. That means she can shoot any object with electricity, like a human railgun.
The show feels much more "girly" than Index, as all four protagonists are females. There are no "girl/monster of the week", and there are a lot more slice of life episodes highlighting the friendship of the four girls. The highlight of the show is a retelling of the famed "sister arc" in Index, this time in greater detail (16 episodes in Railgun vs 5 in Index) and from Mikoto's perspective. While the sister arc is memorable and impressive, there is not enough material in the source novels to produce 48 episodes. Hence I think at least a quarter of the spinoff consists of less impressive anime-original material.
The two series add up to almost 100 episodes. The best part is the sister arc, or the first 16 episodes of the second season of Railgun.
Paging CdM, paging CdM
http://mangafox.me/manga/apocalypse_meow/v01/c001/5.html
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Speaking of animals in anime, I really love this show, Animal Treasure Island. A childhood favourite of mine. An early 70s movie with Miyazaki Hayou (Oscar winning director of Spirited Away) as a member of the staff. Basically a retelling of the classic Treasure Island story, with everybody except the protagonist and his love interest as animals. So Long John Silver is a pig in this story.
While the film is clearly aimed at children, it is great fun. Everything is done in a melodramatic fashion. The protagonist sets out in a steam-powered barrel, complete with a mouse side-kick. There is a "pirate government" on a skull-shaped island, navel battle between Silver and said government (which uses a gigantic ship many times the size of Silver's), frequent shifting of allegiances, a ball held by Silver in his comedic attempt to steal the treasure map etc. The film was released in the early 70s, but the story-telling and even the animation quality put a lot of recent anime to shame. To this day Silver's pirate raid music theme still rings in my head from time to time.
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ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two. There are two reasons to watch this anime. One, if you like tragic love stories. This show is right up there with the most depressing anime shows ever produced, e.g. Clannad, Air, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Elfen Lied. It is bundle of four sad romance stories, and all major heroines have different degrees of tragic backgrounds, including memory loss, childhood rape, parental abandonment, domestic abuse, etc.
Something as simple as a guy not showing up on a date with a girl made a lasting impression. Instead of showing the girl sitting on a bench by herself, the show presents the girl's phone messages to the guy in plain text. It is totally heartbreaking to listen to her gradual mental breakdown from taking it in cheerful stride to begging the guy to respond in some way, any way. If done wrong, this can be easily interpreted as the girl making a big deal out of nothing. But the writing and voice acting are so good that the scene becomes really difficult to watch.
The second reason to watch this is if you love "artsy" shows. Shaft is the animation studio (the same folks behind Bakemonogatari and Puella Magi Madoka Magica) and this show is filled to the brim with their signature symbolism and oddball anime style. I am not a big fan of abstract art but this show feels like a series of art paintings coming to life at times.
I you like tragic love stories watch Basilisk
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 23, 2014, 11:03:58 PM
I you like tragic love stories watch Basilisk
Looks like my kind of anime. Thanks :hug:
Next week will mark the transition from the Spring (April - June) to the Summer (July - September) anime season. The line-up for the summer season has been announced, and I am looking at the shows that I will follow.
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Sword Art Online Season 2. Easily the most anticipated show of the season, and a strong contender for the title of the most hyped show of 2014. It is a "locked in a virtual game world" setting. In Season 1, Kirito escaped from a medieval fantasy world (hence Sword Art Online). Presumably he'll enter another virtual gaming world, and this time the game will use guns. For some reason he looks like a girl in the poster above. Reasons to watch this -
1. The first season (at least, the first half of the first season) is really, really good.
2. The show is based on a best-selling novel.
3. Miyuki Sawashiro (recently married, congratulations to her) will voice the female lead this time (girl with light blue hair). I consider her within the top 5 of the active Japanese seiyuus. She is notable for speaking very good English, so she does voice work for many English dubs as well.
4. Yuki Kajiura will return to do the soundtrack.
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No Game No Life. This is undoubtedly the best show that I watched in the Spring 2014 season, and definitely the best show aired in the first half of 2014.
There exists a living legend of a player known as "blank" who is invincible in massive online RPG games. "Blank" is actually a (step) brother and sister otaku gaming duo. (Sister is "white", brother is "empty/sky". In Japanese/Chinese, these two words mean blank when combined). One day, they are summoned to another world by its god. In this alternative dimension, god has banned all violence. All disputes are settled by games in formats decided by gamers themselves. Gamers can bet anything, up to and including entire countries, and all bets are upheld by god's magic. There are 16 races in this world, and they all have different powers and specialties. Imanity (humans) are the weakest of the 16 because they don't know any magic. Blank's job is to help the humans and take over the world, one game at a time.
The plot is very clever and each of the matches is exciting to watch. There is a chess game, but the chess pieces have willpowers of their own. So it is possible to give speeches or use magic to get the queen to switch sides. there is a word game where players speak words in turn. The first letter is the last of the opponent's. The twist is that, in this game, if the word indicates an object that doesn't exist, the object will appear. If the word indicates an object that does exist, that object will disappear. Now, this is a medieval fantasy world without modern inventions. Guess what is the first word used in the game? Yes, hydrogen bomb. That's how crazy the show is. (nuclear weapons is somewhat of a taboo in Japan. The show dares to go against conventions).
The games are most fun to watch, but the show is a lot more than just the games themselves. There are perhaps a few major matches in the show. Between the games, blank does extensive preparation to ensure that they win the next one, including intelligence gathering, alliance building, figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents etc. The supporting cast does a wonderful job of spicing up the story. There are several easter eggs and references to other anime shows in each episode - even the space fleets of Legend of Galactic Heroes made a brief appearance. Or Archer's immortal line - you don't mind if I kill him, right? - in Fate/Stay Night (he was merely asked to buy time). The production values are very high, with fluid animation, a distinctive "purple tint" style, and an all-star voice cast.
Crazy, funny, exciting, intriguing and clever. I didn't plan to watch this when Spring 2014 started. I couldn't help but start following it when the show is mentioned everywhere.
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Sailor Moon Crystal, to be aired in summer 2014. Honestly, I am not a big fan of the original Sailor Moon series. Only saw a couple of episodes here and there many years ago. But somehow I just want to see this one, if only for nostalgia's sake.
I don't even know if this is a complete remake or a continuation of the original story. I am however shocked when I read the voice cast list. Japanese female voice actresses usually have a short career. The majority of anime female characters are cute, moe girls that require a relatively high-pitched voice. But most females lose that by the time they reach their mid-30s, plus or minus 3-4 years. Doesn't mean they really can't do it. The problem is there are young, fresh actresses who can do a better job. The original Sailor Moon was produced in the early 90s, more than 20 years ago. The original voice cast are well into their 40s or beyond. Keiko Han who did Luna (the black cat) is over 60. So it is not surprising that they have been replaced.
That is, everybody except the title character's voice. Kotono Mitsuishi (who is 46) will reprise her role as Sailor Moon. If anything, I'm going to see this just to see how well she does it. I also note that the rest of the voice cast is extremely impressive.
Ok, I addded sword art online to my Netflix list.
I should end Star Trek Enterprise in a cou[leple weeks, then ill wartch it.
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Gokukoku no Brynhildr. Just finished watching it this morning. Every description of this anime will likely mention the fact that this is based on the manga by the same author as the famed and utterly depressing Elfen Lied. They do share a lot of similarities. Both stories are about pretty girls cursed with lethal powers. They escape from a cruel and sinister research facility, and meet a nice guy who shares some history with the lead girl and helps them unconditionally. The group then fight the pursuers in battle after battle.
The anime falls short of the standards set by Elfen Lied. The story is supposed to be serious and depressing, and the girls' situation very sympathetic. They are imprisoned in a research facility, and experimented on. They must take a specific drug every 36 hours or they melt. They have a harness installed on the back of their necks with buttons. If one of the buttons is pressed, they melt and die.
But the atmosphere isn't there. There is an attempt to mix a ton of fanservice, a bath scene every other episode, and poor humour into the show, and it fails. The character reactions and dialogue are unpolished and sometimes border on the absurd. Say, when the group discover that they are being hunted by an all-powerful witch that can easily locate them and destroy planet Earth, their reaction is to put red paint on themselves and play dead in the same building that they have been staying for the entire show. When the lead heroine is fighting to the death, the lead hero and another girl engage in a long and drawn out conversation 10 feet away. The pacing is also problematic. The first 10 episodes build up the story nicely with lots of mysteries and foreshadowing. Then the last 3 episodes enter turbo speed and dump everything on the audience as if somebody changed their mind about the possibility of a sequel mid-production.
Live action Attack on Titan film coming
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/04/03/live-action-attack-on-titan-film-casts-lead-role-sets-filming-location-and-start-date/
That has been known for ages. Its controversial stuff. But I'm intruigued by how silly it will be.
Seems they could be changing a fair bit with wanting to film it at battleship island. Quite changes the setting away from a medieval Germanyish place.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 30, 2014, 04:26:27 AM
Live action Attack on Titan film coming
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/04/03/live-action-attack-on-titan-film-casts-lead-role-sets-filming-location-and-start-date/
I don't know. I have yet to see a live action adaptation of an anime that is good. They tend to be either mediocre or outright disastrous.
The first problem is that a lot of anime character designs that look great as cartoons are horrible as live actors. There are all sorts of anime hair colours. It just feels wrong for an actress to wear a pink wig. This should however be less of a problem in the case of Attack on Titan, because the anime character designs are relatively realistic. The hair colours are black, brown, or blond.
Second problem is that there is insufficient budget to produce effects that look good. Let's face it. Anime is a relatively niche market, and film makers aren't willing to bet huge dollars on these. Anime effects are often "out of the world" designs that are outrageous or over-the-top. It requires a sufficient large budget to bring those to a live action adaptation, but due to financial constraints, those effects are usually crap.
Third problem is that the folks doing the adaptation aren't the same people who produce the anime. They often have no idea what makes the anime great, and some of them may even drastically alter the story.
Case in point: Dragonball Evolution.
I am however looking forward to the two summary anime movies.
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Akame ga Kill (literally, Akame slashes). An upcoming Summer 2014 anime show. Not sure what the show is about but there seems considerable interest in it. If I understand correctly, there is a corrupt medieval fantasy empire. The protagonists form a resistance group that fights the ruling class. The empire forms special military units to fight back. The whole thing looks serious and dark enough for me. It also looks like a big budget production, with an impressive voice acting cast.
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Aldnoah Zero. Yet another upcoming Summer 2014 anime show that is due to start this week (or next, not really sure). Once again, the entire reason to watch this show is based on one person's involvement, Gen "Urobutcher" Urobuchi, of Fate/Zero and Puella Magi Madoka Magica fame. He isn't even scriptwriter, just a "concept writer". But he has reached demi-godhood within the anime industry that the mere mention of his name will attract viewers. An anime original (i.e. not based on any manga, game or novel) mecha show. Therefore not much is known about it, other than Mars is involved. The director is the same one who produced the Fate/Zero show. Yuki Kajiura, Fate Zero and Madoka Magica's music composer, will supply the first opening song.
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Black Bullet. Attack on Titan meets battle lolis. In the future, monsters called gastreas have taken over the countryside, and humans are confined to live in major cities behind walls. Gastreas can infect humans and turn them into their own kind. If a pregnant woman is infected, the child will become one of the cursed children. These children are always female, have super combat and regenerative abilities just like the gastrea, but their bodies will slowly be corrupted into gastreas over time. To take advantage of their combat abilities, some cursed children are paired with adults to form "civil security" pairs that augment the military to fight the gastreas.
I consider this the second best show of the Spring 2014 season that I have watched after No Game No Life. But it is still a somewhat mixed bag. The good:
- very interesting setting, with a serious and dark tone. An Attack on Titan wannabe that is quite enjoyable.
- although there are many cute lolis introduced, the fanservice is kept to a minimum and the lolis aren't sexualised.
- good battle and action scenes. Decent production quality. All-star voice cast.
- explores some deep questions like the plight of minorities, and discrimination. The lolis are put in utterly pitiable circumstances. They inevitably die young in their early teens. Although they help fight the gastrea threat, the people that they help protect fear and hate them, because sooner or later they will turn into monsters themselves.
- one of the best and most memorable joker type villains in recent memory.
The bad:
- the execution isn't the best. The cute lolis die left and right and there are supposed to be a lot of emotional scenes. But there are too many lolis introduced and there is not enough time for the audience to invest in them emotionally. The author seems to have a habit of killing off a loli soon after introducing her. So the death scenes don't have as much impact as there should be.
- the pacing is problematic. Sometimes things happen too fast with too little explanation. Big bosses that are described as almost invincible are killed off in one punch mid-episode as anti-climaxes. Perhaps it would have been much better if this is a 26-episode series rather than a 13 episode one.
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Riddle Story of Devil. In this special female-only class of 13 students, there are 12 assassins who all target the remaining student, Haru. One of the assassins, Tokaku, switched sides to become Haru's protector. There are specific rules governing the assassinations and there is a "game master" to enforce them. Each assassin only has one chance, and she must inform Haru in writing before the attempt. Afterwards, the assassin has 48 hours to carry out the killing. If she fails to kill Haru within the timeframe, it is considered a failure. If she succeeds, she can have any wish granted.
The anime is episodic in nature. There are 11 assassins targetting the main pair and 12 episodes, and each episode largely focuses on one or two of the assassins. They all have different personalities, skills and colourful backstories. Each of them even has her own image song performed by their respective voice actresses that is shown at the end of the relevant episode.
Unfortunately, the good things about the anime end there. There is too much emphasis on the supporting cast, and the main pair ending up out of focus. While the premise is intriguing, the show fails to suspend disbelief. Haru, who knows full well that she is the target and has survived countless other killing attempts earlier in her life, is determined to make friends with everybody from the beginning. Tokaku, supposedly the strongest assassin, falls for the simplest and most blatent lies, has trouble killing (!), and often struggles in her fights. The 11 elite assassins seem to be more interested in playing games with the main pair than actually killing them. The reason for the entire set up is revealed toward the end of the show, but it is underwhelming and unconvincing to say the least.
The ending, simply put, is ridiculous. Without going into spoiler territory, I can only say that the ending is such that everything that happened before is undone. The relationship between the main pair is finally given focus in the very last episode, but it is handled in a manner that is totally self-contradictory. Upon seeing what Tokaku does in the end, my reaction is "WTF". The general production quality is average at best. The title of the show is "Riddle Story of Devil". That's because Tokaku's mentor gives her a riddle every episode. An example of the riddles is "the world is filled with xxx", where Tokaku is supposed to "fill in the blanks". These aren't really riddles, and in the end the riddles and Tokaku's mentor do nothing in the plot, despite appearing every episode. If you title your show with something that is meaningless in the plot, I am not sure what to call it.
There's a Kantai Collection anime coming out. I would watch that, for obvious reasons.
Quote from: Neil on July 02, 2014, 10:20:36 PM
There's a Kantai Collection anime coming out. I would watch that, for obvious reasons.
Yeah I am going to watch that one too just to see what the hype is all about. No word on the release date yet. There were rumours that it is going to be Summer 2014 (July), but obviously it isn't in the Summer line-up. So the earliest date will be Autumn 2014 (October). I think 2015 is probably more likely.
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Fate Kaleid Liner 2, to be aired in Summer 2014. Second season of the magical girl spinoff of the popular Fate series. Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay night are incredibly popular fantasy action shows. Kaleid Liner focuses on one of the side characters of the story, makes her a magical girl, and gives it a much lighter treatment. The story happens in an alternate reality and the plot has no direct linkage with Zero or Stay Night. Only the characters and setting are used.
Season 1 is no masterpiece, but it accomplished what it set out to do - a straight magical girl show using the Fate characters that provided some light entertainment.
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Nobunaga's Concerto (Summer 2014, not yet aired). Yet another going back in time to the Sengoku era show, just like the successful Oda Nobuna's Ambition anime. Whereas Nobuna features gender flipped sengoku generals, Nobunaga's Concerto does not. The premise is that a guy time travels, and finds out that the real Nobunaga is very ill and frail. Armed with historical knowledge, the protagonist "becomes" Nobunaga (no idea if he killed the real one, impersonated him, or the two worked together).
Quote from: Monoriu on July 01, 2014, 10:04:52 PM
Attack on Titan meets battle lolis. In the future, monsters called gastreas have taken over the countryside, and humans are confined to live in major cities behind walls. Gastreas can infect humans and turn them into their own kind. If a pregnant woman is infected, the child will become one of the cursed children. These children are always female, have super combat and regenerative abilities just like the gastrea, but their bodies will slowly be corrupted into gastreas over time. To take advantage of their combat abilities, some cursed children are paired with adults to form "civil security" pairs that augment the military to fight the gastreas.
Didn't someone in this thread complain about this trope being so common in anime, and you said it wasn't that common. :contract:
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 03, 2014, 06:06:41 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on July 01, 2014, 10:04:52 PM
Attack on Titan meets battle lolis. In the future, monsters called gastreas have taken over the countryside, and humans are confined to live in major cities behind walls. Gastreas can infect humans and turn them into their own kind. If a pregnant woman is infected, the child will become one of the cursed children. These children are always female, have super combat and regenerative abilities just like the gastrea, but their bodies will slowly be corrupted into gastreas over time. To take advantage of their combat abilities, some cursed children are paired with adults to form "civil security" pairs that augment the military to fight the gastreas.
Didn't someone in this thread complain about this trope being so common in anime, and you said it wasn't that common. :contract:
I did say -
QuoteBlack Bullet (being aired right now) has the same premise. City under siege and the countryside is full of monsters.
in my reply to MiM a few pages ago :contract:
Studio Ghibli's next movie
A androgynous young girl makes friends with a ghost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCAjMGl1mJg
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 04, 2014, 05:48:42 AM
Studio Ghibli's next movie
A androgynous young girl makes friends with a ghost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZcpGIVbPYrI
Copied the wrong link? :unsure:
Quote from: Monoriu on July 04, 2014, 05:57:58 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 04, 2014, 05:48:42 AM
Studio Ghibli's next movie
A androgynous young girl makes friends with a ghost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZcpGIVbPYrI
Copied the wrong link? :unsure:
Whoops, yes :lol:
Here we go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCAjMGl1mJg
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 04, 2014, 06:00:04 AM
Here we go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCAjMGl1mJg
Nice song; excellent animation :hug:
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Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. This is a super-power robot show (as opposed to the relatively realistic gundam shows), and Gurren Lagann is the name of the title mecha. Tengen Toppa means "pierces the heavens and dimensions". In an alternate earth, humans live in subterranean caves, and the surface is considered a myth. The protagonists are determined the drill toward the surface. Although they are successful in the first episode, they soon find that the surface is occupied by beastmen who pilot huge mechas. Thus begins a war between men and beastmen.
This is one of the best shows that I've seen, and makes me rethink my top 10 anime. If you are looking for a deconstruction or a serious, dark and realistic show, you are looking at the wrong place. This is the other end of the extreme - passionate, idealistic, hotblooded, flamboyant, and crazy awesome. Everything about the show is in-your-face and exaggerated. This is a show that proudly and repeatedly states that heroic resolve and overblown bravado can summon weapons out of thin air and fix a badly damaged mecha in less than a second. The crazier the plan is, the more likely it will succeed. What do so when your two mechas are no match for the enemy's single one? Have one mecha drill into the other one, almost impaling the pilot in the process, and call it a good old "combination". Somehow the combined mecha grow new parts and now have several times the power of the original pair. There is a mecha the size of a planet, a giant battleship with legs, instantaneous travel to another galaxy, the ability to give extended speeches without lungs, etc. Forget the laws of physics. Just watch.
And it is great fun. I don't mean ordinary good. This is crazy good. Sure, every episode is filled with all sorts of awesomeness. But it isn't just that. People do die and such deaths have consequences. The unpredictable plot advances quickly and there are significant developments along the way. Allegiances change, betrayals happen, new enemies emerge, mysteries are slowly revealed. The characters, animation, and style are crazy; the plot is well-thought out and carefully executed.
I think my new top 10 is now:
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Attack on Titan
Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
Angel Beats
Fate Zero
Code Geass
Clannad
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Neon Genesis Evangelion
First impressions on the Summer 2014 shows.
Sailor Moon Crystal. It is a remake of the classic, starting from the very beginning. I think the character designs are much closer to the source manga this time. It is also easy to tell that they have a much bigger budget. Story-wise, the first episode is meh. Kudos to Kotono Mitsuishi who reprises her role as Sailor Moon more than 20 years afterwards, and still does a great job.
Aldnoah Zero. Probably one of the most intense episode 1s that I have seen. Gen Urobuchi seems to have taken the criticisms about the slow start of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Fate Zero on board, and now writes very captivating starts for his new shows (this and Gargantia). The visuals are very nice. The show looks very promising.
Akame ga Kill. I didn't expect it to be so gory, cruel and sick. Lots of mood whiplash where they change back and forth between humour and bloody mess. Looks good so far.
Sword Art Online Season 2. First episode sets everything up, and provides some background for new viewers. Looks like the death game is back. It is now possible to shoot at a virtual character in an online game, and somehow kill the real player behind. I hope this means a return to form after a less than successful second arc of the first season.
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Gundam UC Unicorn. This is an OVA (direct to Blu-ray), not a TV series, with seven mini-movies that are about an hour apiece. The general rule of thumb is, the animation quality of OVA series is generally slightly better than TV episodes, because you (are supposed to) pay good money for it.
Scratch the "slightly" part. This is one of the most gloriously animated anime shows that I have watched. Seven hours of eye candy and scenary porn. Crazy amount of details, smooth frames, multiple angles, richly designed machines and ships. In terms of animation, this is the best that the Japanese anime industry offers. If you like mecha battles, this is it. There is a reason why the 7th movie is the second best-selling blu-ray disc in the first half of 2014 (just behind the Madoka Magica Rebellion Story juggernaut).
The story is basically the Da Vinci Code in space. Multiple sides are looking for the mysterious Laplace's Box which, if opened, would shake the foundations of the Earth Federation. The protagonist with his Unicorn gundam is the key to unlocking the box, and he must fight and negotiate with all the usual suspects - the remnants of Zeon with someone who may or may not be Char at its head, the Earth Federation, Londo Bell under Noa Bright, and Anaheim Electronics.
Set in the most popular and well-known gundam Universal Century (UC) timeline, this is the sequel to Char's Counterattack that takes place three years after the movie. That means, a lot of the popular characters from the original 70s gundam are included in this show, and happily, most of the original seiyuus return. There is even a sequence showing the most iconic scenes in the original show - remade with 2010s technology and budget. Imagine this: Big Zam in the Battle of Soloman redone properly. I watched that sequence 10 times and it still made me drool. A possible downside is that the viewer needs decent background knowledge of the UC timeline to get the most out of this show, like who the Zeons and Federation are, the One year war, Newtypes, and even some characters from ZZ. Gundam veterans will find a goldmine with innumerable references to the earlier shows and quite a few cameos.
Another thing I really like about this show is that, for once, nameless pilots do relatively well. They put up a decent fight against the named pilots, and have a material effect on the battles. I am tired of shows where numbers are meaningless and the only people who get any shots on target are the protagonists and the bad guys. Even battles between nameless pilots on different sides are fun to watch.
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Quite a few people here seem to be interested in the Kantai collection anime. We finally have a firm date - January 2015. The battle scenes will be done in 3D.
There also seems to be some Girls und Panzer fans here. The Anzio battle OVA is out. That's the battle the protagonists talked about and won in the TV series, but the details were never shown onscreen.
Attack on Titan - there should be 3 short OVAs, and 2 have been released so far. One is a side story about a deceased recon corp member. The second is, you hear this right, a cooking contest. These are pretty nice, even the cooking stuff. Also released are 9 self-parodies/comic shorts. I have watched every minute of them. As an Attack on Titan fan, my opinion is, don't bother. Your time is better spent elsewhere.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 23, 2014, 11:03:58 PM
I you like tragic love stories watch Basilisk
Are one or both of the young lovers turned to stone? :hmm:
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on August 06, 2014, 06:14:01 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 23, 2014, 11:03:58 PM
I you like tragic love stories watch Basilisk
Are one or both of the young lovers turned to stone? :hmm:
Is one of them Jeff Lynne?
Scene: A cottage near Birmingham, England. Enter Mrs. Lynne
Mrs. Lynne: Hi honey, I'm home. Sorry I stayed away so long.
(She stops, noticing that her husband has turned to stone.)
Mrs. Lynne: Cobblers! I thought you had meant that metaphorically.
It does look interesting. I've added it to my wish list, though it will take at least a year or two before I'll watch it as I have a pretty large backlog.
The intro text for SF Debris' look at Full Moon:
QuoteWe kick off our look at Full Moon by meeting a 12-year old girl with throat cancer who transforms into a blond singer thanks to a boy and girl that change into a magical cat and rabbit, or as it's called in Japan, Wednesday.
:lol:
My favourite intoduction is Assassination Classroom (to be aired in January 2015, if I remember correctly) -
QuoteThe story of the original manga begins after 70% of the moon was suddenly vaporized in an explosion. The super lifeform responsible for this catastrophe is a strange tentacled creature that can slink around at supersonic Mach 20 speeds. It has a 10 billion yen (US$100 million) price on its head, but for some reason, this creature ends up teaching a middle school class at the beginning of the school year. The students have until graduation to assassinate the teacher, or it will destroy Earth as well.
Last anime I watched was..... dam, I forgot the name. Something pirate captain. A cgi anime movie. Very good.
On Netflix.
Let me open Netflix.
Starts with an H
Harlock: Space Pirate
Quote from: Siege on August 09, 2014, 09:05:08 PM
Last anime I watched was..... dam, I forgot the name. Something pirate captain. A cgi anime movie. Very good.
On Netflix.
Let me open Netflix.
Starts with an H
Harlock: Space Pirate
Yeah, I'm a Leiji Matsumoto fan too, and I remember watching the show when I was a kid. Don't have time to watch this movie yet.
If you like space pirates, Bodacious Space Pirates is ok. I'm waiting for the BD release of the film version.
The Queen Emeraldis OAV sucked.
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K-On. K-On literally means "light music". Hugely popular slice of life show about five moe high school girls who form a rock band. Madoka Magica Movie 3 is the current record holder of the highest grossing late night anime movie. The previous record holder is the K-On movie, and it only lost by a small margin.
I have no idea why it needs to be broadcast in a late night slot. It is one of the most heartwarming, peaceful, cuteness-overflowing, fanservice-free, diabetes-inducing, and funny anime shows I have ever watched. Nothing really happens in the story. It is a show about ordinary school life in Japan. There is no central plot, no antagonists, no material male characters, and very little conflict among the girls. There are no morally ambiguous or even neutral characters: every single character is kind to a fault. Every episode is about the girls doing cute and nice things to each other, and eating desserts and having tea (the name of the band is Afterschool Tea Time). Their songs cheer the greatness of rice, describe them having a "fluffy time", and talk about stationary and romance. I don't think their band is really a rock band at all.
I had a great time watching it. The girls' antics actually made me laugh out loud on many instances. I am not familiar with the Beatles band, but it is often said that four of the five main girls are gender flipped versions of the Beatles members. There is an eccentric, goofy but talented lead singer, someone who writes sickeningly sweet lyrics, a quiet, reserved and sensitive girl, and a fun-loving tomboy. The five girls are some of the most widely recognised anime characters today. I also have to say, this show is very well animated. Bravos to Kyoto Animation for yet another job well done.
Quote from: Monoriu on August 11, 2014, 09:28:54 PM
I have no idea why it needs to be broadcast in a late night slot. It is one of the most heartwarming, peaceful, cuteness-overflowing, fanservice-free, diabetes-inducing, and funny anime shows I have ever watched. Nothing really happens in the story. It is a show about ordinary school life in Japan. There is no central plot, no antagonists, no material male characters, and very little conflict among the girls. There are no morally ambiguous or even neutral characters: every single character is kind to a fault. Every episode is about the girls doing cute and nice things to each other, and eating desserts and having tea (the name of the band is Afterschool Tea Time). Their songs cheer the greatness of rice, describe them having a "fluffy time", and talk about stationary and romance. I don't think their band is really a rock band at all.
Did men in white coats force your eyes open and play recordings of Beethoven while you watching this? :unsure:
K-On! is quite good, and also influential. Kyoani spent years trying to recapture their success with it, and it has spawned any number of subpar copycats such as A-Channel or Love Lab.
I prefer Hidamari Sketch, which achieves a higher band of yukkuri comfiness, but is broadly similar. K-On! is absolutely a fine show I strongly recommended, and in many ways is responsible for sparking the slice-of-life boom that is only now starting to peter out.
Something worth noting is a lot of the best anime are very unambitious in their subject matter; I realize to a lot of people here on languish mere cuteness and people being pleasant to each other doesn't appeal, and is even strange, but K-On!'s enjoyment is on the basis of its warm atmosphere and rapport between characters than any intriguing setting, titillating action, sexuality, or exciting drama- there really is none of any at all, and the show is the better for it.
Quote from: Savonarola on August 12, 2014, 02:49:14 PM
Did men in white coats force your eyes open and play recordings of Beethoven while you watching this? :unsure:
No :lol: I don't get the reference/joke though.
QuoteK-On!'s enjoyment is on the basis of its warm atmosphere and rapport between characters than any intriguing setting, titillating action, sexuality, or exciting drama- there really is none of any at all, and the show is the better for it.
Agreed.
The next show that I started is
When They Cry. Immediately after watching such a heartwarming show that is K-On, the first 20 seconds of When They Cry consists of someone beating another (or two?) to death with a baseball bat, with blood all over the place. That's without knowing the who, where, and what. The contrast is gigantic. After watching the first episode of When They Cry, I also gain a better perspective of just how well animated K-On is. The two shows are just 3 years apart, but K-On is light years ahead in terms of animation quality.
Quote from: Lettow77 on August 12, 2014, 04:11:53 PM
Something worth noting is a lot of the best anime are very unambitious in their subject matter; I realize to a lot of people here on languish mere cuteness and people being pleasant to each other doesn't appeal, and is even strange,
That would be completely alien to the Languideshian. ;)
It struck me that Mono's description of a cartoon world in which there are no antagonists, morally ambiguous or neutral characters; no significant male characters; little conflict among the characters; where every character is kind to a fault; where everyone does cute things; and everyone is nice to each other would be the bizarro world version of Languish.
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Hana-monogatari. Or Flower Story. Part of the popular Monogatari series based on a best selling novel that frequently occupies the no. 1 spot in Japan. It is a series of short stories about "anomolies" like ghosts and spirits. Each story focuses on one girl and one anomoly. Also known for its distinctive artsy Shaft style, named after the animation studio.
This is a 5-episode TV special that was aired in Japan in one go a week ago. It should have been the middle part of the Monogatari season 2 aired last year. Having watched both, I can see why it was released as a special - Hana-monogatari takes place chronologically after all the season 2 stories, and it spoils the excellent "love story". That, and the usual schedule slippage on Shaft's part.
This story is named "Suruga [the girl] Devil [the anomoly]". This is part 2 of Suruga's story. Part 1 was explored in Bake-monogatari. I like the gradual shift of the story formula. At the beginning of the series, the format was "the girl has a problem. The male lead finds out and asks for help." It gradually becomes "the girl has a problem, and the male lead helps solve the problem". Here, it becomes "the girl has a problem, and solves it pretty much on her own". There is actually another shift - most of the earlier stories are about how the girls want to get rid of the spirits that have possessed them. In this story, Suruga got rid of her problem early on. She just felt that the way she got rid of her problem wasn't right, and decided to do something about it.
This series is difficult to get into. Part of the problem is that it is very dialogue heavy. The novelist claimed that he deliberately wrote the stories in a way that would make them very difficult to be adapted in anime form. Also, "monogatari" is a common Japanese word that literally means "stories", so searching for it is a problem. To make the naming issue even more compicated, there are a whole bunch of different seasons and TV specials released over the years, all with funny names (I can read the kanji but they decided to use archaic Chinese characters for crying out loud). So here is a quick summary. I have used the [girl/anomoly] convention below -
Bakemonogatari (Monster Story)(15 episodes)(Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail, Suruga Monkey, Nadeko Snake, and Tsubasa Cat)
Nisemonogatari (Fake Story)(11 episodes)(Karen Bee and Tsukihi Phoenix)
Nekomonogatari (Kuro) (Black Cat Story)(4 episodes)(Tsubasa Family)
Monogatari Series Second Season (26 episodes in total, including 3 summary episodes). Breakdown:
Nekomonogatari (Shiro) (White Cat Story) (5 episodes)(Tsubasa Tiger)
Kabukimonogatari (Slope Story) (4 episodes) (Mayoi Jiangshi)
Otorimonogatari (Decoy Story) (4 episodes)(Nadeko Medusa)
Onimonogatari (Ghost Story) (4 episodes)(Shinobu Time)
Koimonogatari (Love Story) (6 episodes)(Hitagi End)
Hanamonogatari (Flower Story)(5 episodes)(Suruga Devil)
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:lol:
That's from Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, a show that I talked about many pages ago. The girl is the devil queen, and the guy is the Hero. If you look closely at the picture, the horns on her head are not part of her body - it is a headband.
Also worth noting is the tip of the horns. Watch the picture a few times, and you'll notice that the tips are animated incorrectly. There is inconsistency in the frames. In terms of animation quality, this show is below average.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABZN292gvRo
Trailer of Kantai Collection. Looks awesome and much better than I thought it would be. Quite surprised when the arrows became aircrafts. Seems the enemies will be some sort of aliens rather than other humans, just like Strike Witches. I hope this will be as good as Strike Witches, with the level of fanservice toned down a bit.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F58867_zps38865a43.jpg&hash=04acf85f4be08479b4ab02fa37ef7101c7416e6a) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/58867_zps38865a43.jpg.html)
Girls und Panzer: This is the real Anzio Battle OVA. The latest addition to the popular WWII tank simulation anime. The TV series is basically about a tournament among schools that practice "tankery", a national sport for school girls (don't ask. Just accept it like accepting the existance of elves and dragons in fantasy). In the series proper, the protagonists fought against the British, the Americans, the Italians, the Russians, and the Germans, in that order. The battle with the Italians was merely mentioned with a voiceover that the protagonists won. The purpose of this OVA is to show how it happened.
This is like an additional 2 episodes to the story. If you are a fan of the show, it is a must-see. Granted, the Italian tanks aren't much of a challenge to the PzIV, StuGIII, P38(t) and M3 equipped protagonists. But there is still almost 20 minutes of gorgeously animated and "somewhat" realistic WWII tank battles in there. It is a nice break to see the protagonists outgunning their opponents for the first and probably only time. The volley-ball club with their Japanese Type 89B are finally able to kick some asses. Also very cool to see several shots of Miho with her head outside the tank and completely unfazed when she is facing projectiles aiming at her tank. Given that this is an OVA (so people are supposed to pay for it), and that the show is now proven to be popular, they now have the time and budget to do an even better job with the battles, and it shows. If you are new to the series, this is not the right place to start. It isn't standalone, and assumes prior knowledge of the series.
I can't wait for the movie, which is rumoured to be a sequel and will come out later this year.
Quote from: Monoriu on August 25, 2014, 09:43:09 PM
The TV series is basically about a tournament among schools that practice "tankery", a national sport for school girls (don't ask. Just accept it like accepting the existance of elves and dragons in fantasy).
I refuse to accept it.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 25, 2014, 09:55:26 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on August 25, 2014, 09:43:09 PM
The TV series is basically about a tournament among schools that practice "tankery", a national sport for school girls (don't ask. Just accept it like accepting the existance of elves and dragons in fantasy).
I refuse to accept it.
:lol: When I first heard of the premise, I refused to accept it too. It was just too silly, even for an anime fan like me. But the show is a huge success and everywhere people talked about it. The background animation is based on a real life Japanese small town, and now the town has become a sort of holy ground for fans of the show. I just thought why not give it a try, it was just 12 episodes. So I watched it and was hooked. One of the better shows that I watched. It is a lot more about the panzers and tank battles than the girls. Think of it as "World of Tanks: the anime".
I know CdM probably won't watch any anime. But I've been thinking about the questino "if I were to recommend an anime for CdM, what would it be?" Something mature, with adult protagonists, no fanservice, and no moe girls. Legend of Galactic Heroes (serious space opera), Psycho Pass (police and crime, Minority report style), and Ghost in the Shell (police and crime, cyberpunk).
Quote from: Monoriu on August 25, 2014, 10:09:01 PM
"if I were to recommend an anime for CdM, what would it be?"
Speed Racer, cause he already likes it.
LOL, Speed Racer
Kimba the White Lion
Marine Boy
Star Blazers
And I saw both Akira and Ghost in the Shell in artsy fartsy theaters when they first came out, because I am that fucking proto-hip, baby.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 25, 2014, 10:46:39 PM
LOL, Speed Racer
Kimba the White Lion
Marine Boy
Star Blazers
And I saw both Akira and Ghost in the Shell in artsy fartsy theaters when they first came out, because I am that fucking proto-hip, baby.
So you are part of the axis of anime huh :contract:
Car racing and I just don't mix. I instinctively skip anything related to car racing, anime or not. Don't really know why.
I remember the Akira movie. I was a kid back then. One day, my mother suddenly went nuts and dragged me to the cinema for the movie. I was just glad for any opportunity for more anime, so I went along without knowing what the movie was about. She usually dismisses most anime shows as "kiddie stuff", and she almost never took me to the cinemas, especially not by herself. She usually sent my father's sister for any anime show that I wanted to watch.
I hated Akira. I had no idea what went on. All I remembered was lots of blood, intestines and gore. It is on my personal "worst anime of all time" list, but I do realise that I saw it as a little kid and a lot of people consider it a classic. Maybe I'll revise my opinion if I rewatch it, but I just don't have the inclination to do that.
What you call Star Blazers is what I call Space Battleship Yamato. Love it as a kid.
Much like Timmay ruined Notre Dame football for me, and the Languish gays soured me on LGBT rights, the crap you guys watch now turned me off all anime that doesn't involve tentacles.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 25, 2014, 11:01:30 PM
Much like Timmay ruined Notre Dame football for me, and the Languish gays soured me on LGBT rights, the crap you guys watch now turned me off all anime that doesn't involve tentacles.
If you live in a basement with nothing but a computer and an internet connection, anime maybe for you. It is a huge world with thousands of shows to choose from. Lots of western anime fans hate the harems and cute girls catering to the otaku fanbase, but they still find shows that they like ;)
I am actually quite surprised that so many guys want to see romance in anime. I think there is also a preference among western fans for overpowered main characters.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 25, 2014, 10:46:39 PM
LOL, Speed Racer
Kimba the White Lion
Marine Boy
Star Blazers
And I saw both Akira and Ghost in the Shell in artsy fartsy theaters when they first came out, because I am that fucking proto-hip, baby.
You would love Cowboy Beebop then.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 25, 2014, 11:39:09 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 25, 2014, 10:46:39 PM
LOL, Speed Racer
Kimba the White Lion
Marine Boy
Star Blazers
And I saw both Akira and Ghost in the Shell in artsy fartsy theaters when they first came out, because I am that fucking proto-hip, baby.
You would love Cowboy Beebop then.
This seems to be the anime that everybody but me has watched. I'm going to have to do it when I have time.
I've only watched the first ten or so episodes of Girls and Panzer. It takes the familiar tropes of high school sports drama, except that the sport is real life World of Tanks, basically.
Also, the models of the tanks are rather beautifully rendered.
Mono has done a tireless job keeping this thread updated. I have a desire to counterbalance his opinions on anime, as we have fairly little overlap, but I've been quite busy lately. I'll try to come in with more later, but for now here's a look at something that may interest languish.
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Kaiba
Kaiba is interesting for many reasons, but one of the more approachable to languish is how un-interested it is in Japan, Japanese culture, or tropes and expectations of anime. It is a very introspective show, which is based on a future in which memories can be transferred, and are now a marketable item: the rich can make their fantasies reality with a cocktail of any sort of memories they might like, while the poor sell their memory of how to play piano to make ends meet. Bodies are also transferable, but this is more of a shady, illicit and exploitative business.
In the midst of this, the protagonist awakes as a stowaway on a space ship with no memories at all to call his own, and only a locket to lead him on- a locket with a picture of someone apparently involved in anti-government activities. His attempt to find himself is made more intriguing by the show's exploration of what constitutes a self when memories, abilities and bodies become mutable objects.
http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/09/11/wh-locked-down-after-man-pikachu-hat-jumps-fence
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxSSUNqCQAAqKFH.jpg:large)
Presumably, if he'd been wearing a Bart Simpson hat, he'd have been invited in for a beer.
Gurren Lagann: 24 minutes a pop of non-stop screaming. It's an assault on the senses. Ejecting.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on September 13, 2014, 09:06:20 PM
Gurren Lagann: 24 minutes a pop of non-stop screaming. It's an assault on the senses. Ejecting.
Yeah, it is one of the most hot blooded shows in existance. Try Code Geass for a less hot blooded mecha show. It is also my top 10 and one of the most popular animes.
Beck >>>>>>>> K-On
Non Non Biyori >>>>>>>>>>>>>> K-On >>>>>>>>>> Beck
Beck gets the nod for best engrish, but that's all i've got.
Best music, best animation, least 'I want to drink bleach to make it stop' story, etc...
I gave K-On a go but just couldn't get past two episodes.
Quote from: Tyr on September 14, 2014, 03:57:07 PM
least 'I want to drink bleach to make it stop' story,
That is indeed a vital metric when it comes to anime. :P
K-On! is so overwhelmingly obviously not for you Tyr; the people who appear in it are happy and content, while the main goal of each episode is to promote happiness and contentment in the viewers.
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Quote from: Lettow77 on September 14, 2014, 07:32:25 PM
K-On! is so overwhelmingly obviously not for you Tyr; the people who appear in it are happy and content, while the main goal of each episode is to promote happiness and contentment in the viewers.
How can there be happiness in a world where men don't exist?
Quote from: Tyr on September 14, 2014, 03:57:07 PM
Best music, best animation, least 'I want to drink bleach to make it stop' story, etc...
I gave K-On a go but just couldn't get past two episodes.
K-On is episodic, with no major story arcs. There is no "turning point" in the show. So if you don't like what you see in the first two episodes, there probably is no point going on.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F38.media.tumblr.com%2F574f63343da9ceba547608e43029e779%2Ftumblr_na3tp0Vuuu1rt7mhqo1_500.gif&hash=198e87a04e9a75df662d28b3993f0f0e03e6240c)
I wonder if Disney ever paid those guys.
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Nobunaga Concerto. Yet another time travelling story about a high school student who travels back in time to the Sengoku period and become Oda Nobunaga.
My first impression of the show is not good. The setting and story has been done to death. The animation is an epic fail. Obviously the producers are using some sort of new technology. I don't know what that is, but the net result is very static and weird looking character facial expressions. There is no opening song, and very few battle scenes.
But as the show goes on, I found myself enjoying it. It takes the familiar story of Oda Nobunaga's rise and adds new twists along the way. In a nutshell, it provides alternative and novel explanations that still fit history. In almost every Nobunaga story, he is introduced as a rebellious youth who didn't care about traditions and norms. The turning point was when he met his father-in-law - he dressed up as a proper daimyo, made an impression and gained an important ally. That's how the story should go. In the anime, the show made a point of showing that Nobunaga lost his formal daimyo outfit. So he went to see his father-in-law in his modern Japan school uniform. The guy's reaction? [spoiler]He asked everyone to leave the room. The next shot is the father-in-law appearing in his modern Japan police uniform. They still ended up as allies but the process was different. [/spoiler] Another twist is that the real Nobunaga is still around, so there are two Nobunagas who look exactly alike. This is what the "Concerto" refers to.
This is actually quite an enjoyable show, but is obviously intended for people who are familiar with the Sengoku setting. That, and only if you can look past the subpar animation.
I just finished watching Arpeggio of Blue Steel. It was pretty good.
Oddly I felt Takao to be awesome and it seems that show has a pretty big fandom which also feels the same way. :unsure:
Quote from: Monoriu on September 22, 2014, 11:46:18 PM
Nobunaga Concerto. Yet another time travelling story about a high school student who travels back in time to the Sengoku period and become Oda Nobunaga.
The setting and story has been done to death.
No kidding.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 23, 2014, 08:00:40 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 22, 2014, 11:46:18 PM
Nobunaga Concerto. Yet another time travelling story about a high school student who travels back in time to the Sengoku period and become Oda Nobunaga.
The setting and story has been done to death.
No kidding.
Some people jokingly call this the "Nobunaga year" in anime as there are already three shows on this topic this year (Concerto, Nobunaga the Fool and Nobunagun). One of them deals with space and aliens :secret:
The authors are well-aware of this problem though. So they made a lot of interesting twists in this show. For example, [spoiler]Hideyoshi in this show is actually an Imagawa spy sent to infiltrate the Oda clan. He constantly tried to betray Nobunaga but ended up climbing the ladder every step of the way. The real Nobunaga is a proper samurai but suffers from physical ailment. He switched places with the time travelling Nobunaga in the first episode, then came back later to become Mitsuhide (Nobunaga's retainer who betrayed him in the Honnoji incident). These two look exactly alike so they switch places often [/spoiler]
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Psycho Pass Season 1. Probably Gen "Urobutcher" Urobuchi's third most well-known work after block busters Madoka Magica and Fate Zero. In the future, Japan is ruled by the "Sybil System". Everybody is constantly scanned for their "psycho pass level", a sort of stress level or tendency to commit crimes. If their psycho pass level is higher than a certain threshold, they will be immediately taken to a mental facility. If it passes another, higher threshold, they'll be vaporised on the spot. There is no need for a criminal justice system. Sybil also assigns jobs for everybody based on their psycho pass scores.
To carry out the verdict of the Sybil System, the Ministry of Health employes enforcers, who are themselves people with psycho pass levels that are too high. They are granted exemption to live ordinary lives in exchange for service. Since the enforcers are essentially latent criminals, the Ministry employs inspectors to watch over them (and kill them if necessary). The show is a police and crime story about a team of inspectors and enforcers.
And it is one of the best police and crime stories I have watched. I actually prefer this over Ghost in the Shell. It is a ripoff of Minority Report, but it is very enjoyable in its own right. The show is typical of Urobuchi's work with its serious and dark tones, graphic and gory depictions (one episode has to be cancelled from its broadcast run when a real life case of a teenage female murderer happened), grey morality, and exploration of philosophical themes. The character deaths are done right as the audience have grown to care about them.
Why Season 1 only? Because season 2 will be aired in the next week or two. The show has two versions, a normal version of 22 episodes and a "director's cut" version of 11 episodes. I have only seen the 11-episode version. From what I've read, the differences are minimal. They just added some small transition scenes to make the combination of 22 episodes into 11 more smooth. There is also an anime movie in the works.
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Giovanni's Island
Released this year, Giovanni's Island is about the fate of Japanese displaced from Russian occupation of islands outside of Japan's surrender agreement in the aftermath of WW2. For all that is on the wind lately, it isn't a blustery nationalist piece; No vitriol is spent on the Russian occupation, and Russians come across as merely people on another side of the border, which from the eyes of children on both sides, becomes increasingly blurry.
The story draws enormously on Kenji Miyazawa's Night on the Galactic Railroad, an influential piece of period children's literature that has spawned many Anime and is still held dear, although it is slowly fading from Japanese public memory. It isn't so heavy that a lack of familiarity with the material renders the film toothless, but the presupposition for the viewing audience is that you, too, will share in the children's fondness for the Galactic Railroad and be moved by its imagery.
The film comes close to falling into the victim view of WW2 that Japanese are so prone to; anime about Japanese experiences based in reality to any degree (So Kantai collection is out..) fixate on civilian suffering, and this is no exception. But a rare look at how, say, Koreans stranded away from their peninsula as the empire that subjugated them crumbles, manages to provided a more balanced fare than the usual tint.
Recommended.
I watched Psycho-Pass. It's good. The theme is effective and treated well. There are no high schools/magical powers/stupid cute creatures. I like that it shows both the benefits to having an over-prosecutorial society and that's why people support that kind of thing and also what you have to give up by surrendering your humanity to a thing like that.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on September 24, 2014, 02:52:09 PM
I watched Psycho-Pass. It's good. The theme is effective and treated well. There are no high schools/magical powers/stupid cute creatures. I like that it shows both the benefits to having an over-prosecutorial society and that's why people support that kind of thing and also what you have to give up by surrendering your humanity to a thing like that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5OlmcCcIC4
Trailer for Season 2 :contract:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FHigurashi_zpscf6bdc40.jpg&hash=100db6cdfbd7df2df09573f0920deb7de4de54b5) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Higurashi_zpscf6bdc40.jpg.html)
Higurashi When They Cry. The title is a word play and can have multiple meanings. Literally, it is "when the cicadas cry". But "higurashi" is not that far from the word for "murderer", so it can also mean "when the murderers cry". At first glance, there is a single main male lead and multiple cute girls in a school, one of the most cliched anime settings. It is actually one of the most horrific, gory and disturbing anime shows I have watched that has nothing to do with harem building.
It is a super natural murder mystery and horror show, and offers a very unique structure and viewing experience. The setting is a standalone rural village. The story always starts with a group of close friends having fun times together. Soon, something goes wrong, and they die one after another, in horrific fashion, until they are all dead. It then restarts itself in a different story arc, with a different view point, different details, and the story goes differently. But it still ends the same way. Then it restarts again. The story arcs are distinct but related, and the answers to the mystery are only slowly unveiled bit by bit.
I consider this one of the best written anime shows. Its repeating arc structure is one of a kind. Each time, the viewer is left wondering if the same details will happen again, or will the story go differently. As the show goes on, the answers to most of the questions raised earlier are indeed answered satisfactorily. It also tries its best to scare the viewers, and it works. It is a pretty controversial show, especially for its gore. Children and teenagers are brutally murdered, tortured, crucified, and dismembered alive, sometimes by other children and teenagers. There is a scene of a loli offing herself by driving a kitchen knife into her neck, with all the details shown. This show is one of the standard answers to requests for horror and gory shows on anime forums.
One word for those who care about animation quality. Season 1 is the very definition of cheap animation. I couldn't believe that it was made in the mid 2000s. It gets better in subsequent seasons as the show gained popularity.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (26 episodes): first season.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Nekogoroshi hen (1 episode): a mini-side story
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (24 episodes): second season. This is not a sequel. It is part 2 of an integral story with season 1. Season 1 won't make sense without season 2. "Kai" means "to explain" or "to untie the knot".
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei (5 episodes): a mixture of fanservice and side stories.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira (4 episodes): almost pure fanservice, with the female characters appearing in various costumes, something that didn't happen earlier.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku outbreak (1 hour-long episode): a side story and a return to its horror and serious roots
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Fate Kaleid Liner 2. Fate is a hugely popular umbrella fantasy series, and Kaleid Liner is a light magical girl show set in an alternate universe. The story is about Ilya, a token mini-moe in the main series that is given the lead role in this spin-off.
Season 1 was mainly about Ilya and her friend Miyu battling the spirits of the 7 class cards. The first half of season 2 focuses on Kuro, a clone of Ilya that appeared out of nowhere and tried to kill her (Ilya is white; Kuro means black, or a black version of her). The second half is about the team fighting a new enemy.
To be honest, I watched this just because I am a fan of the Fate series and I am determined to watch everything Fate related. Season 1 was decent as it fulfilled expectations that weren't too high in the first place. I have to say that season 2 is a notch down in quality. The basic problem is that the story is too cliched. An annoying clone appears, you battle her, listen to her tragic backstory then befriend her. I think I've seen this set-up far too many times. The battle scenes with the new enemy in the second half are not bad, but there is little substance, because the new enemy just popped up like that with no clear purpose, motive or foreshadowing. Just lots of flashy fights.
Season 3 has been announced, and yes, I am going to watch it :blush:
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Aldnoah Zero. Or War of the Worlds, the anime. A few decades ago, humans discovered long lost alien technology on Mars, and a space gate on the moon. A few hundred thousand colonists were sent to the planet. These folks used the advanced technology to build a feudal empire, called themselves a superior race, then invaded Earth for its resources. The story begins when the Mars princess visits Earth on a peace mission, and the bad guys are out to assassinate her. Aldnoah is the name of the alien technology.
There is little doubt in my mind that the best anime of the Summer 2014 season (July - September) is either this or Sword Art Online 2. In the end I pick this out of a technicality - SAO2 has 24 episodes that lasts until December; Aldnoah Zero is split cour (around 24 episodes are planned from the start. They air the first half in Summer 2014, and the second half from January to March 2015. Nothing in between). So technically "season 1" of Aldnoah Zero is already done.
The pedigree is Aldnoah is impressive. The director is the guy who made the famed Fate Zero show. He specialises in using computer generated and 3D images to produce outstanding fight scenes. Urobuchi's name appears as well, but he seems to be only invovled in the first 3 episodes. Kajiura, famed soundtrack composer of Fate Zero, returned to make the excellent Heavenly Blue opening song. So basically three key people who made Fate Zero joined hands again. The result is an action packed, intense, beautifully animated and clever mech story. The Martians have vastly superior technology, so the battles against Earth forces are more like massacres. The protagonists must make use of the logical weaknesses of the Martian weapons to have any fighting chance. This time, the germs won't be of any use as the Martians are humans who come from Earth. As of now, I've only seen the first half, or season 1 of the show, but I absolutely love what I have seen.
I just finished the first episode of Knights of Sidonia.
Amazing. Ages ahead of anything out there. The animation is incredible.
I liked Higurashi, way back in the day.
Quote from: Siege on September 27, 2014, 09:23:37 PM
I just finished the first episode of Knights of Sidonia.
Amazing. Ages ahead of anything out there. The animation is incredible.
I'll get to it sooner or later :)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg1.lln.crunchyroll.com%2Fi%2Fspire3%2F00b3da4d341a9e5df7fc15c7adbb323a1312388492_full.png&hash=202e9965c6bcf068d3145494d1b91f78576a6b18)
One thing that has always struck me as weird about anime is how, for all the often obnoxious fanservice, it is kind of bizarrely sexless. As is I don't think I have ever seen an anime in which characters actually have sex. Hell, I don't think I have ever see characters make out.
Quote from: Kleves on September 28, 2014, 09:30:30 PM
One thing that has always struck me as weird about anime is how, for all the often obnoxious fanservice, it is kind of bizarrely sexless. As is I don't think I have ever seen an anime in which characters actually have sex. Hell, I don't think I have ever see characters make out.
Watch ef: a fairy tale of the two. Yeah, for all the fanservice, Japan is very conservative when it comes to actual sex. Even a kiss is a big deal.
Quote from: Kleves on September 28, 2014, 09:30:30 PM
One thing that has always struck me as weird about anime is how, for all the often obnoxious fanservice, it is kind of bizarrely sexless. As is I don't think I have ever seen an anime in which characters actually have sex. Hell, I don't think I have ever see characters make out.
Watch the Rurouni Kenshin OVA: Trust & Betrayal. Very mature story about an assasin during the Meji Revolution. Graphic violence, not so graphic sex, but it is there.
Universally regarded as one of the best OVAs ever made.
Universally is a strong word. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is far and away the better OVA while for a tasteful, adult handling of sex i'd give the nod to No Longer Human.
Due to the heavy crust of fujoshi bait around the subject matter, Trust and Betrayal might escape with 'One of the best Bakumatsu OVA', but that's not a huge hill of beans. It just means it trumped the likes of Winter Cicada, which I am tempted to say was the more sexually mature and historically accurate OVA.
Quote from: Lettow77 on September 28, 2014, 11:33:05 PM
Universally is a strong word. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is far and away the better OVA while for a tasteful, adult handling of sex i'd give the nod to No Longer Human.
Due to the heavy crust of fujoshi bait around the subject matter, Trust and Betrayal might escape with 'One of the best Bakumatsu OVA', but that's not a huge hill of beans. It just means it trumped the likes of Winter Cicada, which I am tempted to say was the more sexually mature and historically accurate OVA.
What does this even mean?
It is certainly one of the most acclaimed OVA to ever be released in America, and I know for a fact that the Rurouni Kenshin manga is one of the biggest best sellers in Japanese history.
Rated 8.6 stars on IMDB by 5,054 people
Amazon - Out of 103 reviews 77 are 5 stars and 16 are 4 stars
THEM Anime Reviews - 4/4 stars
Anime.about.com - 5/5 stars
Animenewsnetwork.com - A
Fujoshi is a term worth knowing if you want to be conversant about anime and its attendant culture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaoi_fandom#Fujoshi
Wikipedia lists Fujoshi here as being women who enjoy male romantic pairings; that is certainly the case, but more broadly, they are the smelly, lonely awkward otaku girls who lust after bishonen prettyboys. Fujoshi interests lean disproportionately to history; The Shinsengumi in particular looms larger in the female otaku collective consciousness than their male counterparts. A list of Bakumatsu anime would be heavily filled with tales of a audience-stand in everygirl sent back in time, or men sharing lustful and longing looks at one another, when it isn't flat-out pornography and men grabbing each others' penises.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reki-jo this also may lead to some useful reading, if you had the gumption to read further.
To summarize, the "Crust of fujoshi bait" would be the fecal ring of series which eschew plot or examination of characters except insofar as they are a vehicle for burning gazes and lingering touches between samurai calculated to bring clammy, bespectacled japanese women to a sweat.
:mellow: Trust & Betrayal isn't anything like that.
Nor did I say it was; I said that its subject matter was plagued with such anime. It shines by comparison, being potentially the best anime that covers the period in question.
This is however qualified and faint praise.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 29, 2014, 08:08:37 AM
:mellow: Trust & Betrayal isn't anything like that.
Heh, if Lettow sees homoeroticism there and misses it in his relationship with ex-roomie, it must be pretty strong. :P
I went to a manga shop in Japan once, and I was utterly shocked to find the sheer amount of "boys' love" titles there. Personally, I am perfectly ok with lesbians in anime, but I just can't watch boys' love. Just a matter of personal taste.
Its funny really. The tentacle porn and schoolgirl rape and all that icky sort of thing is very well known in the west.
The porn for girls...less so.
Apparently even gays can't stand that stuff. It is quite squarely aimed at a young girl's image of romantic love between pretty boys.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 29, 2014, 08:14:13 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 29, 2014, 08:08:37 AM
:mellow: Trust & Betrayal isn't anything like that.
Heh, if Lettow sees homoeroticism there and misses it in his relationship with ex-roomie, it must be pretty strong. :P
It "may" be typical in anime set in the time period, but there is absolutely none in the work I referenced.
Obviously. Rurouni Kenshin escaped out of Shonen Jump.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Frettousei_401_zpsf5b4ebbf.jpg&hash=7d5aaa5bdb57a70f0364137b7892fed4947c64a7) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/rettousei_401_zpsf5b4ebbf.jpg.html)
Irregular at Magic High School. In the future, magic is viewed as technology, and there are schools that specialise in their training. The magic school that the protagonist attends sorts students into two classes, elites and, well, non-elites. The only reason he is called an "irregular" is because he is sorted into the lower tier. Otherwise, he is a serious and calm individual. (I actually think irregular is a mistranslation. The Japanese kanji simply means "poor performing").
The story is a rather typical shonen adventure with a cool-headed protagonist. Somehow in the future, all revealing clothes are considered poor taste, so most characters are covered from neck to toe. The protaonist is my biggest problem with the show. Most anime protagonists are over-powered. It isn't uncommon for protagonists to solve most problems, to defeat everybody else, etc. But this is the most one-sided overpowerness I have seen. The first problem is that the powers of most characters are reasonable, while the protagonist are vastly more powerful than everybody else, on all sides of the conflict. Aside from the almost non-issue of being sorted into the wrong class, I don't recall him facing much of a challenge throughout the entire series. He is always several steps ahead of everybody. He can make tools that make any user powerful. He can one-shot massive fleets. He can fly (most can't). And he [spoiler]can resurrect anybody, including himself[/spoiler]. There is nothing he can't do, there is no problem he can't solve, and he is massively better than anybody else. If you like overpowered characters, this is the show. But I don't.
The writing is such that everything is explained. There is always a detailed explanation about how this and that magical power works. While this style gives a rich and detailed world, the downside is that the story tends to be slow and the dialogue too technical. The cast is massive for a 26 episode series. Again, while this spices up the story with a large array of characters, the problem is that I still have problem remembering who is who by the end.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F67333_zps0e18de3b.jpg&hash=ba3d58f1378dc9bf5b69b897dd18d7df0807be28) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/67333_zps0e18de3b.jpg.html)
Last week was the beginning of the Fall 2014 anime season. Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works is a strong candidate for the title "most anticipated anime show" of this season.
Much has been said about the Fate series in this thread already. It can be incredibly confusing because there are so many different shows with similar names. Fate Stay Night is a visual novel with 3 routes. Each route is an independent story using more or less the same characters and setting. Each is like a different scenario in the same computer game. There are 3 routes in the game: Fate, Unlimited Blade Works, and Heavens Feel.
The 2006 Fate Stay Night adaptation was mainly on the Fate route. This show is obviously on the Unlimited Blade Works route. Heavens Feel has yet to be adapted, but there is a movie in the works. Actually, there is already an Unlimited Blade Works movie produced in 2010 or so. My verdict is that it was one of the worst anime movies produced.
THe 2006 show was not the most popular adaptation, with subpar animation. UFO Table, the guys behind Fate Zero, the popular prequel, will do the adaptation this time. I have seen the 48 minute prologue. Looks really good so far. The reputation of UFO Table being able to produce some of the best animation in the industry is well-earned.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FAkatsukinoYona_zps85e21910.jpg&hash=7cfd6a75c00c5d1730d579498a35efe40c63e3e7) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/AkatsukinoYona_zps85e21910.jpg.html)
Akatsuki no Yona. Akatsuki means dawn. Yona is the name of the title character, a princess. This is adapted from a shojo, or young girl, manga. The princess was exiled due to a palace coup, and she must get stronger to avenge her family and take back what was hers.
Normally, I won't be interested in such a setup. My opinion changed completely when I read the cast list. Chiwa Saito, one of my favourite seiyuus, will voice the title character. Yes, that's the only reason I am watching this. She has one of the greatest voice ranges in the industry, and can do anything from crybabies to strong amazon warriors. That's probably the reason she is hired, as the character goes through these stages of development. She used to do genki girls in her youth, but has now graduated to do cool big sisters, deadpan snarkers and seductresses.
Quote from: Monoriu on August 25, 2014, 11:48:28 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 25, 2014, 11:39:09 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 25, 2014, 10:46:39 PM
LOL, Speed Racer
Kimba the White Lion
Marine Boy
Star Blazers
And I saw both Akira and Ghost in the Shell in artsy fartsy theaters when they first came out, because I am that fucking proto-hip, baby.
You would love Cowboy Beebop then.
This seems to be the anime that everybody but me has watched. I'm going to have to do it when I have time.
By the way, if you watch this, you should watch this in English. The American cast is unbelievably good.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 08, 2014, 01:56:08 AM
By the way, if you watch this, you should watch this in English. The American cast is unbelievably good.
Thanks for the tip, but I am a huge fan of Megumi Hayashibara. Besides, it is actually quite difficult for me to get the English dubbed version :)
I know I'm well known as person who does not care for anime, but I did find one I liked. Actually I saw it as a kid and I liked it, and found out later that it was anime from the 1980's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm%27s_Fairy_Tale_Classics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm%27s_Fairy_Tale_Classics)
They were all in English when I saw them. I didn't know they were made in Japan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sx9pun305Q (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sx9pun305Q) This was my favorite one. I watched when I was 9 or so. Puss and Boots is still my favorite fairly tale.
Yeah, the first few years when I watched anime, I didn't realise they were all made in Japan. Those were the times when the TV networks still bothered to make "Chinese versions" of the anime, i.e. giving all the characters Chinese names, writing Chinese lyrics of the opening songs and finding local singers to perform the songs, removing all the Japanese text and signages, editing out the credits etc. Still couldn't hide the fact that the characters referred to Japan (and no where else) all the time.
I had three favorite Animes as a kid (of course, at the time no one knew what an anime was):
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2F3%2F3a%2FHeidi_DVD_1.jpg&hash=7b42d9fd518e6912dc440a920cf9b32948627817)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fe%2Fed%2FNils.jpg&hash=2b636bbe5635d5c1944c76b8ee1352709165ceb4)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fpatrickmacias.blogs.com%2Fphotos%2Funcategorized%2F2008%2F06%2F29%2Fcapfu3.jpg&hash=bc49c7e11130fb280c241d68cd8a9882a2c599c3)
Oddly enough, all three were adaptations of Western literature.
At the time, dubbing would be very liberal, and even the soundtrack would often be replaced, most notably in the case of Captain Future - the German soundtrack still has a large cult following (a rock/synth/funk mix: E.g. The show's music for action scenes. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIk827Imcyk&list=PL54620D799B2A6F45).
In my teens I watched Saber Rider. Again, it was very liberally dubbed; in fact a large portion appears to have been ad libbed, which made it a rather irreverent show to watch.
I saw the Adventure of Nils when I was a kid. Loved it.
I even had a drinking glass with him and the geese on it. -_-
Mustard would often come in glasses that could be used for drinks later - they would often print stuff for kids on them; I think I had one of those on the right):
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2F00%2Fs%2FNzY4WDEwMjQ%3D%2F%24T2eC16h%2C%21w0E9szN%2C9o6BQ5vN3rvs%21%7E%7E48_72.JPG&hash=377281fbb9ed050405a4d84d3a0c4567613fde25)
Apparently, this is still a thing:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsenfladen-sachsen.de%2Fshop%2Fimages%2Fproduct_images%2Fpopup_images%2F1402_2.JPG&hash=ebfd9e557c4a4b2b3a99b624df80d16b8abd6f1c)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FNils_zps2abbbd12.jpg&hash=e5e8e2e17ea52b0483693c8a0e37e94b937b4144) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Nils_zps2abbbd12.jpg.html)
Nils is on the Swedish $20 banknote.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 08, 2014, 01:37:21 AM
THe 2006 show was not the most popular adaptation, with subpar animation. UFO Table, the guys behind Fate Zero, the popular prequel, will do the adaptation this time. I have seen the 48 minute prologue. Looks really good so far. The reputation of UFO Table being able to produce some of the best animation in the industry is well-earned.
I'm a little conflicted by this. Much of it is indeed an improvement. Archer in particular has a slightly improved character design (it is now no longer impossible to believe he is who he really is due to scaling and facial issues.)
Rin however...what were they thinking. When she's not looking wierd she's just plain ugly. Even for Japanese anime she looks more alien than human. :(
Quote from: Agelastus on October 12, 2014, 06:38:07 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 08, 2014, 01:37:21 AM
THe 2006 show was not the most popular adaptation, with subpar animation. UFO Table, the guys behind Fate Zero, the popular prequel, will do the adaptation this time. I have seen the 48 minute prologue. Looks really good so far. The reputation of UFO Table being able to produce some of the best animation in the industry is well-earned.
I'm a little conflicted by this. Much of it is indeed an improvement. Archer in particular has a slightly improved character design (it is now no longer impossible to believe he is who he really is due to scaling and facial issues.)
Rin however...what were they thinking. When she's not looking wierd she's just plain ugly. Even for Japanese anime she looks more alien than human. :(
I agree Rin's face takes some getting used to, but that doesn't bother me too much. What I really want to say is, I just saw the first proper episode, and the fight scenes are gorgeous. I am hard pressed to think of something that looks better in TV anime (of course, movies are better). The episode, despite being 48 minutes long and that I already know the plot, is very entertaining throughout.
I've seen the first proper episode myself, now, and I agree it looks gorgeous.
But again, I found something that didn't impress me, in this case the portrayal of Gae Bolg's reversal of causality effect. I actually think less flash and more of a "huh?!" would have worked better there.
Is there any word on which ending they're going to use? "True", "Good" or something more original?
Knights of Sidonia is on Netflix. It's subbed, which is fine. Unfortunately, the plentiful written signs are not translated (which I'm used to from many fan translations).
It's seriously distracting, which is a shame, because the art style is gorgeous.
Quote from: Syt on October 13, 2014, 08:07:04 AM
Knights of Sidonia is on Netflix. It's subbed, which is fine. Unfortunately, the plentiful written signs are not translated (which I'm used to from many fan translations).
It's seriously distracting, which is a shame, because the art style is gorgeous.
I've heard many good things said about Knights of Sidonia. It is on my long-term to do list.
Quote from: Agelastus on October 13, 2014, 07:58:10 AM
Is there any word on which ending they're going to use? "True", "Good" or something more original?
No clue.
The Devil is a Part-Timer.
Very original, very interesting, couldn't watch anything else until I finished it.
Somewhat similar to Eden of the East, but with superpowers.
Not as good as Knights of Sidonia, though.
And I got Samurai Flamenco as next in my list.
Oh My God! :o
http://www.superherohype.com/news/319189-scarlett-johansson-offered-ghost-in-the-shell
That's been in development hell/the aether for 15 years...
She won't do the nudity I bet.
I have yet to see a live adaptation of an anime that I am happy with. I hope they prove me wrong.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on October 19, 2014, 02:19:58 PM
She won't do the nudity I bet.
Is that vital to the plot? :hmm:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages-cdn.9gag.com%2Fphoto%2FaLQK43z_460sa_v1.gif&hash=eff854b634bf60c284aaf2af71770ae66893c439)
??
Quote from: garbon on October 21, 2014, 08:35:10 PM
??
CDM is expressing his disaproval that a beautiful women like Scarlett Johansson is doing anime stuff. He could go with
Her, but this, this is just too much for him :P
Quote from: viper37 on October 22, 2014, 02:20:15 PM
Quote from: garbon on October 21, 2014, 08:35:10 PM
??
CDM is expressing his disaproval that a beautiful women like Scarlett Johansson is doing anime stuff. He could go with Her, but this, this is just too much for him :P
What's the difference between a comic adaptation like Batman or Superman, and an anime adaptation? :P
Quote from: viper37 on October 22, 2014, 02:20:15 PM
Quote from: garbon on October 21, 2014, 08:35:10 PM
??
CDM is expressing his disaproval that a beautiful women like Scarlett Johansson is doing anime stuff. He could go with Her, but this, this is just too much for him :P
:lol: :P
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 05:06:35 PM
What's the difference between a comic adaptation like Batman or Superman, and an anime adaptation? :P
Taste, mainly. Creepy ass cartoon crackers.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 22, 2014, 08:37:13 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 05:06:35 PM
What's the difference between a comic adaptation like Batman or Superman, and an anime adaptation? :P
Taste, mainly. Creepy ass cartoon crackers.
Have you seen the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie? It is awesome. The makers of the Matrix movies said the anime movie helped inspire the series.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 05:06:35 PM
Quote from: viper37 on October 22, 2014, 02:20:15 PM
Quote from: garbon on October 21, 2014, 08:35:10 PM
??
CDM is expressing his disaproval that a beautiful women like Scarlett Johansson is doing anime stuff. He could go with Her, but this, this is just too much for him :P
What's the difference between a comic adaptation like Batman or Superman, and an anime adaptation? :P
I suppose it's a question of whether or not you prefer adaptations based on a genre that fetishes outsized abs rather than one that fetishes outsized eyes. :hmm:
Although I don't think the comparison is apt here; Ghost in the Shell is much more closely related to cyberpunk and William Gibson than anime (as a genre) itself. And I don't think CdM would mind Scarlett Johanssen starring in a William Gibson adaptation.
Quote from: Agelastus on October 23, 2014, 04:56:04 AM
I suppose it's a question of whether or not you prefer adaptations based on a genre that fetishes outsized abs rather than one that fetishes outsized eyes. :hmm:
More whether you enjoy works about crime vs teenage relationship drama. And before you cry that not all anime is like that, go back and read some of Mono's plot descriptions. :P
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 23, 2014, 05:10:45 AM
Quote from: Agelastus on October 23, 2014, 04:56:04 AM
I suppose it's a question of whether or not you prefer adaptations based on a genre that fetishes outsized abs rather than one that fetishes outsized eyes. :hmm:
More whether you enjoy works about crime vs teenage relationship drama. And before you cry that not all anime is like that, go back and read some of Mono's plot descriptions. :P
Mono writes a lot of plot descriptions. Mostly for anime that I don't watch.
There's 20 or 30 new series every 3 months. Mono writes plot descriptions of 3-5 of them. And since he writes to his own tastes he's not a balanced descriptor of what genres are covered each season.
For example, he loves Key shows (which fits your trope of teenage relationship drama perfectly.) I've never watched any of them and only have a remote interest in one (and that's because the key conceit of the series involves time travel.)
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 08:51:29 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 22, 2014, 08:37:13 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 05:06:35 PM
What's the difference between a comic adaptation like Batman or Superman, and an anime adaptation? :P
Taste, mainly. Creepy ass cartoon crackers.
Have you seen the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie? It is awesome. The makers of the Matrix movies said the anime movie helped inspire the series.
Why is it that every animetard asks me that, as if one feature film justifies little girls driving WW2 tanks.
Guess what, I saw Akira in theaters too. Doesnt change the fact that you're watching oversexualized tweens in sailor outfits.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 23, 2014, 05:48:11 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 08:51:29 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 22, 2014, 08:37:13 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 22, 2014, 05:06:35 PM
What's the difference between a comic adaptation like Batman or Superman, and an anime adaptation? :P
Taste, mainly. Creepy ass cartoon crackers.
Have you seen the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie? It is awesome. The makers of the Matrix movies said the anime movie helped inspire the series.
Why is it that every animetard asks me that, as if one feature film justifies little girls driving WW2 tanks.
Guess what, I saw Akira in theaters too. Doesnt change the fact that you're watching oversexualized tweens in sailor outfits.
Actually, I think the show with little girls driving WWII tanks is even better than Ghost in the Shell :contract:
And I still hate Akira.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, the series, is better than the film.
I would put the little girls driving WWII tanks in between the two in quality.
I would be interested to hear your criticisms of Akira, mono; I hold it rather highly, and it held up well to a recent rewatch.
Quote from: Lettow77 on October 23, 2014, 06:10:13 AM
I would be interested to hear your criticisms of Akira, mono; I hold it rather highly, and it held up well to a recent rewatch.
I was like 10 at the time. For some bizarre reason, my mother, who showed nothing but contempt for anime, suddenly decided to drag me to a theatre to see this movie that I had never heard of - Akira. She almost never went anywhere with me unless father was also there. Anyway, so I sat through this movie that I didn't understand at all, had tons of gore and blood (which I dislike, even now), and I didn't pick myself.
I do realise that the circumstances of watching Akira were highly unusual, and I may change my stance on a second viewing after all these years. Until then, I will loudly proclaim that I hate it :P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKWLAOu7MMs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKWLAOu7MMs)
This was enough Akira for me.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 23, 2014, 07:06:42 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKWLAOu7MMs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKWLAOu7MMs)
This was enough Akira for me.
Thanks. Hmm, I don't think I'll rewatch that movie any time soon. My memory that the movie is full of gore seems to be correct. :x
And giant monsters made of amorphous flesh. That seems to be a thing in anime too. Maybe there's some kind of background to that, but I don't know it.
Tbh i never really liked akira much either. Gives me a headache. Theres just something very off about it
Arpeggio of Blue Steel.
A fleet of naval ships armed with superweapons and controlled by AIs with hot female avatars.
I found Arpeggio's animated version to be a major disappointment. The pacing felt off for the first half of the single cour run, and then they went "anime original" for the second half. And badly at that.
I liked it.
It does make some interesting choices with how it tells the story but it works. Hope they make more. Though they probably won't. They never do with anything I like <_<
Quote from: Tyr on November 09, 2014, 04:05:02 PM
I liked it.
It does make some interesting choices with how it tells the story but it works. Hope they make more. Though they probably won't. They never do with anything I like <_<
"Interesting choices"? They truncated the timeline and chose not to amend Ark Performance's own retrospective continuity error (introduced due to later material in the Manga)...and that was just the first episode. It went downhill from there ("Yamato, Yamato, where art thou Kotone?" and "Maya! NOOOO! She's real!!!" etc. etc.)
However, you may be pleased to know that a compilation movie (no doubt with new and improved footage) is due out in Japanese cinemas in January and that a second film, comprising all new material, is too follow.
Although God knows what'll be in said movie given the fact that the anime has technically overtaken the Manga. :glare:
I was sitting in a bank waiting when I saw an anime TV preview. Cute females and submarines. Then I realised that it was Arpeggio that you guys talked about. I have decided to see it later :hug:
In other news, a new TV station will soon be established in HK. It will exclusively use the internet to broadcast its programmes. Last night it asked the population to help conduct a stress test to see how many people can stream the contents. Guess which programme it used for testing?
Puella Magi Madoka Magica, my favourite show. The new TV network isn't aimed at anime fans or the young, but the mainstream population. I have decided that I like them :cool:
Hey guys, FUCK YOU ALL!!!!1111
You never told me how good Sword Art Online was, and I had it in my list for over a year and I only got to watch it this last week.
FUCK YOU ALL!!!!111
I really liked Girls und Panzer. Just try not reinstalling World of Tanks after watching it.
I also really liked Sword Art Online... until it started going downhill in the second-half of the first season, and just seems to continue on the same trajectory in season 2. It has become something of a harem show*, which makes it much less interesting to me. It is especially frustrating because I really enjoyed the way that [spoiler]Kirito and Asuna's relationship played out[/spoiler] in the first season. It was a more mature take than what I normally expect from anime.
*I don't know that I have ever actually watched such a show - at least, I can't call an example to mind. The gist seems to be that a shy asexual loser inexplicably attracts a large following of attractive women who want to jump his bones, and hijinks ensue.
I'm sorry. I had too many light beers and I am listening to Chandelier.
Did you just say that there is a secong season?
Because Netflux only have one season available.
Fuck man, speak fucking englese.
Is it there a second season for SAO?
Quote from: Siege on November 16, 2014, 09:30:20 PM
Fuck man, speak fucking englese.
Is it there a second season for SAO?
Being broadcast in Japan now.
Quote from: Siege on November 16, 2014, 05:05:54 PM
Hey guys, FUCK YOU ALL!!!!1111
You never told me how good Sword Art Online was, and I had it in my list for over a year and I only got to watch it this last week.
FUCK YOU ALL!!!!111
I believe I recommended this show early in this thread :P
Quote from: Siege on November 16, 2014, 09:30:20 PM
Fuck man, speak fucking englese.
Is it there a second season for SAO?
Yes. Sword Art online is 25 + 1 + 24. 25 is first season, with two arcs - Aincrad (1-14) and Alfheim (15-25). The 1 is a two-hour TV special (extra edition) that is 80% recap and 20% short story. You can skip this safely. 24 is second season with two arcs - Gun Gale Online (1--14) and Mother's Rosario (15 onwards). It is ongoing and episode 19 was broadcast several days ago. My personal opinion is -
Aincrad: 10/10 (hall of fame material)
Alfheim: 7/10 (notable drop in quality but it is a must see if you want to see the end of the Aincrad story)
Extra Edition: 7/10 (not bad for a recap but still a recap)
Gun Gale Online: 9/10 (return to form and pretty nice)
Mother's Rosario: On-going.
Oh and, don't bother with all the Sword Art Offline specials. I've watched them all to tell you that they are all crap.
Siege, if you like SAO and virtual reality, watch Accel World and Log Horizon too (I also recommended these shows many pages back). Both are about virtual realities and games. Accel World is based on a novel by the same author as SAO. Log Horizon's novel is by a different author and is a lighter and softer version of SAO.
I watched Noragami. It's about a happy-go-lucky loser god and a girl who hovers between the mortal world and the spirit one after a near death encounter; but the god has a dark past and secrets are soon revealed. The series goes from light and cartoony to dark and violent in the course of 12 episodes.
Quote from: Savonarola on November 17, 2014, 04:15:33 PM
I watched Noragami. It's about a happy-go-lucky loser god and a girl who hovers between the mortal world and the spirit one after a near death encounter; but the god has a dark past and secrets are soon revealed. The series goes from light and cartoony to dark and violent in the course of 12 episodes.
Oh I thought it is a rags to riches story after reading this-
Yato is a minor deity who lacks even a single shrine. In order to build his own shrine and gain recognition as a god, he scrawls his cell number on the wall of a downtown bathroom telling people he will help them
in exchange for a 5-yen offering, becoming a self-styled "delivery god."
I became super excited when I read about the 5-yen thing and decided to watch this
Here's something for you anime lovers - Japanese scientists provide scientific proof that looking at "cute" images is healthy:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210614/The-power-cute-How-looking-pictures-baby-animals-help-improve-concentration-levels.html
;)
Quote from: Malthus on November 18, 2014, 02:56:05 PM
Here's something for you anime lovers - Japanese scientists provide scientific proof that looking at "cute" images is healthy:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210614/The-power-cute-How-looking-pictures-baby-animals-help-improve-concentration-levels.html
;)
Well, the problem with anime is that you never know if the cute girl you just saw will get her head chopped off in the next minute or not ;)
Quote from: Savonarola on November 17, 2014, 04:15:33 PM
I watched Noragami. It's about a happy-go-lucky loser god and a girl who hovers between the mortal world and the spirit one after a near death encounter; but the god has a dark past and secrets are soon revealed. The series goes from light and cartoony to dark and violent in the course of 12 episodes.
Really?
I started watching Noragami and I quit because it was too chidish for my taste.
I might continue now that say it becomes darker.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 18, 2014, 05:26:24 PM
Quote from: Malthus on November 18, 2014, 02:56:05 PM
Here's something for you anime lovers - Japanese scientists provide scientific proof that looking at "cute" images is healthy:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210614/The-power-cute-How-looking-pictures-baby-animals-help-improve-concentration-levels.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210614/The-power-cute-How-looking-pictures-baby-animals-help-improve-concentration-levels.html)
;)
Well, the problem with anime is that you never know if the cute girl you just saw will get her head chopped off in the next minute or not ;)
I wish more anime did this.
I was so excited when the main character got kill in Attack on Titan, but not, the fucker was alive. So disapointed.
I wish all writters were like GRRM in book one of ASOIF.
Quote from: Siege on November 19, 2014, 12:11:55 PM
I wish more anime did this.
I was so excited when the main character got kill in Attack on Titan, but not, the fucker was alive. So disapointed.
I wish all writters were like GRRM in book one of ASOIF.
Gen Urobuchi is your answer. Watch Puella Magi Madoka Magika and Fate Zero :hug:
Season 2 of Attack on Titan to air in 2016.
According to a tweet from a person who attended the movie's premiere, it was announced at the end of Shingeki no Kyojin Movie 1: Guren no Yumiya that Shingeki no Kyojin 2nd Season will air in 2016. Also announced was the premiere date of Shingeki no Kyojin Movie 2: Jiyuu no Tsubasa, which will be June 27, 2015.
Aldnoah Zero. :thumbsup:
Magi. :thumbsdown:
Death Note: the best thriller of all time? Possibly.
I am trying to find another show to follow, now that I am caught up with SAO and finished Aldnoah Zero and Girls und Panzer. I tried Akame ga Kill! It goes from showing tortured bodies of children and describing how drawn out their suffering was to slapstick comedy involving bewbs! within the same scene.
Kleves, a notable absence in the Axis. That has been rectified.
Quote from: Ideologue on November 23, 2014, 12:48:50 AM
Death Note: the best thriller of all time? Possibly.
If it's anything like the manga it completely jumps the shark at the half way point. One of the most disappointing manga ever given how great it started out.
I like the parts with Mello and Near, but it is true that the real peak of the show is the final showdown between Light and L.
Quote from: Kleves on November 23, 2014, 01:00:00 AM
I am trying to find another show to follow, now that I am caught up with SAO and finished Aldnoah Zero and Girls und Panzer. I tried Akame ga Kill! It goes from showing tortured bodies of children and describing how drawn out their suffering was to slapstick comedy involving bewbs! within the same scene.
I like Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works that is being aired right now. Psycho pass 2 is also great but is close to being completed. If you like SAO, try Log Horizon 2. It is a lighter version of SAO.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F141118_20_01_zps5f415519.jpg&hash=5011b6b3b5f08cbbc3013c20525ae75791c2b98f) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/141118_20_01_zps5f415519.jpg.html)
Girls und Panzer movie to air in Summer 2015 (July - September). It is still expected that the movie will be a direct sequel.
I started watching something called Samurai Flamenco. It makes me snigger. Pretty good.
Quote from: Ideologue on November 23, 2014, 01:05:17 AM
I like the parts with Mello and Near, but it is true that the real peak of the show is the final showdown between Light and L.
Yeah, I thought it ran out of steam after that episode. The Mello and Near parts are okay, but they were never as gripping as the earlier episodes.
Actually, I do remember that the Mello and Near parts do have the dumbest assed thing in the whole series, landing that jet in the middle of the desert. WTF. :lol:
Quote from: Ideologue on November 23, 2014, 12:48:50 AM
Death Note: the best thriller of all time? Possibly.
I haven't watched death note yet.
It is rated very high...
Should I bother?
I am still disappointed with vampire anime, including Blood.
Quote from: Siege on November 23, 2014, 11:47:13 AM
Quote from: Ideologue on November 23, 2014, 12:48:50 AM
Death Note: the best thriller of all time? Possibly.
I haven't watched death note yet.
It is rated very high...
Should I bother?
I am still disappointed with vampire anime, including Blood.
The first two thirds of the series is a taut cat and mouse thriller. That's a cut above almost any other anime in the way that it presents competing value systems and points of view without providing easy answers. The last third of the series runs out of steam; it's okay but nowhere near as good as the first part.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FqyvSKIjeuuzRkgdClhipLhge22MgAj00_zpsb5e9a133.jpg&hash=b0123c29c5e8a4c6e6faa8da5bfac81ba2a481fc) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/qyvSKIjeuuzRkgdClhipLhge22MgAj00_zpsb5e9a133.jpg.html)
Ghost in the Shell Arise. A reboot of the beloved cyberpunk police and crime story in a new continuity. There are new character designs, an entirely new voice cast (at least in Japanese. I read that the production company insists that the English dub actors must be replaced too), and new character backstories. There are four mini-movies, each about an hour long, that together serve as a prequel on how Section 9 was formed.
For compaison, these are the old designs -
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FGhost-in-the-Shell-SAC_zpsbd8bf621.jpg&hash=2503150c29a8d72bd92d4108c39648972342d17d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Ghost-in-the-Shell-SAC_zpsbd8bf621.jpg.html)
A lot of the elements that make the franchise a success are still there. The production values are sky high, with stunning visuals and well animated and chereographed fight scenes. Fans will be delighted with the call-backs to the old series, like how Motoko always dives down from a building at some point, she tries to pull open a hatch from a tank, she and Batou have a philosophical conversation on a boat etc. The murders, ghost hacking, corrupt politicians, false memories, conspiracies, plot twists are all there. The characterisation of, say, Saito and Paz may have changed a bit, and Motoko got new hair colour. But Motoko is still Motoko, and the show feels very Ghost in the Shell.
My problem is that the new series also takes convoluted plots to a new level. The Stand Alone Complex plots were not easy to understand, but Arise is worse. The show relies too much on exposition dialogue to explain all the plot twists, which are far too complex and difficult to follow.
This is not the end of the franchise, as they have already announced yet another feature length movie that will come up some time in 2015.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fakamegakill_9075_zps86305ee6.jpg&hash=d4c10e393ae7b7b419c6a83e3b11e4190bde3972) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/akamegakill_9075_zps86305ee6.jpg.html)
Akame ga Kill. Literally, Akame kills/slashes. The story is about a group of assassins who fight against a corrupt empire. The show is based on a popular manga that is known for its dark themes, character deaths and gore.
At its heart, Akame ga kill is a pretty standard shonen battle series. The show is essentially a series of battles between elite assassins with special powers fighting against elite agents of the empire with other special powers. There are plenty of colourful characters on both sides of the conflict. Perhaps the most popular character is Esdese, the badass, sadistic, mother to her men empire general pictured below. It is almost no longer considered a spoiler that [spoiler]she falls in love with the male protagonist who is on the other side of the conflict. [/spoiler]
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F238491_zpsb8214873.jpg&hash=f488d96a01de4a2d441536a30cbc2de2f752e525) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/238491_zpsb8214873.jpg.html)
It is dark alright. If you like to watch a show that is not afraid to kill off its characters, this is it. [spoiler]In fact almost the entire cast is killed off eventually.[/spoiler] There are gory shots showing tons of blood and maimed bodies throughout the entire series. But overall the tone is light. I think this is proof that just because a show is dark does not necessarily mean that it is good. The character deaths happen so suddenly and frequently that the emotional impact is reduced. It tries to do comedy, ridiculously revealing outfits, shonen, character deaths, cheap jokes, gory shots, flashy battles all in one package, sometimes within the same scenes, and ends up not doing any of that well.
Not really worth your time, imho.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F24.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_mc9tz3vrun1rpujg8o1_1280.jpg&hash=7a6c226470b179e58fd19ad8698121f15bf774fd)
She looks like Azusa Nakano from K-On.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fk-on5_3627_zps4139a779.jpg&hash=3790ed407b7c880698872941bcd4b86a09145336) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/k-on5_3627_zps4139a779.jpg.html)
(second girl from right hand side)
Quote from: Monoriu on December 17, 2014, 09:23:36 PM
Not really worth your time, imho.
Seconded. I'd given up the Manga after 6 or 8 chapters or so considering it as one of the biggest wastes of space I'd ever seen or read so I had no intention of watching the anime.
I do, however, frequent a couple of blogs where it seems to be getting rave reviews though. There really is no accounting for people's tastes. :hmm:
Quote from: Agelastus on December 18, 2014, 09:36:49 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 17, 2014, 09:23:36 PM
Not really worth your time, imho.
Seconded. I'd given up the Manga after 6 or 8 chapters or so considering it as one of the biggest wastes of space I'd ever seen or read so I had no intention of watching the anime.
I do, however, frequent a couple of blogs where it seems to be getting rave reviews though. There really is no accounting for people's tastes. :hmm:
No comment on the manga, as I am anime-only. I've read that the manga is ongoing, but the anime has been concluded with an anime-original ending that wrapped up everything. The anime is 6/10 at most.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F422f2ad7b250b4e71d30a66606b6bb4e_zps9766e9a1.jpg&hash=1ebed3cdc1a214a6af0a04eb34d08793ad73fcbd) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/422f2ad7b250b4e71d30a66606b6bb4e_zps9766e9a1.jpg.html)
As a fan of the Haruhi Suzumiya series, I have long given up on getting any new anime on this international blockbuster. I've read that one of the biggest problems is that the writer of the source novels has not been able to produce any new material for years, so there is little incentive to make more anime.
I am extremely happy to note that a new spinoff series, the Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan, is in the pipeline. ETA: April 2015. Yes, the entire original Japanese voice cast will return.
QuoteReport: 58% Of World's Japanese Speakers White 23-Year-Old American Males
WASHINGTON—Following a comprehensive two-year linguistic survey, a report published Wednesday in the academic journal Language revealed that 58 percent of Japanese speakers worldwide are 23-year-old white men from the United States. "Our findings indicate that a majority of individuals who can fluently speak and comprehend Japanese are actually Caucasian post-collegiate American males, many of whom order in Japanese at sushi restaurants and were one of the few white members of their universities' Japanese clubs," read the report in part, which noted that American-born 23-year-old men who taught English for a year in Kobe or Sapporo after graduation currently outnumber all other speakers of the Japanese language, including the entire population of the East Asian island nation and its millions of emigrants living throughout the world. "Though the Japanese dialect was spoken almost exclusively by individuals of Japanese origin until the mid-18th century, it is now largely a vernacular utilized by young white men who decorate their apartments with traditional Japanese prints and are devoted fans of manga artist Hayao Miyazaki. In fact, if present trends continue, we predict that within several decades the Japanese language will be spoken almost exclusively by fair-skinned twentysomething U.S. citizens who regularly purchase packaged seaweed snacks from small Asian markets and watch Akira Kurosawa films several times per month." The report further confirmed that virtually 100 percent of this demographic is either currently dating or recently broke up with a woman named Miku.[/b]
There are like 100 million Japanese in Japan alone. So there are more than 100 million 23 year old Caucasian post-collegiate American males :P
Learning languages is stupid.
In 20 years we will be able to speak any language in thw world using Google's neural translator.
Quote from: Siege on December 22, 2014, 04:27:56 PM
Learning languages is stupid.
In 20 years we will be able to speak any language in thw world using Google's neural translator.
That was my attitude during French class at school.
It was wrong.
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Psycho Pass Season 2, just finished airing in Japan last week. In the future, Japanese society is ruled by the Sibyl system, which assigns a psycho pass rating to each person based on things like stress levels and tendency to commit crimes. People with high ratings are dealt with by police before they cross the line, and the show focuses on a police team. Or Minority Report the anime.
Season 2 features Akane Tsunemori as the undisputed protagonist, and there is a new antagonist who cannot be detected by the system at all. For those who have watched season 1, no, Kogami does not return. Gen Urobuchi is no longer the script writer, but he still has some high level involvement. It is a tough act to follow, as season 1 did not leave too much material for a follow-up besides the fact that Akane got a new inspector partner. The show still follows the spirit of season 1 in having violent plot twists and gory shots, and asking questions about the basic nature of the Sibyl system. It is still enjoyable in its own right, but I can't help but feel the quality if a notch down from season 1. The script is not as tight, with too many "how did she figure that out?" and "WTF" moments. The show is supposed to be dark and gory, but I sometimes wonder if some of the most graphic scenes are there to make a valid point for story progression, or if they serve no purpose other than shock value.
It is still better than most shows out there, but it doesn't live up to the extremely high standards set by its predecessor.
A movie version is coming up next year.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 22, 2014, 08:06:34 PM
In the future, Japanese society is ruled by the Sibyl system, which assigns a psycho pass rating to each person based on things like stress levels and tendency to commit crimes.
Ha.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F65185l_zps32618d0f.jpg&hash=1cb94deda8daaf331920c0fd604c4b26c6d05c5e) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/65185l_zps32618d0f.jpg.html)
Sword Art Online Season 2. The sequel to the anime with a trapped-in-a-game premise. Kirito, the hero of season 1, returns to investigate incidents where real people are killed from shots fired in a virtual reality game. Like season 1, this season is divided into distinctive arcs. The first major arc is on Kirito and new heroine sniper Shino (yes, it is a new online game with guns, in an anime titled sword art online). The second major arc features season 1 heroine Asuna as the protagonist.
This is a love-it-or-hate-it anime, and I belong to the love-it crowd. I consider Sword Art Online to be the best anime with a virtual reality setting. I love the tear-jerking moments, the emotional impact, the focus on a few major and well-developed characters, and the music. Haters may point to Kirito gathering a large supporting harem at every opportunity, the inconsistent quality among the different arcs, and the presence of supposedly superior shows with a similar premise (Log Horizon for example). The show is not without its flaws and I won't call it an all-time classic, but it is good enough to be one of the best 5 shows I have watched in 2014. If you want a huge cast, a focus on the multi-player party tactics and game world mechanics, a lighter and softer tone, Log Horizon is the way to go. But if you don't mind nightmares after seeing an anime, want to cry your heart out, or want to see loners pulling off heroic antics, Sword Art Online is better.
Since the BDs and figures of the show are selling like crazy, and there are plenty of novels yet to be adapted, I fully expect season 3 to be ready within 2-3 years :bowler:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F58361l_zpsaaa9e134.jpg&hash=06f8cdf53fa319f0e16623fba757503e08f794b2) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/58361l_zpsaaa9e134.jpg.html)
Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace. Movie of the light space pirate anime. In the future, some space ships are issued legal letters of marque to engage in space piracy, and these can only be passed on to direct descendents. That's how a highschool girl became a space pirate ship captain. Space piracy in this world involves no violence, as they are really entertainment shows pre-arranged among the space pirates, the shipping and insurance companies. Passangers welcome them as adventures.
This isn't a sequel to the anime, but more like a side-story comprising anime-original material. The story is about the protagonist space pirates helping out a boy who is being chased by the bad guys. The boy is the son of a hyperspace travel authority who disappeared years ago.
To be honest, the movie is so-so. The show makes sure that almost every recurring character from the TV anime makes a reappearance and has at least one line. The space pirate crew, the highschool space yacht club, the maid cafe co-workers (yes, our space pirate captain is extremely busy), the lesbian couple who eloped, the princesses of another planet, other space pirates, the kickass mother, they're all there and that's the best part of the movie. Otherwise, the story is forgettable and unoriginal, the fights don't serve any purpose other than showing off the fireworks, and the animation is not the best given that this is a movie. If you like the original TV anime, the movie is the only thing left to see. If you haven't seen the TV version, this is a poor place to start.
I always wonder why Anime goes crazy with the title translations. Is "bodacious" really the proper translation in that case? :rolleyes:
And if it is, just more proof that the Japanese anime creators are weird. :P
Quote from: Tonitrus on December 23, 2014, 11:46:23 PM
I always wonder why Anime goes crazy with the title translations. Is "bodacious" really the proper translation in that case? :rolleyes:
And if it is, just more proof that the Japanese anime creators are weird. :P
This is a point that is frequently made.
The title of the source novel is "Miniskirt space pirates". The anime producers changed it to "Moretsu space pirates". If I input the original Japanese characters "moretsu" into google translate, the result is indeed "bodacious" in English. "Moretsu" translated into Chinese is "popular around the world", but the formal Chinese title of the show is "Violent space pirates". I think the intent of the anime creators is to avoid giving the impression that the show is yet another fanservice and harem show, so they have to drop the "miniskirt" name and find something else. Indeed the show is quite fanservice free by anime standards. The girls do wear miniskirts but that's it. No boobs and no panties. The anime producers want to make it sound like the protagonists are energetic and able to get through the universe, but the translations in both English and Chinese are screwed up.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 23, 2014, 09:38:09 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F58361l_zpsaaa9e134.jpg&hash=06f8cdf53fa319f0e16623fba757503e08f794b2) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/58361l_zpsaaa9e134.jpg.html)
Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace. Movie of the light space pirate anime. In the future, some space ships are issued legal letters of marque to engage in space piracy, and these can only be passed on to direct descendents.
Then she's not a pirate, she's a privateer! :angry:
A privateer who doesn't show boobs or panties? :yeahright:
Quote from: The Brain on December 24, 2014, 02:02:04 AM
A privateer who doesn't show boobs or panties? :yeahright:
With pirates it's all about the booty.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F67333_zps55c870d8.jpg&hash=6f703a79526ddc94032f6d1f39b6e67629726e09) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/67333_zps55c870d8.jpg.html)
Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works. Route 2 of the best-selling visual novel about a battle royale where seven teams of a master and servant combo battle it out for a holy grail that grants any wish. The master is a modern-day magician. The servant is an historical or mythical hero (say, you can summon Alexander the Great to fight as a sort of familiar). Route 1 (Fate route) was adapted in 2006 in a separate anime. There was also a 2010 movie on the unlimited blade works route, so this is essentially a remake.
The Fate Stay Night source material is legendary in the anime and gaming world with extremely well-developed and popular characters and a very interesting plot. The problem is that the previous two adaptations mentioned above are a bit disappointing. The 2006 anime suffered from poor animation; the 2010 movie tried to cramp too much material into a two-hour movie.
I am very happy to say that this adaptation finally does the Stay Night world justice. Ufotable, the same team behind block buster Fate/Zero (the prequel), makes a dream come true. I dare say this show represents some of the best animation that I have seen in TV format. It puts a lot of movies to shame. The fights are gorgeous, and animation is fluid and consistent, the backgrounds are rich and detailed. Really, given the quality of the source material, it should not be too difficult to produce classics out of it, but for some reason the previous studio managed to accomplish the almost impossible feat of screwing this up. I usually watch anime shows unspoiled, but this is obviously impossible as I have already watched every anime produced in the Fate world, including the 2010 Unlimited Blade Works movie. Still, I find it most entertaining.
The show is split cour, and the second half will be aired in April 2015. Route 3 (heaven's feel) will be adapted into a movie.
Actually, I think this is the best show that was aired in 2014 that I have watched. The best five of 2014 in my mind are:
1. Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works
2. No Game No Life
3. Aldnoah Zero
4. Sword Art Online Season 2
5. Nisekoi
So this is the end of the Autumn 2014 anime season. The Winter 2015 season starts in January 2015. These are some of the anime shows that I plan to follow.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F69857l_zpsf0a46b41.jpg&hash=d4a69b38a130058b676e1eea033010323d91f2d3) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/69857l_zpsf0a46b41.jpg.html)
Assassination Classroom. The alien lifeform pictured above has destroyed most of the moon. He has threatened to do the same to Earth unless he is allowed to teach a class in a Japanese school. The Earth governments quickly granted his wish, but have also placed a huge bounty on his head. They have trained and equipped the students to assassinate...err it. The thing doesn't mind at all, because none of the students manage to land a shot anyway, given its superpowers. Despite its name, the show is said to be a slice of life comedy based on a popular manga.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F65321l_zps678ac98e.jpg&hash=e8cac184272148de4812e6bb5494e07d264a71ca) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/65321l_zps678ac98e.jpg.html)
Kantai Collection is finally here. Moe anthropomorphisms of World War II naval warships, or Strike Witches with ships rather than aircraft.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 28, 2014, 09:02:18 PM
Actually, I think this is the best show that was aired in 2014 that I have watched. The best five of 2014 in my mind are:
1. Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works
2. No Game No Life
3. Aldnoah Zero
4. Sword Art Online Season 2
5. Nisekoi
Aldnoah Zero I'm leaving until I see how the second part starts to play out; at the moment I think it looks more of a clusterfuck than a classic. As for Nisekoi I found it to be disappointing, even downright dull in places.
As for my list, I'm leaving Fate off since it's not finished yet. Oh, and I'll say these were the "most enjoyable" rather than the best.
[1] No Game, No Life
[2] Amagi Brilliant Park
[3] Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de
[4] Strike the Blood [Half of it did air this year, after all. :P]
[5] Rokujouma no Shinryakusha! [which demands a second season, if only for my hope that one of the characters finally gets the credit for her heroics.]
Honorable mentions to -
Buddy Complex - for attractive character designs and a nearly successful twist ending to the first season...
damn them for compacting the second into a two part OVA.Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara - for a staggeringly satisfying ending (and unexpected, since I had little knowledge of the source material) to what on the surface seems to be a generic comic harem show.
D-Frag! - for being decent. Given the nature of the source Manga I was convinced the adaptation would be disappointing. I was wrong.
Quote from: Agelastus on December 30, 2014, 11:39:29 AM
Aldnoah Zero I'm leaving until I see how the second part starts to play out; at the moment I think it looks more of a clusterfuck than a classic. As for Nisekoi I found it to be disappointing, even downright dull in places.
As for my list, I'm leaving Fate off since it's not finished yet. Oh, and I'll say these were the "most enjoyable" rather than the best.
[1] No Game, No Life
[2] Amagi Brilliant Park
[3] Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de
[4] Strike the Blood [Half of it did air this year, after all. :P]
[5] Rokujouma no Shinryakusha! [which demands a second season, if only for my hope that one of the characters finally gets the credit for her heroics.]
Honorable mentions to -
Buddy Complex - for attractive character designs and a nearly successful twist ending to the first season...damn them for compacting the second into a two part OVA.
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara - for a staggeringly satisfying ending (and unexpected, since I had little knowledge of the source material) to what on the surface seems to be a generic comic harem show.
D-Frag! - for being decent. Given the nature of the source Manga I was convinced the adaptation would be disappointing. I was wrong.
At least we agree on the awesomeness of No Game No Life. :hug: That's the only one out of your list that I have seen.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F67581l_zps0511eb9f.jpg&hash=d2eed5301c0857724c05c0d78847abe823d9c876) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/67581l_zps0511eb9f.jpg.html)
Aldnoah Zero Part 2. The serious mecha show about a war between Earth and Mars, where human colonisers found advanced alien technology decades ago. There are supposed to be 3 main characters, and the poster above deliberately only showed one of them. This is because season 1 ended in a cliffhanger where the other 2 apparently died.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F69203l_zpse87cfab5.jpg&hash=7aec7e1a24b21a438cee75d0d1c44466ad4c8e94) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/69203l_zpse87cfab5.jpg.html)
Love Bullet: Yuri Kuma Arashi. Yuri is Japanese euphemism for lesbians. Kuma Arashi means bear storm. I think the story is about man-eating bears with alien superpowers infiltrating the ranks of humans, with a lot of lesbian love thrown in. This doesn't really make sense to me. The only reason I am interested in it is because the director also produced the highly acclaimed Revolutionary Girl Utena, a lesbian classic.
For my best 5 of 2014-
1. Mushishi's second season
2. Houzuki no Reitetsu
3. Barakamon
4. Space Dandy
5. Ping Pong
Edit: I am extremely interested in Yuri Kuma Arashi. Notably, the director also did Mawaru Penguindrum.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F69301l_zps3dff5015.jpg&hash=673a6541c18f4e02e241b95d56f238a124b178b0) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/69301l_zps3dff5015.jpg.html)
Maria the Virgin Witch. During the hundred years war, Maria, a powerful witch, does her best to stop the battles affecting her village. Apparently, the arch-angel is displeased with Maria's actions, and has sent an angel to make sure that she doesn't use magic in front of the muggles, or to have sex with anyone.
May or may not have time for this.
Quote from: Lettow77 on December 30, 2014, 11:24:36 PM
For my best 5 of 2014-
1. Mushishi's second season
2. Houzuki no Reitetsu
3. Barakamon
4. Space Dandy
5. Ping Pong
Edit: I am extremely interested in Yuri Kuma Arashi. Notably, the director also did Mawaru Penguindrum.
:lol: The three of us each list our 2014 best 5, and there is only one (No Game No Life) show that has appeared on more than one list. We all have different tastes :hug:
Mawaru Penguindrum, like Utena, has been sitting on my hard drive forever.
Speed sez, "suck it."
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstream1.gifsoup.com%2Fview4%2F1376049%2Fspeed-racer-car-o.gif&hash=292fe099e1aeee76357840db12ef1a749526a176)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F22062l_zps94b06da4.jpg&hash=3cfafe6c5b394922beb235c66b12fddf17e345bf) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/22062l_zps94b06da4.jpg.html)
I also have to say this: Angel Beats, one of the most beloved shows in Japan, will get a new OVA episode in June 2015. It has been almost 5 years since the last episode was aired. Granted, it is probably just a 25 minute short story that doesn't add much (all we know is that the episode is titled Hell's Kitchen, probably a light cooking contest). But still, Angel Beats is within my top 5 favourite shows of all time. Can't wait for this.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 01:11:29 AM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F69301l_zps3dff5015.jpg&hash=673a6541c18f4e02e241b95d56f238a124b178b0) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/69301l_zps3dff5015.jpg.html)
Maria the Virgin Witch. During the hundred years war, Maria, a powerful witch, does her best to stop the battles affecting her village. Apparently, the arch-angel is displeased with Maria's actions, and has sent an angel to make sure that she doesn't use magic in front of the muggles, or to have sex with anyone.
Why would an Arch-angel be displeased by that?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 31, 2014, 03:12:28 AM
Why would an Arch-angel be displeased by that?
I need to watch the show before I can answer that question :contract: Anyway, anime is full of shows where angels and demons act contrary to how they are supposed to.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 03:21:02 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 31, 2014, 03:12:28 AM
Why would an Arch-angel be displeased by that?
I need to watch the show before I can answer that question :contract: Anyway, anime is full of shows where angels and demons act contrary to how they are supposed to.
And it almost always kills my interest in such shows.
What's the point of having a flaming sword if you can't start a war or two?
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
The manga has just ended. The anime is still ongoing though. From what I have read, it seems One Piece is more popular than Naruto in Japan by a wide margin, but the reverse is true in North America. Part of the reason is that the they somehow screwed up the English version of the One Piece anime.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 06:08:06 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
The manga has just ended. The anime is still ongoing though. From what I have read, it seems One Piece is more popular than Naruto in Japan by a wide margin, but the reverse is true in North America. Part of the reason is that the they somehow screwed up the English version of the One Piece anime.
I don't know about that; I think the art style of
One Piece may have something to do with it. Certainly I find it gives me a feeling of "wrongness" (and even, dare I say it, "childishness") compared to the art of
Naruto,
Fairy Tail or even (the almost equally weird to western eyes)
Bleach.
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
Sounds like somebody needs to be smothered with a comfort pillow.
Quote from: Agelastus on December 31, 2014, 06:26:10 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 06:08:06 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
The manga has just ended. The anime is still ongoing though. From what I have read, it seems One Piece is more popular than Naruto in Japan by a wide margin, but the reverse is true in North America. Part of the reason is that the they somehow screwed up the English version of the One Piece anime.
I don't know about that; I think the art style of One Piece may have something to do with it. Certainly I find it gives me a feeling of "wrongness" (and even, dare I say it, "childishness") compared to the art of Naruto, Fairy Tail or even (the almost equally weird to western eyes) Bleach.
I don't know about the manga, but I have seen all the One Piece episodes and 540 out of 610+ Naruto episodes (working on it at 5 episodes per week). I think the One Piece anime is clearly better than the Naruto anime in terms of production values. The animation is much more detailed, and there is less variation among the different episodes (the episodes are subcontracted out to different studios). The Naruto anime is pretty average, or even below average, in terms of animation.
Story-wise, I also like One Piece more.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 31, 2014, 06:30:50 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
Sounds like somebody needs to be smothered with a comfort pillow.
Wait until he runs around in Naruto's costume, which looks like this -
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fnaruto1_zpsdcc88bcc.jpg&hash=f191af015a2ad2b7cb9a2bfce787c04eacf0556f) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/naruto1_zpsdcc88bcc.jpg.html)
I once went to Bangkok while an anime festival was going on, and the street was filled with people in that orange suit...
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 06:58:45 PM
Wait until he runs around in Naruto's costume, which looks like this -
Shit, you can do that for free. Just commit a felony.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 31, 2014, 06:59:57 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 06:58:45 PM
Wait until he runs around in Naruto's costume, which looks like this -
Shit, you can do that for free. Just commit a felony.
:lol:
I find it really odd that a ninja, who is supposed to be stealthy and a spy, chooses to put himself in an orange suit. Only reason I can think of is that this is an attempt to follow the success of Dragonball, where the protagonists wear orange.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 31, 2014, 06:30:50 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
Sounds like somebody needs to be smothered with a comfort pillow.
I'll just run him over repeatedly in GTAV and yell at him over the the mic.
STOP BEING AN ANIME FAG BOY
What is the draw of this stuff. What's the difference between this and cartoons?
Quote from: 11B4V on January 01, 2015, 05:35:26 PM
What's the difference between this and cartoons?
What a silly question. They are cartoons.
Quote from: 11B4V on January 01, 2015, 05:35:26 PM
What is the draw of this stuff. What's the difference between this and cartoons?
Anime is basically cartoons produced in Japan ;)
What is the draw of movies or TV drama? Anime is a medium. You can produce all sorts of shows with it. There are shows aimed at children, there are porno stuff, there are crap, and there are interesting stories for everybody.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 01, 2015, 05:58:45 PM
Quote from: 11B4V on January 01, 2015, 05:35:26 PM
What's the difference between this and cartoons?
What a silly question. They are cartoons.
Looney Tunes are cartoons. This stuff not so much.
Quote from: 11B4V on January 01, 2015, 06:08:41 PM
Looney Tunes are cartoons. This stuff not so much.
Looney tunes are *good* cartoons. Anything stringing together a bunch of drawings to show animation on tv is a cartoon.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 06:56:07 PM
Quote from: Agelastus on December 31, 2014, 06:26:10 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 06:08:06 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on December 31, 2014, 02:11:09 PM
My 15 year old nephew has been tainted with Naruto. :mad:
The manga has just ended. The anime is still ongoing though. From what I have read, it seems One Piece is more popular than Naruto in Japan by a wide margin, but the reverse is true in North America. Part of the reason is that the they somehow screwed up the English version of the One Piece anime.
I don't know about that; I think the art style of One Piece may have something to do with it. Certainly I find it gives me a feeling of "wrongness" (and even, dare I say it, "childishness") compared to the art of Naruto, Fairy Tail or even (the almost equally weird to western eyes) Bleach.
I don't know about the manga, but I have seen all the One Piece episodes and 540 out of 610+ Naruto episodes (working on it at 5 episodes per week). I think the One Piece anime is clearly better than the Naruto anime in terms of production values. The animation is much more detailed, and there is less variation among the different episodes (the episodes are subcontracted out to different studios). The Naruto anime is pretty average, or even below average, in terms of animation.
Story-wise, I also like One Piece more.
Production values don't matter if the style being produced is hideous, which it is. I just can't stand what the characters look like.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on January 01, 2015, 09:03:16 PM
Production values don't matter if the style being produced is hideous, which it is. I just can't stand what the characters look like.
Not going to argue with you or anyone over style, which is very much a matter of personal taste. I find the One Piece style unique and perfectly acceptable. I think one thing that stands out for One Piece is that the artist draws very unique faces. One Piece is a huge world with a cast of hundreds if not thousands. One problem with Japanese manga and anime in general is that often the characters all look the same, and the only thing that tells them apart is hair colour and style. This problem is averted in One Piece, as the characters, especially the males, have many unique looks.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F68259l_zpsc89734c4.jpg&hash=c1b67550d28eb04e0842c9e20286c07ba9b58cab) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/68259l_zpsc89734c4.jpg.html)
Tsukimonogatari, or possession story. The tenth story in the "monogatari" series, just broadcast in Japan on new year's eve as a four-episode TV special. This is a world where anomolies like vampires and deities exist, and may possess human beings causing trouble. The story is about the protagonists' attempts to deal with these anomolies. The series is known for its lengthy and clever dialogue, and stylish visuals done by well-known studio Shaft. Both the source novel and the blu-ray discs of the series are best-sellers in Japan. A normal anime series is said to do relatively well with 4k-5k in BD sales. Each "monogatari" easily sells for over 10k or more, which is uncommon these days.
In the early stories of the series, the formula is that a girl is possessed by an anomoly, and Araragi, the male protagonist, saves the day. The characters all grow and develop throughout the series, and this story is the first where the reverse takes place. Araragi, himself possessed by a vampire from the start, must now face his own problems. This time, Yotsugi, the girl pictured above, helps him. I am not heavily into arty stuff, but I have to say, this show is a visual feast. Not in the sense of having very detailed backgrounds and a limitless budget. But the scenes are presented in highly symbolic and unique styles that command attention. Despite having like two or three times as much dialogue as other animes, the story is engaging. One event leads to another, and the thinking process of each character is well-explained.
This is another successful entry in the long-running series. This one is the official opening of the so-called third season. Shaft has already said that it will animate all the remaining novels.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 31, 2014, 01:11:29 AM
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Maria the Virgin Witch. During the hundred years war, Maria, a powerful witch, does her best to stop the battles affecting her village. Apparently, the arch-angel is displeased with Maria's actions, and has sent an angel to make sure that she doesn't use magic in front of the muggles, or to have sex with anyone.
"Sorcière de gré, pucelle de force" sounds like an interesting starting point for a weird Japanese take on Joan of Arc. :lol:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fdoraemon_zps9c8848a5.jpg&hash=bb62eba08171a8f48b0095aab1abe0071586dc77) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/doraemon_zps9c8848a5.jpg.html)
Doraemon. I have to talk about this today. This isn't the usual anime show. It has been a fixture on mainstream Japanese and Hong Kong TV since the 70s, running almost continuously since then. That's why the seriously outdated 70s style cheap animation. So yes, there are over 2,000 episodes and like 30-40 movies (one is released annually). Everybody in this cornor of the world knows the main plot, even the anime haters and grandparents. The movies gross more than the most popular late night big budget anime adaptations. The main characters are national icons. No, I haven't seen all the episodes, just a couple hundred of them when I grew up :lol:
Nobita (the one in yellow shirt) is a loser pre-teen. He is a slacker, does badly in sports and academics, often bullied (by the brute in orange and the rich guy in the right bottom cornor), has a crush on the girl pictured above but can't say it etc. Enters Doraemon, a bumbling, talking robotic cat from the future to help him (sent by his descendents. The idea is to improve Nobita's grades so that his children will have a better life. Due to Nobita's failures, his children are too poor to send anything other than an imperfect factory-rejected cat). The story is episodic and always follows the same formula. Nobita has a problem, Doraemon pulls out a powerful gadget from its hyperspace pocket, Nobita solves the problem initially, Nobita abuses the gadget and it backfires horribly, the gadget is forgotten and the next episode begins. The gadgets are quite interesting, like there is a red-bean cake that, when eaten, makes the eater tell the truth. The gadgets are usually one episode affairs, but there are a few that stays, like an "anywhere door" that allows instantaneous travel, a time machine hidden in Nobita's desk, and a headgear that allows one to fly around like a helicopter.
I have to talk about this today because the Cantonese voice actor for Doraemon just died yesterday. He has been on the job for over 30 years. It is all over the headlines here today :(
I realized my 4 year old has been watching Pokemon on Netflix when he gets his hands on the iPad.
I wonder if I need to intervene. :mad:
Quote from: Barrister on January 02, 2015, 05:22:55 PM
I realized my 4 year old has been watching Pokemon on Netflix when he gets his hands on the iPad.
I wonder if I need to intervene. :mad:
Resistance is futile :P The more my parents intervened, the more I wanted to watch them :sleep:
Quote from: Monoriu on January 02, 2015, 05:26:35 PM
Quote from: Barrister on January 02, 2015, 05:22:55 PM
I realized my 4 year old has been watching Pokemon on Netflix when he gets his hands on the iPad.
I wonder if I need to intervene. :mad:
Resistance is futile :P The more my parents intervened, the more I wanted to watch them :sleep:
That's why I haven't intervened yet. <_<
Quote from: Barrister on January 02, 2015, 05:22:55 PM
I realized my 4 year old has been watching Pokemon on Netflix when he gets his hands on the iPad.
I wonder if I need to intervene. :mad:
Give him the Clockwork Orange cure. :ph34r:
Make him smoke a whole carton of cigarettes.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 30, 2014, 07:37:44 PM
At least we agree on the awesomeness of No Game No Life. :hug: That's the only one out of your list that I have seen.
Even the guy who's currently in charge of Random Curiosity agrees on the awesomeness of "No Game, No Life".
http://randomc.net/2015/01/05/best-anime-2014/
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Gundam 00. A standalone gundam show with its own separate continuity, so knowledge of other gundam shows is not necessary. In the future, Earth is divided into three major factions and numerous small countries. To solve an energy crisis, humans have built a massive solar array, and three gigantic elevators that provide access to them. Enters Celestial Being, a private military organisation that vows to stop all wars with "armed intervention". Their words are backed by four gundams that are decades ahead of anything that the world governments can field.
Gundam shows are known for their moral ambiguity. Most factions have shades of grey, but this seems to be the most pronounced in Gundam 00. Celestial Being is well aware of the inherent contradiction in its methods. Its actions, including attacking all sides in a civil war, can be interpreted as blithe superiority or even terrorism. And there are real consequences, which are not limited to collatoral damage and civilian casualties. They can make matters worse, they can provoke others into going to war, they can make innocent people suffer, they maybe taken advantage of, and even within Celestial Being there are very different views on how to achieve the war to eradicate all wars. I have not seen a gundam show where it is so difficult to root for the protagonists, as the counter-measures adopted by the world governments are reasonable and there are genuinely likable characters on the other side of the conflict.
Overall the show is very enjoyable with the complex relationships among the different factions and characters, its interesting political messages, the "must watch the next episode" momentum, and high production values. Probably one of the most political gundams I have watched. It isn't without its flaws. It takes some serious leap of faith to believe that a private organisation can keep itself hidden from world view for centuries and achieve technological superiority over the rest of the human race. Watching the invincible gundams curb-stomp the world's best military for the nth time can be boring. The show has a habit of inventing new powers and never-before-seen allies for the protagonists whenever they run into trouble. Despite these imperfections, I found myself finishing the 50 episodes and movie within days. One of the better gundam shows that appeared in the past decade.
00 had the benefit of not sucking nearly as hard as Gundam SEED (lol) and its sequel, which are still some of the most terrible cartoons I ever watched.
Quote from: Ideologue on January 16, 2015, 02:06:36 AM
00 had the benefit of not sucking nearly as hard as Gundam SEED and its sequel (lol), which is still one of the most terrible cartoons I ever watched.
I like Gundam Seed. The sequel is a little weak, I agree. What is your complaint about Gundam Seed? :)
It was like ten years ago, so I can't point to specifics, and I take it back a little: SEED wasn't great, but not outrageously terrible. It was SEED Destiny I was thinking of: I wanted to punch Shin Asuka in the face every frame of the show. And I must've watched like 30 episodes of it before giving up, insofar as I was a pretty big Gundam fan.
Quote from: Ideologue on January 16, 2015, 02:16:19 AM
It was like ten years ago, so I can't point to specifics, and I take it back a little: SEED wasn't great, but not outrageously terrible. It was SEED Destiny I was thinking of: I wanted to punch Shin Asuka in the face every frame of the show. And I must've watched like 30 episodes of it before giving up, insofar as I was a pretty big Gundam fan.
My chief complaint about Seed is that the first half felt like a remake of the original 0079 gundam, with updated graphics and new characters. Otherwise, the story is suspiciously similar to the earlier gundam. The show became much better when it took a different and unexpected turn halfway through.
I hear what you are saying about Shin. The story gradually shifted to a Kira Yamato point of view, and indeed in the last few episodes, Kira's name appeared before Shin's on the credit list.
For Mono: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKqgE4BwAY
;)
Quote from: Malthus on January 20, 2015, 04:29:37 PM
For Mono: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKqgE4BwAY
;)
Thanks for the thought, but this really isn't my kind of music :hug:
This is -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR2lEjSsCx4
There seems a trend for Japanese light novels to have increasingly long titles. The latest novel to receive an anime adaptation is titled:
"Concerning the matter that I have been kidnapped to an aristocratic all-girls school to serve as a 'pleb sample'".
Quote from: Monoriu on January 20, 2015, 07:23:02 PM
There seems a trend for Japanese light novels to have increasingly long titles. The latest novel to receive an anime adaptation is titled:
"Concerning the matter that I have been kidnapped to an aristocratic all-girls school to serve as a 'pleb sample'".
If that's what I think it is the Manga's not bad, lightweight but quite funny; I'll probably check out the series.
Quote from: Agelastus on January 21, 2015, 09:46:04 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on January 20, 2015, 07:23:02 PM
There seems a trend for Japanese light novels to have increasingly long titles. The latest novel to receive an anime adaptation is titled:
"Concerning the matter that I have been kidnapped to an aristocratic all-girls school to serve as a 'pleb sample'".
If that's what I think it is the Manga's not bad, lightweight but quite funny; I'll probably check out the series.
I am usually not interested in these shows, but I am fascinated by the "pleb sample" concept.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 30, 2014, 11:06:33 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F67581l_zps0511eb9f.jpg&hash=d2eed5301c0857724c05c0d78847abe823d9c876) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/67581l_zps0511eb9f.jpg.html)
Aldnoah Zero Part 2. The serious mecha show about a war between Earth and Mars, where human colonisers found advanced alien technology decades ago. There are supposed to be 3 main characters, and the poster above deliberately only showed one of them. This is because season 1 ended in a cliffhanger where the other 2 apparently died.
This one sounds interesting.
Is it a kid show or can i watch it?
Anime conventions which I extremely dislike:
1) The angriest character wins the fight
2) 16 year old military commanders, because older commanders are stupid
3) Indisciplined, untrained kids win over seasoned, disciplined soldiers.
4) Some superweapon defeats the countless numbers of the enemy
Quote from: Siege on January 21, 2015, 05:23:00 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 30, 2014, 11:06:33 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F67581l_zps0511eb9f.jpg&hash=d2eed5301c0857724c05c0d78847abe823d9c876) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/67581l_zps0511eb9f.jpg.html)
Aldnoah Zero Part 2. The serious mecha show about a war between Earth and Mars, where human colonisers found advanced alien technology decades ago. There are supposed to be 3 main characters, and the poster above deliberately only showed one of them. This is because season 1 ended in a cliffhanger where the other 2 apparently died.
This one sounds interesting.
Is it a kid show or can i watch it?
Anime conventions which I extremely dislike:
1) The angriest character wins the fight
2) 16 year old military commanders, because older commanders are stupid
3) Indisciplined, untrained kids win over seasoned, disciplined soldiers.
4) Some superweapon defeats the countless numbers of the enemy
I personally love it and recommend it to all anime lovers. It is a serious show, certainly not intended for kids, and I expect no less when Gen "Urobutcher" Urobutchi is involved. He is one of the most well-known anime script writers now, as he is behind blockbusters Fate Zero, Psycho Pass and Madoka Magica. Simply put, it is the anime version of War of the Worlds. I can't say if it fulfills your requirements, because it is ongoing and anime-original, meaning it isn't adapted from existing material. So nobody knows where the show will go.
Quote from: Siege on January 21, 2015, 05:23:00 PM
2) 16 year old military commanders, because older commanders are stupid
Like your sock puppet?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fschool-days702_zpscisztcq1.jpg&hash=59f126136b2db6e5e983ef3554576ca1cc24f1eb) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/school-days702_zpscisztcq1.jpg.html)
School Days. Makoto Itou (centre) is an ordinary high school student who has a crush on Kotohana Katsura (left), a beautiful girl from a rich family. Sekai Saionji (right) goes out of her way to help Makoto and Kotohana get together, but has feelings for Makoto herself. A love triangle soon develops.
Despite the premise, this is not a romantic comedy or an innocent harem story. It is an infamous series known for its darker take on the familiar anime setting. Usually, in the majority of anime shows, the male protagonist is a fundamentally nice person and is a chaste hero. He is either oblivious to the fact that all the girls are falling for him, or he tries his best to be nice to everybody. The struggles among the female members of the harem are played for laughs or glanced over. School Days asks the obvious questions, what if he behaves more like a random teenage male in real life? What if he actually has sexual desires and is not above taking advantage of the girls? How do the girls really feel about the situation? In real life, the guy will not be oblivious, he will not say no when the girls throw themselves at him, and he maybe clueless about how to resolve a love triangle situation. And the girls will not simply engage each other in innocent cooking contests. All the friends and classmates of those involved will not stand idly by without at least saying something or spreading rumours. This is where School Days shines - it points out that the cliched anime romantic comedies, harems or love triangles are not funny if they happen in real life. There are consequences and real impact on people's psyche and lifes.
I must also say that I have very mixed feelings about this anime. To me, the quality of the show decreases considerably toward the end as it does not seem to take itself seriously by then. It is one thing to explore the dark side of love triangles. It is another for a harem to just pop up for no apparent reason or development. The actions of the characters border on the absurd in the second half, and the "they are clueless teenagers" excuse that worked in the first half of the show failed to suspend disbelief toward the end. The low production values, poor quality of the animation where mistakes are blatent and frequent, and the unnecessary panty shots and mild nudity don't help.
It is an anime that is painful to watch for all sorts of reasons. The suffering of the cast is heart-wrenching and impactful, but I am also let down by how the show failed to live up to its potential. Still, it is one of a kind and it does have a valid point to make.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 20, 2015, 07:23:02 PM
There seems a trend for Japanese light novels to have increasingly long titles. The latest novel to receive an anime adaptation is titled:
"Concerning the matter that I have been kidnapped to an aristocratic all-girls school to serve as a 'pleb sample'".
They have changed the name of the anime. The word "kidnapped" has been replaced by two red heart symbols. Apparently they want to avoid using the word due to the recent kidnappings of two Japanese by ISIS.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 27, 2015, 09:38:25 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fschool-days702_zpscisztcq1.jpg&hash=59f126136b2db6e5e983ef3554576ca1cc24f1eb) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/school-days702_zpscisztcq1.jpg.html)
School Days. Makoto Itou (centre) is an ordinary high school student who has a crush on Kotohana Katsura (left), a beautiful girl from a rich family. Sekai Saionji (right) goes out of her way to help Makoto and Kotohana get together, but has feelings for Makoto herself. A love triangle soon develops.
Despite the premise, this is not a romantic comedy or an innocent harem story. It is an infamous series known for its darker take on the familiar anime setting. Usually, in the majority of anime shows, the male protagonist is a fundamentally nice person and is a chaste hero. He is either oblivious to the fact that all the girls are falling for him, or he tries his best to be nice to everybody. The struggles among the female members of the harem are played for laughs or glanced over. School Days asks the obvious questions, what if he behaves more like a random teenage male in real life? What if he actually has sexual desires and is not above taking advantage of the girls? How do the girls really feel about the situation? In real life, the guy will not be oblivious, he will not say no when the girls throw themselves at him, and he maybe clueless about how to resolve a love triangle situation. And the girls will not simply engage each other in innocent cooking contests. All the friends and classmates of those involved will not stand idly by without at least saying something or spreading rumours. This is where School Days shines - it points out that the cliched anime romantic comedies, harems or love triangles are not funny if they happen in real life. There are consequences and real impact on people's psyche and lifes.
I must also say that I have very mixed feelings about this anime. To me, the quality of the show decreases considerably toward the end as it does not seem to take itself seriously by then. It is one thing to explore the dark side of love triangles. It is another for a harem to just pop up for no apparent reason or development. The actions of the characters border on the absurd in the second half, and the "they are clueless teenagers" excuse that worked in the first half of the show failed to suspend disbelief toward the end. The low production values, poor quality of the animation where mistakes are blatent and frequent, and the unnecessary panty shots and mild nudity don't help.
It is an anime that is painful to watch for all sorts of reasons. The suffering of the cast is heart-wrenching and impactful, but I am also let down by how the show failed to live up to its potential. Still, it is one of a kind and it does have a valid point to make.
"Nice boat".
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FthAHRDM9LT_zps8bwqnmfi.jpg&hash=336c8bebf4ec72da5177a23fdc7814dc533e94b4) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/thAHRDM9LT_zps8bwqnmfi.jpg.html)
My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong as I Expected. Often shortened to "Oregairu". The male protagonist (centre) is a cynical high school student who prefers to stay alone most of the time. His teacher forced him to join the Service Club headed by Yukino, a bright student who also likes to be alone, to help develop his interpersonal skills. They are joined by Yui (right), an ordinary and energetic classmate.
The title and poster are once again misleading. This is not a romantic comedy or a harem. The real focus is on the interpersonal relationships, psychology, motivations and politics of students. Through this setting, the writer of the source novel makes many keen observations about human relationships and why people behave in a certain way. The Service Club's task is to provide help to whoever asks for it. One scenario had them help a kid who is boycotted by the rest of her classmates to reintegrate. Another case is where rumours are being spead in the class about a group of four friends, and the protagonists must figure out who did it and why.
I think this is a nice break from seeing the usual themes of helping your nakama, self-sacrifice and willpower trumps everything in anime. It is much more grounded in reality, and everything that happens in the anime are well within the realm of possibility. I am an introverted loner myself during school, and I think the writer did a very good job about capturing the anti-social aspects of the characters in a bluntly realistic way. The characters' views on people are harsh but to the point, and they give us a refreshing perspective of the rejected. The show isn't dark, and the characters don't really go through any "break the cuties" process. The show does it job with humour and deadpan.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 21, 2015, 06:31:24 PM
Quote from: Siege on January 21, 2015, 05:23:00 PM
2) 16 year old military commanders, because older commanders are stupid
Like your sock puppet?
Your little brother is not my suck puppet.
I told you already.
Man, all those high school shows seem so ridiculous to me.
I mean, the sole reason for anime if that you can do sci-fi or fantasy without the special effects bill sinking your show.
I don't get the real life shows. Why not do it with real life actors...?
I think anime should recognize the market of elder people that grew up with Lupin III, Pero (puss in boots), or Horus prince of the sun. Adult story telling with complex believable characters.
Oh, Phoenix 2772. One of the greatest. I was so in love with that robot girl.
Quote from: Siege on January 29, 2015, 10:35:48 AM
I don't get the real life shows. Why not do it with real life actors...?
because it's a lot cheaper for smaller markets?
Quote from: Siege on January 29, 2015, 10:35:48 AM
Man, all those high school shows seem so ridiculous to me.
I mean, the sole reason for anime if that you can do sci-fi or fantasy without the special effects bill sinking your show.
I don't get the real life shows. Why not do it with real life actors...?
I've seen several real life adaptations of anime. They tend to suck, because anime is fringe entertainment, and the film studios are not willing to put in the kind of money that make them work. Also, a lot of the source material for anime are written with anime adaptations in mind, not real life actors. Say, a show with five female heroines, each with pink, yellow, blue, red and black hair looks fine in anime format. When you do it with real life actors and wigs, the result looks very odd.
Quote from: Ideologue on January 16, 2015, 02:16:19 AM
It was like ten years ago, so I can't point to specifics, and I take it back a little: SEED wasn't great, but not outrageously terrible. It was SEED Destiny I was thinking of: I wanted to punch Shin Asuka in the face every frame of the show. And I must've watched like 30 episodes of it before giving up, insofar as I was a pretty big Gundam fan.
Both shows were great. Shin Asuka was a great character for what he was supposed to be: a frustrated teenager filled with hormones and anger. A more extreme version of most male teenagers out there ;)
I suspect most who did not like the show simply saw themselves reflected, partly, in Shin, and they hated it :)
Otherwise, I prefer Gundam Seed & Destiny to 00 because of only one thing: in 00, it seems they always come with this hidden Deus Ex Machina power that will let them overcome everything, like that secret mode where gundams sorta unlock themselves in more powerful versions, and then the Trans-am mode wich was just stupid. You're in a life and death situation, you're almost broken but you don't use your trans-am mode until much later? C'mon. At least in Seed&Destiny they had newer Gundams to give the pilots more power, not just some hidden mode "oh, what's this button... woah! awesome!". Silly.
But aside that storywise, it's a great show, just as the Gundam Wing is it inspired from.
Quote from: Malthus on January 20, 2015, 04:29:37 PM
For Mono: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKqgE4BwAY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKqgE4BwAY)
;)
that's something I wouldn't unleash on my worst ennemy.
Quote from: viper37 on January 29, 2015, 05:08:14 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on January 16, 2015, 02:16:19 AM
It was like ten years ago, so I can't point to specifics, and I take it back a little: SEED wasn't great, but not outrageously terrible. It was SEED Destiny I was thinking of: I wanted to punch Shin Asuka in the face every frame of the show. And I must've watched like 30 episodes of it before giving up, insofar as I was a pretty big Gundam fan.
Both shows were great. Shin Asuka was a great character for what he was supposed to be: a frustrated teenager filled with hormones and anger. A more extreme version of most male teenagers out there ;)
I suspect most who did not like the show simply saw themselves reflected, partly, in Shin, and they hated it :)
Otherwise, I prefer Gundam Seed & Destiny to 00 because of only one thing: in 00, it seems they always come with this hidden Deus Ex Machina power that will let them overcome everything, like that secret mode where gundams sorta unlock themselves in more powerful versions, and then the Trans-am mode wich was just stupid. You're in a life and death situation, you're almost broken but you don't use your trans-am mode until much later? C'mon. At least in Seed&Destiny they had newer Gundams to give the pilots more power, not just some hidden mode "oh, what's this button... woah! awesome!". Silly.
But aside that storywise, it's a great show, just as the Gundam Wing is it inspired from.
I love SEED, but somehow SEED destiny just isn't as good. There is a lack of focus. They retained most of the characters from SEED, then added a full ship's worth of pilots and crew to the show. Far too many characters to focus on, and this is most apparent in Shin. For the supposed lead guy in a gundam show, he didn't get much screen time or character development. I know that falling in love with a female new type enemy pilot is a gundam staple from the very first gundam, but come on I've seen that far too many times already.
I own SEED and SEED Destiny on DVD. SEED I really enjoyed; SEED Destiny I've never worked up the enthusiasm to watch after reading too much about it.
Seed or Apleseed?
Quote from: Siege on February 01, 2015, 02:24:50 PM
Seed or Apleseed?
Pretty sure he meant Gundam Seed, since he also mentioned Destiny, the sequel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam_SEED
Quote from: Siege on January 29, 2015, 10:35:48 AM
Oh, Phoenix 2772. One of the greatest. I was so in love with that robot girl.
You're man card should be pulled and you, sent to the battalion mailroom.
https://readyfor.jp/projects/evangelion
This is Japan's version of kickstarter, and somebody has started a fundraising campaign to attach the Lance of Longinus to the (real) moon. The objective is to raise $100 million yen (US$850,000), and so far they have reached around 32%.
The spear appeared in the famed Evangelion series, where the protagonists threw the spear at invading "angels", and it ended up on the moon.
are all Asians crazy or is it just the Japanese? :P
Btw, post Gundam 00, any good Mecha (especially Gundam) series?
Quote from: viper37 on February 02, 2015, 09:57:31 AM
Btw, post Gundam 00, any good Mecha (especially Gundam) series?
Gundam UC is fantastic, both the story and visuals are excellent. Probably the most beautiful gundam show I have seen, in terms of animation quality. Also really nice to see some of the original UC characters in action.
I am currently watching Gundam G Reconquista. Simply put, worst gundam show that I have ever watched (18 episodes in, the rest has yet to be aired).
Gundam Age (which I have not seen) gets mixed reviews, from what I have read.
Quote from: viper37 on February 02, 2015, 09:57:01 AM
are all Asians crazy or is it just the Japanese? :P
Well, judging from this thread/forum one could also conclude Israelis are crazy. And Chinese. And Americans that live in Korea.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 03, 2015, 07:06:04 AM
Quote from: viper37 on February 02, 2015, 09:57:01 AM
are all Asians crazy or is it just the Japanese? :P
Well, judging from this thread/forum one could also conclude Israelis are crazy. And Chinese. And Americans that live in Korea.
it was about the funding project, not one particular poster :)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FDeath%2520Note_zps88uhmiap.jpg&hash=8dc3f5137d255a9626a0114416a27c803c4f2b6a) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Death%20Note_zps88uhmiap.jpg.html)
Death Note. Most people here have probably seen it already, as it is one of the most well known anime shows around the world. Gods of death exist in this world, and one of them is bored enough to drop a Death Note in the human world. The notebook enables the owner to magically kill anyone by writing down the victim's name. The deaths appear as a result of heart attacks, unless otherwise specified in the notebook. To avoid killing people with the same names, the writer must have a mental picture of the victim's face as well. Light, the protagonist, has decided to create a better world by eliminating all criminals. L, an eccentric detective working with the police, is determined to solve the mystery.
A large number of people consider this an all time classic that deserves a place in any anime hall of fame. Having watched the show, I now happily join them in agreement. It is rare to find such an outstanding story and execution in the same place. The central plot of the series, the cat and mouse game between Light and L, starts in episode 2, which is a lot sooner than I expected. The anime wastes very little time, and successfully keeps the viewers on edge by constantly coming up with plot developments that matter. The story is seen from the view point of the villain, Light. While he is undoubtedly an evil mass murderer, it is not difficult to see why there are a lot of Light fans around the world, because he generally confines himself to killing criminals and police who go after him. There are a lot of battles of wits in anime, but the one between Light and L is the best one that I have seen, because it really is quite clever. Light can only kill L if he knows L's real name and face. L faces a mountain of bodies that died by heart attacks and understandably does not know the existance of Death Notes.
One of the most common complaints about the show is the second arc about Mello and Near. I think the arc is great, it just isn't as great as the first arc, because the first one is so phenomenal that it is a very tough act to follow. Sort of like since the first arc feels like it deserves an 11/10, the second one is merely 9.5/10. I also feel that the ending is fantastically done. My only real complaint about the show is that, while the storyboarding is top-notch and captures the soul of the story well, the detailed animation isn't that great.
I have to rethink my top 10 after watching this. More like my top 3.
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 10:51:50 PM
Death Note. Most people here have probably seen it already,
Care to make a wager?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 09, 2015, 11:17:16 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 10:51:50 PM
Death Note. Most people here have probably seen it already,
Care to make a wager?
Ok, most regular anime watchers here :blush:
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 27, 2014, 08:25:28 PM
Black Lagoon
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQUNgqW3.jpg&hash=43a44794626ef3090014cb7f2a6055d27828ddc5) (http://imgur.com/QUNgqW3)
A classic tale of organized crime, piracy and foul mouthed homicidal crazy women set in Thailand in the early 90s.
Rock, a young Monoesque salary-man is kidnapped. His corporation sends mercenaries to kill him and everyone involved because he has information on their sale of nuclear secrets to a rouge state. His quick thinking allows them to turn the table on the pursers and come out victorious. At the end, even though he has a chance to go back to his company and old life, he turns his back on the society that betrayed him and decides to stay with the Black Lagoon company.
I have finally begun to work on this. It really striked a chord when the Japanese employer told a kidnapped Rock over the phone not to worry, because they'll give him a posthumous promotion, and invite all the board directors to attend his funeral. That I think is a lot more than what my employer would do if I am kidnapped by pirates :lol:
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 11:29:21 PM
That I think is a lot more than what my employer would do if I am kidnapped by pirates :lol:
They'd sink the pirate ship.
Quote from: Agelastus on February 10, 2015, 01:10:35 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 11:18:45 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 09, 2015, 11:17:16 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 10:51:50 PM
Death Note. Most people here have probably seen it already,
Care to make a wager?
Ok, most regular anime watchers here :blush:
Wanna bet?
Really? I thought I must be the last one to watch Death Note here, given how popular it is.
Quote from: Monoriu on February 10, 2015, 01:46:10 AM
Quote from: Agelastus on February 10, 2015, 01:10:35 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 11:18:45 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on February 09, 2015, 11:17:16 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 09, 2015, 10:51:50 PM
Death Note. Most people here have probably seen it already,
Care to make a wager?
Ok, most regular anime watchers here :blush:
Wanna bet?
Really? I thought I must be the last one to watch Death Note here, given how popular it is.
Really; I have about as much interest in watching
Death Note as I do in watching
Akame ga Kill.
Since I consider the latter the biggest waste of space of a Manga I've ever seen (and it has some pretty stiff competition for that title) I don't think I need to elaborate any further.
It really is pretty good.
Even several non anime fan friends have watched it for some reason, and liked it
Quote from: Tyr on February 10, 2015, 04:45:50 PM
It really is pretty good.
Even several non anime fan friends have watched it for some reason, and liked it
It is a great gateway anime, I think. The characters are mostly adults. It is a serious show with no fanservice. It doesn't come with a lot of the typical anime tropes, like characters with odd hair colours, oblivious nice guy wimpy male protagonist surrounded by cute girls, school drama etc. Most importantly, the pace picks up very quickly. You don't have to watch 10+ episodes to get the main plot. It starts in episode 2.
There is a movie version with real actors, and I think I may try it when I have time.
I watched the movies before the anime.
They were pretty good. They have a different plot too.
Quote from: Tyr on February 11, 2015, 06:18:47 PM
I watched the movies before the anime.
They were pretty good. They have a different plot too.
I think I'm going to use Death Note as my standard recommendation for first time anime watchers. Puella Magi Madoka Magica is deliberately disguised as an otaku magical girl show. Attack on Titan and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood are too shonen. Neon Genesis Evangelion is incomprehensible (and a mech show). Clannad feels like a harem and takes 30 episodes to get to the main plot. Code Geass, Gundam and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann are mech shows. Fate Zero starts with a 50-minute info dump introducing like 15+ main characters. Suzumiya Haruhi and Angel Beats are school drama. Death Note is probably the best bet for non-anime watchers.
I usually show the Trust & Betrayal OVAs. It's a straight historical dramas so it's a good gateway. Cowboy Bebop is also high on the list.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 11, 2015, 08:00:45 PM
I usually show the Trust & Betrayal OVAs. It's a straight historical dramas so it's a good gateway. Cowboy Bebop is also high on the list.
I'll get to these at some point.
The Ghibli movies are also great for people who don't have the time to watch a TV series. And for parents. Family-friendly, the best animation quality in the industry, and winner of an Oscar to boot.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F65321l_zps3jz2asxf.jpg&hash=81cef9b1312545b8effef6d024623495b51c1e9b) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/65321l_zps3jz2asxf.jpg.html)
Kantai Collection, or fleet girl collection. Based on a very popular web browser game where the characters are moe anthropomorphisms of WWII warships depicted as cute girls. Each girl represents a real Imperial Japanese Navy ship, with characteristics loosely based on their historical counterpart. Say, Kongou, a battleship built in the UK, uses a lot of English words in her speech and enjoys tea. I haven't played the game, so most of you probably know a lot more about this than me. In the anime, the enemy is an alien like abyssal fleet which have blocked the world's sealanes, and the only weapon capable of stopping them is the fleet girls. You just have to accept that, otherwise there is no point to go on.
Now, I am a fan of both Girls und Panzer (where cute high school girls fight mock battles in WWII tanks as a sport), and Strike Witches (pretty much the same concept as Kantai Collection, except that the girls represent WWII fighter aircraft instead of ships). So I have no problem with the whole setting. My problem is that this anime is nowhere near as good as the other two. Kantai collection feels very disjointed throughout. It can't decide if it is a military show with a focus on interesting battles (like Girls und Panzer), a slice-of-life show with comedy, a character-driven show highlighting the camaraderie among the girls (like Strike Witches), or a serious drama showing the girls' sacrifice and the daily danger they face. It tries to do all that, but ends up not doing anything well enough. One episode talks about their trauma, the next episode features a curry cooking contest where the majority of the contestants activate their self-destruct sequences before their curry can be evaluated. The battles. Girls und Panzer has very interesting battles because they are fought between historical sides, and because the battles are designed from scratch. The naval battles in Kantai collection features flat, lifeless enemies. The battles start in a historical manner (they tried to do Coral sea and Midway). But since this show takes the IJN viewpoint, they have to somehow win, and the way they get there feels forced. Strike Witches has 11 well-developed main heroines. Problem is the IJN had a lot more ships than that, and they tried to feature 30-40 fleet girls with mixed results.
I am not saying that Kantai collection is a disaster. It is okish, but only okish. The production values are high, with good animation quality and many big name voice actresses. Some of the characters are distinct and well done. There are some memorable scenes that make an emotional impact. A lot of attention has been paid to the details - I notice that the planes launched by the different IJN aircraft carriers seem to have different paint patterns, and that is probably historically accurate. I am sure people who know a lot more about WWII naval matters will notice far more details than me.
A sequel has been announced, and I am going to watch it. Yes, I am a sucker for sequels.
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Gundam Reconguista in g . The latest "reboot" of the show that can be watched as a standalone. Written and directed by Tomino, the creator of the original gundam anime in the 70s that redefined mecha shows. This is his first anime show in like a decade.
In the distant future, human civilization on earth has regressed to a level where local energy production is impossible. So earthlings rely on energy charity by mysterious ships that visit Earth's space elevator regularly. The space elevator and energy distribution is done by a supposedly neutral religious order known as the Capital, which also imposes technological stasis on Earth's factions.
I have seen my share of gundam shows. Most are at least good. Some are classics; some are average. This is undoubtedly the worst gundam show that I have seen. Reasons:
1. The plot is confusing and difficult to follow. For a 26 episode series, I have counted at least 9 different factions and sub-factions, all with their own characters and mobile suits. Very often, the factions fight against each other with no apparent motive. Today it is a vs b. The next episode is f allied with c vs a. The third week is e plus c vs b. The frequent alliances, changes of heart, betrayals, infightings, reconciliations etc are not well-explained. They just fight for the sake of fighting. Often there is a feeling that the story needs 50 episodes to unfold, but is somehow compressed into a very rushed schedule.
2. This show seems to have no concept of friend and foe. Prisoners of war walk freely on their captors' ship and are allowed to use their captors' best weapons. The protagonists are welcomed as guests by almost every faction. They just waltz in and meet the enemy's leaders, even though they just fought against each other a minute ago. Betrayals are overlooked and easily forgiven.
3. The anime feels like a children's show. The atmosphere is far too light-hearted for characters that are caught in a supposedly apocalyptic war. Everybody smiles and laughs and treats the whole thing like a fun ride. In typical Tomino fashion, people die, but since there are like 30-40 characters with speaking roles, the audience doesn't have much attachment to the ones who do die.
The show does carry gundam's tradition of having very good animation and flashy fights. But it is only suitable for those who have to watch every gundam show, or viewers who don't mind turning their brains off.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 31, 2015, 03:55:51 AM
The anime feels like a children's show.
Don't they all.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 31, 2015, 05:59:31 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 31, 2015, 03:55:51 AM
The anime feels like a children's show.
Don't they all.
It is very ironic, because a key reason Tomino's original gundam show became so popular is because it didn't feel like a children's show. There was a time when the robot shows were all about good vs evil, and the robot relies on some supernatural power and is one-of-a-kind. The first gundam featured "real robots". Two warring factions with grey and grey morality fight it out, with mass-produced machines on each side.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 26, 2015, 11:12:35 AM
A sequel has been announced, and I am going to watch it. Yes, I am a sucker for sequels.
You are? No way!
Quote from: Monoriu on March 31, 2015, 03:55:51 AM
I have seen my share of gundam shows. Most are at least good. Some are classics; some are average. This is undoubtedly the worst gundam show that I have seen. Reasons:
Saw bits and pieces on Youtube, and it seems I got the right vibe of it :)
I'll stick to Seed & Seed Destiny remastered, thanks :)
Quote from: Monoriu on March 31, 2015, 06:06:49 AM
There was a time when the robot shows were all about good vs evil, and the robot relies on some supernatural power and is one-of-a-kind.
You asked for it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RfU68pzZXA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RfU68pzZXA)
And the original:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv1J9YOm5EY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv1J9YOm5EY)
Many adults of my age in Quebec have had fond memories of this show. Until we saw it as adults. :P
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Akatsuki no Yona, or Yona of the Dawn. Yona is a sheltered princess of a medieval kingdom. One day, her father the king was assassinated by one of her closest friends, and she had to escape the palace to start a life as a drifter. She began to gather a group of true companions and see what life was like outside the palace.
If most shonen shows are boys' fantasies, this is a girls' fantasy that caters to the female audience. Yona is the only significant female character, and all her companions are pretty boys who care deeply about her – a reverse harem. Yeah, even the one who killed her father is still kinda in love with her. She is a sheltered princess, but not a spoiled one. She is fundamentally nice and strong, and she needed the journey to bring out her inner strengths. It is a nice change to see a female lead that does not abuse the males emotionally, dresses normally and conservatively, and able and willing to hold her own in battles without the aid of superpowers. The show is also different in that unlike most anime shows, the stage is set in medieval Korea rather than Japan or Europe. So the architecture and background music have a Korean/Chinese feel.
The show does feel a bit formulaic at times. Sheltered princess being driven away from the palace. Meets a mysterious fortune teller who advises her on her fate. Starts a journey to gather four dragons who are fated to serve her. None of this is ground-breaking but the execution is decent enough to keep the show going in an interesting fashion. I also confess that I am a huge Chiwa Saito fan and she is the one who voices Yona, so yes I am biased.
It may be aimed at girls but I must confess I enjoy the Manga myself. The series is on my own "may watch" list.
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Aldnoah Zero, both seasons 1 and 2. I have written about this before. This is my final impressions of the anime, now that I have seen both seasons. This is a mech show about a war between Mars and Earth. Decades ago, humans found advanced alien technology on the moon and Mars. The colonists founded the Mars Empire, and now they invade Earth with their superior technology. Aldnoah is the name of the "alien power" that the Martians found. The story starts when the Martian princess visits Earth on a diplomatic mission to achieve lasting peace.
Aldnoah Zero is a controversial anime that attracts polarised opinions. I love it. I like it for the serious tone. It is basically gundam minus gundams, new types, and falling in love with the enemy female new type pilot with a sob story. I love it for the beautiful animation. The director of famed Fate Zero returns and the fight sequences do not disappoint. Above all, I love it for the rapid and bold plot developments and frequent plot twists. They dare to take the characters in unexpected directions. The ending is a giant middle finger to most shippers (fans who support specific relationships and hope that this pair gets a happy ending). The journey that one of the two male viewpoint characters goes through is memorable to say the least.
I do agree that Aldnoah Zero does not deserve anything close to classic status. The fights are interesting but somewhat flawed. Usually it is a lone Martian mech with super powers like invisibility, instant cloning, electric shock etc that overwhelms the numerically superior Earth forces. Then it is up to the male protagonist, Inaho to figure out a way to beat it. It is fun to watch but the problem is that it gets too repetitive after a while. He seems to be the only person on the Earth side who knows how to deal with the Martians, and his abilities toward the end are almost superhuman and ridiculous.
Still, my favourite show of the Winter 2015 season.
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Maria the Virgin Witch. Witches exist in this world, and Maria the Virgin Witch tried to stop the battles affecting her village during the Hundred Year's War. She is opposed by Michael the Archangel, who thinks it is wrong to interfere in humanity's affairs with supernatural forces, as well as the Catholic Church. The Archangel warned her that if she loses her virginity, she will lose her magic as well. Essentially, she has to choose between having a family and saving the world.
I have fairly mixed feelings about this show. On one hand the setting and premise are refreshing, and the characters are likable. The show does a good job of showing the horrors of medieval warfare and the use of mercenaries in war. The side characters leave an impression. Galfa the mercenary is ruthless but is a great and cunning fighter. Viv and the other witches who initially confronted Maria over her unconventional activities have hidden depths.
On the other hand, I cannot help but think there is simply not enough story to tell. The first half of the show is really slow and episodic, and the main plot only gets going half-way through. The overarching story is too predictable. It is so okay, it is average. Doesn't cross the line of being bad, but can't cross the line to being good and memorable either.
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Log Horizon Season 2. Continues the story of people stuck in an online fantasy game world. This season features four distinct stories – Shiroe the protagonist raiding a difficult dungeon; Akatsuki the female lead helping to defend their base city from a mysterious criminal who somehow isn't affected by the automated city guards; the young members of Log Horizon going on a journey on their own; and the protagonists finally trying to do something about going back to the real world.
What Log Horizon does best is world building. This feels like a huge world with complex and evolving mechanics, and tons and tons of characters. The multi-party raid was very well done, showing the MMORPG tactics involved. Fan-favourite Akatsuki finally gets deserved focus and her own arc.
Despite being decent entertainment, the show does not seem to be going anywhere. There are four interesting arcs and some fillers, but the over-arching story is missing. The pace is somewhat slow. As an example, one entire 20-minute episode consists of one person giving one speech. It is not a bad speech, but still.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Log Horizon isn't bad, but Sword Art Online and No Game No Life are much better "stuck in a game world" shows.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 01, 2015, 09:42:33 PM
Usually it is a lone Martian mech with super powers like invisibility, instant cloning, electric shock etc that overwhelms the numerically superior Earth forces. Then it is up to the male protagonist, Inaho to figure out a way to beat it. It is fun to watch but the problem is that it gets too repetitive after a while. He seems to be the only person on the Earth side who knows how to deal with the Martians, and his abilities toward the end are almost superhuman and ridiculous.
Like Heero Yuy of Gundam Wing, Kira Yamato of Gundam Seed and Setsuna F. Seiei of Gundam 00.
Quote from: viper37 on April 08, 2015, 09:29:12 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 01, 2015, 09:42:33 PM
Usually it is a lone Martian mech with super powers like invisibility, instant cloning, electric shock etc that overwhelms the numerically superior Earth forces. Then it is up to the male protagonist, Inaho to figure out a way to beat it. It is fun to watch but the problem is that it gets too repetitive after a while. He seems to be the only person on the Earth side who knows how to deal with the Martians, and his abilities toward the end are almost superhuman and ridiculous.
Like Heero Yuy of Gundam Wing, Kira Yamato of Gundam Seed and Setsuna F. Seiei of Gundam 00.
Inaho is more logical, emotionless and intelligent. Kinda like Spock in a gundam cockpit.
I have written about all the shows I have watched that ended in the Winter 2015 season (January - March). Now, about the shows that I am going to watch in the Spring 2015 season (April - June).
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Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid. (yeah, for some reason both Vs are capitalised) Fourth season of the hugely popular magical girl series that feature gundam-style combat among the magical girls. Vivio, the adopted daughter of Nanoha and Fate (who are main characters of previous seasons), will be the view point character.
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Heroic Legend of Arslan. A story about a prince trying to restore his kingdom in a fantasy world with a middle east theme. The selling point? The source novel is written by the same guy who wrote the Legend of Galactic Heroes novels, and the manga version is done by none other than the manga artist of Full Metal Alchemist. It is hard to find a superior pedigree in the anime world.
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The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan. After all these years, we finally get something from the Suzumiya Haruhi world. This is based on a spin-off manga rather than the main novels. The "disappearance" refers to the fact that the entire story takes place in the "disappearance" world. So, no, Nagato did not disappear. She is in fact the view point character, replacing Kyon. I have watched the first episode, and this seems a much more light-hearted take on this celebrated series. Yes, all the characters and the original voice cast return.
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My Teen Romantic Comedy is Wrong as I Expected, Season Two. This is not a romantic comedy as the title suggests. It is a study about inter-personal relationships and politics in a highschool setting. Season 2 starts with the main characters being asked to help a guy pursue a girl.
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Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works part 2. Fate Stay Night is a visual novel about a survival game of seven teams battling for a Holy Grail that grants any wish. Unlimited Blade Works is the second route in the novel. Part 1 finished airing in December 2014 and this is the continuation.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2015, 08:02:26 PM
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Heroic Legend of Arslan. A story about a prince trying to restore his kingdom in a fantasy world with a middle east theme. The selling point? The source novel is written by the same guy who wrote the Legend of Galactic Heroes novels, and the manga version is done by none other than the manga artist of Full Metal Alchemist. It is hard to find a superior pedigree in the anime world.
Holy crap! Sold!
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 09, 2015, 12:53:42 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2015, 08:02:26 PM
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Heroic Legend of Arslan. A story about a prince trying to restore his kingdom in a fantasy world with a middle east theme. The selling point? The source novel is written by the same guy who wrote the Legend of Galactic Heroes novels, and the manga version is done by none other than the manga artist of Full Metal Alchemist. It is hard to find a superior pedigree in the anime world.
Holy crap! Sold!
I'm not sold.
The OVA adaptation of Arslan ("Arislan"!) was an early favourite of mine, but the more I investigate the Manga (and it's storyline changes) and the character designs the less enthused I am about this adaptation.
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Black Lagoon. This is the name of a 4-person private mercenary company that operates in a fictional lawless town in Thailand. Rock the protagonist was originally a salaryman of a Japanese company, but was kidnapped by the Black Lagoon. When it was apparent that his company couldn't care less about him (that does ring a bell), he joined his captors instead. The company of outlaws mainly does smuggling, but is somehow involved in all kinds of trouble, including dealing with a killer maid from Columbia that has gone berserk, competing with neo-Nazis to retrieve artifacts from a WWII submarine, providing translation services to their Russian mob boss who is involved in a gang war in Japan etc.
This is one of the better action animes out there. There are no mechs, magic, psych-controlled weapons, or time-travel. The author does take a lot of liberties, especially in the action sequences that involve, say, intercepting flying bullets with katanas. But the show is ultimately grounded in reality. The action sequences are Hollywood-esque and are very well done. The show is not afraid to show graphic violence, use swear words, and kill characters.
Another major pillar of the show is the interaction between the idealistic Rock and the nihilistic Revy, the female lead and main fighter of Black Lagoon. Revy deserves a place in the hall of fame of badass anime women. She is also very complex character. Sometimes I root for her for her concern about Rock, her skills and bravery, but she also has an explosive temper and can be downright nasty and psychotic.
I like this show, and I want to thank Tim for recommending it.
Quote from: viper37 on March 31, 2015, 06:30:32 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 31, 2015, 06:06:49 AM
There was a time when the robot shows were all about good vs evil, and the robot relies on some supernatural power and is one-of-a-kind.
You asked for it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RfU68pzZXA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RfU68pzZXA)
And the original:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv1J9YOm5EY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv1J9YOm5EY)
Many adults of my age in the Francophone world still have fond memories of this show. Even when we saw it again as adults. :)
Fixed! :frog:
sorry Duque! :D
I managed to find the DVDs somewhere. I don't know if I should watch the show though, I'm afraid of destroying fond memories :D
Watched the very last episode of Goldorak some months ago, 35-40 years after the first broadcast. :ccr
My generation is called sometimes génération Goldorak, that or Génération Albator.
No fond childhood memories were destroyed since there was a rerun in the '90s well.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 01, 2015, 09:42:33 PM
Aldnoah Zero, both seasons 1 and 2.
I just finished the second (and apparently last) season. I really enjoyed it. The ending was a bit weak, and I agree with Mono that giving Inaho superpowers was fairly lame ([spoiler]particularly because those superpowers are without cost - they set up that having a computer in his head is dangerous, and that he is over using it and potentially causing brain damage, but in the end it comes to... absolutely nothing[/spoiler]), but it was but it was overall one of my favorite shows that I have seen recently.
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Attack on Titan: Kuinaki Sentaku (literally, choice with no regrets). The 4th and 5th direct-to-video episodes of Attack on Titan, showing the origin story of Levi and Erwin Smith. The majority of the character polls of Attack on Titan show Levi, the cleaning-obsessed badass of the Survey Corp, as the most popular character, so it is not surprising that they choose to create a side story starring him. Levi started as a criminal who literally lived in the underground section of humanity's last city. The story is about how he met Erwin Smith and joined the Survey Corp.
I think the Attack on Titan direct-to-video episodes are very well done, especially these two. They add substantive content to the background stories of two important and popular characters that will be treated as canon in the future. The story and action sequences are also nice. A valuable addition to the Attack on Titan world, and a must-see for fans.
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Toradora. Tora means tiger, and represents the female lead Taiga, known as "Palmtop tiger" at school due to her small statue and fiery temper. Dora means dragon, which represents Ryuji (riuji means drake) the male lead, known for his thug-like face but gentle personality and skills with domestic chores. Taiga and Ryuji both have a crush on somebody else, and they team up to help each other on their separate quests.
The anime is marketed as a romantic comedy. But I think a more accurate description is school drama as the show gets more serious in the second half. I think it is not easy to find a better show in this genre. It should be blatantly obvious from the title, the poster, and the plotline that the main story is really about the relationship between Taiga and Ryuji. While the story unfolds predictably, how we get there is superbly handled. It feels like a romantic story done right with deep characterization of the five major roles and the relationship among them examined in detail. There is also proper closure to the story, unlike most anime romance stories that go unresolved.
As far as school drama and teenage romance go, I think Clannad, Angel Beats and Anohana are the best anime shows. Toradora follows closely behind, as an alternative that is free of any supernatural elements. Anohana and Toradora share the same director.
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Most likely photoshopped, I think. What Obama is apparently holding is a memento of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica Rebellion Story movie. She is Akemi Homura, quite possibly the most popular character of the franchise. The words are autographs and well-wishes of the director, script writer and character designer of the series. Fans need to buy a limited edition ticket of the movie to have a chance to draw lots to determine which one of the five major character portraits will they get. Homura's is possibly the most prized item.
I am a huge fan of the series but I only bought a regular movie ticket to save money.
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That's from Nisekoi, or fake love. A real romantic comedy show that is quite good and funny. Basically, a very young boy made an unknown promise with a girl, and he has carried a locket ever since. 10 years later, multiple girls from his youth have resurfaced, all claiming to have a key that can open the locket. On top of that, he is also forced to pretend to be lovers with the daughter of a rival gang leader to stop a gang war from erupting. One guy and at least 3 major love interests, plus other girls.
The clip above shows a rather typical anime "shipping war", where fans who support different pairings argue with each other over who will win in the end (the source manga is ongoing and there is no conclusion yet).
Season 2 is being aired right now.
Quote from: Agelastus on April 09, 2015, 09:58:08 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 09, 2015, 12:53:42 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 08, 2015, 08:02:26 PM
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Heroic Legend of Arslan. A story about a prince trying to restore his kingdom in a fantasy world with a middle east theme. The selling point? The source novel is written by the same guy who wrote the Legend of Galactic Heroes novels, and the manga version is done by none other than the manga artist of Full Metal Alchemist. It is hard to find a superior pedigree in the anime world.
Holy crap! Sold!
I'm not sold.
The OVA adaptation of Arslan ("Arislan"!) was an early favourite of mine, but the more I investigate the Manga (and it's storyline changes) and the character designs the less enthused I am about this adaptation.
Yeah, I remember loving the OVAs back in the mid/late 90s. A shame the story was never finished.
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Revolutionary Girl Utena. Widely considered a yuri (i.e. lesbian) classic. Utena (girl with pink hair) is a tomboy junior high school student who likes to dress in a boy's uniform. When she lost her parents and her will to live at a tender age, she was comforted by a prince. She was so mesmerized that she has decided to become a prince herself. In order to protect her friend, she was drawn into a series of sword duels with the student council members, who were spurred on by letters from a mysterious entity known as "end of the world". The duel winner will be engaged to the "Rose Bride" Anthy (girl with purple hair), and supposedly will eventually achieve the power to launch a world revolution. That's crazy even by anime standards.
This is one of the most memorable anime shows that I have watched. The plot and the visuals are extremely surreal, loaded with an unholy amount of symbolism. The duel swords are often sheathed deep within human bodies, nobody bats an eye about floating castles, people turn into cars, students duel each other in hyperspace because the end of the world said so, world revolutions are attempted because you don't like the way your future sister-in-law talks, a character uses a time watch out of the blue in every other episode but this is never explained etc. It explores themes like yuri, rape, incest, (yes, all involving underage teenagers) etc, but everything is implied. There are no explicit images, and surprisingly little blood is shown (the duels are decided by knocking off roses from the duelists' chests). The comic relief episodes are batshit insane, and include things like searching for 9xx billion year curry powder in India while bumping into surfing elephants in the ocean, a rich bitch proudly wearing a cowbell and slowly turning into a cow, etc.
I hate art movies, but this is 10/10 for me. It does feel totally incomprehensible at times, yet the plot is internally consistent, and (some of) the weird stuff are eventually explained for a satisfactory ending. Almost all the characters, even the minor ones, are memorable and meaningfully contribute to the show with their backstories. It is unique and thought-provoking. Despite being a yuri show, it isn't a crazy feminist one that blames the males for all the troubles in the world. Everything is handled in a subtle way. The "have to watch the next episode" feel is very strong with this one. It is quite obvious that it is a below-average budget production, but the director masterfully used what resources he had to produce lots of iconic scenes and images. I still think the guy is nuts though.
Oh and, thanks to Lettow for recommending this.
There is literally no character in that show that looks remotely male. Even the "boys".
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on May 04, 2015, 12:12:38 AM
There is literally no character in that show that looks remotely male. Even the "boys".
That's true, especially Miki, who is voiced by an actress no less. But to be fair, pretty boys is a fairly common trope in anime. See Gundam 00, Sailor Moon, and a ton of other shows.
A defense of the realism of the medieval combat as shown in Maria the Virgin Witch (set in 100 Years War):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tFOJFyTl1U
I'm glad to hear you saw Utena, mono! There's a movie as well, but i'm not sure it holds up as well. The imagery is more ludicrous, if you could believe that.
I've been unable to watch this season of anime, but am eagerly awaiting the chance to watch Sound Euphonium and Heroic Legend of Arslan, both of which have high pedigrees to promise excellence.
A bit of Anime news, unnoticed by most, was the announcement of a new work in the Aria series- Aria the Avvenire. I'm cautiously optimistic, pending further news- I'd be ecstatic, except the source manga was fully exhausted by the existing series, and the author has subsequently had children, so it is unclear to what extent Mrs. Amano will play a role. Also, the cast is listed as returning- including the seiyuu for Athena, who has since passed away.
As Aria is in fact the most pleasing anime series in existence, even a muddled sequel will be enjoyed.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 05, 2015, 03:05:19 PM
I'm glad to hear you saw Utena, mono! There's a movie as well, but i'm not sure it holds up as well. The imagery is more ludicrous, if you could believe that.
I've been unable to watch this season of anime, but am eagerly awaiting the chance to watch Sound Euphonium and Heroic Legend of Arslan, both of which have high pedigrees to promise excellence.
A bit of Anime news, unnoticed by most, was the announcement of a new work in the Aria series- Aria the Avvenire. I'm cautiously optimistic, pending further news- I'd be ecstatic, except the source manga was fully exhausted by the existing series, and the author has subsequently had children, so it is unclear to what extent Mrs. Amano will play a role. Also, the cast is listed as returning- including the seiyuu for Athena, who has since passed away.
As Aria is in fact the most pleasing anime series in existence, even a muddled sequel will be enjoyed.
Yes, I've seen the Utena movie. I always watch everything in a series.
I'll get to Aria sooner or later :hug:
The seiyuu for Athena is the same seiyuu for Utena, right? I really like her voice and performance. Sad to see her go at such a young age. :(
While the Utena TV series is a 10/10 for me, the movie is only a 7/10. I don't think the story is suitable in a movie format. I am somewhat glad and lucky that my policy is always to see the TV version first, and the movie version last. If I saw the movie first, there is a chance I may abandon it. There is far too much craziness and unexplained events that take place within an hour and a half to swallow. The people turning into cars thing was a bit much, frankly. It is more palatable in a 39 episode series where the weird stuff is released in short bursts.
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Seven Deadly Sins. Ten years ago, a group of powerful but evil knights known as the Seven Deadly Sins conspired to overthrow the kingdom and murder the leader of the Holy Knights. They were scattered, some of them presumed dead. Now, Elizabeth, third princess of the kingdom, has embarked on a journey to find the missing Sins, for they are the only ones who have the power to defeat the Holy Knights who have now taken over the kingdom. She finds Meliodas, the leader of the Sins, and the story is about their journey to reunite the other Sins and to take back the kingdom.
This is a shining example of what an enjoyable shonen fantasy adventure/battle series should be. At only 24 episodes, it is much more accessible than the enormous time sinks of Dragonball, One Piece and Naruto, each of them covering over 500 episodes. Filled with awesome, heartwarming relationships, endearing characters, crazy fight scenes, and tearjerking moments, it does a much better job than mediocre recent attempts in the genre like Magi and Akame ga Kill. In 24 episodes, it adapts about 100 manga chapters. Compare this with the snail pace of One Piece, the reigning king of shonen in Japan, that adapts one chapter per anime episode, and you'll see how fast-paced this show is. Yet it does a more than good job of developing the characters and advancing the plot. Highly recommended for fans looking for action and adventure but don't have the time for hundreds of episodes.
(the poster is deliberately designed to be misleading. There are seven characters in the pic, but only four of them are the Sins. The white-haired girl is the princess, the pig talks but can't really fight, and the pink-haired guy is a holy knight).
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Parasyte. Worm-like aliens invade Earth. They enter the human body, take over the brain, kill the original host, then shapeshift into various human forms and devour other humans. Other superpowers include turning cells into numerous fast-moving muscles, sharp blades, eyes and shields, and hyper-senses etc. They are essentially shapeshifting killer machines that live among humans. The protagonist is a high school student. Since he wore headphones on the night of the invasion, the alien worm only managed to eat and replace his right arm. Both intelligent lifeforms now co-exist in the same body and they must depend on each other to survive attacks from other parasytes, which can telepathically sense them from a distance.
This is a horror science fiction thriller. It is choke full of gore, blood, dead students, body parts, and fangs, blades, eyes appearing out of the human body and attacking other humans. The anime opens with a husband literally opening up his head to reveal a large number fangs and eyes, then chopping off and eating his wife's head.
It is one of the best thrillers since Death Note not just because of the constant stream of exciting battles. It is a show of meaningful conflicts. The protagonist and his alien right hand form a formidable battle team, but outside battles their philosophies are at odds with each other. His right hand (named Migi, which means "right" in Japanese) is rational and emotionless, and prioritises self-preservation. He forbids his host from telling his strange situation to anyone for fear of being taken to a laboratory. On the other hand, the protagonist wants to help his friends and family against the parasyte threat, and constantly struggles with the question of whether he should turn himself in to share his knowledge about the parasytes. The parasytes are not simply interested in humans as a food source. They are capable of intelligent thought, and some of them want to learn more about humans, or even form organisations of their own. Add a suspicious girlfriend (or two) and other teenage problems and we have a very interesting show.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 12, 2015, 01:22:16 AM
Add a suspicious girlfriend (or two)
Ample reason to be suspicious. Besides the other girlfriend, he's actually cheating when he masturbates...
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Baccano. The Italian word for commotion. It is a unique anime. The setting is prohibition era America, featuring an emsemble cast, non-liner story-telling, constantly shifting viewpoints, at least three parallel stories that take place in different years and each episode jumps back and forth among them, and no clear protagonist. In one of the stories, three different groups try to take the same train hostage at the same time. One wants to take the cargo, one wants to secure the release of its imprisoned terrorist leader, and the last one wants ransom from the train company. The passengers include the family of a senator, a pair of robin-hood style thieves, several immortals, a newspaper informant, etc. There is also an urban legend of a rail tracer who is reputed to haunt trains and kill passengers...
It is a difficult anime to get into. Everything happens out of order, and there are at least 20 important characters out of just 16 episodes. It is one of those shows that take at least two viewings before it makes sense. But once a viewer gets past the steep learning curve, the show is very rewarding. It is one of a kind. The setting and style are unique in anime. Even though each character only gets a small amount of screentime, it does a masterful job of establishing them. This strange mix of mobsters, crazy antics, supernatural elements, and unusual story-telling works primarily because of its huge and colourful cast. There is a crazy hitman who has sworn to kill his lover, who willingly follows him around. A leader of a gang cries at the slightest bit of danger but has a huge tattoo on his face that makes him instantly recognisible. A robbery couple who likes to dress in colourful costumes and steals things like candy and museum doors. An explosives fetishist who blows open doors that have already been opened. The show also wins the award for the best use of the phrase "your train ticket please" ever.
I watched the first two episodes of that and have to say some of the environments are extremely beautifully rendered (e.g. NY Grand Central).
Mono is right- Baccano is great fun. It has extremely good use of Norio Wakamoto, and the robbery couple mentioned is delightful in every scene.
Now I am really interested in Durarara. The novels of both Durarara and Baccano are written by the same person, and the animation studio of both shows are also the same.
I have Baccanno's amazing jazz soundtrack, but I've never got around to actually watching it. I've heard it really is great. I gotta make time for it one of these days.
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Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid. 4th season of one of the most popular magical girl shows in Japan. Set several years after the events of the third season, the story takes place on a distant planet and focuses on the life of Vivio, one of the characters introduced in the third season. She has taken an interest in martial arts, and enters a tournament with her friends.
Yup, that's pretty much the plot of the entire season. I did not enjoy it, for many reasons -
1. Nothing much really happens in the story. The first half of the show is an extended epilogue showing what happened to most characters introduced in the previous seasons, and given Nanoha's already enormous cast, that is a lot of catching up to do. The second half is one big tournament. While that is an improvement, it is just a lazy way that justifies another season without any actual plot. It is simply boring.
2. There is a lack of focus, and there are too many characters. Season 3 introduced a ton of characters, both friend and foe. A lot of them stick around in this season, which introduced yet another generation of magical girls. I have a really hard time telling who is who. Vivio the main character doesn't really get much screentime or character development.
3. The style is somewhat off. Fan-favourites Nanoha and Fate are still here, but somehow Nanoha, one of the most recognisable characters in the anime world, doesn't look like Nanoha.
The first two seasons of Nanoha were enjoyable. Third season is already more than a notch down in quality, but fourth season is even worse. I realise ViVid is split cour, i.e. 12 episodes were aired between April and June, and another 12/13 episodes should be aired between October and December 2015. So strictly speaking I have only watched half the show. But still, it says a lot that they can't get a real plot going with 12 episodes in.
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Assassination Classroom. Based on a very popular manga in Japan. An alien lifeform that resembles a giant, talking, yellow octopus has destroyed 70% of the moon. Nothing that the world governments throw at him work, due to his crazy speed of 20 Mach. He has threatened to do the same to Earth one year later. In the meantime, he has sought and obtained the job of teaching a class at a Japanese middle school. The world governments have placed a multi-billion bounty on his head, and have provided training and equipment for his students to kill him. A typical school day starts with all students firing a hail of anti-alien bullets at the teacher, who effortlessly dodge them while taking roll-call.
It is apparent from episode 1 that the alien teacher cares deeply about the students, and is the best teacher they can ever dream of. The school is one of the best and most competitive schools in Japan. But the alien teacher's class is specifically created as punishment for the worst students of the school, and is openly discriminated against. The sole purpose of the existance of that class is to scare the rest of the school that, if they don't work hard to become the best of the best, they'll suffer daily humiliation in that special class. The show is therefore mostly about the heartwarming relationships between teacher and students, and is also a critique of the hyper-competitive nature of the Japanese school system.
It is very enjoyable. The overall tone is light and there are a ton of genuinely funny moments. There are also serious moments when the class have to work together to solve problems, such as when the department of defence is fed up with the lack of progress and they send serious military trainers to do something about the class. I don't know the reaction of western viewers, but the show strikes a chord with me as HK's education system is similarly crazy as the Japanese one. The production values are very high due to the huge popularity of the source manga. The show is careful to avoid a situation where the alien teacher solves every problem with his special powers. Instead, it is the students who are at the front, and the teacher is there to empower and encourage the students. One of the best shows in the first half of 2015. Second season has already been announced.
Oh and, the student with light-blue hair is the viewpoint character, and it is a "he".
Quote from: Monoriu on June 12, 2015, 01:22:16 AM
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Parasyte. Worm-like aliens invade Earth. They enter the human body, take over the brain, kill the original host, then shapeshift into various human forms and devour other humans. Other superpowers include turning cells into numerous fast-moving muscles, sharp blades, eyes and shields, and hyper-senses etc. They are essentially shapeshifting killer machines that live among humans. The protagonist is a high school student. Since he wore headphones on the night of the invasion, the alien worm only managed to eat and replace his right arm. Both intelligent lifeforms now co-exist in the same body and they must depend on each other to survive attacks from other parasytes, which can telepathically sense them from a distance.
This is a horror science fiction thriller. It is choke full of gore, blood, dead students, body parts, and fangs, blades, eyes appearing out of the human body and attacking other humans. The anime opens with a husband literally opening up his head to reveal a large number fangs and eyes, then chopping off and eating his wife's head.
It is one of the best thrillers since Death Note not just because of the constant stream of exciting battles. It is a show of meaningful conflicts. The protagonist and his alien right hand form a formidable battle team, but outside battles their philosophies are at odds with each other. His right hand (named Migi, which means "right" in Japanese) is rational and emotionless, and prioritises self-preservation. He forbids his host from telling his strange situation to anyone for fear of being taken to a laboratory. On the other hand, the protagonist wants to help his friends and family against the parasyte threat, and constantly struggles with the question of whether he should turn himself in to share his knowledge about the parasytes. The parasytes are not simply interested in humans as a food source. They are capable of intelligent thought, and some of them want to learn more about humans, or even form organisations of their own. Add a suspicious girlfriend (or two) and other teenage problems and we have a very interesting show.
I've read that manga. It's pretty old. Didn't realise there was an anime
Quote from: Tyr on June 23, 2015, 02:34:48 AM
I've read that manga. It's pretty old. Didn't realise there was an anime
The story I have read is like this. The manga was published in the 80s/early 90s. Some western film studio acquired the rights to make a live-action film out of it. After more than a decade, they decided not to do it afterall. Many years passed and some Japanese film-maker finally made two live-action films. They were released in theatres recently. The anime was made as part of the publicity for the films.
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Naruto, the protagonist of this extremely well-known shonen battle series. Quite possibly the most popular ninja-anything ever. Many years ago, the nine-tail beast attacked the Konoha ninja village. It wrecked great havoc, but was eventually defeated and sealed inside the body of infant Naruto. He grew up as an orphan and was shunned by the rest of the village. But he is determined to become the next Hokage, the leader and strongest ninja of Konoha. After a multi-year effort, I have finally finished watching all 637 episodes, 9 movies, and 10 specials. The source manga has been completed, but the anime is still ongoing.
There are good reasons why this show is popular. Some of the episodes are indeed great and are worth the time investment. The ninjas are ninja in name only. They may as well call themselves magicians who are capable of anything, up to and including bringing back the dead, summoning city-sized monsters, escaping to another dimension etc. The biggest problem with this show is the sheer amount of filler material. Out of 637 episodes, there are around 250 filler episodes, including a notorious single stretch of 85 silly filler episodes (almost two continuous years in real life) that are a disgrace to the franchise. The canon ones aren't well-paced either. Many of them are summaries of previous events and repeated flashbacks showing the same scenes over and over. I feel like some key scenes have been shown 10 times throughout the series.
In Japan, Naruto is considered a distant no. 2 to One Piece, but for some reason it seems to be more popular in the west. Having watched both, I agree that One Piece is better. Naruto is filler hell; One Piece is snail pace. One Piece has a much bigger world and an enormous cast compared to Naruto's already big cast. Naruto is more battle-focused; One Piece also has great battles but does better in adventure, plot-twists and comedy. Naruto seems to be one huge story; the One Piece crew goes from island to island with more distinct arcs and greater variety in settings. Naruto's writer doesn't seem capable of creating strong females. The production values are obviously better in One Piece.
I enjoyed watching the canon episodes, especially the major fights. It is hard to find anything nearly as good. If you have the time to watch a huge series, I think One Piece is better. If you still want to watch Naruto, I suggest skipping all the filler, especially the stretch from episode 136 to 220. From episode 221 onwards, they decided to rename the show as Naruto Shippudan just to tell fans that the canon story has returned. Shippudan isn't a sequel. It is part and parcel of the same story and there is no broadcasting gap between Shippudan and the original Naruto.
OMG. The Chinese state-owned Central TV did a documentary about the Japanese armed forces, and there is a clear image showing a...Gundam!!!!111
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA
(fast forward to 0:55)
Are they trying to say that the PLA is no match for the Japanese armed forces, and this is why? Do they know something we don't?
July is the start of the Summer 2015 anime season, and these are the anime that I want to watch, if I have time.
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Gakkou Gurashi! , literally living at school. The story is about the daily lives of several young, cute, school girls. The school is beautiful, the friends are nice to each other, and the teacher is caring. Living in school is paradise. Or so the protagonist girl thinks. In reality, they are living in a zombie apocalypse. They are apparently the only survivers of a massive zombie attack, and their real lives consist of hiding from the zombies and scavanging food for survival. Her imagination of a good life is a psychological defence mechanism.
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Chaos Dragon. The majority of anime are adaptations of manga, novels or games. Some are original works. This one is none of the above. It is based on a real life fantasy RPG game session by 5-6 all-star anime script writers and character designers, including Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate Zero), and the character designers for the Fate series, Garden of Sinners series, and Durarara series.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 29, 2015, 09:23:09 PM
In Japan, Naruto is considered a distant no. 2 to One Piece, but for some reason it seems to be more popular in the west. Having watched both, I agree that One Piece is better. Naruto is filler hell; One Piece is snail pace. One Piece has a much bigger world and an enormous cast compared to Naruto's already big cast. Naruto is more battle-focused; One Piece also has great battles but does better in adventure, plot-twists and comedy. Naruto seems to be one huge story; the One Piece crew goes from island to island with more distinct arcs and greater variety in settings. Naruto's writer doesn't seem capable of creating strong females. The production values are obviously better in One Piece.
Western anime fans (not the casuals who may catch something on cartoon network) tend to have seen both the show and read the manga. I think the style of art in One Piece truns a lot of people off.
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Charlotte. This story is from Key Visual Arts, the same people who brought us legendary shows Clannad and Angel Beats, as well as Kanon, Air and Little Busters. That's enough for me. Not much is known about this, other than the show takes place in a school and the main characters have supernatural powers.
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Overlord. Yet another trapped in a virtual game story. An old massive online RPG game is about to be closed. An ordinary salaryman is determined to stay in the game until the last minute. When the servers are supposed to stop, he found the NPCs came alive in the virtual world. So he stayed in a bid to take over the online world as an evil overlord.
Is there anything you can recommend that doesn't feature high school protagonists?
It's been done. Why not watch Mushishi or Saraiya Goyou?
Quote from: Syt on July 03, 2015, 02:51:49 AM
Is there anything you can recommend that doesn't feature high school protagonists?
Sure.
Legend of Galactic Heroes
Death Note (protagonist starts as high school student but move on to university mid-story)
Steins Gate
Fate/Zero
Attack on Titan (protagonists are young but they are not students)
Ghost in the Shell
Scrapped Princess
Baccano
Gundam 00
Kara no Kyoukai/Garden of Sinners
Psycho Pass
Black Lagoon
Spice and Wolf
Log Horizon (protagonists are university students)
Gargantia (protagonist is a child soldier, but not high school student)
Hataraku Maou-sama
Appleseed
One Piece
Naruto
Seven Deadly Sins
Fairy Tail
Akatsuki no Yona
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Full Metal Alchemist
Cowboy Beebop
Samurai Champloo
Vash the Stampede
Rurouni Kenshin
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
Basalisk
Scrapped Princess
Outlaw Star
Pumpkin Scissors
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F72626l_zpsm2ujkc1q.jpg&hash=ff2bdc7bbf93c94e4b07c3db957b1401f258cfee) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/72626l_zpsm2ujkc1q.jpg.html)
Nisekoi, Season 2. Nisekoi means fake love. The story is about a teenage girl and boy who are heirs of their respective organised crime groups. In order to stop a gang war, their parents arranged them to pretend to be lovers. This is complicated by the appearance of other cute females, most of them have a crush on the male protagonist. Or standard romantic comedy and anime harem.
But a good one at that. Season two has abandoned any pretense of having a main plot. It increasingly turns into a situation comedy with many one or half episode short stories, and relies on guest stars and new characters to sustain the show. The season two finale doesn't feel like a finale at all. There is no climax whatsoever, just another day that consists of harem antics. Yet, despite all the above, I found the show enjoyable. It makes me laugh, it makes me care about the characters, it makes me want to continue watching. The antics become increasingly bizarre. One episode consists of an alternative dimension where the girls become magical girls and do magical girl things. Crazy? Yes. Brainless? Probably. Did I have a good time watching it? Hell yes. Not all shows need to be serious and philosophical. Sometimes a good laugh is all I need.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 02, 2015, 06:10:51 AM
OMG. The Chinese state-owned Central TV did a documentary about the Japanese armed forces, and there is a clear image showing a...Gundam!!!!111
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA)
(fast forward to 0:55)
Are they trying to say that the PLA is no match for the Japanese armed forces, and this is why? Do they know something we don't?
"This video has been removed by the user. "
They know something you don't. Some secrets need to be preserved.
Quote from: viper37 on July 03, 2015, 09:58:24 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on July 02, 2015, 06:10:51 AM
OMG. The Chinese state-owned Central TV did a documentary about the Japanese armed forces, and there is a clear image showing a...Gundam!!!!111
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA)
(fast forward to 0:55)
Are they trying to say that the PLA is no match for the Japanese armed forces, and this is why? Do they know something we don't?
"This video has been removed by the user. "
They know something you don't. Some secrets need to be preserved.
Try this -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJX81B0iUE4
Quote from: Monoriu on July 03, 2015, 10:38:39 AM
Quote from: viper37 on July 03, 2015, 09:58:24 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on July 02, 2015, 06:10:51 AM
OMG. The Chinese state-owned Central TV did a documentary about the Japanese armed forces, and there is a clear image showing a...Gundam!!!!111
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onur9czCDNA)
(fast forward to 0:55)
Are they trying to say that the PLA is no match for the Japanese armed forces, and this is why? Do they know something we don't?
"This video has been removed by the user. "
They know something you don't. Some secrets need to be preserved.
Try this -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJX81B0iUE4
LULZ at 0'06"
This isn't the first time something like this happened. They once gave a detailed talk about the latest Chinese-made fighter, and showed a sketch of the plane in the background. People very soon found that the sketch is that of an old Gundam plane (that forms part of the original Gundam).
I actually remembered an incident with Top Gun footage recycled to showcase Chinese aviation. A bit different, though.
Thanks for the recommendations. I've watched a number of those, but there's some stuff I'll check out.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 03, 2015, 02:31:20 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on June 29, 2015, 09:23:09 PM
In Japan, Naruto is considered a distant no. 2 to One Piece, but for some reason it seems to be more popular in the west. Having watched both, I agree that One Piece is better. Naruto is filler hell; One Piece is snail pace. One Piece has a much bigger world and an enormous cast compared to Naruto's already big cast. Naruto is more battle-focused; One Piece also has great battles but does better in adventure, plot-twists and comedy. Naruto seems to be one huge story; the One Piece crew goes from island to island with more distinct arcs and greater variety in settings. Naruto's writer doesn't seem capable of creating strong females. The production values are obviously better in One Piece.
Western anime fans (not the casuals who may catch something on cartoon network) tend to have seen both the show and read the manga. I think the style of art in One Piece truns a lot of people off.
Perhaps.
It is certainly what made me never consider it.
But yeah, I was quite shocked when I got to japan to see how freakishly mega popular one piece was. Before hand it was something I was just vaguely aware of.
Sword Art Online
In the near future, there's a full immersion MMORPG with a virtual reality helmet. On the day of release players log on, only to discover that they can't log out. Then they are informed if they die in game they die in real life as well. Our (sometimes) angsty protagonist goes lone wolf and tries to beat the game on his own. Then he meets up with a feisty girl. Eventually romance blossoms and they both lighten up.
The fighting is well done and the story manages to avoid the dumbest clichés of this sort of story. There are no profound truths in the MMORPG, nor do the people come together in a gooey Woodstock kind of way. Once we're back in the real world we learn our (sometimes) angsty protagonist does have a younger cousin (whom he had once thought was his sister) who is in love with him. That disturbing anime cliché just couldn't be avoided.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 04, 2015, 05:21:19 PM
Sword Art Online
In the near future, there's a full immersion MMORPG with a virtual reality helmet. On the day of release players log on, only to discover that they can't log out. Then they are informed if they die in game they die in real life as well. Our (sometimes) angsty protagonist goes lone wolf and tries to beat the game on his own. Then he meets up with a feisty girl. Eventually romance blossoms and they both lighten up.
The fighting is well done and the story manages to avoid the dumbest clichés of this sort of story. There are no profound truths in the MMORPG, nor do the people come together in a gooey Woodstock kind of way. Once we're back in the real world we learn our (sometimes) angsty protagonist does have a younger cousin (whom he had once thought was his sister) who is in love with him. That disturbing anime cliché just couldn't be avoided.
I agree that the Alfheim arc is indeed a low point in the series. Have you watched season 2? I think the Gun Gale Online arc is much better than Alfheim and is worth watching.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 05, 2015, 01:35:48 AM
I agree that the Alfheim arc is indeed a low point in the series. Have you watched season 2? I think the Gun Gale Online arc is much better than Alfheim and is worth watching.
No, I've only seen the first season. I'll check out the second season if it's ever streaming on Netflix.
I just found out that the guy who made this Madoka magi thing mono is so fond of so created the rather interesting visual novel (game is too strong a word) saya no uta. Might be worth giving Madoka a few more episodes to impress if lovecraftian horror is in the offering.
Quote from: Tyr on July 07, 2015, 06:30:00 PM
I just found out that the guy who made this Madoka magi thing mono is so fond of so created the rather interesting visual novel (game is too strong a word) saya no uta. Might be worth giving Madoka a few more episodes to impress if lovecraftian horror is in the offering.
IIRC first two episodes seem like generic cookie cutter cuteness, but it's just lulling you into a false sense of security before dropping a megaton of eldritch horror on you.
(https://zakitakubu.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/non-non-biyori1.jpg)
Non Non Biyori
Non Non Biyori is a do-nothing anime about life in the rural countryside. Because the population is nothing but elderly, the schools have been consolidated into one school with five students.
"Slice of life" anime are frequently attacked for how little happens in any given episode. Non Non Biyori offers the promise of still less happening.
A show like this depends on its characters, interaction and ambience- and it's all quite good.
A new season has just begun as of this week.
Non Non Biyori is on my to-do list. I hope it is as good as K-on.
Quote from: Tyr on July 07, 2015, 06:30:00 PM
I just found out that the guy who made this Madoka magi thing mono is so fond of so created the rather interesting visual novel (game is too strong a word) saya no uta. Might be worth giving Madoka a few more episodes to impress if lovecraftian horror is in the offering.
If I remember correctly, you stopped at episode 2. That's like watching the movie previews but leaving the room just before movie starts :ph34r:
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 07, 2015, 06:36:05 PM
IIRC first two episodes seem like generic cookie cutter cuteness, but it's just lulling you into a false sense of security before dropping a megaton of eldritch horror on you.
You misrecall. There is distractingly strange architecture, an inverted family relationship, and a sense of unease from a mysterious transfer student. As a cute series it is an abject failure.
Quote from: Lettow77 on July 07, 2015, 07:26:40 PM
Non Non Biyori
Non Non Biyori is a do-nothing anime about life in the rural countryside. Because the population is nothing but elderly, the schools have been consolidated into one school with five students.
"Slice of life" anime are frequently attacked for how little happens in any given episode. Non Non Biyori offers the promise of still less happening.
A show like this depends on its characters, interaction and ambience- and it's all quite good.
A new season has just begun as of this week.
Just girls? Or is there a boy student off panel they're all in love in?
Quote from: Lettow77 on July 07, 2015, 08:08:02 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 07, 2015, 06:36:05 PM
IIRC first two episodes seem like generic cookie cutter cuteness, but it's just lulling you into a false sense of security before dropping a megaton of eldritch horror on you.
You misrecall. There is distractingly strange architecture, an inverted family relationship, and a sense of unease from a mysterious transfer student. As a cute series it is an abject failure.
:yes: The dream sequence in the first few minutes of episode 1 was creepy as hell.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 07, 2015, 08:37:48 PM
Just girls? Or is there a boy student off panel they're all in love in?
I leave recommending harem anime to the rest of you.
I've signed up for a Crunchyroll.com trial. Looks good so far. Especially when I noticed that the number of available shows increased a lot when I switched the language from German to English. :P
I'll just post this here whilst I go :w00t: in the corner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt3WMOfh2Wo
Quote from: Tyr on July 12, 2015, 01:37:34 PM
I'll just post this here whilst I go :w00t: in the corner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt3WMOfh2Wo
The three dimensional maneuver gear looks like shit, I doubt even ILM or Weta could make it look convincing. Some things only work in animation and I think this is one of them.
Like I said before, I have very little faith in live-action adaptations of anime. Pink hair looks fine in anime; a lot less so in live action. Anime, even in Japan, is not really mainstream entertainment. It is difficult to convince studio executives to give the necessary budgets to make live-action adaptations work. The people who do the live-action films are usually different from the anime crew, and they usually make such drastic changes to the show that (a) the anime fans are pissed off and (b) misses the point of what makes the anime successful.
Quote from: Tyr on July 12, 2015, 01:37:34 PM
I'll just post this here whilst I go :w00t: in the corner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt3WMOfh2Wo
ok, I'm sold. Even if I don't understand a word, I want to see this. In my experience, dubbing of asian movies has been very bad and I hate subtitles. Anime dubbing (well, Gundams, at least) are often done in Canada (the part of the country where's there's no winter) and they're usually very good, but I'm afraid of the dubbing such a movie...
I was very skeptical about this one but looking at he trailers it might just work.
There are lots of good anime/manga adaptions, some that are better than the anime even.
Detroit metal city was absolutely awesome, Deathnote I saw before the anime and it encouraged me to go watch it, Thermae Romae was good, etc...
Generally crap anime adaptions come about when for some reason a Hong Kong or American company has got hold of the license and decided to make a film. There are quite a lot of HK anime films out there.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 07, 2015, 08:37:48 PM
Just girls? Or is there a boy student off panel they're all in love in?
The boy prefers bald, cynical French Canadians.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F72863l_zpsfagefom9.jpg&hash=03fcbf89cc9464113444b2cd40533a8fe121cf7a) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/72863l_zpsfagefom9.jpg.html)
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works. Seven teams engage in a survival battle for a holy grail that grants any wish. Each team consists of a magician master and a servant, who can be a historical or mythical hero brought to life. The original story is a visual novel that consists of three independent storylines. UBW is the second route.
I think this is a strong contender for the best anime in 2015, but it isn't without flaws. The obvious strength is its absolutely gorgeous animation. Yet another good job from ufotable, the animation studio. It is a challenge to find better animation anywhere from TV anime. When compared to the UBW movie made just 5 years ago, this series wins 100-0, bearing in mind that movies are supposed to have much better animation than their TV show counterparts. The story execution is also much better than the movie, which was a complete failure that tried to compress too much story into 90 minutes.
But I hesitate to call it a masterpiece. Compared with Fate/Zero, the prequel, the storyline is less interesting. Fate/Zero has a rich array of interesting characters and lots of great subplots. UBW is more focused on the Shirou/Archer storyline. While interesting, the story can be a little slow at times, and making the equivalent of 27 episodes is stretching the story too thinly. Would have less downtime if it is slightly compressed to 22 or 23 episodes. The characters are also less interesting than their Fate/Zero counterparts, with Shirou being the clichéd anime hero who wants to save the world for no good reason.
With this addition, the question of how to watch the increasingly complicated Fate Series becomes even more difficult. There is no definitive answer but my personal suggestion is –
1. Fate/Zero (prequel, chronologically the first story, also the best anime so should be watched unspoiled)
2. Fate/Stay Night UBW (second route in the visual novel)
3. Fate/Stay Night (first route, made in 2006 by a different company. The execution is less good so should be watched after the previous better shows)
4. Fate/Stay Night UBW 2010 Movie (identical plot as the TV series. So bad it is good. If you have time to waste.)
5. Fate/Kaleid Liner (light magical girl spin-off. Not much to do with the original story. For hardcore Fate fans only)
6. Carnival Phantasm (plotless official fan-fiction that is good for laughs).
Canival Phantasm is probably the best in the lot, but reading Tsukihime and the Fate/stay night VN first is nearly mandatory. The gags draw heavily on Tsukihime and also heaven's feel, neither of which have anime representation, so it can be a bit exclusionary.
Really cute.
I finished watching Madoka.
It does pick up and gets quite good though not as dark as I was expecting from the writer.
[spoiler] Some hints from third episode that things are a bit fishy. And cool to see characters be killed so casually. Time travel reality warping plots though unoriginal tend to be good.
One thing I don't get though is where all the witches come from. So the magical girls grow into witches, right...but it doesn't seem sustainable given that before they do this they usually defeat a few witches. I guess familiars and the mention that they can grow into witches is an attempt to explain this, but those witches must be pooping out a lot of familiars to create enough witches for magical girls to fight.
At the end it seems Madoka spoiled her wish with the 'with my own hands' bit. Why not just wish the witches away generally. The overall ending from her wish...its weird. Its presented in such a happy manner but it doesn't seem so great to me at all. You've just got a slightly different type of villain.
Also an unexplained ponderance- so Akemi's natural magic weapon is that shield thingy that only in the last episode I realised was her time spinner....where then did she get all the other weapons she uses? It shows her making bombs at one point, which is fair enough, but then in the last battle she's shooting a full military arsenal somehow.
Overall though it does strike a pretty interesting balance between typical kids adventures and some more modern elements like character mortality- which nobody seems to care too much about.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tyr on July 18, 2015, 08:10:50 AM
I finished watching Madoka.
It does pick up and gets quite good though not as dark as I was expecting from the writer.
[spoiler] Some hints from third episode that things are a bit fishy. And cool to see characters be killed so casually. Time travel reality warping plots though unoriginal tend to be good.
One thing I don't get though is where all the witches come from. So the magical girls grow into witches, right...but it doesn't seem sustainable given that before they do this they usually defeat a few witches. I guess familiars and the mention that they can grow into witches is an attempt to explain this, but those witches must be pooping out a lot of familiars to create enough witches for magical girls to fight.
At the end it seems Madoka spoiled her wish with the 'with my own hands' bit. Why not just wish the witches away generally. The overall ending from her wish...its weird. Its presented in such a happy manner but it doesn't seem so great to me at all. You've just got a slightly different type of villain.
Also an unexplained ponderance- so Akemi's natural magic weapon is that shield thingy that only in the last episode I realised was her time spinner....where then did she get all the other weapons she uses? It shows her making bombs at one point, which is fair enough, but then in the last battle she's shooting a full military arsenal somehow.
Overall though it does strike a pretty interesting balance between typical kids adventures and some more modern elements like character mortality- which nobody seems to care too much about.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Akemi Homura's shield is a hyperspace storage. She pulls all her weapons from there. Yes, including the missile frigate.[/spoiler]
Now that you have finished watching the TV series, I suggest that you watch Movie 3: Rebellion story. It is a sequel. Movies 1 and 2 are summaries of the TV series.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FthCA40OKAN_zps8a8c34a0.jpg&hash=d46c0594ffae531160d2b41e3f0a7a6a05dd13af) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/thCA40OKAN_zps8a8c34a0.jpg.html)
Sailor Moon Crystal. A remake of one of the most famous magical girl warrior shows in the world that promises to stay close to the source manga, and with updated graphics.
Surprisingly, it failed on the graphics front. A show that is so famous that many non-anime watchers are aware of, has a large international following, appeals to a much wider demographic than the typical otakus, failed to secure the budget and care to produce a visually impressive show. It isn't awful, but you won't expect merely average and uninspired graphics for a show with a celebrated history. It is like a remake of the Titanic movie with a B-movie budget.
Even more problematic is that the show failed in its primary mission to be entertaining. Other than the two main leads, almost everybody feels like cardboards, especially the closest friends of Sailor Moon. Sailor Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus are there just because they have to be. The majority of the time, they are not plot-relevant. They are just there either to shout the once-an-episode attacks, or wait to be rescued.
When I watched magical girl shows in the 80s, the lead girls transform not to fight monsters, but to sing on stage. They needed the help of magic to look good, gain confidence, and summon fireworks out of thin air. Sailor moon popularised the idea that magical girls can tank monsters and fight as a team, and they fight better than the males. I get the feeling that Sailor moon's job has been done, as that idea has taken root in anime culture. Since then, the world has moved on, to more innovative and refined ways of story-telling.
Sailor Moon Crystal was a big disappointment. Even most of the tie-in merchandise to cash in on it had the sense to mimic the old aesthetic instead.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pt/thumb/7/76/Nichijou.jpg/260px-Nichijou.jpg)
Nichijou
At the time it came out, Nichijou was a break from Kyoto Animation's chain of successful cute girls slice of life shows. They subsequently broke from this mold with mixed success, and have just lately returned to it.
Nichijou is still cute girls doing cute things, but is a series of comedy sketches. It has been described as a more surrealist Azumanga Daioh, which I think is fair. "Nichijou" means daily life, but here is a gross misnomer. Contrasting it to Azumanga Daioh, there are differences- the art team obviously had enormous amounts of fun on a project that wasn't static scenes of girls in a club room, and it shines through. On any episode, several types of animation style will appear for different scenes.
Nichijou had a surprisingly good set of character songs released seperately, and its openings, featuring Hyadain, and endings are also quite good. A lot of anime comedies don't do it for me; I always smile with this one. Beautiful, with loveable characters and energetic, happy music, it's an energetic, happy show.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F72399l_zpsupt7yb16.jpg&hash=f7ddf84c8071878c2205581e92e10c3b914b9676) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/72399l_zpsupt7yb16.jpg.html)
Spoiler Warning. Don't read if you don't want major spoilers for the excellent Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi movie, or the TV series.
You have been warned.
Disappearance of Nagato-yuki Chan. Spin-off of the Suzumiya Haruhi series and not based on the source novels. Takes place in the "Disappearance" world. Essentially, this is what happens if Kyon chose to join the literature club and stay. Naturally, the Nagato-yuki is the shy, easily embarrassed version rather than her expressionless self in the TV series.
It is entirely possible to do an extremely good slice-of-life series where nothing happens, as K-On and other shows have done. It is also possible that these shows are boring, as this show is. It already has the advantage of using some of the most memorable characters that anime has ever created, but the result is disappointing. The first problem is that it feels like filler. The majority of anime fillers are boring because the sole purpose of filler is to buy time for the source manga artist to publish. They cannot be inconsistent with the canon story, so they always go back to square one at the end. The same applies to this series. It is afraid to go anywhere or do anything with the characters. Given how slow the pacing already is, the decision to stretch the show to 16 episodes instead of the typical 12/13 is mind-boggling.
In this case, the once great characters become a burden. They are never meant to appear in a slice of life series, and it shows. Kyon is designed to be a snarking, unreliable narrator. Removing that main trait from him doesn't work well. The Nagato in "Disappearance" (which I consider one of the greatest anime movies ever) is shy but lovable, and is a believable character if she were human. It is easy to sympathise with her as this is what the real Nagato wanted to be. In this spin-off, she isn't just shy, but also clumsy and idiotic. I understand that these traits are added to provide comedy effect, but they are not believable. The real Nagato wants to be more human, but she won't downgrade herself to a point where she basically needs a 24 hour caretaker.
If the characters are given different names, this show will become an unremarkable and generic slice of life that will be easily forgotten. Alas, they have used the Haruhi franchise, and all it does is convince the powers-that-be that further investment in this is futile.
Speaking of merchandise, I have promised myself that I won't buy any. I do buy a few CDs every year if I love the songs AND can't get them from other means. I get around the no merchandise rule by reclassifying them under "music" and not "anime" :blush:
Nichijou is on my to-do list, though I fear it will be a long while before I get to it.
You should buy anime t-shirts and wear them to the office on casual Fridays.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on July 19, 2015, 11:43:31 PM
You should buy anime t-shirts and wear them to the office on casual Fridays.
We don't have casual Fridays. I do not allow pictures on my clothes :P
Quote from: Monoriu on July 20, 2015, 01:06:03 AM
I do not allow pictures on my clothes :P
What about words?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frlv.zcache.com%2Ftrust_me_im_a_bureaucrat_tshirt-r530562e220ef4a6db6a42dc3e6ad3b80_8nhmi_324.jpg&hash=364c89fd6a083a002f3151a3e777eb54af5220d5)
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on July 20, 2015, 02:16:46 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on July 20, 2015, 01:06:03 AM
I do not allow pictures on my clothes :P
What about words?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frlv.zcache.com%2Ftrust_me_im_a_bureaucrat_tshirt-r530562e220ef4a6db6a42dc3e6ad3b80_8nhmi_324.jpg&hash=364c89fd6a083a002f3151a3e777eb54af5220d5)
Nope, no words allowed.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefashionpolice.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F09%2Fthe-chest-shirt.jpg&hash=b6f41570bcca76324dc994a177b75250919f3bdd)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FmJvIubZliz-LyxJ7dH2thNA_zpsqbv9f8ut.jpg&hash=b02be4d9a53c3c6e0df00d5d43be161d0748e5f2) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/mJvIubZliz-LyxJ7dH2thNA_zpsqbv9f8ut.jpg.html)
A polo shirt? I expected more from you. :(
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.wonderfulengineering.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F10%2Fsuit-up-Barney-Stinson3.jpg&hash=59bb0c5ab94512f0aea04c012cf8fbd22ae56ee7)
Polo shirts are for weekends.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 19, 2015, 11:19:36 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F72399l_zpsupt7yb16.jpg&hash=f7ddf84c8071878c2205581e92e10c3b914b9676) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/72399l_zpsupt7yb16.jpg.html)
Spoiler Warning. Don't read if you don't want major spoilers for the excellent Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi movie, or the TV series.
You have been warned.
I had no idea they had made something new. Awesome. I like that series.
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Dragonball Super is being broadcast now. It is a direct sequel to Dragonball Z, with involvement by the original author as series creator and charactor designer. So this is considered canon.
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Psycho Pass the Movie. In the distant future, Japan is ruled by the Sybil system that assigns a psycho pass rating to every resident. The rating is based on tendency to commit crimes, psychological balance, stress levels etc. Those who are considered too dangerous to society are sent to correctional facilities. As a result, society is now largely crime-free, and everybody gets jobs assigned by the system. The protagonists are the police enforcers, who are authorised to kill potential criminals on sight. The movie is a sequel to season 2. Japan now begins to export the Sybil system to a South-east Asian country embroiled in a civil war between the government and guerilla rebels. Japanese police are sent to investigate when there are suspicions that the rebels send terrorists to Japan.
The good:
This is a big budget production done right. It is visually stunning, right there with the best in Japanese animation. The fight scenes are breath-taking.
The story and the execution are good. I was glued to the monitor for two hours. Gen Urobuchi once again delivers an interesting and thought-provoking tale. The two TV seasons are about rebellions against the Sybil system. This is about what happens when the system falls into the wrong hands.
[spoiler]Kogami, the badass inspector from season 1, makes a return after his season 2 absence. [/spoiler]
The not-so-good:
It is a standalone movie, meaning nothing in the movie has long-term implications on the entire setting, unlike the two TV seasons. In the end, there is a straight-forward solution to a straight-forward problem. The most fundamental conflict in the show is not really explored and any resolution is once again postponed. The flip side is that further sequels are likely.
The villains are not as deep or memorable as their TV season counterparts.
Overall, it is a highly enjoyable work that is a valuable addition to the franchise.
Mistakes in anime are, unfortunately, not that uncommon. Tight deadlines, insufficient budget, frequent changes in the storyboards, irresponsible subcontractors, overworked staff, concentration of resources on important episodes (opening, conclusion, major fights, plot twist episodes) at the expense of fillers etc all contribute to the problem. Some mistakes are innocent, like drawing six fingers on a hand. Many are not mistakes per se, but simply horrible quality. Some are downright wrong, like incorrect proportions. I've seen an aired screenshot of Naruto missing his head. That's why it is usually preferable to watch the BDrips instead of the TVrips, as these mistakes are often corrected subsequently.
Here is a video showing some of the mistakes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KYqUsIP7to
Quote from: Monoriu on July 22, 2015, 10:58:50 AM
Mistakes in anime are, unfortunately, not that uncommon. Tight deadlines, insufficient budget, frequent changes in the storyboards, irresponsible subcontractors, overworked staff, concentration of resources on important episodes (opening, conclusion, major fights, plot twist episodes) at the expense of fillers etc all contribute to the problem. Some mistakes are innocent, like drawing six fingers on a hand. Many are not mistakes per se, but simply horrible quality. Some are downright wrong, like incorrect proportions. I've seen an aired screenshot of Naruto missing his head. That's why it is usually preferable to watch the BDrips instead of the TVrips, as these mistakes are often corrected subsequently.
Here is a video showing some of the mistakes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KYqUsIP7to
Well that was fun and terrifying. :lol:
I thought about posting this in the games forum, but I find it's a better fit here.
Supercharged Robot VULKAISER is a bog standard bullet hell shmup, but where it shines is its presentation: it's styled like a 1970s giant robot anime, and each level is an episode.
Promo trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlGceWI695s
Gameplay trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nnF9TrnNQ0
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oRPz7z_c24
Similarities iwth Voltron and the likes is purely incidental, I think. :P
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion
All the girls are back in what (like the series) starts off as a typical magical girl story. Then things start getting weird and then there's exposition, a lot of exposition. Even with all the exposition I think this would be incredibly confusing for someone who wasn't familiar with the series. Having seen the series I thought it was way too much talk, way too little rock. The ending is twisted; but it's not worth the effort to get there.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 24, 2015, 10:42:37 AM
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion
All the girls are back in what (like the series) starts off as a typical magical girl story. Then things start getting weird and then there's exposition, a lot of exposition. Even with all the exposition I think this would be incredibly confusing for someone who wasn't familiar with the series. Having seen the series I thought it was way too much talk, way too little rock. The ending is twisted; but it's not worth the effort to get there.
I watched the original series at least 5 times, but I needed to watch the movie twice to get what's going on. It is difficult to understand. There should be huge warning signs somewhere that this movie should not be viewed by someone who has not seen the TV series or the previous two movies.
I have a major complaint with the movie. I consider what Homura did an ass pull, nothing more, nothing less. Fans have come up with 10-step complex theories on the how. But I don't buy them. The movie failed to suspend disbelief on that point.
But other than that I am very happy with the movie myself. I thought it would be hard for Shaft to come up with a worthy sequel for the series, but they did it. It had similar levels of impact as the series. It dared to go somewhere new and unexpected.
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Noragami, literally, stray god. This is a world where all Japanese gods exist and all myths are true. The strength of a god depends on the number of worshippers, so the god that supposedly grants good grades is one of the richest and most powerful gods. Yato is a penniless deity who dreams of building a great shrine for himself, but in reality is reduced to writing his mobile phone number in toilets to sell his services of doing odd jobs (like finding stray cats) for five yen. The mental picture of a destitute deity working his way to material wealth five yen at a time is extremely enticing to me :mmm:
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(that only happens in a dream)
This is a reasonably good action adventure with an interesting setting. The tone flip-flops between light and comedic to dark and serious at the drop of a hat. There is obviously a rich world of interesting characters and backstories. Each god is supposed to have at least one shinki that is part follower, part weapon. The shinkis have personalities of their own and may even leave their masters if they feel they can get better pay elsewhere. Yato's dark past keeps catching up to him. Even though he is mostly doing honest work, different gods with their own shinki often appear out of no where to mess with him.
12 episodes plus 2 OVA episodes are no where near enough screen time to build the story. The show is a good start, but there is a feeling that it has yet to reach the meat of the real story. Thankfully, a second season is in the works, and is scheduled for broadcast in October 2015.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 24, 2015, 10:42:37 AM
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion
All the girls are back in what (like the series) starts off as a typical magical girl story. Then things start getting weird and then there's exposition, a lot of exposition. Even with all the exposition I think this would be incredibly confusing for someone who wasn't familiar with the series. Having seen the series I thought it was way too much talk, way too little rock. The ending is twisted; but it's not worth the effort to get there.
I just watched it. And yes. Agreed.
That film sucked.
Heh Mono I was thinking of you when I saw the movie Leon: The Professional.
Not Anime, but it contains a bizzare, difficult to describe, messed-up relationship between a 12 year old girl (Natalie Portman in her first role) and an aging hitman that definitely pushes the boundaries of what would be acceptable to portray in North America. So much so that some 25 minutes were originally cut from the movie for the US release! (See the longer 'international' version). One of the cut scenes is perhaps one of the best scenes I have seen using a child actress - 'I win Love or Death'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxEVIpoue0E
Artistically, it is done very well, I thought. Well worth seeing.
Quote from: Malthus on July 27, 2015, 12:16:23 PM
Heh Mono I was thinking of you when I saw the movie Leon: The Professional.
Not Anime, but it contains a bizzare, difficult to describe, messed-up relationship between a 12 year old girl (Natalie Portman in her first role) and an aging hitman that definitely pushes the boundaries of what would be acceptable to portray in North America. So much so that some 25 minutes were originally cut from the movie for the US release! (See the longer 'international' version). One of the cut scenes is perhaps one of the best scenes I have seen using a child actress - 'I win Love or Death'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxEVIpoue0E
Artistically, it is done very well, I thought. Well worth seeing.
Thanks for the recommendation but, why did you think of me when you watched it? :P
Quote from: Tyr on July 27, 2015, 11:21:21 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on July 24, 2015, 10:42:37 AM
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion
All the girls are back in what (like the series) starts off as a typical magical girl story. Then things start getting weird and then there's exposition, a lot of exposition. Even with all the exposition I think this would be incredibly confusing for someone who wasn't familiar with the series. Having seen the series I thought it was way too much talk, way too little rock. The ending is twisted; but it's not worth the effort to get there.
I just watched it. And yes. Agreed.
That film sucked.
Too bad you didn't like it though. I bought two tickets for the movie. First time I saw it I was a little bit confused and wasn't entirely happy with the turns and twists. The second viewing cleared it up for me and I thought it was one of the best anime movies ever. The BD release changed a lot of scenes and made it even more visually impressive (no changes to the dialogue or plot).
But that's all there is to see under the Madoka franchise. Despite the billions they are earning in merchandising revenue, there is no hint for any further sequels. Shaft is busy with the Monogatari series and Nisekoi. Gen Urobuchi has said that he has run out of ideas, and the producers need to bring in new writers if there is a sequel.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 27, 2015, 02:47:51 PM
Thanks for the recommendation but, why did you think of me when you watched it? :P
;)
Because we debated this very issue - what is acceptable to portray in North America re: sexualization of young girls.
In this movie, the girl is very young (the actress was 12 or so) and throughout the whole movie, she's clearly portrayed as being 'in love' with her adult hitman friend, much to his dismay at times.
In the "international release", she outright propositions him for sex (he turns her down). This was cut from the NA release. Though in this case, though, I thought in the context of the movie the relationship made sense & was not intended to be purient - I would recommend seeing the uncut version. So in a sense, I am conceding to you a point. ;)
Anyway, it is well worth seeing, as it is a very good movie, transcending the usual action genre.
Little Princess Sara
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Based on the novel The Little Princess, this is part of the masterpiece theatre series, and one of the better ones. It is a far more faithful adaptation than the American film, and is a good drama. It is a bit long at 45 episodes, but takes the story on in a thorough and relaxing way.
Crucially, Sara and Becky come off as much cuter than their literary counterparts, especially Becky, who benefits doubly from a pleasant conception of a maid's uniform and a much stronger grasp on grammar and speech. Ram Dass and the exotic orientalism in general take a hit compared to the book, as Japanese lack the tone for a pleasingly obsequetious and mysterious Sahib'ing manservant. Ram Dass even has a bit of a racelift, looking an sounding like all the other characters save for a minor an and a turban on his head.
It is unfortunate we can't have the best of both worlds, with more proper and adorable little girls as well as proper and adorable colonial manservants, but on the balance the first is probably more important.
I watched Tom Sawyer's Adventures of the World Masterpiece Theatre as a kid, and absolutely loved it. I haven't tried, but I imagine that these old anime series will be difficult to get. Would love to be proven wrong though.
Their Heidi was hugely popular when I was little. It's generally considered one of the best adaptations of the book. I've watched a few other shows of the series (Polyanna, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, A Dog of Flanders, Rascal the Raccoon, ...) and they were all pretty enjoyable. A good way to introduce kids to literature classics if they can't be bothered to read old books. I'm sure a fair few of them run on kids' channels these days.
Not part of the series, but Nils Holgersson was also a favorite of mine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_Adventures_of_Nils_(anime)
Dog of Flanders used to be on TV just at that time when I should be leaving for work so I only caught snippets. It had such a happy and wonderful opening credits.... But once I watched longer and it opened onto a dog suffering in the snow :(
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Cowboy Bebop. Humanity has colonized the solar system in the future. An ex-policeman and an ex-criminal team up on the spaceship Bebop to make a living as bounty hunters. A female fatale, a child genius computer hacker and a data dog join them along the way. They face their pasts, dangerous criminals and interesting people along their journey. Widely regarded as one of the best anime shows ever made. I agree wholeheartedly.
It is almost as if it is made for a western audience. The show is essentially cowboys in space. It avoids most otaku anime tropes, like a highschool setting, teenage protagonists, harems, incest subtext, transforming mechas, cute girls with huge eyes etc. Everything in it feels western, especially the music which is jazz style.
The show is largely episodic, with the main plot only covering 5 episodes out of 26. Yet most of the single episodes leave an impression. The reason can be a unique and memorable villain, hilarious moments, a signature scene of the protagonist remembering his past while falling down from a church window, homages to famous western/Hong Kong action movies, famous last words, crazy badass antics by the leads etc. Many minor, enemy-of-the-week type characters stay in fans' memory long after some main heroes of lesser shows have been forgotten. There is almost always something that makes each episode unique.
The production values are excellent. For a 90s show, the visuals have stood the test of time and still compares very well with the average show in the 2010s. It is impossible to discuss this show without mentioning the music. This is easily the magnum opus of Yoko Kanno, one of the most respected anime/video game music composers in Japan. I think the soundtracks of this 26-episode and single movie series easily fill at least 4 CDs, and they are still being sold today.
Am I the only one here who hasn't seen it until now? :unsure:
I haven't seen it. :)
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 01:18:28 AM
Cowboy Bebop. Humanity has colonized the solar system in the future. An ex-policeman and an ex-criminal team up on the spaceship Bebop to make a living as bounty hunters. A female fatale, a child genius computer hacker and a data dog join them along the way. They face their pasts, dangerous criminals and interesting people along their journey. Widely regarded as one of the best anime shows ever made. I agree wholeheartedly.
.Am I the only one here who hasn't seen it until now? :unsure:
Among those who claim to like anime, or even be fans, yes :smarty:
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on September 08, 2015, 10:57:20 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 01:18:28 AM
Cowboy Bebop. Humanity has colonized the solar system in the future. An ex-policeman and an ex-criminal team up on the spaceship Bebop to make a living as bounty hunters. A female fatale, a child genius computer hacker and a data dog join them along the way. They face their pasts, dangerous criminals and interesting people along their journey. Widely regarded as one of the best anime shows ever made. I agree wholeheartedly.
.Am I the only one here who hasn't seen it until now? :unsure:
Among those who claim to like anime, or even be fans, yes :smarty:
I haven't seen it; I've never been interested in doing so, despite the rave reviews. What I know of the concept, descriptions and characters doesn't grab me enough to make me want to watch it.
Quote from: Agelastus on September 08, 2015, 03:37:06 PM
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on September 08, 2015, 10:57:20 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 01:18:28 AM
Cowboy Bebop. Humanity has colonized the solar system in the future. An ex-policeman and an ex-criminal team up on the spaceship Bebop to make a living as bounty hunters. A female fatale, a child genius computer hacker and a data dog join them along the way. They face their pasts, dangerous criminals and interesting people along their journey. Widely regarded as one of the best anime shows ever made. I agree wholeheartedly.
.Am I the only one here who hasn't seen it until now? :unsure:
Among those who claim to like anime, or even be fans, yes :smarty:
I haven't seen it; I've never been interested in doing so, despite the rave reviews. What I know of the concept, descriptions and characters doesn't grab me enough to make me want to watch it.
Very often a premise of a show may not interest me, but I'll watch it anyway if the reviews are good. Exceptions are sports anime, car racing, boys' love, and horror shows. I am still wondering if I should watch Mushishi. I hate bugs :mad:
Yes.
Many anime that I ended up quite liking had synopsis that just sounded terrible.
Quote from: Tyr on September 08, 2015, 06:14:24 PM
Yes.
Many anime that I ended up quite liking had synopsis that just sounded terrible.
That would be Suzumiya Haruhi for me. Despite the rave reviews, nobody could say what the show was all about. I watched it and soon found out why. It is impossible to talk about the show without mentioning major spoilers.
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Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
It is also a somewhat controversial show with its huge amounts of fanservice and mild nudity. Young females in this world don't wear skirts and pants, and they just walk around in their underwear. While this is panty shot central, all the nudity takes place in female-only settings.
Chronologically, the three extended episodes take place after the end of TV season 2, and before the movie. Each episode takes the viewpoint of some of the side heroines, and showed what happened to them after their original unit was disbanded. This is consistent with the focus on the different heroines in the rest of the show. The quality does not disappoint, though the show doesn't do anything ground-breaking. It could be the last chance to see the familiar characters in action, as the production company has hinted that any further shows in the franchise will feature a new cast.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
Why didn't Turtledove think of that? :hmm:
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Expelled from Paradise. This is a standalone movie. The story takes place in the distant future. An unspecified apocalyptic event took place a long time ago that left Earth a barren wasteland. The bulk of humans digitised their minds and now live on servers on space stations, enjoying a paradise-like existence in virtual worlds. One day, somebody hacked into the computer of the spacenoids. The government sent elite security agents to go after the hacker, who is believed to reside on Earth. The protagonist, Angela, takes the appearance of a cute female and works with a guide from Earth, Dingo, to hunt down the hacker.
The main selling point of the movie is the staff: it is directed by Seiji Mizushima of Gundam 00 fame, and the script is done by Gen Urobuchi of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero. Urobuchi is known for his tendency to kill everybody in sight, but that has been toned down in recent years. The script is good, and there is even a somewhat plausible explanation of why the protagonist uses the body of a young female. There are spectacular mech fights and that's one of the reasons why Mizushima was hired for the job, though the eye candy is by no means the main focus.
The real focus of the show is that it explores questions of humanity and society. What price are we willing to pay for paradise. The conflict is best illustrated by the interplay between Angela and Dingo. On one side there is an elite officer who is mostly interested in advancing her career. On the other hand is a laid back, cynical earthling. This isn't Spirited Away, but is well worth a watch.
I heard of something, Attack of the Titans, I think? Is it as good as they say?
Quote from: viper37 on September 10, 2015, 10:04:54 AM
I heard of something, Attack of the Titans, I think? Is it as good as they say?
Yes, well within my top 5 favourite anime. This is what I picked to start this thread.
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Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet: Far Beyond the Voyage. This is two 50-minute long OVAs and a direct sequel to the original story. Redo is a child soldier of the Galactic Alliance which is engaged in a forever war with squid aliens. During a failed assault, Redo escaped through a wormhole and ended up on an unfamiliar planet, Earth. The Alliance people left Earth many centuries ago, and the planet is now covered mostly by water. The Earthlings live on floating cities formed by interlocking ships. Gargantia is the name of the floating city that took Redo in. After the end of the original story, Redo stayed on Gargantia. A new mysterious girl appears and joins Redo's group as part of the mail delivery team.
The original Gargantia story consists of 13 episodes, plus 2 OVA side story episodes. Far Beyond the Voyage adds the equivalent of 4 further episodes to the story. I have always admired how Gargantia handles its additional content. Whereas the majority of bonus episodes tend to be fanservice, Gardantia's OVAs add to the story. Far Beyond the Voyage is well-animated, does well in answering the "how are the old characters doing" questions, and adds an engaging story to the mix.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
:lol:
If anyone but you had written that I would have sworn they had made it up on the spot.
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Quote from: Savonarola on September 16, 2015, 12:59:19 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
:lol:
If anyone but you had written that I would have sworn they had made it up on the spot.
It's obviously a sign of a classic work destined to be remembered throughout the ages. :)
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Shinsekai Yori, or From the New World. A millennia from now, humanity lives in what appear to be utopian villages that are isolated from the outside world. For some reason, they have technologically regressed to be primarily agrarian societies. The most notable difference however is that all humans are capable of psycho-telekinesis. Nevertheless, there are ominous signs everywhere. Students disappear without a trace. Rumours of man-eating monsters strike fear in everybody. The authorities are obviously keeping a lot of secrets from the children, and there is a ban on finding out humanity's history. The show is seen through the eyes of five close companions at school, and it portrays their journeys to adulthood.
This is a fantastic show and I give it a 10/10 with no hesitation. Dramatic, intense, thought-provoking, unique, addictive, nightmarish. There is almost no comic relief whatsoever, and it is definitely not for people looking for relaxation. Lots of anime are about super or magical powers, and most of them portray these powers positively. The usual perspectives are, those with special powers save the world, or do contracts for the plebs. From the New World asks the question, "seriously, what happens to human societies if some of us *really* get superpowers and are not saints?" If a random person can kill another on sight with a mere thought, human relationships will turn upside down.
Shinsekai Yori isn't an eye-catching show. It is easy to overlook it with its premise and promotional poster. One problem is that the show relies heavily on plot twists, mysteries and dramatic reveals, so it is difficult to discuss it without spoilers. Although it starts with the most clichéd high school anime setting, it is one of a kind and avoids most otaku tropes. It is a masterpiece that is extremely rewarding, but be prepared for lots of death, gore, blood, deceit, and betrayals.
Shinsekai Yori has good yuri elements, and Squealer is one of the most delightful characters around.
Although mono says "This is a fantastic show and I give it 10/10 with no hesitation", he can be a bit free with his praise. This is actually very nice.
Quote from: Lettow77 on September 17, 2015, 11:55:58 PM
Shinsekai Yori has good yuri elements, and Squealer is one of the most delightful characters around.
Although mono says "This is a fantastic show and I give it 10/10 with no hesitation", he can be a bit free with his praise. This is actually very nice.
I actually keep a list of anime that I have watched, and I do score them. My mean is slightly below 7.
Quote from: Savonarola on September 16, 2015, 12:59:19 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
:lol:
If anyone but you had written that I would have sworn they had made it up on the spot.
Only Mono and Lettow would use the word moe.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 18, 2015, 03:15:02 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on September 16, 2015, 12:59:19 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
:lol:
If anyone but you had written that I would have sworn they had made it up on the spot.
Only Mono and Lettow would use the word moe.
It is a common anime term. And you also used it just now :P
Technically, I suppose I did, but I wasn't trying to convey a specific meaning by it, unlike the rest of the words in that post and this one.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 18, 2015, 03:15:02 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on September 16, 2015, 12:59:19 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
:lol:
If anyone but you had written that I would have sworn they had made it up on the spot.
Only Mono and Lettow would use the word moe.
Well, yes, but even without the "Moe" the premise sounds like a slightly more sophisticated version of a five year old playing make believe.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 18, 2015, 03:19:47 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 18, 2015, 03:15:02 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on September 16, 2015, 12:59:19 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 08, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
Strike Witches Operation Victory Arrow. The latest installment in this long-running military magical girl show. The story takes place in an alternate Earth where WWII did not happen. Instead, aliens invaded Earth in the late 1930s, and the various Earth governments joined forces to fight back. So Tigers and Shermans fought on the same side. While conventional military worked, the most efficient method to fight the aliens was teenage magical girls who could deploy magical shields, and fly using "fighter legs". The magical girls are essentially moe anthropomorphisms of WWII fighter aircraft.
:lol:
If anyone but you had written that I would have sworn they had made it up on the spot.
Only Mono and Lettow would use the word moe.
It is a common anime term. And you also used it just now :P
What about larry and curly? :hmm:
I knew a girl called Moe in Japan.
She was rather hot.
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Chaos Dragon. The anime of a table-top fantasy RPG session played by some of the most famous writers in the anime industry. A small island nation has been partitioned by two great powers, and there is an on-going rebellion by the locals. The Red Dragon, a local deity, has gone mad. The three sides form a joint investigation team to find out what is going on. Ibuki the protagonist belongs to a race that traditionally rules the island. His special ability is a curse that allows him to sacrifice one of his friends for calling on the red dragon to roast another.
This is a failure of an anime, one of those shows where I tell myself "I am so glad it is finally over" after watching the last episode. The first problem is that the main story is incoherent and far too fragmented. Each episode consists of random, repetitive and uninteresting stuff happening to the party. Geography seems meaningless, and the party members just appear and disappear where they are needed. Characters don't develop throughout the story. New characters are introduced in almost every episode, resulting in a cast that is underdeveloped. The ending simply appeared out of nowhere.
The second major problem is the protagonist and the atmosphere. The show is supposed to be dark, serious, and riddled with character deaths. This is supposed to be underpinned by the tragic circumstance of the protagonist, that he needs to kill his friends for his country. The emotional impact of the deaths isn't much, because most of the people who died are ones that the audience don't care about. The next issue is that if Ibuki spent episodes 1 and 2 brooding about his circumstance, that's fine. It doesn't really work if he complains about the same thing in every episode without coming up with solutions.
The Autumn 2015 anime season will begin next week, and these are the anime that I plan to follow.
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Owari Monogatari. Literally, the last story. Continuation of the hugely successful monogatari series, where the protagonists deal with people who are cursed with various demons and supernatural elements. Based on a best selling novel, the show is noted for its signature art style, and lengthy dialogue. One thing is for sure, it certainly isn't the last story in the series. The novelist has already published several sequels to his last story.
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One Punch Man. I know very little about this, but it seems to be based on a popular manga. The idea is that an ordinary salaryman has somehow become a part time superhero who is able to defeat any invading monsters with a single punch. Supposed to be funny.
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Noragami Season 2. Sequel of Noragami, the story about a penniless deity aspiring to become rich.
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Attack on Titan: Junior High. Yes, it is a self-parody. All the Attack on Titan characters are junior high students in this world, and apparently all the titans study in a nearby school. I have a feeling that the show could be 5-minute shorts, but I am not sure.
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Tsukihime, literally, Moon Princess. This is based on a popular pornographic visual novel. These visual novels are pornographic, but the storyline is very eloborate, sophisticated and serious, with dozens of hours of non-porn content. They just have to add the porn stuff to boost sales. The anime has removed all the porn content, but the harem and incest subtext aspects stay. The makers of this visual novel also made the very popular Fate/Stay Night and Kara no Kyoukai (Garden of Sinners) visual novels, and the similarity shows.
The protagonist finds himself cursed with "eyes of death", enabling him to see lines and points over everything and everyone. If he attacks these with a simple knife, he can kill or destroy anything. One day, he somehow cut up a woman, who turned out to be non-human. They team up to battle vampires, but things are complicated by his younger sister who is keeping a lot of secrets from him, and a female classmate who appears perfectly normal by day, but stalks him by night.
This anime has a bad reputation. There is even an anime meme that "there is no anime for Tsukihime". I haven't touched the source visual novel, only seen the 12 anime episodes. Based on what I have seen, the anime is perfectly enjoyable. Certainly isn't a masterpiece, but is better than a lot of stuff out there. The atmosphere is mostly dark and serious. The mystery surrounding the past of the protagonist keeps the audience on edge and the story going. The characters are memorable. The soundtrack is really good. The harem vibe is a little too strong for my taste, as the three main heroines (six if you count the maids and a secondary character), including the little sister, openly fight for the only significant male character's affection. 12 episodes isn't a lot of airtime, and I get the sense that a huge amount of story in the visual novel has been skipped. Maybe that's why others are not happy with it, but I am fine with this show.
The main reason I watched it though, is because this is required reading before I can watch Carnival Phantasm, a show that assumes prior knowledge of Tsukihime and Fate/Stay Night.
Visual Novel adaptations usually have a problem reconciling a game that has multiple routes and continuities into a single anime narrative. Fate/stay night has been successful enough to make separate anime out of its separate routes, (although we've still not gotten a proper Heaven's Feel..) but Tsukihime's best route was for Kohaku, a 'secondary' character.
Kohaku's route was really excellent and had what I thought was the story's best content, but none of it makes it into the anime at all.
Autumn 2015
Like mono, I thought i'd mention what I planned on following and why.
Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru
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A mystery involving an ojousama who likes bones. It sounds like it might be a more offbeat Hyouka or less pandering Gosick. Either way it looks promising.
Sequels:
Yuru Yuri San☆Hai!
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Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka??
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Both moe with yuri elements. Yuru Yuri is more comedic, and usagi is more yukkuri. They are both good for you and i'm looking forward to more.
Quote from: Lettow77 on September 28, 2015, 10:03:08 PM
They are both good for you
So they're the cartoon equivalent of eating your vegetables? :hmm:
I believe it may lower blood pressure and be good for your heart, if nothing else.
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Charlotte, from Key Animation, the same folks who brought us Angel Beats, Clannad, Air, Kanon, and Little Busters. It is as if their mission statement contains the words "we aim to make people cry." In this world, some teenagers are blessed/cursed with various superpowers, but they all seem to have serious weaknesses. The protagonist can take over somebody else's body, but only for 5 seconds. Other special powers include invisibility (but only toward one specific individual at a time; everybody else can see you), super speed (but without brakes), letting your long dead sister take over your body (but only the dead person can control when she wants to appear) etc. There exists a school that specialises in taking in these teenagers. The mission of the student council and the protagonists is to convince other teenagers with special powers to join the school, or they risk being found by authorities eager to experiment on them.
The warm-up period of this show is particularly long. A lot of people give up after watching the first few episodes, which seem to consist of fillers. The story does take multiple radical turns mid-way that drastically alter the story and the perspective. It is well-worth watching till the end, and most important of all, it fulfills its stated mission as an emotional roller-coaster ride and a tearjerker. I particularly like how one episode deals with how the living cope with the loss of a loved one. The light episodes made me laugh, the serious episodes glued me to the screen.
The not-so-good. This isn't the first show that changes the tone and perspective of the story mid-way. Steins Gate and Puella Magi Madoka Magica are both like that. But the way Charlotte handles the transition is a little too abrupt, almost as if there are two separate stories in there. It could do a better job in foreshadowing the appearance of antagonists and other plot twists. There are too many moments when I thought "this came out of nowhere." The explanation of how the superpowers came to be was outright lame.
The show successfully pulled my heartstrings, but the script isn't as tight as it should be. In terms of Key shows, I'd put it behind Air and about on par with Kanon. Definitely not as good as Angel Beats or Clannad, but it is better than Little Busters and is well-worth watching.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 29, 2015, 04:07:18 AM
Cowboy Bebop. Humanity has colonized the solar system in the future. An ex-policeman and an ex-criminal team up on the spaceship Bebop to make a living as bounty hunters. A female fatale, a child genius computer hacker and a data dog join them along the way. They face their pasts, dangerous criminals and interesting people along their journey. Widely regarded as one of the best anime shows ever made. I agree wholeheartedly.
It is almost as if it is made for a western audience. The show is essentially cowboys in space. It avoids most otaku anime tropes, like a highschool setting, teenage protagonists, harems, incest subtext, transforming mechas, cute girls with huge eyes etc. Everything in it feels western, especially the music which is jazz style.
The show is largely episodic, with the main plot only covering 5 episodes out of 26. Yet most of the single episodes leave an impression. The reason can be a unique and memorable villain, hilarious moments, a signature scene of the protagonist remembering his past while falling down from a church window, homages to famous western/Hong Kong action movies, famous last words, crazy badass antics by the leads etc. Many minor, enemy-of-the-week type characters stay in fans' memory long after some main heroes of lesser shows have been forgotten. There is almost always something that makes each episode unique.
The production values are excellent. For a 90s show, the visuals have stood the test of time and still compares very well with the average show in the 2010s. It is impossible to discuss this show without mentioning the music. This is easily the magnum opus of Yoko Kanno, one of the most respected anime/video game music composers in Japan. I think the soundtracks of this 26-episode and single movie series easily fill at least 4 CDs, and they are still being sold today.
Am I the only one here who hasn't seen it until now? :unsure:
It's an amazing series and should absolutely be shown to any westerner if you want to introduce them to anime.
Check out the movie as well Mono and the series Samurai Champloo.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 29, 2015, 06:04:48 PM
It's an amazing series and should absolutely be shown to any westerner if you want to introduce them to anime.
Check out the movie as well Mono and the series Samurai Champloo.
I have already watched the Cowboy Bebop movie :) The series doesn't seem to be that popular in East Asia or Japan though. It is still highly regarded, but nowhere near as popular as other series.
Champloo is on my to-do list, as is Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal.
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Overlord. An ordinary salaryman has formed a guild of undead and other non-human races in a massive online RPG game. The guild went on to become extremely successful. They built a dungeon, which became the target of more "normal" players, and created NPCs to help protect the place. Over time, the guild players left one-by-one. Until one day, only the guildmaster was left, and the game itself was scheduled for closure. He logged on for the last time to witness the end of the game, only to find that the NPCs and the entire world came alive before him.
The "trapped in a game world" premise has been done to death. This anime does a remarkable job in creating a refreshing perspective that makes the show an excellent watching experience. The protagonist is a skeleton and an evil overlord. All his companions are NPCs hardwired to worship him and obey him without question, as he is their last creator left. One of the highlights of the show is his internal struggles. He maybe scared, emotional, struggling and screaming on the inside, but he always maintain his powerful, chessmaster persona in front of the NPCs. And they always interpret everything he says as divine, no matter how silly they really are. This is very different from typical anime adventure series where the relationship among the protagonist party is either based on trust and friendship, or harem love. In this anime, they also have a base of operations from the start, something they need to defend, instead of the wandering party setup.
Another strength of the show is the very detailed world settings, as well as the battle sequences. There are numerous factions and loads and loads of characters. There seem to be detailed rules about battles, HPs, MPs, potions, magic, armour, guild ranks, classes etc. Battles aren't just decided by having the most tragic backstories or the most potent willpower, but there are strategies and schemes involved, with detailed explanations. The only complaint I really have is that the protagonist is way overpowered and doesn't really face much challenge along the way.
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School live. I normally consider anything in the first episode of a show fair game to discuss without worrying about spoilers, but I'll make an exception for this one. Don't read ahead if you want to go in blind.
Four cute junior high school girls have decided that it is a good idea to live in their school. The teacher is nice, they are nice to each other, they have electricity, showering facilities, lots of supplies etc. All this happens in the head of the protagonist only. In reality, they live in a zombie apocalypse. Apparently they are the only survivors in the entire city. They are besieged by countless zombies, and they have barricaded themselves inside the school. The protagonist has subconsciously decided to ignore all the broken windows, blood stains on the walls, etc to live in her own illusionary world. Her friends play along both because they don't want to break her emotionally, and because her cheerful personality provides emotional support for them as well in the bleak times.
This is one of the most talked-about shows in the summer 2015 season. It is one of a kind, and the contrast between the slice of life, cute art style and characters, and the horrible reality they face leaves a lasting impression. Because the show is told from the perspective of an unreliable narrator, the audience is constantly challenged with the question, how much of what is shown is real and how much is her imagination. It is difficult to balance the cute things that they are doing, and their emotional trauma. The anime works to a reasonable extent without breaking immersion. But only to an extent, because I think 80% of the time, the cute things are dominant. It is a mix of two genres, but not a dark deconstruction. If anything, I think the middle arc is too relaxed, slow and filler-ish, but fortunately the ending regains focus.
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Carnival Phantasm. This is produced by Type-Moon, the same company behind Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime. Carnival Phantasm assumes familiarity with both series. There is no attempt to make even the most basic character or world introductions. It throws the audience into the ocean to sink or swim. In fact, I think it assumes that the viewers are familiar with the source visual novels. I have watched every anime episode in the Fate and Tsukihime franchises, yet there are still 10-15% of the characters that I have not seen before.
This is official fan fiction and affectionate self-parody. Forget trivial things like plots, coherence, continuity, etc. All those go out the window. The only purpose of the show is to have some casual fun, using the characters of both Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime. One episode features them in a Formula One style race trying to destroy each other. Another episode asks the audience to visit a website to vote if they want to see the two male protagonists date every heroine at once, or only date the main girl (I vaguely suspect that the website and voting are real). The "dating every heroine at once" option won, so the show really animated the two of them trying to date all their girlfriends on the same day (one of them has a 3-member harem; the other has a 5-member one) with tricks like leaving one of their girlfriends in a cinema, the other in a buffet etc. Then the last episode showed what would have happened under the dating only the main heroine option (and pissing off the rest of the harem). You get the idea.
This is a "turn your brain off; just laugh" kind of show. It is very charming to those of us who have done the homework to watch the pre-requisite shows. Both Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime are somewhat dark and tragic, so it is heartwarming to see everybody who are supposed to be dead coming back to life doing silly antics. Despite the crazy premise, the production values are good, loaded with easter eggs, call backs, insider jokes, and catchy songs. But the show is really only for Type-Moon fans.
I will now, officially and without any bias or subjective slant, rank the Type-Moon ladies from worst to best.
For simplicity's sake, only such ladies as had the prestige to make it into the Type Moon cover will receive attention. (a moment of silence for Caster and Rider, two worthies robbed of their day in the lists.) Spoilers may exist.
#10- Tohsaka
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Tohsaka plays the dishonest-with-herself aggressive, competitive and unfriendly tsundere to a fault. She is little more than a bag of tsundere tropes; insomuch as she rises above them, it is to be an overachieving rich girl with arrogance issues. Unappealing and unpleasant. Her zettai ryouiki is the best part of her character, and that's not a character trait so much as a wardrobe choice.
#9- Ciel
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As a member of Tea Ceremony club and a calm young lady with glasses, Ciel had every reason to hope for a higher placement. Unfortunately, her secretive background and personality quickly run away with her. "Church Assassin who is secretly a centuries old French vampire" will get you laughed out of anywhere. Besides this, she does little to endear her as a lady; her most compelling features as a straight-laced and collected Tea Ceremony Aesthete being essentially a lie. Unfortunate hair.
#8- Taiga
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Something of a joke character, Taiga is immature for her age, horrible at cooking, unwilling to clean, and has a boyish haircut. In her favor is that she has a cheerful disposition and..is good at Kendo? At her best she could be called a teasing older sister type. It is to her credit that she managed to make it this high on the list.
#7- Akiha
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#6- Arcueid
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#5- Illya
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the creepy lolicon option denied a route in the eleventh hour. The story takes pains to indicate that she is eighteen. The story protests too much. Illya is playful, mischevious, possessive and friendly. She also has a cute outfit, and a pleasant disposition. She has an interesting juxtaposition of kindness and callousness, and a manor to reside in. However, at final judgement, anyone the story has deliberately frozen into the body of a young girl and then presented for your romantic consideration is off-putting. This is the sort of thing that makes the foreigners talk, Japan.
#4- Hisui
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Hisui is an emotionless maid. Later we are convinced she was merely suppressing her natural kindness for obscure reasons, but the impression lasts. Emotionless maids that carry out their master's every order certainly have a place in the world, but she could stand to be more interesting. In particular, it's hard to believe she managed to get a route, but Illya did not. Crucially, she is the younger sister to Kohaku, and younger sisters are generally inferior. Who longs in their heart for an emotionless girl?
#3- Saber
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Nasu was not done with his idea of the beautiful blonde foreigner who is out of step with proper social cues, and so Saber became the leading heroine after Arcueid. It is natural to compare the two, and the comparison is favorable for Saber. She is very polite, composed, and fond of tea. Her sense of loyalty and duty are excellent, where Arcuieid is too capricious. A likeable character.
#2- Sakura
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Sakura is initially presented to us as a collection of idealized housewife tropes. We learn that she is perfect at cooking, diligent with cleaning, and that her life orbits the object of her affection, who she naturally puts in a position elevated to her own. That's all well and good. As the story progresses, though, it becomes clear she has had a terrible upbringing, and through no fault of her own has constant lustful urges. She is completely ashamed, and this is key. Her shame and desperate attempt to resist her wantonness, as well her supernatural plausible deniability, manage to remove the dark stain of female sexuality and render her lasciviousness an unheard-of positive. A consummately desirable character.
#1- Kohaku
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The first thing to say about Kohaku is that her outfit is a hybrid maid dress/kimono, the apotheosis of submissive feminine attire, never to be eclipsed. She is a maid of clumsiness, easy smiles and constant friendliness, with a traditional bent that inclines her to favor things like tea, growing herbs, and so on. Like with Hisui, we learn that her personality is a facade, but it is a more believable and enjoyable one; rather than an expressionless drone, she has a friendly exterior that masks her resentments and plotting against her Manor, which has dealt her a long list of wrongs. She has a more complex character than most on this list, and is utterly charming. Of note, she acts as a conduit for her mistress's incestuous desires, and has an indecent connection with the mistress herself. Well, alright.
As a friendly onee-san type with a cute outfit, a pretty name, and intriguing character depths, she is the easy favorite.
Does your definition of Type-Moon girls cover Ryogi Shiki from Kara no Kyoukai?
Insomuch as she wasn't on the Carnival Phantasm cover, it didn't. But I don't have a very high opinion of her at all.
I've only watched the anime, so I am unaware of the backstories of Hisui or Kohaku, and my knowledge of Sakura's story is quite limited. I can say for certain that, out of your list, Saber is my favourite, and Akiha comes last. Saber is the perfect ally and warrior, loyal, upright, well-meaning. Akiha is possessive, incestuous, and imposes draconian rules on her brother (no electronics, no exiting the house after a certain time etc).
Sakura is tough for me to rank. I know her route isn't really covered in the animes, but I know that she had a horrible upbringing from watching Fate/Zero. Otherwise, she seems the best wife out of all the girls. Nice, smiles all the time, good cooking. Hisui appeasr emotionless but is clearly nice and kind inside.
I have given more thought to this. Here is my ranking of the 12 (yes I am going to include Rider and Caster anyway :P) girls.
12. Akiha. Undoubtedly my least favourite. There is a huge gap between 11 and 12. She is someone I don't want to have anything to do with. Tyrannical and lying bitch.
11. Caster. The latest Unlimited Blade Works anime casts a better light on her. But I still find it difficult to like her for her torture of Saber. She has her reasons but she is too ruthless.
10. Kohaku. I have only watched the anime, so I really don't know her well. What strikes me is her ability to tell outright lies while keeping up her innocent and cheerful appearance. That's a big negative. The gap between 9 and 10 is quite big.
9. Rider. I think she plays a bigger role in the Heaven's Feel route, which hasn't really been adapted in the animes. She is an adversary in most adaptations so far. Her disgust with her master is obvious, and I applaud her efforts to help Sakura in Canival Phantasm. She may appear evil but she seems to be hostile only when she is under orders.
8. Illya. The loli of the series. The few times I see her in Fate Stay Night, she attempts to kill the protagonists. Granted, they are on different sides in a survival game, but that's still too much for my taste.
7. Tohsaka. She is the ultimate tsundere. While she is an ally most of the time, she is also a scheming cheater. The one thing I won't forgive her is her attempted murder of Shirou early on in the series. On the plus side, I don't really mind her tsundere antics. We also need someone who is capable of coming up with good battle plans and willing to bend the rules. Saber is nice, but her tendency to seek a fair, open fight may not be the most productive thing to do.
6. Taiga. Nothing particularly wrong with her. She is the cool, cheerful big sister. I just place her somewhere around the middle as sort of a yardstick. Girls above her are good. Girls ranked lower than her have some problematic traits.
5. Ciel. Somehow I get the feeling that the anime hasn't explained her story and her personalities enough. She is the ally you don't know you have. She has a tragic background but her heart is in the right place.
4. Sakura. She appears to be the ultimate embodiment of the Japanese housewife archtype. She is nice, kind, friendly. But it is also obvious that she has one of the worst upbringings in the cast, even considering that it is a foregone conclusion that everybody has a tragic backstory. The negative about her is that she is like a timebomb that may go off.
3. Hisui. Appears emotionless but fundamentally a nice person.
2. Arcueid. She is a close second, and probably more human and pleasant to have around than Saber. But she is still a vampire that has an obvious problem with blood.
1. Saber. She maybe too standoff-ish some of the time, but she is the ultimate dependable friend.
I have no idea what you are talking about
Quote from: Monoriu on October 05, 2015, 08:37:36 PM
9. Rider. I think she plays a bigger role in the Heaven's Feel route, which hasn't really been adapted in the animes. She is an adversary in most adaptations so far. Her disgust with her master is obvious, and I applaud her efforts to help Sakura in Canival Phantasm. She may appear evil but she seems to be hostile only when she is under orders.
Mono, while I know this is spoilerish the source is so old (and the information is so freely available on the internet) that I don't feel guilty asking this; you do know who actually summoned Rider, don't you?
Quote from: Monoriu on October 05, 2015, 08:37:36 PM1. Saber. She maybe too standoff-ish some of the time, but she is the ultimate dependable friend.
She's utterly determined to turn back time and totally destroy her own Legend, the reason she's been remembered so long and is available to be summoned by the Grail. I don't consider someone so ultimately suicidal to be a dependable friend.
----------------------
Speaking of the last anime season, Mono, did you catch "Classroom Crisis" by any chance? That was the standout show for me. Surprisingly so.
Nope, I have absolutely no idea who summoned Rider. I have watched every single anime episode that can be watched in the Fate series. It is either not mentioned or I have missed it. My policy is I do not look for information beyond what is told in the anime. The Heaven's Feel movie is upcoming :contract:
I have no idea about the Classroom Crisis anime. I didn't pick it, and have no idea what it is about. I will look into it if you think it is good :hug:
Quote from: Tyr on October 07, 2015, 02:30:53 PM
I have no idea what you are talking about
You need to at least watch the Tsukihime and one of the two Fate/Stay Night anime shows. I think Lettow has actually read both source visual novels, otherwise he won't know about the backstories of Kokaku or Sakura.
Watched the first anime series with the University Anime Club back in the day. The President mocked it as Fate Stay in the Kitchen, and I and many others were outraged by Saber's "historical" identity. No desire to watch any of the others.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 07, 2015, 08:30:54 PM
Watched the first anime series with the University Anime Club back in the day. The President mocked it as Fate Stay in the Kitchen, and I and many others were outraged by Saber's "historical" identity. No desire to watch any of the others.
Fate Zero is superb and is the prequel story. Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works is route two of the visual novel. You watched the Fate route (or route one). UBW is extremely impressive visually. What you watched is probably the weakest entry in the franchise. But of course, Saber's identity stays the same. I find it a bit odd, but I got over it quickly and I find her character endearing. She frequently tops polls of most popular anime female character in Japan.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 07, 2015, 09:47:30 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 07, 2015, 08:30:54 PM
Watched the first anime series with the University Anime Club back in the day. The President mocked it as Fate Stay in the Kitchen, and I and many others were outraged by Saber's "historical" identity. No desire to watch any of the others.
Fate Zero is superb and is the prequel story. Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works is route two of the visual novel. You watched the Fate route (or route one). UBW is extremely impressive visually. What you watched is probably the weakest entry in the franchise. But of course, Saber's identity stays the same. I find it a bit odd, but I got over it quickly and I find her character endearing. She frequently tops polls of most popular anime female character in Japan.
I will never accept it! :mad: :mad: :mad:
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 07, 2015, 10:49:49 PM
I will never accept it! :mad: :mad: :mad:
Fine. The way it was revealed to me was in the info dump of the first two episodes of Fate Zero. I then watched the old Fate/Stay Night anime and found out that it was supposed to be a secret, only revealed midway of the series. Probably a slightly bigger shock to you.
Fate is a great series, and I think it is kinda a loss not to watch any of it because of this point. But hey, there are plenty of great anime out there.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 07, 2015, 11:06:41 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 07, 2015, 10:49:49 PM
I will never accept it! :mad: :mad: :mad:
Fine. The way it was revealed to me was in the info dump of the first two episodes of Fate Zero. I then watched the old Fate/Stay Night anime and found out that it was supposed to be a secret, only revealed midway of the series. Probably a slightly bigger shock to you.
Fate is a great series, and I think it is kinda a loss not to watch any of it because of this point. But hey, there are plenty of great anime out there.
To a westerner it's obvious who she is supposed to be, to the point that it's never questioned, so that when it turns out that not only is she not her, but she's actually one of the greatest western legends who it just turns out was secretly a woman :rolleyes:, its feels like a ridiculous Shamalynesque twist that they just pulled out of their ass.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 07, 2015, 11:13:51 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 07, 2015, 11:06:41 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 07, 2015, 10:49:49 PM
I will never accept it! :mad: :mad: :mad:
Fine. The way it was revealed to me was in the info dump of the first two episodes of Fate Zero. I then watched the old Fate/Stay Night anime and found out that it was supposed to be a secret, only revealed midway of the series. Probably a slightly bigger shock to you.
Fate is a great series, and I think it is kinda a loss not to watch any of it because of this point. But hey, there are plenty of great anime out there.
To a westerner it's obvious who she is supposed to be, to the point that it's never questioned, so that when it turns out that not only is she not her, but she's actually one of the greatest western legends who it just turns out was secretly a woman :rolleyes:, its feels like a ridiculous Shamalynesque twist that they just pulled out of their ass.
I was told within the first hour of watching Fate Zero, so I didn't go through the journey of guessing who she was. Her identity was a shock in-story as well. Caster (Fate/Zero) mistook her for [spoiler]Joan of Arc[/spoiler], just like you. And Kiritsugu was suprised about her gender as well. I guess I am not familiar with the two western legends enough to be mad about it. But anyway, Saber's role in Fate Zero isn't as dominant as she is in the old Fate Stay Night anime. Fate Zero is about Kiritsugu. The UBW series focuses far more on Tohsaka Rin and Archer, and Saber takes a back seat.
Ok, who does the show say she is?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 08, 2015, 12:31:08 AM
Ok, who does the show say she is?
[spoiler]King Arthur[/spoiler] :rolleyes:
Sounds like something Lettow would write if he was British.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 08, 2015, 01:05:37 AM
Sounds like something Lettow would write if he was British.
[spoiler]King Arthur[/spoiler] was not a secessionist. Maybe William Wallace instead.
The idea of a great warrior legend being secretly female is not unknown in other parts of Japanese culture. Kenshin, one of the best generals in the Sengoku era, was rumoured to be a woman as well, as he never married. In some Nobunaga's Ambition games, players could choose an option where he would appear as a she.
Watching Aldnoah.Zero
Best anime i have seen since....Attack on Titan? Arpeggio of Blue Steel?
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Love Live School Idol Project. This is the greatest commercial anime success in the new tens since Attack on Titan. The miracle show, savior of the anime industry, talk of the nation, the legend, and social phenomenon. Easily broke the BD sales and movie receipts records set by the previous record holder, Puella Magi Madoka Magica. The idea of the school idol genre is simple. A group of high school girls form a band, or a singing, dancing group, and they have fun together. The anime showcases their music, their ordinary lives, and their friendship, with some lesbian hints thrown into the mix. I am usually not that interested in this genre, but I have to see why everybody is talking about this.
It is alright. Nine high school girls form a singing band to save their school from closure. The most amazing thing about the show is that as I watch it, I realise that they really did it. Not in-story, but in real life. An unoriginal and straightforward story of nine girls with a never-say-die attitude, working very hard toward their stated goal, really became a gigantic success. The music is nothing great but catchy. The production values are good. It is a big budget production, with detailed backgrounds, smooth movements, and lots of angles. There are nine distinct main heroines and there is something for everybody. There is a ditzy, energetic lead, a shy but strict disciplinarian, a tsundere, a tomboy, a foreign blond, a housewife type, a cute loli with pigtails, a (female) pervert, and a normally reserved girl who turns crazy when the right triggers are present. The two lead heroines are obvious carbon-copies of two of the main leads in K-On, another slice-of-life and music show, down to same hair-colour, personalities, and roles in the group.
But it is also only alright. Despite the commercial success, the story is unremarkable. It is entirely possible to produce an enjoyable show without a main plot, as K-On did. I enjoyed K-On a lot more than Love Live. The characterisation is deeper (simply easier to focus on five people rather than nine). The dialogue is much better and funnier. K-On is more cute and heartwarming, despite (or because of) the lack of conflict. There is a lot more conflict in Live Love but they feel forced - only included because the producers wanted some drama. It is easier to believe that the friendship in K-On is genuine and long-lasting.
Quote from: Siege on October 11, 2015, 08:25:26 PM
Watching Aldnoah.Zero
Best anime i have seen since....Attack on Titan? Arpeggio of Blue Steel?
I also enjoyed it :hug:
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Heroic Legend of Arslan. The source novel of this show is written by the novelist who also wrote the Legend of Galactic Heroes novels. The manga version is done by the same manga artist of Full Metal Alchemist. This is all I needed to know to follow it. The story universe has a strong middle east theme. Arslan is a teenage prince of the mighty kingdom of Pars. The show is essentially a coming of age story of Arslan, and how he reclaims the throne and kingdom that was lost.
I enjoyed watching it, but not as much as I enjoyed LoGH. I think this kind of show is what the anime industry badly needs. More creativity, seriousness, different points of views, war stories, historical fantasy. Less pandering to the otakus, cute little girls in ridiculous outfits, highschool settings, harems and incest subtext. Some of the things that make LoGH great are here. The setting is rich with different factions, characters and political philosophies present. The horrors of war and how it affects the normal people. The avoidance of showing one side as purely good and the other as purely evil.
But it is no where near as good as LoGH. The story feels a bit too idealistic at times, with the protagonist party overcoming challenges a little too easily. There is an over-reliance on a single plot thread to sustain the show, and the pacing is too slow. LoGH dared to kill off major characters left and right, and presented both sides of the conflict almost equally. That is something that is seriously lacking in Arslan. It isn't worthy to be the spiritual successor of LoGH.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 13, 2015, 05:57:53 AM
I think this kind of show is what the anime industry badly needs. More creativity, seriousness, different points of views, war stories, historical fantasy. Less pandering to the otakus, cute little girls in ridiculous outfits, highschool settings, harems and incest subtext. Some of the things that make LoGH great are here. The setting is rich with different factions, characters and political philosophies present. The horrors of war and how it affects the normal people. The avoidance of showing one side as purely good and the other as purely evil.
Have you tried watching Game of Thrones?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on October 13, 2015, 06:45:19 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 13, 2015, 05:57:53 AM
I think this kind of show is what the anime industry badly needs. More creativity, seriousness, different points of views, war stories, historical fantasy. Less pandering to the otakus, cute little girls in ridiculous outfits, highschool settings, harems and incest subtext. Some of the things that make LoGH great are here. The setting is rich with different factions, characters and political philosophies present. The horrors of war and how it affects the normal people. The avoidance of showing one side as purely good and the other as purely evil.
Have you tried watching Game of Thrones?
I've read the book. The TV series is on my to-do list.
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Guilty Crown. In the distant future, Japan was hit by an apocalypse virus. The country only successfully defeated the outbreak with help from the rest of the world. The help came with a price, and Japan has been under virtual military occupation. Resistance groups appeared to fight the UN occupiers. The protagonist, by chance, acquired an experimental genome weapon that allowed him to extract "voids" from teenagers. These "voids" are materialisations of people's thoughts and personalities, and come with special powers (say, the void of a handicapped person is a pair of boots that allow the wearer to fly). He reluctantly joins the resistance, partly to pursue the girl of his dreams.
It is quite obvious that it is a spiritual successor to Code Geass, a masterpiece that tells the story of a resistance group fighting evil occupiers with super powers. Like Code Geass, Guilty Crown features a fast-paced, engaging anime original story with rapid plot developments and character deaths. Guilty Crown is also known for its stunning animation, breath-taking action scenes and incredible music score. If you want a beautiful, action-packed science fiction series, this is it.
But whereas Code Geass is a masterpiece, Guilty Crown is not. The engaging plotline comes with a heavy price. The exciting ride only works if the audience is willing to turn a blind eye to all the ass pulls, blatent plotholes, and developments that make zero sense. The story bestows new powers to the main characters whenever the plot needs it. Dead people come back to life with little explanation. The best idea to destroy a massive metropolis is by...advancing walls? Terrorists who escaped prison can openly go to school regularly? Betray a resistance figher to the authorities, then seek help from the same person when you yourself are on the run? Most shows have some holes in them, but this show displays a blatent disregard for them to a point where the viewing experience is severely affected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q6x2XCIz7w
They finally did it. An Evangelion themed bullet train :punk:
I discovered Cowboy Bebop is on one of my Roku channels I added for free. I'm rewatching it for the first time in a while. Still a damn fine show.
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Durarara. I think the name is a play on "dullahan", as one of the lead characters is headless. The story takes place in modern day Tokyo, focusing on gang wars, the underworld, and the interactions of a long list of characters, many of them have interesting abilities. Like the ability to effortlessly throw vending machines across city blocks. Or being able to see (but not talk) without a head. She expresses her thoughts with a Blackberry.
This is essentially Baccano 2.0, as both shows are based on novels by the same author. They share the "multiple plot threads converging into a conclusion", "loads and loads of characters with supernatural abilities" style of writing. Same author, same animation studio, similar writing and art style, and in fact both stories take place in the same universe, as some Baccano characters make cameo appearances in Durarara.
Thankfully, Durarara is just as enjoyable as Baccano. A long list of unique and very interesting characters. The story is seen from many different viewpoints and there is no clear protagonist. Everybody has a secret and there are multiple plot twists. Funny, crazy, enjoyable, morally ambiguous, surprising, complex, sophisticated. The backgrounds are beautifully animated. Successfully avoids the most annoying tropes like incest, highschool antics, idiot hero with tsundere girlfriend and fanservice. Also easier to follow than Baccano, as this time at least the producers don't tell three parallel stories in different timelines at the same time.
The structure of the show is a little bit complicated and warrants an explanation for new comers to the series -
Durarara Season 1: 24 episodes + 2 specials
Durarara Season 2 is divided into three parts
Part 1 (Shou, meaning to continue): 12 + 1
Part 2 (Ten, meaning to turn): 12 + 1, but the special episode has yet to be released.
Part 3 (Ketsu, meaning to end): 12. Not yet aired.
RWBY
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An American webtoon, inspired by anime and created by an Asian-American from Rhode Island named Monty Oum who recently passed away far too young due to a surprise allergy to anesthesia during minor surgery.
RWBY (pronounced Ruby, and standing for Red, White, Black, Yellow), is renowned for it's frenetic action, it's quirky humor and its killer rock soundtrack (that has gone number one in numerous countries including Japan). So popular is RWBY in Japan that it's getting dubbed by a cast of very well known voice actors, and is even getting a prequel manga published there.
RWBY is set in the world of Remnant. A world ruled by the monstrous Grimm. Unnaturally large, black, bonestudded mockeries of animal form, they live if they can be said to live, only to destroy mankind and it's works. Humanity is restricted to four fortress cities, protected by natural barriers, high technology and the Hunters and Huntresses. The latter are people who can utilize their aura, the power of their very soul, and have been trained to use it as a weapon. They have superhuman strength, speed, durability, and each has one special power unique to them.
The story follows four young huntresses in training. Ruby Rose, a 15 year old prodigy who skips two grades to enter the prestigious Beacon Academy. Her older half sister Yang Xiao Long, the heiress to the world's greatest conglomerate Weiss Schnee, and Blake Beladonna who I can't really describe without spoiler things.
Suffice it to say, this show is awesome. It's only flaw is it's too short, but Season 3 begins tomorrow so I'm pumped!
All episodes are posted free online. Note, they didn't have a big budget for the first season, so all the back ground characters are cool, black noir silhouettes. Also that first season, some of the episodes had to be split into two parts due to budget/time constraints.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sGiE10zNQM
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Currently brushing up my classics with a rewatch of Sailor Moon, comparing the "original" Japanese version with the not-so good French dub.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 24, 2015, 06:24:52 AM
RWBY
Thanks Tim. I never would have heard of this on my own. This sounds awesome and I'll watch this sooner or later.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 24, 2015, 07:23:43 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 24, 2015, 06:24:52 AM
RWBY
Thanks Tim. I never would have heard of this on my own. This sounds awesome and I'll watch this sooner or later.
You're welcome. :)
IIRC, you have trouble with spoken English dialogue. On YouTube if you click on the gear in the lower right you can turn on subtitles.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 24, 2015, 10:26:10 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 24, 2015, 07:23:43 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 24, 2015, 06:24:52 AM
RWBY
Thanks Tim. I never would have heard of this on my own. This sounds awesome and I'll watch this sooner or later.
You're welcome. :)
IIRC, you have trouble with spoken English dialogue. On YouTube if you click on the gear in the lower right you can turn on subtitles.
I do prefer to have subtitles on, even when watching English or Chinese videos. But my preference is to watch from the harddrive. I have already found...ways to do this. :ph34r:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fkill_la_kill2_6623_zps7jxmmsay.jpg&hash=7bcd5884a3fd11df769832736a0bc62ae26827e1) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/kill_la_kill2_6623_zps7jxmmsay.jpg.html)
Kill la Kill. This is a world where all Japanese schools appear to be heavily militarised. The student councils rule the schools, and the surrounding cities, with an iron fist, and they invade other schools at will. They develop uniforms of power, and murder any dissenters. The population's social status and economic well-being seems to depend entirely on their children's standing at school. Ordinary students and their families live in slums, but as soon as a student becomes the president of a powerful hobby club, the entire family is immediately granted permission to live in luxurious manors. Enters Ryoko, the female protagonist, who is looking for her father's murderer. The only clue she has being a scissor blade, or half of a giant pair of scissors. The student council president admits that she knows the story, but won't tell Ryoko unless she beats the student council in combat. Thus begins this war between men and...clothes. It has to be seen to be believed.
This is the spiritual successor to Tengan Toppa Gurren Lagann. Done by the same people, and shares the same tone and artstyle. Everything in the show is exaggerated to the extreme, hotblooded and crazy awesome. All common sense goes out the window. Every fight is epic. Whoever has the strongest willpower, screams the loudest, and has the craziest ideas win. The show never dwells on any plotpoint, and every episode feels like a season finale. Chaotic, comical, energetic, surprising, super-charged. One moment the scene is nightmarish, and a few seconds later the show is hilarious. One episode begins with one of the characters (a talking set of school uniforms) appearing to give a summary of the show thus far, an annoying habit of the anime industry to broadcast whole-episode summaries, only for the uniform to finish the summary within two minutes in mockery of the practice. It is as if most of the anime staff, the characters, and the show itself suffer from hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder.
Extremely enjoyable, stylishly and beautifully animated, the show enjoys a very good reputation. You look at it from a mile away and immediately realise that, oh, the TTGL people did this. It is also a slightly controversial show as the battle outfits of the main characters are...iconic. By my own estimate, they cover around 10-20% of the teenage protagonists' bodies. If this sort of thing bothers you, it isn't your show.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 24, 2015, 11:36:06 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 24, 2015, 10:26:10 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 24, 2015, 07:23:43 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 24, 2015, 06:24:52 AM
RWBY
Thanks Tim. I never would have heard of this on my own. This sounds awesome and I'll watch this sooner or later.
You're welcome. :)
IIRC, you have trouble with spoken English dialogue. On YouTube if you click on the gear in the lower right you can turn on subtitles.
I do prefer to have subtitles on, even when watching English or Chinese videos. But my preference is to watch from the harddrive. I have already found...ways to do this. :ph34r:
Make sue you watch the trailers first, they have backstory that gets referenced later on. Plus, they look fucking awesome.
As you'd expect, the order to watch is Red (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYW2GmHB5xs), White (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt9vl8iAN5Q), Black (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImKCt7BD4U4), Yellow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCw_aAS7vWI).
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 08:52:28 AM
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
In some Buddhist Hell, Oda Nobunaga is watching this, and realizes he got just what he deserved. ;)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvignette2.wikia.nocookie.net%2Fbattlegirls%2Fimages%2Fc%2Fce%2FGroup3.png%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20111005035030&hash=f8a4b06d054c379baffb4d65e0abe1336b72eb1a)
Oda Nobunaga is the redhead. :P
Of all the time-travel back to Sengoku shows I have watched, I like Nobuna's Amibition the most. Yes, the majority of the Sengoku generals are gender-flipped and there is a fair amount fanservice, but it is also capable of being serious and dramatic. It still loosely follows the historical account of Nobunaga's rise to power. The major flaw about this show is that there are only 12 episodes and it is extremely doubtful if there'll be a sequel.
This is what I wrote earlier.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 10, 2014, 09:09:50 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fambition-of-oda-nobuna_zps5c4658a5.jpg&hash=489161457ed7dc1176fbf97cb4186514043b5af2) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/ambition-of-oda-nobuna_zps5c4658a5.jpg.html)
The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, mentioned earlier in the thread. Yoshiharu Sagara (or Saru for short) is an ordinary high school student who somehow time-travelled to the Sengoku era. In this world, the majority of the historical Sengoku samurai generals have been replaced by pretty and fierce young girls, and Nobuna replaced the historical Nobunaga. The first 1 minute of the anime consisted of the historical Hideyoshi dying in Saru's place, so Saru ended up replacing him (Saru means monkey, and most novels portray Nobunaga calling Hideyoshi "monkey"). He must use his knowledge of the video game "Ambition of Oda Nobunaga" to help Nobuna conquer Japan. Historically, Nobunaga is known as a tyrant. Saru wants to change that, and help mold a gentler Nobuna.
(Nobuna's clothing and pose in the pic above is a deliberate attempt to look like Nobunaga's appearance [without the bra of course] in the cover of KOEI's video game).
I like this anime very much. Although it sounds like a fanservice and harem series (and there is indeed a fair amount of these), it is a lot more than that. It never strays too far from its historical roots, and contains a good balance of comedic and serious moments. The animation is of above average quality. Saru's knowledge of Japanese history is not an absolute advantage, because he has changed history too much, and is basically in unknown territory. A particular focus of the story is Nobuna's internal struggle to be a ruthless warlord just like her historical counterpart, and a conflicting desire to be herself, which is a lot nicer than she appears to be.
12 episodes. Too bad there is no news of a second season. The news is that the merchandise and disc sales are decent, but not sufficient to justify the relatively high production costs.
The other Sengoku show I've watched is Nobunaga's Concerto. Not a bad show but the animation is an epic fail.
Quote from: Malthus on November 09, 2015, 09:05:08 AM
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 08:52:28 AM
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
In some Buddhist Hell, Oda Nobunaga is watching this, and realizes he got just what he deserved. ;)
If he has a choice, he most likely picked the Christian version of afterlife rather than the Buddhist one ;)
I can only assume that there are anime shows in which Hitler is replaced by a pretty middle school girl, who is forced to struggle with the disconnect between taking over Europe (and massacring its Jews) and maintaining her kindly, girlish nature. It will feature many Hitler upskirt panty shots, but maintain its realism with piles of dead Jews.
;)
Quote from: Monoriu on November 09, 2015, 09:49:12 AM
Quote from: Malthus on November 09, 2015, 09:05:08 AM
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 08:52:28 AM
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
In some Buddhist Hell, Oda Nobunaga is watching this, and realizes he got just what he deserved. ;)
If he has a choice, he most likely picked the Christian version of afterlife rather than the Buddhist one ;)
Considering what he did to so many Buddhists, that would seen to be a good choice. Not that he'd avoid a Christian Hell, though. :D
So there's at least two animes featuring female versions of Sengoku period generals? I didn't know this would be a genre.
I'm still holding out for an all female American Civil War anime featuring Roberta E. Lee and Ulyssa S. Grant as cat girls. :P
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 10:18:51 AM
I'm still holding out for an all female American Civil War anime featuring Roberta E. Lee and Ulyssa S. Grant as cat girls. :P
Lettow was working on something like that but realized the Southern generals were too manly.
In that case I should re-write the ACW as sci-fi erotica with each major battle representing sexual encounters.
*scribbles furiously*
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 08:52:28 AM
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
:hmm:
How many versions of this are there?
I remember seeing another series with pretty much the same plot. Sengoku Otome was the title iirc.
Quote from: Tyr on November 09, 2015, 12:21:09 PM
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 08:52:28 AM
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
:hmm:
How many versions of this are there?
I remember seeing another series with pretty much the same plot. Sengoku Otome was the title iirc.
Sengoku Otome is the Japanese title.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 13, 2015, 05:57:53 AM
Heroic Legend of Arslan. The source novel of this show is written by the novelist who also wrote the Legend of Galactic Heroes novels. The manga version is done by the same manga artist of Full Metal Alchemist. This is all I needed to know to follow it. The story universe has a strong middle east theme. Arslan is a teenage prince of the mighty kingdom of Pars. The show is essentially a coming of age story of Arslan, and how he reclaims the throne and kingdom that was lost.
I enjoyed watching it, but not as much as I enjoyed LoGH. I think this kind of show is what the anime industry badly needs. More creativity, seriousness, different points of views, war stories, historical fantasy. Less pandering to the otakus, cute little girls in ridiculous outfits, highschool settings, harems and incest subtext. Some of the things that make LoGH great are here. The setting is rich with different factions, characters and political philosophies present. The horrors of war and how it affects the normal people. The avoidance of showing one side as purely good and the other as purely evil.
But it is no where near as good as LoGH. The story feels a bit too idealistic at times, with the protagonist party overcoming challenges a little too easily. There is an over-reliance on a single plot thread to sustain the show, and the pacing is too slow. LoGH dared to kill off major characters left and right, and presented both sides of the conflict almost equally. That is something that is seriously lacking in Arslan. It isn't worthy to be the spiritual successor of LoGH.
They remade Arslan? Well, I'll have to watch that.
Quote from: Malthus on November 09, 2015, 09:52:46 AM
I can only assume that there are anime shows in which Hitler is replaced by a pretty middle school girl, who is forced to struggle with the disconnect between taking over Europe (and massacring its Jews) and maintaining her kindly, girlish nature. It will feature many Hitler upskirt panty shots, but maintain its realism with piles of dead Jews.
;)
I think the anime industry in general are quite careful to avoid politics, or explicit references to real and controversial figures. There are shows with political messages, but those are generally expressed in a fantasy/science fiction setting, e.g. the anti-war messages in Gundam or Nausicaa. The battleship Bismarck is depicted as a girl in a German military uniform in Kancolle (complete with panty shots), but the animators are very careful to avoid any Nazi symbols.
Nobunaga in general is quite well-regarded in Japan, I think. He named his castle Gifu, and that name still remains in the corresponding prefecture. I see (and own) lots of novels, games, shows etc in his name.
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 10:31:56 AM
In that case I should re-write the ACW as sci-fi erotica with each major battle representing sexual encounters.
*scribbles furiously*
The Battles of the Seven Days is going to be a doozy.
And with the rotating Union generals, mecha-cat girl General Lee is going to be one major slut.
Girls und Panzer.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F388834_zps0fxqwrs3.jpg&hash=3b11cf5534c5d83a94ec85a56734b7edb66b0a8c) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/388834_zps0fxqwrs3.jpg.html)
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 12:45:28 PM
Quote from: Tyr on November 09, 2015, 12:21:09 PM
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2015, 08:52:28 AM
Battle Girls - a middle school girl is magically sucked into Sengoku period Japan where all major characters have been replaced by females in bikini armor, because Japan. So Oda Nobunaga is a chick wearing a battle bra.
Because this is Japan, the middle school girl also gets skimpy armor (and I doubt all those upskirt panty shots when she was in present day were necessary from a story telling point of view), and - like the other characters - floats across the screen in the nude (with breasts and genitals obscured by ribbons) in the end credits. :bleeding:
:hmm:
How many versions of this are there?
I remember seeing another series with pretty much the same plot. Sengoku Otome was the title iirc.
Sengoku Otome is the Japanese title.
Thank god Japan isn' t crazy enough to make two of them.
I watched the first few episodes of that, don't think I saw it through to the end, it was too awful.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 09, 2015, 08:05:02 PM
Quote from: Malthus on November 09, 2015, 09:52:46 AM
I can only assume that there are anime shows in which Hitler is replaced by a pretty middle school girl, who is forced to struggle with the disconnect between taking over Europe (and massacring its Jews) and maintaining her kindly, girlish nature. It will feature many Hitler upskirt panty shots, but maintain its realism with piles of dead Jews.
;)
I think the anime industry in general are quite careful to avoid politics, or explicit references to real and controversial figures. There are shows with political messages, but those are generally expressed in a fantasy/science fiction setting, e.g. the anti-war messages in Gundam or Nausicaa. The battleship Bismarck is depicted as a girl in a German military uniform in Kancolle (complete with panty shots), but the animators are very careful to avoid any Nazi symbols.
Nobunaga in general is quite well-regarded in Japan, I think. He named his castle Gifu, and that name still remains in the corresponding prefecture. I see (and own) lots of novels, games, shows etc in his name.
Isn't he sometimes portrayed as a literal demon?
Anyway, the historical general was, by any objective measure, a bit of a monster (as was the other two "unifiers"). Even for his time, some of the stuff he did was considered a trifle excessive. Of course, that doesn't stop them from being considered "great leaders" - the English equivalent may be Henry VIII, who did for Catholicism what Nobunaga did for Buddhism and Tokugawa did for, well, Catholicism. ;)
I need a new show. I want to try and work on my Japanese and see something enjoyable at the same time.
I tried The Devil is a Part Timer- seemed interesting but did nothing with it.
Nobunaga the Fool- Awful.
QuoteIsn't he sometimes portrayed as a literal demon?
Anyway, the historical general was, by any objective measure, a bit of a monster (as was the other two "unifiers"). Even for his time, some of the stuff he did was considered a trifle excessive. Of course, that doesn't stop them from being considered "great leaders" - the English equivalent may be Henry VIII, who did for Catholicism what Nobunaga did for Buddhism and Tokugawa did for, well, Catholicism. ;)
Depends where the author comes from perhaps?
People tend to be rather fond of their local bushi. Except for the Tokyo area for some reason- I guess due to that being where the winners set up their base after the war was over. And the Hojo are bloody boring.
Quote from: Malthus on November 10, 2015, 08:58:44 AM
Isn't he sometimes portrayed as a literal demon?
Anyway, the historical general was, by any objective measure, a bit of a monster (as was the other two "unifiers"). Even for his time, some of the stuff he did was considered a trifle excessive. Of course, that doesn't stop them from being considered "great leaders" - the English equivalent may be Henry VIII, who did for Catholicism what Nobunaga did for Buddhism and Tokugawa did for, well, Catholicism. ;)
If I remember correctly, he called himself a demon. One of the problems of the era, and especially for Nobunaga, is that so much fiction has made it into the popular narrative of his rise, that it is difficult to separate historical truth with fantasy. But yeah, there is no doubt that he killed a whole bunch of civilians and Buddhists, and burnt one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Japan. That's exceptionally cruel even by the standards of his times. I still see him being depicted as a cute girl all the time, and that merchandise bearing his name is all over Japan. My theory is that Japanese love winners.
Quote from: Tyr on November 10, 2015, 12:30:53 PM
I need a new show. I want to try and work on my Japanese and see something enjoyable at the same time.
I tried The Devil is a Part Timer- seemed interesting but did nothing with it.
Nobunaga the Fool- Awful.
I heartily recommend the Devil is a Part Timer.
I watched Kantai Collection's first episode today....
Jesus.
I guess I kind of knew what to expect. There is a lot of fandom about. I knew that its central thing was something called fleet girls that were somehow WW2 warships in the form of school girls.
I was curious what bizzare explanation they would have for this state of affairs....
Turns out they don't have one. They're just girls with the names of the ships who speak about each other as coming from the same class and all that sort of thing.....Right.
The animation is pretty. The battles are kind of cool despite their silliness- its basically a bunch of school girls with backpacks, aircraft carrier flight deck shields, guns, arrows that shoot fighter wings, and so on, ice skating around on the sea and shooting at sea monsters led by half naked evillll girls.
But....god do I hate the whole "middle school girls being cutesy with each other" genre. It needs to be purged from Japan.- though it is funny how mature high schoolers are always depicted in comparison.
Arpeggio of Blue Steel is much better. At least there the girls are just avatars of actual ships, its more sensible. Plus they don't spend all their time acting cutesy.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 10, 2015, 06:04:29 PM
I heartily recommend the Devil is a Part Timer.
It was too quick to turn into yet another fantasy battles show, dropping the potential for comedy in the whole devil placed in the modern world thing.
Quote from: Tyr on November 11, 2015, 04:46:48 PM
I watched Kantai Collection's first episode today....
Jesus.
I guess I kind of knew what to expect. There is a lot of fandom about. I knew that its central thing was something called fleet girls that were somehow WW2 warships in the form of school girls.
I was curious what bizzare explanation they would have for this state of affairs....
Turns out they don't have one. They're just girls with the names of the ships who speak about each other as coming from the same class and all that sort of thing.....Right.
I think it is good that they don't explain it. There is no plausible explanation why ships turn into girls, so I am glad they didn't attempt at one. Everybody who watches the show knew the premise beforehand, so there is no point anyway.
Japanese get all the cool stuff, even for things made in America. <_<
That's one of the largest and most prominent building's in Akihabara.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FlRpDbDT.png&hash=3a477d3533e64c90ad4f790fc10aa4cae709e7ed)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FEBPczPV.png&hash=ab54cb8a73b763571e4c9c7fb0a5838591c951d4)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fbm8JzEU.jpg&hash=1ffe0600917073096352fb63b082d4079b562271)
I didn't know that Akihabara theatres play the BD discs. It says "volume 1", so they just played 2-3 TV episodes onscreen. I thought the theatres only do movie versions.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 15, 2015, 09:47:27 PM
I didn't know that Akihabara theatres play the BD discs. It says "volume 1", so they just played 2-3 TV episodes onscreen. I thought the theatres only do movie versions.
Not counting the trailers or the world of Remnant info clips, Volume One is 126 minues and 19 seconds long by my count, so they probably played the whole thing.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 16, 2015, 01:15:02 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on November 15, 2015, 09:47:27 PM
I didn't know that Akihabara theatres play the BD discs. It says "volume 1", so they just played 2-3 TV episodes onscreen. I thought the theatres only do movie versions.
Not counting the trailers or the world of Remnant info clips, Volume One is 126 minues and 19 seconds long by my count, so they probably played the whole thing.
126 minutes is around 4 episodes, assuming that each episode is normal length, i.e. a bit more than 20 minutes. The whole thing is only 4 episodes? I have no idea as I haven't watched it.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 16, 2015, 01:40:36 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 16, 2015, 01:15:02 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on November 15, 2015, 09:47:27 PM
I didn't know that Akihabara theatres play the BD discs. It says "volume 1", so they just played 2-3 TV episodes onscreen. I thought the theatres only do movie versions.
Not counting the trailers or the world of Remnant info clips, Volume One is 126 minues and 19 seconds long by my count, so they probably played the whole thing.
126 minutes is around 4 episodes, assuming that each episode is normal length, i.e. a bit more than 20 minutes. The whole thing is only 4 episodes? I have no idea as I haven't watched it.
RWBY Seasons are basically a movie in serial form.
Season one was supposed to be 10 episodes long, but due to the aforementioned budget problems, some of the episodes in season one were split up into two-parters, so there were 16.
Season 2 had twelve episodes (none broken up) and was 173 minutes and 7 seconds long. So an average of 14 minutes and 25 seconds.
Season 3 has had three episodes so far and is 38 minutes and 13 seconds long. So an average of 16 minutes and 4 seconds.
I'll watch it for sure, but the queue in my to-do list is long. Really long :ph34r:
How do budget problems result in *more* episodes?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on November 16, 2015, 05:02:05 AM
How do budget problems result in *more* episodes?
They didn't have the staff to finish them on schedule, so they split them apart so they had longer to work on the second half.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 16, 2015, 04:29:02 AM
I'll watch it for sure, but the queue in my to-do list is long. Really long :ph34r:
Looked up the DVD release and you can watch the show, either as separate episodes (ten, not sixteen, so they must have edited them together for the DVD) or as a movie. I imagine that they showed it as a movie at the theater. Watching it as episodes does make more sense to me. There are four important arcs in the first season, and they don't really flow into each other in a way that they would if they were a movie, instead of a multi season serial show.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 30, 2015, 01:10:20 AM
The clip above shows a rather typical anime "shipping war", where fans who support different pairings argue with each other over who will win in the end (the source manga is ongoing and there is no conclusion yet).
Pft, winning, nor plausibilty has nothing to do with it. The internet is a horrible place.
Mildly NSFW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cq8mK1vBRA
2015 is about to end. Looking back, I consider these to be my top 5 shows in 2015, defined as any show that has an episode that was broadcast in Japanese TV in 2015.
1. Kiseijuu
2. Seven Deadly Sins
3. Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works
4. Durarara
5. Owari Monogatari
These are the shows that I plan to watch in Winter 2016 (January - March)
1. Assassination Classroom Season 2. A powerful and super-fast alien has threatened to destroy Earth unless he is allowed to teach a class in a Japanese middle school. The world governments train the students to assassinate this threat, and the alien openly encourages them to do so. A comedic and heart-warming story about Japanese school life.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FAssassination%2520Classroom%25202_zpsrus4sgdv.jpg&hash=54f550060e3e0054dda1dc43d6056c999ce93dcb) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Assassination%20Classroom%202_zpsrus4sgdv.jpg.html)
2. Durarara Ketsu (or part 3 of Season 2). A story about gang wars in modern Tokyo, with a heavy dose of supernatural elements. Tons and tons of characters, complex and converging plot lines.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FDurarara%2520Ketsu_zpsjln60ezc.jpg&hash=058e5eac11676a4d840a44952582f762d6d55494) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Durarara%20Ketsu_zpsjln60ezc.jpg.html)
3. The Town Where Only I am Missing. The protagonist is a salaryman who has the ability to go back in time to fix things. He went back in time to when he was in school to prevent his mother's death in the future. When I first read the plot summary, I decided to skip this show without a second thought. Until it was announced that my favourite composer, Yuki Kajiura, would do the soundtrack. I immediately put this in the "must see" category. Or rather, must listen.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FBoku%2520dake%2520ga%2520Inai%2520Machi_zpshsnvowdk.jpg&hash=e188877b34fd1a9a1a225b2c13c2c413507e95cb) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Boku%20dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi_zpshsnvowdk.jpg.html)
4. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash. Plot details are scarce, but it seems it is another one of those "wake-up in a fantasy world and need to fight" shows. Somehow I am drawn to this by the art style and traditional party RPG adventure elements. Will only see this if I have time, and/or the reviews are good.
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Since Mono shared his top five for the year and interest in the coming season, I thought i'd do the same. It was hard listing just five, but:
1.Hibike! Euphonium
2.Non Non Biyori Repeat
3.Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka??
4.Kiseijuu
5. Gakkou Gurashi
These are the shows that I plan to watch in Winter 2016 (January - March)
Dagashi Kashi
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.myanimelist.net%2Fimages%2Fanime%2F2%2F77784l.jpg&hash=ba0711f3bc29764bfafee43616a472db812d7c30)
I feel like i'm going to regret wanting to watch this. The leading heroine's lewd stares are unsettling. But small traditional candy stores are not a bad subject.
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FBoku%2520dake%2520ga%2520Inai%2520Machi_zpshsnvowdk.jpg&hash=e188877b34fd1a9a1a225b2c13c2c413507e95cb)
Like mono, I was attracted to the talent here in spite of the synopsis. I wish the source material wasn't still in progress, but this anime might impress anyway.
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.myanimelist.net%2Fimages%2Fanime%2F8%2F77179.jpg&hash=427bedb6857fe1ccd65ce6ff47104dc1ca510dd6)
Historical setting Rakugo anime is a shoe-in.
Sekkou Boys
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.myanimelist.net%2Fimages%2Fanime%2F5%2F77840.jpg&hash=a1ce295a5ac8f05373693bfdc87fe2961af0ae03)
This one seems more up languish's alley. An idol anime, but the idols are busts from antiquity. Saint George is already confirmed for best girl.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2016, 08:53:33 PM
These are the shows that I plan to watch in Winter 2016 (January - March)
Dagashi Kashi
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.myanimelist.net%2Fimages%2Fanime%2F2%2F77784l.jpg&hash=ba0711f3bc29764bfafee43616a472db812d7c30)
I feel like i'm going to regret wanting to watch this. The leading heroine's lewd stares are unsettling. But small traditional candy stores are not a bad subject.
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FBoku%2520dake%2520ga%2520Inai%2520Machi_zpshsnvowdk.jpg&hash=e188877b34fd1a9a1a225b2c13c2c413507e95cb)
Like mono, I was attracted to the talent here in spite of the synopsis. I wish the source material wasn't still in progress, but this anime might impress anyway.
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.myanimelist.net%2Fimages%2Fanime%2F8%2F77179.jpg&hash=427bedb6857fe1ccd65ce6ff47104dc1ca510dd6)
Historical setting Rakugo anime is a shoe-in.
Sekkou Boys
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.myanimelist.net%2Fimages%2Fanime%2F5%2F77840.jpg&hash=a1ce295a5ac8f05373693bfdc87fe2961af0ae03)
This one seems more up languish's alley. An idol anime, but the idols are busts from antiquity. Saint George is already confirmed for best girl.
Wouldn't normally post in an Animee thread, but I shall to wish you a Happy New years, Lettow I trust life with your fair lady in Japan is sublime. :cheers:
Thanks! Happy new year to you too. Life is placid and excellent. I should have a son in a couple of weeks.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2016, 09:09:02 PM
Thanks! Happy new year to you too. Life is placid and excellent. I should have a son in a couple of weeks.
Now That is really cool. :)
Have a good year Lettow.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 23, 2014, 11:36:00 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 23, 2014, 11:03:58 PM
I you like tragic love stories watch Basilisk
Looks like my kind of anime. Thanks :hug:
Did you ever watch this?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on January 08, 2016, 10:40:43 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on June 23, 2014, 11:36:00 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 23, 2014, 11:03:58 PM
I you like tragic love stories watch Basilisk
Looks like my kind of anime. Thanks :hug:
Did you ever watch this?
It is on my to-do list. I fully intend to watch it, but there are like a hundred shows sitting on that list. Its turn will come, just not any time soon :lol:
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2016, 09:09:02 PM
Thanks! Happy new year to you too. Life is placid and excellent. I should have a son in a couple of weeks.
Congratulations :cheers:
Quote from: Monoriu on January 08, 2016, 07:26:36 PM
It is on my to-do list. I fully intend to watch it, but there are like a hundred shows sitting on that list. Its turn will come, just not any time soon :lol:
Watch Game of Thrones already. :P
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 08, 2016, 08:19:10 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on January 08, 2016, 07:26:36 PM
It is on my to-do list. I fully intend to watch it, but there are like a hundred shows sitting on that list. Its turn will come, just not any time soon :lol:
Watch Game of Thrones already. :P
Yeah, that one too :ph34r:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F76049l_zpsjdqzplmk.jpg&hash=d3e6884d90f3691c7fe6be85fda95cb0bfb0afc6) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/76049l_zpsjdqzplmk.jpg.html)
One Punch Man. This is a world where aliens, monsters and villains with superpowers appear out of nowhere and attack humans just for the sake of it. Fear not, for the Heroes Association has a hierarchy of superheroes of equally awesome powers to counter the threat. Everything about Saitama screams "average". He is bald, poor, average-looking, doesn't have any special moves, lonely, wears a stupid costume, underappreciated...except that he is a hero capable of defeating anything and everything with a single punch.
One Punch Man is one of a kind and is easily one of the most talked about shows in 2015. Usually, in a typical action anime or shonen story like Dragonball, you have a protagonist training hard to gain power and fight villains. He gathers allies, values friendship, and makes a name for himself. One Punch Man parodies this genre by giving the main hero story-breaking powers before the start of the show. He works alone. The public thinks he is a cheater taking advantage of other heroes, and he encourages this line of thinking himself. Every story ends with Saitama one-punching the arc villain to oblivion. He is a hero with bad publicity, and is totally bored with life as there is no challenge left for him in the universe. On the way to each inevitable story conclusion, there are jokes, a huge array of distinct side characters and villains, and a refreshing take on one of the most popular and predictable anime genres.
It isn't a dark deconstruction. There are no complex personal relationships, moral messages to deliver, intricate plotlines or twists. It is largely episodic, and the story arcs follow the "1 villain appears, 2 other heroes battle the arc villain with varying degrees of success and 3 Saitama one punches the villain" formula. There are no "buts". He really one punches everybody. This is the joke. Or one of the many jokes that work so well in the show. It may or may not be the best anime of the year, but it certainly is a unique one. Also, extremely well drawn and animated.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 18, 2016, 03:55:36 AM
Everything about Saitama screams "average". He is bald, poor, average-looking, doesn't have any special moves, lonely, wears a stupid costume, underappreciated...
Can he kick a football, or will the holder inevitably pull it away from him at the last second?
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 18, 2016, 05:14:23 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on January 18, 2016, 03:55:36 AM
Everything about Saitama screams "average". He is bald, poor, average-looking, doesn't have any special moves, lonely, wears a stupid costume, underappreciated...
Can he kick a football, or will the holder inevitably pull it away from him at the last second?
I am sure there is a reference somewhere, but I have no idea what you are talking about :lol:
Charlie Brown, one of America's best-loved comic characters. He also has a dog named Snoopy. :)
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I like the show, but live action suits it better.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 18, 2016, 05:48:04 AM
Charlie Brown, one of America's best-loved comic characters. He also has a dog named Snoopy. :)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrinksbusiness.com%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F04%2Fcharlie_brown_JBTYVRXJ.jpg&hash=36d3dd48d9bf63346ceea022553e6aef8fa8119d)
Which anime is this? Peanut ball Z ?
Zero Kicks Man.
Making an anime about making fun of anime has become a staple for the people who only know how to make retread anime.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 18, 2016, 05:48:04 AM
Charlie Brown, one of America's best-loved comic characters. He also has a dog named Snoopy. :)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrinksbusiness.com%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F04%2Fcharlie_brown_JBTYVRXJ.jpg&hash=36d3dd48d9bf63346ceea022553e6aef8fa8119d)
Then there is
this ... http://www.whatisdeepfried.com/weaponbrown/
:D
Quote
3. The Town Where Only I am Missing. The protagonist is a salaryman who has the ability to go back in time to fix things. He went back in time to when he was in school to prevent his mother's death in the future. When I first read the plot summary, I decided to skip this show without a second thought. Until it was announced that my favourite composer, Yuki Kajiura, would do the soundtrack. I immediately put this in the "must see" category. Or rather, must listen
Synopsis sounds interesting to me. I'll have to look it up
Quote from: Tyr on January 18, 2016, 05:48:51 PM
Quote
3. The Town Where Only I am Missing. The protagonist is a salaryman who has the ability to go back in time to fix things. He went back in time to when he was in school to prevent his mother's death in the future. When I first read the plot summary, I decided to skip this show without a second thought. Until it was announced that my favourite composer, Yuki Kajiura, would do the soundtrack. I immediately put this in the "must see" category. Or rather, must listen
Synopsis sounds interesting to me. I'll have to look it up
Two episodes in, and I have to say The Town Where Only I am Missing has far exceeded my expectations. Of all the shows that I am watching this season, it has the strongest opening. Basically, the dude is sent back in time to fix things. Say, if a child dies from a traffic accident, he is sent back in time to a few minutes before the accident, and he has to look for hints to prevent the accident. One day, he and his mother prevented a kidnapping case from happening. Somehow this led to the kidnapper murdering his mother, and he himself likely framed as the murderer. A moment later, he found himself sent back 18 years in time to elementary school (grade 5), a time when a number of kidnapping cases haunted his town. He retains all his memories, so he is a 29 year old stuck in the body of an 11 year old. Very engaging story and detailed descriptions of the protagonist's psyche.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 18, 2016, 05:48:04 AM
Charlie Brown, one of America's best-loved comic characters. He also has a dog named Snoopy. :)
I know a lot of Snoopy fans in Hong Kong, but I just can't get into it. I don't have the faintest idea what the comic is about.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F75467_zps29foua6i.jpg&hash=a3d49d25ca6dfd83faa4755b73b5e43eaeb66d13) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/75467_zps29foua6i.jpg.html)
Attack on Titan: Junior High. It is a spin-off and affectionate self-parody of Attack on Titan, done by the same production studio. In this world, all characters from the source story are back, including the dead ones, and they are teachers and students in this junior high school. They are all drawn in chibi forms, with cutesy appearances, and exaggerated heads. The school is divided into two parts, with the titans studying in the separate section. The source of the conflict is that they steal the lunch boxes of the tiny humans. The 3D movement machines became tools to clean the wall that separate the two sections. The survey corp became an underground resistance group to the titans.
I have a feeling that the only purpose of the show is to keep the memory of Attack on Titan alive in viewers' minds between the seasons. It is mildly amusing for die-hard Attack on Titan fans who must see absolutely every episode. There are some jokes that work, and it is cool to see everybody back having fun together. But otherwise there isn't much. There is no real story or plot. That didn't prevent similar shows like Carnival Phantasm from having a good time. This one is downright boring at times. I think it is a mistake to confine the show to a junior high setting, instead of going wild like Carnival Phantasm did. Making fun of the character quirks, like someone always biting his tongue when speaking, can be funny the first time or two, but it gets repetitive if it is done in every episode.
The show assumes knowledge of the first (and so far only) anime season. So don't watch this if you don't want to be spoiled about the major plot points.
Just finished the third season of RWBY...apparently coauthored by GRRM now. After two relatively happy go lucky seasons this went dark in the last half of the third. <_<
Heroes get framed, maimed and killed.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 15, 2016, 11:35:16 PM
Just finished the third season of RWBY...apparently coauthored by GRRM now.
He needs to finish ASOIAF instead of doing all these side projects. :mad:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F74967l_zpsptmbkqof.jpg&hash=719fe53514582d688408e7a86379935421df5ca0) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/74967l_zpsptmbkqof.jpg.html)
Owari Monogatari. Literally, the last story. This is the latest installment of one of the most successful anime series in Japan, based on disc sales. An anime series is seen as doing "okish" if the blu-ray disc sales reach 5-6,000. This one easily exceeds 20k, and the source novel is a mainstream best-seller.
In this world, curses happen to ordinary people, and all Japanese traditional myths are true. People can become weightless, or turn into demons. Or they can be chased by unidentified flying objects. It is up to the protagonists to deal with these strange occurrences. The show is known for its highly stylised animation (see poster above), extremely lengthy but witty dialogue, and detective story-style plot twists.
In this latest 12-episode show, the male protagonist teams up with a girl who is usually depicted as a possible antagonist instead of one of his usual crew, to investigate what really happened in a class revolt that took place years ago. In the middle arc, a new girl linked to the incident is introduced, and she is totally hostile to the protagonist. In the final arc, a samurai who was supposed to be dead 400 years ago reappeared, and he wanted to meet Shinobu, one of the many female leads. But Shinobu absolutely refused to meet him.
This is essentially more story arcs of this hugely successful franchise. The stories continue to be entertaining and the animation visually stunning. The only real problem is the name, which implies some sort of conclusion. There is none whatsoever. There is no beginning or end, just more stories.
Quick guide on the Monogatari series, in release order.
Bakemonogatari (Monster Story)(15 episodes)(Hitagi Crab, Mayoi Snail, Suruga Monkey, Nadeko Snake, and Tsubasa Cat)
Nisemonogatari (Fake Story)(11 episodes)(Karen Bee and Tsukihi Phoenix)
Released as a "TV special"
Nekomonogatari (Kuro) (Black Cat Story)(4 episodes)(Tsubasa Family)
Monogatari Series Second Season (26 episodes in total, including 3 summary episodes). Breakdown:
Nekomonogatari (Shiro) (White Cat Story) (5 episodes)(Tsubasa Tiger)
Kabukimonogatari (Slope Story) (4 episodes) (Mayoi Jiangshi)
Otorimonogatari (Decoy Story) (4 episodes)(Nadeko Medusa)
Onimonogatari (Ghost Story) (4 episodes)(Shinobu Time)
Koimonogatari (Love Story) (6 episodes)(Hitagi End)
The following two are released as "TV specials"
Hanamonogatari (Flower Story)(5 episodes)(Suruga Devil)
Tsukimonogatari (Possess Story)(4 episodes (Yotsugi Doll)
Owarimonogatari (Last Story)(12 episodes)(Ougi Formula, Sodachi Riddle, Sodachi Lost, Shinobu Mail)
Koyomimonogatari (Koyomi Story)(12 episodes)(currently being broadcast)
Kizumonogatari (Wound Story)(3 movies)(Koyomi Vamp)(prequel, only first movie has been released in theatres)
Since it got no traction in the main TV thread - have any of you seen Gravity Falls? It's western animation (specifically, a Disney show), but often references (sometimes for sarcastic purposes ;) ) Anime and its tropes. My kid watches it, and so I've been watching it - it is very good.
Quote from: Malthus on February 16, 2016, 06:37:09 PM
Since it got no traction in the main TV thread - have any of you seen Gravity Falls? It's western animation (specifically, a Disney show), but often references (sometimes for sarcastic purposes ;) ) Anime and its tropes. My kid watches it, and so I've been watching it - it is very good.
Never heard of it. Western shows like RWBY at least appears in my radar, as Tim has talked about it and it is quite popular in Japan. This is the first time I have heard of Gravity Falls.
What makes you think it is good? :)
Quote from: Monoriu on February 16, 2016, 08:03:37 PM
Quote from: Malthus on February 16, 2016, 06:37:09 PM
Since it got no traction in the main TV thread - have any of you seen Gravity Falls? It's western animation (specifically, a Disney show), but often references (sometimes for sarcastic purposes ;) ) Anime and its tropes. My kid watches it, and so I've been watching it - it is very good.
Never heard of it. Western shows like RWBY at least appears in my radar, as Tim has talked about it and it is quite popular in Japan. This is the first time I have heard of Gravity Falls.
What makes you think it is good? :)
A number of things.
The first is the very high quality of the animation - not unusual for a Disney production, of course.
Second, while this is a kid's show, it is deliberately aimed at a wider and adult market as well; it contains tons of references and jokes that kids could not really be expected to get.
Third, unlike some western kid's shows, it has a very well imagined overall plot arc, with a definite beginning, middle and end. The end is spectacular: a full-blown version of the apocalypse as imagined by H.P. Lovecraft. They even changed the opening credits to an "apocalyptic" version.
Original opening credits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2DUpDxFJyg
Apocalyptic opening credits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWvdqkl2UH4
They put tons of work into the details - it is full of interesting blink-and-you-miss-it details.
Unlike anime, they feature actual schoolgirls, not schoolgirls as envisioned by anime enthusiasts. ;) Except in one episode, where one of the (adult male) characters summons up an anime schoolgirl from a computer dating program. This doesn't work out well for anyone. :D
That sounds interesting. I'll watch it someday, but my to-do list is very long :weep:
Speaking of excellent American animation.
Avatar the Last Airbender, and its sequel The Legend of Korra certainly qualify.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 17, 2016, 08:05:39 PM
Speaking of excellent American animation.
Avatar the Last Airbender, and its sequel The Legend of Korra certainly qualify.
Gravity Falls is very comparable to Avatar the Last Airbender (though frankly, I think Gravity Falls has better animation - if more stylized. Disney has money and to spare for that!).
Both series have a definite overarching plot, with a beginning, middle and end, combined with a "monster of the week" type format.
In both, some (but not all) of the bad guys reach realizations that they are on the wrong path.
Both feature a brother/sister duo as a central focus.
In both, the hero's journey is as much about coming of age as about saving the world. Both somewhat analogize growing up with terror and struggle (in Gravity Falls this is more explicit: puberty = Armageddon :D).
In both, a central element of dramatic tension is the unreciprocated love of a younger boy for an older teen (though in Avatar, it eventually gets reciprocated! Gravity Falls is more realistic in this respect).
My friend who died yesterday was quite well-known in anime and manga circles, and ran Renga Media. Never rated his stuff personally, but he had quite a fanbase.
http://downthetubes.net/?p=29342 (http://downthetubes.net/?p=29342)
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-02-18/tony-luke-passes-away/.98828 (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-02-18/tony-luke-passes-away/.98828)
He also (successfully, I believe) sued Disney over stealing one of his character concepts.
https://www.facebook.com/neilgaiman/posts/10152949955486016 (https://www.facebook.com/neilgaiman/posts/10152949955486016)
Quote from: Malthus on February 18, 2016, 09:09:35 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 17, 2016, 08:05:39 PM
Speaking of excellent American animation.
Avatar the Last Airbender, and its sequel The Legend of Korra certainly qualify.
In both, the hero's journey is as much about coming of age as about saving the world. Both somewhat analogize growing up with terror and struggle (in Gravity Falls this is more explicit: puberty = Armageddon :D).
In both, a central element of dramatic tension is the unreciprocated love of a younger boy for an older teen (though in Avatar, it eventually gets reciprocated! Gravity Falls is more realistic in this respect).
Well, he is the Messiah.
Perhaps you would prefer the sequel, where a torrid love triangle ensues, only for the girls to eventually get fed up, dump the middle man and pair up with each other. ;)
Just finished Gargantia on the verdurous planet.
Absolutely excellent.
Quote from: Siege on March 02, 2016, 08:40:19 PM
Just finished Gargantia on the verdurous planet.
Absolutely excellent.
Did you watch the OVAs? Episodes 14 and 15, as well as Far Beyond the Voyage?
Humm. Nope. I just watched was available in Netflix. 13 episodes.
Quote from: Siege on March 02, 2016, 08:54:30 PM
Humm. Nope. I just watched was available in Netflix. 13 episodes.
The extra episodes are good. Episodes 14 and 15 add a bit more background information. Far Beyond the Voyage are two hour-long OVAs that tell what happens after the end of the story. It is a sequel. If you like the story, I recommend that you watch them :hug:
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Princess Tutu. Once upon a time a man died. He was a writer of fairy-tales. In his story, a prince battled a giant raven. The battle was effectively a draw, until the prince shattered his own heart and sealed the raven away. The heartless prince is now enrolled in a ballet school, protected by a knight. The writer, unable to continue the story (surprisingly, not due to his apparent death), decided to bring in a duck. He bestowed upon her a pendant that could transform her into Princess Tutu, with the power to gather the shards of the prince's heart.
This is a classic broadcast in the early 2000s. The "entry barrier" to this anime is quite high. The title sounds like a children's show. The art style is dated. The premise makes it feel like a typical magical girl show. The pacing is slow, and a lot of the early episodes feel like filler at first. Everything is fluffy, pink, girly, the teacher is a cat that talks, etc. The majority of the "battles" are resolved not by flashy moves or magical attacks, but by ballet dancing.
Get past all that, and the show proves to be a dark, mature, and well-written deconstruction of the magical girl genre with a unique plot. It is very well-researched, with beautiful classical music, a ballet and dancing theme at its core, and a story with lots of surprises. The show successfully creates a fairytale atmosphere that will make Tchaikovsky proud. At times, I feel like I am watching a theatre production in anime form. What seem like filler episodes at first actually slowly but steadily build-up the broader narrative. Fans of classical music, ballets and Tchaikovsky will love this one.
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Code Geass: Akito the Exiled. This is a series of five one-hour mini movies, and is a spin-off of Code Geass, one of the most celebrated mecha shows ever released. In the Code Geass universe, Britain never lost the 13 Colonies. It went on to become Britannia, a social Darwinist autocratic feudal empire that uses mechas to conquer entire countries across continents. Japan is a province of Britannia, and has been stripped of its name to become Area 11. The original Code Geass story is about a rebellion to reclaim Japan, assisted by Geass, a form of super power (e.g. the ability to see several seconds into the future etc). The Akito story takes place in Europe and features a new cast. Exiled Japanese soldiers serve the European Union armies to battle the Britannian forces.
The show is inevitably compared with the original Code Geass story. Code Geass is such a masterpiece that it is almost a prohibitively high bar to reach. Akito is good, but isn't as good as Code Geass. The focus of the original story is on the plot twists and complex character relationships, while the mecha battles take a back seat. Akito does the reverse. It features extremely well-animated, exciting and flashy mecha battles. The story, while decent, isn't its strongest point. It is somewhat predictable, and some of the plot holes are difficult to miss. When given the choice of whether to go along with "dramatic but on second thought ridiculous character decisions", the show unfailingly says yes.
This is primarily for Code Geass fans who want more. While the story is mostly self-contained, only those who have completed the original story will get the most out of it. That's because a major selling point of Akito is the return of some of the main Code Geass characters. As there is a definitive conclusion to Code Geass, Akito is probably the last chance to see them in action. I can say that CC and Suzaku have speaking roles in the story, and leave it at that.
Quote from: Monoriu on March 06, 2016, 08:22:22 PM
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Princess Tutu. Once upon a time a man died. He was a writer of fairy-tales. In his story, a prince battled a giant raven. The battle was effectively a draw, until the prince shattered his own heart and sealed the raven away. The heartless prince is now enrolled in a ballet school, protected by a knight. The writer, unable to continue the story (surprisingly, not due to his apparent death), decided to bring in a duck. He bestowed upon her a pendant that could transform her into Princess Tutu, with the power to gather the shards of the prince's heart.
This is a classic broadcast in the early 2000s. The "entry barrier" to this anime is quite high. The title sounds like a children's show. The art style is dated. The premise makes it feel like a typical magical girl show. The pacing is slow, and a lot of the early episodes feel like filler at first. Everything is fluffy, pink, girly, the teacher is a cat that talks, etc. The majority of the "battles" are resolved not by flashy moves or magical attacks, but by ballet dancing.
Get past all that, and the show proves to be a dark, mature, and well-written deconstruction of the magical girl genre with a unique plot. It is very well-researched, with beautiful classical music, a ballet and dancing theme at its core, and a story with lots of surprises. The show successfully creates a fairytale atmosphere that will make Tchaikovsky proud. At times, I feel like I am watching a theatre production in anime form. What seem like filler episodes at first actually slowly but steadily build-up the broader narrative. Fans of classical music, ballets and Tchaikovsky will love this one.
I liked the writing in this one, the whole story within a story, I thought, was well done.
Yeah, Princess Tutu is great stuff.
If I had mono's gumption i'd do a summary of the upcoming season. For now, Flying Witch and Kuma Miko are the two most assured to be worth watching. Haifuri and Phoenix Wright definitely merit a look as well.
Joker Game is the most likely to completely disappoint, but I'll at least give it a cursory glance.
Lettow, crawl back under your rock please.
This weekend I watched Halo Fall of Reach.
Is that considered anime?
And still going through Aldnoah Zero.
I like the medieval politics with Mecha technology.
SuperMecha, actually. They are far beyond Gundam, Voltus V, or Mazinger.
Quote from: Siege on March 14, 2016, 09:31:58 AM
This weekend I watched Halo Fall of Reach.
Is that considered anime?
Anime is simply "cartoons produced in Japan". So if it is not produced in Japan, it doesn't fall under the definition. Quick search indicates that it is not.
Quote from: Siege on March 14, 2016, 09:28:13 AM
Lettow, crawl back under your rock please.
The Anime Thread is exactly the sort of rock under which I scuttle and scurry.
Quote from: Siege on March 14, 2016, 09:31:58 AM
And still going through Aldnoah Zero.
I like the medieval politics with Mecha technology.
SuperMecha, actually. They are far beyond Gundam, Voltus V, or Mazinger.
it looks interesting. Has this been dubbed in English?
Quote from: viper37 on March 14, 2016, 10:34:22 AM
Quote from: Siege on March 14, 2016, 09:31:58 AM
And still going through Aldnoah Zero.
I like the medieval politics with Mecha technology.
SuperMecha, actually. They are far beyond Gundam, Voltus V, or Mazinger.
it looks interesting. Has this been dubbed in English?
I think so. At least I saw there is an English voice acting cast.
I still think you guys would enjoy Gravity Falls.
It's western animation, not anime, but they do make fun of anime tropes a lot. Particularly in one episode, where a character interacts with a Japanese schoolgirl dating simulator (that later achieve sentience and goes crazy). :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xliSzFTUbtA
"anthyding can hadplen" :D
Edit: also note the reference to "Squids"! Ewww Disney. :lol:
Quote from: Malthus on March 14, 2016, 11:17:27 AM
I still think you guys would enjoy Gravity Falls.
It's western animation, not anime, but they do make fun of anime tropes a lot. Particularly in one episode, where a character interacts with a Japanese schoolgirl dating simulator (that later achieve sentience and goes crazy). :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xliSzFTUbtA
"anthyding can hadplen" :D
Edit: also note the reference to "Squids"! Ewww Disney. :lol:
Well, to be fair to anime, there are also lots of anime that point out the silliness of anime :P Puella Magi Madoka Magica shows why being a magical girl may not be all that great. Fate Zero is about deconstructing the entire honour before reason, idealistic and righteous king concept. Revolutionary Girl Utena shows a very twisted version of the fairy tale prince and princesses. Neon Genesis Evangelion gives a bit of a reality check of what will likely happen to teenage pilots with psychological issues if and when they pilot huge mechas. Even some of the One Piece arcs (Impel Down and Marineford) deconstruct itself by showing that willpower alone doesn't cut it any more. School Days points out why harems don't happen in real life.
Quote from: viper37 on March 14, 2016, 10:34:22 AM
Quote from: Siege on March 14, 2016, 09:31:58 AM
And still going through Aldnoah Zero.
I like the medieval politics with Mecha technology.
SuperMecha, actually. They are far beyond Gundam, Voltus V, or Mazinger.
it looks interesting. Has this been dubbed in English?
There are two seasons available on Netflix.
allright, I'll look for it, thanks :)
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Your Lie in April. (Japanese school years start in April.) Kousei Arima is a former child piano prodigy. He used to win every piano competition, until his mother died and he, for psychological reasons, could no longer hear the sound of his own piano playing. He had given up on piano playing until he met Kaori Miyazono, a free-spirited female violinist. Kaori has announced her love for Watari, one of Kousei's closest friends. At the same time, the girl who is in love with Kousei's best friend is doing everything she can to get him to play the piano again.
This isn't the first attempt to do a love story in a classical music competition environment. Nodame Cantabile is the other noteworthy example. But whereas Nodame Cantabile is known for its goofiness, sense of humour and quirky characters, Your Lie in April is a tearjerker. It starts off as an apparent romantic comedy, but enough hints are dropped on the audience early on that it is one huge tragedy in waiting. It also explores difficult issues like child abuse, post-traumatic stress, the price one pays for being a child prodigy, and chronic illness. If you are looking for a light and relaxed show, look elsewhere.
It does a splendid job. One of those stories that is memorable and makes the audience think. The narrative is compelling and the characters are fleshed out to the point that I care about them and find the show difficult to watch at times. The show is also aurally and visually a joy to watch. There is also a definitive conclusion, one that is cleverly presented and makes the audience rethink the perspective of the entire story.
The Winter 2016 anime season just ended, and these are the shows that I plan to watch in the Spring season.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AneQMteecrM
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. This has all the markings of a big budget action anime series. Impressive artwork in the previews. Anime original, meaning it isn't adapted from a successful novel or manga. The producers have more creative freedom but they have to take more financial risks. From the director of Death Note and Attack on Titan, the script writer of Code Geass and Guilty Crown, the music composer of Attack on Titan and Guilty Crown. As far as pedigrees go, this is hard to beat.
Story takes place in the industrial revolution era. Huge zombie-like creatures have appeared and attack humans. Humanity survives in fortresses and trains serve as the link among settlements. A bit like Attack on Titans with trains.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0L1YC9YgxM
My Hero Academia. Based on a popular manga and is said to have a shot as the next successful shonen fight/action series. In this world, a lot of people have quirks, or special powers. Except our main hero. He enrolls in the hero academy anyway.
These two are "if I have time".
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Big Order. The biggest selling point of this show is that it shares the source manga author as the one who made Future Diary, and the similarity shows. It is basically the spiritual successor of Future Diary, a story that popularised the pink-haired, crazy obsessive, melee weapon-wielding, psychopath "girlfriend" who murders children, takes torture tools to see her future in-laws (just in case), leaves a mountain of bodies on her trail, and charges special police head on. Big Order seems to copy the same character designs, except this time, the girl seeks revenge from the guy, not fall for him on first sight.
The introverted male protagonist once wished destruction of the world, and it partially worked. Since then, he has kept a low profile and avoided using his powers. Until other people with magical powers also appear and they start going after him.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc2JV9n741U
I'm Sakamoto. Everything Sakamoto does is cool. He attracts everybody's attention, he is a genius, all the girls fall for him, he is good at everything under the sun etc. The boys hate him and they try to pull pranks on him, but every time Sakamoto responds with ease and grace. Based on a best-selling manga.
So Sakamoto is that amazing guy who you want to hate but he is too damn nice.
Quote from: Valmy on March 29, 2016, 08:51:08 PM
So Sakamoto is that amazing guy who you want to hate but he is too damn nice.
I'm not sure as I have only read various synopsis. But it does appear that he isn't the arrogant type. Honestly the description doesn't interest me too much, but everybody says the manga has racked up huge sales, so the author must have done something right. I also need something light and funny for psychological balance, as I watch too many dark, serious and tragic shows.
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The Town Where Only I am Missing / Erased. When tragic events happen around the 29-year old male protagonist, he is often sent back in time to before the incident, and he has to look for clues to prevent it from taking place. One day, he and his mother prevented a kidnapping case from happening. This resulted in the kidnapper killing her, and framing him for the deed. The next moment, he found himself sent back 18 years as a primary school student. At that time, a number of kidnapping incidents haunted the town.
This is a mystery thriller, and I haven't seen something this good in a while. I was glued to the screen every time I watched this. They got most things right in this gem. There is always a goal hanging in front of the protagonist, but it is an uphill battle for him and he doesn't achieve it very often. Although he retains his memories as an adult, he only has a small slice of the whole picture, and it is tough for him to sell his story to allies. It is also very interesting that the story takes place in both the past and present. It isn't as straightforward as "going back in time to fix things, beam back to the present in the final episode". Even the title is very cleverly chosen. The meaning of "the town where only I am missing" is explained very early in the story. But the same phrase takes on a totally different meaning by the end of the tale.
Clearly my favourite show of the season by a wide margin and I think it has a decent chance of being the best anime of 2016.
Boku dake ga inai machi was alright, but the ending was too cheesy, the villain too telegraphed, and Airi never had a point for existing from start to finish, except for a highschool girl for the protagonist (and viewing audience) to lust over.
Anime of the Season goes to Shouwa genroku rakugo shinjuu.
For the next season, I'm expecting the most from Flying Witch and Kuma Miko. I hope for good results from Mayoiga and Phoenix Wright.
Ajin.
Best-shit-evah
Incredible. Revolutionary.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 14, 2016, 10:22:11 AM
The Anime Thread is exactly the sort of rock under which I scuttle and scurry.
:lol: Word.
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Full Metal Panic. Sagara Sousuke is a 17-year old sergeant of Mithril, a secret anti-terror mercenary organisation armed with technology that are years ahead of the world governments. His mission – to go undercover in a Japanese high school and protect one of the female students. The problem is that, while Sousuke is a highly-skilled mecha pilot, he has zero social skills whatsoever, as he grew up as a child soldier in Afghanistan. He sees everything in his military frame of mind. His reaction to somebody putting a love letter in his school shoe-box is to blow it up.
This is somewhat of a classic released in the early 00s. The biggest selling point of this show is that it is a mecha show and at the same time a high school romantic comedy. The focus shifts back and forth between the two genres and it does both jobs well. The bodyguard chemistry of the main pair is a joy to watch. He does what he can for her, and she appreciates his well-meaning if extreme actions. It clearly drives the plot forward and the show avoids the harem trap. Most of the humour makes fun of Sousuke's social ineptness. Although after a while it is difficult to believe that he remains as socially stunted as he started, the jokes really cracked me up.
It is reasonably good, although no where near the quality of true classics like Death Note. It does require the audience to believe a lot of unbelievable things. Like a 16 year old cutesy and girly submarine captain. Or Sousuke repeatedly blowing up the school shoe boxes yet suffering no consequences. But the jokes work, the mecha battles are intense, and the love story is heartwarming.
Show is divided into 3 seasons –
Full Metal Panic (24 episodes)
Full Metal Panic Fumoffu (12 episodes)
Full Metal Panic Second Raid (13 episodes plus an OVA)
The amazing thing is that, more than 10 years after the last season was aired, it has been announced that a "new production" is underway. It remains to be seen if this is a sequel or a remake.
I've been watching Ajin. Odd animation style. Pretty good story.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 29, 2016, 05:56:08 AM
The amazing thing is that, more than 10 years after the last season was aired, it has been announced that a "new production" is underway. It remains to be seen if this is a sequel or a remake.
I'd imagine that it'll be a continuation now that the Manga adaptation of the novels has finished as well. The source novel series is complete after all (and has a successor series with different characters in progress as well,) and the original series and the Second Raid series were done by two different studios anyway (so there's slight differences in character and style already across the anime part of the franchise.)
No. It was a commentary on heartwarming love stories.
About a third of the way into this season, Kuma Miko and Flying Witch have both been outstanding. It's a tossup which is the season's overall best show, but i'll give the nod to Flying Witch since it is the more relaxing and peaceful of the two. Kuma Miko suffers from yankee infiltration.
Mayoiga has been much better than anticipated, while Joker Game, Haifuri, and Anne-Happy have all been very disappointing. Sakamoto Desu ga? lives up to its hype and is a fine show.
Uchuu Patrol Luluco continues INFERNO COP's tradition of excellence.
This is a very strong season in general. I would've been happy with just Flying Witch.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 03, 2016, 01:16:09 AM
About a third of the way into this season, Kuma Miko and Flying Witch have both been outstanding. It's a tossup which is the season's overall best show, but i'll give the nod to Flying Witch since it is the more relaxing and peaceful of the two. Kuma Miko suffers from yankee infiltration.
Mayoiga has been much better than anticipated, while Joker Game, Haifuri, and Anne-Happy have all been very disappointing. Sakamoto Desu ga? lives up to its hype and is a fine show.
Uchuu Patrol Luluco continues INFERNO COP's tradition of excellence.
This is a very strong season in general. I would've been happy with just Flying Witch.
I agree this is a strong season with several very enjoyable shows.
Iron Fortress of the Kabaneri. This is basically an Attack on Titan clone, with trains. The animation quality is top notch. It is absolutely gorgeous to look at, and far surpasses many movies. The story is also very engaging. Totally immersive atmosphere.
My Hero Academia. The premise can't be more cliched. The wimpy protagonist works really hard to overcome his weakness as basically the only "normal" human in a world where most people have some kind of special power. Despite the tired formula, the execution, characters and story are excellent.
Life in a Different World from Zero. The show wasn't on my watch list, but I could only ignore the raving reviews for so long. Another summoned to a fantasy world story. It is unexpectedly dark. The promotional art is so deceiving that getting people to watch it is like giving ice-cream with hidden nails to kids. There are lots of time travel to the past to set right what once went wrong stories, and this is one of them. What makes this stand out is that every failure and timeline is carefully documented, every time the main hero dies (which happens *very* often) is shown in gruesome detail.
I am Sakamoto. This is very refreshing. Sakamoto is the coolest student in his class, and everything he does is cool. His antics are 100% wacky and I can't recall any show like this. It is not to be taken seriously, but it is very amusing to watch.
Big Order. My only disappointment of the season so far. Tries too hard to be a show that is "similar but also different" from Future Diary. Obviously inconsistent animation and plot developments that don't really make sense.
Mono, I get the feeling that every season we just about split the airing anime in half between us. We hardly ever watch the same shows.
I suppose it guarantees languish the widest possible coverage.
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Girls und Panzer der Film. This is the movie of the hugely popular tank simulation anime. It picks up where the anime ended, and is a massive commercial success. It has grossed more than $2 billion yen, and is ranked third in all late night anime movie adaptations, just behind Love Live and Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
For those of you who are not familiar with the Girls und Panzer universe, "tankery" is a female-only national sport popular with school girls (don't ask). The girls operate historic tanks from WWII. Teams from different schools battle each other regularly in matches. Nobody dies, and the battles aren't real even in-universe. The schools and the battlegrounds reside on the decks of gigantic aircraft carriers. It sounds silly, but the anime is known for its realistically drawn tanks, crazy tank tactics, fluid animation and exciting tank battles.
Girls und Panzer der Film is superbly done. It has fulfilled its stated mission to present extremely well animated tank battles that is a sight to behold. It does just enough in the drama department to let the audience get attached to the characters, give them a reason to fight, and it wastes no more time on non-tank stuff. I think out of the 120 minutes, the actual shooting takes at least 75 minutes. The storyboard design and animation are top notch. It takes a lot of money and passion to do it, and they delivered. It is also extremely nice to see [spoiler]all the rival schools from the TV anime team up with the protagonists against the university team [/spoiler]this time. Granted, there isn't much in the way of a story, but that's not the show's selling point anyway.
The blu-ray rip is out and is available anytime. If you are into WWII tanks, this movie is a must-see. Don't be put off by the girls stuff. It is odd seeing school girls driving King Tigers and T-34s, but the girls are fully clothed at all times. People watch the film for the tanks, not the girls.
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Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom. Phantom is the code name of a powerful mafia's top assassin. One day, a Japanese tourist witnessed Phantom's latest work. Though he was caught in the end, the mafia was impressed by his talent, reflexes and wit. They wiped his memory and trained him to be Phantom's partner. Phantom is revealed to be an emotionless teenage girl who also had her past memories removed. The story is about the duo's adventures in the mafia's world of power struggles, never ending flow of missions, and their journeys to rediscover themselves.
Phantom is one of the more depressing tales that comes out of Japan. The show is frequently compared with Black Lagoon, another action and gun show that is known for its refusal to adopt typical anime moe elements. It is a bit of a cult classic, and the reason a lot of people watch this is because it is based on a visual novel penned by Gen Urobuchi, of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate Zero and Psycho Pass fame. Phantom is one of his earliest and less known works. The show carried a lot of his trademarks that made him famous, dark, humourless, anybody can die, frequent twists and turns. They got the atmosphere right as there is a feeling of constant danger looming somewhere.
Overall it is well worth watching, but it isn't top-tier. It requires more suspension of disbelief than usual, like how can a tourist be trained to become a top assassin. The last arc is controversial. [spoiler]They moved the setting back to a Japanese school and aged one of the characters a lot but not the others. [/spoiler]I enjoyed the arc, but I can see why others don't.
There are two versions of the anime around. A 26 episode series released in 2009, and a 3-episode OVA released in the early 00s. Suggest that the OVA be ignored as it is a cheap production with poor character designs that only tells a small part of the story.
Reminds me of Gunslinger Girl. The Italian government offers the family of terminally ill little girls the oppurnity to extend their lives a decade through experimental treatment. They do this by turning them into wind wiped cyborg assassins. The girls with drugs and a creepy handler, this is one dark show.
The next season looks a little anemic, even accounting for the fact that summer isn't usually a good season for anime.
However, Amanchu!, written by the lovely lady who brought us Aria, will be the best show airing next season. Although I don't like sports anime, Battery looks to have a very strong assembly of talent and there's good reason to think it will be excellent.
Onara Gorou is the first serial production of an independent producer i've liked for a long time, so I'll enjoy that as well. But slim pickings past that. Flying Witch and Kuma Miko spoiled us this spring.
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Big Order. No, this isn't about food. The story takes place in a world where some individuals have gained supernatural abilities. They are called "Orders" as in they can bend the laws of physics by giving "orders", like stopping time. This anime is supposed to be "Future Diary 2.0", as they share the same manga author. Future Diary is made famous by the obsessive female protagonist, Yuno Gasai, that redefined how crazy an anime girlfriend can be.
If there ever is an anime hall of shame, this rightly belongs to it. The story is an incoherent mess. The lead girl is supposed to hate the lead guy. In one episode, she wants to kill him. In the next, she saves his life. In the following episode, they go out on a happy date sharing food. Then she goes back to hating him for no apparent reason. In one episode, the lead male "impregnates" another female by touching her bunny ears. He then spent the episode trying to get medical help for her. In the next episode, her "pregnancy" disappears. Just like that.
Everything about this show is inconsistent and arbitrary. They battle nuclear warheads, then discover a person with an "Order" that negates said warheads at the end of the episode. That person is never mentioned again. The character relationships, powers, intentions are invented and discarded as the story progresses from episode to episode. As if the production team decides what to do with the next episode only after the previous one has been aired.
This isn't a mixed bag. This is really bad.
I've never actually watched it, but it seems popular and I need something light.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
So the original and Brotherhood are just different takes on the same story right? Like the various Tenchi series? No relation to each other?
Not sure which to look at.
Quote from: Tyr on June 21, 2016, 06:59:37 AM
I've never actually watched it, but it seems popular and I need something light.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
So the original and Brotherhood are just different takes on the same story right? Like the various Tenchi series? No relation to each other?
Not sure which to look at.
First off Fullmetal Alchemist isn't exactly what I would consider light. It can be a bit dark and depressing at times, but nothing too extreme.
The original (or 2003) anime followed the first half of the manga. At the midpoint of the anime, it overtook the manga. So the second half was anime original and the story was different from the source material.
A couple of years later, the manga was completed. The same studio took the opportunity to remake the anime, from the beginning. That's Brotherhood. The first 14 episodes was a quick remake of the first part of the manga already covered in the first half of the 2003 anime. The rest of the anime adapted the part of the manga that had yet to be adapted.
I have watched both. Brotherhood is a true classic and is better than the 2003 version (10/10). Not surprising considering that it followed the manga much more closely. But the 2003 version isn't bad. It just isn't as good as Brotherhood, but it is enjoyable in its own right (9/10). If you have time, watch both. If not, watch Brotherhood.
BTW, there are two Fullmetal Alchemist movies. Conquerer of Shamballa and Sacred Star of Milos. Shamballa is the sequel to the 2003 anime. It won't make sense to you until you have completed the 2003 TV version. Milos is a side story of the Brotherhood version. I think it kinda spoils Brotherhood, so I suggest that you watch it after you have completed Brotherhood.
Quote from: Tyr on June 21, 2016, 06:59:37 AM
I've never actually watched it, but it seems popular and I need something light.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
So the original and Brotherhood are just different takes on the same story right? Like the various Tenchi series? No relation to each other?
Not sure which to look at.
Something light!? :lmfao:
Jesus Christ, I just fell into the black hole that is "Legend of Galactic Heroes".
I've been rewatching it with my wife recently as well. It holds up mostly excellently, although they use the word "history" an amazing amount of times. I think my favorite was when someone worried the God of History would turn their backs upon them.
Quote from: Hamilcar on June 21, 2016, 08:44:22 PM
Jesus Christ, I just fell into the black hole that is "Legend of Galactic Heroes".
Why black hole? There is a definitive ending, unlike the majority of anime shows. 110 episodes, plus 52 side story episodes, plus 3 movies. That's a bit longer than most shows but is still shorter than monsters such as One Piece with like 750 episodes and counting :contract:
There are rumours that a new project is in the pipeline though. No idea what it will be.
Here is the link -
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-08-13/legend-of-the-galactic-heroes-gets-new-anime-project-by-production-i.g-in-2017/.91627
The next anime season will start next week, and these are the shows that I plan to watch. Once again, the list is totally different from Lettow's :P
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Rewrite. This is the only new anime that I plan to watch. Based on a visual novel by Key Animation, a company that is dedicated to the noble goal of writing stories that make people cry. That, and my favourite voice actress Chiwa Saito will voice the lead female role.
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Seven Deadly Sins- Signs of Holy War. Seven Deadly Sins is one of the best shonen fight/adventure series that started in recent years. The first season has already been aired. This is not a true sequel as there are only four episodes in it. It is more like a transition that throws a bone toward the fans while we wait for the proper second season.
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Arslan Second Season. This is based on a novel written by none other than the author for Legend of Galactic Heroes. The story is set in a Middle-east themed fantasy world. Arslan is a prince who lost his kingdom to a foreign invader. He is on a quest to reclaim the kingdom.
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Fate Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 3rei. Despite the name, it is actually the 4th season. It is a spin-off of the mighty Fate series, focusing on Illya, the token mini-moe of Fate Stay Night. In this alternate reality, she is a magical girl. I am watching this largely out of a desire to watch everything Fate-related.
I wouldn't describe myself as an anime lover, but I am a life long lover of comic books, and there's quite a bit of cross over.
I love Miyazaki obviously, every one of the Ghibli movies. I particularly love his comic books and the fact that he was friends with Jean Giraud and that they influenced each other is sort of the best thing that's ever happened.
Tatsuyuki Tanaka is an artist that I am particularly smitten by. Famous for handling the transformation scene in Akira, his animation is bonkers good. I love his comics even more though.
This is one of his flip books. Yep a flip book. ffs.
http://imgur.com/gallery/nqc6tBF (http://imgur.com/gallery/nqc6tBF)
Quote from: Monoriu on June 21, 2016, 07:08:38 AM
[quote author=Tyr link=topic=11163.msg988206#msg988206 date=146651
I've never actually watched it, but it seems popular and I need something light.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
So the original
Light in the sense of doesn't need 100% of my attention (thinking to watch in English here 😳)
Where is this halfway point? Watching to original on there then switching to brotherhood is wise ?
Thanks
Quote from: Tyr on June 25, 2016, 02:11:20 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on June 21, 2016, 07:08:38 AM
[quote author=Tyr link=topic=11163.msg988206#msg988206 date=146651
I've never actually watched it, but it seems popular and I need something light.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
So the original
Light in the sense of doesn't need 100% of my attention (thinking to watch in English here 😳)
Where is this halfway point? Watching to original on there then switching to brotherhood is wise ?
Thanks
That definition of light still doesn't work for Full Metal Alchemist. It is a fairly serious show that demands attention.
The halfway point where they start to seriously diverge from the manga in the original 2003 version is episode 32, I think. Nothing stops you from watching the first 31 episodes of the 2003 version, then switch to episode 15 in Brotherhood. But I don't recommend it. The story doesn't really make sense that way. It is not designed to be watched like that. The Japanese voice cast are mostly different (except for the two leads). The tone and style is a bit different. The 2003 version is actually darker. In any case, I don't see any reason to do that.
If you don't want to watch all 110+ episodes, suggest that you just go with Brotherhood.
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My Hero Academy. Most people in this comic-book style world possess some kind of "quirk" or superpower. The villains use them to commit crimes, and it is up to heroes to stop them. Midoriya is one of the unfortunate few who are born without any quirks. Despite his shortcoming, he is determined to join the most prestigious hero academy and become a hero. A chance meeting with All Might, the most powerful hero in the world and "Symbol of the Peace", changed both men's fate forever.
This is widely considered one of the best shonen adventure/fight shows to appear in Japan in recent years, and is tipped as a worthy successor to Naruto, a ninja-themed mega international hit. The story is a cliché storm. From nobody to hero, determination and friendships are important, comic book heroes vs villains, a meek protagonist plus a kind-hearted, supportive girl and an arrogant, genius rival. These setups have been in use all over the world for decades, and people have tried everything they can to do something different. This show goes the other route by trying to do a story with the most overused tropes.
It is living proof that as long as the execution is right, even the most boring tropes can produce wonderful results. It isn't just because of a rich cast of colourful and distinct sidekicks, imaginative quirks, or beautiful animation. I think what makes this special is that there is a deliberate attempt to include a dash of reality in an otherwise typical shonen show. The students of the academy are smart, but the teachers and adults still do the bulk of the fighting. Willpower is important, but battles are decided by strategy and teamwork. The story takes place in a school, but the show focuses on the battles, not harem and classroom antics. Determination doesn't mean screaming the loudest or having the most tragic backstories, but a willingness to step forward in the face of adversity.
Biggest problem with this show is that there are only 13 episodes, hopelessly insufficient for such a grand setting and huge cast. Good thing that a second season has already been announced.
Anyone watched Netflix new Voltron: Legendary defender?
I watched the first 3 episodes. It is very childish so far. Kinda disapointed.
Quote from: viper37 on June 27, 2016, 09:08:46 PM
I watched the first 3 episodes. It is very childish so far. Kinda disapointed.
Not sure if you have watched it, but I like Gundam Unicorn (7 mini-movies) if you want mecha shows.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 27, 2016, 09:16:31 PM
Quote from: viper37 on June 27, 2016, 09:08:46 PM
I watched the first 3 episodes. It is very childish so far. Kinda disapointed.
Not sure if you have watched it, but I like Gundam Unicorn (7 mini-movies) if you want mecha shows.
yeah, they aren't dubbed IIRC. There's a new deal signed last year concerning the dubbing of the Gundam Shows. I'll have to wait a little more, I guess.
I don't understand Japanese and I hate subtitles.
One Punch Man- I've heard of this show a lot in recent times. It seems very popular. But the animation looked awful and the name and synopsis... it just didn't appeal at all. Where's the fun in such a powerful hero?
I saw a trailer for the soon to be launched English dub though...and it seemed kind of cool. The idea of it isn't about this overly powerful hero and his lame adventures but the depression issues he faces as a result.
At first...yes. It seems a pretty funny deconstruction of the genre. Some very nice jokes. Nice contrast of the mundainity of real life with the self-aware genre nonsense.
But as I watch further....it seems less and less of a piss take on anime super human stuff and seems to take itself a little seriously. Which puts it back into the domain of the crap I pre-judged it as.
Not sure if I'll watch further.
Maybe I've just grown out of anime?
Quote from: Tyr on July 05, 2016, 04:00:18 PM
One Punch Man- I've heard of this show a lot in recent times. It seems very popular. But the animation looked awful and the name and synopsis... it just didn't appeal at all. Where's the fun in such a powerful hero?
I saw a trailer for the soon to be launched English dub though...and it seemed kind of cool. The idea of it isn't about this overly powerful hero and his lame adventures but the depression issues he faces as a result.
At first...yes. It seems a pretty funny deconstruction of the genre. Some very nice jokes. Nice contrast of the mundainity of real life with the self-aware genre nonsense.
But as I watch further....it seems less and less of a piss take on anime super human stuff and seems to take itself a little seriously. Which puts it back into the domain of the crap I pre-judged it as.
Not sure if I'll watch further.
Maybe I've just grown out of anime?
I think One Punch Man is pretty good, but it isn't the masterpiece that a lot of websites claim it is. I give it 8/10 for a refreshing take on the shonen genre and pretty funny moments. It is a bit hard to tell a story where the protagonist has story breaking powers.
There is no point to argue over animation style. Either you like it or you don't. But compared with other anime that I have watched, One Punch Man is a big budget production with lots of care given to the fight scenes.
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Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. This is the anime equivalent of say, James Cameron directing another big budget Hollywood action blockbuster with A-listed actors. The story takes place in a Japan undergoing industrial revolution. Man-eating zombies have appeared everywhere, forcing humanity to live in fortified cities. The only form of travel available is armoured trains. The protagonists are forced to flee in such a train when their city is attacked. Or Attack on Titans with trains (yes, the same people did both shows)
Expectations for this show were sky high pre-season due to the impressive visuals and the big names in the production staff. Sadly, I consider that the show has only met the expectations partially. There is no question about the production qualities. The animation quality probably breaks new records in TV anime, and puts a lot of movies to shame. It is simply visually stunning. The music is epic, the characters are well-designed, there is lots of action, I am glued to the screen every time I watch the show. If you want a big budget, visually impressive action show, this is it.
Yet, I couldn't help but feel that I watched someone playing an arcade game. The heroes battled the villains, overcame obstacles, and rode off to the sunset. There are no twists and turns. I saw a new character appear. He looked like a villain, and he turned out to be a villain. This guy from the protagonist's party went over to the other side. He looked like a mole, and he turned out to be a mole working for the heroes. Oh, this guy fell off the cliff. Don't worry, he would reappear. And that's exactly what happened next. There are no surprises in this show. Everything turned out as expected.
Another problem is that the first half is much better than the second half. It started as a zombie apocalypse. The atmosphere was great. The protagonists were on the run and they were in survival mode. Danger was lurking everywhere. Somehow, the villain appeared about halfway, and it is as if the show abandoned the premise at that point. The zombies became largely irrelevant, and the focus became stopping the villain. This reminds me of Speilberg's War of the Worlds. It started great, but got bogged down half-way through.
I was entertained when I watched it. But it doesn't have much of an emotional impact on me afterwards. I watch it, I move on, I probably won't remember it a year from now.
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I'm Sakamoto. The show revolves around Sakamoto, a high school student. Everything he does is cool. He is a genius, he is good at everything, all the girls fall for him. The boys hate him, and they do everything they can to try to embarrass him. Key word being try, as he always foils their attempts. What is not immediately apparent is that Sakamoto is also an all loving hero. He always lend a helping hand to anybody in need, including his rivals.
This is a very refreshing take on Japanese school drama, but it isn't something to be taken seriously. Sakamoto's antics make or break the show. When Sakamoto was able to turn mundane things into awesomeoness, the show was at its best. Some of the stuff shown is totally wacky, like Sakamoto engaging in a sword fight with a bee.
That's also the biggest problem with the show. Sometimes his antics are so unrealistic and so crazy that they seem lame instead of cool. I am fine with walking on a fence to appear cool. Lots of anime characters do that. But the show repeatedly tried to convince me that Sakamoto could create wind by walking in circles. That's unbelievable, not cool. A bunch of high school students, Sakamoto included, thinking of different ways of walking into the porn section of a video store without being noticed isn't cool. What's really cool? Walk right in.
It is different from the usual stuff, but it isn't necessarily great because of that.
My favourite show of the Spring 2016 season (April - June) depends on the definition. If it is defined as the shows that ended in June, it is My Hero Academy.
But if it is defined as the shows that were aired during the period April - June, then it would easily be Life in a Different World from Zero, a show that is scheduled to be completed in September. I am extremely impressed by what I have seen so far. But as always, I will write about it only after I have completed watching it.
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Planatarian. In the future, Earth is devastated by war, and only a handful of humans survive. A scavenger managed to fight his way into an empty pre-war city guarded by killer robots. There, he encountered Yumemi, a female robot designed to guide customers through a planetarium in a department store. She is unaware of the war and tries to enlist his help to fix the projector. This is based on a visual novel by Key, the company known for producing such shows as Angel Beats, Clannad, Little Busters etc.
It is a short and straightforward story. There are only five episodes, and each is shorter than the average length. The interaction between a jaded war veteran and an adorable AI is the only thing that sustains the show. Nevertheless, it has made the most out of a setting with such a barebones scope. Key is known for producing bittersweet stories and it has again hit the mark here. The drama works, the ending is compelling and memorable. She is probably the only being that still held out hope for humanity's future in the dystopia. If there is an election for the saint of anime robots, Yumemi should be one of the candidates.
There is supposed to be a follow-up movie. No idea what that is all about.
I've been watching through dragonball kai for some reason.
Nice nostalgia fest.
And good to have all that filler removed. No longer does friezea pronounce every 30 minutes of a month long battle that the planet will explode in 5 minutes. The balance is a lot nicer and more dragonbally than original Z.
Though....
Episode titles :lol:
They announce exactly what will happen in the episode in a very overt way. Stuff along the lines of "Enemy isn't really dead! Hero finally finds something!" "Oh no. Hero 2 dies! Everyone cries!"
I always hated DragonBall.
It never worked for me.
The story sucks, the animation sucks, and the design sucks. No matter of good production can save it for me.
Quote from: Siege on September 04, 2016, 11:22:04 PM
I always hated DragonBall.
It never worked for me.
The story sucks, the animation sucks, and the design sucks. No matter of good production can save it for me.
Siege's hatred
IS OVER 9000!!!
The original Dragonball was prerty good.
As for DBZ, DBZ abridged is brilliant.
I'd agree the animation is rather terrible. But then that's 90s anime. The less cells the better.
The design is brilliant though. Looks amazing on HD. The characters pop out of the background wonderfully.
I prefer Dragonball original over DBZ. More comedy, adventure, variety. DBZ focuses too much on the fights, and they drag on for too long. I think DB popularised the idea of the idiot hero.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 05, 2016, 01:37:16 PM
I prefer Dragonball original over DBZ. More comedy, adventure, variety. DBZ focuses too much on the fights, and they drag on for too long. I think DB popularised the idea of the idiot hero.
Not sure on dragonball vs dragonballz, dragonball was never shown in the uk (at the time. I think it has since appeared) and I've only seen a few episodes, but for sure earlier Dbz beats the latter stuff. I never even watched it through to the end, I just lost interest.
Dragonball is the only manga series I ever bothered buying end to end. The comic is great at least
Quote from: Tyr on September 06, 2016, 06:16:12 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 05, 2016, 01:37:16 PM
I prefer Dragonball original over DBZ. More comedy, adventure, variety. DBZ focuses too much on the fights, and they drag on for too long. I think DB popularised the idea of the idiot hero.
Not sure on dragonball vs dragonballz, dragonball was never shown in the uk (at the time. I think it has since appeared) and I've only seen a few episodes, but for sure earlier Dbz beats the latter stuff. I never even watched it through to the end, I just lost interest.
Dragonball is the only manga series I ever bothered buying end to end. The comic is great at least
The manga artist wanted to end DBZ a lot earlier. People told him that thousands of workers' livelihood depended on him. The animation staff, people making and selling DBZ merchandise, etc etc. It became a multi billion international business. So he was forced to continue against his own best judgement, and the quality declined.
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Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu, or Life in Another World From Zero. One day, Subaru found himself standing in front of a fruit store in a medieval fantasy world. He began his adventure with a kind-hearted half elf, but soon they were both brutally murdered by unknown forces. Moments later, he stood in front of the same fruit store, and encountered the same half elf again. Although Subaru remembered her, she had no memory of him. Every time Subaru dies, he returns to the "save point". He can only establish a new "save point" after he had solved the problem that threatened his life.
There are countless "trapped in a fantasy world" anime shows. This is undoubtedly the absolute best show in this genre that I have seen. It is not just the anime of 2016. It is the best anime that I have seen since Attack on Titans, and I bet that this will be remembered as a classic decades from now. This is phenomenal and has redefined the genre. The show is a deconstruction and it spins the usual tropes in the darkest possible fashion. Watching the anime thinking this is yet another "Isekai" show is like trying to eat ice-cream with nails in it. It is a non-stop flow of surprises, action, despair, awesome scenes, tearjerking scenes and character development.
Each time loop is shown onscreen and in detail. Despite the audience knowing that Subaru and his friends will come back alive in the next loop, the scenes are so well choreographed that most deaths are heart wrenching to watch. Many episodes have a profound emotional impact on me, and I think I won't forget some of the signature scenes for years to come. When Subaru fails, he doesn't simply die and start over. On top of the body horrors that he suffers, he also needs to watch the slaughter of his loved ones and many other innocents.
Subaru is a very flawed character. In terms of fighting ability, he is weaker than most characters in the show, so he can't simply cut his way out of his troubles. He is too prideful for his own good, and has a hero complex that gets him into all sorts of problems. He acts like a typical human being rather than the idealised, overpowered typical fantasy protagonist.
The psychology of Subaru and his relationships with others are examined in detail. The multiple gruesome deaths, betrayals and nearly insurmountable odds facing him assault his psyche like a battering ram. In some of the loops, he overcompensates and attempts to put up a cheerful façade. In other loops, he completely withdraws. Another problem is that only he retains the memories of the times that he spends with his companions. Someone may think Subaru is a casual acquaintance but he considers her a trusted partner who has been through multiple life and death fights. This difference causes friction.
If you only have time for one anime show every two years, watch this.
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Berserk. Guts is an anti-hero known as the "black swordman" who is branded for death and is attacked by hordes of demons every night. By day, he hunts apostles, demons that masquerade as humans and terrorise the population. In particular, he is after Griffith, who was once Guts' friend and commander when they were both mercenaries for hire.
Berserk is an epic dark fantasy and it is so nightmarish that it pushes the limits of what can be shown on Japanese TV. Compared to this, Lord of the Rings feels like a happy and warm place. Scenes showing torture, explicit rape, people devoured by demons and cut in half by giant swords routinely appear. There are no scantily clad underage cute females who fall for the main guy on first sight. The world is filled with war, hunger, suffering, refugees, child prostitutes, corrupt officials, crazy religious fanatics, human sacrifices, and monsters. This is a really grim place with malevolent and unnatural forces controlling the world from behind and is an express elevator toward horror and despair.
It is based on a long-running and beloved manga that has been in print for almost three decades now. The conflict between Guts and Griffith is nothing short of legendary in the anime world. Everything about this show has an epic feel to it. The author is dedicating his entire life toward this one work. If you prefer adult and mature themes, serious and dark fantasy shows, huge guy with huge sword going on a revenge rampage, this is better than most. If you don't like blood, gore, nightmarish settings, truly disturbing scenes, this is not for you.
The biggest problem with this show is that while the manga is a huge success, the anime adaptation is clearly not as successful. There is a 25-episode anime released in 1997 that was known for its distinct lack of animation. It feels more like a slide show than a real anime. Around 2012, they started over and did 3 movies with a new production team, new studio and new voice cast that covered the same Golden Age arc that the 1997 adaptation covered. In 2016, they released a 12 episode sequel that used a huge amount of (subpar) computer generated characters and objects. The plot and characters are as good as ever but one needs to look past the problematic visuals and unnatural character movements. More episodes are coming in 2017.
I recently caught up on the manga - it's amazing that the series has been sputtering along for over 25 years now (and I doubt it will ever be finished, though it's ticked off some major plot points recently).
The series has become less violent or gratuitous in its rape scenes (up till book 15 or 18, i.e. ca. current half way point, some scenes were bordering on hentai, with "vital details" only barely out of view or obscured).
I recall when I first started reading it I was immediately hooked and also impressed bye how far Miura pushed dark, gritty themes mixed with extremely graphic violence and sex (I was in my early 20s at the time), and, very notably, a beautifully detailed art style. The armor, cities, weapons in that series are just so amazingly drawn. It's not least thanks to this art style that the story feels so epic.
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The Dynasty Warrior style game that's coming out looks pretty stupid, though. A Dark Souls style game would make much more sense (and the DS series was heavily influenced by Berserk in tone and design, not least in the epic battles against bizarre monster bosses).
I've watched part of the old anime, but I thought it felt too toned down. Haven't watched the new one yet - the CGI style doesn't seem to fit it very well.
Those details are crazy awesome :yes:
QuoteCompared to this, Lord of the Rings feels like a happy and warm place.
I too have always wondered how the Lord of the Rings got along without any scenes of explicit rape and child prostitution. Maybe some of those hobbit kids. :hmm:
:P
[Yes, the details in that Manga look awesome. ;) ]
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Accel World: Infinite Burst
The show is highly unusual for having short, fat male lead. One day, Kuroyukihime (literally, black snow princess) introduced him to the Accel World, where participants can think many times faster than normal. This enables them to cheat in exams etc. To accelerate, users need to use points, which are obtained by defeating other participants in an online game using avatars.
Once upon a time, a novelist wrote a story about being trapped in an online RPG world called Sword Art Online. The story became an international hit. When he hit writers' block, he decided to work on a parallel story on a similar topic to stimulate his creativity. Accel World hasn't reached the status of Sword Art Online, but is still well within the top ten best-selling novels. The powers that be did anime adaptations for both novels, found that Sword Art Online was a much bigger success, and decided to focus resources that way. But the writer keeps releasing new novels under both names in parallel.
Years later, the anime producers finally decided that they didn't want the less favourite child of a best-selling author to go to complete waste, and made a movie for Accel World. Infinite Burst is the result. Fans like me became ecstatic that the poor man's Sword Art Online isn't left for dead after all.
The movie. It is about 80 minutes long. The first half of the movie is a quick summary of the TV anime adaptation released a few years ago. Actually it covered episodes 1-12 well, but there was barely anything on episodes 13-24. I also have the impression that they simply recycled the TV footage. The second half is an original story set *very* far into the novels. For someone who has watched the anime only, the new short story contains many new characters, terms, concepts, changes in allegiance and character relationships that were not present in the TV adaptation.
On one hand, it is great to find something, anything that is Accel World related. On the other hand, it sucks that we have waited so many years only to get a half-baked half-summary, and half-hearted attempt to do a sort of distant sequel and poorly disguised OVA that doesn't make sense to anyone who has not caught up with the source novels.
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Rewrite. Kotarou is a high school student who passes time by befriending all sorts of odd-ball females. They join the supernatural club to investigate spiritual incidents and set up absurd missions for themselves. Soon, the story turns from slice of life to urban legend as real supernatural beings appear. This is the latest anime adaptation of a Key visual novel, the company well-known for producing classics and tearjerkers like Angel Beats and Clannad.
I have watched every Key adaptation, and this is clearly the worst. The biggest issue is that it feels very rushed. There are six major heroines, each with her own unique story-line, but there are only 13 episodes. This leads to very little, if any, build up and many information dumps on the audience with insufficient time to absorb the new information. The heroines just abruptly fall for the guy with no explanation. A nearly silent character suddenly decides to become talkative. Because she is hit by a meteor. It is true, just watch it. There are plotlines that are clearly designed to be tearjerkers but there is only a 20-second buildup, leaving the audience bewildered more than anything else. Key has built an array of rich characters and a world with lots of details and conflict, but this adaptation has clearly not done the source material justice.
All is not lost, however. For a second season has been announced, and it will be aired next year. It seems to me that it is inevitable that they'll start over, or "rewrite" the story from the beginning. This move is obviously planned from the beginning. The first season introduces the world and the characters, while the second season, which will follow the first season closely, will be the real story. I'll give it another shot, but the first season by itself is only a notch above being a trainwreck.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F79999l_zpsyncvsglv.jpg&hash=1bd25aa08f297d7f0d9c880891be6f0f7e80a491) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/79999l_zpsyncvsglv.jpg.html)
Kimi no Na Wa, or Your Name. This is a movie that was released in Japanese theatres about a month ago, but is already grabbing headlines. It has grossed more than $10 billion yen and the receipts are still coming in. This is a new record for non-Ghibli anime movies. The movie director is Shinkai Makoto, known for producing anime movies with stunning scenaries and heartwarming plots. Probably one of the most recognised directors in the post-Ghibli world.
I haven't seen it. The only thing I know about the story is that it is about a teenage girl and a teenage boy who swapped bodies due to a "visiting comet".
Trailer -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRfHcp2GjVI
My wife is already itching to see it.
It does seem to be crazily popular for some reason .
Body swap films are always fun. One of the better japanese dramas I've seen was on the topic. I'll have to seek it out someday
I didn't know the wife cared for anime mono.
Quote from: Tyr on September 27, 2016, 09:35:33 AM
It does seem to be crazily popular for some reason .
Body swap films are always fun. One of the better japanese dramas I've seen was on the topic. I'll have to seek it out someday
I didn't know the wife cared for anime mono.
Body swap is one reason. The director is already well-established and has released many popular films, though not on the same scale of success. I think another reason is that the film appeals to a wide audience and avoids the usual anime tropes. The same premise can be used to do a mainstream film with real actors.
Most HKers are anime watchers at some point in their lives. There are anime shows that everybody has watched, even the grandparents. She only watches shows with no blood, no fights, no mecha, no monsters etc.
So these are the shows that I intend to watch in the coming Autumn 2016 anime season (October - December 2016). Overall it seems like a pretty weak season, with no big name productions or highly anticipated sequels.
Natsume's Book of Friends (Season 5)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR7ylbXppAc
Natsume has the ability to see all kinds of wandering spirits, and they seem to have a great interest in him. That's because he inherited the "Book of Friends" from his grandmother who had died a long time ago. Apparently, she was a great spiritual warrior who picked fights with all kinds of spirits and won all her duels. As the price for losing to her, the spirits gave up their names to be kept in the Book. This allowed his grandmother to control the spirits, essentially setting up a master/slave relationship. Natsume is now determined to return each and every name to its owner. This is an episodic anime known for its many heartwarming and tearjerking short stories.
Brave Witches
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLUqd-jEBuE
Spin-off of Strike Witches. Aliens invaded Earth just before WWII, so in this world, Tigers and Shermans fight on the same side. The most effective weapon against the aliens are teenage girls who use magic to fly and raise shields. They fire machine guns while in the air, gain animal features when they use magic, and refuse to wear pants. The story of the 501st strike witches unit has already been told in previous material. This spin off features a new cast (called the 502nd unit) within the same setting. This is an ecchi series with mild nudity all over the place, but is also known for featuring the camaraderie of the nearly all female cast.
Vivid Strike
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq5ILlY1UGQ
Nanoha is one of the most famous military magical girl series in Japan, and Vivid is supposed to be the fourth season. The first half of the fourth season has already been aired, and it sucked. Apparently there are huge internal/copyright disputes associated with the studio, so the second half of Vivid can't even use the "Nanoha" name anymore, and likely won't feature her. But the rest of the characters seem to be the same. Nobody knows for sure exactly what this Nanoha sequel without the Nanoha name is. I am not even sure if this is a continuation of the first season or a fresh remake. But I am going to watch it because it is Nanoha. Or something.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F1f540bb8dd4421356cc3282741d2f4aa1452639102_full_zpsg6enpxqa.jpg&hash=436e40775862c703b1ac28a4449e60d0322b95bb) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/1f540bb8dd4421356cc3282741d2f4aa1452639102_full_zpsg6enpxqa.jpg.html)
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World). Or Konosuba for short. Kazuma dies within the first few minutes. In the afterlife, he meets Aqua, a jerkass water goddess who mocked his misfortune and gave him three choices. He could reincarnate as a human, go to boring heaven, or try to defeat the demon in a fantasy world with all his memories retained. As an inducement for picking the last option, he could pick a special ability or item. Kazuma picked Aqua as his "unique item", and the deities were too happy to grant his wish.
Yes, this is yet another trapped in a fantasy world show. It is very charming and funny. It is a self-aware parody about the mechanics of massive online RPG games, and every single aspect is played for laughs. Forget dark deconstructions, multi-layered plots or philosophical thoughts. This is a goofball show that does everything in an over the top and quirky way. The execution is near perfect and the show is hilarious. I completed the entire show in an afternoon and I just couldn't stop watching or laughing.
Kazuma's party is dysfunctional and his party members are all insufferable. Kazuma himself is a lowly adventurer with low stats and no equipment. Though Aqua is a goddess and does have useful powers, she is officially stupid and her powers (anti-undead and floods) are highly situational. The other two main companions include a cute mage who could cast a powerful explosion spell once a day but couldn't cast any other spell and would need to be carried after casting that one spell. There is also a female crusader knight who was a great human meat shield but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Oh and, her greatest wish is to be captured and tortured by powerful enemies.
Sword Art Online is for people who want to see an all-powerful hero saving the world singlehandedly, and getting all the girls. Re: Zero is for those who want to watch a serious, dark and emotionally engaging story. This is for people who want to laugh and forget their troubles. This show is God's blessing on this wonderful world indeed.
As usual I disagree with Mono, and think this is one of the stronger seasons we've had in awhile. I regret I don't quite have the gumption to explain the merits of the various shows to Languish right this minute, but standounts for me:
Sangatsu no Lion
Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku
Shuumatsu no Izetta
Hibike! Euphonium 2
I've yet to see Fune wo Amu, but the premise looks promising and I look forward to watching it as well.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 17, 2016, 02:26:37 AM
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World).
I rarely watch any anime...I think I've watched maybe two series, in full (both short) in my life. But on a lark I tried this one. Very stupid, but also very fun stupid.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 19, 2016, 03:05:59 AM
Subaru is a very flawed character. In terms of fighting ability, he is weaker than most characters in the show, so he can't simply cut his way out of his troubles.
He has all the time in the world to get better, wouldn't he eventually become a badass like Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow?
Quote from: Tonitrus on October 21, 2016, 12:27:29 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 17, 2016, 02:26:37 AM
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World).
I rarely watch any anime...I think I've watch maybe two series, in full (both short) in my life. But on a lark I tried this one. Very stupid, but also very fun stupid.
Good to hear that you enjoyed it. Second season will be aired in January 2017, and I am going to watch it for sure.
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Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal. Kenshin is the name of the protagonist. Rurouni means wandering samurai. The show is set in the turbulent times of the Meiji restoration period, toward the end of the age of samurai. Trust & Betrayal is a four-episode OVA that serves as the prequel of the much larger story. This review is based on the OVA only and I have not watched the broader story. It is essentially the origin story of Kenshin, how he learned his sword movements, how he received his scars, both physical and emotional, and how he developed his worldviews.
This is clearly a masterpiece. I swear I have seen a similar plot before, but the anime industry should be proud of its execution. It is a convincing and memorable story about the constantly developing character of Kenshin. The pace maybe deliberate and slow, but it is done just right to depict the emotional states of the characters. I seldom see an anime that contains so many silent yet poetic and powerful scenes. The production values are very high, presenting vibrant Meiji era Japanese life. The sword fights are well choreographed and realistic. The scenes are beautiful, the story is tragic, and the atmosphere dramatic. I struggle to think of a better samurai show, both anime and live-action.
Thanks Tim for recommending this show.
I watched one of the Kenshin series years ago. I liked the Meiji restauration angle.
I thought his back edged katana was weak.
Watching Kuromukuro on Netflix.
Excellent show. Good production values character development.
Senguko era samurai hibernates to present controlling a captured alien mecha, then defends earth against new alien invasion.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 27, 2016, 03:21:23 AM
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Kimi no Na Wa, or Your Name. This is a movie that was released in Japanese theatres about a month ago, but is already grabbing headlines. It has grossed more than $10 billion yen and the receipts are still coming in. This is a new record for non-Ghibli anime movies. The movie director is Shinkai Makoto, known for producing anime movies with stunning scenaries and heartwarming plots. Probably one of the most recognised directors in the post-Ghibli world.
I haven't seen it. The only thing I know about the story is that it is about a teenage girl and a teenage boy who swapped bodies due to a "visiting comet".
Trailer -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRfHcp2GjVI
My wife is already itching to see it.
I saw this in cinema last weekend. The stellar reputation that this movie gets is well-deserved. Some Japanese box office figures to show what a phenomenon this has become. A lot of my co-workers who otherwise don't have much interest in anime saw this.
Your Name: $174m (US$)
Avatar: $172m
The Wind Rises: $120m (released by Ghibli studio and widely considered the last movie that legend Hayao Miyazaki makes)
Star Wars the Force Awakens: $98m
One Piece Film Gold: $48m (One piece is the most popular manga ever and it is considered half-mainstream)
Love Live the School Idol Movie: $21m (this is considered the highest box office figure achieved by an adaptation of a late night anime, i.e. shows primarily watched by otakus).
To say that the animation of this movie is gorgeous is an understatement. This is easily the most beautiful anime that I have seen. Ghibli movies are beautiful too, but they mostly depict fantasy worlds or historical Japan. Your Name presents 21st century Japan in stunning visuals and nobody comes remotely close in this department. Containing diverse scenery from the Tokyo metropolis to the remote countrysides, Your Name has set new standards on how anime should look.
The impressive artwork alone is more than enough reason to watch this movie. Having an outstanding story is the other reason that explains the explosive popularity. The film is a journey and an emotional roller-coaster. It is funny in the first half and heartwarming in the second. The plot is easy to follow, memorable and suitably dramatic. The bodyswitch thing is well-presented and things are more complex than they seem at first glance. The voice actors (actually real actors) did a fantastic and convincing job of "stuck in the body of the opposite gender". The plot is very mainstream and un-anime-like. It shouldn't be difficult to make a live-action film with the same screenplay.
This is a masterpiece and I think we have already found a worthy successor to Miyazaki, someone who can make anime classics that appeal to a mainstream and international audience.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 25, 2016, 10:09:59 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F635716-rurouni_kenshin_trust_and_betrayal_1_zpsx9vhqfy2.jpg&hash=713957f5f744d4ee6d91a106033c1bc4b699df7c) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/635716-rurouni_kenshin_trust_and_betrayal_1_zpsx9vhqfy2.jpg.html)
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal. Kenshin is the name of the protagonist. Rurouni means wandering samurai. The show is set in the turbulent times of the Meiji restoration period, toward the end of the age of samurai. Trust & Betrayal is a four-episode OVA that serves as the prequel of the much larger story. This review is based on the OVA only and I have not watched the broader story. It is essentially the origin story of Kenshin, how he learned his sword movements, how he received his scars, both physical and emotional, and how he developed his worldviews.
This is clearly a masterpiece. I swear I have seen a similar plot before, but the anime industry should be proud of its execution. It is a convincing and memorable story about the constantly developing character of Kenshin. The pace maybe deliberate and slow, but it is done just right to depict the emotional states of the characters. I seldom see an anime that contains so many silent yet poetic and powerful scenes. The production values are very high, presenting vibrant Meiji era Japanese life. The sword fights are well choreographed and realistic. The scenes are beautiful, the story is tragic, and the atmosphere dramatic. I struggle to think of a better samurai show, both anime and live-action.
Thanks Tim for recommending this show.
I recommended this to you like 10 years ago didn't I? Is your backlog that long?
There's a live action trilogy based on the manga series of his later adventure. Only seen clips, but the swordsmanship looks ridiculously good.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 14, 2016, 01:05:55 AM
I recommended this to you like 10 years ago didn't I? Is your backlog that long?
There's a live action trilogy based on the manga series of his later adventure. Only seen clips, but the swordsmanship looks ridiculously good.
And how many anime shows that I have recommended in this thread have you watched? :P
Knights of Sidonia turned from a mecha show to a harem show so gradually that I hardly noticed. And then I noticed.
Quote from: Monoriu on November 14, 2016, 01:01:03 AM
I saw this in cinema last weekend. The stellar reputation that this movie gets is well-deserved. Some Japanese box office figures to show what a phenomenon this has become. A lot of my co-workers who otherwise don't have much interest in anime saw this.
Your Name: $174m (US$)
Avatar: $172m
The Wind Rises: $120m (released by Ghibli studio and widely considered the last movie that legend Hayao Miyazaki makes)
Star Wars the Force Awakens: $98m
One Piece Film Gold: $48m (One piece is the most popular manga ever and it is considered half-mainstream)
Love Live the School Idol Movie: $21m (this is considered the highest box office figure achieved by an adaptation of a late night anime, i.e. shows primarily watched by otakus).
To say that the animation of this movie is gorgeous is an understatement. This is easily the most beautiful anime that I have seen. Ghibli movies are beautiful too, but they mostly depict fantasy worlds or historical Japan. Your Name presents 21st century Japan in stunning visuals and nobody comes remotely close in this department. Containing diverse scenery from the Tokyo metropolis to the remote countrysides, Your Name has set new standards on how anime should look.
The impressive artwork alone is more than enough reason to watch this movie. Having an outstanding story is the other reason that explains the explosive popularity. The film is a journey and an emotional roller-coaster. It is funny in the first half and heartwarming in the second. The plot is easy to follow, memorable and suitably dramatic. The bodyswitch thing is well-presented and things are more complex than they seem at first glance. The voice actors (actually real actors) did a fantastic and convincing job of "stuck in the body of the opposite gender". The plot is very mainstream and un-anime-like. It shouldn't be difficult to make a live-action film with the same screenplay.
This is a masterpiece and I think we have already found a worthy successor to Miyazaki, someone who can make anime classics that appeal to a mainstream and international audience.
Legendary British curmudgeon gives it five stars
Video review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpwXATNGUsQ
Written review
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/20/your-name-review-makoto-shinkai
2016 is a pretty good year for anime fans. My top 5 shows in 2016 are -
1. Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Starting Life in Another World from Zero)
2. Your Name
3. Boku dake ga Inai Machi (The Town Where Only I am Missing)
4. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World)
5. Assassination Classroom Second Season
Quote from: Monoriu on December 28, 2016, 04:36:44 AM
2016 is a pretty good year for anime fans.
Proof y'all are evil. :menace:
Quote from: Monoriu on December 28, 2016, 04:36:44 AM
2016 is a pretty good year for anime fans. My top 5 shows in 2016 are -
1. Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Starting Life in Another World from Zero)
2. Your Name
3. Boku dake ga Inai Machi (The Town Where Only I am Missing)
4. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World)
5. Assassination Classroom Second Season
And yet a year that also includes the least interesting season (from my perspective) that I can remember.
This last season? I used Random Curiosity's season preview to decide what to watch as normal; shortest list ever (only 7 shows and that was a stretch.) I don't think I've actually watched an episode of any of them.
I am looking forward to the new season of Konosuba, though.
I don't want to include currently airing anime for the sake of fairness, so my top 5 will excluse Sangatsu no Raion, which is an excellent anime. as such, my take at a top five for this year would be-
5: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
4: Kuma Miko
3: Amanchu
2: Hibike! Euphonium
1: Flying Witch
2017 is promising to be a great anime year. The long awaited season 2 of Attack on Titan will air in April. Lots of big shows will get sequels or movies, including Naruto, Sword Art Online, One Punch Man, Seven Deadly Sins, Nanoha, Full Metal Panic etc.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic1.wikia.nocookie.net%2Flooneytunesfanon%2Fimages%2F5%2F50%2FWiki-background&hash=d3908a707d3f2cedd4835a39e6d2f3489e02c54a)
Best Anime.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 29, 2016, 07:29:48 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on December 28, 2016, 11:58:50 PM
Full Metal Panic etc.
Oh? I'm interested.
The tentative title is Full Metal Panic IV, so it should be a sequel. All three main voice actors will return. Rumour is that it will be aired in October 2017, but nothing has been confirmed.
It is a miracle that we are getting this after like a decade. So far we only have this key visual -
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fvery-merry-christmas.png_zpsntgsrjaw.jpg&hash=3e7e590ba374dc23d397a896bba53fe7d8c2896f) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/very-merry-christmas.png_zpsntgsrjaw.jpg.html)
Quote from: 11B4V on December 29, 2016, 08:06:38 PM
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Best Anime.
Anime is cartoons produced in Japan. If it isn't produced in Japan, it isn't anime :contract:
It's so weird. When the first major wave of manga/anime hit in the 90s, it was more focused on a rather different demographic. The main titles at the time were Akira, Fist of the North Star, Urotsukidoji, Ghost in the Shell, M.D. Geist, Armitage III, Bubblegum Crisis, and stuff in a similar vein - often with a cool futuristic aesthetic, often extremely graphically violent.
These days ... not so much (with some exceptions).
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2016, 08:27:12 AM
It's so weird. When the first major wave of manga/anime hit in the 90s, it was more focused on a rather different demographic. The main titles at the time were Akira, Fist of the North Star, Urotsukidoji, Ghost in the Shell, M.D. Geist, Armitage III, Bubblegum Crisis, and stuff in a similar vein - often with a cool futuristic aesthetic, often extremely graphically violent.
These days ... not so much (with some exceptions).
Yeah, 80s stuff are more manly, like Berserk, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Saint Seiya etc. My personal theory is that 80s/90s titles appealed to a wider audience because they were willing to pay for this stuff. When piracy became unstoppable in the 00s, only the most die hard otakus still buy blu-rays. And a lot of anime produced these days have to appeal to their tastes.
I think piracy may play a part, but it was also rampant in the 90s. A 60 minute anime VHS would often cost as much as 2 or 3 non-anime Hollywood movies at the time. The prices were completely silly. So most people had copied tapes, or recorded the movies from TV (one TV station in Germany had a weekend late night spot where they would show "oddities" - bad, cheaply made 80s/90s splatter movies, anime, and the like).
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2016, 09:39:40 AM
I think piracy may play a part, but it was also rampant in the 90s. A 60 minute anime VHS would often cost as much as 2 or 3 non-anime Hollywood movies at the time. The prices were completely silly. So most people had copied tapes, or recorded the movies from TV (one TV station in Germany had a weekend late night spot where they would show "oddities" - bad, cheaply made 80s/90s splatter movies, anime, and the like).
Piracy was certainly rampant in the 90s, but I thought it wasn't as bad as it is now. I still paid a bit for anime back then. I rented anime VHS tapes, and paid for DVD copies. The anime businesses still had to get their copies from legitimate sources. Back then, probably 5% of the people paid for anime one way or another. Now it is like 0.01%.
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2016, 08:27:12 AM
It's so weird. When the first major wave of manga/anime hit in the 90s, it was more focused on a rather different demographic. The main titles at the time were Akira, Fist of the North Star, Urotsukidoji, Ghost in the Shell, M.D. Geist, Armitage III, Bubblegum Crisis, and stuff in a similar vein - often with a cool futuristic aesthetic, often extremely graphically violent.
These days ... not so much (with some exceptions).
Manga/anime arrived late in your heck of woods because here it was at the end of the '70s and it was way more mainstream with cartoons (back then anime word was not used) from UFO Robot/GrendizerGoldorak (spin-off of Mazinger Z) , Captain Future/Flam, Captain Herlock (Albator) to Candy.
Besides, anime really became mainstream in Germany with Sailor Moon and that's a '90s show, which admittedly arrived later in Germany as well.
We had Captain Future and some parts of World Masterpiece Theater (like Heidi) when I grew up.
Sailor Moon and later Dragonball brought the mainstream breakthrough; but first it was a popular niche genre for sci-fi/action fans. Some computer games magazines, e.g., started having manga corners. The influx of Japanese video games with SNES/Mega Drive at the time certainly helped, too.
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2016, 10:29:57 AM
We had Captain Future and some parts of World Masterpiece Theater (like Heidi) when I grew up.
So not, in the '90s, and different demographics were targeted. :P
Quote
Sailor Moon and later Dragonball brought the mainstream breakthrough; but first it was a popular niche genre for sci-fi/action fans. Some computer games magazines, e.g., started having manga corners. The influx of Japanese video games with SNES/Mega Drive at the time certainly helped, too.
Sailor Moon a popular niche for sci-fi/action fans? Interesting. I can see Dragonball being a popular niche but Sailor Moon mostly feminised the anime audience. The SNES Sailor Moon videogame released in Europe, a not so good beat'em up, did not really help I think. :P
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on December 30, 2016, 11:40:07 AM
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2016, 10:29:57 AM
We had Captain Future and some parts of World Masterpiece Theater (like Heidi) when I grew up.
So not, in the '90s, and different demographics were targeted. :P
It wasn't called/recognized as anime at the time. Besides, cartoons = for children. In the 90s the term anime started being used and it was marketed at an older audience.
QuoteQuote
Sailor Moon and later Dragonball brought the mainstream breakthrough; but first it was a popular niche genre for sci-fi/action fans. Some computer games magazines, e.g., started having manga corners. The influx of Japanese video games with SNES/Mega Drive at the time certainly helped, too.
Sailor Moon a popular niche for sci-fi/action fans? Interesting. I can see Dragonball being a popular niche but Sailor Moon mostly feminised the anime audience. The SNES Sailor Moon videogame released in Europe, a not so good beat'em up, did not really help I think. :P
Uhm, no, anime (which was marketed as such) was first popular with sci-fi and action fans; Sailor Moon and Dragonball then brought it into mainstream for teens.
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2016, 11:56:02 AM
It wasn't called/recognized as anime at the time. Besides, cartoons = for children. In the 90s the term anime started being used and it was marketed at an older audience.
Cartoons for adults existed before cf. Fritz the Cat so no about cartoons for children. In fact, the problem with anime/japanese cartoons for Ségolènes was they thought the only worthy cartoons had to be very childish if not sloppy, so Captain Future (sci-fi "violence") was already borderline and criticised, so Saint Seiya, Dragonball Z and last but not least Fist of the North Star were out of "this" i.e their world. First of the North Star is mid '80s material, again predating the the anime wave of the '90s.
Quote
Uhm, no, anime (which was marketed as such) was first popular with sci-fi and action fans; Sailor Moon and Dragonball then brought it into mainstream for teens.
Sci-Fi and action fans? So Captain Future fits your bill, yet it was not called anime back then. All marketing again. :P
Germany discovered Japanese animation very late for Europe, that's why the marketers came up with this artificial distinction between cartoons and anime. Both are traditional animation. People not familiar with the medium think there is a difference between them. Lots of anime exist for children too and/or little girls cf. Candy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Candy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Candy) (1976) or the Rose of Versailles (1978). Though the Rose of Versailles has Saint Just as a psychopathic ninja once. :lol:
Countries exposed to Japanese animation tv and films earlier have used both terms for the same concept.
:mellow:
Tripped over a video of a Girls und Panzer scene. The fuck is wrong with you people.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 15, 2017, 12:28:51 AM
Tripped over a video of a Girls und Panzer scene. The fuck is wrong with you people.
Japs dig panzers
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 15, 2017, 12:28:51 AM
Tripped over a video of a Girls und Panzer scene. The fuck is wrong with you people.
It's basically World of Tanks with anime highschool girls, parodying the typical "high school sports team" type of anime. I'll say one thing: the tanks are drawn nicely detailed.
(https://images5.alphacoders.com/353/353762.png)
Girls und panzer is great. Like I said, people watch it for the tanks, not the girls :contract:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjugcZIYRzw
I got to episode 6 or so and stalled.
I just can't get the logic of the universe.
Also the cutesy girl side of anime just disturbs me.
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 03:23:05 PM
I got to episode 6 or so and stalled.
I just can't get the logic of the universe.
Also the cutesy girl side of anime just disturbs me.
Episode 6 is the fight with the Americans. You have to keep watching to get the even better battles with the Soviets and Germans. Then there is the Anzio OVA (Italians) that fills in the gap between ep 7 and 8, with much improved graphics. The animation and tactics in the movie are just awesome.
Quote from: Syt on January 15, 2017, 02:37:23 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 15, 2017, 12:28:51 AM
Tripped over a video of a Girls und Panzer scene. The fuck is wrong with you people.
It's basically World of Tanks with anime highschool girls, parodying the typical "high school sports team" type of anime. I'll say one thing: the tanks are drawn nicely detailed.
It needs to fucking stop.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 15, 2017, 03:27:50 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 03:23:05 PM
I got to episode 6 or so and stalled.
I just can't get the logic of the universe.
Also the cutesy girl side of anime just disturbs me.
Episode 6 is the fight with the Americans. You have to keep watching to get the even better battles with the Soviets and Germans. Then there is the Anzio OVA (Italians) that fills in the gap between ep 7 and 8, with much improved graphics. The animation and tactics in the movie are just awesome.
It needs to fucking stop.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 15, 2017, 03:36:30 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on January 15, 2017, 03:27:50 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 03:23:05 PM
I got to episode 6 or so and stalled.
I just can't get the logic of the universe.
Also the cutesy girl side of anime just disturbs me.
Episode 6 is the fight with the Americans. You have to keep watching to get the even better battles with the Soviets and Germans. Then there is the Anzio OVA (Italians) that fills in the gap between ep 7 and 8, with much improved graphics. The animation and tactics in the movie are just awesome.
It needs to fucking stop.
A further sequel has been announced :contract:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-09-16/girls-and-panzer-the-final-chapter-anime-announcement-video-streamed/.106535
Oh look, it's the strike against Pearl Harbor!
(https://avvesione.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/kantai_collection-01-ikazuchi-kaga-akagi-souryuu-hiryuu-inazuma-aircraft_carriers-destroyers-battle-sailing-bow-arrow-runways-japanese_clothing.jpg?w=1280&h=720)
Who knew the Imperial Japanese Navy could be so effective in hobbling the American surface combat fleet by dressing up as teenaged schoolgirls that pee on businessmen?
:lol:
Girls und Panzer at least has realistically drawn tanks. The fleet one is even crazier and detached from reality. Having watched both shows, I have to say Panzer is much better. The battles are much more interesting. It is great to see realistically drawn WWII tanks firing at each other. Not so much when it is teenage girls shooting arrows at each other pretending to be an aircraft carrier duel.
I may change my opinion after I have seen the Kancolle movie though :P
BTW, I think that screenshot is about the Midway battle, not Pearl Harbour. The red and blue ones are Akagi and Kaga. The green and yellow ones are Siryu and Hiryu. The other two are destroyers, not carriers.
Shut up.
On the flip side, I really wish I had a girlfriend right about now.
(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1RDFaIXXXXXbOXpXXq6xXFXXXS/New-Anime-Kantai-collection-Kaga-Akagi-cosplay-costume.jpg)
That's the Kaga costume. The amount of effort and money that cosplayers put into this kind of thing is no joke. A lot of people make their own costume.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Fimg6489_zpsa6reperv.jpg&hash=8c8fff97549d5a0fa7df387b611339ab7e673716) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/img6489_zpsa6reperv.jpg.html)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F8859559_zpszvokdzqf.jpg&hash=312e561f99b1b91be2876c5e636dd37e7939f9fc) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/8859559_zpszvokdzqf.jpg.html)
I like Nagato.
Do they shoot torpedoes out of their crotches?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 15, 2017, 04:14:39 PM
Do they shoot torpedoes out of their crotches?
:P No, they carry torpedo tubes around. See 1:26.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drNk8OLKhL4
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 15, 2017, 03:44:51 PM
Oh look, it's the strike against Pearl Harbor!
(https://avvesione.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/kantai_collection-01-ikazuchi-kaga-akagi-souryuu-hiryuu-inazuma-aircraft_carriers-destroyers-battle-sailing-bow-arrays-japanese_clothing.jpg?w=1280&h=720)
Who knew the Imperial Japanese Navy could be so effective in hobbling the American surface combat fleet by dressing up as teenaged schoolgirls that pee on businessmen?
I hate that anime. Can't remember the name of it.
Arpeggio of Blue Steel was a very similar but better anime. In that one at least they had the excuse that the girls were avatars of autonomous ships made by some inhuman force. They sat on actual ships.
This one though with girls as ships. Ugh. And it steals all the popularity so the decent one was cancelled. But that's life. Oh the amount of outright good anime they decided not to make more of...
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 04:19:16 PM
I hate that anime. Can't remember the name of it.
Arpeggio of Blue Steel was a very similar but better anime. In that one at least they had the excuse that the girls were avatars of autonomous ships made by some inhuman force. They sat on actual ships.
This one though with girls as ships. Ugh. And it steals all the popularity so the decent one was cancelled. But that's life. Oh the amount of outright good anime they decided not to make more of...
The name is Kancolle, short for Kantai Collection, or Fleet Collection. It started as a web collectible card game.
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 04:19:16 PM
I hate that anime. Can't remember the name of it.
Arpeggio of Blue Steel was a very similar but better anime. In that one at least they had the excuse that the girls were avatars of autonomous ships made by some inhuman force. They sat on actual ships.
This one though with girls as ships. Ugh. And it steals all the popularity so the decent one was cancelled. But that's life. Oh the amount of outright good anime they decided not to make more of...
Arpeggio of Blue Steel was a terrible adaptation of a very good Manga; even before the idiot "Kongo Death Star" finale.
The movie sequel (where they finally get around to featuring Yamato, the eminence grise of much of the manga who was non-existent in the television series) was as bad.
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 04:19:16 PM
I hate that anime.
I find it a surprisingly ingenious and completely sociopathic aspect of Japanese culture, where they actively conceal the cultural will to militarism under the aesthetic of cutesy-pie girlish anime.
It's an active attempt to make the dangerous un-dangerous, as if they know that one embarrassingly dangerous pathology could be convincingly suppressed and masked by a lesser, more benign pathology.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 15, 2017, 04:34:59 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 15, 2017, 04:19:16 PM
I hate that anime.
I find it a surprisingly ingenious and completely sociopathic aspect of Japanese culture, where they actively conceal the cultural will to militarism under the aesthetic of cutesy-pie girlish anime.
It's an active attempt to make the dangerous un-dangerous, as if they know that one embarrassingly dangerous pathology could be convincingly suppressed and masked by a lesser, more benign pathology.
My theory is that they just make whatever makes money :P Anime in general is quite apolitical, though there are exceptions.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 15, 2017, 04:39:09 PM
My theory is that they just make whatever makes money :P Anime in general is quite apolitical, though there are exceptions.
True to a point: after all, when middle-aged men are interested in the same shit as tween-aged boys, then yeah, there's a lot of money to be made in cheesecake cartoons.
But let's not kid ourselves--the Japanese were not nearly as neutered as the Germans were in the post-war cleansing, fucking bushido is right under the surface.
Maybe it's got something to do with not executing the Emperor, as opposed to massive amounts of therapeutic couch time with the inventors of modern psychology.
My son likes Robotech. I may put him up for adoption.
:mad:
Quote from: Ed Anger on January 15, 2017, 08:29:28 PM
My son likes Robotech. I may put him up for adoption.
:mad:
Minmei is a selfish shit.
Also, Lucas ripped off the first episode for the space battle in Ep1.
I have only watched the original Macross. I have absolutely no idea why anybody can commit the horror of combining unrelated anime shows into a single show, like Robotech.
A twist! :o
Quote from: Monoriu on January 15, 2017, 10:57:13 PM
I have only watched the original Macross. I have absolutely no idea why anybody can commit the horror of combining unrelated anime shows into a single show, like Robotech.
I've never actually seen robotech.
But non literal adaptations of foreign animation was quite popular back in the day.
One of the big shows of British childhoods of several generations is the magic roundabout. Originally a French show, the BBC then bought the rights to an English version and famously totally ignored the French scripts and wrote their own based on what was happening on the screen.
It isn't too long ago that this stopped to think. Plenty of Japanese playstation games, persona a prominent example, had efforts made to Americanise them in their localisation.
Quote from: Tyr on January 20, 2017, 05:14:07 AM
But non literal adaptations of foreign animation was quite popular back in the day.
One of the big shows of British childhoods of several generations is the magic roundabout. Originally a French show, the BBC then bought the rights to an English version and famously totally ignored the French scripts and wrote their own based on what was happening on the screen.
For once, it's not Mongers recalling an old French show. :D
Did they do it on drugs or other mind-altering substances? :P
That's Le Manège Enchanté right?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.coucoucircus.org%2Faudios%2Fimages-da%2Fmanege.jpg&hash=d2db3d22d0a462d5cd8e387e9148faffb6492e49)
Just watched the Albator movie.
Not bad, but I don't know why they used most of the english names for the French dub. Why not keep the names of the original characters? Why not "Atlantis" instead of "Arkadia"? "Atlantis! Ascencionne!" sounded so much cooler :D
Quote from: viper37 on January 20, 2017, 04:21:59 PM
Just watched the Albator movie.
Not bad, but I don't know why they used most of the english names for the French dub. Why not keep the names of the original characters? Why not "Atlantis" instead of "Arkadia"? "Atlantis! Ascencionne!" sounded so much cooler :D
Some anime fans want to forget Albator used to be called a Japanese cartoon so now they only want (ne jurent que par) Captain Herlock and Arcadia. :P
Captain Herlock is itself an adaptation of the original Japanese (no l in Japanese).
Darker Albator right?
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on January 21, 2017, 08:27:40 AM
Darker Albator right?
Yes, much darker, made for an older audience for sure.
I finally saw Your Name.
It....was decent.
Though to be honest I expected so much more considering its immense popularity and success.
It was good...but....yeah. Some spoilery points:
[spoiler]
1: I wonder what the development of this film was like. It really seems to me that it would have been much better set in the mid 20th century. This would have explained the obvious issue.... Why didn't they just email themselves/the other person from the get go? As soon as they realise its not a dream and some real switching has happened they should have instantly sought out the other person, which is easy to do online. Instead they wait until fairly late.
It would also have explained the town where the girl lives. Very traditional and pristine. Full of kids. Not the kind of place one sees these days.
I really wonder if it was once the intention to have it set in a Ghibliesque era but they changed to be more commercial.
2: An explanation for the above...the fuzzy memories of their time as each other....this sort of thing just isn't explained.
The girl I was watching it with (who wasn't impressed at all by the film) is very into hippy spiritualist stuff and she found more issue with the lack of even basic explanation than me.
3: The ending where they do meet...it felt kind of bolted on. It dragged (speaking of which how slow is that comet...). It felt that they were going to end in a melancholic Donnie Darko sort of way where he saves the girl but is doomed never to know her. But no.
4: I saw the twist coming a mile away. A possible defence was that they were both using modern phones, but still...seemed obvious it wasn't straightforward and the sight of the town and the temple area...instantly brought to mind meteor impacts.
On the meteor I do wonder if this is related to their situation, could have been something to be explored. The girl's town has 2 meteor impact sites (or volcano caldera. Or suspiciously crater-esque basins of other sorts) and then after the comet hits the one lake joins into two...felt that was related somehow.
[/spoiler]
5: The style is strange. Its a anime movie but acts a lot more like a anime series at times. The soundtrack feels pretty unnatural.
I will say that I loved the watashi/watakushi/boku/ore bit.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FJojos_Bizarre_Adventure_Stardust_Crusaders_-_English_Poster_zpsmnckboqj.jpg&hash=d0b0c37a3893a4d7424714acb244ea1e5c3226b5) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Jojos_Bizarre_Adventure_Stardust_Crusaders_-_English_Poster_zpsmnckboqj.jpg.html)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. This is a multi-generational epic about the Joestar family's never-ending struggles with vampires and other supernatural beings. The show is divided into very distinct arcs, each focusing on a different generation of the Joestar family. It is based on a very popular and long-running manga that began in the 80s.
JoJo is fundamentally a shonen fight series that focuses on one-on-one battles. Each battle is usually 1-2 episodes long. The series is from a bygone era where most of the fights were done by males, and the females' job was to be rescued. The show feels very masculine, flamboyant and over-the-top. Guys fight, play knights in shining armour, pursue the girls of their dreams. It is completely different from today's anime where the women fight just as well as the men, the protagonist is often wimpy, idiotic or oblivious to love.
The introduction of the "Stand" concept in Part 3 greatly lifted the quality of the show. Each character has a unique familiar that fights and grants special abilities, and this allows much greater variety. What really impressed me is that the bulk of the fights are determined by trickery and clever application of the unique abilities. Not that many fights are decided by who screams the loudest or asspulls. Some "fights" are actually poker games, video games, rock-paper-scissor games, etc. The fact that JoJo is a long-running series with no real anime adaptation until recently helps immensely. The anime producers have a huge amount of material to work with, there is no filler, and the pacing is right.
A great series that has a somewhat slow start, but eventually gets very interesting.
The layout of this series can be confusing. The series is divided into very distinct parts, with each part depicting a different generation of characters. Due to the 30-year publishing history, the show has many instalments, and they do not always correspond to the story parts. Here is a quick summary.
1993 OVA version, 6 episodes. This is on the second half of Part 3, Stardust Crusaders. Yes, second half.
2000 OVA version, 7 episodes. This is actually the first half of Part 3. It is recommended that these two OVA series should be watched in chronological, not release, order.
2007 Movie. This is on part 1, Phantom Blood, but the movie is such a dismal failure that no DVD or BD has ever been released. There is a "16 minute" incomplete version that floats around the internet, but otherwise the only way to have watched it was to be present in Japanese cinemas when it was screened.
Starting from 2012, the (infinitely wise) powers that be decided to start a TV series from the beginning.
2012 TV series (26 episodes). This covered Part 1 (Phantom Blood) and Part 2 (Battle Tendency)
2014 TV series (24 episodes). This is the first half of Part 3, Stardust Crusaders.
2015 TV series (24 episodes). Also known as the "Egypt Chapter". The second half of Part 3.
2016 TV series (39 episodes). Part 4, Unbreakable Diamond.
The best way to watch this is to start from 2012 and ignore the earlier entries. If you insist in watching everything, as I do, then I suggest watching the 1993 and 2000 OVAs after watching the 2014 and 2015 anime.
I've been reading the Gamer, a Korean manwha, about a high school student who suddenly gains the powers of a game character and enters into an underground supernatural society. Pretty good.
http://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/the-gamer/ep-1/viewer?title_no=88&episode_no=1
Started watching Akame Ga Kill on Netflix. On the one hand rather bloody and dark. On the other, teenage coming of age silliness and lots of fan service. Why do animes so often insist on creating mood whiplash?
The Spring 2017 anime season is about to begin. A very busy season with lots of sequels. Can't wait for Attack on Titan Season 2 after so many years. Beware of spoilers of previous seasons in the trailers.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84177l_zpsomszyrg2.jpg&hash=4b01768320a435e5f4483634d947a8df0934a560) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84177l_zpsomszyrg2.jpg.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pl75nXkOfg
Attack on Titan Season 2. Possibly the most anticipated anime sequel ever. Man-eating titans have taken over the world, and humanity has retreated to a single city behind giant walls. The main cast has joined the Survey Corp in an attempt to learn more about the titans. Season 1 was about the titan invasion of parts of the city, and the Survey Corp's battles.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84460l_zpspa6y0bg6.jpg&hash=515d93fae39e4ee06fa327df99b2dcc7f249bd09) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84460l_zpspa6y0bg6.jpg.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JJ2b4ZsCw0
Boruto. Yes, if it sounds like and looks like Naruto, it is deliberate. The Naruto anime finally ended a few days ago after 720 episodes. Boruto is the story of the Naruto main cast's children. The manga is drawn by the Naruto manga artist's assistant. There is already a Boruto movie. Not sure what the relationship with the TV anime is.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84416l_zpstl994gaf.jpg&hash=7c50f7db6c6da9b94e541cddd8ed862726cddecf) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84416l_zpstl994gaf.jpg.html)
Natsume's Book of Friends Season 6. This is a slice-of-life style, heartwarming and mellow show about Natsume's life. He has inherited his grandmother's spiritual powers and her "book of friends". She picked fights with all sorts of wandering spirits, took their names and put them in the book to set up a master/servant relationship. Natsume's goal is to return the names to the spirits.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84462l_zpsqqpjrzn6.jpg&hash=4b7374eb29ee6df424beb9363175e75c7710f460) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84462l_zpsqqpjrzn6.jpg.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8kNE02SpiM
Berserk 2017. Berserk is a dark fantasy revenge story of Guts against his former commanding officer when he was a mercenary. It has one of the most horrific settings in anime, and is not for the faint of heart. The latest anime adaptation is known for its liberal use of computer generated graphics.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84547l_zpsdihypqpf.jpg&hash=75cffa23feaaedbf9a21baf65f882cf6f8dc6c25) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84547l_zpsdihypqpf.jpg.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJkeQs6tBwo
My Hero Academy Season 2. This is one of the best new shonen fight shows to come out of Japan in recent years, and is considered a worthy successor to Naruto (a lot more so than Boruto). In this comic book style world, most people have some kind of superpower. Villains use theirs to do bad things, and it is up to the heroes to stop them. Midoriya is one of the few born without such powers, but he is determined to become a hero.
Naruto won't go away huh :(
Really looking forward to AoT2
Quote from: Tyr on March 27, 2017, 04:53:12 AM
Naruto won't go away huh :(
Really looking forward to AoT2
Yeah toward the end I just watched Naruto out of loyalty, not a desire to watch. 80-90% of the episodes in the last 1-2 years were fillers, and poor ones at that. Even the canon story fell apart. The author resorted to bringing dead people back to life on a massive scale. The allegiance of major characters and villains just change at the wave of a magic wand. People fight for no good reason, villains want to put the entire world to sleep for no good reason, people live for hundreds of years for no good reason etc. The anime staff felt the need to replay the same scenes over and over and over. I think the author almost called it quits. He just skipped the story and ended the misery by jumping toward the conclusion.
I hope the same thing doesn't happen to One Piece.
This season doesn't look to hold great promise, but we've been spoiled with an excellent run of seasons, and Little Witch Academia will continue its second half through to the end of this one, so it's tough to complain. It would mean dark things for the medium if the CGDCT genre was allowed to wither away to this poor showing every season, though.
The sequel to Uchouten Kazoku should be good. Sakura Quest has some promise and is the original anime that I am most looking forward to from the lineup. I'll also check out Alice to Zouroku, Souryo to Majiwaru Shikiyoku no Yoru ni..., Hinako Note, and Warau Salesman.
Quote from: Monoriu on August 09, 2016, 01:11:43 AM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F80753l_zpsmogqcf4c.jpg&hash=7f15b849e1f2499fbf9783416ead38b35ea6ea3d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/80753l_zpsmogqcf4c.jpg.html)
Planatarian. In the future, Earth is devastated by war, and only a handful of humans survive. A scavenger managed to fight his way into an empty pre-war city guarded by killer robots. There, he encountered Yumemi, a female robot designed to guide customers through a planetarium in a department store. She is unaware of the war and tries to enlist his help to fix the projector. This is based on a visual novel by Key, the company known for producing such shows as Angel Beats, Clannad, Little Busters etc.
It is a short and straightforward story. There are only five episodes, and each is shorter than the average length. The interaction between a jaded war veteran and an adorable AI is the only thing that sustains the show. Nevertheless, it has made the most out of a setting with such a barebones scope. Key is known for producing bittersweet stories and it has again hit the mark here. The drama works, the ending is compelling and memorable. She is probably the only being that still held out hope for humanity's future in the dystopia. If there is an election for the saint of anime robots, Yumemi should be one of the candidates.
There is supposed to be a follow-up movie. No idea what that is all about.
So I have finally watched the 2-hour movie. It is both a sequel and a recap. The movie is self-contained. If you watch the movie, there is no point to watch the TV series again. Whereas if you have watched the TV series, it is still recommended to see the movie for it covers what happens after the end of the TV version. Having said that, I'd call it an extended epilogue rather than a true sequel. The original series is decent. The movie is also decent, but only because of the TV story.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F67359l_zpsith2pvgn.jpg&hash=dca9ad2a38ecc588be0155abbcd281cfda88ab18) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/67359l_zpsith2pvgn.jpg.html)
Yuki Yuna is a Hero. The setting is fairly standard magical girl stuff. A couple of middle school girls form a "Hero Club", which mainly involved performing plays for kindergarten children. One day they were magically sent to another dimension to fight invading evil spirits. They transform into magical girls and fight the monsters of the week etc. It is also a blatant Madoka copycat in that there is a dark twist, and the real story is about the girls' suffering.
The good: it is a decent story. The part after the reveal is heart-wrenching to watch. There is effective emotional impact and the show gives a lasting impression. It is one of the few anime shows that deal with people with disabilities, as one of the major characters is on a wheelchair from the beginning of the story.
The bad: the standard magical girl cover took too long, resulting in a show that is only really interesting in the second half. The screenplay isn't as tight as it should be and there are too many "I saw that coming" moments. There is almost nothing from the antagonist's point of view, and they remain just "invading evil spirits", making the story a bit one-sided. It tries too hard to be a Madoka wannabe, down to character personalities or even some of the colour schemes.
Probably an ok choice for those who want more of the "magical girl with a twist" stories, but it is no where near as good as Madoka.
I made a mistake of watching AoT S2.
Now I can't wait until the next episode.
Watching anime on a weekly schedule ftl
Quote from: Tyr on April 05, 2017, 01:03:23 AM
I made a mistake of watching AoT S2.
Now I can't wait until the next episode.
Watching anime on a weekly schedule ftl
It is official. We have waited four years for an Attack on Titan sequel, but there are only 12 episodes in season 2 :weep:
Not sure if I agree about watching anime on a weekly schedule. There is something to be said about allowing more time to reflect on an episode and speculating about the next.
Kemono Friends was a breakout hit of the last season getting a huge fanbase after starting with anticipation or expectations at all, but I resisted watching it because it looked awful.
It's not awful. Its very fun and enjoyable, and halfway through I am enjoying it more with every episode.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F73862l_zps65veidk1.jpg&hash=4a6cdbf29c08ec0478c86c447e0e721280562d47) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/73862l_zps65veidk1.jpg.html)
Mushishi, literally, bug master. "Bugs" in this world are super-natural, basic lifeforms that float around the world, and only a very small percentage of the population can see them. While most of the mushis are not actively malicious, they do cause problems by their very nature. Some mushi turn people's dreams, any dream, into reality, some make the host attracted to lightning strikes, some make people invisible etc. The job of mushishis is to manage the events, like a village healer, biologist, and spiritual advisor combined. Ginko is a wandering mushishi and he goes from place to place to help people and save lives. The show is episodic and each episode is on a different encounter and setting.
This anime is top-notch. This is one of those rare gems that get most things right. The overall tone is very mellow, modest and subtle. I can't recall any fights in 49 episodes. Yet almost every one of those 49 short stories pack a punch. Every story feels dramatic, thought-provoking, fresh and unique. Every episode builds up the tension and often ends in an unpredictable manner. It assumes an intelligent and mature audience, with many "show, don't tell" moments. It avoids anime tropes that insult the intelligence of the viewers, or lengthy philosophical babbling that no one really understands. Ginko is the epitome of common sense and balance. While he desires to do good, he also recognises the limitations that he faces. The production qualities are good, with enchanting audio and visuals.
Another aspect that I really like is that the show depicts ordinary peasant lives of medieval Japan, instead of the usual focus on royalties and samurai. Except the mushi, everything is grounded in reality. It shows how miserable the peasants really are, their rural poverty and constant worries about the harvest and natural disasters. But it also shows how they usually work together to solve common problems. The anime feels very well-researched, and my bet is that many stories are variations of Japanese folklore.
This is living proof that one can do really good story-telling without fights, mechas, tsunderes, school drama, scantily-clad females, harems, magical girls, princesses, transformations, samurai, and armies.
Some basic information about the anime. There are three seasons. First season (26 episodes), Zoku Shou (literally, continued chapter) (10 episodes), and Zoku Shou second season (10 episodes). There is an OVA for each pack, so it is 26 + 10 + 10 + 3 OVAS = 49. It is best to watch it from the beginning because there are interesting references to the earlier episodes all the way. But there is no overall plot and each episode stands on its own.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 09, 2017, 09:44:34 PM
This is living proof that one can do really good story-telling without fights, mechas, tsunderes, school drama, scantily-clad females, harems, magical girls, princesses, transformations, samurai, and armies.
Of course not; good storytelling requires tentacle monsters. :)
;) :P
I liked Mushishi a great deal; but I thought it was strange that they had the protagonist in modern clothing while the show was set in the medieval period.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 15, 2017, 04:09:44 PM
That's the Kaga costume. The amount of effort and money that cosplayers put into this kind of thing is no joke. A lot of people make their own costume.
One of the last times that I was in Jackson, Michigan (town of about 40,000 and surrounded mostly by farm land.) I found a flyer from the local community college about a class which offered to teach one how to become his or her cosplay character. I realized then that the world has changed.
(I did briefly consider shaving the rest of my hair off and becoming Professor X; but I'd have to get contacts. Plus that might be kind of nerdy.)
I saw Your Name on one of my recent flights. I thought it was well done; a little like The Girl Who Leapt through time, but more brooding. I'd recommend the film "Arrival" (2017) to anyone who liked Your Name; it has a similar tone and touches on some similar themes.
I also started watching Log Horizon, but I just couldn't get into it.
Quote from: Savonarola on April 23, 2017, 03:43:17 PM
I liked Mushishi a great deal; but I thought it was strange that they had the protagonist in modern clothing while the show was set in the medieval period.
I've read that part of the reason he wears modern/western clothing is that it is a remnant from an earlier draft of the story that Ginko is a time traveler. That idea was sort of ditched, but the author didn't change his clothes. His clothing also symbolises that he is an outcast, he is different, he can see things from a different perspective etc. I think it also tells a bit about the time period of the story, because the Japanese don't seem to react much to his different clothing. So the story takes place in a period when foreigners were becoming less rare.
Quote from: Savonarola on April 23, 2017, 03:53:02 PM
I also started watching Log Horizon, but I just couldn't get into it.
Log Horizon is...okish, but only okish, I think. Probably the folks are too cheerful and the world too happy when they are trapped in another world. The focus and view point of the story constantly shifts. Sometimes they simply ditch the party entirely and focus on another one.
Re: Zero is a much better show, but a lot darker. Sword Art Online is explosively popular. Some of the arcs are very good but the writing is a bit uneven. No Game No Life is also good, and the art is distinct and stylish, but it is only for those who don't mind the fanservice. Konosuba is a great comedy, but it can be very stupid. Accel World is basically poor man's Sword Art Online. Overlord is from the viewpoint of the 'bad' guys, and is a bit similar to Log Horizon in tone, and better. Oda Nobuna's (not Nobunaga) ambition is for those interested in the Sengoku Jidai.
nyaa.se is down. All signs point to permanent closure. This is the biggest and most popular anime torrent site. Rumour is that there is some sort of copyright court decision in Europe, and that probably made up the site owner's mind to pull the plug. I have access to Chinese sites for daily updates, but nyaa is great for 1080 blu-ray rips and anime music. Chinese are generally horrible about seeding.
Hope somebody does a replacement site soon. This is just another reminder that one cannot count on web resources being available forever.
Why don't you find a legitimate site for watching Anime instead of stealing it? :hmm:
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 10:15:21 AM
Why don't you find a legitimate site for watching Anime instead of stealing it? :hmm:
Oh I am not worried. Nyaa is, if I understand correctly, sort of like a yellow pages for the torrents. The subbing groups are still producing the episodes, and the blu-ray rippers are still ripping the discs. They just need to find a different way to tell everybody about it. I am reasonably confident that somebody will make an nyaa copycat.
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 10:24:26 AM
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 10:15:21 AM
Why don't you find a legitimate site for watching Anime instead of stealing it? :hmm:
Oh I am not worried. Nyaa is, if I understand correctly, sort of like a yellow pages for the torrents. The subbing groups are still producing the episodes, and the blu-ray rippers are still ripping the discs. They just need to find a different way to tell everybody about it. I am reasonably confident that somebody will make an nyaa copycat.
I was meaning because you are an adult with a job who has no business consuming media like a teenager :P
Crunchyroll is only $5 per month for anime and manga, plus a lot free if you don't mind ads.
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 10:10:39 AM
nyaa.se is down. All signs point to permanent closure. This is the biggest and most popular anime torrent site. Rumour is that there is some sort of copyright court decision in Europe, and that probably made up the site owner's mind to pull the plug. I have access to Chinese sites for daily updates, but nyaa is great for 1080 blu-ray rips and anime music. Chinese are generally horrible about seeding.
Hope somebody does a replacement site soon. This is just another reminder that one cannot count on web resources being available forever.
Yes, I tried to access it and found out it was down this afternoon; looks like the online rumourmongers can't decide if it was a Dutch or a Swedish court decision that caused the owner to bolt.
It will be much missed, but as you say in your next post the subbers, and their sites, are still there. And there's already talk of a replacement site being founded.
Quote from: Syt on May 03, 2017, 11:18:05 AM
Crunchyroll is only $5 per month for anime and manga, plus a lot free if you don't mind ads.
Really Mono? You refuse to pay even $5 a month to support the media you like?
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 11:43:55 AM
Quote from: Syt on May 03, 2017, 11:18:05 AM
Crunchyroll is only $5 per month for anime and manga, plus a lot free if you don't mind ads.
Really Mono? You refuse to pay even $5 a month to support the media you like?
And this surprises you somehow?
I guess I just thought a fine civil servant like Mono would need a bit more to be drawn into corruption :P
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 10:10:39 AM
Chinese are generally horrible about seeding.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.picturequotes.com%2F2%2F292%2F291733%2Ftake-what-you-can-give-nothing-back-quote-1.jpg&hash=6f0f70e1fbdea1eceae272a8ddcab407e7991220)
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 11:43:55 AM
Quote from: Syt on May 03, 2017, 11:18:05 AM
Crunchyroll is only $5 per month for anime and manga, plus a lot free if you don't mind ads.
Really Mono? You refuse to pay even $5 a month to support the media you like?
I don't pay money to 'support' stuff. I pay money to get stuff that I otherwise can't get :P
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 05:49:29 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 11:43:55 AM
Quote from: Syt on May 03, 2017, 11:18:05 AM
Crunchyroll is only $5 per month for anime and manga, plus a lot free if you don't mind ads.
Really Mono? You refuse to pay even $5 a month to support the media you like?
I don't pay money to 'support' stuff. I pay money to get stuff that I otherwise can't get :P
This is not donating to charity asshole this is not being a thief and criminal.
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 06:10:13 PM
This is not donating to charity asshole this is not being a thief and criminal.
I don't do charity. I also dislike any sort of monthly plans or subscriptions that take money from me regularly. I think I only pay utilities, internet, flat management fees, carpark rental on a monthly basis. Things that I can't avoid. I don't subscribe to any media.
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 06:42:36 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 06:10:13 PM
This is not donating to charity asshole this is not being a thief and criminal.
I don't do charity. I also dislike any sort of monthly plans or subscriptions that take money from me regularly. I think I only pay utilities, internet, flat management fees, carpark rental on a monthly basis. Things that I can't avoid. I don't subscribe to any media.
So there is nowhere to buy it on a non-subscription basis? Bullshit.
Yeah nice rationalization asshole. You fucking steal from the people you are supposedly a fan of you entitled fuck. Go to hell.
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 07:07:21 PM
So there is nowhere to buy it on a non-subscription basis? Bullshit.
Yeah nice rationalization asshole. You fucking steal from the people you are supposedly a fan of you entitled fuck. Go to hell.
Your first sentence. I have not claimed that I cannot buy it on a non-subscription basis. That's your interpretation only.
:P on the rest of your post.
It is official now. RIP.
QuoteOn May 1, 2017, NyaaTorrents officially ceased operations. At time of this writing, nothing remains of the site. These are actions taken by the owner of the site and not a result of some form of internal subversion or engagement by government or legal entities. The exact reasons for shutdown remain a mystery to all but the anonymous owner, but remaining former NT associates are led to believe that based on the circumstances surrounding closure, it was in response to recent court rulings that had the potential to affect site operations in the future. Rather than face this possibility, and any repercussions it would have on all parties involved, the owner decided to bring everything to a complete end. Based on operating principles, nothing will remain of the original site and all content, to include back-end, front-end, and all databases, has likely been purged.
There are no plans to continue any activity under the NyaaTorrents banner. Any projects that occur from here on out are not associated with the original site.
The above serves as an official statement by what remains of the site. Further questions can be directed via IRC to those remaining in #NyaaTorrents on irc.rizon.net.
- The (former) NyaaTorrents moderation staff
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 07:47:53 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 03, 2017, 07:07:21 PM
So there is nowhere to buy it on a non-subscription basis? Bullshit.
Yeah nice rationalization asshole. You fucking steal from the people you are supposedly a fan of you entitled fuck. Go to hell.
Your first sentence. I have not claimed that I cannot buy it on a non-subscription basis. That's your interpretation only.
so you are, indeed, a thief.
Seems CdM was right all along about the Chinese.
Quote from: viper37 on May 03, 2017, 09:41:37 PM
so you are, indeed, a thief.
Seems CdM was right all along about the Chinese.
Ah, brings back memories. I got similar reactions when I arrived in Vancouver and openly talked about these things in front of the Canadian locals. The lesson I learned is that there is no point debating this ;)
I am amazed, and delighted, that a replacement site is already up and running. They seem to be adding features every few hours that make it look closer to the original site. It isn't quite there yet but they are getting closer. So far there are no advertisements. I don't want to underestimate the revenue of the original site, as it probably got close to 100m visits per day.
I won't post any links here, but the keywords are nyaa and pantsu. Nyaa is how the Japanese say meow, and pantsu is underwear :ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 09:47:29 PM
Ah, brings back memories. I got similar reactions when I arrived in Vancouver and openly talked about these things in front of the Canadian locals. The lesson I learned is that there is no point debating this ;)
Yet you clearly think there's a point to flaunting it to the people you won't debate with ;)
Quote from: Jacob on May 07, 2017, 12:54:30 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on May 03, 2017, 09:47:29 PM
Ah, brings back memories. I got similar reactions when I arrived in Vancouver and openly talked about these things in front of the Canadian locals. The lesson I learned is that there is no point debating this ;)
Yet you clearly think there's a point to flaunting it to the people you won't debate with ;)
I was asked the question. I feel the need to give a straight answer. I won't mention it if I wasn't asked ;)
Anyone been watching Attack on Titan?
Shark is pretty thoroughly jumped :blink:
Think I will switch to the manga after the series is done.
Quote from: Tyr on May 07, 2017, 05:26:04 AM
Anyone been watching Attack on Titan?
Shark is pretty thoroughly jumped :blink:
Think I will switch to the manga after the series is done.
I love it so far. The last episode was...pretty major, and a bit odd, but I understand that it follows the manga faithfully.
CB and I watched Princess Mononoke this week. I had first seen it in 1999 when it had a limited theatrical run in the United States. An anime club from one of the local high schools was there that night. The students were climbing the walls before the film. (Literally, not metaphorically; the Maple Theater has walls a few feet in front of the doors in order to block the light from outside if people entered or left during the show and the students were climbing those.) Then the film started and the students were silent; like art-house movie silent. So anime can make the world a better place. :)
CB really liked it (though I didn't make her watch it in Japanese with subtitles). It was even better than I remembered; I think that is Hayao Miyazaki best film.
Quote from: Savonarola on May 12, 2017, 12:54:39 PM
CB and I watched Princess Mononoke this week. I had first seen it in 1999 when it had a limited theatrical run in the United States. An anime club from one of the local high schools was there that night. The students were climbing the walls before the film. (Literally, not metaphorically; the Maple Theater has walls a few feet in front of the doors in order to block the light from outside if people entered or left during the show and the students were climbing those.) Then the film started and the students were silent; like art-house movie silent. So anime can make the world a better place. :)
CB really liked it (though I didn't make her watch it in Japanese with subtitles). It was even better than I remembered; I think that is Hayao Miyazaki best film.
I haven't seen it. I love Miyazaki movies and I watched Castle in the Sky and Nausicaa a zillion times when I was a kid. I think I skipped this one mainly because it was released in the 90s. I was in Canada at the time and was absolutely miserable. Since I missed it at the time of release, I never bothered to go back. I'll watch it some day for sure.
Quote from: Savonarola on May 12, 2017, 12:54:39 PM
It was even better than I remembered; I think that is Hayao Miyazaki best film.
I agree.
I was intrigued by Lettow's earlier comment, so I decided to try this.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F83518l_zps6pbjlsiy.jpg&hash=1a19eeb9350e455dafe945fe280a548a6f581e34) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/83518l_zps6pbjlsiy.jpg.html)
Kemono Friends, or Animal Friends. In a huge but deserted safari park, all the animals have turned into "Animal Friends", which are all young girls capable of speech, but they retain some of their former animal habits and appearances. Kaban is the only human in the park. She is a lost child who has lost all memories. Even though it is obvious to the audience that she is a human, she embarks on a grand quest with the assistance of the Animal Friends to go to a library to figure out what kind of animal she is.
Yes, this is a show that is aimed at the young children market. Probably kindergarten level. I was shocked when I discovered that, by some measure, a show with such a childish premise and low production budget became the most popular anime in Japan in the season in which it was aired. I won't call the animation awful. It is ok and does its job given the low expectations. Even the normally impeccable Japanese voice acting suffers a bit here as they hire mostly young and inexperienced talent. Yet this show possibly defeated formidable competition to become a sleeper hit.
It is a good show, especially seen through the lens that this is a very low budget and low expectation one. The writing is extremely good, and the show never feels boring. They meet new Animal Friends almost every episode, and there are sound recordings by real zoo staff to talk about interesting facts of the animals. I learn something new almost every episode. Every Animal Friend is kind to a fault. Everybody is selfless, helpful, and they go out of their way to help Kaban with no strings attached. There is also an effective overall plot about the origins of Kaban and the Animal Friends, as well as the reason for the present abandoned state of the park. The setting and premise are childish, but the story-telling certainly isn't. It is amazing that they can achieve this level of presentation with so few resources available. I wonder how come studios with much larger budgets and established franchises often produce yawn-inducing work.
I'm glad you also liked Kemono Friends, mono. Its been a big hit with the usual crowd- going into moe goods stores around here you can expect to hear the theme song and see Serval-chan & friends given pride of place behind a glass counter at the entrance.
I haven't liked this season much at all, so I take some solace in the fact that precedent suggests it is thus an excellent season for you. Sakura Quest is a bit too melodramatic for me and has been barely worth keeping up with, while Hinako Note and Shuumatsu Isogashii Desuka? were both dropped two episodes in.
Warau Salesman has been popular in women's circles, but I don't like it much at all- I think I am bothered by the expectation that the protagonist will punish people who break their word or who are in some way "bad", when in fact it is just the adventures of a mean-spirited and mysterious salesman making largely innocent people's lives worse.
The saving grace has been Little Witch Academia, which continues from the last season and has maintained its quality throughout. The surprise of the season for me has been Alice to Zouroku- It left me very favorably impressed, and is probably my favorite anime of the new season at the moment.
Uchouten Kazoku's sequel is something I look forward to, but I am slowly retracing my way through the original first.
When I was younger I took a Japanese course at the local community college. One day the teacher brought in an exercise to teach us relative adjectives where we had to state where the creature in the picture was in relation to something else. This led to two questions from the class:
"What's a totoro?" :huh:
"How can all three of those things be totoro? (totoroes? totori? totorodes?) :huh: :huh: :huh:
CB and I watched "My Neighbor Totoro." While this has an awful lot of up skirt shots considering the protagonists are 4 and 10; it's still a good film. While Hayao Miyazaki's other films have more sophisticated stories, this one has a charming depiction of childhood wonder and imagination.
Continuing on with Studio Ghibli CB and I watched "Only Yesterday" which was released in 1991; but Disney wouldn't release it in the United States due to its references to :o :o :o menstruation :o :o :o. It wasn't until 2016 when GKids acquired the rights that it was released here.
It's an interesting story; one that I think could only come from Japan. A woman reminisces about the events which happened when she was ten; considers her present situation and decides what she wants to do with her life all told in a cartoon.
Attack on Titan s2 makes me sad.
Quote from: Tyr on June 04, 2017, 02:05:03 AM
Attack on Titan s2 makes me sad.
Well, I am sad too, in the sense that there are only two episodes left, and I doubt if they can even complete this arc. I hope it will be a split cour and we'll get more episodes toward the end of the year.
I am glad that this season produces intense action, gives some answers but raises even more questions.
Holy Moly! Cowboy Beebop is likely the most acclaimed anime series among American fans, and I'm a huge fan. I can't wait to see this.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/cowboy-bebop-is-getting-an-american-live-action-tv-ser-1795849851
Quote
Cowboy Bebop Is Getting an American, Live-Action TV Series
Charles Pulliam-Moore
Yesterday 10:36am
· Filed to: Cowboy Bebop
You like bounty hunters? You like space? Take a seat, friend, because I've got some good news for you. A live action adaptation of Sunrise's Cowboy Bebop anime is in the works. Prepare yourself.
According to Deadline, Marty Adelstein's Tomorrow studios is partnering with Midnight radio to produce Cowboy Bebop for television with the blessing of Sunrise, the studio responsible for the original series. In a public statement, Adelstein expressed his excitement at developing the adaptation for American audiences.
"The animated version has long resonated with audiences worldwide," Adelstein said. "With the continued, ever growing, popularity of anime, we believe a live action version will have an incredible impact today."
In the original Cowboy Bebop series that ran for 26 episodes and concluded in 1999, humans have fled an uninhabitable Earth in favor of various colonized planet where groups of bounty hunters make a living tracking down rogue criminals. The series chronicles the adventures of the Bebop, a ship piloted by one Spike Spiegel (a con artist,) his partner Jet Black (a former police officer,) Faye Valentine (a con artist dealing with amnesia,) Ed Wong (a prodigy hacker,) and their dog Ein, a superhumanly intelligent corgi.
While Cowboy Bebop has some of the most gorgeous animation you'll ever see, it's the series' soundtrack that people most often bring up in their celebration of it. It'll make a jazz fan out of you.
No news about casting or production has been announced as of yet. For now, you'll have to spend your time debating whether or not this adaptation is actually a good idea (could be) and who you want to see as spike (Keanu, obviously.)
I am not a huge fan of live action adaptations of anime. There seems a trend to do these recently. I don't know why.
Live action anime adaptations. :x
Quote from: Monoriu on June 04, 2017, 07:50:05 PM
Quote from: Tyr on June 04, 2017, 02:05:03 AM
Attack on Titan s2 makes me sad.
Well, I am sad too, in the sense that there are only two episodes left, and I doubt if they can even complete this arc. I hope it will be a split cour and we'll get more episodes toward the end of the year.
I am glad that this season produces intense action, gives some answers but raises even more questions.
The whole direction things are going in though....
Its stinks of typical manga bloat. I liked things so much better when humans controlling titans wasn't a big thing.
Shows that I am going to watch in the coming Summer 2017 season:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F86573l_zpst5o710ox.jpg&hash=0e109f44fa3ef8cbb3611c705c74d3c7c45a3811) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/86573l_zpst5o710ox.jpg.html)
Fate/Apocrypha. 2017 is known as the year of "Fate", as this huge franchise spawns yet another spin-off. Apparently the show takes place in a parallel world of Fate/Stay Night. The concept of master/servant teams fighting each other for a Holy Grail will be retained, but otherwise there should be new characters and a new story. Judging from the poster there is yet another Saber clone.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84913l_zpsda26urmw.jpg&hash=93bf73762c71b75986e6b0a8f90f73911ff9b24c) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84913l_zpsda26urmw.jpg.html)
Owarimonogatari Season 2. The latest instalment in the Monogatari series, which uses distinctive art and lengthy dialogue to tell a tale of Japanese mythology and supernatural occurrences.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84891l_zps89nkgpe9.jpg&hash=57071c21d93578cd38b56c21cc9288934b4b12e2) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84891l_zps89nkgpe9.jpg.html)
Princess Principal. This anime-original show takes place in an alternate Britain that was divided into two. Five school girls are involved in spying activities. Normally I am not interested in this kind of show. The only reason I am watching is because the music is done by my favourite composer, Yuki Kajiura.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F84985l_zps9g7w6iqs.jpg&hash=837a2342f860b2154e3e870de1a3ec009f65328e) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/84985l_zps9g7w6iqs.jpg.html)
Made in Abyss. Story takes place in a fantasy world where there is a huge hole in the ground leading to a giant dungeon. The show is about the adventures of people who venture into the dungeon. I don't know much about the story but I quite like the art style. A "maybe", if I have time.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F83096_zpsperhq3yq.jpg&hash=5ff533d61f44fc9e8725285c861adc4cd91ee67a) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/83096_zpsperhq3yq.jpg.html)
Little Witch Academia. A little bit like Harry Potter the animation. This is a world where magic exists and is known to the population, but isn't very highly regarded or useful. Mesmerised by show magician Shiny Chariot's performances, Akko decided to enrol in the witch academy to learn how to use magic. The story is about the adventures of Akko and her friends.
The show is done by people who did other famous anime shows like Kill la Kill and Tengan Toppa Gurren Laggan. Before the TV show was aired, they actually did a Kickstarter project to make two short movies, and that fund raising effort exceeded all expectations.
The show is decent, but not great, and doesn't measure up to the standards set by the previous titles released by the same people. This show feels like a toned down version of Harry Potter. The overall plot isn't as dark or intense. The side characters and the everyday adventures aspects are played up. It is much better than the average show as the animation is good, the show is funny at times and above all, the message "let's do the fun stuff because they are fun" is consistently embraced and emphasized.
It also feels like a children's show. The pacing is problematic. While the side characters are very interesting, their day in a limelight episodes don't really contribute to the overall plot. Once their stories are told, they are relegated to background. So the whole show has a strong filler feel to it, and the overall plot isn't very effective. Compared to the 25-episode TV show, the two short movies are much more action-packed and intense. There is no conflict or continuity issues between the two. They take place in the same setting, with the same characters but can be watched independently.
I will be soon rewatching Captain Future in its entirety soon since the whole series is now available on blu-ray. Not exactly a great transfer like Lady Oscar, Cobra or Treasure Island but still better than the botched blu-ray release of the Mysterious Cities of Gold, a Franco-Japanese cartoon.
So far, Captain Future or Capitaine Flam for Viper and francophones, holds pretty well, except for the dub and overuse of the title song.
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Unusual for a story written by Hayao Miyazaki (at least based on his Studio Ghibli work), in that it's set on earth and without any fantastic machinery, magic or monsters. It's easy to see why this would appeal to Miyazaki; it's the coming of age story of a young writer who composes fantastic stories. High point of the film is when she rewrites the song "Country Roads" so it's about Tokyo, "Concrete Roads."
Are children in Japan really supposed to pick their careers (or have their careers picked for them) by the end of Junior High?
I hear a Mono job lecture coming.......
Quote from: Savonarola on July 11, 2017, 03:44:00 PM
Are children in Japan really supposed to pick their careers (or have their careers picked for them) by the end of Junior High?
Well, I don't how it really works in reality, but I have watched 20+ anime shows where high school students agonise about picking their careers toward graduation. So this should be reasonably common. My take is that this process helps the students prepare for their careers properly. Sort of like, if you want to become an accountant, these are the prerequisites and courses that you need to do to prepare for your career.
Castle in the Sky (1986)
The animation is a little primitive, by the standards of Hayao Miyazaki at least, but it's still a good story and the world with it's retro-futuristic air power is great.
Did they change the name of the castle in the Spanish Language release? A film a man and an adolescent boy trying to get to Laputa seems like it would have some different connotations than it does in English.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 14, 2017, 11:06:10 AM
Castle in the Sky (1986)
The animation is a little primitive, by the standards of Hayao Miyazaki at least, but it's still a good story and the world with it's retro-futuristic air power is great.
Did they change the name of the castle in the Spanish Language release? A film a man and an adolescent boy trying to get to Laputa seems like it would have some different connotations than it does in English.
Laputa was the first Miyazaki movie that I saw, and it is still my all time favourite. The soundtrack is beloved in this corner of the world. Restaurants here play the OST all the time.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 11, 2017, 03:44:00 PM
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Unusual for a story written by Hayao Miyazaki (at least based on his Studio Ghibli work), in that it's set on earth and without any fantastic machinery, magic or monsters. It's easy to see why this would appeal to Miyazaki; it's the coming of age story of a young writer who composes fantastic stories. High point of the film is when she rewrites the song "Country Roads" so it's about Tokyo, "Concrete Roads."
Are children in Japan really supposed to pick their careers (or have their careers picked for them) by the end of Junior High?
It's the same everywhere in the world no?
By the time you're that age you should have a good idea of what you want to do. Even if it's totally wrong and destined to be changed completely.
Quote from: Tyr on July 16, 2017, 12:58:07 PM
It's the same everywhere in the world no?
By the time you're that age you should have a good idea of what you want to do. Even if it's totally wrong and destined to be changed completely.
I didn't have a college major picked out until late in my senior year of high school. I don't think that was unusual, at least not in those days.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 14, 2017, 05:36:34 PM
Laputa was the first Miyazaki movie that I saw, and it is still my all time favourite. The soundtrack is beloved in this corner of the world. Restaurants here play the OST all the time.
Interestingly, Princess Mononoke was the first Miyazaki movie I saw and, as I mentioned, is still my favorite.
My wife's favorite (so far) has been "Whisper of the Heart," which Miyazaki wrote but didn't direct.
Quote from: Tyr on July 16, 2017, 12:58:07 PM
It's the same everywhere in the world no?
By the time you're that age you should have a good idea of what you want to do. Even if it's totally wrong and destined to be changed completely.
I can only speak for myself, but my experience is a lot less formal than what the Japanese do. According to the anime that I have seen, the Japanese ask the students to fill in forms. Students need to fill in their first, second, and third choices for their future. As I understand, these can be university studies, jobs, or joining the family business. Teachers counsel individual students.
I am not aware of anybody using forms or anything like that in HK. Here, every time somebody dies in an industrial accident, teachers, parents, relatives and adults will say, that's your fate if you fail your exams. I did get some impromptu comments from teachers occasionally. Usually these mini-talks are like: Want to be a blue collar worker? Sure, lose your limbs in horrible accidents, be abandoned by your sweethearts, risk the paymasters disappearing and not getting paid after you have done the work, worry about getting work after 50 because there are younger hands, can't sleep at night because you aren't sure if you will get work next week, not being able to put food on the table for your children, bring shame and dishonour to the family etc. If you are happy with all that, go ahead.
If not, these are the pros and cons of being a doctor, lawyer, accountant, engineer, architect, banker, professor, etc.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 16, 2017, 05:00:06 PM
Quote from: Tyr on July 16, 2017, 12:58:07 PM
It's the same everywhere in the world no?
By the time you're that age you should have a good idea of what you want to do. Even if it's totally wrong and destined to be changed completely.
I didn't have a college major picked out until late in my senior year of high school. I don't think that was unusual, at least not in those days.
Unusual.
High school is very generalist in the US right?
In the UK you have make a big change at 16 to go to college, either taking a practical course to do with a future job or narrowing down your studies to 4 subjects.
I know in Japan there's a bit of this in having to choose which high school to go to - academic, technical, commercial...
I think in most of Europe serious choices of educational track are even earlier.
No idea about forms in Japan. I've never worked in a JHS. For sure though the first year high schoolers I worked with mostly all had a at least general idea.
You will have to take a diverse course load in both High School and University. When I went back to school for my engineering degree I had to take Theatre and English Literature.
Quote from: Valmy on July 17, 2017, 01:04:39 AM
You will have to take a diverse course load in both High School and University. When I went back to school for my engineering degree I had to take Theatre and English Literature.
Theatre? :huh:
Anyhow I'm surprised that your first degree didn't take care of all your gen-ed and humanities credits.
Porco Rosso (1992)
A story about a man who has turned into a anthropomorphic pig. He still battles air pilots on the Adriatic Sea, earning their ire. So they find a hot shot pilot to shoot him down, and while that is indeed a tragic scene; everyone agrees that it was the best BLT they had ever had. :)
;)
Okay, that didn't really happen. The film is unusual for anime due to its world-weary tone. It's not my favorite Hayao Miyazaki film, but I don't think anyone else but Miyazaki could have made it work.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 19, 2017, 04:20:49 PM
Porco Rosso (1992)
A story about a man who has turned into a anthropomorphic pig. He still battles air pilots on the Adriatic Sea, earning their ire. So they find a hot shot pilot to shoot him down, and while that is indeed a tragic scene; everyone agrees that it was the best BLT they had ever had. :)
;)
Okay, that didn't really happen. The film is unusual for anime due to its world-weary tone. It's not my favorite Hayao Miyazaki film, but I don't think anyone else but Miyazaki could have made it work.
I became a Miyazaki fan after seeing Laputa and Nausicaa. Still, I said 'pass' when I read the premise of that movie.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 19, 2017, 06:07:11 PM
I became a Miyazaki fan after seeing Laputa and Nausicaa. Still, I said 'pass' when I read the premise of that movie.
The weird thing is the fact that he's a pig has no bearing on the plot whatsoever. Miyazaki could have made an identical movie if the main character had been a human being rather than a pig.
Allmovie describes the film as a Warner Brother's 40's era picture (the era of Bogart and Bacall) or a 70's homage to 40's Hollywood (the "New Hollywood" era.) I thought that was apt; not really the stuff for Anime, but, had the lead not been a pig, it could have been a decent movie.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 19, 2017, 04:10:54 PM
Quote from: Valmy on July 17, 2017, 01:04:39 AM
You will have to take a diverse course load in both High School and University. When I went back to school for my engineering degree I had to take Theatre and English Literature.
Theatre? :huh:
Anyhow I'm surprised that your first degree didn't take care of all your gen-ed and humanities credits.
Funny story: my arts credit was actually doing art. I played music for a couple semesters. At UT you had to have a classroom credits, actually doing arts did not count. So I had to take a class about theatre, we read plays and stuff. I placed out of English but since they wanted Engineers to be able to write that did not count. I had to take a Literature and a Rhetoric class. I also had to take six hours of government, my private school did not require that the first time around. Oh and I also had to take a class on Engineering soft skills as well.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 19, 2017, 06:20:17 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on July 19, 2017, 06:07:11 PM
I became a Miyazaki fan after seeing Laputa and Nausicaa. Still, I said 'pass' when I read the premise of that movie.
The weird thing is the fact that he's a pig has no bearing on the plot whatsoever. Miyazaki could have made an identical movie if the main character had been a human being rather than a pig.
Allmovie describes the film as a Warner Brother's 40's era picture (the era of Bogart and Bacall) or a 70's homage to 40's Hollywood (the "New Hollywood" era.) I thought that was apt; not really the stuff for Anime, but, had the lead not been a pig, it could have been a decent movie.
Yes. I never got the reason for that.
They wanted to fantasise it given the otherwise uncomfortable fascist Italy setting?
Quote from: Valmy on July 19, 2017, 07:23:26 PM
Quote from: Savonarola on July 19, 2017, 04:10:54 PM
Quote from: Valmy on July 17, 2017, 01:04:39 AM
You will have to take a diverse course load in both High School and University. When I went back to school for my engineering degree I had to take Theatre and English Literature.
Theatre? :huh:
Anyhow I'm surprised that your first degree didn't take care of all your gen-ed and humanities credits.
Funny story: my arts credit was actually doing art. I played music for a couple semesters. At UT you had to have a classroom credits, actually doing arts did not count. So I had to take a class about theatre, we read plays and stuff. I placed out of English but since they wanted Engineers to be able to write that did not count. I had to take a Literature and a Rhetoric class. I also had to take six hours of government, my private school did not require that the first time around. Oh and I also had to take a class on Engineering soft skills as well.
What's engineering soft skills? What did you learn? How many thousands of dollars did these classes cost you?
My Neighbor the Yamadas (1999)
The first Studio Ghibli production to be entirely digitally rendered; it had to be in order to give the animation the water color look. The story is a series of vignettes about a quirky family (based on a Japanese comic strip.) This might have worked better as a television series rather than a feature film; but the animation is still fantastic.
Quote from: HVC on July 22, 2017, 08:37:44 PM
What's engineering soft skills? What did you learn? How many thousands of dollars did these classes cost you?
Writing proposals, documenting research and progress, giving reports. That sort of thing. It is hard to say how much those classes cost me because UT Austin charges classes weird. The more credits you take the cheaper each credit becomes.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 26, 2017, 09:05:50 AM
My Neighbor the Yamadas (1999)
The first Studio Ghibli production to be entirely digitally rendered; it had to be in order to give the animation the water color look. The story is a series of vignettes about a quirky family (based on a Japanese comic strip.) This might have worked better as a television series rather than a feature film; but the animation is still fantastic.
First time I heard of this.
Quote from: Monoriu on July 26, 2017, 09:18:27 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on July 26, 2017, 09:05:50 AM
My Neighbor the Yamadas (1999)
The first Studio Ghibli production to be entirely digitally rendered; it had to be in order to give the animation the water color look. The story is a series of vignettes about a quirky family (based on a Japanese comic strip.) This might have worked better as a television series rather than a feature film; but the animation is still fantastic.
First time I heard of this.
:o
;)
It was directed by Isao Takahata rather than Hayao Miyazaki; so it probably didn't receive as much fanfare upon release. I recommend it for the animation; but the story isn't one of the better ones from Studio Ghibli.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 26, 2017, 09:22:47 AM
;)
It was directed by Isao Takahata rather than Hayao Miyazaki; so it probably didn't receive as much fanfare upon release. I recommend it for the animation; but the story isn't one of the better ones from Studio Ghibli.
There was no broadband internet for me back then. News and shows were more difficult to come by. I had other things to do at that stage in my life.
Just for fun, I did this episode poster for an art contest for fan-made posters for The Battle for Mewni, a TV movie in the series "Star vs. the Forces of Evil".
It depicts the heroine's mother (in a flashback) casting a spell to destroy her enemy, who had killed her mother and was apparently invincible--something that required her to learn, and use, some forbidden dark magic (with all sorts of bad implications, some of which she realized while casting it).
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F37yU0n3.jpg&hash=c5e83ff6f14728d29f048bedaf16ca0bc822200e) (http://imgur.com/37yU0n3)
The spell went:
I call the darkness unto me
From deepest depths of earth and sea
From ancient evils unawoken
Break the one who can't be broken
To darkest night I pledge my soul
And crush my heart to burning coal
To summon forth a deathly power
To see my hated foe devoured
Quote from: Monoriu on July 26, 2017, 09:33:00 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on July 26, 2017, 09:22:47 AM
;)
It was directed by Isao Takahata rather than Hayao Miyazaki; so it probably didn't receive as much fanfare upon release. I recommend it for the animation; but the story isn't one of the better ones from Studio Ghibli.
There was no broadband internet for me back then. News and shows were more difficult to come by. I had other things to do at that stage in my life.
Right now I'm in the middle of reading Cardinal Newman's (:pope:) "Apologia Pro Vita Sua" (explanation for his life.) Today I've found Mono's explanation for having had a life, (Apologia Pro Vitam Habuerat.)
Quote from: Malthus on July 26, 2017, 09:43:37 AM
Just for fun, I did this episode poster for an art contest for fan-made posters for The Battle for Mewni, a TV movie in the series "Star vs. the Forces of Evil".
That's really good, Malthus.
Quote from: Savonarola on July 26, 2017, 12:29:59 PM
Quote from: Malthus on July 26, 2017, 09:43:37 AM
Just for fun, I did this episode poster for an art contest for fan-made posters for The Battle for Mewni, a TV movie in the series "Star vs. the Forces of Evil".
That's really good, Malthus.
Thanks!
It was fun, but very time consuming, to draw.
I'm really loving the gold leaf paint marker (the cell phone pic doesn't do that colour justice). It's a joy to use.
Malt, can you do a artistic tasteful hardcore scene of Rainbow Dash raping Pinkie Pie?
Quote from: Ed Anger on July 26, 2017, 08:46:30 PM
Malt, can you do a artistic tasteful hardcore scene of Rainbow Dash raping Pinkie Pie?
Can I? Probably. Though I don't know these particular characters.
Will I? Probably not. :D
:lol:
I will find a staving artist somewhere to paint my pony rape mural that I've always wanted.
Tales form Earthsea (2006)
Thus far I think this is the weakest Studio Ghibli movie that I've seen. The animation lacks the genius of Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki (it was done by Hayao's son Goro Miyazaki). The plot seems to be more of a rehash of a Hayao Miyazaki fantasy film set in the Earthsea world. (Ursula K. Le Guin complained that the characters had the same name as her creations, but had nothing else in common with them.)
Quote from: Savonarola on August 02, 2017, 12:51:03 PM
Tales form Earthsea (2006)
Thus far I think this is the weakest Studio Ghibli movie that I've seen. The animation lacks the genius of Isao Takahata or Hayao Miyazaki (it was done by Hayao's son Goro Miyazaki). The plot seems to be more of a rehash of a Hayao Miyazaki fantasy film set in the Earthsea world. (Ursula K. Le Guin complained that the characters had the same name as her creations, but had nothing else in common with them.)
I haven't seen it. Like you said, the reviews aren't that good. I do like the soundtrack though. I think the real successor to Miyazaki isn't his son, but Shinkai Makoto of Your Name.
Spirited Away (2001)
Like Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, only it's kind of weird.
;)
Hayao Miyazaki's follow up to Princess Mononoke. The story really stands out as a coming of age story, as the protagonist matures throughout the film. The animation is great, (first Studio Ghibli film to use CGI), but really all the fantastic creatures in the bath house seem like a distraction. The strength of the film is its story.
My favourite character is the coal spirits :P
Quote from: Monoriu on August 10, 2017, 02:01:32 PM
My favourite character is the coal spirits :P
I'm not surprised.
;)
The Cat Returns (2002)
Nowhere near as sophisticated as "Princess Mononoke" or "Spirited Away" (or even "Whispers of the Heart" from which the some of the characters were derived); still it's a fun little fantasy film. This one might appeal to young children more than the standard Studio Ghibli films. The story is about a young lady who saves a cat; who happens to be the crown prince of all the cats. She's then kidnapped to the kingdom of the cats to become the cat prince's bride. Hilarity ensues.
The problem with the story is the "Coming of age" aspect of it; isn't very well developed, but it's supposed to be the point of the film. Admittedly Studio Ghibli has set the bar very high in this regard. If it had been released by, say, (non-Pixar) Disney I might not have noticed it as much.
I saw it in cinemas. Fun little film. Doesn't feel like typical, serious and grand Ghibli fair. Everything is scaled down a bit, including production values and story-telling. But still, it is better than most things out there. I love the theme song.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F81398l_zps2h40nnlz.jpg&hash=21db5e4909deb4531fa151b14fb981acf6c290bc) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/81398l_zps2h40nnlz.jpg.html)
Kancolle the Movie, or Fleet Girl Collection the Movie. Based on a very popular web browser game in which WWII warships are depicted as cute girls (don't ask). The personified warships loosely correlate with what happened to them in real life. Ships that were blown up accidentally in real life are unlucky in the game, for example. A 12-episode TV anime was released some time ago. The Movie is a sequel to the TV version.
As with the TV anime, the Movie is a mixed bag. The animation is better than the TV version, as is the norm with movies in general. The mood is much more serious and consistent, instead of the mood whiplash in the TV version where they mourn the loss of a colleague in one episode and have a curry cooking contest in another. Some of the battle sequences are nice and intense. There is some plot advancement as the origins of the Fleet Girls and their enemies are finally explored in detail. All the main heroines are there and there is something for everybody.
But the animation is sometimes inconsistent, and the plot is meh. The battles don't seem to help the story much and are only there as eye candy. Even that would have been acceptable as long as it is good eye candy. But in this case the expensive to make battle scenes are few and far in between. All the major characters have a chance to show their best move, but one has to wonder if the ships are there only because they need to satisfy all the different fan groups. I can't help but again compare this with Girls und Panzer, another show with a crazy premise that combines military and cute girls. The Girls und Panzer movie simply skips the story and focuses on the battles, and it does this aspect extremely well. The battles are lengthy, the animation is top notch, and the tank tactics are entertaining. The Girls und Panzer producers have passion to create the best battle scenes for a movie that has a shot at the halls of fame. The Kancolle movie makers put in the minimum amount of battle scenes and animation budget so the movie has just enough eye candy to sell.
I was back in Detroit a couple weeks ago for the wedding of my cousin. She was born in Korea and adopted by my aunt and uncle; her now mother-in-law is also from Korea. They had their wedding in an old print shop in Detroit's New Center which has since been converted to a reception hall. It was a neat wedding, my cousin made her own bridal dress, a traditional Korean dress for the mother of the groom and her bridesmaid's dresses (apparently without considering the body proportions of the one white bridesmaid.)
They really love Asian popular culture. They had a reading from Full Metal Alchemist the other was the lyrics to a K-Pop song. Their rings were kept in a Pokeball and both their vows contained the phrase "I choose you." I was told some of their vows were taken from Assassin's Creed as well, but I don't know anything about that.
Another one of my cousins (the psychologist turned yoga instructor) officiated the ceremony. She's a couple years older than I am and she doesn't even watch television. So when they explained the wedding concept to her she tried to watch their favorite shows and totally didn't get it; so her ceremony was mostly an uplifting yoga pep-talk.
Oh, and the best man was a dog.
Fortunately there was Soju. Anyhow it was a wonderfully weird experience sort of a second industrial revolution Blade Runner with catchy K-pop songs.
Remake of Legend of Galactic Heroes has been announced. PV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLzaEjzvjD0
First season to be aired in April 2018.
Quote from: Savonarola on September 21, 2017, 09:29:39 AM
I was back in Detroit a couple weeks ago for the wedding of my cousin. She was born in Korea and adopted by my aunt and uncle; her now mother-in-law is also from Korea. They had their wedding in an old print shop in Detroit's New Center which has since been converted to a reception hall. It was a neat wedding, my cousin made her own bridal dress, a traditional Korean dress for the mother of the groom and her bridesmaid's dresses (apparently without considering the body proportions of the one white bridesmaid.)
They really love Asian popular culture. They had a reading from Full Metal Alchemist the other was the lyrics to a K-Pop song. Their rings were kept in a Pokeball and both their vows contained the phrase "I choose you." I was told some of their vows were taken from Assassin's Creed as well, but I don't know anything about that.
Another one of my cousins (the psychologist turned yoga instructor) officiated the ceremony. She's a couple years older than I am and she doesn't even watch television. So when they explained the wedding concept to her she tried to watch their favorite shows and totally didn't get it; so her ceremony was mostly an uplifting yoga pep-talk.
Oh, and the best man was a dog.
Fortunately there was Soju. Anyhow it was a wonderfully weird experience sort of a second industrial revolution Blade Runner with catchy K-pop songs.
That's amazing.
As long as they're happy :) - and it sounds like you were entertained by the whole thing too. And, of course, Soju.
As a guilty pleasure it seems they've made new dragonball. Dragonball super.
It's pretty same old. Same guy saves the day always. Racially superior beings are so much better humans needn't even try.
But fun.
I've tried an episode or two of some other series. Haven't discovered one that clicks yet. It has been a while.
Quote from: Jacob on September 21, 2017, 03:28:26 PM
That's amazing.
As long as they're happy :) - and it sounds like you were entertained by the whole thing too. And, of course, Soju.
I had a good time.
I assume that one day they'll look back and wonder "What the hell were we thinking?" when they look at their wedding photos; but that's years away, after they've turned into their parents. ;)
Anyhow I'm disappointed the Languish Haters didn't have anything to add. I posted this just for you. :)
Quote from: Savonarola on September 22, 2017, 11:49:00 AM
Quote from: Jacob on September 21, 2017, 03:28:26 PM
That's amazing.
As long as they're happy :) - and it sounds like you were entertained by the whole thing too. And, of course, Soju.
I had a good time.
I assume that one day they'll look back and wonder "What the hell were we thinking?" when they look at their wedding photos; but that's years away, after they've turned into their parents. ;)
Anyhow I'm disappointed the Languish Haters didn't have anything to add. I posted this just for you. :)
Heh, you are lucky, having an Anime-flavored wedding that resembled
Blade Runner with catchy K-pop songs.
With my in-laws, I get weddings that more resemble
Eastern Promises.
With Russian pop songs that sort of resemble being interrogated by the KGB. And with wedding entertainment provided by really bad cross-dressers (apparently, like the Brits used to, ex-Soviet types think that guys badly cross-dressing is screamingly funny).
Quote from: Malthus on September 22, 2017, 03:05:56 PM
Heh, you are lucky, having an Anime-flavored wedding that resembled Blade Runner with catchy K-pop songs.
With my in-laws, I get weddings that more resemble Eastern Promises.
With Russian pop songs that sort of resemble being interrogated by the KGB. And with wedding entertainment provided by really bad cross-dressers (apparently, like the Brits used to, ex-Soviet types think that guys badly cross-dressing is screamingly funny).
Look at the bright side, at least progroms are no longer part of the traditional Ukrainian wedding. That might have been awkward.
;)
Some years ago when CB worked at Nissan we went to one of her co-workers got married in a Serbian Rite Catholic Church. They weren't fresh off the boat, so there wasn't any Serbian pop songs or anything like that, but it was a dry wedding. So I packed a cooler full Labatts and CB and her coworkers tailgated in the church parking lot after the ceremony. The priest was none too happy with us, but it was a delightful wedding.
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Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale. Finally, the popular series that arguably popularised the whole "trapped in a game world" concept got a movie. It assumes familiarity of the anime, especially its first season. The story takes place after the end of the second TV season. It is quite successful at the box office, opening first in Japan and beating many mainstream entries. While the two seasons deal with virtual reality where players' consciousness are transferred to a virtual world, Ordinal Scale is about augmented reality. Players stay in the real world but see fantasy visuals augmented by a machine. In the movie, an AR game has taken Japan by storm. But there seems sinister movies behind the game as SAO survivors are specifically targetted and invited to join various game events.
I have somewhat mixed feelings about the movie. It certainly isn't great. There are blatant plotholes and too many aspects don't stand up to scrutiny. The visuals are decent but aren't cutting edge. Most members of the protagonists' circle in the anime make an appearance in the movie, but most of them don't do much. The fights are straightforward affairs that don't involve much strategy.
Yet it somehow works as a whole. It captures the charm of the original series and makes full use of the Aincrad setting. There is an effective mystery plot that pulls the audience to go along until the end. It fulfills a tiny little bit of the unfulfilled potential of season one by showing onscreen the final floor of the world and many of the unseen floor bosses. It is a proper sequel that adds to the lore of the series, rather than filler crap that feels a forced add-on. I, as a fan and veteran of the SAO series, feel plenty of nostalgia. There is a sequel hook at the end that seems to keep the series alive.
SAO isn't for everyone. But fans of the series should be happy with the movie.
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Made in Abyss. The Abyss is an enormous cave system that extends thousands of miles into the earth. Inside are artifacts of enormous power, fantastic and often hostile creatures, and a curse that affects anybody who ascends. Lots of people aspire to be cave raiders that solve the mystery of the Abyss once and for all. Rico is an orphan who has basically no fighting skills. One day she encounters a powerful robot that seems to originate from deep inside the Abyss. She decides to team up with the robot to go after her mother, a legendary cave raider long thought to have perished in the Abyss.
This is the surprise hit of the previous season, and one of the best shows that I have watched in a while. A very detailed and complex world, interesting characters drawn in the puni-plush style, and lush and rich backgrounds that remind me of Ghibli movies. The story-telling benefits from...memorable antagonists along the way, and somewhat...realistic portrayals of the dangers and body injuries that the children protagonists face.
What I am really trying to say is that, despite the cutesy characters and colourful world, this can legitimately be classified as a horror show. It contains some of the most disturbing and horrifying scenes I have watched in anime. Physical injuries are depicted in great and nightmarish detail. There is no attempt to shy away from showcasing onscreen the stomach-turning treatment of the characters who are mostly children. The scenes in question have consequences and really serve to show how dangerous the journey is and make the viewers afraid to "turn the page".
Another reason why this show isn't for everybody is because the source author has a tendency to use implied child nudity as a basis for comic relief. While there is absolutely nothing close to being explicit, there are jokes surrounding the sexual organs of the robot, for example.
If you have no problem with all that, this is a contender for anime of the year.
Quote from: Monoriu on September 21, 2017, 09:54:44 AM
Remake of Legend of Galactic Heroes has been announced. PV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLzaEjzvjD0
First season to be aired in April 2018.
the link doesn't work, but reading about it makes me excited a little :)
Quote from: viper37 on October 03, 2017, 08:50:31 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 21, 2017, 09:54:44 AM
Remake of Legend of Galactic Heroes has been announced. PV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLzaEjzvjD0
First season to be aired in April 2018.
the link doesn't work, but reading about it makes me excited a little :)
Try this -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXEm5aaWHgI
In other news, there are lots of announcements about sequels. Sword Art Online will get two new shows. The Underworld arc will receive an anime adaptation, and a spin off about the Gun Gale Online arc will also be shown on TV. A Certain Magical Index will get a season 3 after hod knows how many years. One Punch Man, Attack on Titan, Overlord, Seven Deadly Sins, Full Metal Panic, My Hero Academia and Fairy Tail should all get sequels. Something is happening to Code Geass, but I am not sure. They have announced some compilation movies but I think there seems to be a bit more than that.
These are the shows that I plan to watch in the Autumn 2017 season (Oct - Dec). Not that many shows interest me this season, sadly.
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UQ Holder. This takes a bit of explaining. Once upon a time there was a show called Negima. Negima is a 10 year old school teacher who is secretly a magic user. He teachers a class of more than 30 middle school female students that includes a 700 year old vampire, a robot, a time-traveller, a ghost, etc. It may look like a harem show at first but it is actually a decent magical adventure series. The source manga was abruptly cut short due to copyright issues. The anime adaptation is probably one of the worst adaptations in anime history. They only adapted bits and pieces of the story here and there, and the anime stories are often completely different from the source material. UQ Holder is the sequel to Negima that takes place decades after the original story, but many of the original characters return (e.g. the vampire). I have very low expectations for this show and the only reason I am watching it is for nostalgia.
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Gintama. This is a long-running anime show with 328 episodes already broadcast. It is a show that constantly zig zags between totally wacky and crazy elements that only serve to make people laugh and (somewhat) serious samurai stories with philosophical babbling about friendship and loyalty. Depending on how you count, this is season 5. I am on episode 313 right now and I should have caught up with the latest episode some time in the next few weeks.
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Yuki Yuna is a Hero: Washio Sumi Chapter. Prequel story to Yuki Yuna is a Hero, another magical girl show with a dark twist, or Madoka copycat.
Quote from: Monoriu on October 03, 2017, 07:56:09 PM
Quote from: viper37 on October 03, 2017, 08:50:31 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on September 21, 2017, 09:54:44 AM
Remake of Legend of Galactic Heroes has been announced. PV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLzaEjzvjD0
First season to be aired in April 2018.
the link doesn't work, but reading about it makes me excited a little :)
Try this -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXEm5aaWHgI
Looks really nice.
Buzz me when it's out and with an english dub.
Quote from: viper37 on October 04, 2017, 02:06:03 PM
Looks really nice.
Buzz me when it's out and with an english dub.
First season is supposed to be out in April 2018, but these things aren't 100% reliable.
No idea about English dubs as I always prefer the Japanese version ;)
Quote from: Monoriu on October 04, 2017, 06:03:59 PM
No idea about English dubs as I always prefer the Japanese version ;)
I don't understand Japanese and I hate subtitles. :)
Besides, I find the voices are often better in English or French. In Japanese, all guys look like they're out of Shogun and the female have, by design, this ultra high pitch voice like they're trying to break glass or something.
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Kizumonogatari, or Wound Story. The long-awaited prequel of the cherished monogatari series, based on a best-selling novel. It is a movie trilogy that finally tells the story of how Araragi, the male protagonist, met Kisshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade (yes that's her full name), a female vampire, that led him into the world of oddities and the supernatural.
This I think is one of the best entries of the monogatari series and an excellent anime movie trilogy. When I first watched monogatari, Shinobu (the Japanese/Chinese word for Shinobu was a heart under a blade) was a completely silent character despite being billed as a major heroine in all the promotional material. The only thing she usually did was to get up and suck Araragi's blood when he appeared. The circumstances of their first meeting, the emotional bond between the two, how Shinobu was transformed from a powerful vampire with an adult body to a silent girl who appeared to be no more than 10 years old was shown and explained in the movie trilogy.
The usually stylish art of the monogatari series is now given the movie treatment that allows a much bigger budget. This trilogy has everything. Great visuals, memorable battles, emotional scenes, comic relief that is actually pretty funny, a strong link with the main story that explains a lot and puts events in a different perspective. Above all, the relationship between Shinobu and Araragi is explored in great detail.
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Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash. Yet another dropped into an RPG fantasy game world anime. Teenagers seem to have their memories largely wiped and dropped into another world in batches. They form adventure parties, kill monsters and join guilds in order to survive. The story focuses on one of these parties.
What sets this show apart from the zillion of other animes with a similar premise is its focus on realism. The other shows usually show overpowered protagonists trying to save the world, rescue the princess, defeat the big bad, show off their unique skills, pull off elaborate strategies and plans, and pick up a few girls in the process. In Grimgar, the protagonists are the underdogs. The best and strongest form their own parties, and the protagonists are the leftovers. They merely try to survive. They barely make enough money to buy the basic necessities, they have trouble killing goblins even when they outnumber them, and there are much more successful players around. Figuring out how to work effectively as a team is a long process, and death is a real possibility. The psychological trauma of dealing with this unfamiliar place and not having too many choices to survive is explored in vivid detail. This is also one of the few animes that have more balanced gender ratios. In short, it is somewhat of a deconstruction of the typical locked in a game world shows.
I realise that the moment when I decided to try this show is not when I read the reviews, which are decent but not great. It was when I first looked at the poster above. I am not really an arts person, but I am a sucker for water colour infused images. On this aspect, the show didn't disappoint. It isn't just the promotional poster that is done in this style. The water colour style is shown throughout the show, which has beautiful backgrounds, well-animated action sequences and fluid movements.
Not much really happens in the show. Look elsewhere if you want to see heroes in action. This is a show for the underdogs, but a pretty good one at that.
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Princess Principal. This anime-original show takes place in an alternate Victorian Britain. First, they discovered an anti-gravity material that allowed them to build airships. Secondly, a rebellion broke out that divided Britain into two. A wall was built that divided London and the rest of the country into two, a republic and the old kingdom. London became a hotbed for spying activities as the two entities tried to gain an advantage over the other in an uneasy peace. Princess Principal refers to a team of school girls who secretly perform espionage missions for the republic. Curiously, the team includes a princess of the kingdom, so she is essentially working against her own royal family.
This whole setup is a bit alienating, because it is difficult to suspend disbelief that a team of moe school girls can do serious espionage. I initially only watched the show because I like the music composer. This turned out to be much better than expected. The credits list reveals why. The scriptwriter is one of the biggest names in the anime industry. The semi-absurd setting aside, this is a serious espionage show with exciting car chases, multiple twists and turns in an episode, stunning visuals, a consistent steampunk style, and deep characters. At first I wondered if this would be a slice of life show with cute girls doing cute things. The first episode showed how wrong I was with the protagonist mercilessly gunning down an adversary and putting in multiple bullets to make sure that he stays dead. Even with the massive amounts of fights and violence in anime, it is actually not that common to show the protagonist taking a human life on screen. Usually it is handled in a subtle manner, with at least a shred of deniability that "maybe he was just wounded". The first episode screamed to the audience that, yes, she killed him in cold blood.
Overall a distinctive and enjoyable spy show with some James Bond style flamboyant action sequences, though one needs to look past some of the less believable aspects, like an invincible ninja, girls dressing up in obvious "spy clothes", how come they can cause so much carnage and disturbance and yet are able to maintain their schoolgirl cover etc.
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Tokyo Ghoul. The story began when Kanegi, an ordinary university student, met a beautiful girl. Turned out the girl was a ghoul who tried to devour him. She was accidentally killed in the ensuing struggle, but Kanegi was near death. Doctors saved him by transplanting some of the ghoul's organs into him. The first thing he discovered after becoming half-ghoul was that he found human food repulsive. The only things he could eat or drink were coffee, and human flesh. He did gain combat tentacles, super strength, and regenerative capabilities. He resisted the temptation to murder humans for food, and joined up with other ghouls to get food in cruelty-free ways (bodies of people who offed themselves etc). While some ghouls just wanted to blend into human society peacefully, others engaged in mass murder, either for food or fun. The government created a special agency to genocide all ghouls, and the agents fight using weapons created from dead ghouls. So the story is set in this three-way struggle (good ghouls, bad ghouls, and the government).
This is a horror and gore show based on an extremely popular manga. The setting is very interesting and detailed. While Kanegi is the protagonist, there are points of view from all sides, in particular the government. They are almost like the other half of the show. I am not particularly fond of horror or gory shows, but I still find the show engaging and memorable. If you like this genre, this is probably one of the biggest names and productions in recent years, complete with a live-action version.
I don't read manga, but apparently many people who have read the source manga don't really like the anime adaptation. There are problems with pacing, particularly in the second season. Some of the plot developments can be jarring, and smell like horror just for horror's sake. The introduction of a huge number of side characters and the presentation of different sides of the conflict all contribute to a lack of focus. Although I find the anime more than entertaining, it doesn't quite reach the level of the true masterpieces.
An anime character with a bowl haircut. Shocking.
Quote from: Ed Anger on November 15, 2017, 10:18:17 PM
An anime character with a bowl haircut. Shocking.
I had that haircut as a kid.
I actually tried Tokyo ghoul. Failed to enjoy it.
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Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Or Danmachi for short. The Greek mythological deities decided that the mortal realm is more fun. So they descended on the world and gave up most of their powers. They form "familias" with humans, like guilds or cooperations, and grant them the right to explore a huge dungeon in town. The story is about Hestia, who only starts with one weak human in her familia, and her partner Bell.
This anime is made world famous by one and one thing only. The blue ribbon that Hestia wears. For some reason it took the internet by storm and is even reported in newspapers. Because of this, and the somewhat unfortunate title of the light novel that the anime is based on, it is easy to get the impression that this show is all about harems, fanservice, revealing costumes, or even softcore porn.
I have watched the show and I say this is only half-true. It is true that there is a strong harem vibe, as there are tons of female characters and a very large number of them fall for Bell. There are ridiculous costumes shown regularly onscreen. Despite the fanservice, there is a decent adventure story at the core of the show. It isn't as serious as Re:Zero or Grimgar, but it takes itself far more seriously than goofy shows like Konosuba. Bell is also as far from a pervert as possible. He is a serious guy, is only interested in one girl, and is oblivious to all others.
Not a bad show for a sometimes serious, sometimes goofy fantasy adventure series. It set reasonable if limited goals for itself, and mostly fulfilled them. The visual quality is surprisingly good. Sometimes I just want to watch, relax, and forget. This show is exactly that.
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Sword Oratoria. This is the spin-off of Danmachi. Danmachi is about Bell and Hestia. Oratoria takes place in the same universe, at the same time, with roughly the same main events, but from the angle of the Loki familia, allies of the Hestia familia. It is like someone writing a spin-off of Lord of the Rings that covers the same story, but this time with the Elves and Dwarves taking centre stage. Or a book by Sherlock Holmes about what he really thinks about Dr Watson.
The story is often told from the angle of Aiz, Bell's crush. Having watched the story from Bell's angle, it can be quite charming to watch the same story again from Aiz's angle. It provides a lot of explanation about why Aiz reacts in a certain way in the main story. On this aspect, the two stories complement each other well.
The trouble with this story is that that interesting aspect isn't enough to fill 12 episodes. It needs a lot of additional content to stretch the story. And on this aspect, the story is less interesting. It feels like filler because it is. The pace is very uneven. The parts common to both stories are given extensive coverage. The parts intended to fill in the gaps are glanced over. There isn't much real story here, because like most fillers, it is constrained by the fact that it cannot state anything that contradicts the main story.
In theory it is possible to watch Oratoria independently, but this is not recommended. It works best only if it is watched after Danmachi.
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Basilisk. The story is set shortly after Ieyasu Tokugawa has united Japan after the warring states period. His two grandsons fought over the succession. His solution was to decide by champion combat. Iga and Kouga, two of the most famous ninja clans in Japan, would each nominate 10 elite ninjas. Whichever team can eliminate the other wins. These two clans have a 400-year old feud, and the uneasy peace is only kept by a Tokugawa decree. All Tokugawa needed to do was to lift his ban on violence, and the two were too happy to kill each other. The problem was, before all that happened, the heads of the two clans were madly in love with each other. One is an honourable young man who wanted nothing but peace, and the other is an innocent and kind girl who, with one exception, lacked any ninja skills and wouldn't kill an insect. Now they are forced to fight each other by their clansmen and the Shogun.
The TL;DR version: Romeo and Juliet with ninjas.
This is really good. I have watched all episodes and films of Naruto, probably the most famous ninja show ever. Basilisk is much better. Not only because of the tragic love story in the background. The meat of the show is the anything goes battle by the ninjas, and it more than delivers. The pace is extremely fast, and the plot moves along steadily. It is no surprise that the ninjas have outlandish skills (known as jutsu in ninja-speak). What I like about Basilisk is that, notwithstanding the extreme nature of the jutsu, the show is very consistent. This is the one or two jutsu that this ninja knows, and that's that. No unexplained appearance of new jutsus as the plot demands, and no plot armour. No remembering childhood trauma and internal brain struggles to turn the fight around. Another great aspect is the much more realistic treatment of injuries. You get stabbed in the leg, you limp. You get stabbed in the chest, you die. Even for elite ninjas. No losing two limbs but the fight continues.
Fast and intense action. Well-crafted plot. Memorable characters on both sides of the conflict. Nice visuals. Serious and dark story. Realistic portrayals of battles. This should have been the best ninja show, not Naruto. Thanks Tim for recommending this show.
The crazy thing is, this anime was made more than 10 years ago, and a sequel will air next year :secret:
I am not going to watch this anime, but I can't help but laugh after reading this synopsis of an upcoming show -
"A group of 3 yakuza failed their boss for the last time. After messing up an important job, the boss gave them 2 choices: Honorably committing suicide, or go to Thailand to get a sex reassignment surgery in order to become "female" idols. After a gruesome year long training to become idols, they successfully debut, with overwhelming popularity, much to their dismay. This is where their tragedy truly begins."
Mono, did you know that the Sengoku Period was caused by a time traveling Joker and his henchmen fighting Batman and his sidekicks?
No? Than feast your eyes on Batman Ninja! Starring the Joker as Oda Nobunaga and Gorilla Grodd as Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Trailer
https://youtu.be/wId8XY6y_HA
Subbed trailer (a bit different than the first)
https://twitter.com/damainwayne/status/936476180269748224
Made by an all star cast
Takashi Okazaki (character designs): Afro Samurai
Yugo Kanno (soundtrack): Psycho-Pass soundtrack, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure soundtrack
Kazuki Nakashima (screenplay): Gurren Lagann, Kill La Kill
Kamikaze Douga (animation): JoJo's opening animation, Assorted freelance works for different shows
Thanks for letting me know, and no, I wasn't aware of it. Seems nuts but could be fun.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 02, 2017, 11:05:01 PM
Mono, did you know that the Sengoku Period was caused by a time traveling Joker and his henchmen fighting Batman and his sidekicks?
No? Than feast your eyes on Batman Ninja! Starring the Joker as Oda Nobunaga and Gorilla Grodd as Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
:bleeding:
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I dunno. It could be better than some of the crap super hero movies that Hollywood produces.
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Granblue Fantasy. This is a fantasy world of floating islands. The story begins when Katalina, an officer of an evil empire, deserts her post and escapes with Lyria, a mysterious but magically powerful young girl. It was Kalalina's job to keep Lyria from escaping but she could no longer stand the ill treatment of Lyria. They bumped into a young boy in a village and the encounter sparked off a grand adventure, as the party tries to find a promised land of sorts.
First and foremost, Granblue Fantasy is one of the most popular online mobile RPG games in Japan. Everything about this show has to be seen through that lens. That's why this is one of the most beautifully animated fantasy shows out there. That's why most of the voice actresses and production staff are stars (e.g. the music composer is legendary Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame). That's why side characters pop into and out of the show out of nowhere, because the game has hundreds of playable characters that cannot otherwise be fit into the story. That's why they can never actually reach the promised land, otherwise the cash will stop flowing. That's why the show is episodic, because the game is quest based.
Beyond the sky high production values however, the story is forgettable. The mobile game is an ongoing project that attracts customers through eye candy, tons and tons of characters, ridiculous female costumes, interesting one-shot events, and the biggest names in the voice acting industry. The story suffers and most of the plot development is completely predictable. A lot of anime do put more emphasis on characters and scenery porn, but the balance is rarely so out of whack.
I wish my floaters were a fantasy.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 02, 2017, 11:05:01 PM
Mono, did you know that the Sengoku Period was caused by a time traveling Joker and his henchmen fighting Batman and his sidekicks?
No? Than feast your eyes on Batman Ninja! Starring the Joker as Oda Nobunaga and Gorilla Grodd as Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Well, Batman sure looked like a ninja at times, if not outright inspired. :P
Plus, I have seen a Nintendo DS Pokemon game set within the Sengoku era so why not? :D
These are the shows that I intend to watch in the Winter 2018 season (Jan - March)
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Overlord Season 2. This is a pretty good "trapped in a game world show". What distinguishes this is that the protagonist originally role-played an evil overlord and guild master in an online game. He is now surrounded by NPCs that came alive and are fanatically loyal to him, interpreting everything he says as gospel. He is now on a quest to find if any of his former human-controlled guildmates were trapped in the same world. He also mentioned half-jokingly to his servants that he wants to conquer the world. They certainly didn't see it as a joke.
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Fate: Extra Last Encore. This is another spin-off of the very popular Fate series. The Fate core idea is that seven teams, each comprising a human magician "master" and a "servant", who can be a historical and mythical hero, engage in a survival battle. The winner may have a wish granted by a holy grail. I think the story is about a random guy being dropped into this battle to be a "master", but he can't remember who he is. The promotional poster features a red version of the ultra popular heroine of the original story, Saber. They seem to stress that the original Fate creator is involved in the scriptwriting for this one.
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Seven Deadly Sins Season 2. This is a good shonen fight series. The seven deadly sins refer to a group of seven powerful but free-spirited soldiers who were framed for treason and were scattered. Season 1 was about gathering some of them back to clear their name. The adventure continues in season 2.
These two are maybes, if I have time.
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Violet Evergarden. I haven't watched a Kyoto animation production for quite some time and I want to fix this. They are known as one of the best production studios in the anime world. Reviews of the first few episodes released earlier are good. Not entirely sure what the story is, but it seems to involve "auto memory dolls", who turn people's memories and emotions into words.
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Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody. This is yet another "trapped in a game world" show (yes I am a sucker for those). The protagonist is a programmer constantly asked to work crazy hours (hence the "death march"). He is now trapped in a video game. Although he wants to relax and disappear, events may force him to do otherwise.
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UQ Holder. The story takes place 80 years after the events in Negima. Negima was a 10-year old magician disguised as an English teacher with a class of over 30 middle school female students. Eventually, his secret was out and his students accompanied him to an adventure in the magic world. Evangeline, one of his "students", is actually a 700-year old immortal and extremely powerful vampire. She gathered other immortals in the world to form the "UQ holder" organisation. She and a new generation of young adventurers are the protagonists of this story.
I almost feel compelled to write two posts about the show. One for newcomers to the Negima universe, and the other for old-timers. If you are new, this show is an absolute mess. There is a fine line between "fast paced intense action", and a "rushed and fragmented plot that makes little sense and allows little character development". Everything happens so quickly, and the plot is so cramped, that plot points are almost meaningless as they are quickly overshadowed by other events. Old characters from 80 years ago are brought back with little explanation. Negima is a universe with loads of characters and I can only imagine the frustration of people who are not familiar with their backstories.
For old timers, this show is designed specifically to invoke nostalgia. They even recycled the Negima season 1 theme song from ~10 years ago, with the new voice cast as singers. Almost everybody from the old show made at least a cameo appearance, even though this show takes place 80 years later. They mostly retained the original voice cast. Some of the characters, especially Evangeline, still play important roles in the story. A lot of the elements that make the original show interesting are still present. There are even more colourful characters now with the addition of an entirely new generation of adventurers. The fights, harem vibe, fanservice, sense of adventure, mysteries, world exploration, complex character relationships are all here. The plot is still a trainwreck, and the adaptation is as messy as ever. I get a strong sense that this is only about the characters, and the story is added as an afterthought.
My favourite anime of 2017 are -
1. Attack on Titan Season 2
2. Made in Abyss
3. My Hero Academia Season 2
4. Kizumonogatari
5. Owarimonogatari Season 2
Quote from: Monoriu on November 22, 2017, 09:37:01 PM
Thanks Tim for recommending this show.
The crazy thing is, this anime was made more than 10 years ago, and a sequel will air next year :secret:
You're welcome. :)
How can they make a sequel? [spoiler]Every one died.[/spoiler]
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 21, 2017, 11:48:18 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on November 22, 2017, 09:37:01 PM
Thanks Tim for recommending this show.
The crazy thing is, this anime was made more than 10 years ago, and a sequel will air next year :secret:
You're welcome. :)
How can they make a sequel? [spoiler]Every one died.[/spoiler]
I don't know. But [spoiler]only the top 10 ninjas from each village died. The two villages were mostly unharmed. I suppose they can easily produce another generation of ninjas.[/spoiler]
This reminds me. I forgot to include it in my to-do list. The sequel will air in like two weeks. Here is the promotional poster. [spoiler]Looks like everybody is new, but they will probably retain the love story, considering that the main pair is again male and female.[/spoiler]
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Going to be a pretty busy season.
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Shirobako. Literally, white box. This refers to the anime industry's practice of putting completed anime episode CDs/tapes in white boxes. This is an anime about making anime. Five high school girls made a promise that they would work on an anime show together. When they graduate, they all join the industry in different roles. The story focuses on Aoi Miyamori, a member of the production staff responsible for coordination.
This show is fantastic. Everything about this show is just right and well-balanced. There is enough interesting exposition about the inner workings of the anime industry to lure viewers in, but the details won't become too technical as to overburden the audience. The overall tone of the show is light-hearted, joyful and optimistic, but there are enough challenges and conflict to keep it going. There are loads of characters, yet there is just enough focus on each one of them. The problems of the industry are explored. The staff are shown to rely on food supplies mailed from their parents, and secondary jobs to make ends meet. This is balanced by the heartwarming relationships, willingness to bail each other out, and effective comic relief.
Prior to watching this show, I had no idea what the production assistants do. Each of them is assigned to work on an episode. They actually have to identify suitable and willing animators to work on each of the scenes, either from within or outside their studio. Then they have to find someone willing to check their work and make sure everything is fine. Any number of things can go wrong in the process, from personality conflicts, that nobody is good at drawing moving horses, lazy directors being unable to produce story-boards in time, creative differences with the source author, bad quality output from animators, to animation supervisors injuring themselves in cycling races.
There aren't a lot of shows about the working lives of adults, and this is a much needed one in a forgotten genre. There are even two bonus episodes on, yes, the two "animes within an anime" that the cast produces in the show. Imagine having to create three sets of characters. The amount of passion and effort that go into this is amazing, and it shows.
Geez. The huge popularity of the Fate series has spawned a seemingly endless stream of spin-offs. It is supposed to be a somewhat serious and dark show, lots of fights, plot twists, horrific treatment of some of the characters etc.
And now, the latest spin off is gloriously titled Today's Menu for the Emily Family. I just saw the first episode, and it is a...cooking show. Done by ufotable, one of the most celebrated studios out there best known for its fantastic fight scenes. Now they are doing food porn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VO6kcEecsw
Imagine getting all the main Game of Thrones characters to do a cooking show. That's how crazy this is.
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Fate Apocrypha. This is a spin-off of the popular Fate Series. The core Fate idea is that seven teams, each comprising a human magician "master" and a heroic spirit "servant", engage in a survival battle. Any historical or mythical person can be a servant, e.g. Alexander the Great, Achilles etc. Even Shakespeare. The winner gets a wish granted by the holy grail. Apocrypha asks the question, instead of a survival battle of seven small teams, what if there are two big sides? Instead of 14 characters battling it out, now there are 28 of them, divided into two sides. Double the number of characters, double the fun.
Except that it doesn't work. Fate Stay Night needed three parallel routes to fully explore the 14 characters. Fate Zero needed a 40 minute infodump as its first episode to introduce all 14. A 25-episode show with 28 major players predictably leads to under-developed characters. There isn't much emotional impact when they inevitably drop like flies.
Another major problem is the source author seems to have abandoned the two sides battling it out idea early on. The main pair that gets the most screentime is actually from outside the 28. Within the 28, the servants and masters change sides casually. Some of them refuse to fight for their own sides from day one, and form independent teams. The whole point of having 28 masters and servants is to see what happens when they form two sides. Instead, they go back to having a free-for-all, defeating the fundamental premise of the show almost from the beginning.
It isn't unwatchable, just average. But there are much better Fate stories out there.
For those who hate Saber's identity in Fate Stay Night and Zero, Apocrypha finally has a Saber like character that is explicitly based on Joan of Arc.
Mono, have you watched Irresponsible Captain Tylor? It's a 90s classic.
I recently read the manga Goblin Slayer, and the GS: Year One spin off manga. Holy shit is this dark.
Basically set in a high fantasy world, the state and most high level adventures are dealing with demon lords, dragons, etc. They don't have to time to bother with small time shit like Goblins; it's dirty, dangerous work that doesn't pay much. They have bigger fish to fry.
The problem is that once Goblins get numerous enough, they ain't just stealing livestock. They kidnap women, and can escalate to sacking and razing whole towns on the frontier. The man are torn apart and eaten, the women gang raped (to death if they're lucky, if not they're used as breeding stock to pop out litters of new goblins. Don't think the logistics of it all really makes sense). They can be easily defeated if an armed force catches them on open ground, but going after them in the deep forest, or worse in their underground lairs is much, much more dangerous and they can wipe out even experienced veterans.
Enter the Goblin Slayer, as a child he was the lone survivor of a village massacre and is now a high ranked adventurer on a monomaniacal and hopelessly impossible quest to genocide all goblins forever.
Based on a series of best selling light novels, where the novels are coldly detached and Goblin atrocities are mostly just heavily implied, the manga on the other hand is a visual medium and shows things in pretty graphic detail.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on January 22, 2018, 07:37:12 PM
Mono, have you watched Irresponsible Captain Tylor? It's a 90s classic.
I recently read the manga Goblin Slayer, and the GS: Year One spin off manga. Holy shit is this dark.
Basically set in a high fantasy world, the state and most high level adventures are dealing with demon lords, dragons, etc. They don't have to time to bother with small time shit like Goblins; it's dirty, dangerous work that doesn't pay much. They have bigger fish to fry.
The problem is that once Goblins get numerous enough, they ain't just stealing livestock. They kidnap women, and can escalate to sacking and razing whole towns on the frontier. The man are torn apart and eaten, the women gang raped (to death if they're lucky, if not they're used as breeding stock to pop out litters of new goblins. Don't think the logistics of it all really makes sense). They can be easily defeated if an armed force catches them on open ground, but going after them in the deep forest, or worse in their underground lairs is much, much more dangerous and they can wipe out even experienced veterans.
Enter the Goblin Slayer, as a child he was the lone survivor of a village massacre and is now a high ranked adventurer on a monomaniacal and hopelessly impossible quest to genocide all goblins forever.
Based on a series of best selling light novels, where the novels are coldly detached and Goblin atrocities are mostly just heavily implied, the manga on the other hand is a visual medium and shows things in pretty graphic detail.
Yeah I watched Irresponsible Captain Tylor when I was in university. Pretty good anime. I love the ambiguity of whether Tylor was incredibly lucky, or extremely talented. Not the most family friendly anime though, given that its main message was "do whatever you want to do and it will work out best in the end." It was definitely a breath of fresh air; something entirely different from other anime.
Never heard of Goblin Slayer. I am anime-only, and this hasn't been adapted into anime format.
Quote from: Monoriu on January 22, 2018, 10:53:30 PM
Never heard of Goblin Slayer. I am anime-only, and this hasn't been adapted into anime format.
I will be surprised if it doesn't get an adapation soon. The Light Novel burst onto the scene in 2016 and best sellers like that typically get an adaption.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on January 23, 2018, 12:50:46 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on January 22, 2018, 10:53:30 PM
Never heard of Goblin Slayer. I am anime-only, and this hasn't been adapted into anime format.
I will be surprised if it doesn't get an adapation soon. The Light Novel burst onto the scene in 2016 and best sellers like that typically get an adaption.
Light Novel Sales by Series
*1. *,707,300 Sword Art Online
*2. *,578,811 Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
*3. *,540,806 Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
*4. *,412,086 Kimi no Na wa.
*5. *,344,286 Youjo Senki
*6. *,299,957 Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei
*7. *,275,579 Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records
*8. *,239,132 Eromanga-sensei
*9. *,231,214 Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken
10. *,168,725 Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! Spin-off
11. *,155,631 Overlord
12. *,155,625 Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata
13. *,151,679 Monogatari Series
14. *,140,639 Kokuhaku Yokou Renshuu Series
15. *,137,160 No Game No Life
16. *,123,136 Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria
17. *,117,210 Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka
18. *,108,564 Goblin Slayer19. *,104,018 Hidan no Aria
20. *,*96,624 Fate/strange Fake
21. *,*96,200 Bungou Stray Dogs
22. *,*94,469 No Game No Life: Practical War Game
23. *,*93,118 Accel World
24. *,*88,653 Haikyuu!! Shousetsu-ban!!
25. *,*87,316 Imouto sae Ireba Ii.
26. *,*85,505 Gamers!
27. *,*84,372 Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou
28. *,*80,553 Tokyo Ghoul:re
29. *,*79,133 Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index
30. *,*76,801 Ryuuou no Oshigoto!
This is sales data for first half of 2017. Goblin slayer is 18th. That's not too high, but I do agree that most series on this list have anime adaptations.
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Rokka no Yuusha, or Braves of the Six Flowers. A sealed evil lord awakes every few centuries in this sword and magic world. Six chosen heroes are supposed to defeat and reseal the evil before it ravages the continent. Trouble is, at the gathering spot, there are seven people with the body mark. One of them is a mole, and he has activated a barrier prematurely that kept the evil armies from getting out, but also prevented the heroes from proceeding further.
At its heart, this is a crime scene investigations story with a fantasy backdrop. The entire story revolves around solving the mystery rather than dealing with the outside threat. The story focuses on the heroes assigning blame to different suspects, and the heroes changing sides as new evidence emerges. The story is intriguing and well-written. The "must watch next episode NOW" vibe is strong in this one and I marathoned the 12 episodes in no time. The characters are very well done. All seven of them have deep backstories, memorable personalities and it is quite common to see them in cosplayer conventions. The production values are high, with impressive and fluid fight scenes. Due to the mystery nature of the show, it is best to avoid any spoilers.
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Aria. Many centuries into the future, humanity has colonised and terraformed Mars into a water world. Neo Venezia has been built as a replica of Venice. Tourists flock to this city for the gondola rides, and in this world, they are all operated by young, pretty females. The story focus on three apprentices in this trade, and their respective masters.
The key theme of this show is relaxation. There is no action, no fights, no big drama. Any conflict is limited to infrequent and minor personality clashes among the cast. Otherwise, it is all about friendly bantering, city adventures, slice of life, helping each other out, meeting new people, cute cats that seem to understand human language, with a small dose of the supernatural. Every character is kind to a fault. The pace is very slow, and the characters all find joy in the small, everyday happenings. Each of the gondola companies keep a blue-eyed cat as the company "president", since they believe these cats bring good luck. They really address the cats as "president [cat name]" each and every time. They are just that adorable.
I have been to Venice, and except for that fact that all the gondoliers I saw there were males, the anime very faithfully depicts the city. Venice is beautifully recreated. The animation isn't state of the art, but the visuals, music and voice acting all come together to serve their purpose to maintain the relaxed, peaceful and dreamy atmosphere.
This clearly isn't for everybody. Look elsewhere if you want complex plots, action, and fast-paced drama. This is for those who want peace and relaxation, and they'll find it.
Thanks to Lettow who recommended this show.
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Samurai Champloo. A ditzy teenage waitress saved two nigh invincible samurai from certain death toward the end of Edo period Japan. The two accompanied her on a journey to find a "samurai with the scent of sunflower". The story is about their misadventures that can range from defending themselves from the Shogun's assassins, trying to win an eating contest, to playing samurai baseball with American sailors (I didn't make this up).
This is the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop, done by the same director, with a similar setup and storytelling style. It is basically episodic, with the sunflower samurai plotline mostly an excuse for the three to get together. Like Cowboy Bebop, this is undoubtedly a masterpiece. The best episodes are a joy to watch and they stay in my memory. The triangle of the three misfits works really well. It is great fun, with its impressive swordplay animations, anachronistic goodness, and crazy humour.
The show often feels like a deliberate crossover between modern elements and the samurai world. It is anything but a traditional samurai story about fighting evil and preserving honour. Instead, there is rapping in the music, stories that feature drugs, bug tournaments, and graffiti duels. The animation is really well done, with very impressive sword moves being animated.
Overall I can't find fault with this, and I think this should have a place with the anime classics.
Glad you finally got around to watching it. It is indeed a classic. :)
By the way, Goblin Slayer is getting an anime adaption! :punk:
Hope they don't tone the old ultraviolence too much.
http://moetron.news/post/171005915670/light-novel-goblin-slayer-will-be-receiving-a-tv/amp?__twitter_impression=true
Quote from: Monoriu on February 16, 2016, 08:03:37 PM
Never heard of it. Western shows like RWBY at least appears in my radar, as Tim has talked about it and it is quite popular in Japan. This is the first time I have heard of Gravity Falls.
What makes you think it is good? :)
It has just been brought to my attention that RWBY is made in Austin and in a building I pass on my commute everyday to work. If you ever got around to stealing it I hope you enjoyed it :P
The creator seems to be quite a creative dude who died a tragic early death. Austin lost a gem, long before I even knew he existed.
Quote from: Valmy on February 22, 2018, 11:41:37 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 16, 2016, 08:03:37 PM
Never heard of it. Western shows like RWBY at least appears in my radar, as Tim has talked about it and it is quite popular in Japan. This is the first time I have heard of Gravity Falls.
What makes you think it is good? :)
It has just been brought to my attention that RWBY is made in Austin and in a building I pass on my commute everyday to work. If you ever got around to stealing it I hope you enjoyed it :P
The creator seems to be quite a creative dude who died a tragic early death. Austin lost a gem, long before I even knew he existed.
My plan to watch anime list has several hundred shows in it, so it is unlikely that I have time for RWBY any time soon. But it is in my list.
I have a feeling, which is completely unscientific, that anime creators seem to have a lower average life expectancy than the population.
Seems scientific enough to me. They work highly stressful office jobs with lengthy overtime.
Not all of the general population does the same.
Quote from: Monoriu on February 23, 2018, 12:04:33 AM
I have a feeling, which is completely unscientific, that anime creators seem to have a lower average life expectancy than the population.
Those artsy types always do. Though this guy died in a freak medical situation where he suffered a fatal allergic reaction to some routine procedure.
Quote from: Valmy on February 23, 2018, 09:01:45 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on February 23, 2018, 12:04:33 AM
I have a feeling, which is completely unscientific, that anime creators seem to have a lower average life expectancy than the population.
Those artsy types always do. Though this guy died in a freak medical situation where he suffered a fatal allergic reaction to some routine procedure.
He was alergic to the anesthesia.
The Spring anime season (April – June) will come soon, and these are the animes that I intend to watch. Looks like a busy season with lots of big name sequels, remakes or spin-offs that I consider must watch.
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Legend of Galactic Heroes. This is (or should be, as not much is known at this point) a remake of the 90s classic space opera. In the distant future, an autocratic galactic empire united the galaxy. A band of rebels slipped away and set up a democratic nation in an unknown corner of the galaxy. After many decades, the two sides discovered each other and engaged in a forever war. A military genius emerged from each side to break the stalemate and to change their respective corrupt countries.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F90938l_zpsvorwewyf.jpg&hash=276ab965f244b489b0ccb57d28d705a2177f3df5) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/90938l_zpsvorwewyf.jpg.html)
Tokyo Ghoul Season 3. This horror and adventure show takes place in a Tokyo where ghouls have appeared in large scale. While they live among humans, they can only drink coffee and consume human flesh. The story is essentially a three-way war among the government, ghouls who have no problem killing humans, and ghouls who are more restrained.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F90444l_zpsw59czfwq.jpg&hash=7fd0355396968fc0c1b40019eafc7d90a5b340db) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/90444l_zpsw59czfwq.jpg.html)
Steins Gate Zero. The original Steins Gate was about a few otakus who liked to role play as mad scientists. They accidentally discovered real ways to send messages to the past (via microwave ovens) to alter their present and future. There was a huge conspiracy, multiple efforts to time-travel, going to the past to save loved ones etc. Steins Gate Zero is a "midquel" or a what-if scenario about an alternative story-line where the protagonist abandoned his quest to travel back to the past to save his romantic interest.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F90355l_zpsgqzpgwuq.jpg&hash=ff5697403f10b70cf8bc5fb4c3f5cd766f01b37d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/90355l_zpsgqzpgwuq.jpg.html)
Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online. "Sword Art Online" is the overall series title of an international blockbuster about players of an online game trapped in a game world. "Gun Gale Online" is the third game or story arc of the series. "Alternative" is because this is based on a spin-off novel. Same game world, different protagonists. Apparently, the story is about a very tall teenage girl who has severe image issues due to her unusual height. She plays the Gun Gale Online game to fulfill her fantasy of being a petite, cute girl.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F90681l_zpswpnibwta.jpg&hash=2432a582c6e04d8997b8d47d60f64f501520e9e0) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/90681l_zpswpnibwta.jpg.html)
My Hero Academia Season 3. The story continues in the best shonen adventure series to come out of Japan in recent years. In this comic book world, most people have some sort of superpower. The protagonist is born without any, and he is determined to become a hero to battle villains.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F88584l_zpspxeyijvm.jpg&hash=3b21287959edb4964967f055b8c061a8e9b48ea7) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/88584l_zpspxeyijvm.jpg.html)
Full Metal Panic Season 4. Mithril is a secret military organisation with highly advanced technology and giant mechas. They sent one of their mecha pilots to bodyguard a teenage girl with lost technologies somehow buried in her brain. The problem is, the pilot used to be a child soldier with no social skills. Hilarity ensues as he interprets everyday school happenings with his military frame of mind. Season 3 was aired like 10 years ago and it is a miracle that a season 4 is produced. Expect plenty of nostalgia.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F87651l_zpspjyl4mdm.jpg&hash=2e3793585532122d3a3a5fc77e3ec218b02d16e8) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/87651l_zpspjyl4mdm.jpg.html)
Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody. Satou is a game programmer who often has to work crazy hours. One day he wakes up in a fantasy game world, and he began his adventure.
This is yet another stuck in a game world, or isekai (alien world) anime. This is easily the weakest isekai show that I have watched. The main reason is that it attempts to fuse slice of life with isekai. The whole reason they put "death march" in the title is that the protagonist deserves a break. So instead of saving the world and fighting enemies, there will be a detailed discussion and close-up shot of food almost every episode, a huge harem will pop up out of nowhere, and he'll be ridiculously overpowered.
The show made of point of giving him 3 meteor shower spells at the beginning. He killed hundreds of high level monsters with them, and gained so many levels and talent points that he could max any and all skills that he wants whenever he wants them. He is invincible, good at everything, all girls want him, there is no challenge, and no main plot. Lots of protagonists are overpowered, but most authors bother to provide a better explanation than "he began his game with an all powerful spell and killed countless monsters with it".
It doesn't take itself seriously. It is more like, since you can play god, let's relax, have some comfort good, enjoy the harem, play hero every once in a while, and all troubles can be conveniently solved by maxing the appropriate skill any time you want. This may be somebody else's cup of tea, but certainly isn't mine.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F79299l_zpsuudfdcfu.jpg&hash=af319408ced8a26a54cbe924acdc43c3583a8723) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/79299l_zpsuudfdcfu.jpg.html)
Fate Extra Last Encore. The protagonist wakes up in a virtual world with little memory. All he knows is that he wants to engage in a battle royale for a Holy Grail that can grant any wish. With an enigmatic but friendly and powerful female side-kick, he proceeds to win the battles ahead of him and to find answers.
This is yet another spin-off of the popular Fate series. The main draw of the show is an alternative version of the ultra-popular heroine, Saber. The two Sabers share a very similar appearance, this time with a red and more revealing dress. Whereas the original Saber is reserved and takes her responsibilities seriously, this version is egotistic, with a "if I think I can do that, then I can" attitude.
That's it. Other than that, I can't think of much good about this show. This anime is based on a game, and seems to be aimed at audience who are familiar with the source material. I am not one of them, and I find this anime almost impossible to understand. The plot is fragmented and convoluted, the setting is surreal, the dialogue consists of far too much philosophical babbling and concepts that are poorly explained. When some of the secrets are revealed, my reaction can only be summed up as "huh?" Granted, that some of the concepts are hard to understand is part and parcel of Fate. But to burden me with all the crap without delivering on the interesting plot and battles front is a disappointment.
And yeah, this Saber is also based on a ridiculous historical figure. This time, I am no longer really shocked given what they did last time. It is still crazy.
RIP :(
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/04/06/national/oscar-nominated-japan-animation-giant-isao-takahata-dies-82-reports/#.WscIjYjwaUk
QuoteIsao Takahata, the Japanese animated film director who co-founded Studio Ghibli and is known for his award-winning "Grave of the Fireflies," died of lung cancer Thursday at a Tokyo hospital, Studio Ghibli announced Friday. He was 82.
The guy had standards. I can randomly pick an image from his movies and it will be poetic and beautiful.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F599_zpscujtoyar.jpg&hash=479f18d9e5692a37f2602fdd389e22e93ad477b4) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/599_zpscujtoyar.jpg.html)
I've been watching Aggretsuko.
Yes, its a sanyo marketing piece.
But it is actually quite funny.
So of course there's a comedy manga & anime about Jesus and Buddha being roomies in Tokyo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Young_Men
(https://hinodereviews.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/tumblr_nij7ktpcb01u2bcamo1_12801.png?w=820&h=312&crop=1)
(https://static.zerochan.net/Saint.Young.Men.full.384174.jpg)
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It's one of the more popular anime of recent years but don't let that put you off. Watch My Hero Academia. Seriously.
It's not just the Harry Potter rip off it appears on the surface. It is a very very good show.
Its pacing is just spot on; usually in shonen anime the main characters will be told a big event is coming in a few months so they have to train hard, you'll then have a series worth of not very interesting episodes where they're training before the main event starts.
Boku no Hero?
"There'll be a big thing in 4 months."
Black screen.
"4 months passed before we knew it and the day of the big thing arrived"
The animation quality is top drawer movie-level stuff throughout and the battles are simply beautiful.
The first episode's style didn't appeal to me at first so it took me a while to get into it, but a few episodes in and I was hooked. I'm fully up to date with it now. On oh so many levels...it rocks. Anyone remotely interested in superheroes should watch it. The original author was a big fan of western superhero comics and a lot of it leaks through.
(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/vsbattles/images/d/d6/MyHero.png/revision/latest?cb=20170820062018)
Oh. Also I discovered in most countries you can watch it for free, legally, on yahoo. Yeah. I had no idea that was a thing:
https://view.yahoo.com/show/my-hero-academia/episode/60709202/sub-izuku-midoriya-origin
(https://orig00.deviantart.net/ecff/f/2017/077/9/4/delaware_detroit_smash_by_nocturnbros-db2qx1m.jpg)
I am a huge fan of My Hero Academia as well. A worthy successor to Naruto.
Goblin Slayer!
https://youtu.be/DvPpeDiiGOE
The anime of this season that I will watch (July to October).
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F92110l_zps14oaaj60.jpg&hash=9bea9fc9d3a819c953be514aba5ad76b65117da0) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/92110l_zps14oaaj60.jpg.html)
Attack on Titan. Season 3 of the international blockbuster. The story is increasing going in the direction of an ancient conspiracy.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F91709l_zpsvimxamil.jpg&hash=48e93f35c525ecb03972663df110196fa0cf782a) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/91709l_zpsvimxamil.jpg.html)
Overlord. Also Season 3. Another stuck in a game world show, from an evil lord's perspective.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F91094l_zpsl02yaibf.jpg&hash=2a71f46cb70635e2a978cd07a39f2c04229a6af5) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/91094l_zpsl02yaibf.jpg.html)
Gintama. A sometimes goofy parody, sometimes serious samurai show. This is the continuation of the final story arc of the long-running show of over 300 episodes.
God damn it anime. They really hate suspense.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen episode titles clearly flashed across the start of shows that make very clear what is going to happen.
Stuff like "By surprise the underdog wins "... Well its not a surprise now you told me before I watch it!
Quote from: Tyr on July 22, 2018, 05:19:18 PM
God damn it anime. They really hate suspense.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen episode titles clearly flashed across the start of shows that make very clear what is going to happen.
Stuff like "By surprise the underdog wins "... Well its not a surprise now you told me before I watch it!
It isn't just the title. Sometimes the opening song sequence spoils things.
https://kotaku.com/the-next-evangelion-movie-will-be-out-2020-1827741974
The next (and final, at least that's what they say) Evangelion movie will be out in 2020.
https://kotaku.com/the-next-evangelion-movie-will-be-out-2020-1827741974
They have delayed this for like nine years, and during the delay the director was busying doing godzilla movies :mad:
(https://i.imgur.com/XrJSdsW.jpg)
:thumbsup: :lol:
So.
Attack on Titan series 3.
1: Worst opening song ever. So inappropriate.
2: No titans. Its...weird. Like a completely different anime.
I can imagine many people are screaming bloody murder about this. Like Haruhi Suzumiya series 2.
And yeah, I did love series 1. I'd love for more of the same.
But....it does make sense that the plot is going this way. That the events of S1 would massively shake the foundations of their society rather than everything just going on as normal but with a new super weapon. Its not often you see such realism.
Quote from: Tyr on August 22, 2018, 04:20:33 AM
So.
Attack on Titan series 3.
1: Worst opening song ever. So inappropriate.
2: No titans. Its...weird. Like a completely different anime.
I can imagine many people are screaming bloody murder about this. Like Haruhi Suzumiya series 2.
And yeah, I did love series 1. I'd love for more of the same.
But....it does make sense that the plot is going this way. That the events of S1 would massively shake the foundations of their society rather than everything just going on as normal but with a new super weapon. Its not often you see such realism.
The ending song is fantastic though. The group that did the opening song for the first two seasons did the ending song for season 3.
I am not worried about the lack of titans so far. It is part of the natural progression of the story.
What I am really worried about, is that the pace has picked up a lot. There is still a lot of source material left to be animated, but at this pace they'll catch up with the manga.
It is also odd to see the male protagonist barely doing anything for like 5 episodes now :lol:
Series 2's ending song was the best. I was surprised when I first heard it, its one of my favourite Japanese bands.
The first opening song of series 1 was absolutely awesome.
I have often been tempted to read the manga but resisted/ never found the time. From snippets i've seen though I get the impression we've some distance to go... Lets see.
Some numbers.
Attack on Titan has, so far, 106 manga chapters. Plus or minus a few depending on where you are.
The anime has 42 episodes in three seasons. The first two seasons, with 37 episodes, covered roughly 50 chapters of source material. So each episode covers about 1.35 chapters. The third season covered roughly 10 chapters in five episodes. That's two chapters per episode, a much faster pace. From what I have read, this was done at the request of the author because he had depression/writer's block or whatever when he drew that part of the manga. He considered the pace too slow.
So there are 46 chapters left. At the current pace, they'll catch up with the manga in 23 episodes, roughly two seasons. Keep in mind though, that Attack on Titan manga chapters are released on a monthly schedule, not weekly. If they burn through two manga chapters in a week, that means with every passing week, the anime is catching up two month's of manga time. That's super fast.
As a comparison, the One Piece anime uses up one manga chapter per episode. But One Piece manga is released on a weekly schedule. So the anime keeps a safe and constant distance with the manga.
Shows that I am going to watch from October to December 2018.
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Sword Art Online – Alicization. Sword Art Online is an international blockbuster about thousands of players trapped in an online game, where game death will result in death in real life. Alicization is the latest long arc in the series. The events seem to follow directly from the movie.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FFall%25202018%25202_zpsb1zh0an4.jpg&hash=69fa1f24196bdcebd82541f84d067cc85bda9f55) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Fall%202018%202_zpsb1zh0an4.jpg.html)
Fairy Tail 2018. Back in the 00s, the most popular shonen adventure/fight series in Japan were One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, in that order. Fairy Tail was the distant number four. All except One Piece have ended. This is likely the last anime adaptation of Fairy Tail that will finally put the series to end. The latest arcs aren't that good. But it isn't often that an anime has a proper ending, so I will follow it till the end.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FFall%25202018%25207_zpsovaz1njz.jpg&hash=6b01db64b24ca8b8d61afd19f1c0d7c13d71e485) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Fall%202018%207_zpsovaz1njz.jpg.html)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventures – Part 5 Golden Wind. JoJo is a long-running, multi-generational epic about the unending fights between the Joestar family and the supernatural. Each "Part" represents a different generation in the family and features a different cast and story. It is all about manly fights and flamboyance.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FFall%25202018%25205_zpsrrwb1c5q.jpg&hash=ee1172d21f75a33bd1026b146c7386f53ab24739) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Fall%202018%205_zpsrrwb1c5q.jpg.html)
A Certain Magical Index Season 3. Ladies and gentlemen, the fact that this adventure series gets a sequel is nothing short of miraculous. The "Index" series and the spin-offs is one of the most popular light novel series in Japan. The powers that be made four seasons (including the Railgun spin-off) out of this. Yet, the last time an anime adaption was made was five years ago. People think this series will follow the footsteps of others and will quietly fade into the abyss. Until now.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FFall%25202018%25206_zpsz2f3ltao.jpg&hash=e72fc7d7d53ac627cac852d111c887972a6c28fc) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Fall%202018%206_zpsz2f3ltao.jpg.html)
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. I am a sucker for "trapped in another world" anime, and I am interested in how a show can sustain itself with its protagonist being a slime. I reserve the right to give up on this if this sucks too much.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FFall%25202018%25204_zpshmhaynrq.jpg&hash=c06cf31bde11d06bd1ea3c8deb2aaef5cbb3d29d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Fall%202018%204_zpshmhaynrq.jpg.html)
Goblin Slayer. The only thing I know about this is, if Tim says it is good, then it must be good.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2Ffall%25202018%25203_zpsavxr1aa1.jpg&hash=1ee7b0323964de192699516815ca0cbe6b315c1d) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/fall%202018%203_zpsavxr1aa1.jpg.html)
Tokyo Ghoul Re: Season 2. Tokyo Ghoul is a popular story about a teenager who was turned into a ghoul. He was embroiled in a three-way struggle among the good ghouls, the bad ghouls, and the government. "Re:" is the sequel to the original story, and "season 2" is the second part of the sequel. To be honest, the quality of the show has declined somewhat. There are far too many characters and the plot progresses so quickly that I have lost track of what is going on and who is who. Still, I am going to try to follow this once more.
I recently watched a series called Wotaku ni koi ha muzukashi (love is hard for an otaku).
It was amusing.
And nicely represented geeks rather than just lazily showing those into anime and games as complete nerds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSVQtlQtxCs&feature=youtu.be&t=155
I saw the Netflix version of Aggretsuko about an anthropomorphic red panda accountant who hates her life and sings death metal karaoke. It was okay. I found that I had trouble identifying with the whole corporate culture aspect of the story; maybe it was too Japanese, or maybe I'm too old to care about office politics anymore. I did think it was clever that the corporate secretary was a secretarybird (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretarybird).
Does anyone what the term "Out of Pocket Prince" refers to? Is it a pun on something like "Out of pocket costs" that can't be translated? (He's called "Space Cadet" in the English dub.)
Quote from: Savonarola on October 26, 2018, 03:38:46 PM
Does anyone what the term "Out of Pocket Prince" refers to? Is it a pun on something like "Out of pocket costs" that can't be translated? (He's called "Space Cadet" in the English dub.)
I have never heard of that term elsewhere. Maybe it is specific to that show?
Quote from: Savonarola on October 26, 2018, 03:38:46 PM
I saw the Netflix version of Aggretsuko about an anthropomorphic red panda accountant who hates her life and sings death metal karaoke. It was okay. I found that I had trouble identifying with the whole corporate culture aspect of the story; maybe it was too Japanese, or maybe I'm too old to care about office politics anymore. I did think it was clever that the corporate secretary was a secretarybird (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretarybird).
Does anyone what the term "Out of Pocket Prince" refers to? Is it a pun on something like "Out of pocket costs" that can't be translated? (He's called "Space Cadet" in the English dub.)
Just checked the introduction scene, doesn't seem to be a pun. Snake lady says since he lost his receipts he'll have to pay out of pocket (jibara). Fenneko says he's the jibara oji (prince).
I guess it's just like where in English we'll say someone is the Oversleeping King or that sort of thing. Oji has a nicer ring to it than oh, I'm sure I've heard people using the word prince like this before. Also fits nicely into the whole Etsuko is looking for her prince thing.
Though google translate gives me prince prince for jibara oji, so many there's some meaning to jibara I don't know?
Quote from: Tyr on October 27, 2018, 04:53:49 AM
Quote from: Savonarola on October 26, 2018, 03:38:46 PM
I saw the Netflix version of Aggretsuko about an anthropomorphic red panda accountant who hates her life and sings death metal karaoke. It was okay. I found that I had trouble identifying with the whole corporate culture aspect of the story; maybe it was too Japanese, or maybe I'm too old to care about office politics anymore. I did think it was clever that the corporate secretary was a secretarybird (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretarybird).
Does anyone what the term "Out of Pocket Prince" refers to? Is it a pun on something like "Out of pocket costs" that can't be translated? (He's called "Space Cadet" in the English dub.)
Just checked the introduction scene, doesn't seem to be a pun. Snake lady says since he lost his receipts he'll have to pay out of pocket (jibara). Fenneko says he's the jibara oji (prince).
I guess it's just like where in English we'll say someone is the Oversleeping King or that sort of thing. Oji has a nicer ring to it than oh, I'm sure I've heard people using the word prince like this before. Also fits nicely into the whole Etsuko is looking for her prince thing.
Though google translate gives me prince prince for jibara oji, so many there's some meaning to jibara I don't know?
Yeah, the word prince is used like that a lot. Ever watched a high school drama, the boy that all the girl's drool over is always called the _____ Prince or the Prince of _______.
Quote from: Tyr on October 27, 2018, 04:53:49 AM
Just checked the introduction scene, doesn't seem to be a pun. Snake lady says since he lost his receipts he'll have to pay out of pocket (jibara). Fenneko says he's the jibara oji (prince).
I guess it's just like where in English we'll say someone is the Oversleeping King or that sort of thing. Oji has a nicer ring to it than oh, I'm sure I've heard people using the word prince like this before. Also fits nicely into the whole Etsuko is looking for her prince thing.
Though google translate gives me prince prince for jibara oji, so many there's some meaning to jibara I don't know?
Ah, okay, thanks; I had forgotten about the lost receipt scene (and didn't know the Japanese used "Prince" that way.)
I am watching Goblin Slayer, where goblins are depicted as evil, cruel and disgusting creatures. They raid peaceful villages, torture and gang rape victims, and kill adventurers in horrible fashion. They are cunning and strong, and can easily defeat well-balanced parties.
I am also watching That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. The goblins in this show are smiling, cute and peaceful villagers who make a living by collecting fruit. They valiantly defend themselves from aggressive dog raiders. They can't handle the dogs and lose 10 goblins for every successful dog kill.
I am not sure which side is fake news any more.
Knights of Sidonia.
A mix between Battlestar Galactica and tentacle porn.
It had great reviews, decided to give it a shot. It might be the first anime I see totally dedicated to an ADD generation. Every sequence is quickly shot, fights are over almost immediatly, action jumps from, well, "action", to some dialogue inside the ship with the same characters in the space of a few seconds. No explanation given, no conclusion to the plot lines.
Also, no conclusion on the saga. But maybe they were expecting a 3rd season and it got cancelled, because it seems really weird.
I do not recommend this. If you like mecha genre, stick with Gundams.
Netflix has a 2018 Korean live action version of Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.
Both Goblin Slayer and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime are good shows so far. The two differ in tone a great deal. Goblin Slayer can be very dark at times, with brutal rape and torture scenes, though the amount of gore actually shown on screen is very limited. Good reality touches. Showcases some of the problems in a typical fantasy setting, e.g. no adventurer is interested in taking up low-paying but essential jobs like getting rid of low-level goblins. Slime is very much on the light-hearted side, but I enjoy the way the protagonist works its way up the ladder and build up a nation from scratch.
Tokyo Ghoul is very disappointing. There are so many characters now, and the plot progresses so quickly that every time someone appears on screen my reaction is "who?" The majority of the times, I have no clue. It is fast approaching unwatchable territory. At least have some onscreen who's who for heaven's sake.
Good start to Sword Art Online: Alicization. The producers seem to take it slow. Nothing too major happens so far, but the plot is intriguing enough.
Nice to see Fairy Tail back. It met my low expectations, and didn't exceed them.
One Piece goes on in its snail pace. There are some pretty good moments. I am beginning to worry that some of the voice actors of major characters will die off after its 20 year run.
Boruto is as boring as ever. I only want to see what happens to the main characters of Naruto. Otherwise it is painful to watch.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind is as great as ever.
Oh my God! Live action adaption of Cowboy Bebop by Netflix!
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/cowboy-bebop-remake-netflix-live-action-anime-spike-spiegel-a8656351.html
Now, I'm having a case of déjà-vu... ;)
Quote from: jimmy olsen on November 29, 2018, 12:14:55 AM
Oh my God! Live action adaption of Cowboy Bebop by Netflix!
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/cowboy-bebop-remake-netflix-live-action-anime-spike-spiegel-a8656351.html
This combined with the Detective Pikachu film tells me the Millennials have arrived to dominate our culture. Well...have fun 30-something nerds. So now instead of my generation throwing 80s references everywhere the next one will be tossing 90s weeb references everywhere.
I've been watching Overlord for some reason.
I know it isn't very good and that it keeps doing the same thing of looking like it's leading somewhere and Mary Sue will have something interesting happen.... But no.
Quote from: Tyr on November 30, 2018, 01:13:22 AM
I've been watching Overlord for some reason.
I know it isn't very good and that it keeps doing the same thing of looking like it's leading somewhere and Mary Sue will have something interesting happen.... But no.
I like Overlord. The overall plot isn't that interesting and it suffers from the fact that the protagonists face almost no challenge at all. But I like it because -
1. It is a good attempt to see the "evil side" as the protagonists;
2. One of the highlights of the story is the internal struggle of the Overlord himself. Very often, he has no clue and he doesn't really know what his underlings are up to. But his underlings practically worship him, assume that he knows everything and has a grand plan for everything that happens in this world. They all assume that he wants to take over the world when he really only wants to reunite with his friends. The only people who can potentially hurt him are his underlings. His real challenge is to keep his underlings in line by faking to be the supreme being that they think he is when in fact he is not; and
3. Good world building. Lots of interesting characters, a few interesting nations with complex relationships, lots of things happen on the political side.
I give it an 8 out of 10.
Quote from: Valmy on November 30, 2018, 01:13:05 AM
This combined with the Detective Pikachu film tells me the Millennials have arrived to dominate our culture.
Resistance is not futile!
I want my GI Joe movie! I mean, the good one. :glare:
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Yuru Camp. Or Laid Back Camp. The latest addition to the endlessly sprawling slice of life animes about cute girls doing cute things. Only this time, it is about outdoor camping. That's it. There is no main plot, no antagonist, no romance, no fights, no magic. Just five mundane school girls going camping and having fun.
But it is a very good and solid show. The five main characters have good chemistry, and they are all likable characters. I knew absolutely nothing about outdoor camping prior to watching this show, and I feel that I have really learned a little bit about camping now. The show is peaceful, the jokes work. Nothing happens in the show, but the desire to watch the next episode is always strong. I just want to know if they reach their camping sites without incident, which of the girls will be going and staying next time, what equipment they'll use, what will they cook next time, etc. Everything is grounded in reality. There are discussions about the costs of the gear, the need to stay within budgets and the sacrifices the girls need to make to maintain their hobby, like the part time work they need to do.
The places they visit are real. In fact I am quite sure that the show got many commercial sponsors to showcase the various locations. That helps to make sure that the scenery is beautifully animated, meticulously detailed, and believable.
The show is so successful, that the powers that be already announced a sequel and a movie.
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Tatami Galaxy. The narrator is a university student. He is very unhappy with student life. One day he bumps into a self-proclaimed Japanese god who is about to decide if the girl of his dreams should love him, or Ozu, his rival/friend/partner in crime. The pair of them spent the last two years of university life goofing around and trying to ruin everybody else's romantic life.
In my opinion, Tatami Galaxy is one of the best anime shows that I have seen. But it is impossible for me to explain why you should watch it unless I dip a bit into spoiler territory. You have been warned.
Everything about this show is unique. The art style, the structure, and viewpoint. It is seen from a very personal viewpoint of the narrator, and everything is seen from his perspective, which is obviously not objective. Part of the fun is for the audience to figure out which part of the narrative is real and which part is heavily tainted. He is obviously very unhappy with student life, and he blames his choice of student hobby club at the beginning of university for his misery. So, at the end of each episode, he rewinds time, goes back to the first days of university, picks a different club, and hopes he gets a better shot this time. Some things change, but others remain constant. Another draw of the show is to watch out for these differences in different cycles, and these can be very subtle.
Yet another reason why is show is so good is because of the way it is structured. The first few episodes lay out what is on the surface. These are only slowly revealed and explained in subsequent cycles. Until the end when everything is explained, and I go back to the first episodes, rewatch them and go "ARRHHHHH, so that's why." It is beautifully done. I marathoned all 11 episodes and couldn't put this down, even after I have finished watching it.
This is 10/10 and a masterpiece.
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Tokyo Ghoul Re:. This is a very popular and long manga series about ghouls. Re: is the third season of the anime adaptation. I am a big fan of big productions and sequels, but I have to say this is one of the worst sequels and adaptations ever.
The first season started off great. Strong characters, great story, memorable scenes, good fights. By the time I reach the third season, it is almost unwatchable. The plot seems to move at light speed, with no time given for the audience to digest anything. The cast is vast, yet the show assumes that the audience is familiar with each and every one of them. When someone pops up, my usual reaction is "who is this now?" I think I know maybe 30-40% of the characters. The allegiances change and flip so rapidly that I just don't know which side half of the characters fight on any more. Yet another fundamental difficulty I have with this show is that, so ghouls cannot eat normal human food. They can only eat human flesh, and coffee. It is also made clear early in the show that they cannot survive indefinitely on coffee alone. Yes, some of the noble ghouls can survive on say human corpses and suicide victims etc without resorting to murder. But given all these constraints, I just see no way for humans and ghouls to co-exist, which the show make a huge point about. You can't make cats and fish co-exist.
By the time I reached the end, I began to admire the animators. Re: has 24 episodes. My estimate is that they need double that number to have a proper show. But given that they need to tell a story within 24 episodes, they probably did everything humanly possible to tell a story that has as much coherence as possible. Yet this means little for anime only watchers like me. The show is, sorry to say, crap. It doesn't have to be this way as there obviously is a rich story underneath all that. But even Lord of the Rings will look crazy if you limit total movie screen time to one hour and insist in keeping all the characters.
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Goblin Slayer. In this fantasy world, goblins are some of the most evil creatures around. All they do is raid settlements, kidnap women, rape and torture them so that they produce hordes of goblins to repeat the process endlessly. What is worse is that most people, including governments, think that goblins are lowly creatures that are only a nuisance. Low level adventurers tend to think goblins are easy prey, when in fact goblins are cunning and dangerous in groups. Most of the high level adventurers do not want to deal with the goblin threat, and the villages couldn't pay much as a reward to do so. Enter the Goblin Slayer, who is on a personal vendetta to kill every last goblin in the universe. He does nothing but kill goblins, he does it with or without help, and uses creative ways to exterminate the goblins.
This is likely one of the most controversial anime shows of 2018. Like some other anime, it is widely known for one episode for the shock factor, in this case the first. Goblins gang rape a newbie adventuring party that thinks it is an easy hunt. Goblin slayer confronts the question of what to do with goblin children in the most straightforward and pragmatic way possible. I think pragmatism is the biggest draw for this show. Not every show should be about killing the demon lord and saving the world. Somebody has to protect the villages while the heroes save the world. Goblin slayer kills goblins in pragmatic and efficient ways, like setting up a goblin cave on fire and casting a magic wall at the only entrance. It is most refreshing to see small scale, down to earth conflicts. I don't know about the manga, but as far as the anime goes, there is nothing graphically explicit. Everything is implied, and aside from the notorious first episode, there isn't too much in the rest of the series.
Having said that, the show does have issues. The first episode is outstanding; the rest a bit less so. The question is how to sustain the show with a narrow premise like a guy single-mindedly killing goblins. The answer is not easy even if there are increasingly creative ways to slaughter evil creatures. There is also the fundamental question of, if the goblins are really such a threat, it is difficult to believe that the Goblin slayer is for all purposes the only person who does anything about it.
My favourite anime of 2018 are -
1. Attack on Titan Season 3
2. My Hero Academia Season 3
3. Overlord Seasons 2 and 3
4. Steins Gate Zero
5. Yuru Camp
I didn't think goblin slayer was half as dark as is presented.
In this post game of thrones World... Meh.
It is good though.
I however question your assessment of the slayer wanting to kill all the gobbos in the universe. Were that true wouldn't he have kept the mirror to try something against the green moon?
I like that it's a side story to some big events unfolding elsewhere.
I'm also enjoying the reincarnated as a slime one quite randomly. A bit better done than overlord.
And yes. Tatami Galaxy is awesome. A long standing favourite of mine. I really should watch the sequel soon.
Quote from: Tyr on January 02, 2019, 07:41:32 PM
I didn't think goblin slayer was half as dark as is presented.
In this post game of thrones World... Meh.
It is good though.
I however question your assessment of the slayer wanting to kill all the gobbos in the universe. Were that true wouldn't he have kept the mirror to try something against the green moon?
I like that it's a side story to some big events unfolding elsewhere.
I'm also enjoying the reincarnated as a slime one quite randomly. A bit better done than overlord.
And yes. Tatami Galaxy is awesome. A long standing favourite of mine. I really should watch the sequel soon.
I think Goblin slayer is pragmatic. He wants to kill all the goblins in the world, but he also knows he has limits, as he largely operates by himself or in small groups. Given his limitations, he'll prioritise the protection of the people and areas he knows.
I also like the Reincarnated as Slime show, and Overlord. Both are great at world building. Slime is usually light-hearted, and I like the slow build up of alliances and capabilities. Both have protagonists that are overpowered. Perhaps more so in the case of Overlord. What I like about Overlord is the internal struggle of the protagonist - the need to maintain the overlord facade in front of his subordinates, who worship him but (wrongly) assume that he knows it all and has a master plan for world conquest.
I didn't know Tatami Galaxy has a sequel, as there is a proper ending. I looked it up and wiki says there is a spiritual sequel, with a different story told in the same style.
New shows that I intend to watch in the Winter 2019 (Jan - Apr) season. Not much new stuff, but there is already a large number of continuing shows that I am watching.
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The Promised Neverland. The protagonists are children living happily in an orphanage. The adults in charge take good care of them, and they are all adopted by the age of 12. One day however, they discover the horrible truth. The place is in reality a livestock farm, and they are being raised as food for a demon race. Thus begins their plan to escape.
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Rise of the Shield Hero. If you haven't figured out already, I am a sucker for trapped in a fantasy world shows. Apparently, four guys are summoned to another world, and each is given a legendary item. While the others are given powerful weapons, our protagonist is given the lowly shield. Despised, betrayed, and overlooked, the hero must rise up with his shield.
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Today's Menu of the Emiya Family. This is a spin-off based on Fate Stay Night, one of the most well-known anime about a magical battle royale among seven pairs of masters and servants.
And yes, this is a cooking show. Nothing less, nothing more. It is as crazy as it sounds. ufo table is one of the most famous anime studios specialising in flashy fights. Fate Stay Night is known for its violence and cruel treatment of its characters. In Today's Menu however, all are living peaceful lives. The detailed instructions on how to cook family-friendly and everyday Japanese food are animated in lavish detail.
This is the anime equivalent of a big budget Hollywood studio doing a cooking show out of the Game of Thrones world. All the Starks, Lannisters, Dragons and Wall characters etc return to life, are ultra friendly neighbours to each other, and in every episode, Jon Snow showcases his mad cooking skillz.
It is refreshing, interesting, heartwarming and visually satisfying. The cooking is treated extremely seriously. One can really learn a thing or two about cooking here.
Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans
The fights are good. There is some kind of overarching story hidden somewhere in that show. However, the episode's plot are all over the place and it's difficult to follow.
The fights are very well done. Unlike other series, you don't feel like all these machines&pilots are mince meat with the exception of a few models. Sure, it's Gundam. A few machines are over the top, but they can still be dropped down by overwhelming force.
I still prefer the other Gundam series I've seen.
I'm trying to watch Mob Psycho.
Interesting retro 90s styling.
But it just doesn't hit the One Punch Man high notes I was promised.
Both Mob Psycho and Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans are on my (long) plan to watch lists.
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That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, or Tensura for short. Satoru is a 37 year old Japanese salaryman who died a heroic death protecting his younger colleague from a random terrorist knife attack. Due to his status as a virgin and his various dying thoughts, he is reincarnated in an RPG fantasy world as a slime, but with a "predator skill" that allows him to absorb abilities of creatures that he devours, and a "game guide" of sorts that lives inside his head. He encounters an imprisoned dragon in a cave, and made a deal with him. The dragon gave him a name (in this world, being named increases a magic creature's power significantly), and the slime "devoured" the dragon, allowing it to leave the cave. The slime then attempted to have a second chance in life in this new world. In the process, he gradually built up his abilities, a multi-ethnic nation, and alliances with different races and countries.
It is a fun little adventure. I particularly like the nation-building aspects. While the protagonist is once again over-powered and is almost like a demi-god, he is actually more concerned with protecting his subjects, ensuring that his nation produces goods that could be traded with others, and building up diplomatic relationships with various factions. He fights where necessary and there are more than a few fights, but he isn't out to save the world, slay the devil lord and play hero. It is on the light-hearted side of the scale most of the time. A super-powered slime is a unique concept. The huge cast of supporting characters of many different races meaningfully contribute to the complex web of relationships. The production values are decent, and it can be quite funny.
It is also a bit too slow for my taste, and it isn't exactly the "show, don't tell" type of anime. A slime is supposed to be the weakest creature in typical RPGs, and it should have been fun to see how he copes in that state. Yet he is made way overpowered almost from day 1. So the slime aspect is only in terms of appearance. While the individual arcs are fun, there isn't an overall, compelling plot. The concept art can give the impression that the show is a fanservice harem. The slime's sexuality is a complicated issue. He definitely considers himself male, and he does gain a human body mid-show. Yet the human body is female, and he doesn't have reproductive organs as a slime...
Decent show that does what it sets out to achieve, but don't expect too much.
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The Promised Neverland. The protagonists are a group of children under 12 who all live in an orphanage, headed by an adult "mama". Mama takes good care of them. They are happy, well-fed, well-educated, and have plenty of opportunities to play. The only rules are they cannot leave the orphanage and cannot get close to the walls and gate. The children are sooner or later adopted, at which point they leave the place. Turns out, it is all a lie. The children are raised as "free range" livestock for the consumption of demons. They are killed and eaten when they are "adopted". The show chronicles the children's attempts to escape.
I predict this will be a strong contender for 2019 anime of the year. Trilling, excellent atmosphere, psychological games of cat and mouse between the children and the adults, good production values, emotional roller-coaster ride, unique premise. The children face many obstacles and moral choices: are the 11 year olds going to escape by themselves or take the younger ones with them? How are they going to deal with the beacons buried in their bodies? Is there a spy working for the adults among the children? How to get across the wall undetected? Should they tell the truth to other children? Who can they trust? What to do after escaping the orphanage? When to escape? The longer they wait, the more thorough the planning could be but the chance of children being "adopted" increases. Meanwhile, the adults aren't just sitting there doing nothing. They know their secret has leaked, but they also need to make sure the higher ups can enjoy their meal when they want it.
I like the fact that the children are normal. They don't have any superpowers, magic, or gundams. They can't just fight their way out, and there is no hope of rescue. They have no choice but to engage in a battle of wits, and they do make mistakes along the way. The anime avoids an over-reliance on backstories and flashbacks to move the plot along. These are normal children and this is the situation they find themselves in. What do they do?
This is easily the best show of the season.
These are the new anime that I intend to start watching in the Spring 2019 (April - June) season.
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Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2. Latest installment of the international blockbuster. I expect that they finally reveal the secrets behind the world setting.
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Isekai Quartet. Isekai means "alien world". This is one of the craziest anime premises I have ever seen. This is basically using the characters of four popular but unrelated Isekai anime shows, put them together, presumably in a school setting, and see what happens. The four anime shows are Overlord, Kono Subarashi Sekai ni Shukufuku wo, Re: Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu and Youjo Senki. I have watched the first three and like the characters, so I need to watch this. It is like putting characters from Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Star Wars in a classroom and see what happens. I expect this to be made in official fan fiction style.
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Strike Witches 501 Butai Hasshin Shimasu. Strike Witches is a long-running and controversial anime. Basically, in this world WWII never happened. Instead, forces from both the Axis and Allied sides fought together against invading aliens. While conventional militaries work against the aliens, the best way to deal with them are magical girls who are essentially anthropomorphisms of WWII fighters. And they don't wear pants or skirts (in-story explanation is that this allows them to launch without unnecessary delays). Anyway, the story of the 501 witches unit was more or less completed many years ago, and they moved on to tell the story of the 502 unit a few years ago. This show goes back to the popular 501 unit, and this time will focus on their everyday lives like cooking. Or Strike Witches, slice of life.
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One Punch Man Season 2. One Punch Man started as an attempt to make fun of anime, by giving story-breaking powers to the protagonist - he can defeat any enemy with a single punch. Somehow he remained a hero with bad publicity, as most people thought he was a cheater who tried to steal glory from the real heroes.
I'm excited for new One punch man and attack on titan.
I hear the production of OPM has been troubled however. Very low animation quality, poor production . Fingers crossed it isn't so.
Quote from: Tyr on April 01, 2019, 01:49:55 PM
I'm excited for new One punch man and attack on titan.
I hear the production of OPM has been troubled however. Very low animation quality, poor production . Fingers crossed it isn't so.
There is a change of studio from Madhouse to JC Staff. Madhouse has a strong reputation. JC Staff is a big studio, but the quality is less consistent than Madhouse. Doesn't mean they can't produce good work, it is just that they don't nail it every time. But given the status of One Punch Man as an international hit, I hope the powers that be will allocate an appropriate budget.
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Saga of Tanya the Evil. The protagonist was originally a ruthless 30-something Japanese salaryman. He was murdered by someone whom he fired. Just before his death, a "Being X" froze time and accused him of not being pious enough, and he stood defiant. Being X decided to punish him by reincarnating him into the body of Tanya, a little girl, set in an alternate history universe. Imagine WWI happened in the 20s, this time with the German Empire as the clear victim, being invaded from all sides. Magic exists, and all countries have formed sorcerer battalions, largely replacing fighters. Tanya is born with incredible magic potential, and she retains all memories in her previous life. Despite being an 11 year old girl, she has the mindset of a ruthless adult. She enlists in the Imperial German sorcerer force and uses her experience and ability to quickly rise through the ranks.
I know, I know. This premise is crazy even by anime standards. That's why I initially refused to watch this, but the good reviews convinced me otherwise. Having watched it now, I can say this is a very strong show. There is nothing...naughty about it. No bathing scenes, no swimsuits, no sex jokes, no romance, no harem, nothing. Tanya almost always appears in the uniform shown above. The focus from start to finish is on the military and alternative history aspects. The WWII German invasion of Oslo is re-fought, this time with sorcerer battalions as the advance guard. The trench warfare of the WWI western front is shown onscreen in glorious detail. V1 rockets are brought forward. One of the strongest aspects of the show is the visuals. Battle scenes are expensive, but this show does a superb job in animating the aerial battles, the military aspects and hardware.
The other thing that puts people off is the "evil" part. I think "ruthless" is a far more appropriate label. Tanya has no qualms about killing large numbers of enemies in the battlefield, or bombing armament production facilities. But she takes pains to follow the rules of war, and she takes reasonable care of her team. At least, the ones who obey and respect her :ph34r: There are no nazis or concentration camps in this show. Aside from her military career, Tanya's real concern is her ongoing but unseen battle with Being X. Tanya can't do anything about a supernatural, omnipresent being, but she can refuse to pay respects to him. While Being X makes numerous interventions to make life for Tanya (and Germany) difficult, he also grants Tanya powers if she submits and prays. So Tanya is torn between her atheist, defiant self who wants to reject all deities, and her desire for magical and military prowess.
This is a boon for people who are interested in alternate history, if you can get past the 11 year old little girl as protagonist premise, and the "evil" label.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2FFall%25202018%25205_zpsrrwb1c5q.jpg&hash=ee1172d21f75a33bd1026b146c7386f53ab24739) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/Fall%202018%205_zpsrrwb1c5q.jpg.html)
A Certain Magical Index Season 3. This is based on one of the most popular light novels in Japan. This is basically a fantasy world where all myths are true. There exists a "school city" where the bulk of the residents are espers and they believe their powers are based on science. On the other hand, Europe seems to be ruled by different religions who use different kinds of magic. The UK for example is ruled by Queen Elizabeth who can cut through the earth with a simple swing of her magical sword. The protagonist is a level 0 living in school city. The most powerful espers are ranked level 5. Level 0 means he has no apparent special power. Except his right hand is an "imagine breaker" who can negate any and all special power and magic.
We have waited like 10 years for Season 3, and to say that it is a disappointment is an understatement. The Index world is huge, with hundreds of named characters, innumerable on-going and unresolved plot threads, at least three major viewpoint protagonists, dozens of different factions and groups, and at least two spin-off shows in the real world. The obvious problem is they try to cram far too much material into 26 episodes. I think they need at least 12-13 additional episodes to explain just what is going on. As it is, the logic leaps are very liberal. While I know who the characters are (as opposed to Tokyo Ghoul where I have no idea), most of the time I have to admit I don't know what is happening. Rewatching doesn't help; studying previous seasons doesn't help. The problem is there is insufficient time to flesh out the story. It only works if I turn off my brain and stop worrying about why things happen. One character spent most of the season trying to find a cure for a little girl. After 20+ episodes, his internal monologue allowed him to figure out that he had always had the ability to cure her. By singing. Yeah, just like that. Even though the visuals are above average, the show is a pain to watch.
Quote from: Monoriu on April 07, 2019, 09:00:06 PM
Saga of Tanya the Evil. The protagonist was originally a ruthless 30-something Japanese salaryman. He was murdered by someone whom he fired. Just before his death, a "Being X" froze time and accused him of not being pious enough, and he stood defiant. Being X decided to punish him by reincarnating him into the body of Tanya, a little girl, set in an alternate history universe. Imagine WWI happened in the 20s, this time with the German Empire as the clear victim, being invaded from all sides. Magic exists, and all countries have formed sorcerer battalions, largely replacing fighters. Tanya is born with incredible magic potential, and she retains all memories in her previous life. Despite being an 11 year old girl, she has the mindset of a ruthless adult. She enlists in the Imperial German sorcerer force and uses her experience and ability to quickly rise through the ranks.
I know, I know. This premise is crazy even by anime standards. That's why I initially refused to watch this, but the good reviews convinced me otherwise. Having watched it now, I can say this is a very strong show. There is nothing...naughty about it. No bathing scenes, no swimsuits, no sex jokes, no romance, no harem, nothing. Tanya almost always appears in the uniform shown above. The focus from start to finish is on the military and alternative history aspects. The WWII German invasion of Oslo is re-fought, this time with sorcerer battalions as the advance guard. The trench warfare of the WWI western front is shown onscreen in glorious detail. V1 rockets are brought forward. One of the strongest aspects of the show is the visuals. Battle scenes are expensive, but this show does a superb job in animating the aerial battles, the military aspects and hardware.
The other thing that puts people off is the "evil" part. I think "ruthless" is a far more appropriate label. Tanya has no qualms about killing large numbers of enemies in the battlefield, or bombing armament production facilities. But she takes pains to follow the rules of war, and she takes reasonable care of her team. At least, the ones who obey and respect her :ph34r: There are no nazis or concentration camps in this show. Aside from her military career, Tanya's real concern is her ongoing but unseen battle with Being X. Tanya can't do anything about a supernatural, omnipresent being, but she can refuse to pay respects to him. While Being X makes numerous interventions to make life for Tanya (and Germany) difficult, he also grants Tanya powers if she submits and prays. So Tanya is torn between her atheist, defiant self who wants to reject all deities, and her desire for magical and military prowess.
This is a boon for people who are interested in alternate history, if you can get past the 11 year old little girl as protagonist premise, and the "evil" label.
(http://httpsurl)
It's like they're specifically targeting weebs.
I've started reading The Vinland Saga and watching the old Fist of the North Star series.
Heard about promised neverland elsewhere and decided to check it out.
It seems very good indeed. 'Just one more episode' stuff. Most welcome after my recent disastrous forays into anime
Quote from: Syt on April 08, 2019, 01:55:17 PM
I've started reading The Vinland Saga a
Wow...that sounds bizzare.
Quotend watching the old Fist of the North Star series.
I used to love that. The English version suddenly just stops right as its getting interesting :(
Quote from: Tyr on April 09, 2019, 12:34:01 PM
Wow...that sounds bizzare.
It's my violent/gory sword fighting fix what with Berserk being released at glacial pace.
Vinland saga is excellent
Quote from: Monoriu on April 01, 2019, 08:07:51 PM
Quote from: Tyr on April 01, 2019, 01:49:55 PM
I'm excited for new One punch man and attack on titan.
I hear the production of OPM has been troubled however. Very low animation quality, poor production . Fingers crossed it isn't so.
There is a change of studio from Madhouse to JC Staff. Madhouse has a strong reputation. JC Staff is a big studio, but the quality is less consistent than Madhouse. Doesn't mean they can't produce good work, it is just that they don't nail it every time. But given the status of One Punch Man as an international hit, I hope the powers that be will allocate an appropriate budget.
Watched two episodes. So far they are good. Animation quality is good, especially the first episode. Almost approached movie quality in some scenes. Second episode is less impressive but still good. It is customary to focus resources on the first episode to attract first time viewers.
New One Punch Man.
So....
It's not awful.
But.... It's not one punch man.
Feels like sloppy fan fiction. It's just missing its heart. It feels wrong. The way the plot is structured...
Gone are the ridiculous monsters of the week with eleborate back stories and swift defeats. Instead you've heroes outside of the ones we know going about doing their little things.
Animation quality is definitely low. Both in action and less actiony scenes. The lack of movement is stark. Even the bananas looked weird.
Monster of the week formula can only carry the show for a few episodes. I am glad the show introduced so many other heroes to enrich it. Disagree about animation quality. It is above average.
If you want animation quality, I suggest watching Kimetsu no Yaiba, made by ufotable, possibly one of the best TV animation studios now. Ghibli doesn't count; it is in a league of its own and is on a totally different planet. If you don't count Ghibli, the second best is either ufotable or Kyoto animation.
I've been watching Shield Hero.
Its surprisingly decent.
Though interestingly it seems to have a seriously toxic incel fandom on the western interwebs. I wonder if its the same in asia.
Quote from: Tyr on April 08, 2019, 01:42:46 PM
Quote from: Monoriu on April 07, 2019, 09:00:06 PM
Saga of Tanya the Evil.
(http://httpsurl)
It's like they're specifically targeting weebs.
Sounds more like they're targeting me.
I've also heard rave reviews, so it's going on the list of shows to watch.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi62.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh101%2FMonoriu%2F93564l_zpsyocauh3e.jpg&hash=b546bb200b60e512e7c86b9c8e1f2633c6b14ddd) (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Monoriu/media/93564l_zpsyocauh3e.jpg.html)
Rise of the Shield Hero. Yet another pulled to an alien fantasy world to play hero and save it show. Four heroes are summoned to save a world that is troubled by "waves", or periodic inter-dimensional monster invasions. Each of the four heroes is armed with a legendary weapon. Yet the protagonist is armed only with a shield, and he is literally unable to pick up any weapon. He can't get a worse start, as his shield is considered useless. Even worse, he is wrongfully framed for rape, and he only gets away because he is a hero. Widely despised and unable to go home, he has no choice but to figure out a way to defeat the waves with his shield.
I have mixed feelings about it. It is a bit addictive, and the setting is unique among the sea of "trapped in an alien world" animes. The overall plot is effective, because it is obvious that the hatred of the shield hero has very deep cultural roots. The protagonist not only has to deal with monsters and discrimination, but he also has to compete with the other three "normal" heroes who can wield weapons and enjoy state backing. The world building is good. The psychological aspect of being in a constant state of siege is explored. Some of the consequences of playing hero are discussed in the show, like killing a dragon but failing to take care of the corpse, leading to diseases. The protagonist, being unable to trust anyone anymore, ends up buying a slave girl to wield a sword for him. This is actually one of the most discussed aspects of the show. People looking for fanservice will be sorely disappointed. The slave/master relationship is in name only.
The show probably overdid the Shield Hero is the misunderstood good guy aspect. It is one thing to show how it feels to be wrongfully persecuted. It is another to say that he is the only sane and competent guy. They wasted the other three heroes by showing them to be utterly incompetent and morally corrupt. The show will be much more interesting if those other guys are more competent, giving the protagonist real competition for once. Most "alien world" shows are about a protagonist with demi-god like powers. This show attempts to break with the mold by initially showing genuine competition for the protagonist, only to end up nerfing the competition completely so that the protagonist is the only effective hero left.
I'm trying one of the latest Cyborg cop thing that is popular... what was that name again? Ah, the Scarlet Johansson movie. Anyway. I don't really like it so far, it seems like all episodes are stand alone. I'm at 4 or 5 of season 1.
Well. I'm out of anime. All the good series are over and I've caught up on Re: Zero.
I guess there's that Tatami Galaxy follow up movie still. Otherwise.... Time to detox
These are the anime that I am watching for this season (July - September).
(https://i.imgur.com/fFhAm1a.jpg)
Vinland Saga. This seems to be a historical show based on the Vikings and related tales. I am not familiar with Nordic myths but so far it is a visually appealing show that is largely grounded in reality and deadly serious. There is no magic, mechs or superpowers.
(https://i.imgur.com/8NMyHGW.jpg)
Dr Stone. The premise is very interesting. One day, all humans on Earth are petrified by a mysterious light. Some three thousand years later, two Japanese students finally wake up. They must rebuild human civilization from scratch using the power of science. The protagonist is a science freak and he starts by finding out ways to de-petrify others and figure out how to farm. There are many intriguing moral choices along the way. Who to save first? Do they save the bad guys?
(https://i.imgur.com/c55W9YW.jpg)
The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II. This is yet another spin-off of the super popular Fate series. For those familiar with the Fate universe, Lord El-Melloi II is none other than Waver Velvet, one of the seven masters of Fate/Zero. The story takes place 10 years after Fate/Zero but before Fate/Stay Night. So far this seems to be stand-alone episodes of Waver solving individual mysteries. It is very interesting to see what happens to him after Fate/Zero. The detective style stories are ok, but not as interesting as they can be primarily because the "how did they do it question" is almost always answered by "some kind of convoluted magic", making it difficult for the audience to participate.
(https://i.imgur.com/PSIiaQU.jpg)
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Part II. In this fantasy world, the greek gods decide that the mortal world is more fun. They limit their powers, come to the human realm, and form "familias" of human adventurers to explore dungeons and kill monsters. The story follows different familias and their interactions.
(https://i.imgur.com/GuJx2O9.jpg)
A Certain Scientific Accelerator. This is the second spin-off of the very popular "A Certain Magical Index" series. It follows the story of "Accelerator", originally one of the villain of the week of Index, but eventually became the second viewpoint character of the Index show. He finally gets his own show.
Vinland saga is great. Not about myths at all. It's about the invasion of England by the Norse.
Dr. Stone is also great.
Disclaimer, I have only read the manga of these two.
Kyoto Animation studio attacked, ten dead :(
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49027178
Quote from: Monoriu on July 18, 2019, 01:11:24 AM
Kyoto Animation studio attacked, ten dead :(
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49027178
At least 23 now. :(
33 Dead :cry:
Seems like it was over a copyright dispute or something
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 18, 2019, 06:29:45 PM
33 Dead :cry:
Seems like it was over a copyright dispute or something
What? Was this some kind of organized crime deal?
Quote from: Valmy on July 18, 2019, 11:48:50 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 18, 2019, 06:29:45 PM
33 Dead :cry:
Seems like it was over a copyright dispute or something
What? Was this some kind of organized crime deal?
Not sure but all evidence points to a lone lunatic.
This is a terrible loss of the anime industry. Kyoto Animation is not just any animation studio. It is one of the best. It seems the dead includes some of the top directors and animators in the studio.
Ghost in the Shell (1996)
Some of the animation is fantastic; especially the 3D CGI effects and the city-scapes. Other parts leave something to be desired; particularly dialogue scenes, in those one character will talk while the other will remain motionless as though they're part of the cell. (Part of this was a design decision; the cyborgs never blink in order to emphasize their roboticness; but even the fully human characters are like this too.)
The story has a lot of potential; but an international terrorist criminal/sinister government conspiracy theory/pulse pounding action thriller/poetic meditation on consciousness story all set in an visually stunning cyberpunk world which clocks in at just under one hour and twenty minutes is just going to be confusing. Stand Alone Complex had its problems (Tachikomas for one), but it did allow the writers to develop their ideas more.
These are the shows that I plan to watch in the coming season (Oct - Dec 2019). A pretty busy season, with lots of sequels of blockbusters.
(https://i.imgur.com/sSygPg9.jpg)
Sword Art Online Season 3 Part 2. Sword Art Online is one of the most popular "transported to a game world" animes. Season 3 is about a new game world that Kirito, the protagonist, explore. Basically, he met two new friends there. One of them broke one of the sacred rules of the land, with one foot stepping inside the forbidden dark territory. She was then taken away to the authorities as punishment. Part 1, completed half a year ago, was Kirito's quest to rescue her.
(https://i.imgur.com/tu5NP2u.jpg)
My Hero Academia Season 4. In a comic book world where 80% of the population have super powers of some kind, heroes battle villains. The story is about a group of school students who study to become professional heroes, their journey to adulthood, and their battles with villains. Arguably one of the best shonen fight adventure series in this decade. One of the best points of the show is that it avoids the "must air one episode per week" rule of past series like Naruto and Dragonball. Instead, it opts to air story arcs in seasons, making the show filler-free and reasonably-paced.
(https://i.imgur.com/gE5nVHl.jpg)
Psycho Pass Season 3. In a futuristic Japanese society, the Sibyl system scans everybody's emotional state and ensures a basically crime-free society. The exceptions are dealt with by the Public Security Bureau, who hunts down people who have a "psycho pass" reading that exceeds the permitted threshold. A rare show where most characters are adults. A police and crime story that constantly questions if the system is worth it.
(https://i.imgur.com/wd3uXu8.jpg)
Seven Deadly Sins Season 4. In this shonen adventure series, the seven deadly sins are seven absurdly strong knights who were framed for a crime. The story is about their journey toward redemption and their fights to maintain the peace against invaders of all sorts. It started off well but I think the plot has become too convoluted, and there are too many asspulls where dead become come back to life for no real reason other than plot necessity. It is still a decent show.
(https://i.imgur.com/DYQwKBo.jpg)
Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demon Battlefront: Babylonia. The Fate series is a gigantic and hugely popular show that centres on the idea of pairs of master/servants fighting each other. The servants can be historical or mythical characters like Alexander the Great coming back to life as a hulk of a man, etc. Grand Order is a new timeline, with new characters based on a mobile phone game. I am just determined to watch everything Fate related.
(https://i.imgur.com/yfkBOZN.jpg)
Grand Blue Fantasy Season 2. Again, this is an anime adaptation of a very popular mobile phone game in Japan. I think it works like a never ending online quest game of sorts. So this anime doesn't really have a plot. Just an adventure party going from place to place. It is like a really pretty and well made TV advertisement that sells the mobile game, so the visuals, art, music, voice acting, are all top-notch. There are tons and tons of well-drawn characters to make sure everybody is happy. But there is no real story. I am watching this only as a habit, and I really don't recommend anybody to watch this show, unless you are a fan of the game.
(https://i.imgur.com/VRV6Y4o.jpg)
The Hero is Overpowered but Overly-Cautious. Okay, there exists a group of goddesses whose job is to summon heroes to save the countless human populated worlds from demons. The heroine is given the task to save an "S" ranked world, meaning it is a difficult job. She picked a really powerful hero from Japan, but forgot that he is an overly cautious person. If he buys a suit of armour, he needs to have two spare suits in case he loses the first. A light-hearted and comedic take on the "summoned to another world" genre.
Quote from: Savonarola on August 13, 2019, 01:42:40 PM
Ghost in the Shell (1996)
Stand Alone Complex had its problems (Tachikomas for one), but it did allow the writers to develop their ideas more.
I tried, but I can't get into this one. 3 episode done, I'm not sure I'll keep going.
Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.
New Boku no hero = :)
Quote from: Tyr on October 05, 2019, 07:22:18 AM
Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.
New Boku no hero = :)
What's wrong with isekai :P
Quote from: Monoriu on October 05, 2019, 07:27:07 AM
Quote from: Tyr on October 05, 2019, 07:22:18 AM
Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.
New Boku no hero = :)
What's wrong with isekai :P
Nothing with the genre in itself.
But its always the exact same story being retold again and again.
Rather than a million different variations on the same few episodes of nerdy guy ends up in another world, gains powers, meets hot elves, etc... I'd prefer to see some of them get new series, or failing that ,totally new ideas.
There are some very good isekai like Re:Zero, then there's some absolute garbage which shouldn't have been made like that I love my mother and her double hit attacks thing.
Quote from: Tyr on October 05, 2019, 08:29:06 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on October 05, 2019, 07:27:07 AM
Quote from: Tyr on October 05, 2019, 07:22:18 AM
Yet more isekai?
Sigh.
They could just make further series of the good ones rather than constantly churning new ones out.
New Boku no hero = :)
What's wrong with isekai :P
Nothing with the genre in itself.
But its always the exact same story being retold again and again.
Rather than a million different variations on the same few episodes of nerdy guy ends up in another world, gains powers, meets hot elves, etc... I'd prefer to see some of them get new series, or failing that ,totally new ideas.
There are some very good isekai like Re:Zero, then there's some absolute garbage which shouldn't have been made like that I love my mother and her double hit attacks thing.
I actually gave the my mother and her double hits a go, but I gave up half way through the first episode. The first episode of "too cautious" is decent, though no where near great. Re: Zero is one of my favourites too.
Same. It sounded so bizzare I had to check it out. Maybe it was a humorous pastiche?
But... They weren't even trying. Even the setup left me cold.
My favourite anime shows in 2019.
1. Attack on Titan Season 3
2. Kimetsu no Yaiba
3. Vinland Saga
4. Promised Neverland
5. Sword Art Online Season 3
These are the shows that I want to watch in the Winter 2020 season.
(https://i.imgur.com/9DmWgvI.jpg)
Magia Record. I am so excited about this. Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a dark magical girl show, is my all time favourite anime show. Sadly the last content aired was like six years ago. So this is the latest release of the franchise. It is a spin-off, and will feature a new cast. I won't be surprised if some of the original cast make an appearance though.
(https://i.imgur.com/eMa8MCI.jpg)
A Certain Scientific Railgrun Season 3. This belongs to the huge Index world. It is a spin-off, and focuses on Misaka, a wildly popular girl of the week of the parent Index show. To be honest, I don't have much expectations. I just kinda feel I have to watch it because it is Index.
(https://i.imgur.com/0OGAoiZ.jpg)
Isekai Quartet Season 2. Ok this is "official fan fiction", and is a crossover of four very popular isekai shows from the same company: Overlord, Re: Zero, Youjo Senki (Saga of Tanya the Evil) and Konosuba (God's Blessing on this Wonderful World). One day, the main characters of these four shows are magically transported to a classroom. They interact and have fun. That's it. Season 1 was okish, not nothing great. Good to see my favourite characters back though.
(https://i.imgur.com/kQ6EhpV.jpg)
Heya Camp. This is some kind of spin-off of Yuru Camp, a slice-of-life show about five school girls going camping. The parent show is peaceful and there is good, peaceful fun. Now, "heya" means room. So going camping in a room kinda defeats the purpose. I think this likely contains short, 3-minute segments about the girls interacting and talking to each other, rather than a proper show about camping.
The following are maybes. If I have time.
(https://i.imgur.com/2JXzUzp.jpg)
I Hate Getting Hurt, So I Put All My Skill Points Into Defense. This is another transported to a game world show. The biggest selling point seems to be, the protagonist adopts a min-max strategy by dumping all her points into defence. I think it will be interesting to see how that plays out.
(https://i.imgur.com/FR2ChCS.jpg)
Infinite Dendrogram. The only thing I know is that this is yet another isekai, or transported to a fantasy world show. I am watching it anyway. At least, the first episode.
Quote from: Monoriu on December 30, 2019, 08:14:54 PM
My favourite anime shows in 2019.
1. Attack on Titan Season 3
2. Kimetsu no Yaiba
3. Vinland Saga
4. Promised Neverland
5. Sword Art Online Season 3
I can't get into Vinland Saga.
It's something I should like. Vikings. Woo.
But... I don't know. Maybe it's the disconnect between the setting and being an anime that just renders it bleh.
I've yet to see kimetsu no Yaiba though hear its good and SAO- :bleeding:
Agreed on the other two.
I guess I'd also place Dr Stone in there and with some checking of what actually came this year and not last year....
Mob Psycho 2 and Hero Academia 4.
Though sequels feel like cheating.
Shield Hero was also pretty good, despite the fandom misinterpreting it.
Netflix keeps shouting at me that there's a new series of Saiki K.
This series took some getting into. The character designs seemed awful and the whole thing rather bleh for a few episodes. But it really grew on me.
Kimetsu no Yaiba is excellent. If you like My Hero Academia, you should like KoY too. KoY is probably slightly more serious, and has a mostly male cast. The animation quality of KoY is one of its strongest points. ufotable produces magical stuff, as usual.
SAO, I like it. Though I know it is controversial.
Dr Stone would probably be my number 7. It is unique and is great fun. I have never seen anything like it. Though I am sure some of the science stuff is not plausible, I still like to see how the protagonists make a "mobile phone" in the stone age.
Don't have time for Mob Psycho.
I like My Hero Academia. Maybe my number 6.
Shield Hero...it is above average, though it has too many flaws for my taste. I somehow can't get into the "shield hero is the best, everybody else are idiots" thing.
Vinland Saga is absolutely fantastic. You are right, there is no reason why this show is an anime. The same script can easily be adapted as a live action show.
Dr Stone has heavy elements of Minecraft the anime.
It's silly of course. Even within the silly setup. But it's fun and I do like it's science is cool message.
Quote from: Tyr on December 31, 2019, 10:19:12 AM
Dr Stone has heavy elements of Minecraft the anime.
It's silly of course. Even within the silly setup. But it's fun and I do like it's science is cool message.
I don't know anything about Minecraft. I don't mind if they take liberties with science. Majority of anime shows rely on magic or superpowers anyway. Dr Stone is probably more grounded in reality than many shows, despite its crazy setting. It is good fun and that's all that matters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO5zuOc6_NY
I was shocked when I bumped into Senator Bernie Sander's name when I read anime news. These two worlds just don't connect. This is obviously fake, but it is nonetheless amusing. For those who don't know, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the best and most famous shows of the 90s. There are three versions of the same story out there. There is an ending for the first two versions, but both endings make very little, if any, sense.
I don't get it.
Incidentally it is bizzare how anime fandom seems to attract such a large number of fascists.
Quote from: Tyr on February 15, 2020, 05:12:26 PM
I don't get it.
Incidentally it is bizzare how anime fandom seems to attract such a large number of fascists.
That's not my impression. Anime in general stays away from politics. The most famous anime studio, Ghibli, promotes anti-war messages.
Which is why it's bizzare the fandom has such a hugeoony right contingent.
So, the Spring 2020 anime season (April - July 2020). This season is heavily impacted by the coronavirus, and lots of titles have been delayed, including several of the biggest productions. Some titles even announced the delay just a few days before they were supposed to be broadcast.
(https://i.imgur.com/Gn4apec.jpg)
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! This is yet another transported to a game world anime. The female protagonist wakes up in a game world that she is very familiar with. The game has several routes, and each route is about trying to romance a different guy while overcoming the schemes and opposition of a villainess. The twist is, she doesn't become the game protagonist. She wakes up as the villainess. If she does nothing, she is destined to be killed or exiled. Determined to change her fate, she sets out to do things differently.
(https://i.imgur.com/V2m0zem.jpg)
Mashin Hero Wataru: the Seven Spirits of Ryūjinmaru. This is 100% about nostalgia. This is probably the most famous children's mecha show, first produced in the 80s. The protagonist is a 9 year old child named Wataru summoned to a fantasy world to save it while piloting a mecha. Ryujinmaru is the title mecha. There are lots of RPg elements - he formed a party, solved puzzles, defeated enemies on a mountain that was divided into seven levels, utilised items and found treasures, etc. There is comedy, interesting character interactions, and mecha battles. That was quite novel in the 80s. Due to the show's popularity, a few sequels were produced in the 90s, but in my opinion they all sucked. It is therefore absolutely amazing that, after more than 20 years since the last sequel was produced, the powers that be decided to revive this long dead title. Even more amazing is that most of the voice actors will return. Wataru's seiyuu is in her mid 60s now. I can't imagine anybody who hasn't seen the original 80s show will be interested in this.
(https://i.imgur.com/Hxm0ZeD.jpg)
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2. Originally I wasn't interested in this, but because all my favourite shows have been delayed, I decided to marathon Season 1 to watch this. This is a romantic comedy. Kaguya is the insanely rich daughter of a Japanese mega-corporation, and she is studying in an aristocratic high school. She is good at everything, and is the deputy chairman of the student council. Her crush is the chairman of the student council, a commoner but also a genius. These two can't take their eyes off each other, but neither of them want to confess their love. Each of them set out to make the other confess first. I am in the middle of season 1 and this actually made me laugh out loud many times.
Not anime, but manga.
I recently read Mari no Naka/ Inside Mari.
It is very very very good. Totally recommend people give it a read.
On the surface its your standard Freaky Friday body swapper. But there's a lot more going on there. Don't spoil what it is. Just read it. Excellent genre subversion ala Madoka.
There's a live action drama apparently, but it doesn't complete the whole story so seems quite pointless.
Quote from: Monoriu on February 15, 2020, 05:35:57 PM
Quote from: Tyr on February 15, 2020, 05:12:26 PM
I don't get it.
Incidentally it is bizzare how anime fandom seems to attract such a large number of fascists.
That's not my impression. Anime in general stays away from politics. The most famous anime studio, Ghibli, promotes anti-war messages.
My little pony attracts a larga fascist crowd, apparently. And I'm serious.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/06/my-little-pony-nazi-4chan-black-lives-matter/613348/
I hope people would stop politicising anime.
Quote from: Monoriu on June 25, 2020, 10:15:39 PM
I hope people would stop politicising anime.
A lot of anime deals directly and explicitly with political themes however.
Anti-war messages for example and political by definition.
Last season was a disaster for anime due to the coronavirus. A whole bunch of shows were delayed. Even many of the shows that started broadcasting were suspended mid-season.
Let's hope for better luck in Summer 2020 (July to October).
(https://i.imgur.com/ZiWk0A1.jpg)
Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu Season 2 (Re: Starting Life in Another World from Zero). Or Re: Zero for short. Possibly the best "transported to another world" anime I have watched. Every time Subaru dies, he is brought back to a "save point" and repeats the same cycle until he solves whatever problem he faces. He can't tell anybody about it, or a devil-like being would lovingly massage his heart with a hand from another dimension.
(https://i.imgur.com/4CT9CkF.jpg)
Sword Art Online Season 3 Part 2. The show that popularised the "transported to another world genre", with a significant international following. Basically, the Japanese military is using a game world to train AI for warfare. When they encounter a problem, Kirito, the best gamer, is sent into the world to fix it. An even bigger problem emerges when an unknown organisation attacks the server room in the real world, and these guys log into the game with god accounts to harvest the AI.
(https://i.imgur.com/6lsyr3k.jpg)
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru Season 3 (My Teen Romantic Comedy is Wrong, as I Expected). This show takes place in an ordinary school setting. The selling point is the very detailed and realistic portrayals of the personal thoughts and feelings of the characters. Has elements of romance, comedy, and drama. As the show progresses, it gets more serious and the focus is increasingly on the protagonists themselves rather than the side characters they try to help.
(https://i.imgur.com/GDbu2JJ.jpg)
Deca Dence. This is anime original, rather than an adaptation of a manga, novel or game. Story takes place in a world where mysterious beast like monsters have taken over most of the world. The surviving humans live in a giant moving castle. They are divided into a warrior caste, and a supporting caste. The protagonist is a teenage supporter girl who dreams of becoming a warrior. Sound familiar? This sounds like a rip-off of popular, big budget zombie apocalypse shows like Attack on Titan and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. That's why I am watching this.
I am excited for re zero series 2. Trying to wait a few weeks to watch in case there's a particularly annoying cliff hanger.
The author of Berserk died on the 20th :cry:
(https://i.imgur.com/qEbIl4A.jpg)
I don't know if I mentioned it here but I really enjoyed Death Note. :sleep:
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 23, 2021, 03:25:40 AM
The author of Berserk died on the 20th :cry:
(https://i.imgur.com/qEbIl4A.jpg)
I hope he left notes on how to finish his story :ph34r:
Say a series like One Piece has been ongoing for more than 20 years. I think responsible editors and authors should make leaving notes behind a mandatory requirement. Manga authors have a troubling tendency to die early :glare:
A series like that, they're clearly making it up as they go...
Quote from: Eddie Teach on May 23, 2021, 09:34:01 PM
A series like that, they're clearly making it up as they go...
One reason for the huge popularity of One Piece is that the story is very well planned in advance. The amount of foreshadowing in that show is insane.
BTW, it is very likely that the ultimate Big Bad of the epic story is Edward Teach :ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on May 23, 2021, 08:39:16 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 23, 2021, 03:25:40 AM
The author of Berserk died on the 20th :cry:
(https://i.imgur.com/qEbIl4A.jpg)
I hope he left notes on how to finish his story :ph34r:
Say a series like One Piece has been ongoing for more than 20 years. I think responsible editors and authors should make leaving notes behind a mandatory requirement. Manga authors have a troubling tendency to die early :glare:
That's because they work insane 80 hour work weeks for 20-30 years without stopping. It's no wonder most die in their 50s. At least Kentaro Miura was doing real art.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/a0/d1/9da0d1a2c9506e9a5ecfb0b2d8dfc832.png)
I had no idea one piece was still going. Always shocked me how mega popular that is in Japan.
Been some good anime lately.
Re zero crawled up its arse and was a huge dissappointment.
Mushoku Tensei was unexpectedly brilliant despite being yet another isekai.
The spider isekai was also fun. Didn't expect to watch beyond a curiosity episode but I have been.
Slime series 2- not up to 1s standards but good. The spin off is unwatchable of course.
Jujutsu kaisen, unexpectedly is brilliant. Absolutely peak shonen. You get the impression it's master crafted via study of the genre and gets the right balance between comedy and seriousness. I like the after credits scenes a lot.
Boku no hero series 5 feels like it's treading water but it's fun anyway.
As covered elsewhere attack on titan continues to be excellent. Really big middle finger to the far right.
Plenty more good looking shows I've yet to watch too. I hear good things of Wonder Egg. And Odd Taxi.
Last season was crazy. So many sequels and big budget productions. I watched 20+ shows at the same time. Crazy. I enjoyed most of them, including Attack on Titan, Re Zero, Dr Stone, My Hero Academia, Slime 2, 5 toubun no Hanayome, Cells at Work, Yuru Camp, Log Horizon, Non Non Biyori 3, etc.
Re Zero is probably a bit too complicated and convoluted, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I particularly liked Emilia's backstory.
The really huge disappointment for me is The Promised Neverland 2. First season was a masterpiece. Second second is beyond rushed. It is as if they disregarded all storytelling rules, all good things in life just to finish everything in one season.
Jobless Reincarnation was excellent and clearly had the potential to be a masterpiece. It was considered one of the best isekai novels and standard setter. Most isekai stories nowadays could trace some of their origins and ideas to Jobless Reincarnation. It was unfortunate that it didn't get an anime until now, but the product is really well done. The production values are sky high. Most isekai stories barely mention the "growing up" part of the story but Jobless Reincarnation does a great job in showing us the goods. But the, hmm, nature of the protagonist may drive some people away.
So far I like Vivy fluorite eyes song. The story is penned by Re Zero's author. Wit Studio did the animation and the quality is superb.
I am also glad that Higurashi got a sequel and this time, it is a proper sequel with an interesting twist, instead of more OVAs with fanservice.
Kingdom 3 is as good as ever.
Ah yes, I forgot about Promised Neverland.
The fan rage for it has been amazing.
Really after the perfection of S1 then S2 couldn't not be a disappointment.
The very fact it turned into a fairly standard fantasy world adventure rather than the grim near future on our world piece it seemed to be was upsetting. But even if that had gone a different way even that would have been dissapointing. Mysteries suck when unveiled.
The way they did it though.... I thought i'd missed something.
And then there was the cancellation after an episode or two and the mad rush... this is what seems to upset people the most and to be honest I don't mind it so much. Yes, obviously a properly paced and coherent ending would be better. But at least it had an ending. So many series I've enjoyed just finished right as they were getting interesting as they weren't renewed.
Mushoku's protagonist- I dunno, I think they have the balance right. So often somebody is either a complete pervert or absolutely pure and chaste. Here they seem to have a good balance of him being a perv but nonetheless actually a decent guy who won't really act on his fantasies given the chance.
I forgot Dr Stone too. Again not as good as s1 but decent. Sad it was so short.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 24, 2021, 03:01:42 AM
That's because they work insane 80 hour work weeks for 20-30 years without stopping. It's no wonder most die in their 50s. At least Kentaro Miura was doing real art.
But why though? Why do they work those kinds of crazy hours?
Quote from: Valmy on May 24, 2021, 11:00:48 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 24, 2021, 03:01:42 AM
That's because they work insane 80 hour work weeks for 20-30 years without stopping. It's no wonder most die in their 50s. At least Kentaro Miura was doing real art.
But why though? Why do they work those kinds of crazy hours?
Its complicated.
I've read with animators in a way its like the games industry in that its seen as a dream job so people will put up with far inferior working conditions and pay to get into it.
But at the same time there's a shortage of people with the actual skills needed. And the general 30 year stagnation of Japanese wages means they don't notice they're hugely underpaid.
Probably doesn't help that they're usually of pretty shy and undemanding personality types.
With mangaka....take away the shortage of people with skills point. Loads of people want to make comics for a living. Few get the chance. And once you have your foot in the door you have to keep the public's attention span going, fight for top billing in the major weekly comics, tight deadlines, little ability to hand off series to other writers as with western comics, etc....
Quote from: Valmy on May 24, 2021, 11:00:48 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 24, 2021, 03:01:42 AM
That's because they work insane 80 hour work weeks for 20-30 years without stopping. It's no wonder most die in their 50s. At least Kentaro Miura was doing real art.
But why though? Why do they work those kinds of crazy hours?
First of all it is the format of the Japanese publishing industry. You have to publish one chapter per week. The cycles are that short.
Competition is very keen. There are lots of up and coming authors, and consumers have lots of stories to choose from. If you can't keep up or if your quality drops, your audience disappears.
Third is the peer pressure. Say you are a successful manga author like One Piece. Thousands of jobs will be at stake if you can't keep up. There is the publishing staff, the animators, the toy makers, retailers, the youtubers...there is an entire One Piece industry out there. Authors who cannot keep up are widely ridiculed and shamed, even if they are hugely successful. I mean if you were the One Piece author, you can probably get away with 40 chapters per year instead of 52, but that's still a lot of work. Especially during those 12 weeks of rest, a lot of time is spent writing stories on the movie side stories etc.
I had a hankering for weird, uncomplicated stories, something I could read before going to sleep and not hurt my brain too much. :P
So I had a look if there's any good digital manga subscriptions. There's of course tons of apps and sites where you can tap into vast libraries for free :pirate but I like being a good boy now :goodboy: and don't want to deal with having to figure out what to do if e.g. a collection is pulled from the net etc. (had that before for a while, and when you don't use it for a few months and want to download something new ... ugh).
So I looked at online options, and once again, Europe sucks a bit. The obvious first stop was Comixology. They have their Unlimited model where you subscribe and for a monthly fee get access to a large library ... oops, sorry, not available in EU. There's some stuff I get free because of Amazon Prime, and I bought some Star Wars comics for Kindle on Amazon (Dr Aphra, really need to get back int that series ...), which I now realize were Comixology purchases all along. Old man me is surprised. Anyways, they have a decent range of series, but you buy them by the book, or - if you're lucky - a bundle.
Beyond that there's not much. There's some lists online, but a bunch of them either don't offer subs anymore, or not in Europe. Some publishers sell some of their manga on their site, and link for others to the usual book retailers. It's all a bit of a mess. Crunchyroll has a manga section, but it's not as easily navigable (or big) as their anime section, and for some series they offer, say, the first 12 chapters, and then continue from chapter 65, with a big gap in the middle. Gee, thanks.
The only reasonable option I found was Mangamo. A very barebones app on Android that has a selection of series both current and classic. The price per month is around EUR 5 (tolerable). The selection is ... fine? I like that they have some classics like Crying Freeman, Lone Wolf and Cub, or Masamune Shirow's manga like Appleseed or Orion (which I used to own in print about a lifetime ago).
First series I started is an ongoing one "Deathdeus". It's set 100 after a zombie(?) apocalypse, though they call the undead "Reversers". Also, famous figures from history rise as powerful undead Grave Knights and Death Knights. The story starts in rural France where a village is attacked by zombies reversers led by undead Gilles de Rais and undead (and beheaded) Marie Antoinette. A boy survives the carnage but of course catches the attention of Gilles de Rais. :ph34r:
The boy is saved by the arrival of a Japanese high school girl who (as it is revealed in an early chapter) is the daughter of one of the scientists who caused the apocalypse and was put in stasis for 100 years. She's accompanied by Hanzo (presumably one of the Hattori Hanzos of yore), and Miyamoto Musashi. Together they bring the mini bosses Marie Antoinette and Gilles de Rais to the brink of defeat who then proceed to summon undead Louis XIV as the final boss of this encounter. All the bosses obviously have themed attacks etc. The Sun King uses his "I am the State" skill to use masses of reversers as limbs etc. Of course the heroes win, but only after the high school girl transformed into her fighting form, fan service included.
The group then try to get to Rome (for some reason) but are struggling to find a way, because miasmatic walls from the meteor impacts 100 years ago block the paths?
Meanwhile, in evil HQ "Ghoulzom" which seems to be in Stonehenge, the antagonists prepare a new attack and raise a new undead to fight the heroes: Isaac Newton and his power of Gravity!
... and that's where I stopped reading. :D
(https://img.mghubcdn.com/file/imghub/deathdeus-hero-of-the-dead/3/4.jpg)
I've since started Knights of Sidonia (not to be mistaken with the song by Muse). I know there's also an anime, but since the manga has actually concluded (and anime have a habit of only covering part of a manga's story) I started that one instead. It's set on a colony/generation(?) ship sent from a dying Earth. The survivors are beset by strange and bizarre alien entities that threaten to annihilate them. Deals with topics of genetic manipulation, cloning and more and is decidedly more mature. I like these kinds of sci-fi manga and anime. We don't get enough of those these days. :)
(https://www.cross-cult.de/assets/images/7/knights_of_sidonia_01_397-9580b7f7.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/fb/97/83fb97160dcb628fec532bf12e34f446.jpg)
(https://imageio.forbes.com/blogs-images/olliebarder/files/2015/08/knights_of_sidonia_manga.jpg)
I love the art, which is no surprise, because it's Tsutomu Nihei who also created the amazing Blame! and Biomega. :)
If you want to watch another anime with historical figures in an absolutely ridiculous situation in it, take a look at "Record of Ragnarok" (Sumatsu no Valkyrie in Japanese), in which the gods, in their once a millenium council, have decided that enough is enough and mankind should be eliminated, but after a plea from the valkyrie Brunhilde they organize a cosmic tournament between 13 human champions and 13 gods, to decide the fate of humanity.
This is an image of the 1st match:
(https://p5-tt.byteimg.com/origin/pgc-image/7f462456edf04a1188341155ed7ccaf0.jpg)
The one on the left is Thor, the one on the right is Lu Bu. :lol:
The human champions (half of them are Japanese and Chinese, of course) go from King Leonidas of Sparta to Simo Hayha. :lmfao:
I might watch that after catching up on that anime where a high school student travels back to the warring states period and all major characters of the time are now young females. Well, actually there's two shows like that, one with a female student going back and one with a male student going back. :P
I just saw that One Piece which has been running since 1999 stands at 1,004 episodes (of ca. 24 minutes) and is still running. WTF?
I can't get past chapter 1.
The art is off putting.
But ja. It's crazy popular.
Quote from: Syt on February 10, 2022, 02:38:23 PM
I just saw that One Piece which has been running since 1999 stands at 1,004 episodes (of ca. 24 minutes) and is still running. WTF?
And the manga in which it is based, which started in 1997, has more than 100 volumes published.
Apparently the creator has the whole thing planned out since the beginning and plans to finish around 2025.
Coming soon to Netflix, for our classicist friends here. :P
Thermae Romae Novae
QuoteThe story follows an ancient Roman architect named Lucius, who is having trouble coming up with ideas. One day, he discovers a hidden tunnel underneath a spa that leads him to a modern Japanese bath house. Inspired by the innovations found there, he creates his own spa, Roma Thermae, bringing in the modern ideas to his time.
Each subsequent chapter follows Lucius facing some sort of a problem, just to be swept to Japan once again. He visits modern bath houses, personal baths, waterparks, fertility festivals, and even zoos. There, he always happens to find the inspiration to solve the exact problem he has been tasked with.
(https://i0.wp.com/news.qoo-app.com/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/02/Thermae-Romae-Novae-Official-Trailer-Confirms-March-28-Debut-on-Netflix.jpg)
(https://otakukart.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Thermae-Romae-Novae-release-date-2.jpg)
I quite liked the movie version.
The original anime.... I don't remember too much. The 5 minute vignette format doesn't do it for me generally. Saiki K is the only one I like.
Quote from: Tyr on February 17, 2022, 12:47:25 PM
I quite liked the movie version.
The original anime.... I don't remember too much. The 5 minute vignette format doesn't do it for me generally. Saiki K is the only one I like.
Hetalia was also fun for a while.
Hetalia was forever ruined by moving to Japan and meeting fujiyoshi.
Quote from: Tyr on February 10, 2022, 05:34:50 PM
I can't get past chapter 1.
The art is off putting.
But ja. It's crazy popular.
Same thing for me.
The pick of this season gone - Ya Boy Kongming.
3 kingdoms general Kongming finds himself in modern Tokyo, where he meets a struggling musician and decides to become her tactician, applying romance of the 3 kingdoms strategms to the music scene.
It's fun.
And there aren't too many good music anime out there.
Worth a watch.
Also anyone else watched odd taxi? That was also fantastic.
This thread has dropped to oblivion without Mono.
Still.
The current anime you should watch- Oshi no Ko. Saying much about it will be a spoiler. And if you're remotely open to anime watch it without spoilers. But it is just fantastic all round. Kind of Perfect Blue vibes. Looks at various aspects of the Japanese entertainment industry from the POV of someone who isn't particularly interested in being part of it but reasons.
It took a lot of trustworthy sources saying it was worth watching to get me to give it a go as the blurb just didn't sound like my kind of thing. I don't like pop music and see idol culture as everything that is wrong with pop music. But the show agrees.
Quote from: Josquius on June 13, 2023, 10:23:29 AMThis thread has dropped to oblivion without Mono.
He left because we didn't support Xi Jinping, or he left because his public persona never really match his forum boasting and he disapeared never to be heard again?
Quote from: viper37 on June 13, 2023, 04:17:38 PMQuote from: Josquius on June 13, 2023, 10:23:29 AMThis thread has dropped to oblivion without Mono.
He left because we didn't support Xi Jinping, or he left because his public persona never really match his forum boasting and he disapeared never to be heard again?
Did he really do much boasting?
Iirc he went too over the line at one point cheering for protestors getting their heads smashed in and had a thread locked temporarily. Never banned.