[Kuroyume]

i just finished Shoujo Kakumei Utena...



**Semi-spoiler**

why can't the japanese ever just give you the happy ending?... after all that happens in the last 3 or 4 episodes all i wanted was a good old fashioned happy ending... but nooo... it couldn't happen...

i think the only japanese happy endings i have ever seen were Hana Yori Dango 2 and Densha Otoko, and both of those were dramas...

 

[Chrispy]

FMA. Yup.

 

[fuzzy fuzzbucket]

Burichi

 

[alevtin]

I am looking for anime more like:

Claymore
Deathnote
Kaze no stigma
Darker then Black

any suggestions?

 

[eyeresist]

No suggestions, sorry, but I thought I should post what I've seen lately.

I think I mentioned Planetes earlier in the thread. I was expecting something more like Yukikaze but it's still a very high quality anime. Very good story with interesting science stuff, good art and voice acting. Only downside is the characters are a bit stereotypical, and I didn't like the in-episode songs. But it's a classic.

Burst Angel - very disappointing. I first rented volumes 1 and 3, and liked it enough to buy the whole box, but I think those were the best volumes. BA had potential, but it was squandered by bad writing:
*The four girls don't really develop or even interact very much - after initial appeal they're just not very interesting;
*Kyohei, their wimpy cookery-school chef, basically disappears from the show after a few episodes;
*The plots seem really arbitrary, like "let's go undercover at a girls school" or "let's get caught in a time rift and help a samurai defeat a metal monster", and you never really feel for any of the characters in these situations, because it feels so contrived, and because the dialogue is so dull;
*There is a kind-of overall plot, but it seems arbitrary - suddenly Jo has a "mysterious past" and has to fight a battle clone for no real reason - big deal;
*The "Are they dead?" ending - after all this time, do we care? Nup.
The best thing about the box-set is the radio shows (subtitled) on each disc. I'm still amazed at how these Japanese showbiz types can just churn out the patter and make it funny. Must be practice... 2/5

Figure 17 - I was really surprised by this one. I think it slipped under the radar because it was shown in hour-long episodes once a month, and never really built up fan momentum. But it's really well done - art and acting (particularly Akiko Yajima as Tsubasa) are very high quality. The story is interesting, developing parallel stories about the shy little girl trying to deal with school and people she meets, and at the same time helping to fight insidious plant-like monsters from space. (One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is the way there is a sort of "arms race" between the monsters and the people fighting them, as the monsters evolve and the people have to improve their weapons and tactics.)

The story does often move fairly slowly and there are a couple of episodes in the first half that definitely feel padded. But it's a very recommendable show if the dual elements appeal to you, and has a bit of a Miyazaki feel (Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away). 4/5


Also-rans:

I've seen bit of Otogi Zoshi, which is a show in two halves, the first half, with period setting, was okay, not brilliant but interesting art style. The second half - well, I watched one-and-a-half episodes and couldn't stand it anymore. Cliched ghost-hunting script, uninteresting characters, slow pace, bland art - blah. First half: 2.5/5, Second half: 0/5

I saw the first episode of Elemental Gelade and disliked it until I realised it was really more of a kids' show (at least, I hope that was the reason for the silliness and cliches!). Requiem from the Darkness, a period piece about ghost stories, had an unusual art style, but quickly became formulaic. The characters were flat, and I find Japanese ghost stories unbearably cheesy.

I also watched a bit of Soul Taker, because apparently it precedes Nurse Witch Komugi, which I liked. Soul Taker is a bit like Autumn Leaves, with its "experimental" art style and over-the-top action, but is even less interesting as a drama. The visual style was just annoying, the action was spectacular but boring (if you know what I mean), and the story was stupid.

 

[DSlayerZX]

hey just want to guys to know, the new anime,

Garden of Sinners preview already came out, you can find it in its official web-site.

 

[eyeresist]

OFF TOPIC:

Has anyone seen the Gunparade March manga? I ask because I found the anime disappointing but think the setting has potential. I could only find one online review of the manga (at animeondvd), which was pretty negative, so more input would be welcome.

 

[DSlayerZX]

I read it a while ago, but already forgot most of the storyline...
in that case... no.. i don't think the comic is good since it did not impress me

on the other hand, the comic version of Rahxephone is better than the anime in my opinion

 

[Zorander]

Just completed Code Geass. That was sensational! The most exciting animation from CLAMP and probably the first one I really enjoyed from start to end. Now onto the excruciating wait for the second season.

Planning to start on Lucky Star soon. I've seen some screen caps and the opening sequences and I'm in love with the animation. Just way tooo cute!

 

[PiccoloNamek]

CG is from Sunrise, not CLAMP.

 

[Zorander]

That's right. I only noticed the character designs were from CLAMP (unnaturally long limbs with impossibly slim bodies, but with the familiar sharp facial features). I guess that explains why the show on the whole is very different on excitement level. Thanks for clarifying that.

 

[MikoLayer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif It reminds me quite a bit of Stratos4 (the original series, not the numerous OVAs) in it's cruisy atmosphere. I like the show, nice look, nice feel, nice characters. It's not especially nutricious, but for 25 minutes a week that's not so bad. If I'm after high drama there's always School Days. What's with the OP, though? I love Mell's music, but that's got to be the worst song shes ever done.

I loved stratos4. That plus what marvin said earlier, I think I will give it a shot with a less critical attitude to negate some of that prejudice. I just havnt been able to download anything in the past week since my POS HP laptop broke again. Need. to. get. my. lucky star fix.

Now that you mentioned it, school days is really becoming brutal with the plot like it is in the game... lets get it oooon

Higurashi is an emotional rollercoster it had been in the prequel.

 

[esuko]

Prince of tennis now. Got to love those special shots that would had made the dinosaur to extinct

 

[enjoiflobees]

Gurren Lagann is the best anime of all time so far. I've seen alot of shows. but gurren lagann takes the cake. well nodame cantabile isnt that far behind. it's very very close.
"who the ****ing do you think I am."

 

[eyeresist]

I recently got a cover-disc with some sample episodes from shows I haven't seen before. Unfortunately they were dub only (grrr):

Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - After all the hype I've finally seen it. I wasn't overwhelmed by it, but then, it does have one of the most mediocre dubs I've heard in a while (admittedly I haven't heard any dubs in a while, as I avoid them like the plague). And if they're going to the trouble of translating it, why keep the Japanese word "moe" when, in this context, "sexy" would be a good-enough translation? I'll have to wait till I get access to a sub version to assess this show.

Mushi-shi - Haven't heard of this one before. A real nice surprise - slow, gentle, atmospheric, well-crafted. About a "mushi master" who wanders old Japan dealing with hauntings by "mushi", strange shapeshifting ghost-like lifeforms. Maybe a sort-of supernatural Kino's Journey? I'll definitely be looking for more of this.

School rumble - I felt pretty dubious at the start, but I must admit I have a soft spot for dumb school comedies, and I quickly started enjoying it. This is pretty dumb. Certainly all the characters are. Dumb tough guy loves dumb klutz, who in turn loves a complete pin-head. Disaster ensues. May be worth it if you're into this kind of thing. (No fan service to speak of.)



Boogiepop update:
I liked the anime, so I got the movie, and now I've read the book (ordered the sequel) and started watching the anime again.

The book is a fast read, and pretty good, although the translation felt crude, and some of the dialogue in the final battle was cheesy. Interesting how the book doesn't tell you what happened to Naoko - the film adaptation showed her death, though being an adaptation I'm not sure how accurate it was.

Rewatching the anime, I have to say that I think it's better than the book. Obviously the sound and visuals are very atmospheric, whereas the book is not very descriptive. The sound and vision "fill out" the scenes and make them more involving and believable, IMO. The anime has also done well replicating the book's multiple limited viewpoints, and has added more cross-referenced detail to the individuals stories.

Now I've read the book I understand what's happening in the anime better, but in a way I miss the confusion I felt when I was ignorant of the back story!

But if you liked the anime, you should get the book, and vice versa.