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I like Anime. Got hooked on it 15 years ago in college, when my friend Tadashi kept giving us tapes of My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service... a bunch of 'em, anyway. In Japanese.
But I didn't care, because it was so good. He knew I was something of an artist (at the time) and was pleased at how much I seemed to appreciate them. He also made some great compilation music tapes as gifts, but that's beside the point.
Anyway, in the age of Netflix and DVDs, there's a lot out there. Hard to keep up with, even.
My kids still enjoy the Pokemon stuff, and (say what you will) it's still beats the heck out of Barney or Caillou.
Stuff I can reccommend:
Princess Mononoke (bit gory for the kiddies) Castle in the Sky Spirited Away My Neighbor Totoro Kiki's Delivery Service Gundam Wing (haven't gotten my hands on the last half of the series, yet, but I loved the first half)
There are lots of others, too.
Now, I'm catching up on Yu Yu Hakusho through Netflix. We all watch it together. I'd give it a PG rating for violence and the occasional mild curse, Like Gundam Wing. Can't reccommend it enough. The characters are cool and the tone is mostly light.
Was recently thoroughly obsessed with Night Walker, Midnight Detective, but not many of them were made. Netflix has it. It's great, but a bit bloody for the kiddies. More than a bit, really. It's about a Vampire, so what do you expect? Similar in some ways to Vampire Hunter D, butthe setting is essentially modern, not post-apocalyptic.
Now on to another subset of Anime... Fansubs. This is where people who like a given TV Anime take the time to translate, subtitle and share, usually with the understanding that if it is ever licensed, they remove their work from public consumption. So far, I think most of them have been careful to do this because they want to keep the demand for new anime in translation high.
I have been sucked in by an Anime that is now playing on TV in Japan: Gankutsuou. Basically, the story is The Count of Monte Cristo, erm, in space. Part of the intro is done in French, even. The animating style is very different, but I like it, and I have always loved the story. Love, bitterness, revenge... with just a smidge of hope and the poissibility of redemption. *sigh*
Anybody else seen, heard of this? Any Anime you'd like to reccommend?
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I enjoyed Cowboy Bebop. I saw Escaflowne the movie and didn't care for it so much. A lot of anime are set in high school or with high school aged characters, which is cool. I just hate the really static female characters. Make me nuts.
Haven't seen Inuyasha yet, but that's next, I think.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Yu Yu Hakusho cracks me up. For sheer hilarity, I recommend Angel Sanctuary.
I have to say, I prefer movies, just for script clarity and animation. Millenium Actress is one I saw recently and liked, and Blood remains a favorite. I really like Vampire Hunter D, and the sequel Bloodlust.
Posts: 516 | Registered: Aug 2004
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no no no no no The series of Escaflowne is MUCH BETTER than the movie... The movie was a good excuse for extra YK music and worth it for that sweet song they played through it, but other than that, meh. It's all about the series which is 90 times better. The series has EVERYTHING in it... well, just about... Check out the SERIES!!!!!!!!
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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The greatest anime of all time is "Neon Genesis Evangelion". The. Best. EVER.
Another great classic is "AKIRA". And even older, "Robotech". A great one that's been on Adult Swim but I just got around to watching it is "Wolf's Rain". VERY good.
A personal favorite is "Big O", also on Adult Swim. Kind of a watered down version of "Evangelion".
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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I also loved Gravitation (which I think is too yaoi/shounen-ai to ever be shown on TV , even Adult Swim). Liked the fansub of Yami no Matsuei much better than the dubbed US release, called Descendants of Darkness-- and you can't even get the last story arc on Netfllix (it was the best one).
We started watching NGE, but didn't really get into it, for some reason.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Cowboy Bebop is indeed a classic. My other two favorite anime are Video Girl Ai and Gundam SEED (which now has a sequel series in progress, called SEED Destiny). That's my Holy Trinity of anime.
Other anime I've seen (all or part of):
- Kare Kano (A very cute, funny romantic comedy.) - Serial Experiments Lain (Trippy. That's all I have to say.) - Maria-sama Ga Miteru (Very cute series - I've only seen some of it, but I liked it.) - FLCL (It will start you off saying "What the...?" - and you'll never stop saying it. The series has its funny moments, but some of the humor is a bit too crude for my taste.) - Spirited Away (Miyazaki is cool - what else can I say? ) - Gundam Wing (Not one of my favorites. I mostly watch it for Duo, who is awesome. ) - Voices of a Distant Star (A very short, poignant movie about separation. It has amazing visuals, too.) - Excel Saga (Also not one of my favorites. It's very random and confusing, and the protagonist screeches constantly, which gets a bit irritating. But it has an, er, amusing ending song. ) - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (I only saw part of this, but I liked what I saw and want to finish it at some point.)
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I've been watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Fullmetal Alchemist on [adult swim], and they're both excellent series. Unfortunately, only the first volume of FmA is out, so if you want that one, you'll have to wait or go with fansubs.
I also recommend Last Exile, although I only have the first volume. And I've heard only good things about Texhnolyze, but I haven't seen any of it yet.
Posts: 1357 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I recommend "Fullmetal Alchemist". At first it seems like a typical adventure series, but as it progresses the story gets really good. It deals with some deep philosophical and emotional stuff, there are some major surprises, funny moments, sad moments, and lots of action, and great characters. I haven't seen the english dub that Cartoon Network airs, so I don't know if it does the original Japanese version justice.
I also recommend "Gundam Seed" and its currently airing in Japan sequel, "Gundam Seed: Destiny" If you're not familiar with Gundam, it's sci-fi/mecha stuff. A good recently ended series is "Soukyuu no Fafner". It's a lot like "Evangelion"
Other good currently airing shows are "Naruto", and "Bleach". "Trigun" is also a classic.
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Yes, every time I think Fullmetal Alchemist is getting too cheesy or sappy, it turns around and springs another surprise. That's what has kept me hooked.
Posts: 1357 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Neon Genesis Evangelion? Personally, I find it waaay too obtuse, and Shinji way too whiny.
Now, if you want a GOOD giant-robot-with-high-school-boy-pilot anime...watch RahXephon. It's like Eva, but...coherent, has a lead character that you can stand, AND the ending actually makes sense. And is happy.
Oh, by the way, I second Last Exile. Good story and really fricking beautiful animation.
Posts: 3658 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Human, if you like giant-robot-with-high-school-boy-pilot anime find fansubs of "Soukyuu no Fafner" aka "Fafner in the Azure".
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
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I love Voices of a Distant Star! We watched it in my 2-D animation class and the story about broke my heart and the visuals were breathtaking.
So, literally, that would mean it took my heart and my air, and I guess now I'm dead.
Anyway, the music is also beautiful. I just had to buy the soundtrack. Yes, a soundtrack to a 30-minute movie. I think the soundtrack is about 26 minutes.
Posts: 486 | Registered: Feb 2005
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Everyone seems to hate Shinji. I never understand why.I sort of like him. He's rather realistic as a boy who wants his father's approval and love. Plus, the woman who did the voice for Haruka in Sailor moon did his voice.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Everyone hates Shinji 'cause he's not a hero, not really. He's just a kid who got thrust into a really bad situation, and hates it, and complains 24/7 about it. While that may be realistic, in my opinion, it's not a good lead character for an action series.
Posts: 3658 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Lots and lots of anime goes through this apartment between my room mate and me and my husband.
I love Princess Mononoke, I had a scene from the movie set as the background on my computer for awhile-it was of the little forest spririt with his head cocked to the side. Spirited Away was also really good.
I am also a recent fan of Full Metal Alchemist and GitS:Stand Alone Complex. I can't wait to see the next episodes of those series...and I'll even have to admit that I have an Inuyasha fetish. I get upset when I realize it's not on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.
Yeah-Cartoon Network is generally on in every room of the house.
Evangelion was cool, although I had to watch it twice to completely catch everything (as I was knitting while watching it). I'm still not certain I understand what happened in the last episode of it. I also kinda thought that Shinji was a wuss.
Rick and I bought Millenium Actress at Wal-Mart. I remember thinking that was a sad movie for some reason, but I think I keep mixing up the plot of Millenium Actress and a book I read awhile back called Memoirs of a Geisha. I'll have to go watch it again to remember why I thought it was sad.
Edit to Add: Recently a manga/anime that I've gotten hooked on is Rurouni Kenshin. Any thoughts on it?
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GITS is good. A bit slow, but good. My friend loves Kenshin I think. I also like the angsty yaoi Bronze/Zetsuai. Good music. It inspired one of my stories.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:We started watching NGE, but didn't really get into it, for some reason.
You STARTED?? OH my dear! My beloved! You need to finish it!!
Evangelion starts out like a throwback to Gungam, but slowly episode by episode breaks down into the most powerful, psychologica, painful, beautiful, and religious story!
I might start off slow or not to your taste... that is only to distract you from the really horror that lurks down down in Terminal Dogma.
And as for 999, that blonde girl has been used many times in other anime...Angel from Big O, Spike's love from Cowbow Beebop, that gal from Lupin the Third...
[ March 08, 2005, 11:46 PM: Message edited by: Telperion the Silver ]
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Blue Sub Six is another interesting one. It was one of the first to try and use CGI with animation... doesn't look nearly as good as some of the later attempts but the hand drawn animation is really good. As is the plot.
It's only a 4 episode mini, but the last couple episodes really rock!
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Telp, the character design for each of those characters is similar, but Leiji Matsumoto actually uses that same character in a few more of his stories. I know that in his other series which is right now escaping my mind (edit: Queen Emeraldis) features the SISTER of that character and refers back to her. I really respect his style and whatnot.
As someone who is tentatively planning on writing an extensive academic essay on manga, I have to recommend that if you like anime and are even marginally interested in comics, you should take a look at the manga based on the animes you like. Often they're a lot more sensical (it's a word) and much more beautiful.
As for the anime I'm freaking out about right now, it's been for a while Escaflowne, Shaman King, and Fruits Basket, which I recently saw and absolutely loved. As far as I've seen so far, the manga is much better than the anime.
I love Utena as well, despite the freakyness. It happens to be the first series I ever watched, which is possibly part of the reason I love it so much.
Haibane Renmei is totally beautiful, and it's a breakthrough in an interesting way, since it was a series made from a manga that wasn't actually published through conventional means, it was published through a small press in small quantities.
Another series for which the manga is much better than the anime is Please Save My Earth. The first few times through, the OAV makes not terribly much sense. But the manga makes it all a lot more clear.
Olivetta, I just bought Nightwalker! I hadn't seen it in the longest time... I haven't had a chance to watch the second DVD. I wrote a fanfiction for it, wayyyyy back when. Ha ha.
Yet again, seeing all of the people who are fans of anime, I recommend we get together a Hatrack anime con. It would rock.
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Just when I was going to post an anime appreciation thread someone beat me to it
Recommendations:
I can recommend watching Trigun in japanese. This show is absolutely awesome! Especially the second part of the show. From episode 10 onwards.
I recently downloaded Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. I watched about half of it, and I'll probably finish it today. Beautiful animation, but a bit slow.
I'd like to add my voice to the "NGE is awesome" team. This is the show that got me into anime in the first place.
Anything and everything Miyazaki.
Akira.
Cowboy Bebop. Fun, exciting, everything a show needs. Beautiful music.
Naruto! This is the most fun show ever. Especially the first 50 episodes or so are great, but after that I noticed a drop in animation quality and everything so I stopped watching. That was around episode 80-90, but I started reading the manga instead.
Posts: 739 | Registered: Dec 2003
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I like Cowboy Bebop, some of the gundum series, ghost in the shell, full metal alchemist, detective conan (can't think of the american name) is ok, inyasa, wolf's rain, blue gender, magical shopping arcade abenaboshi was pretty funny, and some others I can't think of right now.
Posts: 2489 | Registered: Jan 2002
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A Hatrack Anime con? Would definitely rock.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who fangirled Night Walker. Shido was just... guh.
Syn... Shinigami *sigh* I hated that they translated it as "Angels of Death" when they dubbed Yami no Matsuei. I mean, culturally it just isn't the same.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Another one I'd like to recommend (I see lots of my favorites in here already) is Azumanga Diaoh. It's about a group of girls going through high school. It's very fun and light - not my usual anime style, but I really fell in love with it.
Posts: 3214 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I've never seen the anime version of Azumanga Daioh, but I've read the manga and thought it was hilarious. I love Osaka. Especially her obsession with Yumi-chan's pigtails.
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I was really interested in this topic until I relized it said "BiWeekly Anime thread" and not "Bi Anime thread". Now I find that it holds no interest for me.
Posts: 1480 | Registered: Dec 2004
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I'd just like to point out how I'm not making a "Bi-Curious Anime" Dobie.
Funny thing, how a person can know that Dobies are incredibly annoying, and yet still occasionally have the urge to make one.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Come on people. Ruroni Kenshin? GREAT show. I love that one above all others. Shaman King is very good, and Yu Yu Hakusho is very funny, but it has a good story line as well. Those are only the "newer" ones. All of the Dragonball series' will be classics. I liked them when I was younger, but not so much anymore. Ugh, too much to wrtie a little blerb about every anime I watch. I'll jsut list them.
Ruroni Kenshin Yu Yu Hakusho FLCL Inuyasha Shaman King Dragon ball(DBZ too) Trigun All of the Gundams Cowboy Bebop etc..
Posts: 1401 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I'm getting really into Wolf's Rain. It's been airing on Adult Swim for a couple years now, so I'm a bit late to the game... but it really does rock!
The Nobles are my favorite anime people ever! ...gothic overlords of the Earth that use techno-wizardry... *drools* Sign me up baby! Down with those nasty wolves!
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Personally, I find it waaay too obtuse, and Shinji way too whiny.![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
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Now I find that it holds no interest for me.
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