Recommended Anime/Manga?

[Raytrace]

Cool I'll check Aim for the Ace then.

When Sabu & Ichi is fully subbed and indeed scanlated it will be a good addition to such stuff (Samurai era).

[cicada88]

What are some other good Samurai / Ninja / Feudal Japan recommendations?

Anime: Basilisk, Rurouni Kenshin Tsuioku Hen and maybe Katanagatari.
Manga: Azumi, Takemitsu Zamurai, Blade of the Inmortal, Lone Wolf and Cub.

thanks I'll check them out

[Raytrace]

Happy New Year to this thread!

[KAI]

Happy new animu year Raytrace.

thanks I'll check them out

Ups, forgot to mention THE HAKKENDEN - Legend of the 8 Dog Warriors.

[Raytrace]

Happy new animu year Raytrace.

I spent New Year's making my first non SD/chibi gunpla:

[Randorama]

I just finished watching Psycho Pass, first season.

I think that the series is a good rendition of what a Philip K. Dick anime can be, with episode #17 explicitly stating this.
It does have a good amount of fairly pointless violence and gore, and entire minutes of characters just talking to explain things.
The "best" part is that the authors (Gen Uruboshi and some other guy) put hipster literature/philosophy quotes in the mouths of characters when the cited authors are writers or continental philosophers, but hide analytical philosophers' quotes: Andy Clark in episode #9 comes to mind.
It contains a thinly veined satire/criticism of the shitty society that Japan is, too, for an extra half point on the score.

The final verdict is: 3.5/5 icycalms: quite entertaining, aside the face-palm issues.

After checking the intarwebs a bit, I'd say that the Uruboshi (sp?) guy at the helm is a Japanese version of the Grant Morrison/David Lindelof (sp?) type of author.
He likes to read things and use his C++ BA in liberal arts as background ideas in his work, but offers good amounts of cheese when doing so at least once per episode (Morrison is ten times worse, though).
I discovered that he is the genius behind Saya no Uta, the best comedy in the visual novel non-medium that I know of (1 out of 1). I am half-tempted to send him my personal army of nightgaunts to help him "getting it right", when he tries to cite "literary sources" in his work.

It could be worse, of course, right Anno-san?

(too much whiskey for me, anyhow).

[DaneSaga]

I spent New Year's making my first non SD/chibi gunpla:

do the battle damage yourself? Soldering Iron perhaps?

[Randorama]

Ok, time for another rant.

The waifu forced me to marathon Puella Magi, which looks like the Watchmen of magical girl series (dark, depressing, deconstructionist).
The series is not bad (but animation is choppy...), but only 30 years overdue: post-modern deconstructionism is old news, and Evangelion and Utena were already late to the party, 20 years ago.
Besides, the pace is sleep-inducing: as I suspected, this Urobushi guy seems convinced that one style fits any genre, and the results vary as a consequence.
The third season of Sailor Moon (yes, that magical girl) was much better in pursuing the same wannabe post-modern style.
Actually, Princess Tutu is a good example that shows how this is done, minus the pointless violence and plus the (few) smart aspects of post-modernism ("meta-narration").

Verdict: 2/5 icycalms, and watch it while dressed as a hipster, caressing your favourite cat named after one of Focault's books.

Reading a bit more on the topic, it is clear that most people professionally reviewing anime (in the US/UK) are functional illiterates.
Wikipedia is now crawling with quotes from imbeciles who probably never watched anything before 2008 or so, and never opened a book on Manga/Anime to get some background knowledge.
Wtf?

[Raytrace]

I spent New Year's making my first non SD/chibi gunpla:

do the battle damage yourself? Soldering Iron perhaps?

I did yeah - actually just a lighter and a kitchen knife haha - then brushes a pencil along edges etc, the black stain on the burnt knife actually helped a bit too, I also used a lot of Tamiya Weathering - muck and light sand. The bullet holes I did with a safety pin :p.

I'm gonna take some more pics tomorrow (I'm gonna buy A1 artboard to use as a curvy background 'studio' type thing. Here's a pic I took last night though:

[Icarus]

So I just got done marathoning ALDNOAH.ZERO.
Wow. O_O
I don't think I've seen a series quite this engaging for some time.

[Raytrace]

I did like it though I thought the last episode was kinda shit - but still season 2 should be ace. I liked the whole real robot vs super roboto vibe where basically he would have to use tactics to overcome the super robotos. In a way it was kinda like my favourite parts of Code Geass.

[Randorama]

I think that Aldnoah.Zero has a few plot holes, or we were not watching too carefully, or the fifth whiskey did have a stronger effect than we thought.
My waifu liked more than I did, but she'd like anything with a mecha in it (yes, she has several models of Gundam and Evas she painted herself...).

It's a fairly derivative series (I'd say a blatant Gundam rip-off), and it needs too many episodes to flesh out the "bad guys".
The main characters quickly got on my nerves, too, but they are nevertheless decently written.
Besides, the whole premise of a Martian empire with problems producing enough food to survive, but having 37 giant Chulips...ehrm, space-ships that can easily invade Earth...*sigh*.
Vote: 2/5 icycalms me, 4/5 icycalms the waifu (who is trying to find kits of the mechas in the series, but is too drunk to actually type).

I am tempted to see how she reacts if I find her Char Aznable hentai, though.

[Raytrace]

I think that Aldnoah.Zero has a few plot holes, or we were not watching too carefully, or the fifth whiskey did have a stronger effect than we thought.
My waifu liked more than I did, but she'd like anything with a mecha in it (yes, she has several models of Gundam and Evas she painted herself...).

It's a fairly derivative series (I'd say a blatant Gundam rip-off), and it needs too many episodes to flesh out the "bad guys".
The main characters quickly got on my nerves, too, but they are nevertheless decently written.
Besides, the whole premise of a Martian empire with problems producing enough food to survive, but having 37 giant Chulips...ehrm, space-ships that can easily invade Earth...*sigh*.
Vote: 2/5 icycalms me, 4/5 icycalms the waifu (who is trying to find kits of the mechas in the series, but is too drunk to actually type).

I am tempted to see how she reacts if I find her Char Aznable hentai, though.

I was mainly dissapointed that the subservient Slain guy, pretty much in some way remained 'loyal' to some elements of his oppressor, which proper annoyed me. I think overall Zankyou No Terror and Space Dandy are still my favourite of recent(ish) things. You have a waifu who likes mecha - good woman, I'm impressed .

[Randorama]

Yes, I found Slaine extremely annoying, also considering the name (like the 2000 A.D. character).
Let's say that the ending pissed me off because of him, basically.
The waifu liked it anyway, but then again she's a big SF/mecha fan...it's funny that she likes SF and the josei/romance series, and little else in between.
She is a graphic designer, though, so she focuses on the visual aspects and the drama more...I am the plot/characterization person, at home.

re: Space Dandy. It was a great series, although a bit too meta- for my tastes. I liked how they paid homage to just every '70s anime (and quite a few movies) under the sun, though, with the aforementioned meta-narration justification at the end (I am avoiding spoilers, though). We are procrastinating on Zankyou, as we want to save it for a dry spell.

Speaking of which, my wife studied attended the same college as the woman who was in charge of the more psychedelic episodes (Eung Yong Choi... episodes #9, #18 I think), and who also worked on Kaiba and other works with Yuasa.

[Raytrace]

Yes, I found Slaine extremely annoying, also considering the name (like the 2000 A.D. character).
Let's say that the ending pissed me off because of him, basically.
The waifu liked it anyway, but then again she's a big SF/mecha fan...it's funny that she likes SF and the josei/romance series, and little else in between.
She is a graphic designer, though, so she focuses on the visual aspects and the drama more...I am the plot/characterization person, at home.

re: Space Dandy. It was a great series, although a bit too meta- for my tastes. I liked how they paid homage to just every '70s anime (and quite a few movies) under the sun, though, with the aforementioned meta-narration justification at the end (I am avoiding spoilers, though). We are procrastinating on Zankyou, as we want to save it for a dry spell.

Speaking of which, my wife studied attended the same college as the woman who was in charge of the more psychedelic episodes (Eung Yong Choi... episodes #9, #18 I think), and who also worked on Kaiba and other works with Yuasa.

Yes indeed as a massive Sláine fan, it really pissed me off how subservient someone with a similar name ended up being in the end (so far).
I myself only really watch sci-fi/mecha or I dunno 'action' stuff anime wise, with obv exceptions when somethings totally ace (Utena for example).
Yeah the metaness is a little too much, but when it is just telling a story I loved Space Dandy.

Zankyou is really good except for one kinda crappy episode and also a really annoying villain character. But the tension is consistent, the backgrounds are beautiful, and even the CG is done very nicely.

Wow that's cool - were the really sorta painterly, almost 'European' looking episodes?

[Raytrace]

feeling a bit wimpy atm so I'm going to watch some Armour Hunter Mellowlink in order to man up - I shall provide a sit rep after this episode (6).

[Raytrace]

another brilliant Mellowlink episode - I love this show, no bullshit, no fluff, just pure gritty war revenge stories everytime.

[KAI]

Ikuhara, it's happening!

EDIT:

Finished the 1st episode. Ugly animation, too many lesbians, everything sounds and looks stupid, the manga was much better than this. RIP Ikuhara (?)

[lilmanjs]

Kids on The Slope might turn out to be an interesting watch. So far enjoying the Jazz musics and the behind the scenes stuff after 2 episodes. Need more Jazz music in my life.

[Formless God]

Finished the 1st episode. Ugly animation, too many lesbians, everything sounds and looks stupid, the manga was much better than this. RIP Ikuhara (?)

rest in rip what do i watch this season now

[Bananamatic]

Your backlog obviously

[Xyga]

Uchoten Kazoku anime; featuring one of most fucked-up, twisted, disgusting logic I've read (well heard) about from those characters.
Couldn't watch it to the end even though it's kind of beautiful, there's no gore or whatever, but the author of the original novels needs help, really.

[Ji-L87]

Uchoten Kazoku anime; featuring one of most fucked-up, twisted, disgusting logic I've read (well heard) about from those characters.
Couldn't watch it to the end even though it's kind of beautiful, there's no gore or whatever, but the author of the original novels needs help, really.

I remember seeing the trailer for that and thought it looked really interesting. Never ended up watching it though...
Now you kinda got me interested :F

[Xyga]

Well it's the 'philosophy' behind it that I find really warped, but the anime overall has many qualities.
It's just the long mindfuck moments that ruin it.
(if you ever read The Sword of Truth past the Evil Chicken you'll see what I mean)

[Ji-L87]

Aaaand speaking of Uchoten Kazoku, great timing as ANN just posted this interview

[KAI]

I must recommend you guys Mahou Tsukai Tai!. It's an absurd comedy about high school magicians fighting against aliens. Hilarious as hell, excellent animation quality, worth the watch.

Junichi Sato's direction is perfect for this kind of series and I'm thinking about watching more of his works, has anyone here watched Aria? is it any good?

[Raytrace]

I finished Overman King Gainer - loved it from start to finish, though I couldn't help feeling that it didn't really have an end o_O.
Still it was really really great IMO, so full of mad ideas, beautiful colours and backgrounds.

[Xyga]

I must recommend you guys Mahou Tsukai Tai!

I've just started watching the OVA. Dat 90's feel!

has anyone here watched Aria? is it any good?

It's the slow/quiet/contemplative/poetic kind of 'soft' sci-fi with a cute side and a touch of mystery.
A bit like the Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou manga (by Ashinano Hitoshi).
Don't watch this after a long day or you're going to fall asleep like a baby in the first minutes of any episode.

[Bananamatic]

I finished Overman King Gainer - loved it from start to finish, though I couldn't help feeling that it didn't really have an end o_O.
Still it was really really great IMO, so full of mad ideas, beautiful colours and backgrounds.

I thought that the beginning was kinda slow tbh but it really picked up halfway through

[Raytrace]

I thought that the beginning was kinda slow tbh but it really picked up halfway through

Yeah I suppose it was a bit at the start but the art was hypnotising me so much I didn't notice too much.