Why modern anime sucks nowadays?

[Siren2011]

I miss the days of tentacle rape, unrepentant violence, dark mature themes, black humor, misogyny, nihilism, and gratuitous nudity and gore.

A fucking men! There's a soft spot in my heart for Violence Jack. Anime studios should collectively do a movie that makes the worlds of Violence Jack and those of all the weaboo idiots' favorites (Ichigo of Bleach, et all) collide. Like, when Don Knots appeared on Scooby Doo. It would be a great excuse to portray a merciless mutilation of this generation's anime characters. I'd pay to see it happen.

[cstle]

Violence Jack is atrocious. It's only good as an unintentionally funny comedy anime.

Do you guys like Black Lion too? lol

[Obiwanshinobi]

You guys should watch Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko, Tatami Galaxy, and Kemonozume.

Okay, will take a look. That Ayakashi thing had one cool opening.
I'm afraid that when you namedrop Mononoke, everybody and their dog assume you mean that Ghibli film they are already familiar with. It's the internet - people don't come here to think; they come here to react.

[Never_Scurred]

I miss the days of tentacle rape, unrepentant violence, dark mature themes, black humor, misogyny, nihilism, and gratuitous nudity and gore.

A fucking men! There's a soft spot in my heart for Violence Jack. Anime studios should collectively do a movie that makes the worlds of Violence Jack and those of all the weaboo idiots' favorites (Ichigo of Bleach, et all) collide. Like, when Don Knots appeared on Scooby Doo. It would be a great excuse to portray a merciless mutilation of this generation's anime characters. I'd pay to see it happen.

I'd buy it. On dvd. Wouldn't dare torrent it. Then, i'd get a bunch of these cosplaying, weaboo dorks to watch it. At gunpoint. And then make them apologize for ruining one of Japan's most beloved exports.

[Never_Scurred]

Violence Jack is atrocious. It's only good as an unintentionally funny comedy anime.

Duh.

[cstle]

You guys should watch Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko, Tatami Galaxy, and Kemonozume.

Okay, will take a look. That Ayakashi thing had one cool opening.
I'm afraid that when you namedrop Mononoke, everybody and their dog assume you mean that Ghibli film they are already familiar with. It's the internet - people don't come here to think; they come here to react.

Yeah, I figured that too.

Mononoke, the 2007 TV series directed by Kenji Nakamura! (Nakamura also directed Kuuchuu Buranko!) - not the 1997 movie by Hayao Miyazaki!

PS, Kemonozume has a good amount of gore and black humor. Click! (a gif from the show, probably nsfw)

[Never_Scurred]

PS, Kemonozume has a good amount of gore and black humor. Click! (a gif from the show, probably nsfw)

Hmmm, you've given me an excuse to dig out my dvdr's of that show, now.
It was recommended to me in the other anime thread.
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... anly+anime

EDIT...oh btw, I have to give a shout out to this REALLY nasty, though painfully slow, anime called Shigurui. Even though I couldn't make it through the series, it was pretty serious and brutal. Quite brutal, imo. More like that, please.
Trailer HERE

[Domino]

I miss the days of tentacle rape, unrepentant violence, dark mature themes, black humor, misogyny, nihilism, and gratuitous nudity and gore.

Anime, RIP

QFT. I like all of that shit. Too bad just about everything is all fruity.

[Skykid]

...can anyone propose a reason for this cultural decline?

Rise of the internet allowed Japanese shutins to create a religion (ie collective hallucination) were it's acceptable to fantasize about raping your little sister, since non-children/family members are so hard to talk to.

LMAO! I was trying to think of a way to put it myself, but that nails it! Brilliant.

This is the problem. People recommend stuff like to Skykid when it's clearly the stuff he doesn't like. I know you're trying to help but suggestions like don't help, they make things worse.

You're probably right, but just to be clear I'm not all about old school ultra violence and tentacle rape. Going back to your own point, that stuff is probably mostly for nostalgic fascination bar a few exceptions that are truly awesome (Ninja Scroll being one).

I like anime with intelligence and visual imagination, not bawdy slapstick fan service on recycled CG backgrounds. I'll give you a picture:

Going by only recent years, the last anime series I watched through successfully were:

Paranoia Agent
Samurai Champloo
Air (don't ask me how I got through this but I did.)
Rurouni Kenshin (100 eps)

The last I attempted to watch through and failed were:

Last Exile
Fullmetal Alchemist
Naruto

The last movies I watched that I held in high regard:

Patlabor WXIII
Everything Satoshi Kon
(We need to remove Miyazaki from the picture b/c he does world cinema more than he does 'anime' in my book - and he's always great.)
Robot Carnival (kind of ancient but I watched it recently.)

Some of my all time favourite anime:

Wings of the Honneamise
Ninja Scroll
Cyber City Oedo
Tokyo Godfathers
Akira
Lensman (I think I loved this, but I haven't seen it since I was a kid.)
Cowboy Bebop (series)
Patlabor
Construction Cancellation Order (short film)
The Second Renaissance Parts 1 & 2 (Animatrix)
Battle Angel Alita

Are highlights amongst many others.

The last Manga I read:

Blade of the Immortal (been reading it for over 10 years)
Ohikkoshi (by the same author)
21st Century Boys (Naoki Urasawa)

I always wanted to see One Piece but the insane length of the series puts me off ever starting. Thanks for your other suggestions, I'll look into them after I check out High School of the Dead today.

This thread is making me want to go back and look into some of the older stuff I missed though.

[Never_Scurred]

I like your tastes in anime, Skykid.
Keep fighting the good fight.

[ZOM]

You guys should watch Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko, Tatami Galaxy, and Kemonozume.

I second Kemonozume. One of the very few "moderns" I can stand. It's also a very crazy show.

Skykid, have you watched The Hakkenden? Judging by your list it's worth checking out if you haven't already.

[Skykid]

I like your tastes in anime, Skykid.
Keep fighting the good fight.

:salutes:

Skykid, have you watched The Hakkenden? Judging by your list it's worth checking out if you haven't already.

Nope, thanks for the suggestion dude, I'll check it out soon as I get a chance.

EDIT: Awesome intro, this looks good! Very recognisable artist, although I'm racking my brains to think where I've seen him before. Did he do some videogame designs (a fighting game perhaps?)

[doctorx0079]

Modern anime that doesn't suck:

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and yes, I'm serious.

Summer Wars on Blu-Ray.

I am told Gundam UC is the best Gundam ever.

Evangelion 2.22.

Redline should be hitting Blu-ray Real Soon Now.

Gurren-Lagann if you haven't seen it yet.

Hell, I even enjoyed The Sacred Blacksmith, except for Charlotte and her loli brigade, lulz.

[Siren2011]

Wings of the Honneamise
Ninja Scroll
Cyber City Oedo
Tokyo Godfathers
Akira
Lensman (I think I loved this, but I haven't seen it since I was a kid.)
Cowboy Bebop (series)
Patlabor
Construction Cancellation Order (short film)
The Second Renaissance Parts 1 & 2 (Animatrix)
Battle Angel Alita

Wow! Almost all of these (the ones I've seen) are freaking awesome. You know how to sift through the chunks of shit to get to the nuggets of gold!

EDIT: Cowboy Bebop can get boring in places. It's really slow in the beginning. Battle Angel Alita, however, blew my mind. The pencil/shading techniques used in it are meticulously done. The only Japanese artists who come close to that level of quality are that second guy who JoshF mentioned (Ninja Scroll was incredible!) and Sadamoto. The whole "let's climb a tower that leads to a colony in the sky, oh wait It's got an electric current running through it" is so surreal, so out of the box that I got an erection. Plus, teh baddies are super intimidating-- and dammit they should be. Overwhelming evil should be fought with overwhelming good. Not that I don't enjoy the occasional nub getting the living crap beaten out of him (Hello, Krillin of Dragon Ball Z fame.), but there's nothing like watching two superhumans (or in this case, cyborgs) test their optimal powers against each other. But it is also necessary to show an unbalanced power struggle exposing one's character flaws (Goku getting the shit beaten out of him by Lord Slug), otherwise the show is boring and predictable if the good guys always trash the bad guys.

Totally unrelated, I know, but does anyone know if the Power Rangers ever fought Rita Repulsa? She always sat in that tower like the whore she is, sending monsters down to earth, but I've never seen her in battle. It's been ages since I've seen that show.

[Acid King]

EDIT...oh btw, I have to give a shout out to this REALLY nasty, though painfully slow, anime called Shigurui. Even though I couldn't make it through the series, it was pretty serious and brutal. Quite brutal, imo. More like that, please.
Trailer HERE

I watched the first episode of this and I dig it. I need more recs like this.

[louisg]

I was about to chime in with "No way! Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and Paranoia Agent are all awesome!"..... and then I realized they were a half decade old (at the least!)

I *was* at a bar yesterday where they were showing One Piece.. I'm not into it myself, but it was really surreal and weird, and seemed to have an interesting sense of humor. I could definitely see the appeal.

I've always had trouble finding anime I like.. people keep recommending me stuff where there's nothing but fighting ("I'LL SHOW YOU MY POWEERRRRRRR" "NO I HAVE A POWER TOO!" etc), and that goes for way back in the 'golden age'.

You know how to sift through the chunks of shit to get to the nuggets of gold!

Completely true with anything. I remember in the late 90s I couldn't find games I liked. If I had known people were still making shmups, and that the Saturn had so many arcade ports, I would've been in heaven. I just wasn't tuned into the right scene then.

[cstle]

I like anime with intelligence and visual imagination, not bawdy slapstick fan service on recycled CG backgrounds.

Watch the stuff I recommended. (Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko (also known as Trapeze), The Tatami Galaxy (also known as Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei), and Kemonozume) It's some of the most visually creative stuff I've seen in any medium. In addition to that post, I'd like to add Casshern Sins, Kaiba, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (don't let the name turn you off) to my list of recommendations.

Air (don't ask me how I got through this but I did.)

Holy fuck! To completion!? I like modern anime, but I can't get past more than a few episodes of Key adaptations (Air, Kanon, Clannad, etc)

[Skykid]

I like anime with intelligence and visual imagination, not bawdy slapstick fan service on recycled CG backgrounds.

Watch the stuff I recommended. (Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko (also known as Trapeze), The Tatami Galaxy (also known as Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei), and Kemonozume) It's some of the most visually creative stuff I've seen in any medium. In addition to that post, I'd like to add Casshern Sins, Kaiba, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (don't let the name turn you off) to my list of recommendations.

Air (don't ask me how I got through this but I did.)

Holy fuck! To completion!? I like modern anime, but I can't get past more than a few episodes of Key adaptations (Air, Kanon, Clannad, etc)

Yeah, not sure myself to be honest. This was about 6 years ago at a point when I had nothing else to do or watch. It was a recommendation from a mate who held it in high regard. I watched it through curious to see what would happen, and as it turned out, not much.

Is that Casshern anything to do with that godawful movie?

[Obiwanshinobi]

[cstle]

I like anime with intelligence and visual imagination, not bawdy slapstick fan service on recycled CG backgrounds.

Watch the stuff I recommended. (Mononoke, Kuuchuu Buranko (also known as Trapeze), The Tatami Galaxy (also known as Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei), and Kemonozume) It's some of the most visually creative stuff I've seen in any medium. In addition to that post, I'd like to add Casshern Sins, Kaiba, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (don't let the name turn you off) to my list of recommendations.

Air (don't ask me how I got through this but I did.)

Holy fuck! To completion!? I like modern anime, but I can't get past more than a few episodes of Key adaptations (Air, Kanon, Clannad, etc)

Yeah, not sure myself to be honest. This was about 6 years ago at a point when I had nothing else to do or watch. It was a recommendation from a mate who held it in high regard. I watched it through curious to see what would happen, and as it turned out, not much.

Is that Casshern anything to do with that godawful movie?

Nah, it's a reimagining of the anime from the 70s. They are somewhat related of course, but not really. In name only pretty much.

[Ganelon]

There's something about cel animation that's so warm and expressive (perhaps even crude), something that's mostly been replaced by flashy effects in today's computer-drawn animation. There was melodrama that didn't have to be so explicitly described. Many modern series also have moe characters (or characters drawn in a not-so-serious manner) and that immediately kills my interest.

My favorite era of anime was from the mid 80s to mid 90s. In a sense, the switch away from cels in anime is comparable to the switch away from sprites in games. Once that transition took over, I've found it difficult to look at new ideas with the same interest. It's funny how computer-drawn animation technically saves time but now they've just used that time to add unnecessary ornate designs, fog, lighting, and CG instead.

If it was just a small minority who didn't like modern anime (as is the case with gaming), I'd chalk it up to personal differences. But the anime/manga sales decline that's been in effect for years now is likely indicative of folks like us who have money to burn, have watched anime since days of success, but aren't finding anything interesting. For those who do enjoy modern anime, I envy your situation and fondly remember when I couldn't wait for the next localized anime on VHS.

[JoshF]

Totally unrelated, I know, but does anyone know if the Power Rangers ever fought Rita Repulsa? She always sat in that tower like the whore she is, sending monsters down to earth, but I've never seen her in battle. It's been ages since I've seen that show.

Here's the last battle from Zyuuranger: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S32D7Qu4XSQ

I doubt much of it was usable at the end. There's death and crying and too many of those pesky Japanese people are in the shots, so it'd be hard to splice in the American Teens with Attitude.

[duckman]

Skykid, I would highly recommend Darker Than Black and Black Lagoon. I think they're right up your alley.

[gct]

I think the issue here isn't today's anime, it's that you have such fond memories of earlier shows. (which is understandable) Anime is a bit different then most things. In music, you'll look back at your earlier listening habits and might say "I can't believe I was into that trash" Where-as in anime, you'll look back and still hold dear the same shows that made you a fan of anime in the first place. I know one of my favorite releases was Battle Angel. To this day, years and years later, it is still one of my favorites.

I don't think that's always the case. I went through a phase starting around the time of Love Hina where I liked those moe and harem stuff and watched anime for cute girlies, I liked all those shows based on eroge, pirated a bunch of galge on PS1 and DC, and now in your very words, "I can't believe I was into that trash". Due to some threads like these, I found some 80's and early 90's anime I never watched before (so no nostalgia there), and they are genuinely badass.

[lift]

Never see anyone mention Sword of the Stranger. Somewhat recent samurai film, nowhere near the level of brutality seen in Ninja Scroll or Shigurui though it has its moments. It's a more modern Samurai X. When a fight like this happens in the opening credits you know you're in for something good. And if you want to spoil yourself, here's the final duel. Who said vikings couldn't go toe-to-toe with samurai? Best shit I have seen in a while.

More of that, Japan. Less of this high school slice of life with a super deformed moe harem of magical girls.

[BIL]

EDIT...oh btw, I have to give a shout out to this REALLY nasty, though painfully slow, anime called Shigurui. Even though I couldn't make it through the series, it was pretty serious and brutal. Quite brutal, imo. More like that, please.
Trailer HERE

I watched the first episode of this and I dig it. I need more recs like this.

Just finished this - loved the immense atmosphere and dark tone. Definitely a slow-burning pace, but it works given the heavy content, and it's only twelve episodes. And yeah, the violence is crazy... shattered teeth get picked out of bloody knuckles more than once. Intense soundtrack as well.

It does have something of the Berserk anime effect in its ending (ie, I get the feeling I need to read the manga now - might just do that...) but it's still a great watch on its own.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Do American Chinese give their children names like Rebecca?
I enjoyed Black Lagoon (A Better Tomorrow and The Wild Bunch references are welcome in my house and - unlike so many "mature" shows such as Texhnolyze - it wasn't padded with juvenile melodrama for people mentally stuck in their teens), but boy, was the TV anime diluted. What was the point of telling the U-Boot story in TWO episodes, no less?
Still, one of few genuine cases of "not taking itself too seriously". A rare and underappreciated gift (as opposite to "self consciousness").

[xris]

I fondly remember when I couldn't wait for the next localized anime on VHS.

Aint that the truth. But, this was a time when only the best of the best was translated, or sub-titled, the rest was left alone. In the late 80's and early 90's was the best when fan subbed tapes were passed around, it was truly the best stuff and nothing but. It was when DVD made it cheap to mass produce did we really get an over exposure to all of the crap that never would have seen the light of day outside of Japan.

[Observer]

I think the issue here isn't today's anime, it's that you have such fond memories of earlier shows. (which is understandable) Anime is a bit different then most things. In music, you'll look back at your earlier listening habits and might say "I can't believe I was into that trash" Where-as in anime, you'll look back and still hold dear the same shows that made you a fan of anime in the first place. I know one of my favorite releases was Battle Angel. To this day, years and years later, it is still one of my favorites.

I don't think that's always the case. I went through a phase starting around the time of Love Hina where I liked those moe and harem stuff and watched anime for cute girlies, I liked all those shows based on eroge, pirated a bunch of galge on PS1 and DC, and now in your very words, "I can't believe I was into that trash". Due to some threads like these, I found some 80's and early 90's anime I never watched before (so no nostalgia there), and they are genuinely badass.

This. I also started watching Legend of the Galactic Heroes and, well, it's incredibly awesome. No nostalgia here either but, boy, I love that '80s style of classical music, huge battleships approaching fast, enormous fleets, laz0rs, bla bla bla and such with some less focus on the panty shots and the likes.

It has more to do with what austere said: it's not just anime. It's music, books, movies, games...

Anyway, if anything, we should have an anime of Quo Vadis 2. Or a movie. Or something. Just give someone the resources to do moar of this. There is a pretty awesome part with ships in space shooting the shit out of each other that just brings tears to my eyes. Add more budget and it would be glorious. I just freaking love the super stylish designs employed by Kawamori & co. I guess it'll take a generation shift to turn the tides...

I mentioned this in the other anime threads, but if you want to see some real slice-of-comedy done the manly, awesome, Kenshiro way, go check Cromartie High School. It has the ultimate walk. I think even the live action movie has its moments but it can't match those ridiculous "super-serious-manly" faces so typical of the "criminal juveniles" manga.

[Skykid]

Just give someone the resources to do moar of this.

Hello anime. This is what I'm talking about!