Recommended Anime/Manga?

[KAI]

Read Kiseijuu



Fucking rulz.

[BIL]

Oh cool, thanks for the rec. Getting John Carpenter's The Thing (edit: meets A Boy And His Dog) vibes, I love this type of parasitic body horror.

[Raytrace]

lol wut? Is that supposed to strengthen the mecha's arms?

yeah there could maybe be some justification for the kata and balance exercises as 'training' in Gunbuster but I don't think there can be ANY rational explanation for the pressups :p

[xbl0x180]

Read Kiseijuu



Fucking rulz.

I cannot recommend this manga enough. I love Iwaki Hitoshi's writing and "plain" style/designs, which is really effective as a kind of retro sci-fi story of body snatchers, except it's really, really gory! Kiseiju is one of my all-time favourites. Even though I threw away most of my comics, I kept some the old Mixx and Tokyo Pop versions of the English translation from a decade ago

[xbl0x180]

I think Lily Chou Chou is a perfect example of how these alternate approaches can't always see eye-to-eye, but then you're a qualified teacher so I'm probably just rebelling on impulse.

I know people hated this movie because it was slow and weird and trite and plodding, but I LOVE it. I love every fucking frame Iwai Shunji shoots

[Skykid]

I think Lily Chou Chou is a perfect example of how these alternate approaches can't always see eye-to-eye, but then you're a qualified teacher so I'm probably just rebelling on impulse.

I know people hated this movie because it was slow and weird and trite and plodding, but I LOVE it. I love every fucking frame Iwai Shunji shoots

I thought it was a pile of nothing, and not in a good way. Funny the discrepancy I can find in something like Goodbye Dragon Inn, even more plodding, but excellent. Talk to Mike (MX7) though, he's in the same appreciation boat as you, he's a big Shunji fan.

OT: Started Pluto yesterday and bombed through the first eight chapters. Feels good to be back on Urasawa material (Shirugui was dark stuff), and this is incredibly promising. I love the way Atom isn't the main character, and the way he exists in the world. Tezuka would have been proud, it's very well handled.

I decided the best way to do this justice is to go to the Atomu restaurant and read it there over lunch, so that's my plans sorted for today.

[BIL]

Finished Kiseijuu, liked it quite a bit. It can feel a little shonen-ish at points, but there's a lot of quality tension, horror and terror in there too, along with a surprisingly endearing interspecies buddy act and a decently thoughtful existential spin on the body snatchers angle.

[ancestral-knowledge]

picture

That artwork looks like the one who drew "Monster". I watched the anime and it was excellent.

[Skykid]

picture

That artwork looks like the one who drew "Monster". I watched the anime and it was excellent.

Yes, Naoki Urusawa, Japan's national treasure. I've recently read 20th Century Boys, which came directly after Monster, and is long enough to encompass about four regular manga series (quite an undertaking) and it was great for the most part (little overlong and fizzles out a bit, sadly.) I've not seen any anime adaptations of his work (is the art style the same?) but there is a 20th CB series of live action movies I've been avoiding like the plague.

Incidentally, I discovered that Urusawa did Pineapple Army (1986) which is a manga comic series I collected as a kid (I used to buy almost anything translated into english, no matter how random - it was a different time then, stuff was scarce!).

I had no idea he penned that while I was reading 20th CB, but it was a manga I always really enjoyed. Didn't realise the artist, so obscure at the time, would go on to be Japan's 'national treasure'. Didn't even think PA was that popular, but then it was written by someone else.

[Skykid]

Finished Shigurui. Quite excellent. Took a look at episode one of the anime and was pleasantly surprised by its accuracy, certainly more justice done than with Blade. Still, I often feel like there's an element of the artistry lost from manga to anime translations (not always, but in most cases), and while they got the dread and gore right, they seem to have overlooked the storyteller's poetry.

Definitely. One case I hope is an exception is the upcoming anime adaptation of Shingeki no Kyojin; the manga is an excellent action/horror story, but the art is atrociously poor and detracts from the experience. The dynamic battles also could benefit from animation, so if they don't fuck the story up it could be amazing.

You should read the Planetes manga, by the way. They made a 26 episode anime from a four volume manga, so I'm not surprised it ended up being dull. The original is superb.

As for other manga you should try, Vinland Saga (by the Planetes guy, Makoto Yukimura) would be first in my list of recommendations. The first few chapters aren't as good (it started its serialization in a shonen magazine and then moved to a seinen one, changing the tone in the process, even shifting the focus away from the young skilled main character), but the rest are great. If you are looking for some great action with well developed characters, look no further. There's some polemic because later on the action dies down considerably to focus on the daily medieval life of the characters and half of the readers didn't like that, but I think it's similar to what happened with Blade of the Immortal and the Prison Arc (which was great to flesh the characters out). The only downside is that it's a monthly manga, so you might catch up to the translations quickly.

If you want something that's fully scanlated, go for Freesia, if you can stomach its fucked up characters.

Finally, if you want to watch good new anime, you could start with the ones I mentioned in my other post. Moribito particularly is one of my all time favorites.

Sorry man, I keep meaning to get back to this post. I'll definitely get around to the Planetes manga. I'm sure it's better than the anime, which, while not bad, doesn't really do much of anything. Seems like it's wasting potential, as happens a lot with manga -> anime transitions. The Manga tend to be a lot more interesting, and I can't get enough of beautiful artwork. I honestly think its my best route back into the scene, as long as I step carefully through the minefield of derivative crap.

I'm still reading Pluto at the moment, and it's quite excellent. Loving the fact it's a lot more concise than 20th Century Boys and equally more focused. The fact Atom is a secondary character is smartly engineered, but I was wondering, is the entire detective premise completely new, or is this the way the original "Strongest Boy in the World" story arc played out when Tezuka originally penned it?

If I feel the urge to watch some anime, I'll definitely take a look at your examples first. Your recommendations have had the best track record so far.

Also, mission accomplished:

I decided the best way to do this justice is to go to the Atomu restaurant and read it there over lunch, so that's my plans sorted for today.

[BryanM]

yeah there could maybe be some justification for the kata and balance exercises as 'training' in Gunbuster but I don't think there can be ANY rational explanation for the pressups :p

It's a metaphor man. Like how we're the losers with the imaginary waifus in haremes, so, too, must we be the numb emotionless robots in the robomus.

The protagonist is you in every story. Never4get.

[Raytrace]

just watched Magnetic Rose (pt. 1 of Memories).

absolutely unbelievably luscious animation and detail, incredible soundtrack, great atmosphere and story.

Against my better judgment I decided 'Hey when I update myanimelist, I will click 'discuss it' when it pops up as surely there can't be any neg comments about this'

-

'that was one of the worst anime movies i have ever seen! its not as bad as Akira, mind you, but it just didn't appeal to me all that much and was far too confusing'

[KAI]

Narufags, their opinions doesn't count. "Not as bad as Akira", what a fucker.

Finished Kiseijuu. Now I'm finally starting to read Vagabond.

[DaneSaga]

just watched Magnetic Rose (pt. 1 of Memories).

absolutely unbelievably luscious animation and detail, incredible soundtrack, great atmosphere and story.

Magnetic Rose is quite divine and certainly my favourite tale out of the three in Memories. Left a lasting impression on me when I saw it for the first time as a kid in the late 90s, perhaps maybe even more so than Evangelion did.
I absolutely adore the operatic and classical themes throughout, the mood is sombre and the tragic story and fate of the salvage crew is both engaging and depressing.
Plus you’ve got some of the industries brightest doing some of their earliest work on the movie too, Satoshi Kon and Yoko Kanno I know come to mind.
Kouji Morimoto was director which you may know from Robot Carnival, another tremendous compilation of movies.

[Skykid]

just watched Magnetic Rose (pt. 1 of Memories).

absolutely unbelievably luscious animation and detail, incredible soundtrack, great atmosphere and story.

Against my better judgment I decided 'Hey when I update myanimelist, I will click 'discuss it' when it pops up as surely there can't be any neg comments about this'

-

'that was one of the worst anime movies i have ever seen! its not as bad as Akira, mind you, but it just didn't appeal to me all that much and was far too confusing'

Morons everywhere you go, can't be helped! Memories is great, but I would suggest watching it in one go rather than segmented. Stink Bomb is plenty of fun while being harrowing and ominous (quite a mix), and Otomo's finale is superb, another demonstration of the man's artistic talents - gets better every time I watch it. It's also go the coolest sweep into movie credits I think I've ever seen in an anime.

[Raytrace]

Narufags

hahaha - probably

[Raytrace]

Kouji Morimoto was director which you may know from Robot Carnival, another tremendous compilation of movies.

Yes - his one was the one with the guy working with all the robots wasn't it? that was my favourite in Robot Carnival.

[Raytrace]

Morons everywhere you go, can't be helped! Memories is great, but I would suggest watching it in one go rather than segmented. Stink Bomb is plenty of fun while being harrowing and ominous (quite a mix), and Otomo's finale is superb, another demonstration of the man's artistic talents - gets better every time I watch it. It's also go the coolest sweep into movie credits I think I've ever seen in an anime.

Yeah I really should have but I was very tired so put it on hold after the first one last night.

[Raytrace]

I just watched episode 2 'Stink Bomb'

the art was again consistently luscious and detailed, not as great a story as Magnetic Rose, but still v good nonetheless.

Gonna watch 'Cannon Fodder' now

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Part 3: Cannon Fodder of Memories is quite interesting as we never see the enemy that the country is at war with. How can the citizens of that nation sleep at night when it's cannons are going off 24/7? I guess they'd get used it just like anything else, albeit with a good pair of ear protector muffs for good measure.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[KAI]

Roujin Z was excellent.
Now I'm going to finish watching Nadia (dropped it after ep..

[Raytrace]

Part 3: Cannon Fodder of Memories is quite interesting as we never see the enemy that the country is at war with. How can the citizens of that nation sleep at night when it's cannons are going off 24/7? I guess they'd get used it just like anything else, albeit with a good pair of ear protector muffs for good measure.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Yeah I thought they were going to show the other side but it never happened :p

it was very good, but pretty depressing

overall I really like Memories in it's entirety, but by far Magnetic Rose was my favourite of it's parts.

[Raytrace]

Roujin Z was excellent.
Now I'm going to finish watching Nadia (dropped it after ep..

Two things I definitely intend to watch soon

[drauch]

Roujin Z was excellent.
Now I'm going to finish watching Nadia (dropped it after ep..

Two things I definitely intend to watch soon

Both are awesome, awesome. Gainax on top of their game for Nadia. Just got a Roujin Z cel in the mail last week. Need to get that sucka framed.

[Edmond Dantes]

Oh yes, Roujin Z is awesome above awesome.

[Raytrace]

Yes I shall deffo watch Nadia soon, is it right to skip 'the island' episodes as some people say, or are they not as bad at all as they go on about?

Roujin Z is the old folks home one isn't it?

these are my concurrent watchings:

Ashita no Joe TV 27/79

Galaxy Express 999 TV 2/113

Lupin III TV 3/23

Macross 7 TV 21/49

Mazinger Z TV 14/92

Mobile Fighter G Gundam TV 19/49

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (Rewatching) TV 5/50

Space Adventure Cobra TV 9/31

[KAI]

Roujin Z is the old folks home one isn't it?

Yep

The new anime season is starting next week. Your pics?

[Raytrace]

Roujin Z is the old folks home one isn't it?

Yep

The new anime season is starting next week. Your pics?

you KNOW I'm probably the person who knows the least about current anime seasons on here :p.

All I can think of is I presume Yamato 2199 episode 15 onwards will be coming soon hopefully.

Ok - imma look through this thing: - dunno if it's accurate or not ;p

http://i3.minus.com/iOwOD68llpOX4.jpg

Gundam Seed HD Remaster - why?

Tetsujin 28-gou Gao! - might be nice

oh god yes of course I forgot Valvrave - I am obviously looking forward to that

so there's only 3 things out of that list I would be interested in, in fairness though, it's not necessarily because I think all of them 'look bad' or anything, it's just that they're not really the settings or type of stories that I usually like.

[drauch]

Nadia desert island episodes are kind of bland (like every anime desert island episode, really. I thought about writing an essay on the subject because there are so goddamn many.) but are still worth watching. It's just a bit overlong and silly, but I still enjoy it, especially for some of the dream sequences.

[Raytrace]

Nadia desert island episodes are kind of bland (like every anime desert island episode, really. I thought about writing an essay on the subject because there are so goddamn many.) but are still worth watching. It's just a bit overlong and silly, but I still enjoy it, especially for some of the dream sequences.

Cucuruz Doan is genuinely and completely unironically one of my favourite 0079 episodes story-wise (the artistic costcutting is pretty obvious in the episode).