Recommended Anime/Manga?

[genomcorp]

just finished AKAGI on crunchyroll -
might not be everybody's cup of tea, but would recommend for anyone into addictive + intense gambling dramas
(KAIJI is also good if your into this style)

[iconoclast]

The Daily Lives of High School Boys - One of the best slice of life series I've seen so far. The Literary Girl scenes were especially great.

[KAI]

Good-bye Punpun

[trap15]

You mean Good Night Pun-Pun, I guess? And yes, highly recommended if you are OK with reading something that's depressing as hell.

[KAI]

Nope, I meant good bye, the last volume has been fully translated.
I'm gonna cry...

[Raytrace]

watched first episode of Xabungle - like it so far- it's really weird how they give the main guy completely different art style for his eyes.

[PedroMD]

Just finished reading the last volume of Punpun. It was... a lot less emotionally taxing than I was preparing for, but it is at the same time sad and a relief that it is finally ending.
I like the ending. It echoes the message of every single other work I've read from the author, and I like that message.
That's all for me. It was a good ride.

[BryanM]

Been digging a bit more toward the Sci-Fi genre as detox. Some of the things I force myself to watch, man.

Serial Experiments Lain is bad, but at least it's quiet about it. And that's something that's worth appreciating - five pointless spoken sentences an episode is much better than thousands of chickens clucking bullshit nonstop.

It (and Meguka Meduka) dug up the old anti-climax ending that the Japanese seem to be in love with. It's almost like they have some kind of "life is actually completely pointless" national pathos or something.

Ergo Proxy was okay. I mean, my expectations are always set to medium and this one met those expectations. Really only a couple of outright bad episodes; I really wish people would stop making those clip show episodes.

It's super, super strange when compared to the rest of the anime universe. When it comes to the womenfolk. Get this: this is a universe where females are somehow able to accomplish things. When there's big strong men around who could've done all their work for them. Seriously, the little tiny adorable six-year old girl robot shows infinitely more ferocity and cunning than the average anime schoolgirl.

God remember that Sword Art Online arc where they took Asuna, a lady who doesn't take shit from anybody, and put her in a freezer so The Hero could rescue her? :anime:

[BryanM]

Oh, looking forward to the first half of the Robotics;Notes dub next week.

Steins Gate is one of those ones I'll throw on an episode every once in a while to help go to sleep and then I end up accidentally the entire goddamn thing.

It's always weird to feel excited about anything.

[Raytrace]

watched the last Vifam OVA - I did really enjoy it - admittedly though I'm one cheesy sentimental bastard ;p

[Ruldra]

Serial Experiments Lain is bad, but at least it's quiet about it. And that's something that's worth appreciating - five pointless spoken sentences an episode is much better than thousands of chickens clucking bullshit nonstop.

Lain is really that bad? I've heard nothing but good stuff about it. It's been in my backlog forever.

Steins;Gate is another I want to have a look but I plan to check out the VN instead. Always go for the source material.

[Obiwanshinobi]

SEL is poorly drawn, but the sound's pretty good. I don't think much of the story. Seems like some service for demographic infatuated with cyberpunk in the last century's final decade.
In all fairness, Nadesico: The Movie (Prince of Darkness) hints at such service too. Something very 1998 it seems.

[RegalSin]

Moon and seven ballZ

You need to get a proper HD video of this, to fully enjoy it. It is a living reminder, of what over 9999999999999999 people in the west thinks about Japanese animation, and why we all should just move to Japan, all together. I mean seriously, brings back memories of when I was first discovering Manga before I knew anything about it. Remember the famous ClockWork Orange seen that has been used over and over, this is what this guy was screaming about.

And thank you pokemon, tamigotchi, digi-mon generation. I am not saying it was all bad, I am saying people during this time, thought they could make a quick buck by short cutting with the computer.

...........

Just watching this alone makes Aeon Flux look like god fell out of the sky, and painted the land gold.

[BryanM]

Lain is really that bad? I've heard nothing but good stuff about it.

I'm sure, but remember that Shiki is like 8.5/10 at imdb and amazon, too. And that a weekly never-ending installment of Naruto filler is somehow economically viable. Only gamers are a worse breed of person compared to the animu nerd.

Not joking about there only being five spoken sentences per episode. Randomly pick a spot anywhere on the first episode, and you'll have a hell of a time finding a character saying anything. Literally every time someone says "hey" and then pauses for ten seconds like they're going to ask a question, the climax ends up as "....nothing".

It's basically 225 minutes of nothing happening, intercut with 10 minutes of creepy stuff, a 2.5 minute mellow theme song, and topped off with the typical anti-climax ending. All for slow boring things, but seriously Twin Peaks feels like being on a rollercoaster compared to this one.

It isn't 1/5 garbage tier, but you have to have a huge bias for its premise before I'd be okay recommending it. For me, it was a few good ideas that weren't taken anywhere.

[Raytrace]

In all fairness, Nadesico: The Movie (Prince of Darkness) hints at such service too. Something very 1998 it seems.

I didn't really like the movie at all, and I did like the series quite a bit.

[Raytrace]

Ergo Proxy was okay. I mean, my expectations are always set to medium and this one met those expectations. Really only a couple of outright bad episodes; I really wish people would stop making those clip show episodes.

I have only watched the first episode and it seemed ok, though no matter how much I fiddled with contrast and brightness settings it was just WAY TOO DARK for my liking. I liked the mood, though I didn't really know what was going on.

[BIL]

Re-reading Berserk. Having let the current issues creep along for a couple years, decided to make a marathon of it before catching up. I know I won't survive to see this series' conclusion, but eh, whaddayagonnado.

Golden Age arc is always a pleasure. Remember what really matters, kids!

[Bananamatic]

In all fairness, Nadesico: The Movie (Prince of Darkness) hints at such service too. Something very 1998 it seems.

I didn't really like the movie at all, and I did like the series quite a bit.

the movie is a load of shit, at least we got the Black Sarena out of it
god damn that mech is sexy

[Raytrace]

the movie is a load of shit, at least we got the Black Sarena out of it
god damn that mech is sexy

100% - it is an incredible robot.

I'm getting close to the end of Utena (I'm at episode 36) - sweet Jesus it just gets creeper and creepier - Anthy's fake smile and general soullesness is pretty disturbing. Also, is Akio supposed to pretty much be the 'Devil' - or at least to symbolise temptation/lust/do what thou wilt-ish stuff?

When the camera zooms in on his face as he sits atop the speeding cars bonnet, he is one freaky bastard.

[Lord Satori]

Just watched all 13 episodes of Elfen Lied in one sitting. It's THAT amazing.

[RegalSin]

Eleven Laid is that amazing too, what an amazing bunch of characters, that are highly original, what I do not understand, is why the old man, shot the lady scientist, is beyond me. Again I am still confused to whether the ole man in charge was screwing his wife, and that is why she kept having cat children.

It is like somebody took geo-breeders, and a made a side story around the whole Felicia cat phantom, mythology.

What I like the most about the thing, is the super duper happy ending, but I do not get if the littlest girl survived or not. It made no sense at all. Then is the other girl, the one with the bionic parts having an sexual relationship with the derlict officer?

I could just sit their, all day long watching them eat poached eggs, around the table, all day long, along with the religious Tenchi taboo that ensues between two couple.

[BIL]

I didn't know Kenji Utsumi died last year. Found out while looking up VA for the PS2 Berserk game. He had an extensive body of work, to say the least, but my introduction to him was his shrapnel-gargling, floorboard-rumbling Raoh from the first Hokuto no Ken series.

Manliest tearz ever in TOKI vs RAOH



A belated rest in peace, Century's End Conquerer. ;_;7

[drauch]

Man, guess I missed that as well. The whole Toki v.s. Raoh bout had me crying like a little manly baby. I'll never forget the first time I sat on my shitty white leather couch while drinking Old Crow and sobbing away at the agony of the conflicted brothers. Thank Crom for FotNS.

[Raytrace]

just finished Utena - it is every bit as amazing as people say IMO, no matter how many frames (and songs) get re-used it never lost it's style and then for every re-using of a cel, you had ridiculously complex cels like when Chu Chu is blowing a massive bubble and the way it distorts the view of him.

Gonnan watch the film now.

[KAI]

You just finished one of the best anime series of all times. What about watching Mawaru Penguindrum next? it's not as awesome as Utena, but it's Ikuhara.

[Raytrace]

You just finished one of the best anime series of all times. What about watching Mawaru Penguindrum next? it's not as awesome as Utena, but it's Ikuhara.

I will definitely check that out, though I have a massive backlog at the moment of stuff to finish off.

[Raytrace]

This film is unbelievable - I didn't think it was possible to be a 'higher quality' Utena (drawing wise) - but it definitely is, while still maintaining it's minimalist subtleties.

[Raytrace]

hahah that car wash ! - and finally Apocalypse comes in .

OK that was fuckin incredible - had slightly less of the chilling creepiness of the series though - it was interesting that Anthy wasn't an evil bitch in it.

I liked how it was sortof a DYRL in that it changed enough to be interesting but still offered different perspectives on the original.

[blackoak]

Finished Bubblegum Crisis OVA last night... had been sitting on the last couple episodes for a month or so. Ended up rewatching all 8 again. I know I'm about as late as you can be to this series, but damn, it was great. I think I like the first three or four episodes the best, both for the artists involved and the tone of the music.

The directing feels especially masterful in those first few eps. I have to single out #2, Born to Kill, especially. The opening with Mad Machine, the aerobics scene, the "out about town" scene with Lina and her friend, the scene after Lina's friend dies when the Knight Sabers see each other across from the elevator... all beautifully matched to the music. On a similar note I also like the last scene in episode 3, where Priss drops off the kid and Wasurenaide starts playing. Its a zoomed out shot that has a great woodblock feel to it. I love it when anime gets "back to the roots" with shots like that. Tenshi no Tamago has some scenes like that, some of my favorites.

Is Bubblegum Crash even worth it? Or any of the others?

[Edmond Dantes]

I personally didn't think Crash or AD Police Files were as good as Bubblegum Crisis.

... On that note....

A week back I happened to pick up two volumes of Udon's "Silent Mobius: Complete Edition" used. I had seen the first anime movie as a kid and not really liked it, so I put off reading them until now, and... they rock.

But... does anyone know what is happening with this series? Amazon only shows four volumes, the last being published in 2010, in what was supposed to be a 12-volume series with some additional bonus volumes thrown in as well. Did Udon just silently discontinue this series or did something go wrong?

Looks like I'll have to go for the Viz volumes to get the rest of the story...