Recommended Anime/Manga?

[xbl0x180]

Oh, s***! I just bought Fancy Lala... because it is weird and semi-outta print (i.e., I don't see it listed in print anywhere anymore) and also because it's based on Takada Akemi's manga (remember PatLabor's and Kimagure Orange Road's chara designs?)

It took on the "magical girl" genre in a slightly different way, too (it reads more like Jem).

[Raytrace]

After about Episode 22 ZZ gets really good imo - the Rommel episode even had the feel of an original MSG with all the epic honour/soldier/glory talk type stuff etc.

[drauch]

UGHHHHHHH. Buying Fancy Lala myself now. Thanks for mentioning it!

[Ghegs]

Done with Gundam ZZ, finally. There were very few occasions when I liked it. Couple of episodes in the early 30s were okay, but then it got lame again. And the final battle had Super Robot levels of silliness in it. Not something I like to see in a series that supposedly started the whole Real Robot -thing, even though the whole series has constantly skirted the notion with the Newtypes and such.

Both Zeta and ZZ fail in the one thing the original Gundam succeded at, which was making me care about the main characters. All three shows are a bit too busy to have a mech battle in every single episode to really develop the plot and characters, but at least the first series had that Amuro/Char -dynamic going on which was, for me at least, the main reason to keep watching. Neither Zeta or ZZ have anything like that.

At least I can watch Char's Counterattack now. Maybe I'll dive into Votoms after that, I did watch the first "season" of it many years ago and that was pretty good.

[Raytrace]

Both Zeta and ZZ fail in the one thing the original Gundam succeded at, which was making me care about the main characters. All three shows are a bit too busy to have a mech battle in every single episode to really develop the plot and characters, but at least the first series had that Amuro/Char -dynamic going on which was, for me at least, the main reason to keep watching. Neither Zeta or ZZ have anything like that.

Yeah definitely in Zeta I think Camille was an utter twat - whereas Amuro became far more likeable as series went on - hell even Cosmo in Ideon ended up 'likeable' by the end, having said that I think Judau is far more likeable than Camille overall...

Anywayz Im still goin all the way through ZZ no matter what

[Raytrace]

FFS - a colony drop on Dublin?

cross dressing on the Hong Kong colony = max lulz

[Ghegs]

cross dressing on the Hong Kong colony = max lulz

I was facepalming all through that episode. Why, oh why.

Watched Char's Counterattack today and I'm sad to say I was disappointed. There were most certainly good parts and some awesome mech battling, but again there's the apparently prerequisite character that annoys the hell out of me and pretty much ruins the whole thing. Also, Newtypes are apparently wizards now with all the Deus Ex Magica they're throwing around.

So, with that out of the way, I think I'm done with Gundam for the time being. The first series is good, the OVA's are good (especially 08th MS Team, great stuff) but the rest is just not what I want from my anime/mech stories. I'll watch Gundam Unicorn when the whole series is out, until then I'll occupy myself with something else. Maybe I'll watch through Legend of Galactic Heroes for the third time.

[Gus]

You could give Infinite Stratos a shot.

[Raytrace]

cross dressing on the Hong Kong colony = max lulz

I was facepalming all through that episode. Why, oh why.

Watched Char's Counterattack today and I'm sad to say I was disappointed. There were most certainly good parts and some awesome mech battling, but again there's the apparently prerequisite character that annoys the hell out of me and pretty much ruins the whole thing. Also, Newtypes are apparently wizards now with all the Deus Ex Magica they're throwing around.

So, with that out of the way, I think I'm done with Gundam for the time being. The first series is good, the OVA's are good (especially 08th MS Team, great stuff) but the rest is just not what I want from my anime/mech stories. I'll watch Gundam Unicorn when the whole series is out, until then I'll occupy myself with something else. Maybe I'll watch through Legend of Galactic Heroes for the third time.

yeah it was a bit much haha

I'm watching Char's Counterattack today - finished ZZ last night, I have to say I still definitely way prefer it to Zeta but yeah a lot of the Hong Kong stuff was ridic - the ending was the usual Newtype mind battle but I thought it was way less 'loose' than the ending of Zeta, which just annoyed me...

Yeah I think you're right that 08th MS and indeed War In The Pocket are definitely a lot better than the main shows, well apart from the original MSG, cos I still love that.

The thing is though even as I'm not likeing the storylines sometimes, I just like looking at the ship designs and the robots, most of the time that's enough for me to enjoy it o_O

I think after Char's Counterattack I will take a break from Gundam too, and probably watch SDF Macross next...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The entire SDF Macross series is up on the Crackle.com site (which is owned by Sony).

Finally watched the first ten episodes of Godannar series. Is interesting with the main character whom is married to his boss' daughter. Lots of little fan service with the T&A shots but no nudity.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Raytrace]

well I failed to stop watching Gundam eheh - straight after Char's Counterattack I watched Unicorn, then Formula 91 and now Victory...

I didnt think Char's was THAT great - though I really liked the final asteroid bit, as it was cool to see loads of Zakus and GMs trying to push the asteroid away together.

I actually thought Formula 91 was great, and don't know why Nihon gave it a 3 and a 6 in its reviews of it, ok it is obvious when you watch it that it's totally squashed and there are lots of bits that arent pre-explained, but I think taking that into account it is very good for it's length, and the art was in my opinion pretty much the best of any of the 'main' universal Century timeline Gundams.
I would have preferred it to be an OVA or even a TV series obviously, but I still really liked it. I didn't like the Mobile Suits getting smaller though - I want MOAR BIGGER!!! I want Ideon sized Gundams!!!

[Obiwanshinobi]

Living Game.



Reminds me of Otaku no Musume-san, except this time around the guy takes in not just his alleged daughter, but the whole workplaceful of people moves in. Pretty bonkers stuff, but well put together.
Not sure if it's kosher for a 15 year old to live by herself and work full-time in Japan (doesn't police have an eye for this sort of stuff over there?), but then again, the lot is quite intentionally absurd.

[LtC]

cross dressing on the Hong Kong colony = max lulz

I was facepalming all through that episode. Why, oh why.

Watched Char's Counterattack today and I'm sad to say I was disappointed. There were most certainly good parts and some awesome mech battling, but again there's the apparently prerequisite character that annoys the hell out of me and pretty much ruins the whole thing. Also, Newtypes are apparently wizards now with all the Deus Ex Magica they're throwing around.

So, with that out of the way, I think I'm done with Gundam for the time being. The first series is good, the OVA's are good (especially 08th MS Team, great stuff) but the rest is just not what I want from my anime/mech stories. I'll watch Gundam Unicorn when the whole series is out, until then I'll occupy myself with something else. Maybe I'll watch through Legend of Galactic Heroes for the third time.

It's pretty interesting I got tired of Gundam after watching CCA too

Since you liked 08th MS Team I suggest watching VOTOMS, it's pretty good and I'm quite sure it got better after the first arc. Pailsen files was decent too as far as I can remember.

And if you were ever interested in man vs mecha watch the Mellowlink OVA. It's not that long isn't connected to the main VOTOMS story in any way.

[Nico87]

Just read Berserk and then watch the anime which is based on the first arc of the manga. Then watch the movie based on the anime series that will be out in Japan in late January/early February. Then wait for the two movies that cover the second and third arc respectively.

Don't really need anything else.

Err, on a side-note though, if anyone can recommend a really superb manga, please do. No 100-volume stuff though.

[Ghegs]

Yeah, I started on Votoms and I'm really liking it so far. The pacing of the story and how the episodes flow into each other is way better than Gundam's.

[Raytrace]

Yeah, I started on Votoms and I'm really liking it so far. The pacing of the story and how the episodes flow into each other is way better than Gundam's.

yeppers I had a sneak peak at some and I reckon I'll definitely like em - only approx 100 more Gundam episodes and I can watch em haha (Victory, After War and 'Turn A' Gundam...

[xbl0x180]

Holy crap. I think I have enough animu to last me for the next decade

The damage for December:

Air TV: The Complete Series S.A.V.E.
Amagami SS Holiday Bundle
Amon Saga
Aquarian Age Complete Collection
Armitage III: Bundle Of Matrices
Battle Angel
Best Student Council Complete Collection
Birth: A War Of Two Worlds
Chance Pop Session Complete Collection
Chobits Complete Series
Cutey Honey/Kekko Kamen Double Pack
Daphne In The Brilliant Blue Holiday Bundle
Detatoko Princess
Dragon Ball Seasons 1-5 Uncut Set
Elf Princess Rane
Fancy Lala - A Star Is Born! (Vol. 1)
Fancy Lala - Sharing The Spotlight (Vol. 2)
Fancy Lala - Taking Center Stage (Vol. 3)
Fancy Lala - Double Duty (Vol. 4)
Fancy Lala - Rise To Stardom (Vol. 5)
Fancy Lala - A Passing Dream (Vol. 6)
The Fuccons Complete Collection (live action)
Galaxy Fraulein Yuna
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex Complete Collection
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Complete Collection
Ghost Sweeper Mikami Collection 2
Giant Robo Bargain Bundle
Guy: Double Target
Hades Project Zeorymer, Vol. 1
Hades Project Zeorymer, Vol. 2
Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox - Complete Series
Kanon: Complete Box Set
Key The Metal Idol - Awakening (Vol. 1)
Key The Metal Idol - Dreaming (Vol. 2)
Key The Metal Idol - Singing (Vol. 3)
KimiKiss: Pure Rouge Collection 1
Last Exile Complete Series
Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos, Vol. 1
Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos, Vol. 2
Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos, Vol. 3
Mazinkaiser/Shuten Doji Double Pack
Megazone 23 Complete Collection
MM! Complete Collection
Mobile Suit Gundam F91: The Motion Picture
My Santa
Nanaka 6/17 Complete Collection
Nerima Daikon Brothers Complete Collection
New Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning
Nyan Koi! Complete Collection
Pet Shop Of Horrors Complete Collection
Project Blue Earth S.O.S. Complete Collection
Samurai Champloo Complete Series
Sgt. Frog Season 1 Collection
Slayers: Seasons 1-3 Box Set
Sonic Soldier Borgman - Last Battle/Lover's Rain
Space Travelers - The Movie
Tenamonya Voyagers
Those Who Hunt Elves Complete Collection
Utakata Complete Collection
Vermilion Pleasure Night Complete Collection (live action)
Virgin Fleet
Weather Report Girl (remastered)
Zero Woman Bargain Bundle (live action)


I don't even know where to start. I haven't even finished Nana

[Raytrace]

watching the Mobile Suit Igloos have to say I'm loving them even if they are all very similar o_O

the 'futile but 'honourable' death' type scenes are one of the main things I loved about the original Mobile Suit Gundam and there seems to be a lot of that in Igloo...

[drauch]

Holy crap. I think I have enough animu to last me for the next decade

The damage for December:

Air TV: The Complete Series S.A.V.E.
Amagami SS Holiday Bundle
Amon Saga
Aquarian Age Complete Collection
Armitage III: Bundle Of Matrices
Battle Angel
Best Student Council Complete Collection
Birth: A War Of Two Worlds
Chance Pop Session Complete Collection
Chobits Complete Series
Cutey Honey/Kekko Kamen Double Pack
Daphne In The Brilliant Blue Holiday Bundle
Detatoko Princess
Dragon Ball Seasons 1-5 Uncut Set
Elf Princess Rane
Fancy Lala - A Star Is Born! (Vol. 1)
Fancy Lala - Sharing The Spotlight (Vol. 2)
Fancy Lala - Taking Center Stage (Vol. 3)
Fancy Lala - Double Duty (Vol. 4)
Fancy Lala - Rise To Stardom (Vol. 5)
Fancy Lala - A Passing Dream (Vol. 6)
The Fuccons Complete Collection (live action)
Galaxy Fraulein Yuna
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex Complete Collection
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig Complete Collection
Ghost Sweeper Mikami Collection 2
Giant Robo Bargain Bundle
Guy: Double Target
Hades Project Zeorymer, Vol. 1
Hades Project Zeorymer, Vol. 2
Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox - Complete Series
Kanon: Complete Box Set
Key The Metal Idol - Awakening (Vol. 1)
Key The Metal Idol - Dreaming (Vol. 2)
Key The Metal Idol - Singing (Vol. 3)
KimiKiss: Pure Rouge Collection 1
Last Exile Complete Series
Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos, Vol. 1
Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos, Vol. 2
Machine Robo: Revenge Of Chronos, Vol. 3
Mazinkaiser/Shuten Doji Double Pack
Megazone 23 Complete Collection
MM! Complete Collection
Mobile Suit Gundam F91: The Motion Picture
My Santa
Nanaka 6/17 Complete Collection
Nerima Daikon Brothers Complete Collection
New Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning
Nyan Koi! Complete Collection
Pet Shop Of Horrors Complete Collection
Project Blue Earth S.O.S. Complete Collection
Samurai Champloo Complete Series
Sgt. Frog Season 1 Collection
Slayers: Seasons 1-3 Box Set
Sonic Soldier Borgman - Last Battle/Lover's Rain
Space Travelers - The Movie
Tenamonya Voyagers
Those Who Hunt Elves Complete Collection
Utakata Complete Collection
Vermilion Pleasure Night Complete Collection (live action)
Virgin Fleet
Weather Report Girl (remastered)
Zero Woman Bargain Bundle (live action)


I don't even know where to start. I haven't even finished Nana

Damn brah. I've bought a lot this month as well, but I'm too lazy to compile that. I sadly missed out on that Slayers pack when it was on sale on Amazon. Fool's move on my part. Same with all those Ranma sets really cheap on righstuf. Not enough dollas.

[xbl0x180]

The Ranma 1/2 and The Slayers box sets always go on sale every Christmas, so if you plan on still watching anime a year from now, you should be able to buy them for 20-25 bucks a pop. I've been impatient at times, so I have paid the full price for some box sets (i.e., 25, 30, 40, 80, 100, 100+ bucks). You know you can get a Yawara! box set for 35 bucks when it used to cost 100+?

Anyway, just finished watching the first half (6 episodes) of Uta~Kata. It's a story aaaaaaaaabout.... little girls doing cute things, but with a slight twist. The story so far was kind of like the first few episodes of Clannad with Fuko. In Clannad, you wonder if Fuko is real or if she's a ghost, or if she's part of someone's imagination. That sort of thing.

Now combine that with the "magical girl" aspect: a girl comes upon a curio amulet which she uses to "transform" and gain special powers to rescue/save people. And you have the making for Uta Kata. The protagonist, Ichika, also has a "sidekick" (whom everyone calls "Manatsu"), who knows about the magical power(s), but I wouldn't call this being "a friend" - is she a ghost, an angel, a demigod, a shikigami, a demon? Manatsu never really says. It's funny because Ichika wonders about this being, but not enough to press her on the details. Ichika just... kinda goes along with it, as well as everyone else who encounters Manatsu (except for one character who has an idea she's not a human).



The small twist comes by way of the reflections Ichika makes as she progresses with her newfound "power." It's not deeply existential and philosophical, but, so far, a lot of the power comes by way of briefly seeing humans from a God's point of view. It reminded me a bit of Wim Wenders's Der Himmel Uber Berlin seeing some of those shots from above. And that's the thing, she's only able to briefly have a God's point of view and nothing more. So, it makes her wonder later on, what's the use of being all-seeing, when you're unable to help or make any significant changes?



The animation is smooth, the theme songs are catchy, the background music adds to the melodrama (very mindful of Clannad again), locations for the show were fairly well-researched, and the voice acting was alright. It's no Maison Ikkoku and it's also a damn shame this is only 13 episodes. I think the premise is very interesting and had potential for more episodes.

[Gus]

Holy crap. I think I have enough animu to last me for the next decade

The damage for December:

Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox - Complete Series

You have made the right decision, friend.

[Nico87]

Holy crap. I think I have enough animu to last me for the next decade

Hah, you're like me. I like you. I bought shitloads when Amazon had 40% of alot of stuff, then Zavvi (UK-based online store) had 40% a week later. This was months ago though, but you should really watch out for Amazon anime sales.

[drauch]

Yeah, I miss them every year. Oh well, I can be patient. Yeah, I actually got that Yawara set off ebay last week for 18 bucks shipped! Perfect condition, even.

[Raytrace]

is Gunparade March good ?

[xbl0x180]

Yeah, I miss them every year. Oh well, I can be patient. Yeah, I actually got that Yawara set off ebay last week for 18 bucks shipped! Perfect condition, even.

I paid around 100 bucks for that same box set when it was first released It's a great show. I love the chara designs and it was one of those series that lasted over 100 episodes, so viewers became invested in the going-ons between the characters. It's a quality that most modern anime lacks. Productions nowadays are more focused on smooth animation, but also on cutting costs. Therefore, we get stuff that smooth as f***, but overall seems empty since they're only planned for 23-36 episodes, which leaves out character development.

So far, I think Strawberry Panic and Peach Girl are the only modern anime that come the closest to what I enjoy watching

[Siren2011]

Does anyone else here enjoy Chrono Crusade? I fucking love this show. The conflict between Chrono and Aieon, the back story of that tragic day at the orphanage...the whole plot seems like it was taken out of a canned Final Fantasy game. Not to mention that the american voice acting is superb (though it has a few awkward moments), done by ADV, and the music and 1920s meets occult art direction are both phenomenal. Generally I hate manga with a passion, but I'd definitely be willing to give this a shot. Supposedly it's done differently (no one tell me how!), and while I loved the ending of the series, I thought the final battle was extremely anti-climatic.

In before xbl0x180 tells me everything about the Chrono Crusade universe. Dude, you are loaded with anime knowledge. Every time someone mentions a show or manga, you know exactly what they're talking about. How many anime and manga series have you seen in this lifetime?

[xbl0x180]

I think you're referring to PC Engine Fan X! ^_~. Most of the junk I refer to used to be popular in its time. No esoteric stuff... and new stuff (from the last 15 years)

Hey, Nico, you wanted a recommendation for a brief manga that doesn't go into 100 volumes? Try Kiseiju. I think the original English translated run was about 11 volumes. It was published first in English by TokyoPop when they released their manga anthology, MixxZine, in the 90s. At first glance, I wasn't attracted to the bland, bordering-on-ugly drawings, but the story was very compelling in an Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and X-Files mystery kind of way. Later on, I got used Iwaaki Hitoshi's chara designs. I think they're a breath of fresh air in that they don't have the big, saucer eyes, there are no little girls doing cute things, the story doesn't fall into the cliche trappings that manga and anime are renown for nowadays.



Once the rights expired, they were taken up by Del Rey, who re-did the whole translation (and is probably way more accurate). I don't think they even flipped the books in order to keep the integrity of the original as feasibly possible. I never got around to reading this version, but if I were to get it again, it would be the Del Rey publications.

[Raytrace]

I've just watched approximately 6 minutes of Fooly Cooly and already all I can say is properly '|WTF?'

[Ixmucane2]

I've just watched approximately 6 minutes of Fooly Cooly and already all I can say is properly '|WTF?'

The writers clearly follow the "push them into the river and hopefully they'll learn to swim" school of explanation. But don't worry, after the overloaded beginning there's more development and less throwing in outrageous new elements, and the show becomes clearly about the kid's sexual life.

[Ixmucane2]

My queue of anime DVDs:

• Freedom
• Gundam 0079 compilation movies
• Armitage III (both movies)
• Excel Saga

Apart from practical length consideration, what's the best order to watch them?