Recommended Anime/Manga?

[Raytrace]

NOT ANIME - but I'm gonna watch Robot Jox now o_O

[7711]

A friend lent me a few anime (is there a plural to anime ? ) and I'm wondering what I should start with.
Bubblegum Crysis, Monster, NieA_7 and Afro Samurai. Whats the best one, is there any I should avoid ? From what I know Monster and Afro Samurai should be good, and Bubblegum Crysis is a classic.
I've already started watching Dominion Tank Police, I'm very much in love with this one (the soundtrack si excellent too)

[Raytrace]

A friend lent me a few anime (is there a plural to anime ? ) and I'm wondering what I should start with.
Bubblegum Crysis, Monster, NieA_7 and Afro Samurai. Whats the best one, is there any I should avoid ? From what I know Monster and Afro Samurai should be good, and Bubblegum Crysis is a classic.
I've already started watching Dominion Tank Police, I'm very much in love with this one (the soundtrack si excellent too)

well all I've seen of those four are the Bubblegum Crisis OVA's, and I loved them

Dominion Tank Police and New Dominion Tank Police are great fun, I actually prefer their dubs too.

[Rob]

(is there a plural to anime ? )

Animes, obviously.

[CIT]

(is there a plural to anime ? )

Animes, obviously.

pronounced "annie-MOOSE"

[BryanM]

Quite some time ago I decided I wanted to learn japanese and that the best way to achieve this goal was to use anime.

It's an excellent way to kind of learn theme songs, so you can end up like this dude. Or the JPop Funtime Now guys.

Gotta crawl before you can walk. Lots and lots of Japanese For Retardos and children's books.

Edit: Also the most important Japanese phrase. "Kyon-kun, denwa!"

[Raytrace]

[quote="BryanM]
Edit: Also the most important Japanese phrase. "Kyon-kun, denwa!"[/quote]

things I've learnt through anime osmosis:

'UTEYO!'

'TATAKE/AE!'

'HASHIN!', 'ware ware', 'baka', 'bakare'

emm can't think of anymore right now, but it is getting more frequent where I miss reading a sub in time and don't bother going back as I think I know what was meant (in general).

I'm also quite shocked by the amount of english words they use straight in Japanese anime, (i.e. 'thank you' etc.).

[nasty_wolverine]

[quote="BryanM]
Edit: Also the most important Japanese phrase. "Kyon-kun, denwa!"

things I've learnt through anime osmosis:

'UTEYO!'

'TATAKE/AE!'

'HASHIN!', 'ware ware', 'baka', 'bakare'

emm can't think of anymore right now, but it is getting more frequent where I miss reading a sub in time and don't bother going back as I think I know what was meant (in general).

I'm also quite shocked by the amount of english words they use straight in Japanese anime, (i.e. 'thank you' etc.).[/quote][/quote][/quote]

Its "Tsankyu".
Also, Koitsumo Doitsumo, Urusei...

[Rob]

See, who says you can't learn Japanese from animes.

[7711]

(is there a plural to anime ? )

Animes, obviously.

Well I say animes all the time in french but I thought maybe it wasn't correct in english

Since I've learned all my english vocabulary (and more) just watching action films I'm surprised you're all kind of making fun of my question. I'm sure there must be some people who, in the same way, have learned most of what they know of japanese from anime, anime websites and such.

[Edmond Dantes]

The correct plural of "anime" is "anime."

Japanese words don't normally have "plural" forms--the language largely runs on context.

[Raytrace]

I had mixed feelings by the end of the Welcome to the NHK series. Yes, it's different and thought provoking...but it also can't seem to decide whether NEETs have a real mental disorder or are just spoiled kids unwillIng to face the world. The series also seems pretty sad sack as it nears the end, even bringing up the cliche looking up at the stars and pondering one's small size relative to the universe thing...and life sucks and we will all be forgotten anyway so why bother with anything etc. etc.

While I am sure many people can relate to all the quiet desperation on display, I'm left thinking that the depressing outlook is not something I can appreciate as perhaps intended and it doesn't add up entirely well for me. The series seems to claim it is life affirming, while giving us a litany of reasons to not go on.

Tough love and some real honesty about some of the more grim aspects of life? Maybe, and the series is to be commended for cutting past the haze of Otaku nonsense and fantasy long enough to take a long hard look at the extreme side of geekery in Japan, and potentially elsewhere. But it only does so by way of the pretty tired idea of a young girl improbably popping into the protagonist's life. Yes, the plot subverts some of what you would expect from that scenario, but it still feels a little cheap for a series supposedly about grim realities. And in reality, one does not usually have meaningful encounters with the opposite sex without at least leaving the house regularly beforehand.

It's certainly a series worth watching though. I can't mention specifics without getting into spoilers, but I recognized some scenes as conventions borrowed from other series, and used in the same questionable ways. That said, this series has more originality and honesty in one episode than most anime does in 14, so I have to agree with those advising a watch.

I just finished it now - yeah it is pretty unrelentingly depressing right to the end in my opinion, I mean even when they make their game, his whole outlook on it i 110% depress, I think the desperate hollow depressing feeling of the series never lifted, call me old fashioned/cheesy, but I felt I needed a kiss scene after all that dread sadness for 24 episodes.

Still, I completely enjoyed it from start to finish, and maybe it's to be commended for not even really attepmting to 'give us an answer' (!).

When it was funny, it was really funny, my favourite bits were him and Yamazaki going all manic and deranged together, especially the bit where Yamazaki 'predicts' their future world domination.

But when it was sad, it was really sad too, the soundtrack really accentuated this, those sliding down pad sounds that NEVER really went back 'up', those guitar bits. The 'island' and the 'multilevel marketing' storylines were to me the utter most depressing, the second one because it really showed the worst of human nature etc. etc.

Too add to it:

'Several years have passed since I wrote, "I still will do my best after this."
I have not done my best. Proof of that is in the fact that I haven't written
a single new story. I've been reduced to a NEET, living as a parasite on
the royalties from this book.'

(the authors second afterword from the light novel).

o_O

[Edmond Dantes]

Finished Tenchi Universe.

Was okay. Loved the first half of the series (before they went into outer space) but the "In Space" episodes were a drag because, again, all the filler episodes (several of which might've been enjoyable had they been earlier in the series).

I've heard the OVA series is superior by far.

[Raytrace]

gettin close to the end of extant Last Orders - I only came across his website today - this stuff is really interesting:

http://jajatom.moo.jp/E-top/y-room/yuki_chro/pg65.html

[7711]

http://jajatom.moo.jp/E-top/y-room/yuki_chro/pg65.html

Wow, thats awesome, really.

[EmperorIng]

I watched the two Devilman OVAs (not the third), both in their original Japanese and the Manga UK dub.

Really like the Japanese script, but the Manga UK dub, with its typical swearing-at-all-costs + Brooklyn accents has its own charm. Both are worth watching, I'd say. In either event it's a beautiful, dark little piece of work, even if certain moments are suspect.

After that, being on something of a Go Nagai kick, I started up on New Cutie Honey. Ha ha, its actually really good! The English voice-acting is surprisingly excellent and the right mixture of cartoonish voices and serious actors/actresses. The amount of nipple is a bit much for my liking, but in something like Cutie Honey you just have to take it in stride.

[Edmond Dantes]

Wait...

There's three Devilman OVAs?

[KAI]

Yep, the 3rd (Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman) is super violent and stupid.

[Raytrace]

http://jajatom.moo.jp/E-top/y-room/yuki_chro/pg65.html

Wow, thats awesome, really.

there's loads of cool stuff - him talking bout the first time he saw Gundam and Star Wars etc. - really interesting.

Also he gives some Photoshop tips too! :p

[Raytrace]

Really like the Japanese script, but the Manga UK dub, with its typical swearing-at-all-costs + Brooklyn accents has its own charm. Both are worth watching, I'd say. In either event it's a beautiful, dark little piece of work, even if certain moments are suspect.

yeah the dub is incredible I think :p.

[Raytrace]

Yep, the 3rd (Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman) is super violent and stupid.

is the 3rd one the one with some turtle type lad with loads of faces on his back or something ?

[Edmond Dantes]

Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman was made a decade after the original, wasn't it? Or am I thinking of something else?

In other news, a friend of mine succeeded in reviving my interest in Lupin the 3rd (ironically, by mentioning that he doesn't care for escapist characters). It leads me to want to rebuild my Lupin collection. Especially since Discotek released the 1st TV series.

(I can only hope someone fansubbed the 3rd series. I know its supposed to be bad, but I'm a completist like that)

[KAI]

Exactly, Amon was released in 2000.

is the 3rd one the one with some turtle type lad with loads of faces on his back or something ?

I thinks that's the 2nd OVA.

Watching Toaru Railgun S and Toaru Index II. They are fun.

[BryanM]

Watched a smattering more of things, try not to poop yourself at these comprehensive reviews:


Time of Eve

Holy shit something that isn't cookie-cutter?! My head asplode.

This one was a web-only release, and then they fused all the episodes together with some extra scenes thrown in and called it a movie. It's a... a real labor of love. There's no lowest common denominator here. This is as respectable as these things get.

If you like boring cartoons about people drinking coffee at a cafe all the time, while talking about robots and their feelings, have I got the animu for you. 4/5.


Fate Stay Night - Unlimited Blade Works

I have no idea what's going on. But I know that it's terrible. 1/5.

It kind of reminded me of the ending of Daimao, where they crammed 10 years worth of events and exposition into one episode, over an in-universe timespan of about 10 minutes. Except that was a fast-paced and entertaining trainwreck.


Is This a Zombie

I swear to god I'm not intentionally seeking these harem things out. Either it's the only thing Japan makes anymore, or the only thing Funimation releases.

Is This a Zombie leans toward the worse end of the spectrum, that these things tend to be. The first episode is ok, but I can't recommend going further than that. 2/5.

Oh, additionally: Apparently the "fanservice" stuff, where you expect the DVD to at least have boobs or something on it? It's still censored, at least according to the one webpage I read about the matter. It's an odd duck; it's trying to be a dumb, fun satire of the genre, but still often falls firmly (or limply, if you prefer) into its grotto.


The World God Only Knows

We've all heard about this one.

The hero is the Light Yagami of seducing 2D girls in video games. He's then forced to ply his craft on 3D girls because of a Because Plot. It's all far better than it deserves from its premise.

There's almost no perverted nonsense; almost completely nonexistent. Which was a bit of a surprise to me. The first two seasons were still able to make me laugh a few times throughout, though of course there was still some crummy episodes and scenes. Still, very surprising. Maybe I just have Stockholm syndrome. 3/5

And the first season does have a catchy opening with soothing engrish. Honestly I think they spend half of their entire budget on these 90 second things to brainwash us into addiction.

Also kind of love how the entire thing's an advertisement for the PSP. Maybe I only like it because of the vidya game themes....


Chobits

Eve reminded me I hadn't seen any of the non-guro version of Elfen Lied. I watched some of it. It is a thing that exists.

In other news, a friend of mine succeeded in reviving my interest in Lupin the 3rd

The dub of Fujiko Mine was enough to get me on board. Then again, I never fully left the trolley.

[Raytrace]

watched first episode of Galactic Cyclone Bryger. It was very nice and REALLY had that funky 70s sci-fi feel (even if it is 80s - I'm not sure of it's release date).

I also watched first episode of Sabu and Ichi's Detective Tales - very good, interesting how it's so early that some scenes are almost literally 'moving manga' too.

Also reading more Blazing Transfer Student and Masked Boxer manga - brilliant as always.

As an aside, I am very impressed at how much of a good job culturally hokutonogun site and it's 'groups' or whatever you call them are doing to preserve manly anime .

[drauch]

Ah... Bryger. Lupin characters with mechs! Can't go wrong there.

Agreed on HokutoNoGun. So glad they've been putting up Violent Jack, along with the handful of other great releases. A lot of stuff you otherwise probably wouldn't see!

[Raytrace]

Ah... Bryger. Lupin characters with mechs! Can't go wrong there.

Agreed on HokutoNoGun. So glad they've been putting up Violent Jack, along with the handful of other great releases. A lot of stuff you otherwise probably wouldn't see!

Yeah I actually even thought that before reading about it, I thought they looked REALLY Lupin-ish.

Yeah things like hokutogun's stuff and Saizen doing Ashita No Joe TV series please me greatly.

[Raytrace]

nearing end of current Last Order's, ok they become a bit 'monster of the day' well ok 'fight of the day', but when the fights are SO interesting and so well drawn, it is still totally enjoyable, I love all the details and references to tradional oriental martial arts too, (I was v impressed by references to Chin Na and Aiki-Jutsu at one point. I also think it had Ba Gua Zhang in at one bit, and I think the chapter was even called 'Circle Walking' or 'Walking The Circle' or something.

[CIT]

Just saw Wolf Children. Oh man, it's been really long since I saw anything in anime that was this good. Really touching and interestingly told coming-of-age story about life choices and being "different." With people like Mamoru Hosoda around I'm not worried if Miyazaki retires from filmmaking. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto character designs an added plus, of course.

[lilmanjs]

The Garden of Words/Kotonoha no Niwa worth watching? Sounds interesting, but it is a short movie.