Recommended Anime/Manga?

[Raytrace]

on episode 6 of Utena, OK I do feel it's a masterpiece, however that doesn't mean I know what's going on,
like at all. I take it well piano playing is a bit of a not very subtle euphemism? o_O

Art is mind blowing, just the right amount of detail, musc is just as great.

Every time you think it's getting kinda 'normal' then BOOM! - theyr'e in the lift again talking bout chickens and eggs ane everything goes WTF again :p

[Skykid]

Guys, stop watching anime and start reading manga. Everyone knows manga is better than anime anyway, a much richer experience.

This is absolutely jaw-droppingly brilliant, and I never want it to end:




Everything Yukimura does feels like a breath of fresh air, which isn't bad considering he's only created two works.

Vinland Saga is incredible, a much less passive and far more detailed experience than watching TV.

[KAI]

Yep, Vinland Saga Rules. Too bad no one is scanlating it right now.

[Skykid]

Yep, Vinland Saga Rules. Too bad no one is scanlating it right now.

Ah I knew someone here had read it.

What's the last chapter they did, 90? Better get on with it, I need moar.

Yukimura, what an amazing chap: went from a placid space soap opera, all reflection and humanity, to a raucous action-packed viking adventure set during real historical events. There are shades of Hokuto no Ken, but with more inflection and attention in its storytelling. His characterisations are incredible.

[Raytrace]

Guys, stop watching anime and start reading manga.

I'm about to read Johnny Ridden Mobile Suit Variations, to continue my attempt to watch and read the UC Gundam anime and manga of similar times (i.e. UC dates) together. I've just finished rewatching ZZ.

[KAI]

Fuck, I've missed a few chapters. I thought Happyscans dropped the series, but someone is still working on it. There're 99 chaps translated so far.

[drauch]

Ehhhhhh, manga is better most of the time, but not always. I actually prefer the Hokuto anime to the manga. Kenshiro talks a bit more in the manga, and maybe poor translations, but sometimes he talks a bit much, and you don't get Kamiya's monotone and manly voice. Hell, all the voice actors in that show have so much passion! The narrator SCREAMS before every episode, even. More blood in the manga, and the art is to die for, but I still prefer the anime.

Vinland Saga certainly intrigues me. I love everything medieval, sword & sorcery, etc., but I'm not digging so much on the art. Some of those character designs just don't deliver the grittiness and manliness that I desire from such a tale. I'll probably give it a shot at some point, as I do read a bunch of manga as well, but I have still yet to see anything that makes me overly optimistic to drop everything I'm doing and start reading it.

[Xyga]

grittiness and manliness

This is exactly what you will find in Vinland Saga.
It's just completely different from any shounen or seinen, put it an age-category further (what's after seinen by the way ? something 'for adults' and not 'young adults') plus an overall tone/feel that's just not manga at all.
It's an intense story, adult and human/realistic at the same time, could have been created by an European artist, really, there's a lot of similar stuff here.

[drauch]

Cool. Like I said, I definitely plan on checking it out, because everything I've read seems to indicate it'll tickle my fancy. I'm just not sold on the character design, but that's just from my initial google searches, the pictures here, etc. I'm sure I'll open up a bit once I start reading a bit. I'm just picky, and my infatuation for highly detailed muscles and buff dudes usually doesn't resonate well with modern manga art.

[Skykid]

Ehhhhhh, manga is better most of the time, but not always. I actually prefer the Hokuto anime to the manga.

Oh anime's got its place, of course (HnK a great example) - I just tend to find the active engagement in reading manga is much greater, and so is the connection to the world, characters, developments etc. Anime is limited where manga isn't, because budgets, constraints and running times don't have the luxury of delicate pacing or in-depth exploration. Where a manga can give you twenty angles, actions and character expressions in thirty seconds, anime may only be able to offer a fraction.

Vinland Saga (which is amazing btw, you'll warm to the designs in a very short time) is a perfect example. There's so much beauty from one panel to the next, and so much expression in its cast and world, for lack of a better term it feels a lot more 'animated' than anime!

Stop umming and ahhing and go read it. I promise it will make your Christmas.

[drauch]

Yeah, I'm right with ya buddy. I almost always prefer the manga to the anime, but I catch myself watching way more than I do reading. I'd so most of that has to do with aesthetics and a love for animation in general, but I typically do walk away with a much richer and developed story when I set aside the time for manga. And it certainly is like you said: budgets, running times, and other constraints. I don't know how many 80s OVAs I've watched now that just end out of nowhere, never to be completed or finalized. Blue balls at the finest.

I'm stuck in a book right now, which is my main "hobby focus," but once I'm done I'll give Vinland a chance. Coincidentally, it's about mercenaries, dark fantasy, and all the good stuff I'm looking forward to.

[Skykid]

Yeah, I'm right with ya buddy. I almost always prefer the manga to the anime, but I catch myself watching way more than I do reading. I'd so most of that has to do with aesthetics and a love for animation in general, but I typically do walk away with a much richer and developed story when I set aside the time for manga. And it certainly is like you said: budgets, running times, and other constraints. I don't know how many 80s OVAs I've watched now that just end out of nowhere, never to be completed or finalized. Blue balls at the finest.

Well with (good) manga, I also suppose there's a no-filler factor. It's just not possible - unless the author is useless - to fill empty time. So much work goes into every panel, it's all structured to have maximum impact in the most efficient way possible. Contradictory to this process, anime often relies on filler, which is tiresome to say the least, whether dragging out a static scene or entire episode/s to farm revenue from viewers.

Manga has one more quality that can't be overstated: like reading a book, the characters voices and personalities are partly defined by the reader, in your head, as opposed to voice actors attempting to bring them to life. I think the depth of emotion is more credible when there's no third-party attempting their best crying voice, or over emotive nonsense when it comes to shouting matches.

[Eno]

Did what I've been feeling like doing for a while and picked up Me and the Devil Blues all the way from the start again, this time hopefully until the bitter "end"(as AFAIK it was cancelled). Just got to vlume 3, where I stopped last time, just as incredible as the first time. Must read for blues fans.
Makes me embarassed seeing all the surreal guitar action while listening to RJ and not being able to pull off a mere 12bar though

[Raytrace]

rewatching Char's Counterattack - the art really is incredible (though not quite at F91 level unfortunately), but I forgot just how creepy/pervo they made Char in it :s

[Raytrace]

Makes me embarassed seeing all the surreal guitar action while listening to RJ and not being able to pull off a mere 12bar though

that's pretty much the only thing I can do hehe - my father would just make me play that endlessly while he kept on doing solos hahahahah

[drauch]

Finally bought and watched Redline. Figured I would like it, didn't realize I would love it. Out of the 300 something movies I've watched this year it is easily one of my favorite. An animation fans dream. Didn't realize the dude was assistant to Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who at this point I probably consider my favorite anime director. It really brings me back to my love for all the fun 80s OVAs and films. Anything goes, good ol' fun. Didn't think I would like the design, but I wound up loving it. I'm also a sucker for pompadours (I used to have one) and rockabilly attire (used to dress like that... ugh). Had a lot of fun. Plan on watching it again soon, probably. Didn't really think of it until now, but Machinehead seems to be an obvious reference to Kawajiri's segment in Neo Tokyo. Even more reason to love it.

[Raytrace]

Finally bought and watched Redline. Figured I would like it, didn't realize I would love it. Out of the 300 something movies I've watched this year it is easily one of my favorite. An animation fans dream. Didn't realize the dude was assistant to Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who at this point I probably consider my favorite anime director. It really brings me back to my love for all the fun 80s OVAs and films. Anything goes, good ol' fun. Didn't think I would like the design, but I wound up loving it. I'm also a sucker for pompadours (I used to have one) and rockabilly attire (used to dress like that... ugh). Had a lot of fun. Plan on watching it again soon, probably. Didn't really think of it until now, but Machinehead seems to be an obvious reference to Kawajiri's segment in Neo Tokyo. Even more reason to love it.

ain't nothin wrong with havin a quiff man - i used to rock it too haha - crepe soles, 561 cinch backs the lot :p - tbh I just got sick of waking up with pomade/DAX wax all over my face from what was necessary to straighten my hair enough to have a proper quiff. I would just wake up with my face stuck together - so since then I've jus gone back to my defauilt shaved head once monthly. I do verily like rockabilly and psychobilly sounds, and Misfits(strictly Danzig) of course. I actually had a massive 'devilock' too haha - though I pretty much never wore it down, except when I dressed up as Doyle for Hallowe'en/Samhain.

Yeah Redline blew my brain off - so much art and style per frame, and yes it is definitely in the spirit of that amazing segment in Neo Tokyo. Another class quiff in anime is the guy in Cyber City Oedo 808 .

[drauch]

ain't nothin wrong with havin a quiff man - i used to rock it too haha - crepe soles, 561 cinch backs the lot :p - tbh I just got sick of waking up with pomade/DAX wax all over my face from what was necessary to straighten my hair enough to have a proper quiff. I would just wake up with my face stuck together - so since then I've jus gone back to my defauilt shaved head once monthly. I do verily like rockabilly and psychobilly sounds, and Misfits(strictly Danzig) of course. I actually had a massive 'devilock' too haha - though I pretty much never wore it down, except when I dressed up as Doyle for Hallowe'en/Samhain.

Yeah Redline blew my brain off - so much art and style per frame, and yes it is definitely in the spirit of that amazing segment in Neo Tokyo. Another class quiff in anime is the guy in Cyber City Oedo 808 .

Ha! I hear ya there. I had some creepers for awhile. Almost broke my damn ankle too many times. I used Murray's pomade for awhile, and yeah, that stuff is everywhere! Prepare to have your pillows and wall ruined, and anytime you touch your hair it feels like you ate Mcdonald's. I remember the last time I used the stuff, it took me forever to clean it out. Think I took multiple showers, and it still had remnants throughout that only ceased with time. My buddy had some once with warning labels on it, even. Both me and my buddy sadly don't have the hair for it anymore. Damn receding hairlines! I'd kill to be able to do something like that anymore. I could basically have a "proper" current day Jerry Only devillock if I wanted to, if you catch my drift.

And yeah, now that you say so, JP looks an awful lot like the Cyber City character... Glad you dug it too, man; I figured you did!

[DaneSaga]

Redline is phenomenal and really feels like an elating throwback to the 1980s era of anime when creative drive was coupled with fluid and meticulously detailed animation in films.
As the medium continues to pander toward either the large established fan bases or fetishes of the hardcore Japanese Otaku, its honestly refreshing to see a film like Redline eschew such modern sensibilities and conventions in favor of the high-spirited imagination, technical prowess and spectacle that was once synonymous with Japanese animation.

[drauch]

Redline is phenomenal and really feels like an elating throwback to the 1980s era of anime when creative drive was coupled with fluid and meticulously detailed animation in films.
As the medium continues to pander toward either the large established fan bases or fetishes of the hardcore Japanese Otaku, its honestly refreshing to see a film like Redline eschew such modern sensibilities and conventions in favor of the high-spirited imagination, technical prowess and spectacle that was once synonymous with Japanese animation.

Exactly. From everything I read, it definitely seemed like a labor of love, albeit a costly and very time consuming one. It would be incredible if he could get a few more out, but at this point and the current state, I'm a bit pessimistic towards the future of anything like this again for some time.

[Raytrace]

Ha! I hear ya there. I had some creepers for awhile. Almost broke my damn ankle too many times. I used Murray's pomade for awhile, and yeah, that stuff is everywhere! Prepare to have your pillows and wall ruined, and anytime you touch your hair it feels like you ate Mcdonald's. I remember the last time I used the stuff, it took me forever to clean it out. Think I took multiple showers, and it still had remnants throughout that only ceased with time. My buddy had some once with warning labels on it, even. Both me and my buddy sadly don't have the hair for it anymore. Damn receding hairlines! I'd kill to be able to do something like that anymore. I could basically have a "proper" current day Jerry Only devillock if I wanted to, if you catch my drift.

And yeah, now that you say so, JP looks an awful lot like the Cyber City character... Glad you dug it too, man; I figured you did!

yeah crepe soles were really dangerous if you say did the classic drunk putting your foot on the edge of a curb as you were walking on the curb without looking thing, because of the extra height I almost broke my ankle once hahah. To be honest most of the time I just wore my Rangers/getta grip 14 holes, with my 561s with the turn ups haha - I wore the 'original Type 2' denim jacket too which would NEVER fit me nowadays - Elvis wore one in Loving You, well I think it was Loving You, the one where he has a barfight and when he hits the juke box 'Trouble' comes on as he's fighting . Yeah when I used Dax as it was pretty much the only really strong one you could get here at the time. I remember someone said I should just 'hot oil' wash it out, didnt work at all haha. Yeah especially if you woke up hungover with that wax all over your face and a sticky pillow, it was pretty unbearable.

Yeah I kinda basically stopped wearing most of the stuff cos I just felt weird without the hair hahah, shallow as that may seem but, yeah to be in full rockabilly regalia with a skinhead just I dunno looks wrong to me.

Yeah especially in the intro scene of Cyber City Oedo 808 with the bridge jump etc. the really extreme heavy ink/contrasting light in those scenes makes it feel very similar to Redline, I must rewatch both very soon.

I have just seen the 'Ashita No Joe style fight with a kangaroo' scene in Utena - absolutely brilliant - I love how Utena moves from utra stylised basically pure 'art' for the sake of it, to really OTT melodrama, to pure WTF, just all the time switching, also the music is majestic. That Jap power metal/Opera song as she walks up those spiral steps is ace.

[Raytrace]

Redline is phenomenal and really feels like an elating throwback to the 1980s era of anime when creative drive was coupled with fluid and meticulously detailed animation in films.
As the medium continues to pander toward either the large established fan bases or fetishes of the hardcore Japanese Otaku, its honestly refreshing to see a film like Redline eschew such modern sensibilities and conventions in favor of the high-spirited imagination, technical prowess and spectacle that was once synonymous with Japanese animation.

Exactly. From everything I read, it definitely seemed like a labor of love, albeit a costly and very time consuming one. It would be incredible if he could get a few more out, but at this point and the current state, I'm a bit pessimistic towards the future of anything like this again for some time.

it took them a LOT of manhours to make didn't it? - apparently it's supposed to have been 'completely hand drawn' etc.

I mean do they literally mean as in there was NOTHING digital involved untill the master was made or do they mean like it was drawn and then we post processed digitally to tidy up fills etc. - because to me the blacks looked VERY black and the lines looked ultra clean - not that I give a shit as I loved it unequivocally, I'm just wondering if anyone knows about how it was made...

[Raytrace]

finally getting round to watching the final Mad Bull 34 episode 'Cop Killer' - ain't lettin me down so far

haha this is class - I just really hope it isn't explained away in Scooby Doo style at the end - i.e. something like 'the guy worked in special effects so none of what you saw was realy' type storylines...

[trap15]

Yes! Mad Bull 34 is quite awesome

[drauch]

Mad Bull is the shit. The Discotek release is god tier stuff. Hard to believe it's the same dude who did Lone Wolf & Cub, Lady Snowblood, etc.

[Raytrace]

Yes! Mad Bull 34 is quite awesome

it is indeed - 'hidden grenades' scene was one of my favourite moments in anything ever.

[Raytrace]

Mad Bull is the shit. The Discotek release is god tier stuff. Hard to believe it's the same dude who did Lone Wolf & Cub

what? seriously o_O - I've read quite a lot of the manga, is it the same writer/manga creator?

also this is another one of those really nice moments when I realise there's a manga of an anime I love, (yes I accept that's probably the wrong way around, of course the anime is 'of' the manga ).

I was just thinking I would love a 'crossover' anime of Dominion Tank Police and Mad Bull 34 - Mad Bull and the Tank Police captain are so similar itd be hilarious.

haha - 'let me tell you, he's one mean green muthafucker!!!'

[drauch]

Yep, Kazuo Koike. Also slightly famous for Crying Freeman and Path of the Assassin. Just got my hands on the Dark Horse rerelease of the Lone Wolf manga. Nice to finally have these manga size, rather than the even smaller versions they were printing.

[Raytrace]

Yep, Kazuo Koike. Also slightly famous for Crying Freeman and Path of the Assassin. Just got my hands on the Dark Horse rerelease of the Lone Wolf manga. Nice to finally have these manga size, rather than the even smaller versions they were printing.

Yeah i will deffo check out Crying Freeman soon - is the Marc Decascos film terrible btw?

does manga ever get printed at any western type sizes, like some sort of special edition or anything? or is there no point because they're drawn in a way that would render it pointless (i.e. they are actually drawn at that size).

[drauch]

Yeah, originally in the states Lone Wolf and cub was released in standard comic size, which is why I find it odd that it went from "too big," "too small," to "just right." Nausicaa, Oh My Goddess, Akira, and a handful of others, as well have been released standard comic size in the states. Just kinda depends if they're serialized or not, it seems. Dunno.

Haven't seen the Crying Freeman live action. If it's anything like the Fist of the North Star one, I'd say stay far, far away... Can't think of any live action adaptations that are good... except Riki-Oh, which is actually probably better! At least compared to the OVAs.