Recommended Anime/Manga?

[BrianC]

Agree on Cowboy Bebop though. The original Japanese VA is just so flat. Literally the only example I can think of where the dub is superior, unless you're in the mood for the charmingly awful dubs of Manga UK.

I liked the Princess Nine dub better than the original and the dub voice for Strikeman in You're Under Arrest is incredible.

[GaijinPunch]

Fourth episode of Gundam The Origin is out, the Blue Giant and the Black Tristars kick Feddie ass.

Any good? I'm actually watching the original TV show now. I can't seem to get enough early 80's cheese.

[soprano1]

Fourth episode of Gundam The Origin is out, the Blue Giant and the Black Tristars kick Feddie ass.

Any good? I'm actually watching the original TV show now. I can't seem to get enough early 80's cheese.

If you love Char Aznable, yeah it's pretty good. The character design looks 80's as fuck. I would finish watching the original series first before watching this, even though it's a prequel. Bear in mind it's still not done, they are releasing it like Unicorn, with one hour episode every year. Or was it six months?

[GaijinPunch]

Fourth episode of Gundam The Origin is out, the Blue Giant and the Black Tristars kick Feddie ass.

Any good? I'm actually watching the original TV show now. I can't seem to get enough early 80's cheese.

If you love Char Aznable, yeah it's pretty good. The character design looks 80's as fuck. I would finish watching the original series first before watching this, even though it's a prequel. Bear in mind it's still not done, they are releasing it like Unicorn, with one hour episode every year. Or was it six months?

I Googled it and it showed a manga, only. Maybe I'll check this out. I'm on episode 15 or something. Will do 4-5 a week I think. I don't have tons of time to watch stuff, and the psuedo-nostalgia is mainly what makes me watch it, although in terms of art style I like the mid-80's stuff to this, definitely. Honestly I should watch things with more challenging dialogue, but whatever.

[soprano1]

That's right, they are adapting a running manga, which from what i remember is covering the whole One Year War, which started at the end of this episode.

[Xyga]

Not a specialist but IMHO Origin is the only Gundam thing worth watching in ages.

[soprano1]

Not a specialist but IMHO Origin is the only Gundam thing worth watching in ages.

Iron Blooded Orphans looked promising, but it's just fujioshi pandering with a decent plot. I loved the first season of Build Fighters, even if it was just a big ad to sell PlaMo. The second season, Try, was rather mediocre.

[GaijinPunch]

Not a specialist but IMHO Origin is the only Gundam thing worth watching in ages.

I think Wing is where it just got too kiddy for me. I know a couple more came out that weren't as campy, but I wasn't actively watching anime at the time. Might give this a try.

[Durandal]

Not a specialist but IMHO Origin is the only Gundam thing worth watching in ages.

I think Wing is where it just got too kiddy for me. I know a couple more came out that weren't as campy, but I wasn't actively watching anime at the time. Might give this a try.

currently watching Wing right now (skipped G for the time being because I simply couldn't get hooked on top of having barely any time left to watch anime at all) and I gotta say they're really pushing the whole child soldier thing further than Victory ever did

[soprano1]

Gundam Wing is the epitome of fujioshi mecha bait.

[copy-paster]

Finished watching Dagashi Kashi days ago. Liked it tbh.. but not much, the whole 12 episode is telling about history of Japanese candies/sweets with comedy segments, but hell most of the comedic timing is awful at best. Definitely a pleasant watch especially if you have known about "dagashi", still can't recommend more with those hit and miss jokes.

And now I'm watching the first three episodes of Danshi Koukosei no Nichijou, really fun and nostalgic, though there's few dry humor but the rest is just brilliant. Will watch it until end.

[soprano1]

Finished watching Dagashi Kashi days ago. Liked it tbh.. but not much, the whole 12 episode is telling about history of Japanese candies/sweets with comedy segments, but hell most of the comedic timing is awful at best. Definitely a pleasant watch especially if you have known about "dagashi", still can't recommend more with those hit and miss jokes.

And now I'm watching the first three episodes of Danshi Koukosei no Nichijou, really fun and nostalgic, though there's few dry humor but the rest is just brilliant. Will watch it until end.

Danshi Koukosei no Nichijou is really great. Voicework is full of people who make the comedy work great, especially the actors who were doing Gintama at the time.

[M.Knight]

Not a specialist but IMHO Origin is the only Gundam thing worth watching in ages.

Gundam Thunderbolt is fantastic, you should give this OVA a watch if you haven't already.

Iron Blooded Orphans looked promising, but it's just fujioshi pandering with a decent plot. I loved the first season of Build Fighters, even if it was just a big ad to sell PlaMo. The second season, Try, was rather mediocre.

The fujoshi-bait side of IBO was clearly there, but it didn't hinder the plot and the fights were very brutal as there are no beam weapons, so I enjoyed it noneteless. I agree with you on Build Fighters and its sequel Try (even though I also had a few complaints about the first season's later episodes). Build Fighters' Episode 18 also features what is probably my favorite Gundam fight.

[soprano1]

Not a specialist but IMHO Origin is the only Gundam thing worth watching in ages.

Gundam Thunderbolt is fantastic, you should give this OVA a watch if you haven't already.

Iron Blooded Orphans looked promising, but it's just fujioshi pandering with a decent plot. I loved the first season of Build Fighters, even if it was just a big ad to sell PlaMo. The second season, Try, was rather mediocre.

The fujoshi-bait side of IBO was clearly there, but it didn't hinder the plot and the fights were very brutal as there are no beam weapons, so I enjoyed it noneteless. I agree with you on Build Fighters and its sequel Try (even though I also had a few complaints about the first season's later episodes). Build Fighters' Episode 18 also features what is probably my favorite Gundam fight.

Gah, forgot about Thunderbolt, it's awesome as well. I can see your point on IBO, SEED series had too much beam and pink explosions, for example. Not to mention sameface Hirai designs.

[Xyga]

Indeed I have yet to watch Thunderbolt.

IB Orphans: impossible, a pain to watch, seriously BORING AF.
To think I had high hopes after seeing the first few episodes...ack.

[soprano1]

Indeed I have yet to watch Thunderbolt.

IB Orphans: impossible, a pain to watch, seriously BORING AF.
To think I had high hopes after seeing the first few episodes...ack.

Dude, go watch it now, it's really good.
Noticed something funny about the "not very good" Gundam series, they have some cool manga sidestories/prequels/sequels: SEED has the Astray manga stories, which have much interesting characters and some awesome MSV designs, and F91 has the superior Crossbone manga sequels. Even Gundam Wing has G-Unit, known as The Last Outpost in the US.

[Ji-L87]

The Patlabor Reboot short is surprisingly enough not horrible. I actually kinda liked it. The 3D worked well enough, the labors had some great detailing and the characters were okay.
I mean, there's no way you can replace Goto but I expected much worse.

[FinalBaton]

Goto is my fave character in Patlabor, too He elevates the movie/series IMO

[Xyga]

Lol the current Baki manga, Baki Dou, catches up with real world events in Keisuke's fashion.

The latest translated chapter introduces Trump...

Spoiler

...pissing himself in fear of the extreme Japanese superman.

[soprano1]

Lol the current Baki manga, Baki Dou, catches up with real world events in Keisuke's fashion.

The latest translated chapter introduces Trump...

Spoiler

...pissing himself in fear of the extreme Japanese superman.

I was curious, and checked that out: "Be done in 3 minutes."

[Lord Satori]

Watched Midori no Hibi over the past couple days on a whim.

Considering its absurd premise, you wouldn't expect it to be so adorable.

[GaijinPunch]

Warning: Rant

The local art house theater showed Akira this past Friday & Saturday for it's midnight movie. I bought the tickets well in advance, basing all assumptions that it would feature it's original Japanese audio track. The page I bought tickets on said "Language: Japanese". Even took a Japanese friend along w/ the GF. I started to grow uncertain when they played a few Streamline previews in English (Golgo 13 and Demon City). Even more so to the fact that most of the audience were young hipsters which would hoot and holler any time bare cans were shown in the previews. And of course, in the first few seconds the film, the utter fail was apparent, and my disappointment visible. I insisted we bail, as this was not the experience I had built up in either of their minds.

Checking the theaters Facebook feed, a few other people slipped through the cracks like I did, but toughed it out. Some users justified the dub as "so bad it's good". I just couldn't do it. I've never pretended to not have standards in my geekiness, and I don't plan on doing it now.

If I ever get a few free hours this winter I might do a "Greatest Shits" compilation of cringe-worthy moments in the Streamline dub. It really is awful. A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and McGruff the fucking Crime Dog have no place in this masterpiece... and the sad thing is, as shit as they are, they aren't the worst offenders. The minor rolls sound like they were done w/ random studio staff.

[BryanM]

Yeah, not all bad dubs can be Ghost Stories.

[Ji-L87]

I finally got a bunch of Gundam stuff I ordered a month or so back (US to here shipping sucks when you go cheap).
Obviously I had to get hit by some rather hefty import taxes as well

Anyway, I finally got to sit down with the first of the trilogy movies over the weekend. It's kind of a drag at 2 hours and 19 minutes I'm usually not super into oldschool anime which is this old so I pretty much expeced me not to like it that much, I've just really been wanting to see Gundam from the beginning.

So I'm kind of working my way through it so that I can hopefully get to something I like a little better. In a way I guess it feels like mandatory watching and for me I still believe the movies to be more digestible than the original TV series, although I'm very happy that it exists on blu-ray for those who want it.

Although I could probably research this on my own but, how much animation is taken from the TV series and how much of it is new animation?

[GaijinPunch]

I was under the impression it was all TV animation... but I guess i never looked it up.

FWIW, I was kind of in the same boat. I enjoy nostalgic stuff from the early 80's (even more so from the mid 80's when it got a bit more gritty) and wondered if I should just watch the films. Total run time is 7 hours... but the way they are cut I feel you can't break it up that much. The episodes are a mere 20 minutes each (maybe 21 in an extreme case). So the whole show is a bit over 14 hours... however, at 20 minute increments it seems easier to 'digest'.

[KAI]

What a coincidence, I rewatched the trilogy this weekend.

how much of it is new animation?

Around 80%, and most of it it's on the 3rd movie.
The new scenes made by Yas and Itano are incredible even for today's standards.

[MX7]

Sucks about Akira GP. I saw it in my local cinema a few weeks ago and had to be assured several times in advance it was subbed. I still remember your story about seeing it in Tokyo at hyper volume. No such luck for me, and the crowd were really fucking annoying, laughing at literally everything that happened.

[Bloodreign]

Did Pani Poni Dash, now doing Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, both weird, but that nice odd sense of humor.

[Ji-L87]

What a coincidence, I rewatched the trilogy this weekend.

Coincidence indeed

how much of it is new animation?

Around 80%, and most of it it's on the 3rd movie.
The new scenes made by Yas and Itano are incredible even for today's standards.

Nice, something to look forward too.

... however, at 20 minute increments it seems easier to 'digest'.

Yeah, I'm almost through the 2nd movie (have about 20-30 min or so left for another day) and it's just so dense to the point of being tiring.
It's still pretty entertaining though, just a bit concentrated. I think it's been two or three points in the movie where it felt like it could have ended, but it just keeps on going I'm really not used to watching compilation movies it seems.

Anyway, I like Kai much better now after he had his little character "development" arc. I am strongly reminded of Crushed Joe every time he's on screen though. Yeah, Yasuhiku, I know, but none of the other guys give me that vibe. He's like an older Ricky.
Speaking of characters, Ramba Ral is the real boss. What an awesome ossan. Would've liked to see more of him for sure.
If I ever get into gunpla (chances are getting higher by the minute) I will probably have to build a Gouf at some point.

But I guess this will have to suffice for now.

[GaijinPunch]

Sucks about Akira GP. I saw it in my local cinema a few weeks ago and had to be assured several times in advance it was subbed. I still remember your story about seeing it in Tokyo at hyper volume.

I since wrote to the theater and they are going to give me some passes. As I had the managers ear, I threw him some links from the "full aural experience" but didn't get much of a bite. Hey, it was worth a shot. I'll keep my eyes on the festival in japan and might pop over for a showing some time. Definitely worth it.

No such luck for me, and the crowd were really fucking annoying, laughing at literally everything that happened.

Oh, totally understand... I'm sure the crowd the other night did the same thing. Was the version you saw digital or 35mm? The theater here says the distributor only has digital for the subtitled version. Bummer.