Recommended Anime/Manga?

[Steamflogger Boss]

It's extra unfortunate with stuff that has never been rereleased like Kimagure Orange Road (PLZZZZZ DISCOTEK PLZZZZ) to the point where if the LDs and DVDs were the same price, I'd opt for the LDs.

I'm referring to the original Macross series in regards to what I picked up.

I replaced this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/SDF-1-Super-Di ... Sw8mRayT~K

With this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Dimensio ... Sw2gxYuabm

Note: Prices on both these listings are insane and not indicative. It's just what was up with good pics.

I've heard there are video quality differences, allegedly in favor of Animeigo which seems dubious given that they are on single layer discs (glad there basically aren't retail discs released this way anymore) so I'm interested to do a direct quality comparison.

The movie, much to the chagrin of Macross fans has never been released on DVD in the US. The options w/ English are are: cut up and dubbed US VHS, subtitled UK VHS, Japanese LD dubbed in English (this commands a high price) or, and this is what I would honestly recommend, download the fan subbed BD rip.

[FinalBaton]

Is the unofficial "Perfect Edition" DVD of MACROSS DYRL decent?

cuz I don't care about getting an unofficial release for this one. Fuck Harmony Gold.

[soprano1]

Decided to see Perfect Blue, as some people mentioned it and got me interested. Holy shit, did I do the right thing.
Satoshi Kon was( ) an amazing director.

[Steamflogger Boss]

Decided to see Perfect Blue, as some people mentioned it and got me interested. Holy shit, did I do the right thing.
Satoshi Kon was( ) an amazing director.

YESSSSS.

See also: Millenium Actress, Paprika and Tokyo Godfathers.

[Randorama]

Ok, I think that it wasn’t Kon’s Best work but Paranoia Agent is a must.

I say this even if Kon added 4-5 episodes to turn a movie project into a 1-cours series, damaging the narrative cohesion of the work.

I am slowly watching Space Dandy again (I blame Soprano1 for this ). First time was a charm, but this second time I am appreciating it 10 times more by simply knowing what Watanabe wanted to do. Also, the Ideon in the opening sequence is freaking hilarious

[Udderdude]

More stuffs watched:

Gunsmith Cats: Surprisingly, I somehow managed to miss watching this despite the fact that it was practically everywhere back in the day. Anyway, it's cute girls doing cute things. With guns and explosives. Fun times. Apparently the manga is a billion times better, but I've never gotten into it.

Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?? ~Dear My Sister~: The long-awaited Gochiusa movie. I thought it was pretty good, had some good humor and showed some different sides to the characters. Warning: This will give you diabeetus from the moeblobbery.

Hayate! Combat Butler: I finally finished watching all of this. Yeah, that's 101 TV episodes, 3 OVAs and a movie. This is one hell of a long gag comedy anime. But it was consistently funny, so I kept watching it. Probably the highlight is the 3rd season and the OVAs. Movie honestly could've been better.

[soprano1]

Decided to see Perfect Blue, as some people mentioned it and got me interested. Holy shit, did I do the right thing.
Satoshi Kon was( ) an amazing director.

YESSSSS.

See also: Millenium Actress, Paprika and Tokyo Godfathers.

Funnily enough, Perfect Blue was the one I was missing watching from Kon's movies. Thanks anyway.

[Steamflogger Boss]

Decided to see Perfect Blue, as some people mentioned it and got me interested. Holy shit, did I do the right thing.
Satoshi Kon was( ) an amazing director.

YESSSSS.

See also: Millenium Actress, Paprika and Tokyo Godfathers.

Funnily enough, Perfect Blue was the one I was missing watching from Kon's movies. Thanks anyway.

Right on man. Also um, guessing you are pretty excited/nervous right now. CR7 beasting!

[soprano1]

Right on man. Also um, guessing you are pretty excited/nervous right now. CR7 beasting!

Let's see how things go.
And as a segway to football, anyone watching the Captain Tsubasa remake by David Productions?

[BryanM]

Goblin Slayer is up to three comics in publication right now - only one away from a new issue every week or five away from two every week. Guess they're doing well.

The web novel scene always reminds me of that story where they put a bunch of poisonous insects together in a jar, they eat each other and only the strongest one survives. It's the strongest form of vetting in history for these rinky dink productions - while insane coked up Hollywood execs randomly gamble nation level GDP's on the unproven scribblings of a coke fiend. There's a slight value clash, there.

Watched a youtube video about bad CG and not-so-bad CG. You guys told me about the CG bear from Farcry, but not the cell shaded CG wolf or the live action fire!

It's neat how clashing art styles is effective at expressing comedy and horror - as always, two sides of the same coin. Madoka and its 2 dimensional cosmic abominations always sticks in the mind.

[soprano1]

Ozamu Tezuka's Midnight, found out today that volume 2 and 3 were available in English, after reading the first volume some years ago.

[Udderdude]

More stuff I just watched:

Kaleido Star: Wasn't expecting much out of this going into it, but it actually turned out really good. Can't say the same for the second season, though, which kind of felt pointless after the first.

Land Lock: One of Shirow's lesser known OVAs. It's pretty decent fantasy stuff with the usual top notch animation quality. I have to say that some scenes reminded me a lot of the anime cutscenes from Xenogears. I get the feeling this directly inspired them.

Laputa: Somehow never managed to watch this one until now. Pretty much a classic, although the villian did act a little derpy at the end.

Mardock Scramble: Extremely dark crime/cyberpunk/noir, in three interconnected movies. Art style reminded me a lot of Parasite Dolls. This one delves into some pretty disturbing subject matter and does not shy away from it at all, so if you're at all squeamish, don't watch it. lol

[null1024]

Despite otherwise being a fairly mediocre show, the latest episode of Gundam Build Divers is really good and has a really cool fight against the hilariously edgy main villain character who spends his time talking about the meaning of a true battle when all he does is battle little plastic robot figures against each other.

[Udderdude]

That entire show is basically a toy commercial ..

[soprano1]

Despite otherwise being a fairly mediocre show, the latest episode of Gundam Build Divers is really good and has a really cool fight against the hilariously edgy main villain character who spends his time talking about the meaning of a true battle when all he does is battle little plastic robot figures against each other.

Even his gunpla name is edgy as fuck!

Spoiler

Astray NO NAME

[BrianC]

That entire show is basically a toy commercial ..

Gundam meets pokemon?

[Ed Oscuro]

Speaking of toy commercial shows, I saw that high quality footage of the Lensman series is being subbed; anybody have a thought on that series? I just haven't found time to watch any of it yet.

[BIL]

I re-read Dragon Ball for old times' sake. Captain Obvious, and unfair with the whole thing long since completed, I know - but it's amazing how it shears along sans the anime's heaping filler and bloated transformation scenes. Battles are similarly trimmed down, from interminable scuffling to a handful of crushing blows. Perfect Cell debuts with all the ceremony of a pipe bomb and breaks Vegeta's back a few clicks later. That took most of my fucking week back then!

#1 MVP is GENERAL BLUE obviously
1) Super Nazi 2) Gay as fuck 3) Dropkicks small children


Moved onto Super, same applies. Quite seamless too - Toyotaro's done really well at mimicking not only Toriyama's art but also his tone. This is a feelgood gag manga at its goofy little heart, it's not something that warrants any but the most minimal of ballast.



WTS can redeem though

[BryanM]

The Kai cut only has 57% as many episodes as the original.

While Saiki K dumps a modest 48 on our heads. Some nuance, foreshadowing and gags got lost though. Some of them I really like, like the "sunflower seed saved our lives" creepy nonsense.

It appears that a new issue of Saiki will sporadically come up whenever the author feels like it would be worthwhile - seems like the best way to end a series. Neither too long, nor forcefully truncated. It feels like "enough", you know?

...though I'm still not 100% sure what the hells going on with its 4 koma thing since I've found very little on it. From the one thing I was able to find, it looks like garfield style short form 4-koma, instead of long form 4-koma blockbuster Tomo-chan style.

[null1024]

That entire show is basically a toy commercial ..

the only things I'm watching right now are literal toy commercials
and they're fucking working on me
if the Shinkalion sets weren't so expensive, I'd have my own Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa right now

and I'm still desperately waiting for the Build Divers Tequila Gundam, even though I know Bandai sucks too much to make it

[BIL]

The Kai cut only has 57% as many episodes as the original.

Kai's a good compromise, especially subbed for rad (and sparser) Japanese VA. I will forever love impeccably mannered monster FURIZA, the series' gayest Psychic Super Nazi next to GENERAL BLUE himself.

Oooh ho ho ho hooo! *WOUND FUCK*

Filler aside, I prefer the manga's terser battles. No secret that 90% of them are one-sided doom. Might as well bring the hammer down with minimal pretense. Sometimes it even approximates a crude pathos - like when Cell ends #17 (foolish boy) and Vegeta (foolish man)'s futile struggles with one hellish body blow apiece. It was actually reminding me of the anime's categorically superior doppelganger, DBZ Abridged (boof, crunch!) - although that's a bad comparison, since DBZA is better than the manga too!

Meanwhile,



"How dare you... how DARE YOU!" /melgibson

[Randorama]

I would like to confirm that yes, Megalo Box is over, and it kept a high profile and a commitment to good quality from every angle you want to look at it.
The ending is a nice bit of trolling from the authors, who prank everyone who was betting that...no, I am already saying too much.

I would be more than happy if one series like this one can be produced every semester or so: i.e. well-written, with characterization not only relying on characters talking too much (and saying nothing at all...), a cinematic/ or gekiga style of direction, and adult themes (and fucking adult characters who need to face actual life...). Animation was also gorgeous, to be fair.

I am also watching Yamato 2202 on its monthly schedule (sort of), and it is almost as good as the 2199 remake. Both elaborate the original ideas that made the original series nice in a much more nuanced manner, while also being visually stunning (well, on a 50+ inches screen).

Of late, I am almost tempted to start a "why anime suck these days", but then I am reminded that Vinland Saga should start in September, courtesy of Studio Wit. The Magus' Bride Manga is a wonderful Gaiman-like modern fantasy, but the anime is simply visually superior. They just need to keep the same attitude to this adaptation and everything will be alright under the heavens.

Oh, and there will be a Grand Blue anime to debut soon-ish.

[null1024]

I re-read Dragon Ball for old times' sake. Captain Obvious, and unfair with the whole thing long since completed, I know - but it's amazing how it shears along sans the anime's heaping filler and bloated transformation scenes. Battles are similarly trimmed down, from interminable scuffling to a handful of crushing blows. Perfect Cell debuts with all the ceremony of a pipe bomb and breaks Vegeta's back a few clicks later. That took most of my fucking week back then!

Man, someone went and cut the entire final fight with Frieza, from Goku becoming a Super Saiyan to him having to find his way off world.
that shit was four fucking hours

LONGEST FIVE MINUTES OF MY LIFE
I can't remember when he actually just fucking tries to crack the planet open, but there's still hours of footage left after.
IIRC, the anime does super stupid shit like adapting single manga chapters to single episodes, so a brief set of panels that takes five minutes to read gets pushed out to 20+ minutes of animation.

Also, I still think Goku's FIVE FUCKING MINUTE SSJ3 transformation was the coolest shit.
[edit] everyone needs to watch it [dub warning]
shit fucking shakes the whole planet, blows up TVs, cracks the glass on distant skyscrapers, the works, it's beautiful
"I'm sorry that took so much longer than the others." ohhhhhh, baby


Part of me likes some of it. It's melodramatic as fuck when everyone's pausing for ages, there's huge sweeping shots of the landscape, and then BAM, fists flying, fury of blows, the earth shakes beneath them and the heavens tremble! More dramatic panning over the ecological destruction they've wrought with their bare hands, a brief glare at the two fighters' faces, a few offhand comments from those on the side. Mocking comments between the fighters. Repeat and alter as necessary. It's fun.

well, it's only fun in small doses, since it gets to be a slog
I think DB/DBZ is a solidly enjoyable work, it's just that the anime is way too fucking long for its own good. Haven't watched Kai, since it's still looking maddeningly long.

DBZA is 10/10 "should get licensed and released on DVD by Toei and Funimation"

Even his gunpla name is edgy as fuck!

Spoiler

Astray NO NAME

Man, it's hilarious. I love it. I saw a bunch of people complaining about it, but nah, it's perfect.

[BryanM]

IIRC, the anime does super stupid shit like adapting single manga chapters to single episodes, so a brief set of panels that takes five minutes to read gets pushed out to 20+ minutes of animation.

That's the standard procedure for mainstream shonen series - they run concurrently while they're at the height of their popularity.

I think Bleach takes the cake on this one. It very rapidly gave up on dialogue and story, and became a series of endless battle sequences. That take 2 minutes a week to read, if you took your time.

Bleach didn't just have padding or filler episodes. It had filler seasons. Multiple ones.

...

[Steamflogger Boss]

And some people wonder why I didn't get into Bleach.

[BIL]

I think DB/DBZ is a solidly enjoyable work, it's just that the anime is way too fucking long for its own good.

Same. The material is fine and frequently even excellent, within its warm-hearted, consequences-optional little gag/shonen world. It's the anime's attempting to create a ten-course banquet from that same bag of skittles that's the issue. (although yes - thank god for the anime, because without it there's no DBZ Abridged, the true apotheosis of all this)

well, it's only fun in small doses, since it gets to be a slog

I've had this repeatedly happen with the Super anime vs manga, haha. I marked the fuck out at GOLDEN FURIZA and GAINFULLY-EMPLOYED #17, almost as much as I would for PUNISHED GENERAL BLUE (a gay nazi denied his homeland). And this scene (EPIC SPOILARZ) made me BLOW MY FUCKIN LOAD

DBS ANIME SPOILERS, IM WARNING YOU MOTHER FUCKER (・｀W´・)

Spoiler

Like fuuuck was I gonna sit through the hours and hours of tv needed for 30 minutes tops of manga, though. I'll just wait for the manga to finish and read it then.

Although DBS is technically the inverse scenario, with the manga being the adaptation. So instead of padding, it's cutting. I still prefer it by miles on the same elliptic principle, though!

It's also genuinely more skillfully-handled at times. The manga's Goku vs 17 is a mistaken identity skirmish played for laughs, broken off by Goku once 17 pushes him too far with no signs of slowing down. A fun, practical and understated way to illustrate their relative strengths after so long apart. Artificial Murder Organism #17 has been Lifting With Jesus and can't be trifled with - Goku would need to break his fucking girly face (and probably destroy a bunch of endandered species in the process) so quickly forfeits, far short of what we know he's capable of.



Good job! (｀ω´メ) Now, onto FURIZA!



Oh, this muhfucka knows what I like.

The anime very broadly attempts similar re: Goku & 17, but with such lack of grace or attention to detail, I felt like someone had hit me with a sock full of skittles. Lacks the mass to do real damage, but the waste is real and aggravating. It blows its sparkly load all over the screen with EPIC SPARRING MATCH DOOD \m/ >_<, making supposed nuclear option UBER GAWD RAWR Goku look mundane, and 17 look like a total asshole. It's fun and sparkly, but also dumb! You're supposed to save it up and blow it all over 'em later! And then they beat up space pirates, and 17 fucking kills himself, or would've, but Goku helps out. What. Are you trying to illustrate 17 has learned selflessness? Just have him do that in the fucking deathmatch you're recruiting for! smh. It's like you're writing this for children! Wait.

To take the shame away I got drunk with my little brother last night and we enjoyed Ninja Scroll for the millionth time.

NOW THIS IS ANIMATED PICTURE FIGHTING ENTERTAINMENT FOR GROWN MEN

MOCHI NO TATAKAI (;｀ω´;)

Spoiler

Yo even the romantic subplot is great, it gets better with age just like the rest. My brother says Jubei is actually gay for his dead ninja BFF. He is dumb!

Heroine: "You should do me. For health purposes."
Hero: "No. I'm so manly that I don't feel the need to have sex with women."
Heroine: *swoon*

[Axelay]

That entire show is basically a toy commercial ..

the only things I'm watching right now are literal toy commercials
and they're fucking working on me
if the Shinkalion sets weren't so expensive, I'd have my own Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa right now

and I'm still desperately waiting for the Build Divers Tequila Gundam, even though I know Bandai sucks too much to make it

I want that tequila gundam .

And the red beret one with the helicopter parts

[Randorama]

I think Bleach takes the cake on this one. It very rapidly gave up on dialogue and story, and became a series of endless battle sequences. That take 2 minutes a week to read, if you took your time.

Bleach didn't just have padding or filler episodes. It had filler seasons. Multiple ones.

...

Hold on, in Bleach they didn't follow the standard procedure. 66 episodes or so cover around 250 issues of Manga, and then they solved the problem by having filler seasons or something like that. Some of these filler seasons start mid-way canon material and go on for two cours before the main plot resumes. If you think that if feels like Naruto, then you now know that Studio Pierrot is behind both.

It is interesting that of late, studios have started taking breaks to avoid endless fillers in popular adaptations, bar a certain anime/manga with superheroes (pardon, pirates). It seems that even the most rabid otakus are willing to wait rather than getting endless drivel to tamper with the original material (cf. the current crop of Shonen Jump adaptations). I am guessing that this boils entirely to financial aspects (i.e. nobody wants to fork for filler on blue-ray).

[BrianC]

Fairy Tail also had filler seasons. ugh.

[null1024]

That's the standard procedure for mainstream shonen series - they run concurrently while they're at the height of their popularity.

I think Bleach takes the cake on this one. It very rapidly gave up on dialogue and story, and became a series of endless battle sequences. That take 2 minutes a week to read, if you took your time.

Bleach didn't just have padding or filler episodes. It had filler seasons. Multiple ones.

...

Man, it's amazing how much better Bleach is if you don't watch the anime. It's still not amazing, and at some point it entirely derails into complete stupidity, but none of the absurdly terrible anime filler arcs are present, and IIRC even the entirely retarded Fullbring arc wasn't so bad compared to say, the Bount.
not that I'd go bother with either ever arc again at this point