Oh and if any of you guys have a fairly good tolerance against sexy outfit and likes ridiculous over the top fights, go watch Kill La Kill. Apparently reddit also says that it's actually not misogynistic at how they portray the main characters. I don't know about that, as whenever I overthink things, I melt down.Hmm I've missed the time to edit this?
Just watch it for the ridiculous fights and nonsense (in a good way) plot and premise. And masterful use of limited budget (practically web anime budget for a TV anime).
Hmm I've missed the time to edit this?
PS this is still an ongoing show, and there are legal site(s) to stream it. Ask, and ye shall receive.
One piece is by far my most favourite on going shonen manga. It just works better than say bleach or naruto or fairy tale for me.
Hmm, how close is TWGOK to being the stereotypical harem show? I don't really like harem shows so that's why I haven't check TWGOK.
I suddenly remembered Tenshi na Konamaiki (Cheeky Angel). It's about a guy who becomes a girl because of this prick genie, and there's these three or four stereotypes who spend each episode stalking him/her. Opening and ending themes are done by Yuuka Saegusa, I listen to them every now and right now. "Whenever I Think of You" actually has different lyrics in the official track. You can probably watch the whole series on YT.
Hmm, how close is TWGOK to being the stereotypical harem show? I don't really like harem shows so that's why I haven't check TWGOK.(click to show/hide)
Hmm, how close is TWGOK to being the stereotypical harem show? I don't really like harem shows so that's why I haven't check TWGOK.(click to show/hide)Hmm, maybe I'll check it out when I'm bored.(click to show/hide)
If you choose to check it out, read the manga rather than watching the anime. Also, it starts out as if it's gonna be a typical harem series, but the author either intentionally did that for setup purposes rather than anything else or had a change of heart part of the way through and decided to take the series in a completely different direction. It becomes a much more serious series than it lets on toward the beginning. mechgamer can probably back me on this one as (I believe?) he has read a significant portion of the series as well, if he's not completely caught up by this point.Yeah, I can definitely back you up on that. I caught up on it (everything but this week's chapter) and I really enjoyed it. Ironically, it doesn't really get harem-ey until it gets a bit more serious. The harem is handled very well though and there's enough of a plot going on that you can sort of shrug it off.
If you choose to check it out, read the manga rather than watching the anime. Also, it starts out as if it's gonna be a typical harem series, but the author either intentionally did that for setup purposes rather than anything else or had a change of heart part of the way through and decided to take the series in a completely different direction. It becomes a much more serious series than it lets on toward the beginning. mechgamer can probably back me on this one as (I believe?) he has read a significant portion of the series as well, if he's not completely caught up by this point.Yeah, I can definitely back you up on that. I caught up on it (everything but this week's chapter) and I really enjoyed it. Ironically, it doesn't really get harem-ey until it gets a bit more serious. The harem is handled very well though and there's enough of a plot going on that you can sort of shrug it off.
Well at least he's a big damn hero so it's justified that he has chicks following him then, unlike other harem MC where they're just Yuji Everylead the Bland.
Working my way through Hunter X Hunter. I've had this for a long time and never got past the first few minutes, but after seeing the recommendation here I made it through and am enjoying it. Been binging through it a bit, 48 episodes in 4 days... So far I'm liking how they handle supernatural abilities. Strong, but not DBZ/Naruto strong, at least so far, and more surgical/strategic.
Okay, I'd definitely agree that it's not handled like the typical harem series. Although it's hard to tell the motives of most MCs in harem shows since they're generally really dumb, Keima is a genius and as you said, a hero.If you choose to check it out, read the manga rather than watching the anime. Also, it starts out as if it's gonna be a typical harem series, but the author either intentionally did that for setup purposes rather than anything else or had a change of heart part of the way through and decided to take the series in a completely different direction. It becomes a much more serious series than it lets on toward the beginning. mechgamer can probably back me on this one as (I believe?) he has read a significant portion of the series as well, if he's not completely caught up by this point.Yeah, I can definitely back you up on that. I caught up on it (everything but this week's chapter) and I really enjoyed it. Ironically, it doesn't really get harem-ey until it gets a bit more serious. The harem is handled very well though and there's enough of a plot going on that you can sort of shrug it off.
The thing is, it's not a real harem. It's not handled like harem manga because the main character in a harem series is actually interested in romance or sex or what have you, while Keima just can't bring himself to give a damn. He's more interested in doing things that are important and that matter to everyone and he doesn't seem to have any real love interest at all.
Rather than a traditional harem manga, it's more like he's just a big damn hero who has a few girls following him around.
I can't believe that I liked TWGOK. I'm pretty I was burned out with harem(-looking) manga and anime for the longest time, since the fantasy behind it is a bit too repeated, but this one feels kind of different. Maybe I wrongly assumed it is one. Will be sticking with this.Hehe, excellent! How many chapters have you read so far?
I can't believe that I liked TWGOK. I'm pretty I was burned out with harem(-looking) manga and anime for the longest time, since the fantasy behind it is a bit too repeated, but this one feels kind of different. Maybe I wrongly assumed it is one. Will be sticking with this.
Yep, the strength of the series lies in the story and the character development. This series shows that there is more than power-ups and transformations to keep the relations between friend and foe interesting. The Greed Island story adds an extra dimension to what the series does well.Just finished that episode. It was over faster than I expected and won't be as memorable to me, probably, but I do agree it was well done.
By the way, Kurapika's fight versus Ubogin counts for me as more memorable the most shonen anime fights by just being an interesting and somewhat believable blend between physical strength, supernatural powers and strategy. Hunter X was a very well written series...
Too bad Space dandy isn't anywhere near as epic as Cowboy Bebop was...
I know, keep in mind I didn't even watch Cowboy Bebop until over last Christmas Break, and I only watched it then because SD was coming out, so I guess you could say I was coming in with ridiculously high expectations.Too bad Space dandy isn't anywhere near as epic as Cowboy Bebop was...
It's not supposed to be. It never was supposed to be. It's simply a lowbrow comedy made by insanely talented people in the anime industry. And to be fair, most of the show has been pretty good. It had one very flat episode and the first episode didn't work too well in the first half, but the ramen episode was solid and the last three have been great. The Dead Rising references, especially, were very well-handled in what was easily SD's strangest episode so far.
The trick to enjoying Space Dandy is to come in with zero preconceived notions of what the show should be and just enjoy the, most likely, ridiculous ride.
Just finished Sword Art Online, a virtual reality MMO based anime. As someone who's spent years in MMOs, I could certainly relate to many things. Very good show, IMO.Ah SAO, I don't think there's ever been such a polarizing show as SAO in recent history...
Even more so than Kill la Kill? That show has been generating some serious controversy and people are constantly arguing about it. I guess it depends on what part of it is polarizing. Are you talking about people debating the quality of the show, plot, etc. or about people discussing social issues related to the show (since this is what more of Kill la Kill's controversy is about)?I know, keep in mind I didn't even watch Cowboy Bebop until over last Christmas Break, and I only watched it then because SD was coming out, so I guess you could say I was coming in with ridiculously high expectations.Too bad Space dandy isn't anywhere near as epic as Cowboy Bebop was...
It's not supposed to be. It never was supposed to be. It's simply a lowbrow comedy made by insanely talented people in the anime industry. And to be fair, most of the show has been pretty good. It had one very flat episode and the first episode didn't work too well in the first half, but the ramen episode was solid and the last three have been great. The Dead Rising references, especially, were very well-handled in what was easily SD's strangest episode so far.
The trick to enjoying Space Dandy is to come in with zero preconceived notions of what the show should be and just enjoy the, most likely, ridiculous ride.
And I should mention I haven't watched the last two episodes or so. Hopefully I'll have time to catch up next week.Just finished Sword Art Online, a virtual reality MMO based anime. As someone who's spent years in MMOs, I could certainly relate to many things. Very good show, IMO.Ah SAO, I don't think there's ever been such a polarizing show as SAO in recent history...
Kill La Kill's issue is more like what the overall style it is - scantily clad girls that is highly misogynistic and pandering to the usual crowd - vs the looking deeper - something about putting aside what common people view (the slutwear) and making that your inner power or something. I say, fuck all that. I'm just there for the ridiculous fights and masterful space-time manipulation of their budget into making high quality nonsense (in a good way). And the most amazing Mankanshouku Mako, bestest supporting character in forever.
Even more so than Kill la Kill? That show has been generating some serious controversy and people are constantly arguing about it. I guess it depends on what part of it is polarizing. Are you talking about people debating the quality of the show, plot, etc. or about people discussing social issues related to the show (since this is what more of Kill la Kill's controversy is about)?I personally think so. I can see how Kill la Kill would be controversial, but I think most of those arguments revolve around the kamukis (or whatever they're called).
I think a lot of the SAO controversy stems from people not letting the story tell itself and assuming they know what it's about. Reviews I've seen berate it for being too much of a love story, not enough action and too little focus on the game itself. While I can see their point, if the story is mostly about the love story, guess what, it's a love story wrapped in a VRMMORPG package and thus should only support the story, not be it. People rate the second season significantly worse than the first, but I think the second is just as good if not better is some regards. I'm not sure what they are going to do in the third season. I can only think it will be bad from here as the main story is fully wrapped up.I guess there are those issues too, but honestly I enjoyed the premise and execution of the first part of the story, I didn't think there was too much romance or not enough action or whatever, I thought it was a pretty good balance. My beef is with the second arc of the story though. See above video.
I started Psycho Pass the other night. Interesting first few episodes.
@CCS, not to toot my own horn or anything.... http://fantasyrumbahp.wordpress.com/2014/01/22/doing-anime-wrong-my-anime-world-is-at-peace-now/
tl;dr, some conversation with a twitter-friend (FWIW) about anime, and I wrote about why I started anime in a vague-ish disjointed way (mostly for wanting sci-fi but with Japanese visual), and end up for "fuck everything, let's go for bonkers and nonsense type anime". Once in a while though, some good sci-fi/fantasy/whatever that's not just either the usual moe thing came up, like Shinsekai Yori or Psycho-Pass or Gatchaman CROWDS and my foolish dream lights up again, only to be dashed. Again.
And Psycho-Pass is, IMO, the best series that have its main female character develop very very well. Throwing around philosophical phrases around makes it a bit pretentious I feel, but cyberpunk detective story is always a Dubstep Girl agrees in my heart. Sadly, "Made by Gen Urobochi" is not a guarantee of good shit anymore, if you have certain expectations tied with that phrase though.
Finished Psycho Pass. Excellent, but not quite a top pick for me. I liked the realistic ending rather than the typical anime finish.Looks like there's going to be a movie and second season if you thought it was lacking like I did.
To anybody who has watched both the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series (including EoE) and what exists so far of the Rebuild series:
Is Rebuild worth watching? I've read/heard mixed reviews. Most of the negative reviews are centered around making a lot of the characters shallower and developing them less than Eva did, as well as diverging from the original series' focus on psychoanalysis. Is this true and are these flaws significant enough that it will disappoint someone who loves the original series or should I go ahead and watch Rebuild after all?
Attack On Titan (the first season was very good)
I pirated the AoT manga. Too interested...must see what happens. I recommended it to a coworker who is also very picky about anime. He crushed through the season in two sittings. Can't wait to learn more about the history, universe, titan motives, etc.Sadly, up until recently, pretty much the only way to enjoy Japanese media that came out within the last three years was to pirate.
Gurren Lagann was another one of my favorites. Every episode more ridiculous than the last. So over the top.
Started Elfen Lied last night. Pretty gruesome. Should be a fun watch.Yes, it is a good watch. If you're unsatisfied with the anime ending, I'd highly recommend reading the manga though.
jGray, do you have experience with CD Japan and their online store?I'm not jgray but I ordered a couple of CDs from cdjapan's website and they came on time and as advertised.
jGray, do you have experience with CD Japan and their online store?
Started Elfen Lied last night. Pretty gruesome. Should be a fun watch.Yes, it is a good watch. If you're unsatisfied with the anime ending, I'd highly recommend reading the manga though.
Yeah, I remember you used to like it, I believe you actually originally recommended I read the manga after finishing the anime, haha.Yes, it is a good watch. If you're unsatisfied with the anime ending, I'd highly recommend reading the manga though.
You know, I used to like Elfen Lied quite a bit (read the manga) until either another anime fan or a Youtube video (can't remember, it's been a while) pointed out to me that it was derivative of higher quality works such as Evangelion but missed out on what made those works so good in the first place, such as realistic, well-developed characters. Instead, they focus on delivering more action and gore in an attempt to make things edgy or "messed up." For the most part, I would agree with that assessment, and would rather watch something with less generic plot or characters.
I'm not really talking about borrowing themes from Eva. It borrowed characters from Eva (and similar stories), but characterized them in a manner that made them seem "flatter" than the characters in Evangelion. For instance, Lucy was made insane by being bullied as a child and then just starts popping humans as if they're blood balloons. It's hard to relate to her because her mental state seems unrealistic given the relatively minor trauma that she suffered.Yeah, I remember you used to like it, I believe you actually originally recommended I read the manga after finishing the anime, haha.Yes, it is a good watch. If you're unsatisfied with the anime ending, I'd highly recommend reading the manga though.
You know, I used to like Elfen Lied quite a bit (read the manga) until either another anime fan or a Youtube video (can't remember, it's been a while) pointed out to me that it was derivative of higher quality works such as Evangelion but missed out on what made those works so good in the first place, such as realistic, well-developed characters. Instead, they focus on delivering more action and gore in an attempt to make things edgy or "messed up." For the most part, I would agree with that assessment, and would rather watch something with less generic plot or characters.
Hmm, think you could find a link to that person's full argument? I'd be interested in reading more about it. I can kinda see where they're coming from, but it seems like most if not all media borrow themes from other stories to a certain extent. Evangelion could also be described as a masterpiece level story in some regards, so of course other stories aren't going to always going to match the quality of the original.
You make me want to watch Evangelion. The explanation you give about Shinji reminds me of Kamille in Gundam Zeta.One of the franchises that inspired Evangelion was Mobile Suit Gundam, so it could be that some of that found its way into the show. Though, Ikari Shinji was made the way he was for two primary reasons. One, he was an analog for the show's creator, Hideaki Anno, who was depressed and faced a lot of hardship throughout the duration of the series. Two, Shinji was made in order to criticize the NEET culture that was prevalent amongst otaku at the time; in effect, Anno was yelling at anime fans for being unproductive and antisocial. Both of these elements are very, very easy to observe in Ikari Shinji. In a way, Shinji's characterization actually does a pretty good job highlighting some of the major themes of the anime. Unfortunately, the focus on character development and psychoanalysis actually ends up taking away from the plot to some degree, which ends up being a monster of the week show, on a superficial level. In the end, the fights with the Angels tend to be the least interesting aspect of Evangelion, while the characters and their mental and emotional issues end up being far more intriguing.
I guess most protagonists/heroes in most anime who are male are either stable and strong (Amuro Ray to an extent or Duo Maxwell) or traumatised and driven to insanity to a degree (Kamille etcetera...). Oh well...
I see. I was thinking there might be something like this russian site (http://www.fansubs.ru/), the subs only catalog site where various fansubber groups upload their work. Oh well, guess i'm out of luck. Thanks anyway, jGray.
@CCS: Okay, I definitely see your point now. When you put it that way, Elfen Lied was pretty terrible.I don't think I'd go that far. I don't think it's terrible. I've just come to recognize that it doesn't do anything new or particularly special with its plot or characters; in other words, it doesn't suck, but it just doesn't stand out. It's not one of the several truly great anime out there and it never will be. It won't be Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo or Ghost in the Shell or Eva and the manga couldn't begin to aspire to the heights of many of the manga I've read.
I don't think I'd go that far. I don't think it's terrible. I've just come to recognize that it doesn't do anything new or particularly special with its plot or characters; in other words, it doesn't suck, but it just doesn't stand out. It's not one of the several truly great anime out there and it never will be. It won't be Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo or Ghost in the Shell or Eva and the manga couldn't begin to aspire to the heights of many of the manga I've read.Yep, I get what you mean. Elfen Lied was never a top spot in any lists, but I do have to say that the shock value of Elfen Lied, especially since it seemed like every chapter in the manga left off on a cliffhanger, was one of the few things I've experienced in the past year or two that I felt I really wanted to marathon it, and not just because I'm bored.
Again, I don't hate Elfen Lied. I even like it, for what it's worth. But, I recognize it for what it is; it's cheap entertainment that relies almost entirely on its shock value.
I already know that you've been reading TWGOK, but if you want some very good manga that will keep you in marathon mode, you've gotta read FMA, One Piece and - I recall you saying that you already started this one - Negima!. Unfortunately Negima doesn't get very good until a couple of volumes in, but you'll notice a very abrupt change of pace and tone. Once you hit that change, it becomes really, really good. The Seven Deadly Sins is also quite promising, though it's still only in its infancy. Hard to judge what it might become.I don't think I'd go that far. I don't think it's terrible. I've just come to recognize that it doesn't do anything new or particularly special with its plot or characters; in other words, it doesn't suck, but it just doesn't stand out. It's not one of the several truly great anime out there and it never will be. It won't be Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo or Ghost in the Shell or Eva and the manga couldn't begin to aspire to the heights of many of the manga I've read.Yep, I get what you mean. Elfen Lied was never a top spot in any lists, but I do have to say that the shock value of Elfen Lied, especially since it seemed like every chapter in the manga left off on a cliffhanger, was one of the few things I've experienced in the past year or two that I felt I really wanted to marathon it, and not just because I'm bored.
Again, I don't hate Elfen Lied. I even like it, for what it's worth. But, I recognize it for what it is; it's cheap entertainment that relies almost entirely on its shock value.
The Demon Neuro has a raging hunger for 'mysteries.' Being dissatisfied with his current regime in hell, he’s come into the mortal realm in order to satiate his ever-growing appetite.
Yup, I do really need to read FMA. It's not very long from what I remember. One Piece I'll probably wait on until I get other series out of the way first that take up less of my time. Our university's anime club had the first few volumes of Negima! so I checked out the first three volumes and I'm reading them right now. I really hope it gets better, because so far it seems like your typical ecchi high school setup.FMA is only 108 chapters long, but that number is deceptively small. Most chapters are 30-40 pages long, with the exception of the first one or two chapters (60-ish, I believe) and the final chapter (around 100 pages, I think). Considering the typical weekly shounen manga clocks in at around 17-20 pages per chapter, you can effectively double the number of chapters in FMA (maybe even a little more than double it; there are lots of longer chapters) and that would give you a more accurate representation of the length of the series.
I'll probably work on more anime/manga when I'm done playing Rewrite, but that's currently taking up most of my free time.
FMA is only 108 chapters long, but that number is deceptively small. Most chapters are 30-40 pages long, with the exception of the first one or two chapters (60-ish, I believe) and the final chapter (around 100 pages, I think). Considering the typical weekly shounen manga clocks in at around 17-20 pages per chapter, you can effectively double the number of chapters in FMA (maybe even a little more than double it; there are lots of longer chapters) and that would give you a more accurate representation of the length of the series.Ah right, that's a good point. So really I'm looking at more like ~250 weekly chapters there, eh?
Also, definitely stick with Negima! beyond the first few volumes. It isn't until Fate's introduction and the tournament and everything that the tone of the series begins to shift, but once it does, it drops the ecchi/harem elements for the most parts and becomes a somewhat plot intensive battle manga with some of the most intense, over the top fights you will ever get in a manga. There's some really impressive stuff. Think Eva 02's berserk form from EoE, except not as gory, and that's every fight in the whole fvcking final arc (which makes up roughly half the series, iirc).
Hmm, maybe I spent too much time around elitist cynics with regards to anime. But then again, I am kind of a cynic. Not sure if I want to spend time with SAO, seeing a more level-headed response from non-(less?)cynics, instead of the black and white "THIS IS THE BEST ANIME EVAR" vs "THIS IS THE WORST ANIME EVRE".
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Well, looks like my manga list is getting ready to become shorter by one series, again, as TWGOK comes to a close. It will be sad to see this one end, but it may be best for it to end soon rather than for it to eventually drag on like some other current shounen works. I just hope the author brings closure to every major plot thread before capping it off with a final chapter. I'm sure this will not be a problem for such a competent mangaka, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.
I recently picked Rurouni Kenshin at random as the next series to watch. For a romantic series it is very nuanced and more serious in unexpected moments than I thought.
The writer really put some thought behind his story.
I recently picked Rurouni Kenshin at random as the next series to watch. For a romantic series it is very nuanced and more serious in unexpected moments than I thought.
The writer really put some thought behind his story.
Currently watching Aldnoah Zero, first couple episodes are pretty good so far. I'm just waiting for the urobutcher to go full force.
I still need to go finish watching Suisei no Garugantia
Currently watching Aldnoah Zero, first couple episodes are pretty good so far. I'm just waiting for the urobutcher to go full force.
I still need to go finish watching Suisei no Garugantia(click to show/hide)
Looking forward to the rest of the Fate/Stay showings. I did enjoy the Fate Zero series.
Currently watching Aldnoah Zero, first couple episodes are pretty good so far. I'm just waiting for the urobutcher to go full force.
I still need to go finish watching Suisei no Garugantia
Watched 2 episodes of Unicorn Gundam, really liking the plot so far, although I think the way he was given the RX-0 was way too ridiculous. Noragami was a nice watch like the concept of it despite the plot. Aldnoah Zero is pretty nice but nothing special so far...
I'm also enjoying Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki kun, pretty darn humorous, laughed my ass off.
If you are in need of a laugh because of random humour, I recently watched "The Ultimate Teacher" from 1988. A cockroach, a spider and underwear...I've never heard of Ultimate Teacher, are you perhaps referring to GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka)? If not, is it as good as GTO?
If you are in need of a laugh because of random humour, I recently watched "The Ultimate Teacher" from 1988. A cockroach, a spider and underwear...I've never heard of Ultimate Teacher, are you perhaps referring to GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka)? If not, is it as good as GTO?
Just finished catching up all 144 episodes of Hunter x Hunter 2011 over the last few days. Felt like the early stuff was too fast in the reboot, but once it hit original content it dragged out, especially late in the chimera ant arc. There were many times I'd click forward 20-30 seconds to skip re-hash or annoying wails by the royal guard members.
The current arc feels odd, almost forced, but I'll go with it.
Yet people still complain about what Grisaia has managed to produce so far. I think it's doing a fine job with its limited time and resources. I haven't watched the 4th episode yet but I've been writing my thoughts on each episode so far in my blog.I agree, I dropped most of VN related anime for some time(White Album etc) but Grisaia is pretty amazing in art and the direction its going. I can't help but keep watching.
I agree. Legend of Korra has been excellent. Quality baddies every book. Going to be hard to top book 2 with the aspects of light and dark facing off, but book 3's villain was truly fear inducing.Hunter X Hunter was amazing! I didn't enjoy Legend of Korra Book 2 as much as the other Books. I hear you about Sword Art and hope it takes a more interesting turn otherwise it will be supremely redundant. I found the Ghost in the Shell TV series to be a tad boring in season 2. Have you seen Attack on Titan also?
Really missing Hunter x Hunter. Watched Sword of the Stranger last night. Very high quality animation, some of the best I've seen. Good, but predictable story.
Got the whole run of Ghost in the Shell and sequel/specials lined up to watch when I get to it. I've seen some of it before and remember it being fantastic. I don't think I've seen beyond the first season, however.
This season of Sword Art Online started out strong with Kirito challenging more online killers, but afterwards they seem to be chewing through whole arcs in 2-3 episodes and they don't seem all that connected. Odd. Still, I'll watch for sure.
For anyone that cares, S3 of Haruhi started airing in Japan this week, after a 5 year delay and a change in studio. It's a romance between Yuki and Kyon and takes place in the Disappearance universe.
I've very high standards for anime. Nodame Cantabile is a good start. Not only is it a great romance, but it has a superb selection of original and non-original classical music recordings. They pulled in players from around the world to assemble the orchestra that plays the music in the show, and took the best recordings and performances for the non-original performances.
Nothing super exceptional this season but I did enjoy Gangsta quite a bit.