OAO Anime/Manga Thread

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Dubs are acceptable in my book, with a few exceptions (notables include the Kansai accent being dubbed into an American Southern accent at any time and Tenchi Muyo's Ayeka). However, I do have a preference for the original Japanese track with subtitles. In the end, I guess it's not too much of a deal with me, especially when I get it on TV for free.

 

Special K, do you know any places in particular to pick up Vision of Escaflowne? I remember watching an episode or two back in high school, but never got around to finishing the series.

 

On a side note, I picked up volume 24 of the Rurouni Kenshin manga. It's the first time an event in a manga has made my jaw drop.

Escaflowne is $40 at Best Buy for the whole series

[devo 0]

The second Naruto movie has been fansubbed. This thread is full of downloading links.

 

http://mangahelpers.com/forum/index.php?topic=3500

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

The second Naruto movie has been fansubbed. This thread is full of downloading links.

 

http://mangahelpers.com/forum/index.php?topic=3500

will I be able to enjoy it after only reading some of the manga via Shonen Jump?

[devo 0]

Well, having not seen the film, I can't really say for sure. I believe all you would need is to be familiar with the characters of Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Gaara, since they're the main players in the film.

[AndrewTS 0]

Eva's okay, but is the most overrated anime ever.

 

*waves to Cowboy Bebop*

 

The only knock I can see against Eva is the terrible ending (and really, even the movie ending wasn't that good). Whereas the pimped to high heavens Cowboy Bebop had almost no plot development, yet doesn't seem to catch any flak for it. To me, that's being overrated

 

So you figure using a generic sci-fi anime template with unlikeable characters to start, imposing 500 megatons of religious symbolism and existentialist claptrap into it over the course of its run, and padding out most of the later portions with recycled animation (or no animation), and spewing boring dialogues over it, capping it out with a terrible ending really deserves the years of cover features and praise referring to it as the greatest anime tv series ever?

 

Of course, we know at least part of the reason for that.

 

"Oh ****, we're out of money! WHAT DO WE DO?!"

 

Anno: Um...dig out the stock footage, have the characters insult each other, and make sure we beat it into the audiences' heads how much of a ****ing loser Shinji is. People will rave that it is deep and smartly written.

 

"Brilliant!"

 

How about the balls to make an entire feature release that is nothing but summary and recycled animation?

 

And put me in the camp that would like to see more Milk-Chan. However, Bo x 7 has really overstayed its welcome. I don't find it the least bit amusing anymore.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Eva's okay, but is the most overrated anime ever.

 

*waves to Cowboy Bebop*

 

The only knock I can see against Eva is the terrible ending (and really, even the movie ending wasn't that good). Whereas the pimped to high heavens Cowboy Bebop had almost no plot development, yet doesn't seem to catch any flak for it. To me, that's being overrated

 

So you figure using a generic sci-fi anime template with unlikeable characters to start, imposing 500 megatons of existentialist claptrap into it over the course of its run, and padding out most of the later portions with recycled animation (or no animation), and spewing boring dialogues over it, capping it out with a terrible ending really deserves the years of cover features and praise referring to it as the greatest anime tv series ever?

 

If they were unlikeable, I'd imagine the creators did their job. Unless it was their intention that some of the characters were supposed to be likeable and sympathetic, but I don't think it was. It's also incredibly subjective whether one actually finds the characters unlikeable, which means an argument would just boil to "So and so is unlikeable" "Not to me they weren't.". And, well, Gainax, what can you say. The last few things you mentioned, word for word, apply to another colossal screwup involving them, KKNJ. But yea, those shortcomings are quite evident. But the lack of a basic ingredient in Cowboy Bebop is quite evident too, which is another show that gets absolutely pimped to the moon, many times by people who also dump all over something like NGE for being overrated. I wasn't accusing you of that, I just brought up Bebop because I happen to think it's quite a bit more overrated than NGE.

[AndrewTS 0]

Lack of plot development is of little concern for most people who like the series. Lots of action-based animes do half-assed jobs of cramming it in. That just really drags them down and makes them seem schizophrenic and unfocused. CB gives you snippets here and there about where their characters came from and why they are the way they are, but yeah--that's pretty much where it ends.

 

CB knows what it is. NGE knows that you know what it should be, and then it becomes something else, just because it can, and just because Anno had aspirations of greatness and wanted to break out of the little box people put him in.

 

And yeah, "unlikeable" is fairly subjective, but there's a difference between flawed characters with value, and a cast that becomes more and more annoying to the point where you stop giving a damn.

 

"The last few things you mentioned, word for word, apply to another colossal screwup, KKNJ."

 

Oooh, look at me--using the acronym for the Japanese name for His & Her Circumstances (which I never saw, but googled the acronym).

 

Feel free to get up on the soapbox and vent about that one, but it seemed that one was just a blip compared to most of the big name series.

[daileyxplanet 0]

Who here prefers a series' manga over its anime? Why?

[Ravenbomb 0]

it's kinda hard for me to get into most manga now because they use the backwards (well, backwards to us) format, which I'm not used to. But I do prefer the Fruits Basket manga to the anime, mostly because it doesn't end at a crappy point (or at all, so far)

[World's Worst Man 0]

Dragonball, because the pacing of the anime was awful, while the manga flowed better. All things being equal, I like anime over manga, because anime is the better medium for getting across characters, comedy and drama. But in some cases, the anime version isn't done very well, usually because the story is bastardized for the worse. Time and money restraints are probably the biggest reason why. Then again, I don't really read manga, so I don't care how much of an anime is changed from its manga, as long as the anime is still good.

[reign 0]

I haven't seen any mention of the GetBackers yet...great series that has some really good multi-part stories as well as stand alone episodes...

 

SyCred is damn good too although it is kinda wierd after a while

 

Blue Gender is probably my favorite anime series primarily because the ending doesn't go all screwy...

 

The Guyver and Beserk were both damn good but ended with out any real ending which sucks

 

Honorable Mentions

 

Eva

Rahxephon

Gundam 8th MS Team

[AndrewTS 0]

Yeah, also preferred the DB manga. Plus, you dont' have to worry about censoring or crappy dubbing. You just need a decent translation, and you're good.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Dragonball is good either way. DBZ is well, it's like pro wrestling, either you can enjoy it for what it is or you hate it, I suppose

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

The Love Hina manga is superior to the Anime by quite a wide margin.

 

Things in the anime are left just...hanging. Not even the wedding makes the anime.

[ragingfear79 0]

The Hellsing Manga was way better than the Anime.

[Ced 0]

On the flip side, the Trigun anime is leaps and bounds better than its source material. The manga gets to a point where the plot got so confusing that I simply gave up on it, not to mention the artwork looking atrocious and near incomprehensible at times. I'm all for breaking out of the cookie-cutter manga-ka style, but I at least want to know what I'm looking at.

 

The Love Hina manga is superior to the Anime by quite a wide margin.

 

Things in the anime are left just...hanging. Not even the wedding makes the anime.

 

Blame that mostly on the industry's policy on striking while the iron's hot and putting out 13 or 26 episodes regardless of how much source material they have to work with. That and Xebec allegedly not having the budget to create a second series as evidenced by the extremely out of place episode 25.

 

The anime ended things alright, even though I do have objections about some of the liberties taken (I'm looking at you, Moe.). I do agree that the manga was better especially at tying up the loose ends.

[EricMM 0]

Has anyone caught the Anime entitled "Voices of the Distant Stars"?

 

It's a little ... dunno what the japanese words for chick flick are but it was definitely party that. But I was just astounded that it was made by ONE man. It's a very beautiful work.

[Guest wildpegasus]

The Millenium Actress is a fantastic movie as it really stands out from the pack. Even if you don't like love stories watch this movie. It's that good a piece of work.

[ragingfear79 0]

Tokyo Godfathers is an awesome movie as well. It had me teary eyed towards the end. Oh and I highly recommend Perfect Blue.

[devo 0]

As far as anime movies go, I've gotta recommend Metropolis. Beautiful film with a moving story and a terrific soundtrack to boot.

 

Has anyone else watched the Disgaea anime yet? I've seen the first two episodes and it's really good, even if they are mangling the plot of the game a little more with each entry. I'd definitely say that anyone who enjoyed the game should track it down and give it a try.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

As far as anime movies go, I've gotta recommend Metropolis. Beautiful film with a moving story and a terrific soundtrack to boot.

 

Has anyone else watched the Disgaea anime yet? I've seen the first two episodes and it's really good, even if they are mangling the plot of the game a little more with each entry. I'd definitely say that anyone who enjoyed the game should track it down and give it a try.

Metropolis, like Spirited Away, is ruined for me by one moment, in this case the very ending, where they tack on a sentimental little semi happy ending

[devo 0]

I agree that Metropolis' ending was kinda silly, but I felt that the climax itself was very well done. I just love the entire scene with "I Can't Stop Loving You" playing in the background.

 

The scene in Spirited Away that always has me rolling my eyes is when Chihiro figures out Haku's identity. That moment was just so over the top that I burst out laughing the first time I saw it. Pretty much all of Miyazaki's films have a moment like that, though, and I enjoy them all througoughly regardless of it.

[EricMM 0]

But like, Haku means "White Dragon" but it's also a name.

 

I thought that was clever. She was like, A white dragon? (A Haku?)

 

Or you mean his real name? It's probably more signifigant in Japanese

[devo 0]

His real name.

I mean when they're flying back to the bath house, and Chihiro realizes that Haku used to be the guardian of the river near her old house or however they worded it.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Has anyone caught the Anime entitled "Voices of the Distant Stars"?

 

It's a little ... dunno what the japanese words for chick flick are but it was definitely party that. But I was just astounded that it was made by ONE man. It's a very beautiful work.

 

If you liked it, try and see Kumo no Moku, Yakusoku no Basho aka Beyond the Clouds (or something like that). It was made by the same guy, and is another nice, one-off OAV/movie.

[RepoMan 0]

Has anyone caught the Anime entitled "Voices of the Distant Stars"?

 

It's a little ... dunno what the japanese words for chick flick are but it was definitely party that. But I was just astounded that it was made by ONE man. It's a very beautiful work.

I don't think you can pack a better story in just about half an hour. I love that piece of work.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

His real name.

I mean when they're flying back to the bath house, and Chihiro realizes that Haku used to be the guardian of the river near her old house or however they worded it.

That's what killed it for me. I LOVE that movie otherwise, but that scene kills it for me. I also agree about the Metropolis scene, it's wonderful, but it shouldn't have a happy ending

[AndrewTS 0]

The Hellsing Manga was way better than the Anime.

 

Hmm, neat. I thought the anime was ridiculously awesome as it was. However, I would think it would lose a hell of a lot without the color. So much of the mood of the anime seemed to be defined by the way they used it...especially (duh) red.

 

On the flip side, the Trigun anime is leaps and bounds better than its source material. The manga gets to a point where the plot got so confusing that I simply gave up on it, not to mention the artwork looking atrocious and near incomprehensible at times. I'm all for breaking out of the cookie-cutter manga-ka style, but I at least want to know what I'm looking at.

 

The manga covers more, though.

 

Isn't Love Hina, like, just female-on-male violence and stupid sexual humor? That's what I've been led to believe.

 

Oh...

 

What the hell is this? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C60UYTH7IQ

[Ced 0]

Isn't Love Hina, like, just female-on-male violence and stupid sexual humor? That's what I've been led to believe.

 

Boiled down, Love Hina is fanservice, slapstick violence and a little bit of romantic comedy. If that's not your bag, it's not your bag.

 

And what is up with the giant radish spaceship?

[Guest wildpegasus]

That Daicon IV video was terrific. That is why anime rules. Where else are you gonna see something like that?