OAO Anime/Manga Thread

[Ravenbomb 0]

Nice to see GTO and Genshiken are as good as I remember them being. Any word on when the second series of Genshiken episodes is getting a US release?

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

I think this basically comes down to me just watching the anime series, and you being a fan of the overall framework of it all, novels included. I'm looking at it strictly from the context of that one series on it's own. That seems to be the genesis of the rift here.

 

Regardless, the show has Aya Hirano. I'm pretty sure I'll watch anything she VA's at this juncture, so I'll be watching season 2 when fan subs start appearing.

[El Psycho Diablo 0]

I liked Clannad better than I did Haruhi, honestly. It's all by the same studio, so you may want to look into it.

 

I finished Code Geass finally, mainly due to someone prodding me into watching the last half. Loved it. Also finished Gundam 00, which wasn't quite as good..but still leagues better than Seed or Destiny.

 

As far as this season goes, I'll probably watch Code Geass R2, and Macross Frontier.

[Golgo 13 0]

I think this basically comes down to me just watching the anime series, and you being a fan of the overall framework of it all, novels included. I'm looking at it strictly from the context of that one series on it's own. That seems to be the genesis of the rift here.

 

Regardless, the show has Aya Hirano. I'm pretty sure I'll watch anything she VA's at this juncture, so I'll be watching season 2 when fan subs start appearing.

 

Yeah, that's basically it.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PXEKEZKOako

 

New Shippuuden OP. Also what looks to be filler and/or upcoming movie characters, though it doesn't look too painful. It's a good thing if it means more Asuma and Team 10.

 

Speaking of the new season, here's most of what's coming up:

[Mecha Mummy 0]

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New Shippuuden OP. Also what looks to be filler and/or upcoming movie characters, though it doesn't look too painful. It's a good thing if it means more Asuma and Team 10.

 

Yup, looks like it's time for a filler arc. Huge disappointment because I've pretty much been sitting out of watching Shippuden because the Sasuke arc bored the hell out of me and I was looking forward to Hidan and Kakuzu, but, well.

I suppose they wanted to make the most out of using Asuma whilst they can, since he dies in the next canon arc and all. Bleh.

[Maztinho 0]

I just started watching Clannad...

 

Fuck them for forgetting, Fuko. Fuck them all.

[El Psycho Diablo 0]

I just started watching Clannad...

 

Fuck them for forgetting, Fuko. Fuck them all.

 

Did you mention a name in that spoiler? I didn't see any.

 

..it feels like I've forgotten something important.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

I'm on Ep 7 and either that's something ahead of me, or something I didn't notice.

 

Unless you mean Ibuki...and then I MIGHT know what you mean.

[Broward83 0]

So, anyone know where I can find a place to get the old Jushin Liger anime?

[El Psycho Diablo 0]

I've found a grand total of two episodes that are subbed.

 

Other than that..

[Markme123 0]

So...

 

I am an amateur manga reader, only having read a few when I was in high school. Dragonball, Ranma, Gundam 0079, and Love Hina. My other hobby during those years were video games. Especially, war-based video games like, Socom, Medal of Honor, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, and Full Spectrum Warrior. I was thinking today: Are there any good war based mangas out there? Comedic or serious, it doesn't really matter much as long as it's good.

 

Also, I grew up thinking Ranma was the greatest thing ever because of its WACKINESS; what other titles would you recommend for someone who loved this series?

[Maztinho 0]

I dunno about Manga, but I just stumbled across the Pumpkin Scissors Anime that is warbased and is pretty cool.

[Golgo 13 0]

I still need to get into both, but the Pumpkin Scissors manga is supposed to be really good. You may want to look into Fullmetal Alchemist. Though from what I've heard and read of it, the anime version is better, in my opinion, especially as far as dealing with war. Full Metal Panic, but I think the anime is better than the manga adaptation there, too. You may want to check out Now and Then, Here and There and Grave of the Fireflies, which deal with war, but except for the book Grave is based off of, they're strictly anime. Maybe something like Escaflowne or Utawarerumono.

 

As far as I've seen there aren't many manga and anime that deal with anything resembling modern warfare. They're almost always set as medieval fantasy or sci-fi, or mechs are added, etc., so you may want to look into fantasy, mecha and such. Admittedly I'm not too familiar with manga, but it also seems war is more often produced as anime, or at least the more well known ones are. Well, Gundam adaptations are always options.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Also, I grew up thinking Ranma was the greatest thing ever because of its WACKINESS; what other titles would you recommend for someone who loved this series?

 

Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Pretty much the entire first six or seven volumes are really, really Takahashi-esque comedy which sort of wears thin after a while, but then the actual serious plot kicks in and it's pretty good shounen. It's worth a try, anyway.

[ragingfear79 0]

I just finished watching the first episode of Soul Eater and holy hell I want more, it was amazing. I think im hooked.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Bleach is apparently going into fillers. No idea how long, but their introducing filler characters. Because this worked so very well last time.

 

I'm honestly about to give up on this show. The break of two weeks or so let me read the manga, and I realized how superior it is to the anime. Add in that I've been iffy on it for awhile now (goes back to the...*gasp* last filler arc and all the stupid stuff the show keeps throwing in like the ability to skid...in the air...on THE SKY), and the concept of a new filler arc *IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CURRENT ARC* and I've just about had it.

[ragingfear79 0]

I know how you feel I gave up on Naruto a while back and im about to give up on bleach too. Watch Soul Eater itll make you feel better :-P oh and Kurenai is pretty good too, not too crazy about vampire knight.

[Golgo 13 0]

Bount arc was solid. No, I'm not joking. I haven't kept up with the anime for the past few months anyway, so I had no idea about this new filler.

 

And I thought they were doing that floating shit in the manga too. I can't recall.

[Nightwing 0]

Bleach is apparently going into fillers. No idea how long, but their introducing filler characters. Because this worked so very well last time.

 

I'm honestly about to give up on this show. The break of two weeks or so let me read the manga, and I realized how superior it is to the anime. Add in that I've been iffy on it for awhile now (goes back to the...*gasp* last filler arc and all the stupid stuff the show keeps throwing in like the ability to skid...in the air...on THE SKY), and the concept of a new filler arc *IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CURRENT ARC* and I've just about had it.

 

I can't blame the anime guys as much as I have to blame Kubo for giving them almost nothing to work with. I mean, each of his long arcs is basically two days or so in real-time, but take up something like 120 or so chapters. The guy is finally moving along now, but the whole Hueco Mundo Arc was frustrating in the extreme and nothing really got done in the damned thing.

 

I'm actually going back to the Naruto Anime to see what Shippuden filler is going to be like. I have higher hopes that with the seriousness ratcheted up a bit, filler Naruto will be much better than it previously was.

[Golgo 13 0]

I was reading up some and had no idea they were already up to the Grimmjow fight. I am curious about how they intend to handle this. Some are positing that these new characters are manga bound given their stature.

 

As far as the Naruto filler is concerned, it appears they're mainly there to fill the lull before Akatsuki starts rolling. I don't really believe they'll detract too much. Like I said before, more of Team 10 can't possibly be a bad thing. Team 7 will break from Naruto's training at some point to join in, hopefully Sai and everyone on Team 10 not named Shikamaru will get to do something, it'll end, and then they'll go straight into Akatsuki. Hopefully.

 

I do wish longer series would shift more toward the short season format that some shows use rather than filler. Or a break after every lengthy arc. But they can't lose out on all that money.

[Nightwing 0]

I don't mind filler when it's good. I'm just hoping that the maturity upgrade of Shippuden will cross over to the fillers, which were way too childish and badly done the first time around. I honestly didn't mind the Bount arc too much, though it honestly went on too long. Maybe half a Bount arc for a major filler storyline would be fine by me.

[Maztinho 0]

I just finished watching the first episode of Soul Eater and holy hell I want more, it was amazing. I think im hooked.

 

I found it today too, the second ep is up on Veoh.

 

The moon is fucking epic. It's possibly one of my favorite visuals ever.

[Golgo 13 0]

I don't mind good filler either, but how rare is that. I did like a couple Naruto episodes/arcs. D.Gray-man's are okay and fit into the context of the story (and it's no doubt headed into fillers again soon). The Bount arc started off good, dragged for a while, then picked up a whole lot after the Soul Society infiltration. It's probably the best example I can think of in any case.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

See, I had almost the exact opposite reaction.

 

The Bound arc started off interesting. It was different. Then it was about the time when the cast couldn't figure out how to deal with the water bound that I started going "...wait...". Then it hit one of it's peaks of silliness when Ichigo was defeated by the major guy (Whose name I have forgotten) in about two moves using one hand. This is the same Ichigo who had previously "leveled up" to at or near Byakuya's level just episodes prior. The payoff was incredibly poor...just *POOF* and then some existential stuff from Ichigo. Most of the battles were interesting...Beyond the final one, but it was mostly just smoke and mirrors on the Bound's side unless the animators decided "Hey, we need them to actually fight here!".

 

But that's not even the Bound arc's major problem. It commits the major crime of all filler. Not only does it mess with the hierarchy of the show itself by establishing a character equal or greater then some of the non-filler's top characters, but it's boring. And it goes on for like..what...40+ episodes? It just dragged on and on and on and on.

 

I will say, that Mayuri whooping ass was a great moment, and anytime that one psychotic guy was on screen with his hyperactive body possessor tool thingy, I found it very amusing.

 

Good filler, to me, is something that's fun to watch, and doesn't hurt the framework of the overall show at all. It just exists. It fills a gap. It doesn't try to BE anything beyond filler. When you try to make filler matter, then disaster strikes almost without fail.

 

I still have NO IDEA how their gonna pull off this new filler arc thing. Given what takes place in the manga, they've already rewrote stuff, or delayed it so they could have the ending to set this up. It's kind of baffling that they thought *NOW* in the middle of the arc with major stuff about to happen...Now would be the *perfect* time for fillers.

[Nightwing 0]

But that's not even the Bound arc's major problem. It commits the major crime of all filler. Not only does it mess with the hierarchy of the show itself by establishing a character equal or greater then some of the non-filler's top characters, but it's boring. And it goes on for like..what...40+ episodes? It just dragged on and on and on and on.

 

Two things:

 

The bolded part, to me, is fine. I don't mind finding a more powerful character out there somewhere, otherwise what would be the fun? Even though I know the hero isn't going to lose, I can always suspend disbelief. I mean, I was impressed with how well Bounts (Or Bounds) fit into the mythology and their uniqueness. I mean, there was a decent explanation as to why they were so powerful, so I actually didn't mind it. I do agree with the "Two-Hit Kill" complaint, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

 

And on the underlined part, you could say that of a lot of Bleach (and indeed, a lot of other long-running) non-filler stuff. I mean, Hueco Mundo is almost intolerable in how fucking long it is, to the point that at least the Bount Arc had down-time in which the characters could actually develop instead of "Run this way, run that way, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!"

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

I haven't really gotten the complaints about Hueco Mundo, myself. It might be worse in the manga (I only started from the chapters before the Ichigo/Grimmjow fight), and being caught up with the anime probably would have sucked (I caught up around the Ex-Espada fights), but I haven't really found it that boring. I thought the fights were interesting, and gave us samples of how strong the top Espada are. The ONLY fight I had a problem with, was Chad's, because I knew exactly what was going to happen. They built Chad's power up in his fight with his foe to the point where I *KNEW* they were going to use him as a plot tool.

It's kind of anime 101. You build a secondary character up just so you can knock them down and go "HEY! LOOK HOW STRONG THIS GUY IS~!".

Everything else is/was fine...They had a goal, they went for the goal. Not much need to develop anything with the mains there.

 

The only problem I have with Hueco Mundo, and the arc in general is Orihime's motivation.

She went to Hueco Mundo to protect her friends...Yet when they came to save her, she never made an effort to escape until Ichigo found her. Instead she just...stayed locked up without a fight.

Kind of silly, really.

[Nightwing 0]

It's always easier to catch-up than to stay with it, as you're waiting a week between the chapters. For example, the Sakura-Sasori fight is a lot more interesting in retrospect simply because I'm not waiting a week for the next part. But even on a re-read, I just find the entire concept redundant. It just feels like a rehash of the Soul Society Rescue.

 

But I have to say, the best part of that arc is learning Grimmjow's background. I really like his motivations as a character.

[tekcop 0]

So... anime. I used to be pretty big into it back in the day.... about five years ago. Since I've started to get bored with renting a ton of wrestling off of Netflix, I decided to add Excel Saga and Evangelion to my list. Excel is just as awesome as I remember, maybe even more so now that I'm older. I'm only two episodes in to Evangelion, but I'm enjoying it. I added Paranoia Agent, too. I loved it on Adult Swim back when Kotz/Patrick/whateverhecallshimselfnow raved to me about it every night, but I only seen about half the series. Series wise, that's all I can think of. As for movies, I've seen Akira, Perfect Blue, most all Miyazaki films. I've never seen Ghost in a Shell, so I should probably see that.

 

So, with what little I've given here, does anyone have any recommendations? I'm not interested in stuff like Dragon Ball or Naruto much anymore, same for Rurouni Kenshin, Ranma, etc, as I'd rather watch someone with a deeper story. Unless it's just incredibly wacky like Excel. What about horror? I love Junji Ito's manga work, is there anything similar to that in the anime world?

[Ravenbomb 0]

Serial Experiments Lain

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Hey tek, if you like Excel Saga, find/buy/download Puny Puny Poemi. Hilarious, and probably even cruder than ES. They squeeze a lot into 2 episodes. Plus the DVD (and some downloads) include the commentary track by the English VAs. Good stuff.

 

As for recs, I'm not a big horror fan sorry. Maybe something like Black Jack, even though it's not horror (I think)? Death Note? I don't know. I'm a sucker for the wacky harem comedies.