New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

HTF Anime Discussion Part VII - Page 101

post #3001 of 3082
4/19/05 at 11:53am
Jason, you're not the only one who "tires at all the 'harem' anime conventions."
Reply
post #3002 of 3082
4/19/05 at 12:02pm
Finally got around to watching Gantz 1 last night. Absolutely hilarious. I suppose you have to be kind of a sick b*stard to really appreciate it - and apparently my brother and I are sick b*stards.

One more Blue Gender to go. Disk 7 was fantastic - a big tempo pick up from disks 4-6 which lost a bit of momentum.
What a great series that is.

I'm also really starting to love Full Metal Alchemist. I wasnt too big on it at first - but maybe all the short jokes are getting to me!
Reply
post #3003 of 3082
4/19/05 at 1:47pm
I got my Full Metal Panic Complete box today. I think it looks rather spiffy despite the fact that the shrink wrapping warped the box just a lil. No biggie. It looks way spiffy. I will definitely be buying the Noir thinpak box too.
Reply
post #3004 of 3082
4/19/05 at 2:37pm
FMP is a waste of money. Just the first 12-13 episodes are good and the rest were horribly drawn out and boring. Lost all the charm of the first half of the series. FMP Fumoffu is a better buy IMO. I now pray FMP 3rd series will continue the good trend of the 2nd series.

Jason:

harem anime is here to stay since there are too many lonely, horny teenage (and adult) Japanese boys in Japan that hasn't had a decent sex life. However, there are a few good ones. Not every harem anime are bad, you just have to be choosy on the better ones over the mediocre to crap ones.


All:

I am, for the time being, gonna recommend a look on a new show called Death Club Angel Dokuro-chan. This is the first bloodiest, cute, with a touch of messed up magical girl mixed together. My god, this is one bloody, yet cute, show. Definitely be on the lookout for it. So far, only the first 2 eps are out, so can't really fully recommend until most of the show is out. Definitely for sick and twisted individuals, I recommend this show to you guys.

Oh and for you CLAMP fans, Tsubasa and Chronicle anime is out. This will be new R2 DVD purchase when it is out. So far, awesome animation and kept right to the story of the manga. Highly recommended and a must watch.

Another recommendation is Gakuen Alice (Alice Academy). From the creator of kodomo no omocha (Child's Toy), this series is just as whacky as Kodocha ever was, about gifted youths with extraordinary powers (think of this school like the X-Men school for gifted youngsters). Pretty funny and addictive show. A must watch and highly recommended too.
Reply
post #3005 of 3082
4/19/05 at 2:47pm
JohnAD,

Are you interested in trading for my copy of Midori Days Vol. 1? If so, send me your trade list in a PM. I'm interested in regular films as well as anime.

Otherwise I will open it up to cash offers and Woo Jae will be first in line.



On my way to pick up Neon Genesis: Evangelion Vol. 7 today. Are there any EVA fans in the house?

Until next time...
Reply
post #3006 of 3082
4/19/05 at 2:57pm
Rob:

Unless you want an unopened, Canadian, full-screen version of A Beautiful Mind, I think I'm going to have to let Woo have this one. I don't trade my collection, and while I would be willing to buy, I'll probably wait for the show to finish so I can snap it up all at once. Thanks anyway.

Alanna:

Full Metal Panic is a good choice. I rather enjoyed the series.

John.
Reply
post #3007 of 3082
4/19/05 at 3:38pm
I liked the Evangelion series. It took my second attempt to watch the series to get into it - a couple of years ago I never got past episode 11 - the teenaged angst was annoying back then, but now I don't care.

Nadia is definitely more accessible - I give it an A for the first half of the series, and a C+ for the second half. The last few episodes are good. Woohoo Electra fanservice shots! Now I know where Gundam Seed got the shaken-up female captain shots from! I think if I were to watch Nadia again, I would think carefully on which middle episodes to avoid where the characters suddenly have amnesia and lose all the character development they accumulated while on the Nautilus. *cough*

Full Metal Alchemist - I loved the show until around episode 30, where the story starts to unravel and lose direction IMHO. But maybe it was the quality of the fansubs - things started to get confusing and it just seemed that the story ran out of steam. I heard another story that episode 26 goes past the manga, so they were making everything up since then. I stopped watching at about episode 48 - strange how I don't care about how it ended. *shrug*

Full Metal Panic - I loved the Fumoffu series - great stuff. I can't say much about the 1st season as I watched a butchered engrish subtitled version that kept mixing up pronouns. At least the engrish was funny enough to keep me watching!

Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex - best anime I've ever seen. 2ng Gig in some ways is even better than the 1st season. However, I don't know many female anime fans that like the show. Words like "boring" and "I hate the kiddy sentient tanks" spew forth from their mouths. Could it be that GITS is truly a man's show?
Reply
post #3008 of 3082
4/19/05 at 9:05pm
Rob, you got a PM ^_^;

Well I do want to see both FMP, Argentosoma, and Noir so I'll prolly get teh stuff in (blech) bricks. And yes, Thinpaks are sexy indeed ^_^;


I got my copy of Fighting Spirit #5. And it - as usual - rocked my socks. A wonderful fight between Ippo, and the boxing genius Hayami, Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
whose overconfidence does him in.
And a much much more brutal fight between Mashiba and Miyata - that has a suprising outcome which I won't spoil. Not only that, we get to see why Mashiba wants to fight - love the fact that this show shows the main characters and their opponent's motivation as well. But Mashiba is still a creepy, arrogant b*stard.
Reply
post #3009 of 3082
4/19/05 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Not every harem anime are bad, you just have to be choosy on the better ones over the mediocre to crap ones.


Oh, I don't think harem anime is bad (I do own Tenchi, Dual! and El-Hazard), but SMJ wore out its welcome for me. The characters were charming for a little bit, but things went on for too long.

Jason
Reply
post #3010 of 3082
4/20/05 at 7:09am
EVA is still my favorite anime of all time. I'm still trying to decide if I should replace my current box set with the Renewal / Platinum releases.

I watched episode 1 & 2 of the *original* disks last week on the projector for the first time. The black levels are somewhat washed out and colors are slightly muted. The "Gainax" screen gitter is there in virtually every scene change.

The sound on the other hand - is pretty nice. Decent LFE, nice wide front sound stage stereo mix. It sounds about the same with or without PLIIx processing - a good thing.

I guess the question is - how much better is the 5.1 mix and the remastered video?
Reply
post #3011 of 3082
4/20/05 at 8:11am
My order from DDD came yesterday. I got the Hand Maid May boxed set, which has vols. 1-3 and a CD-ROM of additional stuff. I also got Tenchi in Tokyo vol. 7, and Saiyuki vols. 5-7, which restarts the collecting on that series after a ~6-month delay. I didn't get a chance to watch any of them last night, but at least this time all of the cases had disks in them .

John.
Reply
post #3012 of 3082
4/20/05 at 8:53am
This is not from my own experience, but I am acquainted with side-by-side comparisons of the "old" and "new" ADV Evangelion DVDs which suggest not only that the quality of the new transfer is better than the old one, but that the quality of the element used for the new transfer is superior. Apparently the old transfer was made using a TV print, possibly 16mm but I don't know, with physical splices between scenes. The new element is supposed to be much closer to the original, with better detail and better coulour, plus the new transfer provides superior blacks and more saturated colours by making use of zero-setup component encoding.
Reply
post #3013 of 3082
4/20/05 at 10:11am
I agree with Chris - the transfer is better on the Platinum version. The 5.1 sound mix isn't bad either - very noticeable in the opening song of each episode.

Colors are better, the picture is more solid - virtually perfect deinterlacing. The original occasionally combs, but not nearly as bad as the Nadia collection one set (collection 2 has almost no combing at least).

I'd rent the Platinum EVA first if you can get your hands on a copy. It may not be worth it unless you have a large screen (60 inches or more).
Reply
post #3014 of 3082
4/20/05 at 10:38am
I'll hold out if I can stand it. I certainly have a large screen (116") but Gungrave and Texhnolyze are going to kill me out over the next few months.
Reply
post #3015 of 3082
4/20/05 at 12:11pm
the redone Evangelion is digitally remastered frame by frame, especially getting rid of the stutter problems from the original telecine version. The 5.1 used in Evangelion includes a more ambient sound that didn't exist in the original track. You will hear more environmental ambient sounds rather than the directional sound in the 5.1.
Reply
post #3016 of 3082
4/20/05 at 12:39pm
From the booklet in NG:Elatinum Vol. 4:

Quote:
Renewal of the Footage

What methods to use to remaster the footage for this DVD release? Approximately six months were spent reaching a decision in answer to this question. For the telecine process of transferring the Evangelion TV series from the original negatives, which were produced in 16mm film, a method called wet gate telecine was chosen instead of dry gate telecine, which is the current mainstream method. This method was chosen, because the priority was placed on efficiently removing the scratches on the film, minimizing the shaking of the image when the 16mm film is run through the telecine, and on the improvement in quality rather than improving the sharpness of details. Pin registration was used to reduce the shaking of the image, which occurs due to this being a film product. By firmly stabilizing the film, the shaking was visibly reduced for all to see. On the other hand, the TV opening and ending are on 35mm film, which are clear and of high resolution, unlike the TV episodes. Thus, the priority was to bring out the colors, and the dry gate telecine method was used. Furthermore, the recording was done in HD (high definition).

Now, concerning some of the scenes in Episode Sixteen and the previews, the original 16mm negatives had become lost from the development laboratory in the past. Thus, the telecine process was done from a 35mm internegative, but through last spurt color work through color correction and digital remastering, the footage has been reproduced to approximate the original.

The technological advances in digital correction also produced great results in dealing with dirt and scratches in the footage. The traces of the adhesive used to connect the cuts that appear in film works have also been erased from every frame. This process also required a great deal of work, but the images have been tightened up overall and appear much clearer now. In addition, by having erased the trace of adhesives, it also became possible to reproduce the entire frame. Retakes were also done to fix painting mistakes and to add details. A lot of the fixes were done digitally, but there are some scenes which were reshot from repainted cels.

Through this elaborate renewal work, the images intended by the creators have been reproduced as faithfully as possible. The most important thing concerning the improvement in quality is that Director Anno and the two assistant directors, Masayuki and Kazuya Tsurumaki, took part in this work. From redoing the telecine process to correcting the colors to recreating the sound mix, it is a rare thing for the directors to participate in all the work.
Reply
post #3017 of 3082
4/20/05 at 4:10pm
The transfer on the new EVA is definitely worth it (another projector owner here). I am collecting them piecemeal when I need something to fill out an order, or when I see them cheap. Personally I was still detecting some jitter but it is 1000000% better than the initial release. General PQ is a lot better and cleaner. I almost liked the worn 1980s look (I know it wasn't made in the 80s but it sure looked that old!) The 5.1 mix sounds better but it's not mind-blowing or anything. Although the dvdtalk review thinks its very good for an anime 5.1 mix:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=15321

Media play is running Eva vol 7 for $19.99, FMA vol 2 for $19.99...and I haven't gotten either. Plus they have a promotion going right now...spend $30 get a $5 g/c that is good for buying stuff in May, spend $50 get a $10 g/c.

I shouldn't spend the money though.
Reply
post #3018 of 3082
4/20/05 at 4:48pm
Eva Platinum is definitely worth the double dip. Deep Discount DVD has each volume for $17.99 shipped. If you can wait for the probable(eventual) 20% off sale, then you can get each one for just $14.39.
Reply
post #3019 of 3082
4/20/05 at 6:48pm
Here's the poster for the U.S. version of Howl's Moving Castle.



Also, the trailer is up at http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=19966
Reply
post #3020 of 3082
4/21/05 at 5:55am
Wow, Howl's Moving Castle looks cool as hell... ! I can't wait to see it! That looks so awesome.
Reply
post #3021 of 3082
4/21/05 at 6:58am
Did you watch the trailer? It looks extremely good. I just hope that it comes to a theater in my city, so I don't have to travel to Minneapolis to see it. The chances are pretty good, becase as I recall, it will open in roughly the same amount of theaters as Spirited Away was in right after the Oscar win, which would be about 750 or so. Just for comparison, Fahrenheit 9/11 was in 100 more than that during its first weekend.

Anyways, I've really been out of the loop when it comes to anime lately. Do you guys have any recommendations for good new series out here in the USA or currently airing in Japan?
Reply
post #3022 of 3082
4/21/05 at 7:10am
Bleach, Samurai Champloo, Samurai Seven, Gankutsuo, Yakitate! Japan, Monster are some of the top titles that are currently out in Japan/US. Of course, I can suggest other favorites like Naruto, Prince of Tennis, and One Piece as well.... but Tony-B ain't much a fan of those kinds of shows ^_^;

Full Metal Alchemist is good as well, and is getting a very good release here in the US by Funimation. Paranoia Agent is also an awesome series released here by Geneon that deserves attention by anyone who is a fan of Satoshi Kon...

A title I feel should get more attention (being released by Geneon) is Hajime no Ippo AKA Fighting Spirit which is a boxing anime that just does not stop getting better with each episode. At 70+ episodes it ain't short, but it's SO GOOD.... The manga has been running since the 1990s, and the anime is very faithful to it. And the dvds, though short on extras per se, has five episodes per dvd, and it just makes you want to see more...

By the way, who has picked up Hikaru No Go here in the US? Was it Viz?

Anyhow, besides suggesting those series, I did watch some stuff last night.

Finished Saber Marionette J Again: Plasmatic Crisis and was well entertained by it. SMJ is one of my fan favorites, which is why my grade is so different from many online reviews. If I were to try and be completely objective, the series would be a B or B-, with Plasmatic series being 1/2 letter grade below (e.g., B-/C+) as it has fanservice and is sort of a side story. But as a fan of the show, I rate the series a B+ and Plasmatic Crisis a B.

Also watched Kiddy Grade #2 and some of #3. Interesting stories...
Reply
post #3023 of 3082
4/21/05 at 7:19am
Has anyone seen Parasite Dolls?
Reply
post #3024 of 3082
4/21/05 at 8:18am
Todd:

I knew about the manga, but I didn't realize that someone had done an anime. From what I've seen, it's sort of a goth/shoujo story.

Woo:

I was LAN gaming yesterday, so I didn't watch anything (again). Kiddy Grade's main story arc starts around disk four, so you should notice a marked increase in your enjoyment of the series .

Tony:

If you buy just one series this year, it should be Paranoia Agent. It's only four disks, with the last disk coming out on 5/10. If you really splurge and buy two, the second one should be Samurai Champloo.

John.
Reply
post #3025 of 3082
4/21/05 at 8:26am
Woo:
My friend has been giving me fansubbed episodes of Bleach. I have up to ep 10 on my PC right now, but I just haven't had time to check it out. I'll let you know what I think of it when I get around to watching it.

Samurai Champloo: Good stuff. Can't wait until this starts on Adult Swim.
Samurai Seven: Seven Samurai? Is it based on that Kurosawa film at all?
Gankutsuo,Yakitate! Japan, and Monster: Never heard of them.
Full Metal Alchemist:Sucks
Naruto: Sucks
Prince of Tennis: Haven't seen it.
One Piece: Haven't seen that, but I have seen this awesome flash parody of what 4Kids will do to One Piece: http://www.deviantart.com/view/11707485/

You know, Fighting Spirit sounds like it might be pretty cool. I'll check that one out eventually too.

John:
What's Paranoia Agent about?
Reply
post #3026 of 3082
4/21/05 at 8:49am
Tony:

It's really hard to say; that's ironic, considering that I've watched the first three disks. It's mostly centered on a mysterious young man named Shounen Bat, and the lives of the people he affects. It's very strange, but very good. If Satoshi Kon had done Serial Experiments Lain it might have turned out something like Paranoia Agent. It's one of those series that you really have to watch more than once.

John.
Reply
post #3027 of 3082
4/21/05 at 8:54am
Full Metal Alchemist sucks? Based on what criteria?
Reply
post #3028 of 3082
4/21/05 at 8:58am
John:
Saying if Satoshi Kon did Lain, it would be like Paranoia Agent really doesn't help me out...at all.

Todd:
Based on the "How much Tony enjoys it" criteria.
Reply
post #3029 of 3082
4/21/05 at 8:59am
Quote:
Full Metal Alchemist sucks? Based on what criteria?

Based on the criteria that if Tony doesn't like it, it sucks . Actually, my nephew has a very similar attitude. I have the first two discs but I haven't gotten around to watching them yet so I can't really comment. The two episodes I've seen on Cartoon Network did enough to get me to pick up the series though.
Reply
post #3030 of 3082
4/21/05 at 9:00am
James, you got the right idea. After all, I am the supreme authority of opinion.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD