HTF Anime Discussion Part VIII (1 Viewer)

[ChristopherDAC]

I have to wonder what causes people to buy multiples of things. I'm specifically thinking of buying a LaserDisc of a show one has on DVD. There are a very few things I have in two LD editions, because I like them very much or for another reason. For instance, the GunBuster box has two omake segments the later three-disc edition does not have, but the later edition does not have the ads which break into the video. I bought the first edition first, because it was easiest to get, and have gotten the others gradually; I love the show enough that it's not a problem having duplicates. Most of my duplicates, though, are as a result of buying assorted lots with some things I wanted and others I did not, and I'm trying desultorily to get rid of them. As far as anime goes, there is the occasional DVD release which is a real upgrade from the LD, and [more importantly by my observation] there are people getting out of LD entirely and trading out for DVD. But, except in the case of the occasional seriously inferior DVD, I wonder why anyone who has a DVD of something would buy the LD of it. Just for the cover art and liner notes? That's a a big secondary attraction for me as an LD collector, but having the feature is the big deal. I only got to thinking about this because I was bid against in an eBay auction by someone who, I discovered on checking his feedback profile, had just recently bought another lot which was the same show on DVD. The motive escapes me. Yeah, so maybe there's no real reason for me to post this here, but hey — it's anime discs that I'm buying.

 

[JohnAD]

Christopher:

My guess would be that they are either a) going to resell the item(s), or b) they might be serious collectors.

John.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

I guess I just don't understand the mentality of the "true collector", which is ironic, since I "collect" a lot of things. A better word might be "accumulate"! I think of my discs as a library, and having two editions of the same anime is as uncommon for me as having two editions of the same book.

 

[JohnAD]

Christopher:

I would agree for the most part. Maybe it's the 'deep' collecting of a certain title, rather than the 'broad' collecting of a library.

John.

 

[GeorgeM]

Anyone with the R2 "Totoro" gotten the R1 release yet? I would love to know if it is using a different video transfer (the R2 was horrible) and if it is using literal English subtitles.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

David Boulet has reviewed it for HTF. The review is right here in the "Film & Documentary" forum. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to review the subtitles, because he doesn't care to have his viewing experience spoiled by text. Anyway, the report is that the video suffers from softness, edge-ringing, and background noise/false picture texture.

 

[GeorgeM]

Argh I can't believe I missed that that review. Thanks.

 

[MichaelSMI]

Hi All,

Im new around here (although not new to home theater) and have been reading this rather long thread after stumbling across it via a google search (on anime).. Im enjoying reading everyones opinions / comments and views on the various titles youve been collecting and its being of great assistance to me in finding anime that I enjoy watching.

Im from australia and find a lot of anime here (especially older titles) to be poorly transfered (butchered to PAL) and slow to be released - probably because anime isnt so popular over here (at least from my observations) - but is becommnig more popular!

Over the last few weeks in particular ive started really getting into Anime and really enjoying it! Im renting most titles for the time being to try and find the types of anime that I really like and also to save some cash (2 children, another on the way and a wife whom doesnt like anime!)..

Recent titles ive really enjoyed include: Elfen Lied, Evangelion Platinum, Gantz (up to disc 5 - waiting for disc 6 to be release here in april), Ghost in the shell, GITS SAC and GITS SAC 2nd Gig Vol1 (waiting for vol2 and innocence to be released late this month), Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Vampire Hunter D, Final Fantasy - spirits within (although I dont think this counts as anime

Enjoyed to a slightly lesser degree: Bublegum Crisis, Cowboy bebop (the movie) - although I think I will enjoy the series - the remastered version disc 1 has just come out here, wicked city, urotsukidoji (1 and 2) - cant find 3 here, Macross Plus Ep 1&2 (I have 3 and 4 waiting to watch this week), Metropolis

Looking forward to seeing: Rahxephon and Fafner (only disc 1 is out here at the moment), Fullmetal Alchamest (which also seems to be highly regareded and a few of the dvd's are out here)

Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to say hi to everyone and see if anyone has any recommendations based on what ive seen so far!

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Max Leung]

That's odd - I did a search for the Totoro review and didn't find it. Is it in a separate thread or buried in some other thread?

 

[ChristopherDAC]

It's still on the front page, Max. Hit the "go" button at the bottom right-hand corner of this page we are on, or the one at the top left if you prefer, right next to the drop-down menu, and scroll down a little ways from the top, and voilà — there it is. "HTF Review — My Neighbor Totoro — RECOMMENDED".

 

[Ralph Jenkins]

When I double-dip on a title it's usually for better picture quality or an English-friendly version. While I can manage fairly well without subtitles, I like being able to show/lend titles to friends. In the case of Gunbuster, the LDs were a marked improvement in PQ over the VHS tapes, and the remastered DVDs were a substantial improvement over the LDs. Of course, I ended up losing the subtitles, which means I'll probably end up buying it again whenever a R1 version surfaces. Also, sometimes a new release of a title ends up devaluing a previous version to the point where it's not really worth selling the older one.

 

[Andrew Beacom]

I managed to mess up my Greencine queue by adding Gantz discs 8 and 9 but not adding them to my personal series, which keeps them in order. So I received disc 9 before disc 8. Doh. Not sure if I should see what gets shipped next or if I should return 9 and wait for 8 and 9 to be shipped in order.

Michael,

I moved from Sydney 5 years ago. Good to see an Aussie on the forum. I got started on the Anime watching Neon Genesis Evangelion on SBS.

 

[JohnAD]

Michael:

Welcome! It sounds like you've gotten a good selection of titles. I would've recommended waiting to watch Cowboy Bebop: The Movie until after you've seen the TV series, since the movie is really just an extended episode that fits between eps. 22 and 23 (if I remember correctly).

John.

 

[Max Leung]

Chris: Yeah, I found the Totoro review - scrolled around and there it was. HTF's search is (was?) messed up!

 

[ChristopherDAC]

Is. Permanently. The abortive "upgrade" was supposed to fix that…

 

[MichaelSMI]

JohnAD,

Thanks for the reply - I think i'll watch some of the cowboy bebop series to get into it a little more before making my mind up..

Andrew,

I must admit, I first saw evangelion on SBS too and it prompted me to see the platinum series (and death and rebirth, and end of evangelion) - I used to make sure I was home to watch it (when sbs broadcast it).. I baught GITS on DVD prior to that - infact I think it was one of my first DVD purchases! - I love the soundtrack of it too

Cheers,
Michael

 

[James D]

Welcome Michael. You're going to love anime, but your wallet will hate it. Some series that I would highly reccomend off-hand are:

Full Metal Panic!
R.O.D. the TV(the OVA is also good)
Last Exile
Trigun
Gungrave
Gunslinger Girl
Heat Guy J
Kino's Journey
Samurai Champloo.

If you are in the mood for something on the strange side(I imagine that you would since you liked Elfen Lied and Gantz), then I would reccomend Texhnolyze, Serial Experiments:Lain and Boogiepop Phantom.

Hopefully this list will give you a good starting point. Enjoy.

 

[Max Leung]

Add Paranois Agent to the strange side listing. It will murder your wallet though! Perhaps a Netflix rental would work out better on the budget!

I am renting most of my anime now - nobody locally rents the titles I want. And who wants to pay $40-50 CDN for the Geneon stuff anyways? Although there is always Deep Discount DVD...I finished off my Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex 1st season DVD collection there.

Last Exile is so cliche - but I still love that series!

I'm on the 3rd disc Fighting Spirit - great fun! It feels so fresh, and is inspiring on many levels.

 

[JohnAD]

Nothing really new going on for me. I ordered Fullmetal Alchemist volume eight, along with a couple of non-anime titles from DDD. Samurai 7 volume four is still backordered. I have a few more new titles this month, but I probably won't be doing a whole lot of anime buying until May.

John.

 

[Alanna]

I watched the first disc of Galaxy Angel A. Fun stuff, I think I like it better than the original Galaxy Angel.

Finished up Scrapped Princess. The ending was interesting but not what I had hoped for. Oh well, few anime deliver endings that everyone is satisified with.

Picked up Totoro and Whispers of the Heart at WalMart. After reading alot of negative feedback for Howls Moving Castle and not really being all that into Spirited Away (thought it was boring) I skipped on Howl. Now I am wondering if I should go ahead and get it too... blegh. Not alot of cash to spread around right now so thats why I was faltering.