HTF Anime Discussion Part VIII (1 Viewer)

[Max Leung]

I'm wondering the same thing as Andy - RE: Kenshin

 

[ChristopherDAC]

It's not worth sullying yourself with a bootleg for the awful quality of so-called English subtitles you'll get. We're talking about the same calibre of people who put out that great George Lucas blockbuster, "The Backslash of the West". It would probably be less confusing to watch in Japanese without any subtitles at all : the series is long enough you'd probably learn the language by immersion before you got all the way through!

In all seriousness, at least nose around in search of fansub versions [which at least don't involve paying money and thus actively ripping off not only the original creators, but you] and/or synopses [remember those?].

 

[ChristopherDAC]

My impression of the 5.1 audio remix for Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki is that it sounds like the original stereo mix with a bunch of extra effects dumped into the rear speakers — not so much a "remix" as a "bolt-on". Maybe I'm being uncharitable. I'll give it a complete once-through before making any final judgements.

 

[JohnAD]

Andy, Max:

Well, I haven't seen any of the OVAs, so I can't speak for them, but I would recommend watching season three, if only to form your own opinions about it.

John.

 

[Andy_Bu]

I have already done this research. There are no fansubs for LOGH that span the entire 110 episodes (I think they only made it to episode 53).

The only known complete english subs for the 110 episodes were created by Manga International and from all accounts, they are average at worst, and some even say they are very good.


Andy

 

[Ralph Jenkins]

I've seen the Kenshin OVAs but only a few episodes of the TV series (I prefer the art style and more serious tone of the OVAs). I did feel like I was missing something when I watched the last set of OVAs, as there were a lot of flashbacks to events from the TV series (but reanimated to match the art style of the OVA). The OVAs are probably a bit more meaningful if you've seen the TV series, but I still enjoyed watching them. However, both Kenshin OVA series are among the most depressing anime I've seen.

 

[JohnAD]

Ralph:

Have you seen Now and Then, Here and There or Graveyard of the Fireflies?

John.

 

[Ralph Jenkins]

Yep. Those were certainly downers, too.

One of the first anime tragedies I saw was Windaria. I was amused when, over 15 years later, I picked up the Criterion DVD of the movie Ugetsu and discovered that it was based on the same story (although Windaria added the fantasy elements).

Probably the most famous anime tearjerker is Arrivederci Yamato.

 

[Andy_Bu]

Ok this was specifically what I was asking. Thanks! I might give Reflection a shot without seeing Season 3 and hope that I won't miss too much.

Andy

 

[Eric F]

OK, when does the next DDD sale roll around so I can buy the whole Patlabor set?

 

[Andrew Beacom]

I found the Kenshin TV series to be very enjoyable and the humor was only occasionally forced. It is there to help balance the tone away from being purely dark. The TV series is just so much richer and a more rewarding viewing experience IMO.

I enjoyed the OVA's in that I found out about Kenshins past but the 3rd OVA in particular is unwatchable IMO. I really wish I had those hours of my life back again.

 

[JohnAD]

Eric:

You can get all three boxes right now for 59.34 (total). Why wait for the sale?

John.

 

[Max Leung]

3 boxes of the series, or the OVAs? Hmmm..

 

[Eric F]

John, because less is always better. I want to get the OVA as well as the TV series.

The sale isn't that far off now anyways, ~2mos. I still have stuff I haven't watched from the last one.

I think I forgot to mention that I'm now the proud owner of a Samsung HLR566W 56" 720p DLP, so I'm all tapped out. Amazon has them on sale for cheap (and other Samsung models) if you're interested. Last years model, yes, but still a good TV.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

Whatever Patlabor you buy, I doubt it will have "Volume 6½" included. This was a strange kind of promotional doodad, issued as a 20cm "thin" LaserDisc single, in a gatefold package with an adaptor for some older models of LaserDisc player, and something I got in my last shipment from Japan. Basically, it's 20 minutes of clips from the OVA, narration, interviews with production staff, and so forth, including some nice video of the Sumida and Tokyo Bay ca. 1988. Oddly, and doubly odd for the LD-SINGLE format [which was partly a back-development from the CD], it's analog-audio-only.

 

[JohnAD]

Max:

The three boxes of the TV series. I didn't count the first or the second OVAs. BTW, DDD now has a Canadian site, too.

Eric:

Not bad . Welcome to the club. I'm glad I saved up most of cost for mine, but since I have a baby on the way, I still don't have the usual DVD budget. I still need to get the second OVAs myself. I'm not sure if I'll buy the updated movies or not.

John.

 

[GeorgeM]

Skip season 3 of RK. Admittedly I have not watched that season but that's because that season is not part of the original manga. In the manga the story arc following the "Kyoto arc" is the "Jinchu arc" which I understand is not what season 3 covered. I hope what I wrote wasn't considered a spoiler.

 

[John Huynh]

Does anyone here go to the rightstuf site? I apparently just won a contest that i have no recollection of entering before. I don't even remember going to this site before. I received a huge box with three Full Metal Panic action figures. I have no idea what to do with them. I wonder how much i can fetch for them off of ebay.

 

[Max Leung]

John, yeah I got the email announcement from the DDD US site. It is still a bit pricey, but hopefully things will get cheaper soon.

Right now it is still a lot cheaper to get them from the US site, even with shipping and GST and the extortionist $5 "handling" fee that Canada Post slaps on shipments with more than a couple of DVDs in them.

 

[JohnAD]

Max:

Well, that's only because the US dollar is swirling around the bowl. I'm not sure what all of your taxes are, but I know when we go back to Toronto to visit my wife's family, we're paying 15% (PST and GST) taxes, which is a little excessive. Blech.

All:

My back-ordered copy of Ah! My Goddess TV volume three finally came yesterday. Now I can get caught up with volumes three and four .

John.