HTF Anime Discussion Part VIII (1 Viewer)

[Max Leung]

Wow Tony, all the anime you're about to watch I haven't seen!

Ghost in the Shell: SAC starts off slow. It takes a while for momentum to build up until it becomes a massive avalanche that you can't help but ride! It has copious amounts of dialog - but when there is action it is very very good. I find it more engaging than dialog-driven SF like Patlabor or Jin Roh at least. The biggest draw for me is the world - it feels so real, like it actually exists. Very organic, unlike the movies which I found rather sterile.

Tony, you might like Samurai Champloo - good action, good laughs. Pretty decent show that isn't too challenging for the casual viewer!

I agree with you Alanna about Evangelion. Ugh, the whiny pseudo angst sometimes has me cheering for the bad guys! And when I feel particularly evil I hunt around for the Evangelion doujinshu that is lying around the net.

 

[Tony-B]

Weird. I've heard nothing but good things (well, aside from the fact that Shinji is a whiny little bitch) from my friends about Eva.

 

[Max Leung]

Well okay, I didn't hate Evangelion - it wasn't bad! I'm just pointing out the downside to the show. At least it isn't a balls-to-the-wall harem anime (with robots!).

My memory no longer works - I forgotten you saw Samurai Champloo!

 

[Tony-B]

Alright. I'm still going to check out Eva.

As far as my top 5 animes go, I'd rank them this way...

1. Lupin the 3rd (The new dub version, more specificially. I know they change some of the jokes around, but I like that because I actually get them. Nothing can change this number one spot. NOTHING.)

2. Cowboy Bebop (Great mix of everything. I even have a wallscroll of this show up in my room.)

3. Champloo

4. Crest of the Stars

5. Akria

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I finished Evangelion about a week ago. If Shinji from Evangelion, Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2, and Tidus from Final Fantasy X are any indication, whiny angst must be a hit in Japan.

Evangelion was.....okay. It wasn't bad. It wasn't great. It was.....okay. I like Rahxephon better. Just when I thought Shinji was getting better, he turns into a little bitch again.

 

[TheLongshot]

The moderization of all the jokes really throw me. The biggest one is the Monaco Grand Prix episode, where Lupin talks about classic Formula 1 drivers, but later someone makes a Simpson joke. :rolleyes

Jason

 

[TheLongshot]

Well, I've taken advantage of the DDD sale to pick up a bunch of Geneon titles which never go on sale:

Gankutsuou 3-4
Last Exile 5-7
Jubei-Chan II 2

Jason

 

[Tony-B]

Jason, I can totally see how it would throw someone off. I agree with you that it's very awkward to hear modern references in an old show, but I really don't notice it because I'm too wrapped up in the show to care.

 

[James D]

Pay your local FYE or Suncoast a visit. They are currently running a Buy 1, Get 1 Free promotion on all Geneon titles, including titles that are on sale. I've picked up various volumes of Gankutsuou and Paranoia Agent for $25 a pair. I also picked up Kamichu and Elemental Gelade just yesterday for $23.

 

[Tony-B]

Too bad our Suncoast closed.

By the way, my new sig is amazing.

 

[TheLongshot]

NOW Suncoast runs an anime sale? In recent times, it has been pretty dismal going into Suncoasts and not seeing many deals. It just haven't been worth my time.

It is ok, because the DDD sale is pretty close to 50% off in the end.

Jason

 

[JohnAD]

I know what you mean. I totally stopped shopping there, and let my membership expire. Why? Not for the prices, but because their anime support just went completely downhill. There's nothing more demoralizing when looking for that new series to get to go into the store and find that they have volumes 2, 4, and 5, and may or may not get the first volume any time soon. That, and Suncoast's entering into bankruptcy pretty much killed my support for them. It's been pretty much DDD-only for much of the year.

All:

I started in on my new pile of DVDs last night, after being forced away from my computer by my wife, who wanted to make baby shower announcements .

Tenjho Tenge volume seven: There really wasn't a whole lot that got added to story line in these episodes. The story is clearly moving towards a climax, in both the present and the back end. Not that TT is deep in any sense of the word .

Stratos 4 volume one: Teenagers saving the world. Obviously, this has never been done before . However, the details piqued my interest. Four girls who live above a Chinese restaurant, and run deliveries when not on standby. They're not the A-list crew, they're just the back ups in training, which adds some flavor. They also get some friendly competition from two guys who can't ever seem to get lunch. One of the four, Mikaze, gets some character development early on, and I'm hoping they develop all four of the mains. I don't foresee this being anywhere near an 'A'-list title, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of it.

John.

 

[Max Leung]

I went crazy at DDD too (the US one ... the Canadian version of DDD sucks bigtime - local stores are cheaper most of the time!).

I ordered Banner of the Stars I && II collections - although the latter is a preorder and not eligible for the 20%. The first collection isn't in stock but I'm not in a rush. I'm still majorly annoyed that zip.ca cannot send me volume 1 of the BotS I series because someone either still has it rented, or they lost it! For $20 US I might as well buy all 3 discs and take it off my rental queue.

Plus I added the BBC The Office Complete Series and Battlestar Galactica season 1.

I finished Girls Bravo last week. Funny. Silly. I predict most female humans will hate the show for obvious reasons.

Dammit, Satoshi Urushihara needs to make more ecchi shows! Girls Bravo, while fun, has somewhat bland female character designs.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

Heck, Urushihara needs to make more anything. Like how about that sequel to Plastic Little, or companion story, or whatever, that was promised back when? His stuff is gorgeous. Meanwhile, watch the Double Vision episode of Bubblegum Crisis. Reika!

 

[DaveGTP]

I'm a big fan of Evangelion. I enjoy that it is confusing and obtuse in many ways, but on the surface it's pretty straightforward action. And I'm a sucker for End of the World and post-apocolypse stuff.

I think it ranks in my top 10 which is still something like this (Escaflowne wasn't quite as good the 2nd time around):

1 Berserk
2 Crest/Banner of the Stars
3 Serial Experiments Lain
4 Kino's Journey
5 Evangelion
6 Lodoss War
7 Cowboy Bebop
8 Fruits Basket
9 Escaflowne
10 Haibane-Renmei

 

[Rob Lutter]

Yo! Rob Lutter here!

Selling a LOT of my anime DVDs here if anyone is interested:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...51#post2893251

Mostly $8 a pop! Dig in!

 

[Max Leung]

Urushihara didn't make any anime besides Plastic Nipple? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!

Please post pics of Reika!

Rob: Wow, nice. Damn, I'm outta funds this month.

Dave, I'm not sure how to rank Evangelion this time. I'm not sure if I could watch that show again. One day! Escaflowne - ditto.

But Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex? I've watched it 3 times already and it never gets old! It has that hook that I can't stop nibbling on!

 

[ChristopherDAC]

Well, there are a few others. Somebody at a-Kon, alas not I, saw an H of his called "Front Innocent" or something. Normally I don't like hentai, for the bad production values as much as anything, but Urushihara's art is just gorgeous. I did say that, but it bears repeating.

 

[Eric F]

Holy cow. My order from DDD just arrived. I think all 5 Patlabor sets is well over 2000hrs of programming.

 

[Tony-B]

How much did that run you?