Anime

[WhiteSongBoy]

I don't know if any of you all are big into anime... But if you are, then type a few things about your favorite anime/type something about one you recently watched and enjoyed immensely!

I just watched one all the way through. 27 episodes of awesome! It's called "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann". It's about people trying to reach the surface for various reasons. It has amazing animation and a VERY catching storyline. Very very fun to watch. I really recommend it to all of you all here.



It's a mech anime. Very funny and awesome.

Has anyone else seen it?

[tamajinn]

I love anime but have not seen much because, like video games, it's hard to find ones that interest me. I'm not into excessive gore, nudity, or sex, so that crosses off a bunch. Some that I have enjoyed have been:

Ranma 1/2: At least for the first eighteen episodes, this was a fabulous cartoon. The premise is absolutely ridiculous-- there are cursed springs in China that, if you should fall in, will make your body transform into something else if you come into contact with cold water. The title character, a boy, turns into a girl, his father turns into a huge panda bear. If you can suspend disbelief and just accept it, it's like being in high school again with love triangles, crushes from afar, and family dynamics. Plus you get a little glimpse of what home and school are like in Japan. If you appreciate Japanese humor, you'll love it-- but only watch the subtitled verson, not the awful English dub.

Rouroni Kenshin: The popular anime about a former revolutionary/assassin who has vowed not to kill another man. Very compelling characters, plenty of humor, cool battle scenes. The first two seasons (out of three) are addictive. I watched this with my husband, who doesn't much like subtitles, and was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of the English dub. Richard Hayworth gave a believable and touching performance as Kenshin.

Samurai Champloo: Beautifully stylized anime that blends samurai culture with hip-hop. Dirtbag fighter Mugen and Classically-trained Jin find themselves indebted to a teenage girl with a mission. Edgy, funny, and slick, I didn't want it to end. Japanese and English voice work were both very good.

Going to check if "Tengen Toppa..." is on Netflix! Thanks for the recommendation!

[charis]

i love hayao miyazaki movies. that is all.

[WhiteSongBoy]

Those sound rather interesting Tamajinn... I'll look into that sometime.

There's another anime I've been watching recently called "Code Geass"

It's about a guy who gets a special power that allows him to command anyone to do anything he wants... but only once. It's really neat. It has a few more dirty things than Gurren Lagann, but it's still cool.

[hokusman]

You guys should watch Card Captor Sakura (original Japanese, not the dub). It is the sweetest most beautiful fictional narrative that I have ever experienced.

[Dr. M]

There was an anime thread when I first joined this board. It was like nineteen pages long.

[Fred]

Really? I don't remember that thread.

I've probably watched more than my fair share of anime, but there's a LOT of anime out there. Some off the top of my head recommendations, trying to steer away a bit from the usual suspects

Cowboy Bebop - Trying to steer away from the usual suspects except for Cowboy Bebop, anyway. ATTN Tamajinn - if you liked Samurai Champloo, it's more than likely than you'll love Cowboy Bebop. Same dude directed both of them. For everyone else, this is probably my favorite anime. The most apt thing that I can think to call it is "jazz as space opera". If that means anything to you, see it. If it doesn't, see it anyway.

Millennium Actress - One of my favorite movies, anime or no. It's a complex drama about the life of an actress, told in a nonlinear fashion and seamlessly jumping between scenes from roles she played and her actual life. RIYL: Perfect Blue, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Full Metal Alchemist - I was shocked and a bit embarrassed to discover that I quite enjoyed this show. I guess that's not much of a recommendation.

[Dr. M]

Like the second post I ever made was in that thread. It said, "Madrigal says: You do? Than at least one does." People were rightfully confused.

I wish I had something to actually say about anime.

[WhiteSongBoy]

I watched Full Metal Alchemist. It is one of the best anime series I've ever seen. It has one of those endings that go perfectly with the story, but you go "NOOOOOOOO!" to. It's quite the amazingly annoyingly best show ever. It has a good story and a great character development!

I like it. Anime is the best animation style in my opinion... Very detailed, yet highly versatile for cartoons.

[tamajinn]

Thanks for all of the great recommendations, I will check them out for sure. Fred, I watched "Millennium Actress" earlier this year after you had mentioned it in the movies thread. I thought it was breathtakingly beautiful, I was enthralled the whole time.

There is also a Cowboy Bebop movie, isn't there? Would that be a good intro to the anime, or should it be saved for last?

[Rogue]

There is also a Cowboy Bebop movie, isn't there? Would that be a good intro to the anime, or should it be saved for last?

The movie takes place between some episodes of the series... it's best to watch after finishing the series, or figure out where it goes and watch it in continuity. (I'd just go with watching it after the series.)

[Fred]

I'm glad you enjoyed Millennium Actress, Melanie! I agree with Rogue, the best way to go is probably to just watch the series and watch the movie afterwards. I think the movie fits after the 23rd episode or so (there are 26). The first 3 or 4 episodes capture the tone of the series pretty well, I think. If you like those, you'll probably enjoy the series.

I also forgot to mention the films of Makoto Shinkai - Voices of a Distant Star, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, and 5 Centimeters per Second. His first film Voices of A Distant Star is still my favorite of them, I think, although it had a basically non-existent budget, and was created almost entirely by Shinkai on his own. They are all visually gorgeous, meditative, and moody. Highly recommended.

[Rogue]

I watched a Captain Harlock anime a few days ago. It was pretty cool, though I forget which one... it was older, like from the late 70s / early 80s. And short. His ship saved his crew from some crazy space bitch living underwater who tried to make them all sleep for a year. My friend told me that the Captain's friend created the ship, and transferred his mind into the ship's computer so it was kind of alive.

[tamajinn]

Whitesongboy, I have to thank you because me & the Mr. are enjoying "Gurren Lagann" so much. What interesting characters! We just watched the first episode of volume 3 (where things take a drastic change). I'm concerned about Rossiu, he was my favorite in the first two volumes, but it seems he's grown up into a beaurocratic stick-in-the-mud. We'll see-- desperate times, and all that. There are so many likable characters. My one question is, what's the deal with that clown guy??? I can accept the creepy gay genius guy, and the flower-eyed princess girl, but the clown guy leaves me scratching my head every time. Is that some kind of inside joke in Japan?

Anyway, we're looking forward to seeing how it all turns out. Thanks for the recommendation! Glad to see there are others worth checking out when we finish this one.

[WhiteSongBoy]

I honestly have no clue in the world what the deal is with the clown... I like him though.

You're welcome. I really did enjoy that one.

[jjmini]

I really only like older anime

Miyazaki movies are good I guess, and some Tatsunoko productions are good too. Galaxy Express 999 changed my life, and Vampire Hunter D was p. good.

It's been years since I actually watched anime now that I think of it.

[Robbie]

Yeah, the only anime I like is the really old stuff that came out before it got cool and everyone started watching it.