| Absolutely true. Don't worry about me sitting here and rambling on about everything on the planet. I was a political blogger in a previous life, so I can easily have a long-winded opinion on everything. Just consider me the guy sitting at the bar that just won't shut the hell up. Plus I've been writing about anime for years, so I'm used to being rather long-winded when it comes to the topic.Plus everything I post here is essentially a giant copy-pasta from what I wrote elsewhere, just reformatted to use BBCode rather than Markup. |
on 
| A truly bizarre movie by the name of Twilight of the Cockroaches. I'm not really sure how I got it and I'm not really sure why. Unless it was because of my looking to see if more episodes had been made of Gokicha!! Cockroach Girl! which was short and cute, but had nothing to do with the movie. Regardless, the best I can say about the movie was that it truly was a surreal experience. The fan-sub group that I found it at post it 2 ways (probably because that was how they got it). The one I watched completely was a dubbed VHS rip, and while the dubbing was well done (possibly professionally), the quality of the video left a great deal to be desired. Very dark and gritty, which leads me to think that someone needed (badly) to clean the heads on their VCR. The other version was also a VHS rip, but letter-boxed. This was to allow for some very large fonted subtitles. While the video quality was better than the dubbed version, the subtitles being so large were more of a distraction than any help. The video quality, like I said, was better than the dubbed version, but this does not mean that it was something you would write home to mother about. It's more likely that the group in reviewing the dubbed tape decided that the subbed version needed clean heads and adjustments to the contrast and color before releasing the subtitles. Video aside, the audio on both versions left something to be desired as well. The dubbed, while clear, was very muted. Really had to crank the speakers to hear anything. The subbed, on the other hand, while it wasn't muted, was scratchy and almost looked like it was off track. I really need to go back and watch that one completely for more clarification, but that won't happen for a while. This is one of those movies that one can only watch so many times, and truthfully once in one day is almost to much. Story line, from what I could make of it, was fairly decent. Not great, but better than "The Blob". The '88 version, not the '58 version. Considering this was produced in '87, the animation was fairly good and the threading of the animation into a live-action scene was better than expected for that era. Putting aside all the physical problems with this release, I would have to probably give it a 6-7/10 here at MAL, and a solid 6.5/10 at AniDB. Not great, but certainly better than a lot of others I have viewed. |
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| Finished two series this week Toradora!: Don't have a ton to say on this one, was chocked full of the tsundere trope and was completely formulaic. That said it was pretty damn enjoyable, generic isn't always bad and this was one of the best of its genre. Was slow at times, especially when we had to hear every characters heart breaking back ground story (animes love heart breaking back ground stories >< ). Definitely lived up to the hype for me, I would prob even consider it a classic in the rom com genre. Though I do hope I wasnt that whiny and self asorbed as a teen ager, but I probally was. While I was undoubtedly the last person to watch this anime at MAL, if you missed it, it is worth a watch. Ore, Twintails ni Narimasu: Ecchi Harem Action revolving around pig tails. Plagued by poor animation and animation mistakes (noticed 2 scenes myself where pants were missing in action scenes). Pretty B level production by w/e anime studio did this. I would love to say it was down right terrible with a stupid plot but I was charmed and found that enough of the humor hit to mark to make me chuckle. Ild only recommend it if you like ecchi comedy and aren't elitist about animation. Below gag is typical and I found it hilarious.  |
| I needed to watch something different this week. So I tried a nice little shoujo instead. But that wasn't enough, so I made it a shoujo reverse harem instead. But that wasn't different enough, so I made it a shoujo reverse faux harem instead. But that still wasn't enough, so I made it a bishounen shoujo reverse faux harem comedy instead. And that still wasn't enough, so I made it a bishounen shoujo reverse faux harem comedy made by Nabeshin! Yes, that's right. The beautiful bastard that brought us Excel Saga and Puni Puni Poemii was the man responsible for... Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge♥ Nakahara Sunako is a very strange girl, even by my standards. After being rejected by a boy she liked, she completely changed her personality. Horror movie fanatic, fondness for murder scenes, collects formaldehyde-filled specimen jars with human organs or frogs inside, dressing skeletons up, and turning an anatomical model into her best friend. You know... Just another normal teenage girl in Japan. And responsible for changing Nakahara into a beautiful elegant lady are four boys so incredibly handsome that the mere sight of them gives her nosebleeds. These boys are so popular that they needed a police escort just to be able to go to school unmolested. These boys are so popular that they consider the customs of Valentine's Day to be a contact sport. So. Just another Tuesday in Japan, eh? Infused with Nabeshin's special brand of comedy throughout, this is an anime for the weirder side of humanity as well as teenage girls looking for advice on how (not) to become a lady. And it works. Everything works. From the OP and ED selections to the opening narration by a certain anatomical model aforementioned, from the Goth~Loli Sisters to the extravagant entries of the wealthy aunt, from the running gags to the chibification of the main character, every single bit of this anime works. This is not an anime to analyze, organize, and force into specific worldviews. This is, instead, an anime for grabbing a beer, putting your feet up, and enjoying for what it is. And what it is would be simply and absolutely hilarious. Score: 8/10 Recommendation Level: On-deck: Katanagatari and the Kara no Kyoukai movies. |
| Well, it’s the end of the winter season so I finished a bunch of stuff. I’ll start with those two but there’s more to come. Death Parade After a person dies, they must either be sent “up” for reincarnation or cast “down” into the Void. That’s the way the afterlife works in the Death Parade universe. The decision of who goes where rests with the arbiters, human-like beings completely devoid of emotions. To tell you how they pass judgment would I feel spoil the show too much, but there are some major flaws in the system. Death Parade is an often gut-wrenching anime that celebrates the complexity, volatility and incredible breadth of human emotions while asking two simple questions: can a life be judged fairly without understanding and can understanding exist without empathy? Add jaw-dropping animation (that was one heck of a budget they burned through) and one of the best OP in recent memory. 9/10 [url=http://myanimelist.net/anime/18689/Diamond_no_Ace]Ace of Diamond – Season 1[/url] The series is ongoing but there is enough of a shift in focus at the end of this first season to warrant a quick review. With great animation (Madhouse FTW!), endearing characters and edge-of-your-seat games, AoD is a show that takes high-school baseball very very seriously. No underdogs giving reigning champs a run for their money or physics-defying skills here. It’s all about hard work, dedication and the love of the game necessary to compete at national level. Which doesn’t mean that it can’t also be very funny at times. If you’re looking for a hefty (the first season is 75 episodes strong) and realistic anime about the “Boys of Summer” as high-school baseball players are lovingly referred to in Japan, with the nail-biting bonus of weekly streaming (the second season starts in 6 days), I couldn’t recommend a better show. 9/10 |
| Each time I read this thread more anime are added to my PTW list :-) I love it and hate at the same time :D |
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Bunch1335 said: Finished two series this week Toradora!: Don't have a ton to say on this one, My second-favorite anime of all time. It was really on my second and third watches that I completely fell in love with it, though. The first time I missed a lot because I was only focused on finding out what would happen. It was when I re-watched it that I started to notice how exceptionally well-written it is. Structure, pacing, use of foreshadowing, characterization, all grade-A stuff. Speaking of well-written romcoms, let's get to some of my recent completions: Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend I said in the other thread that this was my favorite Winter show, and here are three of the biggest reasons why. 1. For outstanding writing. Saekano managing to skewer and subvert all kinds of harem comedy tropes, while at the same time flawlessly employing many of those same tropes itself, and it makes the balancing act work. The humor is right on point and often very funny. This is helped along by a quality cast of characters, each with their own goals and motivations (both obvious and subtle) and distinctive personalities. 2. For Megumi Kato, best girl of the season and the newest addition to my MAL "favorite characters" list (and I have no doubt she's going to stay there for a long, long time). I could write a whole essay on just how awesome she is. 3. For some of the most effective use of fanservice as a legitimate storytelling tool (and not just a cheap ratings grab) that I've seen in a long time. I'm honestly not generally a big fan of fanservice, because it often feels like a crutch that's just thrown in to prop up a poor show, but when it's used like it is here, I have no complaints. Score: 7/10, only because it really needs a season 2. I expect it to get one, given how well it's selling in Japan, and the minute that becomes official, this score goes up to 8. Buy-worthy, but I'm not sure yet if I'm going to buy it myself. If it was someone like Sentai Filmworks putting it out, it'd be an easy pickup. Unfortunately its an Aniplex series, so it's not going to come cheap - that's the only reason I'm debating it. Kantai Collection This is not a good series. It was cute and entertaining - definitely not the worst thing you could watch, and I was never bored with it. However, this show is an example of fanservice at its worst. Not fanservice in the sense of scantily-clad moe girls (though we do get a little of that too), but fanservice in the sense of pandering to the fanbase who plays the game this was adapted from, and making sure they don't do anything to irritate any of those people. Fan-favorite girls all have to have their moment in the spotlight, various game mechanics have to be included, popular dialogue snippets from the game have to be shoehorned into conversations, and so on. It's like everything was written to a checklist (making sure to include A, B, C, D...). Add to that a "parallel WWII" plotline that ended up causing more problems than it solved, and the result was a chaotic mess. Score: 5/10, mostly just for the entertainment value.Even with all it's problems, KanColle can still be fun to watch; that's its one saving grace and the only reason it (barely) qualifies as stream-worthy. Next time: Koufuku Graffiti, Silver Spoon S1 |
WingKingMar 31, 2015 7:26 PM
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WingKing said: Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend I said in the other thread that this was my favorite Winter show, and here are three of the biggest reasons why. 1. For outstanding writing. Saekano managing to skewer and subvert all kinds of harem comedy tropes, while at the same time flawlessly employing many of those same tropes itself, and it makes the balancing act work. The humor is right on point and often very funny. This is helped along by a quality cast of characters, each with their own goals and motivations (both obvious and subtle) and distinctive personalities. 2. For Megumi Kato, best girl of the season and the newest addition to my MAL "favorite characters" list (and I have no doubt she's going to stay there for a long, long time). I could write a whole essay on just how awesome she is. 3. For some of the most effective use of fanservice as a legitimate storytelling tool (and not just a cheap ratings grab) that I've seen in a long time. I'm honestly not generally a big fan of fanservice, because it often feels like a crutch that's just thrown in to prop up a poor show, but when it's used like it is here, I have no complaints. Score: 7/10, only because it really needs a season 2. I expect it to get one, given how well it's selling in Japan, and the minute that becomes official, this score goes up to 8. Buy-worthy, but I'm not sure yet if I'm going to buy it myself. If it was someone like Sentai Filmworks putting it out, it'd be an easy pickup. Unfortunately its an Aniplex series, so it's not going to come cheap - that's the only reason I'm debating it. Agree with you. Kato is becoming something, hard to tell exactly as she was a blank slate at the beginning of the show I really hope that we get a 2nd season to watch her transform more, she's kind of a little sadist with an innocent angelic face. ;) I just feel bad (read pissed) that Mr Ethical has no awareness of the attention/feelings from the girls in his circle (including Kato). |
| Just finished Yowamushi Pedal: Grande Road. |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| Finished Absolute Duo, wont get wordy, it was pretty bad. I dont expect much from Ecchi Harems, but meh. My fault for watching it. |
Bunch1335 said: Twintails was so bad it was good. I'm hoping for a season 2. Plus it made me appreciate just how attractive twin pony tails really is. I will say there was one episode (I think 7??) the looked like they just phoned in the animation. It was that bad. It felt like a bad Naruto filler episode.Finished two series this week Ore, Twintails ni Narimasu: Ecchi Harem Action revolving around pig tails. Plagued by poor animation and animation mistakes (noticed 2 scenes myself where pants were missing in action scenes). Pretty B level production by w/e anime studio did this. I would love to say it was down right terrible with a stupid plot but I was charmed and found that enough of the humor hit to mark to make me chuckle. Ild only recommend it if you like ecchi comedy and aren't elitist about animation. Below gag is typical and I found it hilarious. |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| Soukyuu no Fafner: Dead Aggressor: Took me a while to get used to the character art, story was interesting even if they reused the "children piloting robots to save humanity" genre. Reminded me a lot of Evangelion with the themes discussed through out the serie. |
LestatMajere said: I just feel bad (read pissed) that Mr Ethical has no awareness of the attention/feelings from the girls in his circle (including Kato). I wonder sometimes how much of Rinri-kun's obliviousness is deliberate, i.e. just pretending he doesn't get their hints in the hope that they'll eventually give up. His social skills are so awful, I can see him convincing himself that something like that might actually work. Of course, it would never occur to him that playing hard to get might make him even more attractive to some girls.... |
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WingKing said: I wonder sometimes how much of Rinri-kun's obliviousness is deliberate, i.e. just pretending he doesn't get their hints in the hope that they'll eventually give up. His social skills are so awful, I can see him convincing himself that something like that might actually work. Of course, it would never occur to him that playing hard to get might make him even more attractive to some girls.... He made a comment to his cousin that he will think about his love life after his reaches his dream.... wondering which girl he will choose... |
| Okay, in just this week I finished 3 series, one I already mention - Yowamushi Pedal: Grande Ride. I finally got around to watch the final episode of Otona Joshi no Anime Time. A very josei 4-parter that came out over 2 years. Women were the main characters. I would recommend it because it's about adult/women themes (not hentai/ecchi). I gave this an 8/10 And lastly as I'm perceiving it from a lot other people, the most hated (or mainstream as they like to call it), Sword Art Online 2. Personally the idea of a "mainstream" series boggles my little mind. If it's done right and is popular, why is that a wrong thing? We talk about having people want to enjoy it, but we want to keep it in our little world for nobody to see. SAO2 was good. Nothing groundbreaking about it (neither was the original). Just some good solid writing, animation and voice acting. The first arc, GGA, was good. Then there were a couple shorter stories that really didn't add much to anything. The last arc had me crying almost to the level of "Clannad: After Story". I won't say why. You have to watch it yourself. ;) I think they left a small opening for the possibility of a 3rd season. It wasn't enough to require one. I'll just wait and see. So this means that I have completed a total of 350 anime series/movies/OVAs/ONAs/specials. I'll have a hard time catching up to Dragon-Scales (who I miss). Heck Chelle has a "few" more than me. LOL Onwards to 400!!! |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
sbyrstall said: So this means that I have completed a total of 350 anime series/movies/OVAs/ONAs/specials. I'll have a hard time catching up to Dragon-Scales (who I miss). Heck Chelle has a "few" more than me. LOL Onwards to 400!!! When I watched Nana at the start of March, I officially crossed the 500 mark. While I'm not the owner of the largest List I know of (That would be user lanblade here on MAL.), I can at least take comfort in the fact that I'm already well and truly out of the reach of the vast majority of kids these days. And one of these days, I'll get cracking on some manga as well. |
OffColfax said: When I watched Nana at the start of March, I officially crossed the 500 mark. While I'm not the owner of the largest List I know of (That would be user lanblade here on MAL.), I can at least take comfort in the fact that I'm already well and truly out of the reach of the vast majority of kids these days. And one of these days, I'll get cracking on some manga as well. I'm at 554 completed but my list goes higher than that, when I joined MAL I imported my list from Anidb but it wasn't up to date for the last few years. As I browse the anime list alphabetically I add the titles missing from MyList. Just need to stop procrastinating and invest more time to update my completed list... |
| I number my animes as I finish them so I know which one I did last. I also know that MAL says I have 249, but MAL also has a slight bug (more an annoyance than anything else) of post counts being one less than what you actually have. Just look at a topic and see that the number of post is always one less that total number if you were looking at the topic list. |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| @sbyrstall Yeah, I'd totally watch Twintails season 2, though I'm not sure I'd want to admit to it publically. It did have some pretty funny scenes. I recently read that not only did it have a very small budget but to make deadlines making for some very sloppy/choppy episodes. I saw some comparison side by sides of initial release and cleaned up versions and can say the quality will be much improved for the cd/br release. Wish they had the budget for airing, was cute enough/ funny enough to have been one of the better harem comedies of recent times (not much of a claim but w/e) |
Bunch1335 said: Yeah, I'd buy this br/dcd just to support this series. lol@sbyrstall Yeah, I'd totally watch Twintails season 2, though I'm not sure I'd want to admit to it publically. It did have some pretty funny scenes. I recently read that not only did it have a very small budget but to make deadlines making for some very sloppy/choppy episodes. I saw some comparison side by sides of initial release and cleaned up versions and can say the quality will be much improved for the cd/br release. Wish they had the budget for airing, was cute enough/ funny enough to have been one of the better harem comedies of recent times (not much of a claim but w/e) I always admit to this series. I now have an appreciation for twin tails and wish more women would do those. Yes, it can be maturely. At this point all I have is the LN and anime. I wish a manga would come out. |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| For once, I don't have a lot of time to sit and ramble nonsensically about anime, as I have a ham in the oven. So I might be just a bit more brief than on other weekly updates. The Kara no Kyoukai movies Watched in release order, these were confusing at first and then amazing from the fourth movie onward. And basically, they were enjoyable as a whole. On a technical scale, these were pretty much normal for a Ufotable production; if you've seen one thing by Ufotable, you know exactly what to expect from everything they put out. Of the seven movies, I'd have to say that numbers 4 and 5 were my favorites as both Garan no Dou and Mujun Rasen did wonderful jobs at telling their pieces of the story. My least favorites, on the other hand, were movies 2 and 7 as the murder investigation plot jumped far too many sharks in far too short of a time. Scores: Fukan Fuukei: 7/10 Satsujin Kousatsu Part 1: 6/10 Tsuukaku Zanryuu: 7/10 Garan no Dou: 8/10 Mujun Rasen: 8/10 Boukyaku Rokuon: 7/10 Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2: 6/10 Recommendation level: Worth the time. Katanagatari Ah yes. Strong characters, strong worldbuilding, a rumbling romp from one end of Japan to the other? What more is needed than that? Well... Maybe just a few things, to be honest. For one, the character design was an unwelcome contrast to the beautifully-drawn realistic backgrounds and made them look less like anime characters and more like (I shudder to use the word here, but it applies.) cartoons instead. And while the first 11 episodes were well-done and fully thought out, the final episode felt like a massive rushjob as our hero protagonist goes through and carves up entire armies like an Easter ham. And that's where Katanagatari severely lost points on my grade. It could have been all that and a bag of Peeps. Unfortunately, it ended up being like a green-colored boiled egg that matched the lawn just a bit too perfectly and was left to rot for weeks at a time. You knew something was stinking up the place, but you had no clue what it was until you ran over it with a lawnmower. Oops. Score: 6/10 as it was still mostly fun Recommendation level: Kinda felt a little like Kill la Kill, so let's go with that. On deck: Junketsu no Maria, and I'm going to need the soothing powers of Aria the Natural before the week is through. |
| Air and Air In Summer The first of KyoAni's Key adaptations, Air was... best not compared to anything. Back when Air was first released, KyoAni had only been the lead production company for a single title, namely Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, and even that was a spin-off of what they did under Gonzo's supervision. So Air had a few instances of production quality not quite being up to snuff. Not the character design, of course. I blame those infamous eyes on Key. All KyoAni did was adapt the existing design. Hasn't stopped people from yelling and screaming about KyoAni and those damn eyes, though. Air in Summer really should be viewed in concert with Air. It helps fill in a bit of the historical backstory about the basic plot, although it doesn't help much in the overall sense. All of Air is a muddled confusion of the original VN's storyline, and it suffers for it. Still entertaining, mind you. And showing early signs for what KyoAni will be capable of doing with future adaptations. (Chuunibyou, K-ON!, Hyouka, etc) But it was a sure sign that KyoAni didn't yet know what it was doing. Fortunately, they learned quickly. Scores: 7/10 for both Recommendation Level: Ummm... It'd have to be a really weird request before I'd recommend Air. And there are a lot more titles I'd put forward instead of it. So Air is basically there if you really really want it. Hells This one was weird. Even for a Madhouse production, this was weird. A genki girl dies and goes to hell... just to keep going to school in hell. (Which, come to think of it, sounds a lot like hell would be for me. Imagine reliving my sophomore year of high school forever and ever... Ugh.) That's the basic essence of the plotline. The art and character design were a bit on the strange side, looking more like an art school project gone haywire than a normal anime studio feature film. Muddled outlines, odd perspectives, the occasional fishbowl lens effect, and a wash of other "creative" touches served more to distract me than it did to enhance the narrative. And the storyline... Eeeep. Chock full of weird interpretations of Judeo-Christian theology, the plot was a mess from start to finish. I couldn't begin to run down the entire list of times when I said "Well, this is just wrong." Plus it had a very heavy dose of my most-loathed of anime tropes: bitter enemies suddenly joining forces through the power of friendship and fighting against a common foe. Entertaining in the end? Mildly. That's the only thing that saved it in the final push. Score: 6/10 Recommendation level: Madhouse completionists Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggan Movie: Gurren-Hen Ah, yes. The movie summary of the first part of TTGL. And the part of TTGL I enjoyed most, at that. It trimmed off many of the parts I didn't like, but also trimmed off a few of the minor parts I really enjoyed. So with this movie, I can finally give TTGL's pre-timeskip portion the rating it so richly deserved. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: something something yours is the drill something something where the hell is my geritol get off my lawn something something... Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Movie: Lagann-hen Ah, shit. The movie summary of the second part of TTGL. And the part that I hated the most, at that... But a promise is a promise. And a friend said that if I watched this, he'd break into K-ON! next weekend, and for that I'd pierce any heavens you care to mention. And... I have to say that I liked it a hell of a lot better than the original. A lot of what I hated from post-timeskip TTGL got left on the cutting room floor, leaving behind something gloriously pure. Finally, after all this time, I was able to see exactly why everyone was able to praise the ending of TTGL. For this... This was win. Pure, undiluted, uninterrupted win. Well... Except for the hated-enemy-becomes-trusted-ally trope. That can drag down even the greatest anime ever created. Score: 8/10 Recommendation Level: something something who the hell do you think i am no really i forgot my own name something something where did i put my glasses nurse nurse something something Junketsu no Maria Well, if only one promise to watch wasn't enough for an already crowded week... Here comes another. Multiple people have said that I should watch Maria. And, now that the Winter season is well and truly gone, it was time to blast my way through it. Because I do what I want to do. And, much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. For one thing, it felt like it was 15th Century France. It wasn't set in some weird alternate reality where it was Japan overlayed into the middle of Europe like certain other titles did. Instead, if I mentally told myself that you were watching a French-dubbed anime subtitled in English, there would be no disconnect whatsoever. Again, completely unlike certain other titles that felt like it was just Japan set in a European locale. And the society felt French as well. From the politics to the behavior of the Church, from the villagers to the mercenaries, everything was so well-designed and -scripted that I was completely taken in by the whole scenario. As a whole, Maria was a very enjoyable title. The writers did their research. The animators definitely had some great reference material to work from. And those two things are what I tend to notice most in an anime. So for this to come out of left field and surprise me like that... It's very impressive. Score: 8/10 Recommendation Level: those looking for an anime set in Europe. On-deck: Aria The Natural. This time, I'm definitely not going to get distr... Ooooh! What's that! |
OffColfax said: Air and Air In Summer Scores: 7/10 for both Recommendation Level: Ummm... It'd have to be a really weird request before I'd recommend Air. And there are a lot more titles I'd put forward instead of it. So Air is basically there if you really really want it. Air has one of my favorite opening themes ever, Tori no Uta, but IMO it wasn't otherwise on the same level as Kanon or Clannad (although I've been thinking of giving it a re-watch at some point, since it was the first Key adaptation I ever saw and that was several years ago). Part of the problem might be adaptation compression - my understanding from people who've played it is that the Air visual novel is about twice as long as the Kanon visual novel, and yet KyoAni's adaptations are the opposite - Air only got 12 episodes, and Kanon got 24. |
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| Catching up on my completions, since it's been a while. Koufuku Graffiti The plot in one sentence: The joy of cooking meets the power of friendship when two cousins start spending their weekends together. My thoughts: This is the last of the winter shows on my list that I was able to finish (and frankly, there weren't many). KG was, for the most part, perfectly pleasant domestic comedy stuff, with a focus on food and cooking. If you like relaxing shows, or if you're a foodie, then you might enjoy it. For me it was a pretty good "winding down before bedtime" watch, since it was such a leisurely show. Art and animation generally looked really nice, as usual for a Shaft series, and I really liked both the OP and ED, especially the ending. The episode previews were also incredibly charming - I know some people who've said the previews were actually their favorite part of the show! Score: 6/10. Not something I'd ever feel the need to buy, but perfectly stream-worthy if this type of series is your cup of tea. Silver Spoon The plot in one sentence: A city boy enrolls at an agricultural high school thinking it'll be easy for him to coast to the top of his class there, but there's a whole lot more to farming life than he realizes. My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed both seasons of this series. It does a terrific job of immersing you in its setting, even if you've never been anywhere near a farm before, and adds a great cast of characters to the mix as well.The original manga was created by Hiromu Arakawa, the author of Fullmetal Alchemist, and the TV series script was adapted by Taku Kishimoto (who also adapted Usagi Drop). As you'd expect from such talented authors, the writing is excellent. Silver Spoon knows how to do both comedy and drama and do them both really well. There are scenes that will leave you breathless with laughter, and scenes that may leave you feeling just a little choked up. I also really appreciated that all the main characters are believably human, each with their own virtues and flaws and secrets and dreams and other dimensions that bring them totally to life. Score: 9/10. This is one of those series that I can't recommend enough, and a wonderful example of anime's ability to take you places that other media don't, even if it's a place as grounded as the farms of rural Hokkaido. |
WingKingApr 18, 2015 3:27 PM
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| Nanatsu no Taizai is now in the bag. Would you expect anything else from a shounen series? It was good, it was bad, it was what I was expecting. Power up, shouting out attacks and then saved at the last second by the unknown 3rd person. Unlike similar shounens this actually had a plot. The ending was opening for a season 2. Aniplex would be stupid to let this one get away with just one season. They are now heading south to meet up with Arthur, yes, that Arthur. |
Dodecahedron-O24Apr 24, 2015 5:26 AM
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| Aria The Natural and Aria The OVA: Arietta The middle installments of the greatest iyashikei series ever produced, Aria is not a title that you sit and watch for excitement or for Best Girl circlejerking. Instead, Aria is for when you need some time off from the stresses and worries of everyday life. And for that, it is the best at what it does. And ye gods, but did I need that calmness this week. From the OP to the rest of the OST, from the soothing voices to the silly shenanigans, from the steady determination to the secret wonders of Neo-Venezia, Aria The Natural was exactly what was called for during a near-lethally stressful week. My only regret? There's not much more of it left. Only Origination and the up-coming Avvenire remain. Yet this is one of those shows where you can rewatch it piecemeal and have those same waves of peacefullness rush through your soul to soothe your worries and cares for one more day. Score: 9/10 Recommendation Level: People who lead stressful lives. On-deck: Macross Plus, NieA_7, and maybe Aoi Bungaku if I have time. |
OffColfax said: Aria The Natural and Aria The OVA: Arietta Recommendation Level: People who lead stressful lives. I agree wholeheartedly. It has been a while since I finished the entire series, but I have fond memories of it, and I will probably watch it again eventually. I hope the new series lives up to the high quality of the existing episodes. I have finished a few series lately, and I have been fortunate to find some very good ones. Barakamon - A calligrapher goes to an island to find some inspiration to pull his art out of mediocrity. He finds that the island is inhabited by a bunch of entertaining country bumpkins, including a very rambunctious little girl. Everything about this show works exceptionally well; the characters are memorable and well constructed, the situations are entertaining, and the art is very good. Gin no Saji - A high school boy wants to get away from his parents, so he enrolls in an agricultural school. Being a city kid, he naturally experiences some culture shock, but he eventually adapts and makes friends. In addition to the usual qualities of a slice-of-life series, this series is quite educational. It goes into considerable detail about various fields within agriculture, including livestock raising, cheese making, veterinary work, and horses. The characters are great, and the art is excellent, particularly the background scenery. Non Non Biyori - Like Aria, this series is quite relaxing, but it is more down-to-earth. A girl moves to a tiny rural village and immediately befriends the local children; this series follows their antics at school and in the countryside. The art is excellent as well in this show; the backgrounds are quite beautiful. The series is essentially a well made example of cute-girls-doing-cute-things in a relaxing rural setting. People looking for a stress reliever should check it out. Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai (OreImo for short) - This series explores sibling relationships, interactions among friends, and the tension between otaku obsessions and the real world. In the first episode, a high school boy, who has essentially ignored his younger sister for a long time, accidentally discovers that she is into erotic visual novels that feature incest, and he finds that she is, secretly, a raging otaku. He decides to protect her secrets, and they gradually grow closer as he becomes drawn into her otaku world. Unfortunately for him, she is an amped-up tsundere, so their relationship is quite difficult. This series could have been nothing more than crude otaku-pandering, but it explores its themes with a great deal of complexity, and it constructs some very interesting, albeit not necessarily sympathetic, characters. For the most part, the series is quite carefully made, but it is not without its flaws. At times, particularly in the second season, it teeters on the edge of jumping the shark, and the ending in the controversial second season OVAs is somewhat rushed and sloppy compared to the rest of the series. Shirobako - An anime about making anime. This is a workplace slice-of-life set in an animation studio. It goes through all of the difficulties and triumphs involved in getting an anime series completed and on the air. The characters are all very good and unique, and the series has good educational value. It does a good job of following the process of making anime, and it captures the feel of the workplace, with its sense of fun, high stress, and tight deadlines, quite well. World Fool News (TV version) - This is a short series of 10-minute episodes about a group of weirdos who put together a weird nightly newscast. The animation style is simple, and the series has a very low budget feel but has a unique look that is a refreshing change from the usual anime style. This isn't a great series; the humor is fairly straightforward, and the characters are nothing particularly special, but it basically succeeds at what it sets out to do. For someone who wants a quick ten minutes of mindless fun, an episode of this series might just be a good choice. |
| It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. |
| It's been a while since I wrote in this thread, so this will be a long one (warning issued :-)). Tonari no Oneesan (Girl Next Door) I don't even know how it ended on my PTW list :D It's about Masahiko, who decided to not lose his virginity until he meets again a certain girl. Despite being hentai it actually has a decent story, real characters, good soundtrack and nice animation. And it's also quite funny at times :-) Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Not for everyone. Heavy sexual content can be disturbing for many. Omoide no Marnie (When Marnie Was There) When I waited for the movie to download, I learned that it's possibly the last movie by Studio Ghibli. Man, if they're really going to not make any feature films in the future, they're ending it in the right moment. For me (and I hope not only for me) it's one of the best movies made by them. The story follows Anna, a shy and introverted girl, who has asthma problems. As a resort to help her get better, she is sent to countryside where a great adventure awaits her. It will change her forever. I could write that animation is "typical for Studio Ghibli" but it would only be half-true. Lights and shadows, reflections on water, rooms and countryside - everything is made perfect. With so much effort put into every little detail, it's just outstanding. It's literally an orgy to the eye. Same goes for the soundtrack. Right music playing in right moments makes what you feel more intense. Buts that's what music in any movie (not only anime) should be. Characters might not be very deep but their emotions and expression of those emotions is. One can truly feel them oneself. Studio Ghibli might have better characters in their portfolio, but they are still very good part of this movie. And the best part of this anime is the story. One might say it's not very unique nor surprising, or that one could foresee where the story is going, or who Marnie is. All of that is true, but it doesn't matter, as the story is being told in a perfect way. And once everything wraps up, one can only rejoice seeing it. Score: 9/10 Recommendation level: A "must" for Studio Ghibli fan. Definitely worth watching for everyone else :-) Arata naru Sekai: Mirai-hen (World's End) A group of girls is sent into the future (supposedly 6000 years), but is it true? The buildings they knew in the past are still standing (although damaged a bit), but shouldn't they be just ashes after 6000 years? Quite good anime with a very confusing ending. As I read, I need to read novel/manga to fully understand it. Well, I might do so one day :-) As for technical aspects of anime, it's made properly. Nothint too good, nothing too bad. It was enjoyable to watch. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Worth the time spent to watch it. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (Yokohama Shopping Trip) I found it as recommendation to Aria and have to say I'm not disappointed :-) It has the same relaxing feeling Aria had and is best watched after long and tiring day. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where mount Fuji erupted and much of the land has been flooded. We follows Alpha, an A7-M2 model android, who runs a cafe. She's waiting for her owner to return from trip/journey. Animation is good and at times very good. It's not as good as in Aria: the Origination but good enough and really enjoyable. Same goes for soundtrack and sound effects. The brightest part of this anime are characters (especially the MC) and story. It's SoL so there is hardly any action (but not none), just common daily life in unique and intriguing world. And the weakest part is that it's damn too short. There is two episodes sequel but it deserved to be at least 12 episodes long. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: A must for SoL fan, worth watching for others. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Quiet Country Cafe (Yokohama Shopping Journal: Quiet Country Cafe) Nothing more to add that I wrote for Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. Very good continuation. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: If you liked the prequel you must watch this. Lupin III: Cagliostro no Shiro (Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro) I didn't even know I had this on my HDD :D I was making harddrive cleanup (removing stuff so I could get more stuff :-)) and found this unfamiliar title. It's about Lupin (Arsene Lupin the Third) a famous thief wanted by Interpol. After a successful robbery with his partner Jigen, he founds out that the money they stole are all fake. He decides to trace their source in Duchy of Cagliostro. And so the adventure begins. Animation is typical for late 70's, early 80's. It couldn't be compared to newest anime but it's still good and enjoyable to watch. It's much better in music and sound effects department :-) But it was to be expected as it was directed by Miyazaki :-) Same goes for characters. They feel real and unique. Even the antagonists. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: Not only for Miyazaki fans. Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo (Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches) A short preview to upcoming series (which I hope to watch someday :-)). It's only 2 minutes long, so not much can be told about it. Animation looks good, there is comedy and ecchi (my god, ecchi again? :-)). I look forward to watch the full series. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Worth the time you need to watch it. Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan (Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan) It's so bad that it's actually good. The story resolves around Kusakabe Sakura, a junior high student, who lives with Mitsukai Dokuro, an angel sent from the future. Her original mission was to kill him but she decided that she could save him by constantly occupying him, so that he will never be able to invent immortality (the cause of his death sentence). But while doing so she constantly kills him and then brings him back to life. Starting from the weakest part, there is hardly any story or character development. Only the two main characters have enough screen time, so we could learn more about them. The rest is just background. Now to the good part. The opening song is very catchy and reminds me of Stardust Witch Meruru opening song :-) The ending song is also very good. The humorous scenes are hilarious. I don't remember how many times I laughed out loud :D And there is a lot of gore, and when I say it, I know what I'm talking about. In the amount of blood seen on screen it could easily be compared to Elfen Lied. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Only if you want to see gore mixed with humorous scenes. Otherwise you might not like it. Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 2 (Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan 2) Nothing more to say that I already wrote for prequel. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: If you liked prequel you should watch this. Ayashi no Ceres (Ceres, Celestial Legend) I have a bit of mixed feelings about it. It had potential to be much greater, but failed to do so. Nonetheless I still consider it to be a very good anime. Mikage Aya looks like a normal high school girl. On the day of her 16 birthdays, along with her twin brother Aki, she visits her Grandpa. There she is presented with a strange item, which awakens her hidden powers. Before she could even think about what is happening, she is told that Mikage family has a custom of killing every 16-years old female members of her family, which has such powers. Now she has to survive assassination attempt and learn more about her powers. The weakest part of this anime is animation. Sometimes it's very good, but on others it's teribad. You wouldn't be watching this for the animation. Then what's good in it? Well, the story, characters and soundtrack. Starting from the story. At first it might look typical: normal girl discovering superpowers, bla bla bla. But it's not. Even though she has such power, she can't use it freely. And when she can't use it at all, she has to rely on others to protected her. There is romance and even a love triangle. Although there are comedic moments, it's more dark and dramatic. It's far from typical story. As for the characters, there are bunch of them, from MC to supporting and secondary (or even tertiary). Some you would love, other you would like to kill. And each of them has background story (unfortunately not all of them have enough of screen time). Be warned that MC is annoying at times. And now the soundtrack. Opening and the first ending fits this anime perfectly. There is not much music during the show, but when it is, it's in perfect moments. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: If you looking for intriguing story and good characters, you should definitevly watch this. On deck: Hachimitsu to Clover II (distractions, distractions everywhere :-)), Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha. |
mozgowMay 3, 2015 3:26 AM
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| Not a lot of typing, as I've got the hockey games on right now. Macross Plus Loved it. And for a show from 1994, it had incredible art and animation. Oh, and awesome music, too. Even if you are one of those "I don't watch anything from before 2008" people, you should give this a shot. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: Gundam plebs and Shinichiro Watanabe fans NieA Under 7 This was pretty damn obscure, even by my standards. A quarter-finalist in the Lower Division Favorite Pre-2006 Anime competition, it was a silly little show about a silly little alien living with an over-stressed and over-worked cram school student. Mostly entertaining and occasionally boring, it still wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be. Score: 6/10 Recommendation level: A poor-man's Sketchbook: Full Color's, which was a poor-man's Aria The Animation. |
| I didn't finish this manga series, but i did read the last few chapters. [/b]Golden Boy[/b] The ending was a complete and utter shock. I don't even want to hint as to what happened. hard to think if I liked it or hate it just on the grounds on that ending. What was the manaka thing that this was a good way to end the manga. To think, there's a second series of this title. *facepalm* |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha. I found it by accident and really liked it :-) We follow a story of Fushimi Inari, a middle school student, who is too shy to confess her feelings to Tanbabashi Kouji. One day, on her way to school, she helps small fox (although she takes it for a dog), which appears to be a familiar of Inari temple goddess (there is no coincidence with MC name), Uka-no-Mitama-no-kami (Uka-sama for short). In return she is granted a wish. It didn't worked well, so she returns to Uka-sama for her wish to be reverted. Unfortunately this can't be done, but there is another way to "fix it". She is given the goddess power, so that she could revert the wish herself. And that's how it all starts. This anime has one of the best animation I saw in a long time. It's smooth, with shadows and reflections, great characters animations and gorgeous backgrounds. It's close to perfection :-) Unfortunately it's the only part of this anime that is so great. But the rest is not bad, just "only" very good :D Opening is very catchy and enjoyable, as so is ending. In the rest of the show music is also good, but one must concentrate to notice it. Voice acting is also very good (with the exception of one character, but I can forgive them that :-)). As for the characters, it seams that anime is too short (only 10 episodes) to present them in their full potential (as I read it's done much better in manga). Same goes for story. At the beginning it's great but later it feels rushed and incomplete. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: Pure enjoyment :-) Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha.: Inari, Konkon, Semishigure. It was good to see all the characters once again :-) Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: If you liked the TV show you must watch this OVA. Time Slip Ichimannen: Prime Rose Found youtube channel with old anime. This was the first one which looked interesting for me. And in fact it was interesting in story and characters but technical aspects are bad, terribad. Animation is ascetic (to say the least), with many reused animation frames. Voice acting is quite good but some sound effects are terribad. Surprisingly music is not so bad. Story, although the best part of this anime, has too many plotholes. Score: 6/10 Recommendation level: If you really want to see an old anime and have nothing better to watch. Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui! Another one that I don't know how it ended on my PTW list :D And another I have mixed feeling about. It's supposedly parody of other well known anime. And in matter of fact it is funny, I laughed very often while watching it. At the same time it's very sad and depressing, with Kuroki Tomoko constantly failing to change her life for better. If it had some progress in this aspect, I would gave it one point higher score. Not much can be said about animation. Overall it's good, but there are better and worse parts. As for the music and sound effects one thing must be pointed out. The unexpected opening song for this kind of anime. And it fits this show perfectly. And as the last thing, the references to other anime. There are many, most obvious being OreImo, Clannad and Haruhi Suzumiya. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: If you saw a lot of anime you would like it. Otherwise it might be odd to watch it. Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! OVA Actually I liked this OVA more than original series. For me it had better story, otherwise it was still the same. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: If you watched prequel you should watch this. On deck: Hachimitsu to Clover II (I think I will finally start watching it :-)) |
mozgowMay 11, 2015 11:50 AM
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| I finally decided to watch Pupa. This infamous series of four-minute episodes is intended to be an edgy and especially gory horror series involving cannibalism. In reality, it is a spectacular failure. The story and the characters are so incompetently constructed that the series is unintentionally funny. When the premise, the setting, the characters, and the plot are so asinine that I find myself laughing uncontrollably at the horrible things that are happening, then I know I am in the presence of greatness. I gave this series a score of 1/10, which to me is a masterpiece of failure. Anyone who enjoys seeing something go spectacularly wrong should watch Pupa. The only real success I can find in this series is the art; the style is interesting, and many of the scenes are quite well drawn. However, since it is so horribly botched in every other way, the good art only serves to accentuate the overall failure of the series. The concept behind this series is so absurd that it would have been difficult to make something good out of it, but I believe it could have been done. The easier way out would be to purposely play the concept for laughs, as is often done with campy horror films. As it happened, the people at Studio DEEN put forth a valiant effort; they tried hard to make something good out of the concept, and their failure is impressive. In a way, I feel bad for being so hard on the creators of this mess since they were clearly trying to make it work, and they clearly have talent, but they just weren't up to the task. I don't know whether they simply suffered from bad ideas or had to deal with budget and schedule constraints, but in the end, it doesn't matter. The result of their hard work must stand or fall on its own merit. This series is memorable for all the wrong reasons; I believe it is destined to become a cult classic. Anyone who wants to see something truly dreadful should give it a try. Or if you just want a brief look at this series at one of its lowest points, just watch Episode 6 and see how silly a supposedly serious anime can get. |
| It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. |
| It's been a while since my last update. Not because I haven't felt like talking about anime or anything, but because I haven't been clearing any of my backlog over the past few weeks. And it'll probably keep being slow over here for a while, so... Yeah. But I did set aside a chunk of time on Monday for a small little Memorial Day Movie Marathon. That was kinda cool. Kakurenbo This was an interesting little idea. Seven kids assembling to play hide-and-seek in a demon city? What could possibly go wrong! A few twists, a few turns, a couple of whatthefuckwasthatthing! moments... Good family fun for the whole gang. Unfortunately, Kakurenbo's short 25-minute running time really hurt it critically. There wasn't even enough time to introduce the characters properly, and that really reduced a lot of the final impact of the film. Plus even the Big Bad Evil Guy's entrance was truncated to the point where it wasn't a massive deal. This was a short that really needed to not be a short in order to do a full story properly, as there was a lot that needed a more thorough introduction. But it was an awesome idea. Seriously. I could see some independent studio making a full-length live-action version of this at some point in time, and it would probably be amazing. Screens in Cannes and Sundance and Berlin, and taking Fantasia in Montreal by storm! (Maybe I should just write it myself and take all the glory!) But as it is, it's entertaining yet nothing too terribly special. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: I think this would work great for a Halloween anime. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade I had a hard time with this one. On the one hand, it's really good at what it does. On the other hand, it's really not good at what it does not do. On the good front, we've got the worldbuilding, the interpersonal relationships, the depictions of civil unrest, the politics and infighting between government agencies, the constant drive to find a scapegoat, and a wonderful picture of what it's all about. It felt like a real situation from start to finish, and that's exceptionally uncommon in a medium where suspension of disbelief is a necessary tool of the trade. Yet it was the characters that made Jin-Roh falter. Every single one of them felt forced and uncomfortable. Of course, there was a reason for that. Yet when that reason was revealed, I had so little attachment to the two main characters that it didn't affect me at all. Instead, I watched as events happened to characters rather than watching people go through events. (I had a similar problem with Grave of the Fireflies.) It was entertaining in a GAR kind of way, but pretty shallow in the end. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Cop drama lovers. Hotarubi no Mori e Just let me... No. No. No. I got this... I got... Oh gods... I'll just sit here a while... I really can't. I'm sorry. I need a hug. Score: 9/10 Recommendation level: I NEED A GROWN-UP! |
| Like most of us, I have a short-term backlog of shows that I want to watch ASAP, and a long-term backlog of shows I’m interested in watching eventually, someday, but probably not for a long time. On the latter list for me was Anohana. I knew I'd probably like it (since I enjoy a well-made drama, and a lot of people I trust all told me that it’s VERY well-made), but I never had a special reason to go watch it. Until, that is, I suddenly found out a few days ago that its streaming licenses are expiring and it's getting pulled off Crunchyroll and Hulu (as I write this, in fact, today's its last day). Faced with the prospect of having to fansub-watch it in the future, which I only do as a last resort, I suddenly had all the reason I needed to see it right now, and so it became my weekend watch. Anohana The plot in one sentence: Childhood friends who drifted apart after the tragic death of one of their companions get back together five years later to try to honor her last wish. My thoughts: Did it live up to my expectations? Almost completely, yes. The animation and music are nice, and the cast of characters is strong all around. The writing is where it really shines, though. As a dramatic story, and in its observations of people dealing with grief and loss and the ways they can still affect people even years later, Anohana is terrific. I did have a couple of small issues with it, one of which was bugging me for half the series before they finally addressed it, but overall it's excellent. Score: 8/10 – If you like a good anime drama, especially one that'll more than likely make you cry, then this is a must-see. There's a good chance I'll be bumping it up to 9 after a re-watch someday (assuming I ever have the chance to re-watch it, of course). |
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| Finally completed Hachimitsu to Clover II. I should complete it a weak earlier but started reading a book I got as a Christmas present (lol, half a year after Christmas :D). I started reading it and just had to finish it in one go*. Crusher Joe: The Movie Another old (1983) anime on my list. Found this one as a recommendation to Cowboy Bebop. The story follows a group of mercenaries (or guns for hire), who will do almost anything for the right price. We meet them when they have a chance to earn an easy money for simple transportation job. Everything goes smoothly until their ship malfunctions and, as a result, they lose consciousness. When they wakes up, their cargo is gone and they are accused of piracy. Now they need to find a way to prove that they are not pirates and to find their lost cargo. I liked this anime. Everything was made properly and there were not many bad parts. But it feels like something was missing. Animation is typical for 80's and still good after all this years. Same goes for music and sound effects. And the weekest part (for me) was the story. Almost everything was predicable. The only thing that surprised me was a movie about "Lovely Angels" playing in the background in one of the scenes :-) Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Enjoyable to watch and worth the time you need to do so. Hachimitsu to Clover Specials Finally started watching it :-) People say the first of those two specials is the better one. For me it was the second, I laughed a lot while watching it :D Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: If you watched Hachimitsu to Clover you must definitely watch those specials. Hachimitsu to Clover II The story continues were it ended in season 1. First episode is a quick recap. Everything I wrote for prequel is still true in this sequel. Animation is great, as is soundtrack and sound effects. Same goes for story and characters. One thing that is better is the so called "love development" :-) Score: 9/10 Recommendation level: A must for any SoL fan :-) On deck: FLCL. * - If you wondering what book it was, it was this one. I don't think it has been translated into English, yet. |
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| Photo Kano A pleasant and charming slice of life show about a kind high school boy and his platonic interaction with seven cute girls via his love for photography. Score: 8/10 Recommendation: If you enjoy slice of life shows, Photo Kano (on Crunchyroll) might be your cup of tea |
 May the DESU be with you! Always! |
GChan said: High School DxD Never have I seen so many bouncing boobs in my life...LOL. However, I surprisingly liked it a lot :D I am just going to have to watch that show! HA! |
| May the DESU be with you! Always! |
Bunch1335 said: @GChan I enjoyed it too, and I think it was just good enough not to be considered a guilty pleasure. Is anyone still watching current season? I dropped it early because it was all boobs but no fun. Did it get better later on the run? Nope its getting a chore to watch, cute boobs but both the story and characters are lacking. Will finish this season but will not pick it up if they ever go for a 4th season. |
LestatMajere said: Nope its getting a chore to watch, cute boobs but both the story and characters are lacking. Will finish this season but will not pick it up if they ever go for a 4th season. Odd. That's pretty much what I've been saying about the second seasons of Nisekoi: and OreGairu. OreGairu might be able to pull itself out of my shitlist, as it's bringing back the interplay between the club members that I loved from the first season. Nisekoi:, on the other hand, is right out. These little half-episode scenarios might be true to the manga, but it doesn't have the same flow that the first season did. |
LestatMajere said: ANd yet we can't get another season of Index and Railgun. :(Bunch1335 said: @GChan I enjoyed it too, and I think it was just good enough not to be considered a guilty pleasure. Is anyone still watching current season? I dropped it early because it was all boobs but no fun. Did it get better later on the run? Nope its getting a chore to watch, cute boobs but both the story and characters are lacking. Will finish this season but will not pick it up if they ever go for a 4th season. |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
| FLCL The story follows Naota, a 6th grade boy, who thinks he's living an ordinary life and nothing will happen. Maybe he was living an ordinary life but everything changes when he meets a mysterious girl on vespa. I have been warned by sbyrstall that my mind will blown after watching this. And it did, six times :D Even with the warning I wasn't prepared for what I saw :) After first episode I had only one question: What the fuck did I just watched? :D I had the same question after the second, third and fourth episode :) The last two episodes made more sense and I finally start to understood the story, but still shit load of crazy things happened. Starting from the story it's crazy, with many random references to other anime and pop culture. It's so mind blowing that it's actually very good. Animation is good. Didn't notice any drawbacks nor outstanding parts in it. It has been done properly. One of the best part of this anime are characters, with Haruko being the craziest girl I saw in anime so far. And there is a bunch of supporting characters which are also very good. And finally the best part - soundtrack. It has the best soundtrack I heard in any anime in my life. But not only is the music outstanding, it's also being played in perfect moments. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: What has been seen cannot be unseen. Slayers Lina Inverse is powerful sorceress and self-proclaimed bandit-killer. She uses goods stolen by bandits as her own source of income. One of the artefacts she "liberated" from thieves turns out to be a key to resurrect demon lord Shabranigdo. Now she needs to find a way to not allow this to happen, and if it fails, a way to fight the demon lord. I started watching it with the expectation that, as it's quite an old anime, it will be good storywise and not so good in animation quality. And it fact it was :-) But there was something I didn't expect. Amazing characters and very good soundtrack :-) Starting from the animation, it's not the top quality of the '90s. There are some reused frames (not many but noticeable) and too many static animations (two characters staring at each other). But even with those drawbacks it's still a good animation. As I expected, it was very good in story department. Some parts were predictable, but there were also some unpredictable. Antagonist changing into protagonist is one of them. Unexpectedly it has on of the best soundtracks. Not only are the opening and ending very catchy, but so is the music playing through the whole series. And finally the best part - the characters. Lina is the best female lead character I saw so far. Not only is she pretty, funny and charming. She is also intelligent and strong (not only magic-wise but also mentally). With her male companion, Gourry, they make a very nice couple :-) There are also quite unique supporting characters, like spoiled child Amelia or priestess of light Sylphiel. And one thing that surprised me the most. Antagonists are not evil, their motives are good but they just take the wrong path. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: Intriguing story and great characters. Slayers: The Motion Picture A prequel to the original story where we meet Lina and her best rival, Naga. Everything I wrote for TV series is still true, with one exception. Animation is better in this movie than in original series. Especially when it comes to spell casting. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: If you liked TV series you should definitely watch this. Slayers Special A prequel to Slayers movie. More adventures of Lina and Naga :-) The quality of every episode is different. The second being the weakest and the third being the best. Otherwise very enjoyable short OVA in Slayers franchise. Score: 7/10 Recommendation level: Worth the time to watch it. Slayers Excellent Another prequel to original TV series. This one is overall better than the first one. Especially first two episodes are very good. Score: 8/10 Recommendation level: Any Slayers fan should watch it. On deck: Slayers Return and Slayers Next On a side note, with Slayers I just completed 200 anime :-) |
mozgowJun 7, 2015 9:15 AM
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| I'm sensing a theme mozgow |
| Just finished... Cross Ange = Pissed off Ange, the Ultimate Feminist Savior of the World! Great story for both boys and girls |
Jym said: Just finished... Cross Ange = Pissed off Ange, the Ultimate Feminist Savior of the World! Great story for both boys and girls I don't even know you anymore. though the avatar on your profile page cracked me up. |
Bunch1335 said: Jym said: Just finished... Cross Ange = Pissed off Ange, the Ultimate Feminist Savior of the World! Great story for both boys and girls I don't even know you anymore. though the avatar on your profile page cracked me up. Um...I'm sorry, did my taste in Anime disappoint you? I really did enjoy the series. PS I love Squid Girl |
mozgow said: Hehehehe....I do have strange tastes and this fit right now. I said the exact same thing when I watched this. The ED is one of my favorite.FLCL I have been warned by sbyrstall that my mind will blown after watching this. And it did, six times :D Even with the warning I wasn't prepared for what I saw :) After first episode I had only one question: What the fuck did I just watched? :D I had the same question after the second, third and fourth episode :) The last two episodes made more sense and I finally start to understood the story, but still shit load of crazy things happened. |
| What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about? |
Jym said: did my taste in Anime disappoint you? I really did enjoy the series. PS I love Squid Girl Nah not really, each their own, just surprised, seemed like it was one of the most reviled shows of last season (was it last season, I think it was). I think you are the first voice I've heard that enjoyed. Of course it goes with out saying that haters are definitely more vocal then others on the internet. |
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