Anime On Trial

[Reply #680 on:]

Kiki's Delivery Service

It is hard to find any faults with this film, which isn't surprising given that it was made by Hayao Miyazaki. The film is beautiful from start to finish and suitable for all ages; there is no violence or offensive language, there isn't even a villain. The only character that isn't nice is an ungrateful child.

While it might sound excessively sweet it never feels that way. Likewise the plot might sound a bit boring it is in fact utterly enchanting.

Show spoiler

The film starts with Kiki leaving home with her cat Jiji for a year's witch training that must be done somewhere that there are no other witches. The problem for Kiki is that she can't cast spells or make potions, her only skill is being able to fly so when she gets to a city she starts up a delivery service. The film shows her delivering various items and making friends along the way in particular a baker who lends Kiki a spare room, Ursula, an artist and Tombo a boy who admires Kiki but whom she initially isn't too keen on.

Later on she begins to lose what skills she has and starts to worry that she will never get them back but when they are needed she finds she can fly once more.

This is based on the Japanese version with English subtitles, as I've not watched the English dub I can't say if it is as good.

10/10

[Reply #681 on:]

Looks like someone has gotten their hands on some of the ghibli collection.

I've never really watched the subtitled versions as I'm never too sure if something has been lost in translation, same can be said about the dubbed versions too. I hate it because the subtitles rarely match the English dub so I don't know witch one more accurate to the original.

Porco Rosso (original dub not the re-dub) will forever remain one of my all time favorites. Along with Nausicaa of the Vally of the Wind, who's ending still brings a bit of a tear to my eye.

............

Basilisk, have watched first 9 eps and have enjoyed it so far. Will comment later.

[Reply #682 on:]

 

Looks like someone has gotten their hands on some of the ghibli collection.

I have all fifteen of the official "Studio Ghibli Collection" that have been released in the UK as well as Ocean Waves which I got elsewhere 

[Reply #683 on:]

A-TISH-BUMP-YOU!

Watching GTO at present. Am on no. 35 or thereabouts. I actually really like this series so far  . Eikichi is kinda cute, and the soundtrack isn't too bad either. I've read all the episode synopses, and I just hope it's a good outcome.
AlthoughI havent finished it, I'm giving it an A. I really, really love this anime.

NB EDIT. I've found I like the American dub much better, the voices are just much more likeable, if that makes sense. 

[Reply #684 on:]

I just caught Akira and all I got to say is Tetsuo is the pre-Shinji Ikari era douche and poor Kaori  .

Also, worst American dub voice IMO is that spin off to Outlaw Star. Nothing makes me wince more hearing a woman in her thirties trying to pretend to be a sixteen year old.

[Reply #685 on:]

 

Originally posted by DogDoo8:
Along with Nausicaa of the Vally of the Wind, who's ending still brings a bit of a tear to my eye.

Exactly! It's my favourite Ghibli movie, although it's really hard to pick favourites, they're all just so good. Recently watched Kiki's, light hearted and extremely charming. Impossible not to love. Haven't seen a couple yet, including Grave of the Fireflies which appears to be the hardest to find.
There's still some non-Ghibli movies I want to see, like Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika...

[Reply #686 on:]

Gunslinger Girl

The title might suggest that this will be just about girls with guns going on their various missions. While there is some of that it isn't what the programme is about. It follows the lives of a group of young girls who have all been the victims of some life threatening tragedy. As part of their cure their are given artificial body parts and brainwashed to forget their pasts and become assassins working for the Italian state.

Each of the girls is paired with an adult handler who they are programmed to protect, these handlers each treat their girls in different ways one treats his like a little sister regularly giving her gifts, another it abusive and hits his when she doesn't perform to his expectations. The girls live for their handlers and for their job, we aren't given any angst filled scenes where they question the morality of what they do.

It is impossible to comment on this without praising the visually appearance as it is utterly beautiful to look at, for the most part the colours are of warm sandy shades not garish colours popular in many anime shows. When there are action scenes they are exciting but they don't seem to play up the action, it is just what the girls do and is thus shown in a fairly matter of fact way. The over all feel is sad, by the end of the final episode I was in tears, but I don't think that is a bad thing. If you haven't seen it yet I whole-heartedly recommend you check it out, I doubt you'll be disappointed, I certainly wasn't.

10/10 I watched it first on line but today I took delivery of the full series on shiny DVD 

 

Originally posted by Books:
There's still some non-Ghibli movies I want to see, like Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika

I've yet to see Tokyo Godfathers but I can wholeheartedly recommend Paprika it is pretty cool in a strange way 

[Reply #687 on:]

I watched the first 3 episodes of Soul Eater today.  I like the fight scenes and the animation is different, but its a little too "kiddy" for me.

[Reply #688 on:]

Well on the note of Ghibli films. I just rewatched My neighbour Totoro, I was really surprised at how much this film cheered me up. It is just a wonderful family film.

@Books

Grave of the Fireflys is well worth the hunt for, if you don't wheal up toward the end of the film you must have a heart of stone.

On another note. While I am not a fan of dubs in general, I was interested to see the voice of L in the english dub of Death Note is Alessandro Juliani whom play Gaeta in Battlestar Galactica (ok trivial information but it interested me)

@Nurdy

which version of Akira did you see? As far as dubs go I much prefer the orginal to the remeasted dub.

[Reply #689 on:]

Puni Puni Poemy

This must be a contender for the most insane programme I've ever seen. It it from the makers of Excel Saga but is so hyper active it makes Excel look like a paragon of subtlety and restraint. The lines are delivered machine-gun fast and it is often hard to keep up with the subtitles (thank goodness for the pause button).

The story follows our heroine Poemi who's ambition in life is to become an anime voice actress, during the show she frequently slips out of character and refers to herself as Kobayashi, the name of the real actress providing her voice. Things start fairly badly for her when she returns home from school to find that a strange alien has crucified her parents. She usually refers to her father as "The Director" because the shows real director provides his voice.

Luckily for Poemi she is invited to live with her friend Futaba Aasu and her sisters. She seems totally unaware that Fatuba is in love with her as she is obsessed by a boy who is later shown to be a strange octopus-bodied alien. They then battle against various threats. The plot is secondary to the non-stop jokes and strange and somewhat perverse situations they find themselves in

While the show features a lot of sexual references and nudity, nothing more than the occasional bare bottom is shown. There are a lot of references to other anime and to Star Wars but I don't think it is necessary to have seen them to enjoy this... I've not seen the anime being spoofed (apart from Excel) but had a good laugh at this.

Just don't try to buy it in New Zealand as it is banned there and apparently it is illegal to own it   

8/10

[Reply #690 on:]

@Tweek: The second season of Gunslinger Girl is currently airing and has been licensed for release in 2009. I've only skimmed through a couple of episodes, but the animation takes some getting used to, since a different animation studio handled it. (The eyes!)

Glad to know you love both Excel Saga and Puni Puni Poemy. If off the wall humour/storytelling intrigues you, do try "Futakoi Alternative". It's rumoured to be directed by Nabeshin a.k.a The Director, and it's not hard to see why.

[Reply #691 on:]

I watched the dub, it was okay despite the fact they had one guy do all the male minor character voices.

Also, Tweek should also check out Nerima Daikon Brothers too.

[Reply #692 on:]

 

Originally posted by MrMayat:
@Tweek: The second season of Gunslinger Girl is currently airing and has been licensed for release in 2009. I've only skimmed through a couple of episodes, but the animation takes some getting used to, since a different animation studio handled it. (The eyes!)

I was episode one of the second series, it certainly did look different, for a start Triela's eyes were unnaturally bright blue. I can't really comment on the story quality as I saw it unsubbed and I can't speak Japanese 

[Reply #693 on:]

Love Hina

A classic, I guess. I enjoyed this, but it seemed to go on for ages, and the mecha aspect, as well as the continual abuse that Keitaro gets irked me slightly. Having said that, the music was very sweet, and it had a satisfying ending. B-

Chobits

Again, another classic, as such, but I really really enjoyed this, especially the parts involving 'the town with no name'. I finished this series far too quickly for my liking, and it brought up some moralistic ideas. Music was good, but nothing spectacular, and I really got involved with all of the characters. I watched the english dubbed version, and preferred the voices to the originals.
A

I think I'll check out Gunslinger Girl next on Tweek's recommendation, or I might have a little search on the link Nurdy gave me ages ago.

[Reply #694 on:]

Watch Irresponsible Captain Tyler Hookie!

[Reply #695 on:]

I watched all episodes of "Zipang" and got hooked..

unfortunatelly the manga isnt even finished and they didnt even "animed" half of the current manga releases ..

there is a lot of animes i have in hiatus, Initial-D, Wangan Midnight and now this..

[Reply #696 on:]

Well.. i have to say something..

WHY THE HELL ALMOST EVERY ANIME SERIES HAS TO HAVE A CHILD CHARACTER!!

Even when the series is supossed violent and mature oriented, why there is a gratoitous child character there allways?

Im ranting because i just watched the 4 OVAs of "Blue submarine nº6" wich is pretty cool and entertainment.. and concludes.. but again the damn Submarine nº 6 has a 10 years old child who comunicates with the computer... it was so gratoutous..so cliche, so common..

I renember Full Metal Panic, that submarine captain with 14 years old or something like..

Area88, while the 80s OVAs were dark, bloody and down to the matter.. the new 2000s series has a boy flying a Harrier with a totally childish look and voice.. it ruins the series pretty much.. you see fighter fighting and pilots get blown to pieces and then sudenly a boy winning in his childish voice

Also renember from time ago Tekkaman Blade.. also the space knights had a 14 year old girl there.. while they fought with gory and bloody aliens among planetary wide destruction..

There are surelly more that i dont renember right now..
but the 10 year old girl in "blue submarine nº6" was a trigger.. she had no other function.. she could have been left out perfectly.. why the writers/animators decided "ok.. we have this series about planetary wide destruction and war against mutant, ships being blown apart and so..  lets put a 10 year old child in the submarine crew"   

The only anime series/OVAs i have seen that dont have a gratoitous child among the character that i renember are Initial-D, Wangan Midnight , Zipand and Amnesia

[Reply #697 on:]

Well.. i have to say something..

WHY THE HELL ALMOST EVERY ANIME SERIES HAS TO HAVE A CHILD CHARACTER!!

Even when the series is supossed violent and mature oriented, why there is a gratoitous child character there allways?

It's tradition.  Next you'll be asking why there's always a cute animal mascot.

The only anime series/OVAs i have seen that dont have a gratoitous child among the character that i renember are Initial-D, Wangan Midnight , Zipand and Amnesia

Then maybe you need to watch a wider variety of anime.  I can think of plenty that don't have a child as part of the main cast: The Big O, Record of Lodoss War, Crest of the Stars, Slayers, Lost Universe, Witch Hunter Robin, Oban Star-Racers, Dominion, Ghost in the Shell, Trigun, Lupin the 3rd, parts 1 and 2 of Robotech, and Read or Die.

Those are just off the top of my head.  I'm sure there are plenty more.

[Reply #698 on:]

Did Azumanga Daioh! have any children in its cast?  I can't remember, but I don't think so.

[Reply #699 on:]

... But Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV is awesome

[Reply #700 on:]

Did Azumanga Daioh! have any children in its cast?  I can't remember, but I don't think so.

Nah, the show was about big assed robots shooting each other. You are totally thinking of La Blue Girl.

Javier: Partly because it identifies with the viewers to some extents if the kid is male and partly for the creepy lolicon thing if it is female.

[Reply #701 on:]

Did Azumanga Daioh! have any children in its cast?  I can't remember, but I don't think so.

I think at ten years old Chiyo-chan counts as a child

[Reply #702 on:]

... But Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV is awesome

Only when partnered with the dog. Without the dog, Ed would lose a lot of her awesome.

[Reply #703 on:]

Okay, anime set in the USSR during the war.

I know it doesn't look authentic or realistic, but I'd still as hell watch it. I have bets the chick will be half Japanese. There is always one when a show is set outside of Japan.

[Reply #704 on:]

Of course there is.  You can't expect the Japanese viewing audience to root for a bunch of foreign devils.

[Reply #705 on:]

Hey it looks like one of those shows where they take a number of awesome things (well, WW2, wacky steam-punk tech (hopefully) and swords etc) throw it all together and hopefully make something super-dooper awesome come out. They'd damn well better!

[Reply #706 on:]

I have bets the chick will be half Japanese. There is always one when a show is set outside of Japan.

Who is the Japanese character in Gunslinger Girl?

[Reply #707 on:]

Hey it looks like one of those shows where they take a number of awesome things (well, WW2, wacky steam-punk tech (hopefully) and swords etc) throw it all together and hopefully make something super-dooper awesome come out. They'd damn well better!

If we don't get a Stalin or Lenin flashback cameo (Hey, Hitler showed up in the FMA movie) I will be saddened.

Anything with Nazi smashing is awesome. I loved that episode of Black Lagoon.

Tweek: I do not know, nor care. That show skirts the Lolicon thing way too much for my liking.

[Reply #708 on:]

Nurdy, perhaps I just don't know the signs of such things but I've seen Gunslinger Girl several times and haven't spotted anything pervy

[Reply #709 on:]

Doesn't have to be pervy, It's just not really my thing.

[Reply #710 on:]

Hokay,

Neon Genesis: Evangelion

I watched this way back in the day, i don't think i saw every ep, but i got the majority of it. I'm rewatching it now, a friend lent me the platinum box set.

Sooo, what I want to know is what happened with the end eps/the 2 movies. What i thought the case was, was they did the 26 eps, people were unhappy with the last two eps, so they redid them as "Death and Rebirth" and "The End of Evangelion", and they were sort of like an alternate ending. But then i've just seen in an online store "Directors Cut: Genesis Reborn" and "Directors Cut: Resurection", is this just another name for Death and Rebirth and End of Evangelion or is it something else?

Thanks!

[Reply #711 on:]

Um, there's a new EVA OVA callled 'Rebuild'  out out now, which condenses the plot of the original series, shifts a few details around, ups the special effects, and chops out a good deal of the introspective scenes (so, like, 2/3rd's of the show. ). But you don't seem to be refering to that. I'd just assume that those ones are special editions of the orignal series.

But, basically, the show's original ending was at least partially caused by budgetary constraints (and it bloody well shows). There was some fanbacklash regarding this, so the creater made a new ending where everyone died, just to spite them. :P Though the new ending can quite easily be read as a different interpretation of the same events.

[Reply #712 on:]

Just looked into it, those two DVD's "Genesis Reborn" and "Resurection" seem to be to replace ep 21-26 with Directors cuts of 21-24 and the two movies in place of eps 25 and 26.

EDIT: Also, the platinum box set was just the original 26 eps, plus directors cuts of 4 eps. Revamped visuals and in 5.1.

[Reply #713 on:]

I have seen the new movie (yep they were shown in the Japanese cinimas so not OVAs)  called Evangelion 1.0: You are (not) alone. It was mostly the same as the series just prettier and with a few alteration to key points.

Main alterations I saw were the renumbering of the Angels. The Angel being kept at NERV is refered to as Lilith not Adam. The Angels did look more impresive especially the flying cube one.

The  next movie seems like there may bequite a few alterations to the plot. Such as Koworu appearing very eairly on, a new Eva and a new Eva pilot. Unfortunatly it has been delayed again til next summer.

In other anime news I ahve jsut finisehd a series called

Tokyo Tribe 2

Abit of an odd one really. Sometimes it seems to be trying to be very realistic and then becomes very unreal...I should of expected this really with all the anime I ahve seen.

The style of the show is very much an urban gang, that is to say graphitii and concerns groups of tribes in tokyo (hence the title).  Just in case you did not know (as I did not) Tribes are not gans or part of the Yakuza, but a group of friends who tend to dress the same, going for a certain fashion style. Sure there is some of the old ultra violence and a wee bit of nudity and some kind of robotic phycho killer but it seems to work most of the time.

As a look in on the culture, well it's not on the level of The Wire but few things are. In face my main gripe is that only a few of the characters seem rounded enough while the rest where purely background.

In conclusion. Ok not great

C

now back to one of the more recent harem like shows To Love ru, it's not Tenchi Muyo but it will do.

[Reply #714 on:]

Speaking of NGE, made me own drinking game for it:

When Shinji Ikari Whines, drink once.

Then, get somebody to call the Paramedics.

[Reply #715 on:]

I watched the entire damn series without realizing at the end that "End of Evangelion" was an alternative ending..

i must say its probably the ending that left the worst bad sensation..

And about widening my likes in anime.. well we all have our tastes in viewing.. i will not watch an anime only because its an anime.. so its normal that the titles i select are narrowed.. from time to time i managed to get some diferent ones ..

Oh.. can someone clear up a spoiler from Macross (the classic series) for me:

Show spoiler

In one clip i catched in youtube Hikaru and Misa reach earth in a VF-1 and is seemengly entirely destroyed.. was humanity wiped out or was more "local" or is some short of alternate universe thing? . And yes.. i know what happens shortly after when the ship arrives and they defeat the bad guys with music

[Reply #716 on:]

It was local, just not that local.

[Reply #717 on:]

So, in my time of not-PEELing, I made a discovery.

Anime is a pretty cool guy.  eh row row fights da powah and doesn't afraid of anything.

I've been catching up on 30 years or so of giant robots.  I'm still in the middle, but I'll make a contribution here next time I happen to finish a series (it'll probably be G Gundam).

Oh, and Neon Genesis Evangelion isn't so bad as long as you have Wikipedia handy to explain the bits they left out of the actual show, and vodka handy to ignore the repetitive introspection.

[Reply #718 on:]

NGE is kind of hilarious if you know your Religions too. I call the religion in it Jewtianityism.

[Reply #719 on:]

I call it Japanese people making shit up.

When I first saw NGE, I resolved to one day make a cartoon that was just as full of pointless and out of context references to Shinto and Buddhism so that I could market it in Japan for revenge.

Then Okami came out and I realized no one in Japan even pays attention to their own religions anymore.