General Anime Chat

[Guest Anime Otaku]

There's probably a few of us around so I thought I'd ask since I've been watching a few different series recently and thought I'd share and hopefully some other people will have their own recommendations:

 

Bleach: I think most people that know even a little about anime and manga would have heard of this one. Have to admit I'm tempted to drop it as it's could have easily ended with the last arc but they're still going on and on with it.

 

Freezing: This is another fighting anime except the combatants are all young women (probably 16 to 20s) that are supposed to in a quasi military force defending against some kind of otherworldly threat, but they spend most of the time trying to kill each other. However the fights are stunningly brutal, though they also like mixing in the fanservice with lots of clothing damage which is a bit much at times.

 

Giant Killing This is one I'm going to watch again soon. It's about a football team (not the American version, try Eyeshield 21 instead for that) in the Japanese second division called East Tokyo United that gets a new manager in the form of a former star player that caused the fans and his team mates to feel abandoned when he went off to pursue a career as a manager (the phrase "Giant Killing" is used within less that 2 minutes of the first episode starting as he took an English non league team to the FA cup semis and beat a division one team in the quarters). Of course with him being the star player ETU went into a slump and got demoted which leads to much resentment from all sides when he comes back to try to lead the team again. His eccentric coaching methods don't hep either.

 

Gosick: (it's a corruption of the word "Gothic"): This is a mystery series about a genius detective set in a fictional European country with a tradition for loving ghost stories and urban legends during the time between the world wars. Oh, and said detective is a 10 to 12 year old(its a bit vague) girl that dresses in a victorian style hence the title.

 

Highschool Of The Dead I actually just finished rewatching this last week. This is good old zombie apocalypse action a bit heavy on the fanservice at times (the person that wrote the manga it's based on used to do Hentai) but like Freezing the action is good and there are some awesome moments. Also a slightly non indicative title as the school only appears in the first 2 or 3 episodes (barring the credits) though they do keep their uniforms.

 

Panty And Stocking With Garterbelt

This is bordering on indescribable, it's about two angels who got kicked out of heaven for being slutty (Panty), gluttonous (Stocking) and generally rude (both) and have to earn their way back by collection Heaven Coins by defeating the ghosts that appear that appear in Daten city (Datenshi is Japanese for "Fallen Angel"), this is really all over the place stylistically the main art is like American cartoons such as Samurai Jack and The Powerpuff Girls, though when they do their transformation sequence (which takes the idea to is logical extreme by having them poledancing) or anytime there's a bit of fanservice it switches to a more detailed style, and when they defeat a ghost it switches to somethign akin to a Kaiju film.

 

Wandering Son: I've actually only watched 2 episodes so far but think I'll watch the rest. This is a bit of a twist on the usual "slice of life" High school series like Azumanga Daioh (which I heartily recommend) as several of the characters dealing with the fact they are becoming adults and struggling with their self identity and sexuality, the two leads are even transexuals (maybe, that's part of their confusion), unlike many shows it's not played for comedy.

 

And before anyone asks the title is not me being arrogant or self promoting. :P

Edited March 25, 2011 by Anime Otaku

[Guest Dante Spears]

Naruto Shippuden and FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood. I'm well inclined to abandon Shippuden again when they go back to filler episodes. It got hard to find animes because after watching Code Geass I'm certain that's the best Anime there will ever be/it's the pinnacle.

[Guest Anime Otaku]

Is Brotherhood as good as the original FMA? I really enjoyed it and have heard good things about Brotherhood. Heard good things about Code Geass too, Naruto not so sure, it seems to be going the same way as Bleach did. I keep meaning to go back to Fooly Cooly too.

[Guest Seraphina]

I don't really watch that much anime these days. I tend to read manga more. The Bleach anime got a little bogged down by filler in the last few months, so I'm going to wait until the manga moves far enough ahead that there's enough material for me to look back on in the anime.

 

The only anime I still collect activly is One Piece. If you can avoid exposing yourself to the blasphemous 4Kids version, it's a damn good show.

[dsrchris 190]

I've all but given up on Naruto, and started reading the Shonen Jump version instead. FMA Brotherhood is good from the first 4 episodes I've seen, it's just a bit weird because it looks like it's the same story playing out from slightly different viewpoints.

 

In that respect it's pretty cool as a companion piece, but you can't really say it's any better (or worse) than the original series (which I still maintain is one the most depressing things I've ever watched in my whole life...in a cool way).

[ViciousPrism 177]

I still rewatch Death Note on a regular basis. Gonna rewatch Hellsing again before delving into Hellsing OVA.

[Guest Dutt]

Pokémon... Seriously!

 

I found a triple DVD boxset of Pokémon Chronicles in the local pawn shop down the road, couldn't resist so managed to snag it for a couple of quid.

 

Upon closer inspection I realised the previous owner had left a copy of the Pokémon 2000 movie inside, so it was a win-win situation!

[Guest John Hancock]

I'm watching the only acceptable anime series ever: The Boondocks.

[Guest Dante Spears]

I've all but given up on Naruto, and started reading the Shonen Jump version instead. FMA Brotherhood is good from the first 4 episodes I've seen, it's just a bit weird because it looks like it's the same story playing out from slightly different viewpoints.

 

In that respect it's pretty cool as a companion piece, but you can't really say it's any better (or worse) than the original series (which I still maintain is one the most depressing things I've ever watched in my whole life...in a cool way).

 

It's not a companion piece, it's written from the manga's perspective. So it's the television version of the manga, not the original anime which started out similar to the manga but then went all uninspired and stupid soon enough.

 

Is Brotherhood as good as the original FMA? I really enjoyed it and have heard good things about Brotherhood. Heard good things about Code Geass too, Naruto not so sure, it seems to be going the same way as Bleach did. I keep meaning to go back to Fooly Cooly too.

 

I find it infinitely better then the original anime.

[Guest Frank Botch]

I'm always watching Cowboy Bebop, never got into any other anime nearly as much, I've only tried a couple though. Bebop never gets old for me, first saw it on some random sky channel years back, some channel in the hundreds..., at around 3.30 in the morning, the soundtrack pretty much guaranteed I'd watch it all. No other series really interests me so I just watch Bebop on a constant cycle. I'm also pretty sure that a ton of my friend requests on Lastfm are down to my awesome Cowboy Bebop gif avi.

 

I checked a couple of the Battle Royale mangas, but it was too much trouble to collect them all. I like the Ninja Scroll movie too, I should probably check the series... but I'm too lazy.

[ViciousPrism 177]

Pokémon... Seriously!

 

I found a triple DVD boxset of Pokémon Chronicles in the local pawn shop down the road, couldn't resist so managed to snag it for a couple of quid.

 

Upon closer inspection I realised the previous owner had left a copy of the Pokémon 2000 movie inside, so it was a win-win situation!

 

This too. Whenever I get sick, I usually indulge in a few episodes or movies of Pokemon. Reminds me of better times... Simpler times... Good times...

[Guest Anime Otaku]

Pokemon and the like are the main gateway Anime, it's what started me along with Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Martian Successor Nadesico back when Sci Fi channel and Nickelodeon showed Anime.

[etz 78]

Does Robotech/Macross Saga (only as the english Robotech though) count? Thinking I need to watch Cowboy Bebop as it sounds a lot like Firefly in terms of premise.

[Guest Anime Otaku]

Does Robotech/Macross Saga (only as the english Robotech though) count?

Yes it does, a number of shows change the name of the show when they get translated.The one that springs to mind is Ghost In The Shell.

 

Thinking I need to watch Cowboy Bebop as it sounds a lot like Firefly in terms of premise.

Can't say I saw much Firefly but Cowboy Bebop is excellent, the soundtrack is generally regarded as being exceptional too. Actually and soundtrack by Kanno Yoko is great.

[dsrchris 190]

It's not a companion piece, it's written from the manga's perspective. So it's the television version of the manga, not the original anime which started out similar to the manga but then went all uninspired and stupid soon enough.

 

Fair enough, the first 4 episodes I saw were just a retelling of the original anime. Now I know it's gonna differ in some way to the original I'll give the rest of the series a watch.

 

EDIT: Completely forgot to mention Samurai Champloo which is my favourite anime of all time. Hip hop, samurais, and brutal ass-kickings. Brilliant!

Edited March 26, 2011 by dsrchris

[Guest Anime Otaku]

Since the thread has gone a bit off topic, my own fault for making the topic a bit narrow in the first place probably, can a mod change the title to make this a general anime discussion thread, please? ^_^

 

These are, in my opinion, some of the best Anime Opening titles/songs around.

 

Cowboy Bebop - Tank! by The Seatbelts.

[video=youtube;T6zDfxZ4NcE]

 

Samurai Champloo - Battlecry by Nujabes

[video=youtube;4OuRajFzMYI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OuRajFzMYI

 

Bleach 3rd OP - Ichirin No Hana (The single Flower) by High And Mighty Color

[video=youtube;e3JC-lhTHEY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3JC-lhTHEY

 

The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya (S1) - Bouken Desho? Desho? (It's an Adventure Right? Right?) by Hirano Aya (also the title character's VA)

[video=youtube;mIKRn1dbT28]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIKRn1dbT28

 

Lucky Star - Motteke! Sailor Fuku! (Get It! Sailor Uniform!)

[video=youtube;DSkLMGClr0c]

 

Azumanga Daioh - Soramimi Cake

[video=youtube;huWKSYUX5Fs]

Edited July 8, 2011 by Anime Otaku

[Maxximus 353]

I'll admit to not watching a lot of it, mainly because I don't really like anime like but I have seen Akira countless times.

 

As far as series go, the only one I ever watched in full without losing interest was Death Note. I thought it was amazing. Have you seen Death Note, Taj? I'm surprised you haven't commented on it.

 

Oh yeah, and I've watched most of the Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend stuff. Hilarious!

[Guest John Hancock]

Watch the Boondocks Maxx. Watch the Boondocks right f*cking now.

[Maxximus 353]

Yeah, man. I've watched the sh*t outta the Boondocks. Love that show. I wasn't sure if you guys decided it was anime or not yet.

[Guest Nemesis Enforcer]

Guyver: The Bio-Boosted Armour is just simply amazing, I only wish they had made more of it for me to enjoy