Manga and Anime

[CovenantJr]

Ok, Bleach is gone. After 163 episodes, it degenerated into posturing and one-upmanship. Yuck. There was always an element of that, but by about 120 it had got out of hand.

Started Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. So far, not as good as the excellent War in the Pocket, but still more enjoyable than Gundam's reputation would suggest. Once this series is done, it's on to Ergo Proxy, though that'll probably have to wait until after Seafest.

[CovenantJr]

Stardust Memory went on a little too long, and didn't quite reach a climax. Enjoyable, but nothing special.

Since I neglected to bring Ergo proxy with me, what I have next is Mushishi. I've seen the live action version (and enjoyed it); so far, the anime version is excellent. Very tranquil, very interesting, and the extra time (26 episodes rather than two hours) allows everything to be much clearer.

[CovenantJr]

Mushishi was great. It's easily in my top few now.

Finished Ergo Proxy too. Interesting series, though the themes (future with intelligent machines, people with mysterious pasts) are pretty common in anime. The main problems are: 1) the bizarre comedy episodes that appear in the second half of the series, and 2) a confusing ending.

Other news

A live action Cowboy Bebop is in the works for (ugh) Fox.

www.uk-anime.net/news.asp?IntID=558
www.animecentral.com/news/story.aspx?ID=434
www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-2 ... ent-at-fox

[CovenantJr]

Nurse Witch Komugi. I watched this based on some clips I saw in an AMV, which made it look amusing. It's basically a parody of 'magical girl' anime, by some of the Excel Saga crew. It's less strange than Excel Saga, but the feel is similar. Not bad; amusing enough, particularly if you recognise some of the magical girl conventions.

Since I've run out of new anime and can't afford to buy more at the moment, I've been getting into some rewatches. Outlaw Star, The Big O and, currently, Fate/Stay Night. All good, but I know I'm going to be frustrated anew that I don't own the final episodes of Fate/Stay Night. Grrr.

[Cagliostro]

When anime was a little niche hobby about 15-20 years ago (great Frith, I'm old), I got into it pretty heavy. It wasn't shown on cable, and it was damn hard tracking it down. I watched whatever I could, but not being a fan of giant robots, there wasn't a ton. I did find some place in Kansas City that had a fair portion of anime, and got heavily into Ranma 1/2. That is pretty much the tone of what I like in anime. And was something that convinces me I was a Japanese girl in a foreign life.

I haven't seen a lot of the modern stuff, but I do try to keep up with Miyazaki, as Spirited Away is probably my favorite anime. I just saw Porco Rosso, which I know is an older one, and I found that it might have been the least of the batch, other than maybe Castle in the Sky or whatever that was called. And the weird little forest spirits in Princess Mononoke which my ex-fiance and I called Clickheads were a masterpiece. A few years back I went to a Halloween party as No Face from Spirited Away, and the ex was going to go as a Clickhead but couldn't figure out how to make it work. We did make Clickhead Christmas tree ornaments though.

I really dig the original series of Vampire Princess Miyu (I saw some more recent episodes, and they don't hold a candle), and both Vampire Hunter D's were good. For some reason, I never took to Akira. But then again, I really dug the Pokemon series, so I will probably never be taken serious as an anime fan.

Tenchi Miyu was fun, but suffered from the same problem Ranma 1/2 did - every female fell in love with the main character. I also really liked the one that was something of a fantasy setting with Lena Inverse as a character, but can't remember the name of.

Now there is so damn much anime out there that I don't know where to go. I watched the movie of Cowboy Beebop, and found it stylistic, but not especially motivating for me to pick up any more. Maybe I'll take some advice from CovJr, as long as he doesn't recommend movies like Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend.

[CovenantJr]

Maybe I'll take some advice from CovJr, as long as he doesn't recommend movies like Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend.

In that case, Syl's the one whose recommendations you need to avoid.

I also really liked the one that was something of a fantasy setting with Lena Inverse as a character, but can't remember the name of.

That one's called Slayers. I've never seen it myself though.

If you want some recommendations, I can give some, but since I'm not that keen on Miyazaki (except Spirited Away, which was good) and I've only ever seen one episode of Ranma, it might be a hit-and-miss affair.

[taraswizard]

Being as I know alot of fans who happen to be a bit younger than me, they happen to be all gamers and most are to varying degrees into anime and manga. (BTW, regarding the gaming aspect this is totally something I don't get at all, and that's a different discussion) Manga and anime I've tried to get into, but so far nothing really got to my imagination and captured my attention at all. FYI, my exposure through local conventions was not good, because whenever I tried to watch anime in the anime room, the volume was turned to the level known as 'brain cell damaging', and there were lots of subtitled showings (I so don't like subtitles). FYI, when I was younger I was a fan of Astro Boy, Gigantor and Speed Racer, but at least a decade passed after I was watching these on local TV in Southern California before I found out these were Japanese cartoons.

However, I was cruising through my On Demand Cable offerings in late July and found titles called Hell Girl and Revolutionary Girl: Utena. RG:U, which I had previously heard of, I found to be very light on plot and totally formulaic, but I kept watching it for some unknown reason (maybe I was trying to figure out what 'World Revolution' was anyway)? Hell Girl, totally captured me; FYI, it's pretty formulaic (how much leeway does the 24 minute format allow) and maybe not as interesting as some things but something about the plots used and characters that appeared in each episode really appealed to me. I liked the opening theme Sakasama no Cho and its closing theme, too. I even tracked down the Del Rey manga and was not disapponted by them either.

So Hell Girl turned my viewpoint around and I thought I'd try some more through my cable On Demand, and I discovered Scrapped Princess and To Heart. SP is a ongoing story about a hidden princess who might save the world or destroy the world depending on what prophecy one might believe and the battle that occurs over her; FYI,

Spoiler

the girl who might be the Scrapped Princess (Pacifica Kasull)is protected and defended by her older brother and sister (Shannon and Rocquel) and other allies they meet in their travels

. Its's set in a SF/F world where there seems to have very advanced technology that masquerades as magic, and there might be an extranatural magical power, too. OTOH, To Heart is a kind of silly teen HS drama, but in later episodes there could be androids and robots.

p.s. I like most incarnations of Appleseed, too.

[Cagliostro]

Maybe I'll take some advice from CovJr, as long as he doesn't recommend movies like Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend.

In that case, Syl's the one whose recommendations you need to avoid.

I also really liked the one that was something of a fantasy setting with Lena Inverse as a character, but can't remember the name of.

That one's called Slayers. I've never seen it myself though.

If you want some recommendations, I can give some, but since I'm not that keen on Miyazaki (except Spirited Away, which was good) and I've only ever seen one episode of Ranma, it might be a hit-and-miss affair.

Slayers...that's right. Well, the downer anime tend to be hit or miss for me, but the upbeat and girly ones seem to be more my style. I wish it wasn't true, but it seems to be. But recommend away!

[CovenantJr]

I discovered Scrapped Princess and To Heart. SP is a ongoing story about a hidden princess who might save the world or destroy the world depending on what prophecy one might believe and the battle that occurs over her; FYI,

Spoiler

the girl who might be the Scrapped Princess (Pacifica Kasull)is protected and defended by her older brother and sister (Shannon and Rocquel) and other allies they meet in their travels

. Its's set in a SF/F world where there seems to have very advanced technology that masquerades as magic, and there might be an extranatural magical power, too.

Scrapped Princess is one of my favourites. It starts off alright, then gets much, much better.

So, what have I been watching recently? Well, I returned to Bleach after a friend told me I dropped it just before it starts getting better again. Not strinctly true, it turns out - but after ten episodes or so, it did start improving. It didn't really hit its stride again for about thirty episodes though. I'd been told Kuchiki Byakuya would make a triumphant return to the screen, and I wasn't disappointed. So now I'm up to date with this (episode 199 - good god!) and since episodes are released weekly, I think I'll wait a while so I can build up at least a couple of hours of watching.

While I'm waiting I've moved on to One Piece. This was recommended to me about a year or so ago, after I complained about the lack of continuity in King of Bandit Jing (the way it was recommended was "One series that has continuity up the arse is One Piece"). It also has the bonus of being the only anime I know of that's about pirates. So far it's ok, and little more than that. Fun enough but nothing massively impressive - and the art is ugly as hell.

[taraswizard]

My favorite of new things is Gunslinger Girls it is so good, and I get my fix through IFC On Demand. Girl

Spoiler

s with dire and potentially mortal health conditions are recruited by a secret governmental agency, given cybernetic implants and trained as 'wet' works specialists. Each girl has a handler and the pair are called fratello

It is awesome. I'm watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex through Adult Swim, Piano, Marmalade Boy and xxxHolic

It's not the only thing I've seen since my last update. I liked Burst Angel (Sometimes called Crazy Burst Angel) alot. I liked My Hime, too.

Because of my new found otakuness, I'm anticipating going to Anime Central in May.

EDITED TO ADD: Been watching the movies, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service[/u (my favorite), Grave of the Fireflies, Castle of Cogliostro.

[Orlion]

So anywhos, they're doing a new Full Metal Alchemist series (it's called Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood). My understanding is that it's a 're-boot' of sorts and focuses on how the story is in the manga. One can watch the episodes that have been done with english subtitles at www4.funimation.com/video/?page=show&b=280

[CovenantJr]

I've never watched FMA, though lots and lots and lots of people say I should.

I've just finished Saikano AKA She, the Ultimate Weapon, which is not what you might expect from the title. It was fairly enjoyable but a bit melodramatic, and if I never again hear anyone whine "Shujaaaaa" it'll be too soon. I also watched the two-episode OVA semi-sequel Saikano: Another Love Song. It runs alongside the events of the TV series, but I'd say you need to have watched all or most of the original to avoid spoilers. In many ways, I found the OVA more enjoyable than the original TV series; it focuses less on the cute but whiny Chise and more on the people who were always behind the scenes before.

Next up, I have three series awaiting my attention once my essays/exams are done:

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor - I waited ages for this to arrive from Australia. It's a science fiction comedy, and supposedly anyone who likes Red Dwarf or can see the funny side of Star Trek will probably enjoy it. Time will tell, but I'm looking forward to it.

Karas: The Prophecy/Karas: The Revelation - Six episodes total, so an easy watch. Something to do with demons walking unseen in the world, and one of the beings that protects people from them becoming disillusioned.

Rune Soldier - High-cheese fantasy, but deliberately so. A bit of a wild card. I'm not sure quite what to expect.

[CovenantJr]

I've started watching Rune Soldier. So far, its sense of humour is pitched fractionally above Those Who Hunt Elves - that is, generally quite low-brow and obvious, but amusing enough in a goofy sort of way, if you don't demand much. One of the voices in the dub even sounds like Shelley Calene-Black (Celcia in Those Who Hunt Elves).

So far, it seems divided in two: 1) digs at D&D, with, for instance, the main character remarking that his new companions (a cleric, a fighter and a thief) just need a magician in order to become the perfect team; 2) gags about Louie's ineptitude.

It's ok. There's plenty of time for it to improve, though; Orphen started off pretty damn bad, and ended up quite good.

I've also ordered Basilisk, which I've been meaning to watch for some time.

[CovenantJr]

I'm about halfway through Basilisk now. At first it disappointed me, because it was just a succession of bloody face-offs between bizarre, superhuman ninja. After about five or six episodes, though, it suddenly got much better.

As far as I can tell, it's basically Romeo and Juliet done in the style of Ninja Scroll.

[CovenantJr]

Basilisk complete. After starting, as I said, in a repetitive, 'ninja duel of the week' style, it actually turned out to be pretty decent. It's never going to be a favourite, but I'd give it a solid seven.

One of the things I liked about it - in fact, the main thing I liked - was being kept off balance as to the merits of different characters. Very few of the characters aren't dicks, and every time I thought I knew what someone was like, they were suddenly shown in a different light. I like being kept on my toes like that.

[CovenantJr]

Karas: The Prophecy and Karas: The Revelation.

I didn't know what to expect, except that I had a vague recollection of reading that it was something supernatural. And so it is - but also much flashier and more carefully written than I expected. Good stuff. Could use some work in places, but I enjoyed it. Also, the opening scene is like Hollywood, in a good way.

Next: Strait Jacket, for which I have great hopes since it's from the Scrapped Princess people.

[CovenantJr]

Yokohama Shopping Trip (or Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou). I've seen numerous 10/10 ratings for this, and none below 8/10. So I decided, since it's only two episodes long, it had to be worth a try.

It may well be the single most boring thing I have ever seen in my life. The main character spent a good fifteen minutes trying to take a photo but being unable to get the right shot. That's it. Later on, she looks at some lights under a lake. It's a pretty sight, no doubt, but it goes like this: lingering shot of lights, lingering shot of face, lingering shot of lights, lingering shot of face, lingering shot of lights, lingering shot of face, lingering shot of lights, lingering shot of face....in silence for at least five minutes. I can't see any way in which that's anything less than incredibly dull.

And the animation! I've seen reviews praising the way the animation brings the main character's personality out vividly - but it's a lie! The art isn't bad, but the animation is downright poor. Alpha (the main character) has two expressions: 'slack-jawed gawp', and 'suprise' - and it soon becomes obvious that 'surprise' is the same slack-jawed gawp but with pink cheeks. The only other recurring character is the old man down the road, and he has only one expression! His facial features never move more than a fraction of an inch!

The worst example of animation in this, though, was the scooter-sideways trick. There was a sustained shot of Alpha riding her scooter, 'filmed' from behind. This was fine on the straight stretch of road, but then she came to some kind of curve or bend - but it took me a moment to realise that's what it was meant to be, because what actually happens is she leans slightly and moves directly sideways. It's HIDEOUS.

I'm completely nonplussed by the seemingly universal love of this anime. It makes watching paint dry seem eventful; at least paint progresses from wet to dry. The technical ineptitude only serves to make the experience painful as well as boring, leaving me with a weird feeling of being sedated and then beaten with wads of damp tissue paper.

[hearthrall antonicus]

Hey Cov Jr. - Pm me if you dont mind and let me know how Bleach ended will ya? Or post it if it is appropriate.. I loved damn there every episode I watched, then we turned off the satelite service(family budget crisis...ugh) and I never got a chance to see the end . Or can it be rented somewhere?

[CovenantJr]

Ended? Bleach will never end. It's up to episode 227 and still going. I can fill you in on what's happened until now if you like, but don't expect much resolution.

If you don't mind watching it subtitled, it can be streamed/downloaded in various places online. It's not really practical to buy or rent a series as long as Bleach. I don't foresee this story arc being concluded before episode 300, and I doubt they'll stop there.

[Orlion]

All righty, I've watched about fifteen episodes of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and here's my say.

It takes around 13 or 14 episodes before the story arc is able to seperate itself significantly from how the other series played out, but it looks like it will be different enough to give it a shot. The main difference I can see is this: Emotionality (it's a new word!). In Full Metal Alchemist, the character development was excellent, and it really tugged at my heartstrings to see some of the crap that the characters had to go through, this was done excellently!

Brotherhood, however, has, what I view, as significantly less character investment. This is replaced by loads of slapstick anime humour that is reminescent of Inuyasha, and is (at least for me) kind of distracting. However, since it's reached a point where the story will be unique to Brotherhood, I'm looking forward, hopefully, for some better character development.

I do, however, like where the series is taking Alponse Elric, and the relationship between Edward and Winry seems to be more fleshed out as well.

Here's hoping!