Forum - View topicWhat are you watching right now? Why? (please read 1st post)
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supercreep
 Posts: 526 |
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Just wrapped up Eureka Seven. I will rate it as excellent, even though I have more than a few problems with it. With a show like this I feel that the journey is more important than anything else, and in that regard it seriously delivers. It also doesn't hurt that it's all very hip.
The last episode had an overabundance of corny dialogue and scenes, but what really irked me was the discovery of spoiler[Adrock an episode or two before. The character is so built up through the series, and when Renton comes face to face with him there is no dialogue. There is nothing.] If I were a more vindictive person, I'd knock a grade off just for that. If the sereis was shorter, I'm not sure I'd rate it as highly. I grew to like and become attached to all the members of Gekkostate, and I'm not convinced that it would have happened if it were, say, 26 episodes. i also had a serious love/hate relationship with Renton, as he sometimes realy bugged the crap out of me. Eureka Seven's faults are not enough to bring the whole thing down, and it really is very charming. Overall, I'd say it was a rewarding experience. |
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naninanino
 Posts: 680 |
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It definitely gets better when it starts to introduce some more characters instead of the seemingly unending quest for vengeance of one man. I've been watching Space Adventure Cobra myself. While no Kenshiro, Cobra is most certainly a badass too in his own easygoing way. The space setting here is wonderfully imaginative and lively. Almost like ripped off from Star Wars universe. Seeing Cobra travel through space with his trusty old ship and a robo-woman sidekick, getting caught up with treasure hunt of violent space pirates, allying himself with various busty women as well as fighting off various vixens, the show is just pure fun to watch. It's just moments like when the hero kills off evil alien criminals, blows up a volcano, stares at the eyes of the woman he saved in that arc and says something like: "I've never had a date in a river of lava before" that make me laugh. Superb. |
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Cecilthedarkknight_234
 Posts: 3820 Location: Louisville, KY |
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Sigh in all honesty.. Nothing really I think i will be taking break from anime for the time being expect for MGX and Kids on The Slope. I have only currently re-watched clannad/after story and ordered the kannon dvd set so I wish myself luck there.
Last edited by Cecilthedarkknight_234 on Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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Watching KimiKiss as I'm missed the light romance theme mixed with school life for awhile. Also, the similarity between the series is Amagami SS is there.
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infiltration.cru
 Posts: 321 |
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apart from the current season, i just (finally) finished the first mobile suit gundam series, as well as 8th ms team(which was all kinds of awesome).
other than that i've finally gotten on with chihayafuru and so far it's been really good. next on the list is probably more and more gundam. |
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Saffire
 Posts: 1256 Location: Iowa, USA |
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I'm eyeing a list of 14 running series and wondering if I have it in me to keep up with all of them. The problem is that any time I try to backlist something, I never catch up with it and end up missing some quality stuff. Decisions.
Also picked up Skip Beat thanks to the First Episode tournament, and I'm loving it. It's got a great balance between silliness and drama so far. |
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Mylene
 Posts: 2792 Location: Indiana |
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Finally decided to pick up a couple of the spring 2012 series. Started out with Space Brothers which I wanted to see simply because I've been on a space kick ever since starting (and finishing) the Twin Spica manga. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite live up to the reason I chose it, but it's okay. I'll give it a chance and perhaps look elsewhere to truly satiate that craving.
Today I watched the first two episodes of Kids on the Slope. With the pedigree, it was hard not to give it at try at least. I'm a little disappointed that the second episode makes it seem like the jazz music is a bit more of a plot device rather than a central theme, but I like the characters and art well enough to overlook that. I'm glad I didn't write a first impressions post based on just the first episode though--otherwise I would have suggested that it was accessible to music fans without an interest in anime. That opinion definitely changed after episode 2. Also I've been eagerly awaiting every Wednesday in order to watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica which has completely blown my husband and I away. We've been spending hours chatting about the series after watching an episode, a conversation that carries us until the next week's episode easily. I'm quite happy that after the first few episodes I went ahead and ordered/preordered the LE releases of all 3 sets. Unless it finds a way to really screw up in the next 2 episodes, it's an easy 9 possibly even a 10 (which I rarely give). |
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6584 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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Re-watched El Cazador de la Bruja (with the American dub) over the previous four nights. In recent months I'd been playing favourite scenes and episodes, so I finally thought I may as well watch it right through.
I enjoyed it immensely, unlike the first time when it seemed inconsequential and meandering. I think my expectations then had been way too high, after the psychologically intense Noir and the epic Madlax, the two earlier Koichi Mashimo "girls with guns" series. El Cazador is a laid back 26 episode extended road movie and po-faced comedy where the absurd is constantly presented matter of factly. Quick summary: The amnesiac Ellis is an escaped laboratory subject who has been captured by a bounty hunter named Nadie. Events lead Nadie to help Ellis find the mythical Wiñay Marka (Eternal City) where Ellis hopes to find out what she is and what happened at the laboratory. On their journey they are pursued by rival bounty hunters, a psychotic young man obsessed by Ellis and a mysterious older man accompanied by a pre-school age girl. All the while they are constantly monitored by the supervisor of Ellis's laboratory as well as attracting the attention of a witches' coven. The foregrounded use of comedy sets this apart from Noir and Madlax. A perfect example of Mashimo's style of humour can be found in episode 15 where the heroines - Nadie and Ellis - find an abandoned Japanese hot springs inn in the Mexican desert. Yes. A deserted onsen. I'm not lying. A bit of digging and, wacko!, the spring flows again and they can relax awhile before Nadie's putative client - the appropriately named Blue Eyes - arrives with her two "women in black" goons. Of course it's an excuse for some swimsuit fanservice - Nadie does have the most appealing character design of all Mashimo's heroines - but in Mashimo's hands you know he's quietly taking the piss out of the trope. At the end of the episode Blue Eyes and her off-siders are seen availing themselves of the hot springs. Blue Eyes is obviously naked in the spa. Goon: Oh my! Where's your swimsuit? Blue Eyes (standing in all her glory): In Japanese spas this is the swimsuit. Now I'm the first to admit this isn't hilariously funny, but it's an illustration of Mashimo's approach - he's emphasising the ridiculous to point out the absurdities of the trope. Perhaps it's an easy target? I don't know. Continuing in this vein, El Cazador is mild-mannered when compared with the slaughterfest that is Noir and the civil war brutality of Madlax. Most of the gunplay - especially Nadie's - involves threats and disarming, usually without serious injury. Nadie is no Mireille Bouquet who guns down people by the score. When, in episode 6, Nadie actually shoots 3 other bounty hunters dead (and perhaps also her ex-lover Miguel - it isn't revealed who kills him), it comes as a shock. The goofy good humour is quickly restored however, which is at odds with this level of violence or with Ellis's disturbing backstory. El Cazador is never quite sure where the the boundary is between comedy and drama with sometimes bizarre results. 
Mashimo and Bee Train have avoided one of the faults of Madlax where the large number of important characters meant that none of the relationships were explored as much as they may have been. Here, the supporting characters know their place, allowing the central pair to dominate the spotlight, as they should. Nadie is, as I've already said, attractive, although I cannot imagine how her white pancho and intricate hairdo (replete with fine chain and baubles) manage to remain so immaculate camping in the Mexican desert. She's something of a tomboy, which may be why several of the male characters find her unattractive. She can also be quite the clown: after thoroughly outwitting two policeman trying to arrest her she promptly trips over a rubbish bin. Her wry view on life compensates for all the setbacks she endures. The waif-like and initially personality-free Ellis brings out the best in her. In her amnesiac state, Ellis is largely devoid of emotions. She learns how to emote from observing and imitating Nadie, a process that is the source of much of the anime's humour. Of the supporting characters, Ricardo, the mysterious bounty hunter with the moustache, the gravelly voice, the traditional cowboy attire, and... his constant companion - a mute pre-school girl named Lirio, stands out. There's no-one quite like him in anime. By the end, he and Nadie have developed a strong rapport. Of all the Bee Train "girls with guns" anime, El Cazador most overtly explores the growing affection between two women. Although they declare their eternal love for each other and, in the final "what happens afterwards" episode, they are settled and living together with Ellis seen in overalls and Nadie referred to as the "she-man", their relationship is always the epitome of innocence. Perhaps the supporting cast of a pair of transvestites, the psychotic obsessive LA, the manipulative Rosenberg and the sado-masochistic Blue Eyes, make Nadie and Ellis seem purer than they really are. Who knows? Speaking of Blue Eyes, there are two remarkable scenes where she's talking to the witches' coven by phone - in one she's suspended upside down from the ceiling; in the other she's chained to a roulette table. At the end of both calls she's standing as if neither event took place. It's almost as if Mashimo is saying, "I don't care about continuity and normal plot structures; I'm going to do whatever I like." That attitude is apparent all through the series. Perhaps Mashimo had lost interest and was amusing himself by playing around with conventions. The big climax is perfunctory and largely devoid of tension. The surprising last episode, in effect a coda to the series, is far more entertaining. Perhaps the message is that the journey is more important than the destination. The final scene has Nadie and Ellis forsaking domestic life to search for Ricardo and Lirio. (Lirio? My theory is that her origins are the same as Ellis's and LA's.) In the second half of the series, the Southern Cross constellation is displayed several times prominently. It's quite an unusual thing for anime (or any northern hemisphere production for that matter). No doubt it's one of Mashimo's frequent allusions to Christianity, but it's also useful as a guide to where the events take place. Given its height above the horizon, the furthest north it could be is central Mexico in April, which fits in nicely with the psuedo-Aztec imagery and the Hispanic affectations. My guess is that the road trip ranges from Texas to central Mexico. Also, going by Rosenberg's description, the location of his villa seems to be Great Bear Lake in Canada. Presumably the laboratory is there as well. Is the Canadian government aware that the CIA was performing human experimentation in their country? Rating: decent. 
"If you've got any last words, say them now." Last edited by Errinundra on Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:45 pm; edited 16 times in total |
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infiltration.cru
Posts: 321 |
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can you absolutely guarantee me that madlax gets better after episode 5? because i honestly wanted to kill myself everytime they showed whiny mystery girl. and by "kill myself" i mean "kill myself by smashing my head into the wall". |
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Errinundra
Moderator
Posts: 6584 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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Sorry, but I can't. I don't know your taste in anime. I agree that it's frustrating in the early episodes, but it picks up once Madlax and Vanessa Rene team up - episode 10, I think. It gets steadily better after that. It still might not be your cup of tea, though. Is the "whiny mystery girl" Margaret Burton? She never appealed to me, either. I recommend this post from Surrender Artist and the one immediately below it by yours truly. 
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infiltration.cru
Posts: 321 |
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hm...ok. maybe i'll finish it some day if only for the joy of realising things in hindsight(which is always a very empowering feeling ). i have to say though that i really liked noir. i realise what an incredibly imperfect show noir was yet i still think it was great. maybe because of "canta per me", maybe because of this intense feeling of tragedy and the fact that i deeply cared about the characters. the story was certainly not what made me like it. i mean,spoiler[ a mysterious duo of assassins embedded into some mythical background...meh, i just don't buy it.]
with madlax i wasn't just frustrated, i was outright furious. i wanted to throw my laptop of the window whenever margaret burton showed up. plus: spoiler[there were these ooh so mysterious kids in between that dropped some really crappy pseudo-prophetical sentences. and mysterious kids saying mysterious things in a mysterious way and sounding like they basically just talk shit may be just my major pet peeve.] also, spoiler[i hate men in suits conspiring in empty sentences, although not as much as mystery-kids.] but thanks for the insight, i might just give it a second chance. |
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Errinundra
Moderator
Posts: 6584 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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I agree that Noir was by far the best of the three, for pretty much the reasons you give.
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Tris8
 Posts: 2114 Location: Where the rain is. |
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For the first time I watched Blue Submarine No. 6 and was impressed with the animation. For a 14 year old OVA, it aged really well! I really liked how it started out, but I really hated what spoiler[ended up motivating Dr. Zorndyke to flood the world in the first place. Having the whole thing be a test, or an exercise to teach humanity to be less arrogant was a stupid reason. I don't care what they said in the OVA, Zorndyke must have had some serious mental problems if he truly believed what he did was right.] But other than that, pretty good OVA. I liked the designs for all the different kinds of fish people.
I also watched Dragon Half, which is almost the opposite of Blue Submarine. Excel Saga may have drawn inspiration from this, since the style of humor is similar with its craziness and high energy. A fun and silly OVA that I wish was longer. Last edited by Tris8 on Fri Apr 20, 2012 5:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Beltane70
 Posts: 3972 |
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Blue Sub 6 isn't quite at the two-decade point yet. It's still got six years to go yet!
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16963 |
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My consensus as well. I also felt Noir has the best soundtrack. I mean it really supported the series and really helped set the mood in many critical moments. Got OST 1 and 2 both from the show. This talk though makes me want to rewatch all of them though. Been a while since I watched Noir and Madlax. As for me I have a LOT of shows I am in the process of watching or rewatching. My gf hasn't seen nearly as many shows as myself so watching shows with her gives me a great excuse to rewatch shows i might have already seen heh. Had to narrow it down a bit though to make the list more manageable. In a mood for some action and/or boobies/bootie. I think Fate/Zero, Kanokon, Blue Exorcist, Queens' Blade, Canaan, Black Lagoon, and Ramen Fighter Miki shall fit the bill. Definitely have lots of action covered with them, and lots of T&A as well. |
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