Forum - View topicAnime in America: Theron and Rebecca's Best, Worst, and Most Notable of 2014
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gloverrandal
Posts: 406 Location: Oita |
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It's been around a lot longer than that, actually. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11586 |
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Not so much. Excluding sports anime like Kuroko, Yowapeda, and Haikyuu!!, and romances, trashy eye-candy for girls (e.g., Amnesia, Brothers Conflict, UtaPri, etc.) has been pretty rare until 2013. I count 8 series in 2014, 7 in 2013, and 4-5 total from 2009-2012. Those numbers could shift depending on how inclusive or restrictive your criteria are, but I was going by basic reverse harem or BL with a storyline built around emotion rather than action or depth. I had to include Hetalia to get 4 in the years before 2013. So while there have been lots of series women and girls enjoy, with some nice bods in many of those, very little has been aimed directly at them (and even fewer with any substance at all, like Free!).
Whether specifically feeding girls with a diet of mostly crap is a good thing or not is a whole other issue. |
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gloverrandal
Posts: 406 Location: Oita |
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I guess that's true if we're focusing specific on shoujo and otome male fanservice titles. But it does seem like most of the shows women gravitate to have been sports shows. Older series that women adorned were Prince of Tennis, Slam Dunk, and Inazuma Eleven. With the current ones of swimming, basketball, volleyball, and biking, it does seem like sports are the go-to series for women in Japan, even if they're not aimed specific at them like shoujo and otome adaptions are. I'm not sure what that says about the market, though.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16963 |
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Mind explaining with more than a 1 word answer? Before I answer myself I am curious bvy what standard are we supposed to use Norbie? Do you mean stand the test of time as in still be considered a great show, example being Evangelion or Akira, 10 or 20 years down the road? Or do you mean stand the test of time as in still be a fan favorite/popular down the road? I ask because my answer would change depending on if I'm answering based on continued popularity in the future, or still be considered a great show. They're not always the same. Not to me anyways. I think many popular shows season to season don't always equate to a truly great show that stands the test of time. An example being Psycho Pass. If I'm answering based on continued popularity I'd consider Psycho Pass. If I'm answering based on what is a great show now and will remain one down the road I would not consider Psycho Pass personally. |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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Standing the test of time would mean it appears on charts of anime you should watch, some 20 years from now.
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Blanchimont
 Posts: 3564 Location: Finland |
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I can see myself rewatching Barakamon after a decade or so. I can't see myself rewatching Psycho-Pass next decade, before or after... |
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Kadmos1
 Posts: 13615 Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP |
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A reason I liked the Space Dandy dub so much is because I liked hearing Alexis Tipton as Honey. When I saw her at a local con called Saboten Con over 4 months ago, it was at the autograph signing that I told her that I felt her best role was Musubi in Sekirei (it's one of my fave harem titles).
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diadumenian
 Posts: 26 |
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Disagree with Theron on Opener of the Year. The Rage of Bahamut opening sounds GREAT for the first 10-15 seconds, until the singing starts. It's hard enough listening to the poorly pronounced English, but it doesn't have the right "savage" voice for a metal track. I agree, however, that the opening animation is top notch.
Some other openers I preferred:
Hello Sleepwalkers - "Goya no Machiawase" from Noragami. Solid hard rock and great animation As Theron mentioned, you also can't go wrong with Kalafina! Bonus closer: SEGA HARD GIRLS - "Wakai Chikara" from Hi-sCoool! SeHa Girls. Pure J-Pop goodness, plus those dance moves! |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 2652 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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Sorry for the late response! While I don't doubt that someone with more fluency in Japanese than I have could point out differently (and perhaps better) performance, with my conversational level of proficiency, what I tend to look for is emotional nuance and general delivery. Could I understand the emotion if I wasn't looking at the screen? Does it reflect the change in the character as the story goes on, or do the words and emotions seem disconnected? It isn't a perfect science, by any means, but if you listen to enough of a language, you do pick up on the basic details of how things are meant to work. |
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yuna49
 Posts: 3804 |
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All the Japanese I know I've picked up from listening to anime, but I can still tell the difference between a strong and a not-so-strong seiyuu performance. In 2014 I enjoyed Hirano Aya's complex and nuanced performance as the alien Migi in Parasyte, Sawashiro Miyuki voicing a remarkable array of characters in a variety of shows, and the work of the entire ensemble of experienced seiyuu who brought the exotic world of Kill la Kill to life. Like Princess_Irene I listen for the emotion and intelligence of a performance which comes through regardless of the language in which it is delivered.
I suggest listening to a couple of Sawashiro's performances this season to hear a true professional at work. Listen to her in Space Brothers, Parasyte, Psycho-Pass, Shingeki no Bahamut, and Kurenai, and you'll be hard-pressed to tell that they are all performances by the same woman. |
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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Re: Anime that will stand the test on time--at the risk of sounding like a broken record (or whatever the modern equivalent is) , Parasyte has already *stood* the test of time, considering that it's being adapted from a 20-year-old manga and the story is still relevant. But 20 years from now, I think American anime fans will still be watching Space Dandy--if only because it'll still be airing on Adult Swim!
 
Those are really great choices! If we're just looking at OP animation, Garo takes the cake. The song is an old school rock ballad with on-the-nose lyrics but the animation is a gorgeous montage of the main character's growth from conception. It's a really cool effect. |
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Izanagi009
 Posts: 465 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA |
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I see, thank you for the information and I will be using that to help evaluate shows better. |
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Izanagi009
Posts: 465 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA |
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I see, now that I think about it, I listen to Tomokazu Sugita in Inu X Boku and then I hear him in Blazblue and they are very different tones with only slight intonations Saito Chiwa is the same, shifting from crazy and hyper to grim and somber. It is certainly an art that I still need to learn but I notice that a lot of voice actors like Joji Nakata don't really change their voices a lot. Alucard and Kotomine Kirei sound the same. Is it because they are typecast into the roles that require their voices? |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2652 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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While I can't say for certain, I would suspect so. You see that with some of the English dub actors as well - Monica Rial is the first who comes to mind. |
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Snufalufagus
Posts: 8 |
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Well I am very late but I absolutely loved both of the choices for best series of the year. Nozaki-kun(and Barakamon same season REALLY!!!!!!!) was OMG funny!!!!!!! Yona I just watched it cause I like to give every anime at least 1 episode but WOW the VA I mean just WOW!!! I have a very soft spot for female characters who are strong but vulnerable and Yona seriously WOW!!! All I have to say is I look forward to season 2(not that I know anything). Just like what ever they said about Watamote for 2013 cause DAMN!!!!!!!!!!! I completely agree with Theron's pick for Nobunagun it will be anime I will watch at least the 1st 2 episodes again and again. School days is evil but I love that it was made cause now I go into anime's with less expectations which is great.
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