Forum - View topicShelf Life - Cutting Through Red Tape
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Unholy_Nny
 Posts: 622 |
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Bamboo totally shredded into Magikano as the singles were coming out, she received a lot of flak for that, so I'm assuming those readers are totally going to dig you.
But, yeah, really is "rental" quality. |
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Dargonxtc
 Posts: 4463 Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋 |
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I assume you are talking about the first 39 episodes here. While I agree with the overall contrasts you were getting at between The Twelve Kingdoms and Fushigi Yûgi, this statement just isn't true. I don't know how to dispel it without given away major spoilers, so if you haven't seen it don't even think about reading on. spoiler[But think about all the spiritualism that took place between the three old men that were sort of like the overseers (forgot their names), and all the meddling that they did throughout the show. Some of it could be explained away, but others were clearly "magical" in nature.] Unless by magic, you mean transformation sequences and crotch shots under the veil of brilliantly colored sparkling lights. In that case then you are spot on. 
I recommend this series even if you are not into "totally hot dudes".
I am not sure how you wanted this to sound, but it totally sounds like you mean the second season is licensed. But to my knowledge it has not. Hope it does though. 
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vashfanatic
 Posts: 3495 Location: Back stateside |
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So I take it you quit after the first DVD or two of Twelve Kingdoms? Because Yoko evolves into one of the best female leads in anime. Her crowning moment of awesome at the end of episode 39 had me literally cheering. Also, first season of Saiunkoku > second season. They had nowhere near enough material to fill out 39 episodes. I'm probably going to give the first season a rent because I really did like it, but the second was sooooo slow. Also hoping that one day the light novels might get translated. And lastly, thank you for calling out D.Gray-man as the chimeric blend of other, better shounen series. I really enjoyed the art style of the manga, but really, stick with FMA. I can't believe the anime is any better than the manga was. |
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Megiddo
 Posts: 8360 Location: IL |
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Ah... I was beaten to it. Personally, I haven't seen Saiunkoku mainly because it's not one I'm interested in, but I found Yoko to be quite a fascinating female lead. Her transformation from silent mocking perfect student to bewildered and betrayed newcomer to spoiler[Queen] had me cheering for her all the time. |
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Big Hed
 Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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No, just... stay away from red beans. Oh man are they nasty. As for D. Gray Man, I think the filler in the anime really kills it. I disagree with vash's assessment of it as an inferior shounen chimera in both forms though, particularly with reference to the manga. Yes it does share themes relating to death and grief with FMA, but DGM's character dynamics are markedly different (Allen has no brother, and most of his key relationships are with friends/peers his age), as is the world that said characters inhabit (this is largely a product of the art, but also the weight of casualties sustained by the Black Order has always struck me as meaningful compared to other series -- it feels like they are actually being worn down). The DGM manga also has a lower humor quotient than its FMA counterpart does, I think, which is a credit, and again the story flows much better without filler. I'd encourage you to give it a shot. Oh, and DGM is just plain better than Bleach. I'm a fan of both to be sure, but I know which one I'd toss to the fire first to keep warm 
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Wow, such long entries for each Anime. Which is really good, don't get me wrong. Very well-written and informative too.
And thanks for reminding me about both Story of Saiunkoku and Twelve Kingdoms. I've put both on my List of Anime to Watch. |
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swienke
 Posts: 245 |
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For the most part I'd agree. Most of the fillers are only alright, but there are a few that actually add to the series significantly, such as the episodes introducing Daisya Berry and General Yeegar, which spoiler[make their eventual deaths much more horrifying and meaningful at the same time.] Some of the fillers towards the end of the series are pretty funny as well. The first half of the series is fairly good, but the second half totally kicks ass, and is certainly better than Bleach is right now (I still think the Soul Society arc in Bleach is slightly better than the 2nd half of D. Gray man, but not by much). As for the comparisons to FMA, I'll freely admit that I kind of had to force myself to watch the first three-quarters of it (it just didn't grab me for whatever reason), but D. Gray man got me instantly hooked. I think it may have to do with the fact that I found the setting and the characters in DGM to be more interesting, but I'm sure a lot of people disagree. |
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John Casey
 Posts: 1853 Location: In My Angry Center |
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Not to be a mincer, but I noticed a looooot of bootlegs in that shelf life collection.
It's all good though. The Viper and Centurion action figure completely make up for it, though! |
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JELEINEN
 Posts: 253 Location: Iowa |
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The Star Bird he has makes me intensely jealous. That was one of my favorite toys as a kid. I played with it until there was nothing left. |
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Big Hed
Posts: 1607 Location: Melbourne, Australia |
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I'd say I found them equally interesting. As I said though, very different from one another, so I can easily see how one would be hooked by DGM and not FMA. |
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SXAniMedia
 Posts: 139 |
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I say this a lot, but Rob Mungle is frigging awesome. He probably will be forever typecast for cat roles (this and Ghost Stories) though via ADV related productions.
Saiunkoku is the only one in this batch that I haven't seen at all, though I have heard/read a great deal about it. What you've written has further established that I need to get check this series out sooner than later - It sounds like it's totally up my alley. Enjoyed your first one per our prior tweet - this is another very entertaining read. Keep up the good work. |
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doctordoom85
 Posts: 2093 |
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Even more distressing are the DVDs in the first picture stacked on top of one another. Please get a shelf and arrange them normally, since it's been said DVDs will stop working over-time if they're left stacked on top of one another. 
Anyway, another good week. I enjoyed S1P1 of D. Gray-man but not enough to continue until a FUNi sale on Rightstuf happens, SOS is on my wish-list, and Magikano doesn't interest me.
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B-503_MIA
 Posts: 149 Location: Green Bay, WI |
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Holy 70's/80's toy markout!!!! Billy, looks like we had a lot of the same toys - original BSG, Micronauts (also probably the only comic book series I own the entire run of), Star Wars etc.
Hornetroid!!!! OMG, how badly I wanted one of those... I also had the Hydra, Baron Karza, Andromeda, the same color of Acroyear & the Antron. Yup, the Micronauts(Micromen) were just awesome toys & they were interchangeable
My brother's 8 yo son came across one of his old M.A.S.K. toys & is totally hooked, until I saw your shelves I never realized how many they made. He's been trying to track down more of the toys on the 'bay but the end of auctions are always out of control. |
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Dahling
Posts: 49 |
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I already like this reviewer.
 And I feel special cause I'm in from the start this time. ^-^
I'd like to agree on the 12 Kingdoms points made already... But otherwise I just want to say real red bean paste is DELICIOUS!! Well, as long as you don't mind sweet things... But seriously. Yum. |
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Levitz9
 Posts: 1022 Location: Puerto Rico |
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Good column this week!
I really like how you mentioned how D. Grey Man is an amalgam of various other shonen series, because, let's be honest: that's what everything is. JoJo has elements of Hokuto no Ken, for example, and the outrageousness of Dragon Ball. A lot of people don't seem to like acknowledging intertextuality--heck, as I type this, Firefox's spell-checker can't even recognize it as a word! Despite that, good column. I expect more good things from you! |
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