Forum - View topicShelf Life - Tetsuooooo!!!
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TheTheory
 Posts: 1029 Location: Central PA |
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I've watched Akira a lot since I first saw it 6 or 7 years ago. There was never a time that I've seen it that I've said "Wow, what an amazing film." There are glimmers of greatness to it... but by-and-large it grates me the wrong way... from the atrocious ending (which does not make me feel nostalgic for another time), to the wretched pacing, to even simple things like character designs. That said, I still recommend anime fans watch this once since it is such a landmark film for anime... then they can decide for themselves about it.
That said, I'll contemplate picking up the blu-ray if I ever see it on the cheap... it IS a movie I like to own (and currently don't, as it is always the first to go when I need some quick cash)... and blu-ray seems like it will be its greatest incarnation from a visual standpoint... even if better formats are created, older stuff like this can only be pushed so far. |
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pparker
 Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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I'm two for four having seen this week's lineup. First time I've heard such a glowing appraisal of Afro Samurai. Based on average opinion, I haven't even rented it. Maybe I'll try the movie first. Sounds like it could be appealing for visuals and audio alone.
Akira will forever stand as a monument to hand-drawn anime. The story wavers at times, but you can just feel the painstaking effort that went into the animation. I haven't seen every anime, but I know of nothing better from that period. And it holds up against modern animation and stories very well. I use Akira and Ghost in the Shell for introducing sci-fi fans to anime, and it almost never fails to impress, whether they go further with the medium or not. The BD version will have to wait for the inevitable but slow evolution of my collection, though. Haven't upgraded to HDTV yet because some standards are still too much in flux. Claymore is awesome, and keeps being awesome, and then... the last "volume". It doesn't ruin the whole show for me, like a couple of other popular shows that will remain nameless to avoid a fight. But the awesomeness is forever tempered on re-watch by knowing what's coming spoiler[(i.e., primarily the return of a certain Shinjiesque character)]. I'm in there collecting it, though, and can't wait to re-watch on DVD when I have all of it. The Story of Saiunkoku sounds like a rental first for me, but could easily become a buy. I'm not much for period drama, but if it's light enough in between, it could qualify. |
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DuelLadyS
 Posts: 1705 Location: WA state |
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Those manga pictures depress me- all those lovely books, tossed down and piled up like so much junk... They're on shelves normally, right?
I'd love to get Saiunkoku, but funds are a lil' low right now, and part one isn't going on sale anywhere... I'm watching, though... |
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stuckinfresno
 Posts: 223 Location: Fresno, CA |
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That's a big collection! I just have one question - aren't you afraid that the stacks will fall over? I'd be worried. Then again I'm a little neurotic about manga condition.
Claymore - ah I don't know if I will ever be able to decide. There are such solid reviews for the series and then there is the complaints about the end. I end up ho-humming and accomplishing no decision making. (Maybe if rightstuf has a killer sale) Ahh, the weight of deciding on a new series to add to the collection! |
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LordPrometheus
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Buy it. Even if the ending sucks (I don't know since I haven't seen it yet), the sheer joy of watching the uber Claymores fight is worth the price of admission. Volume 1 is a tad slow on plot, but once you get to Volume 2, it's nothing short of awesome. |
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vashfanatic
 Posts: 3492 Location: Back stateside |
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If you haven't read the manga, you'll be pleased to know that none of that is in it. The final episode (or maybe the final two, don't recall) are original to the anime to give it a better stopping point than the one provided in the manga at the end of the Northern arc: spoiler[imagine the series ending with you thinking everyone's dead, and maybe you'll appreciate they were struggling a bit.] |
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SongstressCela
 Posts: 615 Location: Pennsylvania |
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Eh. I seem to be the only person ever that thinks Akira is a complete waste of the disc it's printed on. Such a crappy movie.
Big props on Saiunkoku though, I've been in love with it since the first episode got subbed. X3 I'm glad it's getting a good treatment over here, I never would have expected it! It's a great drama kind of in the vein of Twelve Kingdoms, I think, only less supernatural. Also, dear god that is a lot of manga. Holy crap. I can't ever justify paying for manga when I finish a book in a mere 30-40 minutes, sometimes less, so my collection is nowhere near that. Then again, even my anime collection is dwarfed by their claim, and here I thought it was mildly impressive. xD |
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Avarice_WP
 Posts: 44 Location: Northrend |
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Man there sure are a lot of Afro haters out there. I think you guys are missing the point about what it's supposed to be- a simple action film. The story and dialogue sucks because it doesn't matter one way or the other how good they are- it's all about the fight scenes, sense of cool that pervades the anime, and amazing animation. Is this for everyone? No. But it's not supposed to be either. 3/5
I went to see Sword of the Stranger in theaters on Thursday- and it was really good. Amazingly well correographed fight scenes, likeable heros, a good (and sensical!) plot, and pretty good animation make this one a winner. Also, the dialogue isn't too bad. Another win for Bones. 4.5/5 |
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pparker
Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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LOL. I personally would have preferred that ending, but I see what you mean. So really, it should have been 52 eps planned from the start (though we all would have known that real ending was a red herring anyway). That would have been epic. I hope there are somehow, somewhere people still with the idea of a second season in mind. I'm a film guy, not a manga reader, but this is one of the few exceptions I want to make after catching up some anime buys. |
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pachy_boy
Posts: 1331 |
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I've watched Akira 3 times and keep coming to the same conclusion--it has no plot, no point, and the violence is its only substance holding it up. In fact, from what I understand, the reason why some anime fans persist it's a classic to this day is because the movie came out at a time when everybody thought all cartoons were for kids and this movie took everybody by surprise. I hated it the first time, but learned to appreciate the second time, but I could never call it a great movie.
It's almost the same reason why I have no intention of ever watching Afro Samurai, although I do like Samuel L. Jackson. From everything I've seen and heard it seems to be a violence-porn series, with a nice dose of misogyny in 'Resurrection,' but that's just what it looks like to me. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18271 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Wow, the amount of Akira-bashing here is kinda surprising. I have to wonder how many people bad-mouthing it have been watching anime since the '90s, as its stock seems weaker with the newer generation of fans.
The main weakness of Akira is that it tries to cram too much plot into a mere(!) two hours or so of movie time - to be expected, given that it's condensing down more than 1,000 pages of manga. That can make it hard to follow on a first viewing, and the original English dub/sub altering a few key words in places didn't help. (Centrifuge instead of capsules?) To accuse it of having no plot is just ridiculous, however, and it still stands as one of the greatest musical and artistic achievements amongst all anime movies. It was also possibly the biggest "gateway" title for those entering fandom in the late '80s and early-to-mid '90s. Those alone should be reasons enough to respect it, even if you are a newer fan. As for Claymore and its ending: no one following the series as it's released on DVD should worry about that for now, unless you're an absolute stickler for the anime adaptation following the manga. Many will find that the ending isn't anywhere near as bad as some like to claim. (And for those interested in an anime/manga correlation guide on this title, see this page.) |
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stuckinfresno
Posts: 223 Location: Fresno, CA |
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Well with an endorsement like that! Seriously, the thought of such a fight does sound really cool to see. Also thanks to Key for futher elaborating on the ify ending. Maybe once I have some spending money I'll have to give it a shot (at least the first two volumes). Hmm, I live in CA I wonder if I'll get my tax refund? Or, with my original idea, does anyone know if rightstuf already had a funimation sale recently?
I didn't comment on it but I really didn't care for Akira either. I know that it is well loved and that you need to watch it at least two times but . . . yeah it isn't worth it. There is some much anime to choose from and it just isn't worth it. I've always written off my dislike because I'm not a huge Sci-fi fan - fantasy yes please anyday, but sci-fi not so much. Last edited by stuckinfresno on Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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GATSU
Posts: 15386 |
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Avarice: And I think the Akira-haters don't seem to get that a movie's plot doesn't necessarily have to be linear or obvious. Sometimes, it's what you get out of the individual parts of the whole which matters. Oh, and don't give me that bs about violence when I know half of you jerk off to 300, TDK, and Kill Bill.
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SongstressCela
Posts: 615 Location: Pennsylvania |
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Been watching since the late 80s, here. 
Or, you know, we just didn't like the bloody movie. I never get why fans of something always have to pull out the elitist "You just didn't get it" card whenever someone doesn't like something. |
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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As much as I love Akira, I'll admit it could have done without the line "you little twerrrrps!" in the dub, amusing though it was. |
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