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Shelf Life - How to Train Your Dragon

Based on the "Can I loan this out to friends knowing they'll have a good time" criteria that Erin uses, I would say that the Trigun movie should be Shelf Worthy. I watched it with a bunch of friends who either didn't care for, or actively disliked anime, and we all had a great time with the movie. As a longtime fan, I was extremely satisfied.

I was really hoping the "Noooooothing" under the Shelf-Worthy heading would link to that clip from Metalocalypse.

I had yet to see Paradise Lost, but the King of Eden movie was such a plodding morass of set-up, otherwise pretty useless, that this doesn't surprise me. Though far from perfect, I was completely satisfied with the ending to the TV series, so I couldn't care less whether the movies were made at all. I think the TV show wrapped up its stance on the game succinctly, and you can reasonably assume who "won" even if it hadn't officially ended. Movies quite frankly not needed.

...Then again, I said this about FMA too, and we got a movie AND a remake for that one, so maybe I'm just too easy to please.

Additionally, I agree with Bamboo 100% on the Trigun movie. It WAS disappointing for something that'd been floating around for 13 years. Totally forgettable Jump movie where the "episode-only" characters got more attention than the main cast. Coulda been done better. And so yes, I will complain about it, grumf grumf.

I conclude that anime movies are made for an entirely different audience than series are made for. They're certainly made by a different process. Other than 3 or 4 Ghibli films, and Akira, I'd say there are no anime movies to equal the best series. Pretty pictures, sure. Three dimensional characters and resonant plot? Nope. Just not something they're interested in for this format.

I also don't care for Erin's wish for the series to be cancelled halfway through. Wishing for cancellation on any show bugs me since even if I don't like it, plenty of others do and I can just choose not to watch. I know Erin was probably joking, but after Firefly, Arrested Development, etc., it's not really something I find amusing.

doctordoom85 wrote:

I also don't care for Erin's wish for the series to be cancelled halfway through. Wishing for cancellation on any show bugs me since even if I don't like it, plenty of others do and I can just choose not to watch. I know Erin was probably joking, but after Firefly, Arrested Development, etc., it's not really something I find amusing.

That there is an understatment.

Though I really don't care about Arrested Development, however I did liked firefly and canceling a series half way through is kinda wrong,

eyeresist wrote:

I conclude that anime movies are made for an entirely different audience than series are made for. They're certainly made by a different process. Other than 3 or 4 Ghibli films, and Akira, I'd say there are no anime movies to equal the best series. Pretty pictures, sure. Three dimensional characters and resonant plot? Nope. Just not something they're interested in for this format.

And Satoshi Kon films.

The problem is that movies are a different kind of thing than series. You can't direct a movie like you do a series, and vice versa. It pains me whenever I see an anime director direct a movie like he would a TV show. Uninspired compositions, lack of spatial awareness, pedestrian use of editing...movies tend to weed out the directors who have a true cinematic sense from those who are just workmanlike guys who are best at TV shows.

And since TV shows are about story first, a lot of otherwise uncinematic directors can succeed on the small screen.