Forum - View topicMarmalade Boy, what's new?
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Boomerang Flash
 Posts: 1021 |
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I've recently had the good fortune of being able to read this piece of (unfortunately out of print) manga. It was beautiful, with a good mix of comedy and drama, and the way in which the crises were handled were touching. That led me to look at the anime adaptation, and...
An anime series with 76 episodes, each of which 24 minutes, out of a 8 volume manga? A ratio of 9.5 to 1 seems a bit high for an adaptation. Most of the ones with that kind of ratio, so far as I remember, are infinite shounens series like Dragon Ball Z or Inuyasha (not counting Haibane Renmei since the doujinshi was just a draft. Magic Knight Rayearth was the only series I remember with this kind of ratio and isn't an infinite shounen, and I found it pretty slow). Unfortunately, there are a number of unpleasant aspects about these kind of series, most notably the intrusive filler arcs and the dragged out fights. I guess the counterpart to the latter in Marmalade Boy would be extended dates whose gruesome details I would probably find rather irritating to watch (I don't think I could have sat through spoiler[Shiki and Arcueid's dates] in Tsukihime if it weren't for spoiler[Arcueid's interesting naivete]). So for those who have knowledge of Marmalade Boy's manga and anime, what did they do to make a 76 episode anime series out of a 8 volume manga? |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6895 Location: Kazune City |
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I'm not familiar with the Marmalade Boy manga, but I've seen the anime. My understanding is that the anime followed in Kodocha's mistaken footsteps and created a filler arc where spoiler[Yuu goes to study abroad in New York. Of course, there are various girls (and maybe even one guy!) that are interested in Yuu, thereby inflaming Miki's jealousy...and you also have mid-90s difficulties in long-distance communication complicating things, etc.] That arc is approximately from episodes 52-69, so that's one big chunk of time taken up. Still, I found it tolerable, though I might not have if I'd read the manga beforehand.
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kizzmequik_74
 Posts: 302 Location: QC, Philippines |
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Cases like this are far more common with the long-running shonen series, but the reasons are remarkably similar: they ran out of material to adapt.
I haven't seen the anime, but judging by the production dates (the anime actually ended before the last volume of the manga came out, I think), that seems to be the case. The anime started production towards the end of the manga's run, but the manga itself was still a couple of volumes short of a conclusion at that time. So, yes, I blame the filler arc, but odds are, the part of the series that was adapted from manga would have to have been remarkably slow-paced as well in order to hit those kinds of ratios. EDIT: To be fair, even the shoujo long-runners have had their filler story arcs: according to wiki, a chunk of Sailor Moon R was filler while they waited for Takeuchi to catch up. It's just that more visible with shonen series due to their sheer amount. |
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velocet
Posts: 240 |
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I've read/seen both versions, there's a bit more in the way of original material than just an extended filler arc, which re-locates the big twists that take place at the end of the manga, spoiler[ so instead of going away to Kyoto for University, he's studying abroad at a high school when it all kicks off. ]
There's also a certain amount of expanding on existing plot points, and a couple of new characters who are integrated into the over-arching plot along the way, some more successfully than others, but I really liked Anju, and her role in the series, despite being somewhat of a manga purist at the time I saw the anime. I like both, the anime does run a little too long, but if you like the manga it is good fun, despite how dated it looks and sounds. |
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Viga_of_stars
 Posts: 1240 Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier |
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I just finished and anime and read all the manga. The anime creates new characters and extens situations too. Some of the story arcs were okay while some was meh IMO. It's somewhat alright but the anime ending is not very good compared to the manga ending. It was rushed and almost duex ex machina. It didn't go in deeper like the manga to the reason of spoiler[bro and sis]. Nor did they show that spoiler[Parents story.] Really this could of all been over in 30 or so episodes. 52 if you kept in the Anju arc and Kei arc. Oh well.
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marie-antoinette
 Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
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Yeah, the Doom Tree arc was filler, since originally Sailor Moon was only going to be one season, but it was popular enough that they decided to make more, but they had to give Takeuchi time to write the Dark Moon story. And Sailor Moon has a decently high episodes to anime ratio. The entire first season comes from 1 or 2 volumes of manga. |
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Boomerang Flash
Posts: 1021 |
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Hmmm, thank you for the vague but helpful details. I'm probably going to watch the series. Episode one, at least, was pretty well done. I must say that the opening theme gives me a strong sense of nostalgia, which I love, though I can't quite put my finger on what other shows compare to it.
By the way, in what sense do you use the word "filler"? I believe there are many who use the word to refer to any material that was added to the anime. I tend to take the more subjective definition when I use the word. Merely absent in the original material is not sufficient for me. The episode(s) must also feel like an out of place break in the overarching plot to pursue some other objective. So, as a result, I don't really consider the first half of Sailor Moon R filler--it's an arc where a sentai of magic girls face against an alien threat to the Earth who sends MotW after the protagonists, just like every other arc in the series.
Good Lord... that's what... a ratio of 1:23 or 46? |
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demonroach
 Posts: 89 |
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Excellent series,...yes its long, but its still very very very good if you like soap opera...
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LdyGodiva
 Posts: 17 |
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Really?? There's a different ending in the manga?? That does it, now I have to go out & get the manga. I LOVED the Anime. Thanks for the info! |
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xia83
 Posts: 137 |
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I'm watching this show on comcast on demand. I'm up to episode 34, and i'm already thinking how they are going to stretch this for 40 more episodes.
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