The "I Am An Anime Dork" Thread

smu2 · 17-Jun-04, 03:45 PM

There, I said it. I'm actually still pretty new to it, but this stuff hooks me. A lot of anime sucks, but then there are some that are the best pieces of entertainment I have ever seen. I know we're all macho lifters, but I'm sure a couple of you get your fair share of Japanimation in on some sort of basis.

Here are my personal favorites:

Berserk (best one)
Cowboy Bebop (who doesn't)
Trigun (just the second half)
Last Exile (awesome)

Right now I'm watching a series called "The Twelve Kingdoms". I just finished two episodes out of 39, and I can't really decide whether its going to be good or not.

I mostly watch action anime, though I'll probably move into the more drama stuff as I get more into it.

So anyone else watch anime around here, and if so, what're your favorites?

Remember, it's ok to admit it, you're among friends

~Smu2

Julius · 17-Jun-04, 03:49 PM

Ninja Scroll
Cowboy Bebop
Akira

those are all really good

Julius · 17-Jun-04, 03:50 PM

Oh, I don't know why you make it sounds like a geeky/uncool thing to watch... Ninja scroll and Akira were both really gorey, intense movies...

smu2 · 17-Jun-04, 03:52 PM

Well, I was phrasing it in a kind of joking manner. I have no problem watching it, but a lot of people just relate anime to geeks and such.

I was about to watch Ninja Scroll once, but it was dubbed and I just can't STAND dubbed anime. American voice actors are the god damned WORST!

~Smu2

Jakanden · 17-Jun-04, 04:07 PM

Are we talking just anime shows or we talking Japanimation in general?

Anime shows:
Trigun
Berserk
DBZ (The originals not the US releases)
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Sorcerer Hunters
Tenchi Muyo
Inuyasha
Guyver

Japanimation:
Ninja Scroll
Majo no takkyubin (The original not the US Release)
Nausicaa (The original not the US Release)
Vampire Hunter D2: Bloodlust
Castle in the Sky
Akira (The original not the US Release)
Ghost in the Shell
Princess Mononoke

And i could go on and on =)

smu2 · 17-Jun-04, 04:13 PM

Well, everything you listed is considered anime, some are just series and others are movies. I used the term "japanimation" as a synonym to anime, though I could be wrong.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust was awesome. I heard the originals are not so good, but I haven't seen them. Ghost in a Shell: the movie (not sure of the exact title) was really good too. I saw that a long time ago when my cousin showed it me. That was my first dip into anime, but I brushed it off and didn't watch another for several years. I watched a lot of DBZ on cartoon network after school too, which I thought was awesome at the time, but now realize how utterly craptastic they are. I honestly have no idea how the hell I thought it was a cool show, but neither do most people

.

Jak, what are you FAVORITES though. Since it sounds like you've seen a hella lot, gimme top 5 (or 10).

~Smu2

Jakanden · 17-Jun-04, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smu2

I watched a lot of DBZ on cartoon network after school too, which I thought was awesome at the time, but now realize how utterly craptastic they are. I honestly have no idea how the hell I thought it was a cool show, but neither do most people

.

Hence the phrase (The originals not the US releases). They are quite a bit more graphic and adult then the CN versions (Which i've only watched a few times because its too dumbed down).

Quote:

Originally Posted by smu2

Jak, what are you FAVORITES though. Since it sounds like you've seen a hella lot, gimme top 5 (or 10).

Hmmm...

5. Fist of the North Star - The anime may not be the best but I just LOVE this movie

4. Guyver - Prolly the first Anime I saw back in the early 90's. Still one of my faves (Episode 6 kicks ass!)

3. Nausicaa - If you can find the original version, get it because it is awsome. The USA release is good but nowhere near as good as the original (Which is not suprising)

2. Ninja Scroll - What can be said? Jubei is a GOD. Although Ninja Scroll 2 was a travesty, the show was somewhat watchable although no where near the standards set by the movie.

1. Berserk - I fell in love with this first as the Manga then as the show. The Manga is MUCH better as it has alot more things that were cut from the show due to time. For instance: The characters of Puck and The Skeleton Knight were completely removed from the Anime, but they are MAJOR players in the Manga. Still an awsome show though =)

smu2 · 17-Jun-04, 05:07 PM

I just started reading the Berserk manga, finished the first two volumes, and I have to say that I like the anime a lot better. The manga seems a lot more along the line of cowboy bebop series style, in episode (or book) is kind of like just a new adventure. Every book is just Gatz going to kill more Deamons. Of course I could be wrong as Im only two books down

, but thats just my first impression.

I also WISH the manga was colored, would add so much more to it. I find the pages a little cluttered at times.

I think I also have the syndrome of "The movie ruins the book". It is nice to be able to see the aftermath of the anime though. I just wish to god, even though it probably wont happen, that another berserk series comes out.

Everyone who read the manga first and then saw the anime goes, "oh, this is different from the manga X,X and X. Guts is different this way and that, etc.", but since I saw the anime first, I look at the manga and go "Guts is different from the anime in this way and this way, so much worse". I think itd be like if people saw the Harry Potter movies before reading the books, what they're reactions would be.

~Smu2

Cort · 18-Jun-04, 01:35 AM

Naruto
Hellsing
Gantz (perverted in some parts, but awesome sci-fi horror in others)
Hunter X Hunter
Full Metal Alchemist (one of the better ones I've seen)
Get Backers
Scrapped Princess (one of the better ones I've seen)
Wolf's Rain (Awesome, its on Cartoon Network now, I may just buy it though, it got licensed near the end of last summer so they stopped fansubbing it and I don't want to wait the 20+ weeks it'll take for CN to catch up w/ what I've seen

)
Monster (mostly plot, horror, etc...)
Madlax (by the people who did .hack//Sign and Avenger)
Shadow Skill
Berserk (f'in awesome, blood, gore, giant swords...has it all

)
Shura no Toki (somewhat historical, people actually complained it has too many names to remember)
Last Exile
Escaflowne (the movie)
Vampire Hunter D (original and new one)
Blood the Last Vampire

From what I've seen Shaman King and One Piece are also pretty good, but I've only read a little bit of the manga from those two, haven't watched either of them.

Most of the ones I enjoyed...I'm mostly an action junky though so many of those are lacking on the plot side.

For Berserk...I've seen that there is alot of manga out, but they seem to have stopped at 5 DVDs, so the anime discontinued?

It isn't really that geeky, not too many people are into it though. For some reason people seem to get the impression that if you like anime you have to be some acne covered fat guy with glasses and greasy hair who doesn't know what hygene is and obsessed over ***** cartoon women.

**midgetcop** · 18-Jun-04, 12:13 PM

OMG...when I was a teengager my friends and I used to be TOTAL anime-dorks. We used to go to this club at the University of Toronto and watch about 6 hours straight of various animes.

Best series hands down is Neon Genesis Evangelion. Best comedic series? Ranma 1/2.

The most twisted series? Anyone here seen Ping Pong Club?

smu2 · 18-Jun-04, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetcop

OMG...when I was a teengager my friends and I used to be TOTAL anime-dorks. We used to go to this club at the University of Toronto and watch about 6 hours straight of various animes.

Best series hands down is Neon Genesis Evangelion. Best comedic series? Ranma 1/2.

The most twisted series? Anyone here seen Ping Pong Club?

I watched about half way through NGE and then for some reason never finished it. Its ok, definitely not my favorite. I also HATE the whiny main character Shinjo. He is too overly a baby I think for anyone to be able to relate to him.

I probably still should finish the series though

Speaking of twisted, Perfect Blue is pretty cwazy.

~Smu2

**midgetcop** · 18-Jun-04, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smu2

I watched about half way through NGE and then for some reason never finished it. Its ok, definitely not my favorite. I also HATE the whiny main character Shinjo. He is too overly a baby I think for anyone to be able to relate to him.

Yeah, Shinji is extremely boring/annoying. I find that with other anime characters who are supposedly main characters in the series as well. Anyone seen Tenchi Muyo? As if *he* isn't the most boring guy around. I have NO idea why the female characters are fighting over him.

Watch the rest of the series though. Especially the last few episodes. Really OUT THERE. But interesting.

smu2 · 18-Jun-04, 01:28 PM

Midge, I don't know if you still watch anime, but Last Exile is very new (came out last year or this year I think) and immedietly became one of my favorites.

I would definitely give it a watch. I dont think its out in the US though, but you can find the fansub easily. Its a very good, original story (the backdrop reminds me of the game Skies of Arcadia, for anyone who's played that) with solid character development and AMAZING artwork. It combines CG and anime so well and does a great job of shifting back and forth between the two.

~Smu2

**midgetcop** · 18-Jun-04, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smu2

Midge, I don't know if you still watch anime, but Last Exile is very new (came out last year or this year I think) and immedietly became one of my favorites.

Sweet, what's the premise of it?

I can probably get it at my local anime hub. They have a great selection of fan subs.

smu2 · 18-Jun-04, 01:40 PM

From www.animeacademy.com:
--------------------------------------------------------------
On the world of Prester, the nations of Anatore and Dusis are deep in a war that is controlled by a secret organization known as the Guild. However, Claus Valca and Lavie Head want no part of it and instead are the pilot and navigator of a messenger vanship. Flying across a sea of wind and clouds, they deliver messages to anyone and anywhere. After a near-death collision with a crippled vanship during a local race, both are asked to deliver a young girl named Alvis to the infamous battleship Sylvana. Followed by a star-shaped craft bent on killing them, these three lives are about to forever alter the face of Prester.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Basically, its a world where these two countries are at war, and they fight in the sky on huge flying ships (that actually look like boats). Then there's this organization called The Guild that controls the sky and, as a result, basically everything.

The two main characters Lavi and Claus are one of many vanship courriers, basically mail mercenaries who take on jobs of various danger levels delivering messages. I'm not going to give anymore away, but thats the basics behind it.