The Anime Thread: Finding Good Anime

[wildfruit]

I got the uk dvd release about 5 years ago when it came out on the manga label. Normally I don't enjoy dubbed stuff but I find it very watchable and engaging. Nothing really special in the packing to compare with that LD though. But better than not having it at all. 11 hours of fun! Love that theme tune.

[ShadowKitty777]

Most new anime is crap, but Parasyte the Maxim was pretty good. I highly recommend. Kinda funny to me one of the only newer animes worth watching right now is based off an older manga (originally published in the late 80's-90's)

(Also Resident 4 completely ripped a lot of designs from this series, which was pretty interesting)

[DragonmasterDan]

I finished watching Lupin: From Siberia With Love (the proper title is From Russia with love but for copyright reasons it was changed for the US release).

I have The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Demon City Shinuku stacked up on my shelf waiting to be watched next.

[ClodBusted]

Work in progress cover for Orguss, release in August (tentative).

Source:
http://www.discotekmedia.com/blog/?m=201506


By the way, my better half involved me in watching Kill la Kill with her on Blu-ray. Although I'm not that much into newish animation, I found the first four episodes funny and well-drawn enough to go on. Thankfully most of CGI was found only in the first episode, and it looked decent enough to be not totally out of place.
I also tried the first two episodes of Super Sonico on Crunchyroll, and even though it has massive tits, I found the story unentertaining and the main character not likeable enough to go on. I was also highly irritated by the CGI animated band in the ending songs.

[esteban]

I finished watching Lupin: From Siberia With Love (the proper title is From Russia with love but for copyright reasons it was changed for the US release).

I have The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Demon City Shinuku stacked up on my shelf waiting to be watched next.

I haven't seen Demon City Shinjuku since it was released here in the States. Over 20 years, I think.

[xcrement5x]

Kill la Kill is fun and over the top like Gurren Lagann. 

I am almost done with Sora no Woto and it's been a nice little series.  Very slice of life so far, only a couple of episodes left.

[Gredler]

Rookie chiming in so please ignore if this is horrible, but I've never seen Fist of the North Star until very recently, and I really enjoyed it. After seeing Mad Max and being so amped on that world, I thought it'd be a good time to try FoNS out, and I was not wrong. I really enjoyed the first 100 episodes. I am watching it on hulu in the background at work, and it's a blast. I am going to see it through, though the interesting story arc already finished lol

[xcrement5x]

I just finished watching Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet on Netflix last night with my wife and was really pleased with it all, thanks to others for the recommendation.  It's nice to have a 13 episode series that does such a good job getting you invested in the characters and is able to bring the story to a nice conclusion as well. 

[TR0N]

Work in progress cover for Orguss, release in August (tentative).

Source:
http://www.discotekmedia.com/blog/?m=201506


By the way, my better half involved me in watching Kill la Kill with her on Blu-ray. Although I'm not that much into newish animation, I found the first four episodes funny and well-drawn enough to go on. Thankfully most of CGI was found only in the first episode, and it looked decent enough to be not totally out of place.
I also tried the first two episodes of Super Sonico on Crunchyroll, and even though it has massive tits, I found the story unentertaining and the main character not likeable enough to go on. I was also highly irritated by the CGI animated band in the ending songs.

I know i'll buy the official release of orugss on dvd.Just so i can replace my bootleg copy of it.Now if only discotekmedia,could get the rights to gallforce among other 80's anime.

[ClodBusted]

As far as I can remember, some Gallforce episodes (or movies, or OVAs? I have no clue) had been released on DVD in the US. Although a complete collection boxset would be nice to avoid buying the DVDs separately. I haven't seen one of the Gallforce episodes yet, but I would like to get my hands on them due to Sonoda's character design and some screenshots look like there are tie-ins with Bubblegum Crisis and other animations based on his designs.

[VenomMacbeth]

Just watched Paprika the other night.  What an awesome movie, way better than Inception.

[xcrement5x]

So I just finished watching Sora no Woto and it was pretty great. Slice of life + coming of age with a majestic backdrop and excellent music. The characters are all younger so some people might write it off as a moeblob drama but I think they are all distinct and solid characters as the show progresses.  The music in the show (and music itself) plays an integral part in the storytelling.

It's 14 episodes in total (one in the middle is a mid-season extra episode) so very easy to watch and finish.  The second-to-last episode was a wonderful culmination of the series, showcasing the growth of the characters and the world itself, it almost brought me to tears actually.  The final episode was also a great wrap for the story and everyone as well.  I'd recommend it to a lot of folks, if anything give the opening extended episode a try and see what you think.

[DragonmasterDan]

I haven't seen Demon City Shinjuku since it was released here in the States. Over 20 years, I think.

I watched it last night.

Having watched so much Lupin I immediately recognized the main villian's  voice actor as the guy who is the voice of Jigen. I looked it up afterwards and my suspicion was confirmed.

[esteban]

I haven't seen Demon City Shinjuku since it was released here in the States. Over 20 years, I think.

I watched it last night.

Having watched so much Lupin I immediately recognized the main villian's  voice actor as the guy who is the voice of Jigen. I looked it up afterwards and my suspicion was confirmed.

Ha!

[ShadowKitty777]

Just watched Paprika the other night.  What an awesome movie, way better than Inception.

Awesome movie. Have you seen Perfect Blue? (Same director)

@ the mention of Kill la Kill I really like that series, it's pretty fun to watch. It's like a parody of action animes, yet a pretty entertaining action anime at the same time.

After seeing the new Mad Max for the 2nd time, I want to re-watch Fist of the North Star again.

[DragonmasterDan]

Neo Tokyo and Redline are next in line for me to watch.

[NightWolve]

My Studio Ghibli marathon is pretty close to being finished. Recent one I saw was Whisper of the Heart. I found it OK, and as usual, Disney takes pride in their dubbing work and mostly does a great job with it.

Finally saw Ghost in the Shell for the first time after years of hearing about it. A recent new one I tried was Appleseed Alpha which I thought was pretty solid, not great, but B- level decent. I tend to like SciFi post-apocalyptic themes.

Just watched Paprika the other night.  What an awesome movie, way better than Inception.

Awesome movie. Have you seen Perfect Blue? (Same director)

Oh, that was the Perfect Blue guy, huh... No wonder, I can believe that. I was given a VHS of Perfect Blue as a gift. Yeah, it's a heck of a movie certainly. I still have "Excuse me, who are you? Excuse me, who are you?" repeating in me and fully associated with it...

[DragonmasterDan]

My Studio Ghibli marathon is pretty close to being finished. Recent one I saw was Whisper of the Heart. I found it OK, and as usual, Disney takes pride in their dubbing work and mostly does a great job with it.

I just can't watch the dubbed versions of those.

I had such a terrible experience with Howl's Moving Castle's dub I've just given up. I do like Whisper of the Heart as far as "slice of life" style anime films.

[xcrement5x]

Season 2 of Knights of Sidonia is out on Netflix so I have started watching that.  Still as awesome as before for the handful of episodes I'm into it. 

I also discovered and anime store where I live, traded in a bunch of old stuff for like $50 credit and banked it for now.  Will try and dig up more goodies eventually to dump and maybe get like the Cowboy Beboy Blu-Ray set. 

[wilykat]

Of the films by Ghibli, Wind Rises is one of the very few that didn't appeal to me.  It is Miyazaki's last work and it's more like a fictionalized biography of a boy who helped design planes and were one behind the famous Zero that fought against USA in WWII.  The girl he married IRL was not sick like in the movie and did have children.

[PunkCryborg]

Watching Kimagure Orange Road. Is there a better romance anime? It's amazing

[TR0N]

Knights of Sidonia,season two is up on netflik now.What else can i can say about this sci-fi drama mystery etc.If you enjoy the first season id suggest checking it out.

[DragonmasterDan]

I have Venus Wars sitting on top of a pile of DVDs in the "soon to be watched" stack.

[datbuta]

My Studio Ghibli marathon is pretty close to being finished. Recent one I saw was Whisper of the Heart. I found it OK, and as usual, Disney takes pride in their dubbing work and mostly does a great job with it.

I normally watch studio ghibli movies monthly.. but over the years i only watched grave of the fireflies twice... the second time just a couple days ago... its soo sad.. plus i think setsuko's mannerisms are so close to being child like.. its sad..

[esteban]

My Studio Ghibli marathon is pretty close to being finished. Recent one I saw was Whisper of the Heart. I found it OK, and as usual, Disney takes pride in their dubbing work and mostly does a great job with it.

I normally watch studio ghibli movies monthly.. but over the years i only watched grave of the fireflies twice... the second time just a couple days ago... its soo sad.. plus i think setsuko's mannerisms are so close to being child like.. its sad..

Grave of the Fireflies is a favorite of mine.

Once I had kids, the movie took on an additional level of beauty/tragedy.

[NightWolve]

Grave of the Fireflies is a favorite of mine.

Once I had kids, the movie took on an additional level of beauty/tragedy.

I saw that a few weeks ago actually. It's not my favorite in their library, but it was alright. I can't recall seeing an anti-war anime before so that was a first.

[DragonmasterDan]

I saw that a few weeks ago actually. It's not my favorite in their library, but it was alright. I can't recall seeing an anti-war anime before so that was a first.

Did you ever see Barefoot Gen ?

[fluxcore]

Anyone who likes mind games (see jojos's young joseph arc) should definitely check out 'One Outs'. Give it 4 eps and you'll be hooked There's a lowish quality subbed version on youtube.

[PunkCryborg]

Seriously Kimagure Orange Road. My wife and I are totally hooked. I can't believe I missed this in the mid 90s when it came out in the US from AnimEigo. Can't recommend this one highly enough!

[wilykat]

For those who liked Graves of the Fireflies and wanted something to make you cry, try Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

One of the rare few anime that can make me cry.

[SignOfZeta]

Grave of the Fireflies is a favorite of mine.

Once I had kids, the movie took on an additional level of beauty/tragedy.

I saw that a few weeks ago actually. It's not my favorite in their library, but it was alright. I can't recall seeing an anti-war anime before so that was a first.

First off, anyone who isn't completely reduced to a blubbering wreck by GotF is a certifiable psychopath. I always knew, now you've given us proof.

As for anti-war anime...I guess you haven't seen very much anime.

[NightWolve]

Grave of the Fireflies is a favorite of mine.

Once I had kids, the movie took on an additional level of beauty/tragedy.

I saw that a few weeks ago actually. It's not my favorite in their library, but it was alright. I can't recall seeing an anti-war anime before so that was a first.

First off, anyone who isn't completely reduced to a blubbering wreck by GotF is a certifiable psychopath. I always knew, now you've given us proof.

Wait, what ? Are you implying because I thought it was "alright" that I didn't think it was a sad or tragic depiction of the costs of war and so worth ? Your leap of conclusion based on what I said is what is psycho... Heh. Yeah, it's a moving/touching/sad/tragic type of movie. You want me to put it at the top of my favorites as far as Studio Ghibli releases else otherwise I'm a "psycho" ?? ...

Le Zeta is usually more rational than this. I'll chaulk it up to a fluke this time.

As for anti-war anime...I guess you haven't seen very much anime.

Correct, I haven't seen very much anime. I believe I've said as much somewhere here. This would be the first anime I've seen set in a wartime situation (in this case, WWII) as I said.

Did you ever see Barefoot Gen ?

Nope.

[ClodBusted]

I saw Grave of the Fireflies once on TV, back in the day where I recorded many previous "video only" releases on VHS.

To be honest, I did not liked that film. But I can understand that other people appreciate it more than me, and well, that's fine.

[NightWolve]

Uh-oh, I guess you're a "psychopath" too, Clod, according to snapperhead Chad (AKA Zeta) there for not loving the movie like he does... Heaven forbid... I guess I should blow a gasket every time I read somebody else doesn't love a movie like I do... Yeah, that's a good reason to assault someone's character... Makes total f--king sense!

I didn't trash it, I didn't say it sucked ballz or it can suck deez nutz, I just said I wouldn't add it to my favorites of the SG library and I only found it "alright." Hardly the condemnation of the century! If you can't process that, if it got you that butthurt, Chad, then go f--k yourself!

If you do not retract and apologize for insulting me to that level over something like this, then I'm one step away from withdrawing my respect for you and you're not gonna get it back! If you don't care, hey, that's fine too, but I'm making it clear to you.

You pop in here out of nowhere to intimidate for sharing an opinion on movie taste like that, I dunno, got up on the wrong side of bed ? Bipolar much ? Please DO explain your crazed psycho fanboy rationale for going from 'a' (the movie was alright to me) to 'z' (OMG, only a psychopath wouldn't love this movie as much as *I* do!)! I wanna hear it!

[ClodBusted]

I'm fine with being a psychpath.

At the same time, I can't stand watching surgery on TV for my life, while my better half has no trouble seeing blood, bones and internal organs spilled all around the table. The messier, the better she said once to me.

[SignOfZeta]

The movie is not "okay", it's a masterpiece. By no means do I suggest that it should be everyone's favorite Ghibli movie. It certainly isn't mine. The thing's just too impractical. "Hi, honey. I got this movie we should see. Do you mind spending the next 10 years in therapy? Good. Here's 'Grave of the Fireflies'". It should have all the warnings on the box that you get on a bottle of antidepressants. It's literally dangerous.

The last time I saw even a frame of this movie was when my group showed it as part of a film series at a public library. I introduced the film, set a timer, and didn't come until I knew the credits would be running so I could do the follow up session. That was nearly ten years ago, and probably 10 years since I saw it then. The movie is basically unwatchable for me.

However, the same can be said for A Clockwork Orange, Johnny Got His Gun, The Grapes of Wrath,  The Sorrow and The Pitty, Bicycle Theif, etc. What makes people psychopaths is when they spend 90 minutes watching a film where adorable children should starve to death, then you find out it's based on a guy's autobiographical tale, that there was a real life Setsuko who really did starve to death only the movie glossed over a few things so that it wouldn't be too fucked up and depressing. The whole thing is animated by absolute masters who went way out of their way (name another animated film from 1988 that had hand drawn lines, because xerography can't do brown, and they had to be brown to get the point across with this kind of subtlety) risking the possible future of the new Studio Ghibli if it was a flop. The whole thing was made for about 3.7M USD, or roughly what gets spent advertising Ant Man in the time it took me to type this sentence. Then you say, "eh, it's OK". That's psychopathic.

I've see a lot of war movies, the best of which rarely claim to be "anti-war" because the tragedies are so vast that they seem to condem not just war, but the human condition in general, so depressing and terrible that even war just seems like another part of how fucked it all is.

Liking it or not has nothing to do with it. If you directly dissed my favorite movie of all time I would probably just ignore it. People with no taste will suck up all your time if you let them, and them not being able to enjoy great works is %100 their loss. It doesn't matter how we feel about star ratings or whatever. In this cause, the quality is unimpeachable, if you can't see that, whatever, but movies can be more than just flickering images made to entertain during their running time, and if here ever was a movie that did it, this is it. You have to literally have something wrong with you to not be changed forever, just a little bit, by seeing this movie. I would say from your explosive reaction that I'm probably not the first person to diagnose you, correctly or not.

[SignOfZeta]

Btw, do you seriously watch these movies dubbed? Is it because you have 7 year old children or...?

I'm not sure those kids should really be seeing Firefiles, not unless they are fully prepared and willing and supported. This shit can do real damage they'll hate you for when they become older.

[NightWolve]

So, let's review this again...

* Person A pops in a thread to share an opinion on a movie (of the anime variety in this case):

I saw that a few weeks ago actually. It's not my favorite in their library, but it was alright. I can't recall seeing an anti-war anime before so that was a first.

* Person B, apparently so butthurt by the above opinion has a crazed, emotional overreaction and pops in said thread to assault Person A's character in this way:

First off, anyone who isn't completely reduced to a blubbering wreck by GotF is a certifiable psychopath. I always knew, now you've given us proof.

As for anti-war anime...I guess you haven't seen very much anime.

So, Person B calls Person A a psychopath, claims his above opinion on a movie gives proof of it, adds in the fact that he has baggage associated with the view to back it up (the "I always knew" addition), etc. whatever that is...

* In a great twist, Person B now accuses Person A of an overreaction to that level of character assault over a brief opinion on not really being a fan of a particular movie... Imagine if Person A had outright trashed the movie!

I get what the movie is all about, what it conveys. This movie shows you the devastation of war, everyday people that just wanted to live their lives who had nothing to do with the imperialism, militantcy, world conquest notions that others in their society did but nonetheless suffered the consequences of what that warring brought back. This particular brother and sister lose their parents, their home, are left to fend for themselves, they try to live with a relative for a time who really didn't want them, so eventually they find a cave and decide to survive on their own. This proves fatal for the brother's sister who dies on him because he failed to find food in time and so forth...

So yes, it's a sad/tragic wartime tale and all of that. But, I started with later Studio Ghibli titles in the library and only after I decided to go down the list of their animes did I come to this particular one. I've seen better wartime movies surrounding the theme of loss, tragedy and so forth and that were far better at inducing tearjerking reactions. This one didn't do so and like I said, I wouldn't add it to my favorites, I found it "alright" in terms of quality. I probably wouldn't watch it again because it just wasn't that good and since I know the plot now.

Anyway, I feel kind of a dupe now for defending you in private chat against someone here who feels you're just "a piece of shit keyboard warrior" and to be honest, I was not sure of Professor's hardtrolling you in the past was earned/deserved, but I think I can see now how he came to find the justification for it... Yeah, I had a feeling a$$hole-ism and pride would win out in this case, and it did. Sorry, but you're going on the peripheral ignore here on out. That shit was uncalled for given that opinion and you f--king know it, frankly!

If somebody had told me THAT particular comment would be the source of drama, I wouldn't have believed it! No way! I know when I'm being trollish, when I'm being provocative, when I'm being uppity and can expect to get challenged, with or without nastiness, but NO WAY did I think I would get trolled for that particular comment! That shit was 4chan/GameFAQs level reaction/intolerance to differing viewpoints. Snapperhead Chad made something reality I wouldn't have believed originally! Just sayin' as a natural reaction from A to B... Like I said then, go f--k yourself.

[ClodBusted]

Sometimes I am very confused when I mix up the abbreviations GOTF and GTFO in this thread. I feel embarrassed now.

[esteban]

Sometimes I am very confused when I mix up the abbreviations GOTF and GTFO in this thread. I feel embarrassed now.

"Get off the floor" (GOTF)
is simply a nicer way of saying
"GTFO"
when you are at your favorite discotheque.

Don't be embarrassed. We all suspected that you were a fan of Giorgio Moroder, anyway.

I am.

[ClodBusted]

Giorgio is ace on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories album.

And on a serious note, I found Grave of the fireflies alright for what it is. When I saw it, I was expecting something like the usual Ghibli stories where they mix fantasy with real life, happiness, friendship and such things. Turned out I was wrong.

I think it is a good way to make aware of the suffering and hardship of victims of war.

I just wouldn't watch it another time. It didn't made a psychological wreck out of me, but somehow back then I was hoping for a happy end for both protagonists that SPOILER ALERT eventually didn't happen.

[esteban]

Giorgio is ace on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories album.

And on a serious note, I found Grave of the fireflies alright for what it is. When I saw it, I was expecting something like the usual Ghibli stories where they mix fantasy with real life, happiness, friendship and such things. Turned out I was wrong.

I think it is a good way to make aware of the suffering and hardship of victims of war.

I just wouldn't watch it another time. It didn't made a psychological wreck out of me, but somehow back then I was hoping for a happy end for both protagonists that SPOILER ALERT eventually didn't happen.

Ha! I didn't know Moroder collaborated with Daft Punk.

Anyway, Grave of the Fireflies remains just as powerful now as when I first saw it over 20 years ago. Very few films have that effect.

Anyway, let's talk about MD GEIST.

[ClodBusted]

MD Geist is perfectly fine as it is.

His face and hairstyle in the opening sequence reminds me of my father's in the late 80s. So that's bonus points.

[datbuta]

Anyway, Grave of the Fireflies remains just as powerful now as when I first saw it over 20 years ago. Very few films have that effect.

Anyway, let's talk about MD GEIST.

MD Geist was pretty cool back then. Was the directors cut any different than the original?

[ClodBusted]

I don't really know, since all we got in Germany was the director's cut anyway, which as far as I heard from somewhere (maybe Colonydrop?) fixed some logical errors in the storytelling.

[esteban]

Anyway, Grave of the Fireflies remains just as powerful now as when I first saw it over 20 years ago. Very few films have that effect.

Anyway, let's talk about MD GEIST.

MD Geist was pretty cool back then. Was the directors cut any different than the original?

I have only seen the original NA release. I didn't even know there was a director's cut.

I STILL SING "Dangerous...Most Dangerous..." to myself when I am preparing for something stressful....it has been stuck in my head, and it's not going to leave, apparently.

[DragonmasterDan]

I've not seen MD GEIST, I take it that I should?

[datbuta]

I've not seen MD GEIST, I take it that I should?

if you don't mind the 80's hairstyles and music... story wise its ok... action is ok... to me its more of a memory of my childhood... the violence was up there in the ova.. at that time that is .. its more of an anime that you would watch while your eating lunch... to keep you occupied

if anything maybe watch patlabor... dominion tank polce.. dirty pair... black magic-66.. madox-01 and appleseed... those i think better represent that era of anime.. and I'm pretty sure there are plenty more to add to that

[esteban]

I've not seen MD GEIST, I take it that I should?

It's light-hearted fun. Popcorn.

Enjoy the gratuitous violence.

Also, I love the catchy theme song. 

MADDOX, as datbuttaface pointed out, is superior.

But MD Geist is brainless fun.

[DragonmasterDan]

I've not seen MD GEIST, I take it that I should?

It's light-hearted fun. Popcorn.

Enjoy the gratuitous violence.

Also, I love the catchy theme song. 

MADDOX, as datbuttaface pointed out, is superior.

But MD Geist is brainless fun.

I've seen Maddox already.