The Anime Thread: Finding Good Anime

[BigusSchmuck]

The new Berserk anime is finally getting interesting. If you disregard a whole ark missing (The Black Swordsman and The Lost Children Ark) its doing the Conviction Ark justice. I just wish they ditch the cheesy CGI.

[SignOfZeta]

Can't handle it, and I'm not ashamed to admit it in the public. I never understood why grave was so hyped. I found it acceptable, though. Maybe not as bad as I made purposefully up, for the fun. But ultimately, that film doesn't mean much to ME. I'd rather watch Aliens or the first Terminator for the tenth time, they never get old.

Don't blame me that you're enjoying a boring-as-hell movie like grave. That's ok, since it is YOUR taste, but you can't make everybody in the world share that taste.

Why would I blame you for me enjoying a movie? Never mind what sort of mechanism would take place to make that happen in the first place. Why would anyone be blamed? I'm nothing but thankful that I have a love of boring things.

Its not really taste, exactly. Apparently you're a retarded 9 year old because if if its not full on scifi action with both barrels blazing nonstop its unwatchable. I have a hard time even imagining what life would be like if I had zero attention span or breath of interests.

I imagine you only have one CD, Andrew WK's "I Get Wet".

You're really missing out on a LOT. And I'm not saying that like some hipster trying to tell you licorice isn't disgusting or when you watch sports without a DVR. I mean you seriously have missed out on a LOT if you can't handle a movie more complex than a GI Joe cartoon. I'm not going to list movies here or anything, there's no point. From what you're saying probably %90 of all movies ever made bore you to tears. In other words, you don't actually like movies.

Ah! I remmeber. "It insists upon itself". That's what he said.

[SignOfZeta]

Can't handle it, and I'm not ashamed to admit it in the public. I never understood why grave was so hyped. I found it acceptable, though. Maybe not as bad as I made purposefully up, for the fun. But ultimately, that film doesn't mean much to ME. I'd rather watch Aliens or the first Terminator for the tenth time, they never get old.

Don't blame me that you're enjoying a boring-as-hell movie like grave. That's ok, since it is YOUR taste, but you can't make everybody in the world share that taste.

Well, in the form of a simple drama (brother and sister trying to survive), it masterfully delves into personal, moral, political, social, existential, economic, historical, etc. issues. It is *not* simply about war. Hell no. Yes, it deals with war, but so much more (existential).

And it does it in a *meaningful* way against the backdrop that is still relevant today (yes the film is about WWII, and yes, it has specific meanings for the pre- and post- WWII generations, but the issues in GotF remain relevant today and transcend that specific era in history).

Surely you know about the firebombings of Dresden?

Think about how that *alone* (let alone the backdrop of Grave) has relevance to 2016 and the tactics used by governments/politicians today.

Even if you were ignorant of history (I am *not* suggesting you are), nearly all viewers would still be able to engage with the moral/political/social/economic ramifications of *inequality* and GotF. Hardship is not equally distributed in a society divided by inequality.

Notice I didn't even mention "war"...because Grave of the Fireflies is *not* simply about war. It is about what is happening, every day. I worry about my flaky internet connection whilst millions of people are simply trying to survive another day.


WATCH "THE BICYCLE THIEF" .... If you find that film boring, then I understand why you would call GotF boring.

I have always thought that The Bicycle Thief and Grave of the Fireflies were connected in some meaningful way, beyond the obvious WWII backdrop.

Anyway, if those are boring films, may I suggest The Battle of Algiers as a film that might match your preferences? It is less boring, perhaps. And, more obviously relevant to issues of 2016.

The Bicycle Thief *needs* to be boring to work. You have to be genuinely sedated so that when the end comes you won't KILL YOURSELF.

BTW, I'm not sure why you are recommending other movies. GotF was on a double bill with My Neighbor Totoro. Its a cartoon for children, preteens, 9 year olds even. Heavy as fuck? Yes, but its Japan's Last Temptation of Christ so the whole family sees it. If he can't handle a little baby's cartoon like GotF then he's not going to make it two frames into The Bicycle Thief. As soon as he sees its in black and white he'll throw his Captain Caveman club high through the screen.

[esteban]

^ Hey, you never know. He might be curious to check out stuff

[ClodBusted]

I watch movies to enjoy them. Can I get enjoyment about watching two kids starving slowly to death? Hell no.

[Digi.k]

Really am enjoying rewatching the 2003 tv series of Astro Boy.  I wish I could watch it with the original japanese just to see how much was changed when it was westernized but still great production values.  I' m not a huge fan of Osamu Tezuka's work but here I feel they gave the series some love and charm.

[PunkCryborg]

I finished Maison Ikkoku and was having a hard time finding something to follow up that amazing series with. Watched most of Super Dimension Century Orguss but started to feel like a chore. Just got really boring but I need to finish it since I'm almost done. Wife wanted something to watch with me so we started Macross Frontier but she kept falling asleep. Then she wanted to switch to Inu Yasha but man thats just too long at almost 200 episodes for the first series!
Finally started Gurren Lagann and think that will be the one we stick with, whether she falls asleep or not on me (I work late so our sleep schedules kind of suck) because it's so fun. I'm just gonna binge watch this all week. Gotta love Gainax!

[SignOfZeta]

Even I like Gurren Lagann.

I don't know how it rates overall but if you like really long soap opera stuff that goes in strange places sometimes (Maison) then try Touch. A word of warning. If you think you want to watch the long TV version then do so. You could also watch the movies instead. However there is a major event that takes place somewhat early on in the series and the TV/films will spoil it for each other.

I'd recommend the movies, honestly.

[DragonmasterDan]

Really am enjoying rewatching the 2003 tv series of Astro Boy.  I wish I could watch it with the original japanese just to see how much was changed when it was westernized but still great production values.  I' m not a huge fan of Osamu Tezuka's work but here I feel they gave the series some love and charm.

I got six of the DVDs of this series from dollar tree of all places. I've thus far only watched the first episode though.

I really love the 1980 version of Astro Boy as well if you enjoy this one.

[SignOfZeta]

The GBA game from that era is maybe my favorite game on the system. I haven't seen the TV series though since I'm waiting for a Japanese language version. Been waiting 10 years or more now 12?

The Astro Boy manga is like nothing else. Amazing.

[wildfruit]

No. Just tedious, that's all.

You have no soul?

[ClodBusted]

My hair is blonde, and I don't have freckles.

[DragonmasterDan]

The GBA game from that era is maybe my favorite game on the system.

It's my favorite game made by Treasure too.

[esteban]

My hair is blonde, and I don't have freckles.

We tease you too much! Sorry.

By the way, have you seen Fires on the Plain?

I think it is the perfect film for you. Lots of mocaccino, mocha, Marvel superheroes and explosions and tits with an occasional penis. NOT BORING AT ALL.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fires_on_the_Plain_(1959_film)

NOTE: Not tedious.

[ClodBusted]

When somebody gets butthurt about hearing others opinions, he should hide himself in a deep hole isolated from the rest of the world and shouldn't visit online forums.

[esteban]

When somebody gets butthurt about hearing others opinions, he should hide himself in a deep hole isolated from the rest of the world and shouldn't visit online forums.

I was teasing. I'll stop.



But, seriously, I bet you would like some of these films.

[SignOfZeta]

When somebody gets butthurt about hearing others opinions, he should hide himself in a deep hole isolated from the rest of the world and shouldn't visit online forums.

Well then, bye. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

[ClodBusted]

I was teasing. I'll stop.

Don't worry. How in the world could I be mad at you?

[xcrement5x]

I finished Maison Ikkoku and was having a hard time finding something to follow up that amazing series with. Watched most of Super Dimension Century Orguss but started to feel like a chore. Just got really boring but I need to finish it since I'm almost done. Wife wanted something to watch with me so we started Macross Frontier but she kept falling asleep. Then she wanted to switch to Inu Yasha but man thats just too long at almost 200 episodes for the first series!
Finally started Gurren Lagann and think that will be the one we stick with, whether she falls asleep or not on me (I work late so our sleep schedules kind of suck) because it's so fun. I'm just gonna binge watch this all week. Gotta love Gainax!

If you want another space epic I recommend Legend of Galactic Heroes.  110 episodes but there's like no filler, I really enjoyed the entire show.

[ClodBusted]

Me and my girlfriend started watching the first season of Pokémon again. Oh, good old times. Even watching two metapods engaging in a hard(en) fight is more entertaining than watching a certain Ghibli movie. just kidding.

And by the way, there are more sexy pics added on her Cosplay site on Facebook. Feel free to stop by and... hit the like buttons as hard as you can. Or whatever you guys do in your free time.

[Digi.k]

Rose of Versailles

This late 1970's anime based around drama's in a french noble court has grabbed my interests these last few days.

[TR0N]

Been watching,gatchaman since i pick it up on bluray recently.Sure it's a kids show but i all ways wanted to watch it uncut since it was sanitize for na as battle of the planets.With gacthaman you can see how much it influence sentai.

[esteban]

Been watching,gatchaman since i pick it up on bluray recently.Sure it's a kids show but i all ways wanted to watch it uncut since it was sanitize for na as battle of the planets.With gacthaman you can see how much it influence sentai.

I still loved Battle of the Planets.

I remember this one, messed up episode where a young boy loses his father (the ground rips open and the boy tries to hold his father by the arm to save him...but his grip isn't strong enough).

Anyway, here we are, decades later, and I still remember that scene. It was very rare to see something like that back in the early 80's in a kid's show

Wait!

This scene might have been from Robotech, actually.

Damn.

[TR0N]

Been watching,gatchaman since i pick it up on bluray recently.Sure it's a kids show but i all ways wanted to watch it uncut since it was sanitize for na as battle of the planets.With gacthaman you can see how much it influence sentai.

I still loved Battle of the Planets.

I remember this one, messed up episode where a young boy loses his father (the ground rips open and the boy tries to hold his father by the arm to save him...but his grip isn't strong enough).

Anyway, here we are, decades later, and I still remember that scene. It was very rare to see something like that back in the early 80's in a kid's show

Wait!

This scene might have been from Robotech, actually.

Damn.

Yeah that episode with the giant mummy and the kid ends up blaming ken for taking his father away.The show in it's original form can be a little brutal with characters being killed off ! To it's credit,only thing i liked about botp is ken the eagle being voiced by casey kasem.Every thing else for botp had to much forced edits.

[johnnykonami]

I just bought the Bubble Gum Crisis Blu-ray set from Animeigo, it should be en route.  Picked up AD Police and Bubble Gum Crash DVDs from them too since they were so cheap.  I started buying the Ranma Blu-Ray sets also, so those should take me forever to get through.

[ClodBusted]

Johnny, you won't be disappointed with the Crisis BDs, I promise.

[xcrement5x]

Johnny, you won't be disappointed with the Crisis BDs, I promise.

Seconded, they did an amazing job there.

[DragonmasterDan]

Johnny, you won't be disappointed with the Crisis BDs, I promise.

Seconded, they did an amazing job there.

Unless you have a Blu-Ray player like my old Pioneer that doesn't like the discs.

[johnnykonami]

Johnny, you won't be disappointed with the Crisis BDs, I promise.

Seconded, they did an amazing job there.

Sweet!  I'm glad to hear that.  I'm excited to watch them now!

Unless you have a Blu-Ray player like my old Pioneer that doesn't like the discs.

Gonna watch them in the ol' PS Tripple, should work well enough hopefully.

[DragonmasterDan]

Gonna watch them in the ol' PS Tripple, should work well enough hopefully.

Yeah, works fine on my PS3, I have a couple of other Sony BluRay players, haven't tested it on those. But the Pioneer in the living room didn't like the discs.

[ClodBusted]

Unless you have a Blu-Ray player like my old Pioneer that doesn't like the discs.

That sucks, I feel for you. Good thing it works on your PS3, does on mine, too.

By the way:

[Medic_wheat]

Unless you have a Blu-Ray player like my old Pioneer that doesn't like the discs.

That sucks, I feel for you. Good thing it works on your PS3, does on mine, too.

By the way:

I recently got the rebellion movie. Not sure if I want to get the tv series or the three movies the tv show Elias condensed into. Considering they are pricy.

[DragonmasterDan]

The first volume of the Lupin Series 2 box sets arrived today 
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[Medic_wheat]

The first volume of the Lupin Series 2 box sets arrived today 
/zpsz7p4rsyl.jpg

Neat. Because Lupin is so old and I am. It very familiar with the series as to what has and has not been dubbed I have a few questions.

Are these dubbed?  How many episodes? Blu ray? 

I know you can kinda tell what decade Lupin series were done based on the color jacket he wears but that's about it. I have a few of the movie collections from Funimatiksn and even fewer DVDs of the TV show that was dubbed.

[DragonmasterDan]

Neat. Because Lupin is so old and I am. It very familirour with the series as tk what has and has not been dubbed I have a few questions.

Are these dubbed?  How many episodes? Blu ray? 


I know you can kinda tell what decade Lupin series were done based on the color jacket he wears but that's about it. I have a few of the movie collections from Funimatiksn and even fewer DVDs of the tv show that was dubbed.

This is series 2 from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Of series 2 episodes 81 of 155 are dubbed. This particular box set contains episodes 1-40 (all dubbed), this is DVD not Blu-Ray. All of the episodes on the first set were released in individual volumes by Geneon over a decade ago with approximately 5 episodes per DVD, but have been long since out of print.

Added in edit: Updated to late 1970s and early 1980s

[Medic_wheat]

Ah this might be a more viable options. Those Geon dvds are what I have. I think like two or three but they were just to expensive to try and complete

[DragonmasterDan]

Ah this might be a more viable options. Those Geon dvds are what I have. I think like two or three but they were just to expensive to try and complete

Starting with volume 5 they started to get produced in much smaller quantities. A quick look on amazon shows that Geneon Volume 5 is considerably more expensive https://www.amazon.com/Lupin-3rd-Mission-Irresistible-Vol/dp/B0000TG4A6

Than the whole new set that includes it https://www.amazon.com/Lupin-3rd-2-Box-1/dp/B01MAXV89Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1484073951&sr=1-2&keywords=Lupin+the+third+part+2

[xcrement5x]

Dat Fujiko!

[xcrement5x]

And on a completely different note, this short (6 mins) gave me the feels so hard :'(

[xcrement5x]

So I recently watched and enjoyed Konosuba.  It's total ecchi and comedy but the situations and characters are good enough to keep watching.  Without saying too much, it's like the concept of Sword Art Online except there is nothing noble about any of the characters and it plays on like every RPG trope ever.  First episode starts a bit slow but the series picks up as it goes on.

You know you want to at least Google it now...

[Michirin9801]

Konosuba is pretty good, fun and funny, I watched it soon after season 1 finished airing and I had a good time, but since I'm not the kind to watch stuff week-by-week I'll only be watching season 2 once the whole thing has come out so that I can binge on it...

[TR0N]

Did watch,cyborg 009 call of justice recently on netflik.It was ok but the whole show being cgi,makes the characters look stiff far as the animation goes.Beside the show main villain having a god like complex makes it kind of forgettable.It'some thing though this series such as cyborg 009 continue to be updated for the modern age.

[xcrement5x]

I finally watched all of Macross: Do You Remember Love?

The productions values on the movie are pretty amazing, and the story and characters are pretty well fleshed out.  I definitely enjoyed it more than Macross Plus.  I'm debating watching Frontier or Zero next, but I also have a couple other things queued that I'd probably want to finish first. 

[DragonmasterDan]

I finally watched all of Macross: Do You Remember Love?

The productions values on the movie are pretty amazing, and the story and characters are pretty well fleshed out.  I definitely enjoyed it more than Macross Plus.  I'm debating watching Frontier or Zero next, but I also have a couple other things queued that I'd probably want to finish first. 

I saw it a few years ago for the first time (I'm assuming you mean the movie). I love the 80s music theme and animation, but it was more eye candy and nostalgia for me than a film that stuck with me due to memorable plot or characters.

[ClodBusted]

I saw Macross DYRL the first time in 2000, when it was aired along with Macross II: Lovers Again on German TV, subtitled. I still have the VHS recording somewhere, which interestingly did not yet introduced the mastering bugs from the 2001 double pack DVD release. (one or two subtitle timing issues in DYRL and a horrible permanent reverb in the Japanese audio track of Lovers Again.)

I got introduced to the TV series much, much later in 2010.

[SignOfZeta]

DYRL was basically a wank real for fans of the TV series. You're supposed to already love all the characters already going in.

Amazingly I was able to stomach the childish bullshit long enough to wach Frontier and it was OK. Zero straight sucked though, a waste of a Macross series.

[ClodBusted]

The story of DYRL was initially a bit confusing to me, since there was no explanation why mankind was on a big 'ol transformable spaceship flying back to earth. There were only a few hints told by Minmay in her concert.
Still, all these things I didn't know about made it interesting for me to dig into it more and more. There were also some articles in the AnimaniA magazine back then revealing background information about the origins of the movie and its alterations to the TV series, and how Macross became the first part of Robotech.

The animated art of DYRL is pure visual porn.

[xcrement5x]

The story of DYRL was initially a bit confusing to me, since there was no explanation why mankind was on a big 'ol transformable spaceship flying back to earth. There were only a few hints told by Minmay in her concert.
Still, all these things I didn't know about made it interesting for me to dig into it more and more. There were also some articles in the AnimaniA magazine back then revealing background information about the origins of the movie and its alterations to the TV series, and how Macross became the first part of Robotech.

The animated art of DYRL is pure visual porn.

I agree 100%, and while the story was a bit disjointed and some of the character development felt a bit rushed, I enjoyed it.

I was talking to a friend about this and he said that DYRL is actually supposed to be like, a movie made about the events of the first Macross series within that world.  Hence some weirdness, like Zeta said it feels like you need to know all the characters before watching the movie to get the full impact, but I didn't mind.

If you don't like Frontier and you don't like Zero, then what series from Macross do you actually enjoy Zeta?

[SignOfZeta]

I enjoy actual Macross. The 1982 series. Did you forget about that one? Zero was made like...20 years after the original show. It's not "Macross", it's "Macross Zero."  If you like Gundam Wing you don't like Gundam, you like Gundam Wing. "Gundam" proper is 0079, Zeta, ZZ, CCA, F91, 0080, 0083, Unicorn...with Macross the sequels are all canon more or less but the staff changes so much and the quality is so up and down that the stuff is clearly disconnected from Macross in so many ways.

Also, while I initially hated it like all western fans, I eventually flopfloped and fell totally in love with Macross 7, especially the Dynamite OVAs. I don't expect anyone to understand that, I have a hard time explaining myself. 7 is the only Macross that exists as a philosophical sequel. The other series producers try to invent conflict to have an exuse sell more VFs. They all go back to Boobytrap, basically, and just do the same shit all over again. 7 begins with the notion that you already know about the power of song but what do you do with it once you're bored of using it to kill aliens? The sacrifices the main characters will go through to try and answer this question are what make me love the show.

And of course I love DYRL immeasurably. A Concord moment of anime in so many ways, and also sort like the Thriller of anime in that EVERYONE who liked anime saw this in the summer of '84. I own it twice on LD and also the hybrid BR.

BTW, the hybrid BR has a short paragraph at the beginning that explains the setting...barely.

[ClodBusted]

It's similar to me.

The Macross I like is bonded to Mikimoto's 80s and 90s character designs, and the music of that time.
Even though I haven't seen anything else beyond Macross, DYRL and Lovers Again, I don't think I'll ever touch Frontier, Zero or Plus.

I found the Macross 7 Trash manga enjoyable enough that I might like the anime as well. Has it been available on disc anywhere, Japanese audio with English subtitles? Not counting bootlegs.

Also I don't care if later Macross incarnations claim DYRL to be a "movie" within the universe or even declare Lovers Again being non-canon. What the fuck, is Shoji Kawamori trying to be George Lucas or what, for not being involved into Lovers Again.