AzureWolf

efreet is right: more action wouldn't hurt as long as it could still have the same amount of substance. However, the style and setup of .hack//SIGN doesn't really leave much room for action. I understand both sides of the argument, but I'm betting that the creators chose story over action. If you watch .hack//SIGN closely, details and certain elements strike you, and that's your "action factor," where you are like, "whoa," or "waaaaiiit a minute..." It's more of a "mental" action thing than anything else. In fact, just by watching the first episode you can see that fights are not "the way of the SIGN," where all the action has already happened, and you join Tsukasa in piecing everything together. I think it would be grand, though, if they had an action off-shoot of .hack after all mysteries and such have been revealed in their entirety, where you get to see all the missed action. If you compare .hack//SIGN and Evangelion, Evangelion is much more diluted in terms of story. Having action scenes will do that, and I applaud the creators of .hack//SIGN being able to put meaning into all of the few action sequences. Evangelion, on the other hand, cannot boast the same. Of course there is action and story, but not all action sequences contain story, do they? ;) If you want action with a .hack//SIGN-esque flair, watch Noir. Haha, I think they drained all their action plans in that series, so SIGN was left out.

This should definately be a sticky or something, because your banners always bothered me. I could never figure out what you were doing, and I'm glad you explained. Haha, makes a lot more sense now. They are all nice, but I have a question about that Final Fantasy one with Cloud's lower face in it: what's with the pixelated thing going on in it? I personally think it shouldn't be pixelated.

Yeah, I couldn't figure out the word for the color effect thing. Haha, I guess "soft" is it. Whatever it is, that's really what makes the banner awesome. See you made a matching avi, which is a much better improvement over that Sephiroth avi. :)

He's referring to Anime Academy (the link in the post above his). Anyway, for reviews, I think Anime Academy is one of your best bets. Besides [url=http://www.animefringe.com/]Animefringe[/url], that's the only place I use for reviews. I don't really go on reviews for anime, though, because there seems to be a lot of bias in them, as well as the fact that there are still very few sites that review them. I just go on the brief overview of an anime and make my own opinion after watching.

Ok, I was fiddling around with your banner (sue me :p) and I found that you can blur the picture to restore some quality. The picture blurs quite well, so you might want to give it a shot and see what you think.

The compression on Rei's face is too noticeable. Since the banner's size (memory) is so small, I think you should just leave out any compression to get rid of that blemish. Besides that (and adding a black outline to the text to make it stand out more), everything is fiddle-danish-andy. What program you be usin'?

The thread is not even on, like, the next page. Welcome to the boards, though. [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29113[/url]

Wait a minute, the box for the .hack DVDs hasn't been released yet?! *looks stupidly at shoved-in .hack DVDs* Then what's this box (actually, it's a hexagon) that comes with the first volume for? You know, [url=http://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/96/a3/c4_1.JPG]this thing[/url] in the middle. Yeah, it makes a little more sense now, since the "box" seems to only be able to hold five DVDs.

Yeah, I would recommend more things that have not been aired on TV, because those are the shows that were too expensive to get licensed and therefore are usually good - or they might be too bad, haha. [url=http://www.advfilms.com/catalog/index.asp?f=&c=all&s=1&pg=1]ADV Films[/url] has a nice variety of anime series, and they seem to work closely with Anime on Demand programming, so I suggest starting from there, reading synopses, and figuring out what fits your fancy.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Ratix [/i] [B]I watched a few episodes of it and i dont really know what to think of it. Its nice but its too er... easy. Not the plot, but the way things go. I mean, they can shoot down anyone with just one shot, but if they're being shooted at, they just hide behind a chair and they're fine. (did this need a spoiler?) [/B][/QUOTE] I know! However, it's so easy because Kirika is a professional killer (and so is Mirielle), but if you want a spoiler answer to your comment: [spoiler]tests always start out easy and get harder[/spoiler]. Watch more and it'll make more sense. ;) [quote] It plays out as if this is something that could actually happen in real life, and I was very impressed. None of the action scenes were drawn out, the story had a chance to develop a lot, none of the dialogue was cheesy, the animation was amazing, and simply put, it was believable.[/quote] Haha, yeah, the atmosphere and setting are very nice. Believe it or not, the fact that the story and ending were so "simple" (i.e., a lack of aliens, super-heroes, or what-have-you) was one of the complaints people had about it. I'm glad you aren't as low-headed as those people.

[url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=503871]Requested[/url] by Lone Bebop. It's an avi and banner set, which I like doing. Sets are nice. [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=503882[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=503871[/IMG] The banner was fun to make. I thought it would be a cool addition to have the colors represent the two different sides of Haku: one without the mask being blue (kind); the other red (not kind). Besides that and Zabuza in the background, I followed everything according to Lone Bebop's request. Anyone have a better way of doing snow? The filters didn't seem to work, so I used a black 500x100 canvas and clicked (staying in place) with a white brush. Then I used the dodge tool to change the size of a few "snow flakes." All help, comments, and ridicule welcomed.

If you want the thread rolling again, try something basic, and go from there. Maybe something very general about a very popular anime?

I like the Acceleration, Blue Dragon, and Zanza. Funny enough, the Zanza gives a more dynamic feeling than the acceleration one, while the Blue Dragon has a very static feeling to it. Two questions about the Zanza banner, though: 1. Who is Zanza? Isn't the guy on the banner called Sano S-something? 2. Why is there no border on this one? It's the only one, so I'm wondering.

When some computer hardware isn't working the right way, and you punch it. The rest of the feelings are a result of the metal in your blood. Am I right? ;) My only recommendation is to get rid of the "a" in the four word line, and everything should be peachy.

I remember watching this episode from the middle (or near the end), where they showed that lush, beautiful town. I was completely enthralled by the concept of .hack from that time forward. The objective of the first episode is to introduce you to the creator's world, which is - funny enough - "The World." They grab attention immediately by putting the viewer in the middle of events, where something has obviously happened. The questions are entwined, giving answers in the form of more questions. Initially, the viewer is limited to the scope of Tsukasa's mind, in order to show that the "hero" is as disarranged as us spectators. Not only do we, the audience, find ourselves in the middle of this suspicious event, but so does the main character. Afterwards, we are given a greater scope of "The World," seeing various eye-candy and intriguing places. It's worth noting that "The World" has more color and life than any image/showing of the real world. Is this view also biased by what is in Tsukasa's mind? As mentioned before, when searching for answers, questions are found. It's clear that (eps. 1 spoiler) [spoiler]Tsukasa was interacting with that cat[/spoiler], but that only leaves one to inquire more problems. It's fitting that this episode leaves the viewer wondering with one last question: [spoiler]who did we just see?[/spoiler]. The answer is cleverly eclipsed with the style of presentation: always the present; what you see is happening roughly the same time you are seeing it happen. The music is also an eye-opener. Some of .hack//SIGN's best pieces are played in the first episode. In the end, "Role Play" is a great example of how to do an introduction: grab the audience immediately, wow the audience, and leave the audience wanting more. One point off for no B.T. killing, though. ;)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Jubei Yagyou [/i] [B]Okay lets get this clear, I didn't try to sound like im boasting about anything. Anyway, if you saw what happens later in the story you would know that Gaara CAN be stronger than Haku. (Again, Im not trying to boast) But I dont want to ruin it for you. [/B][/QUOTE] If you weren't boasting, why did you bring up Itachi being able to beat a bunch of little kids? -_- In any case, you can ruin all you want, but I'm not blind. First off, seeing all the given foreshadowing, I know where Gaara will be "stopped"/beaten (I'm betting [spoiler]he'll lose to Sasuke because of that whole scene with Sasuke saying he wants to fight Naruto too now[/spoiler]). If that's the case, there's no way in hell that Gaara would be able to be a Jounin. He may seem good, but he's got ways to go before being able to match a Jounin, which is what Haku was. Plus, a month is not nearly enough for anyone to jump from Genin to Jounin level. We can believe you for now and think that Gaara has powers that challenge all but the elite of the elite Jounins (even above Kakashi), but if that's not the case, I will laugh at you, and continue to do so. :p [quote]I absolutely deteste Rock Lee, those thick brows.....and that bowl cut, I absolutely hate it! His TaiJitsu is pretty cool though. Gaara seems pretty good, I havn't seen much of him yet in the series, but it's quite obvious that he's gonna be involved in some big fight (not to mention you guy's just said he fight's Lee ;_; )[/quote] Yeah, I absolutely abhorred Lee until his match with Gaara (which is only [spoiler]four episodes away for you (48)[/spoiler]). Tell me if you still hate him after that. :)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Dagger IX1 [/i] [B]I'm really interested in seeing Noir. However, I'm not entirely sure if I want to invest in it yet. The basic concept definitely appeals to me, and I enjoy anime that makes me think, so a twisty, mind-bending plot wouldn't turn me off. Plus, the animation sounds excellent. But I also heard that despite a very promising start, the series really slows down, and has a number of filler and "bad guy of the day" episodes. So perhaps I'll wait before buying it. ~Dagger~ [/B][/QUOTE] Well, there are "fillers" in the sense that they don't move the story forward. However, you have to realize that there's always a reason for each episode - a theme, if you will. Within one of the early "filler" episodes, it's family and the bonds that demand the right of way. That's the best way I can say it without spoiling anything. :D Seriously, you will look back on some supposedly useless episodes and notice that there was a point to almost every miniscule thing going on. For example, there's one scene with Kirika walking along some tracks, and you have to wonder if they are just wasting time, but when you get a better look at the tracks... ;) The story isn't the only thing developing in the series, so some episodes aren't dedicated to the plot. In fact, some later events don't make sense without them.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Harry [/i] [B]I dreamt I somehow programmed an email server program that let me block all spam out. What a great dream... [/B][/QUOTE] Haha, what are the chances. Well, if you have been to the PC/Mac forum, you would know that I've been having speed issues. An interesting dream was that my computer booted up in no time. It booted up so fast that I couldn't believe it and woke up. :-/

I commend you for treading through dangerous waters. I mean, to be honest, I think sports games are the worst possible thing to come along since - I'm not going to say it. :D I figure that if I wanted to play a sport, I could do so in real life. Video games are for fantasy, or just something you are incapable of doing. That's just my philosophy. Having said that, you do seem to take the argument in another direction: the game is note-worthy not only for its level of enjoyment, but also for its attention to detail, intricate physics of a golf ball, and unexpected depth (who would have thought you'd "know" so much about your opponent?). It sounds like I should check the game out simply to see the effort and skill put into making it a genuine, professional golf experience. Putting that aspect aside, will I, as a non-sports gamer, be able to enjoy this particular game? You allay the fears of people who are not golf fans, but what about someone like me?

Well, there's not a single place where you can get a good amount of piney apples. The most I ever got in one stage was three, so you just have to constantly go back and forth if you want a good supply of them.

[quote]So you strive to do worse?[/quote] You are missing the point, Magdalena. You definately need to play Silent Hill 2 or 3. Creating a gritty, scratchy effect is essential to any "freaky" picture. Basically, while you may start out with a clean, crisp original, that's not how the eerie product should end up as. She's saying that she purposely degraded the image (i.e., made it worse) because it's not a happy-go-lucky theme. As for the font, it is supposed to be ethereal, and I think it succeeds in that respect. A ghostly text for a ghostly banner: it works, IMO. Sure, it could be better, but can't you say that for every banner? You could smudge the edges of the text to make the overall feeling more pronounced. Anyway, I don't like the quote (I don't get it).

The key to enjoying this game and keeping the near infinite replay value is to [I]NEVER[/I] take a step back for a second and realize what you have been doing for hours: pressing a button three consecutive times. The only "skill" involved was the timing, which took about five minutes to get down. Besides that, there's very little depth involved. What really made the game last was just the random comments people would shout out. Haha, I remember that my friend was the best at it: *friend logs in* Me: Yo. Player 2: Hey. Player 3: Hiya. Friend: I lost my left nut on the battlefield. Other times, people were good at random actions, such as leave a trail of items to lead them back and not get lost, or help the guy who came late catch up without taking a wrong turn. Ah.. good times...

Cool, I found the old post which I made a brief comment about Noir: [quote]EDIT: Everyone hates repetition? That's a darn shame, because, when executed properly, it has a really awesome effect on the overall experience with the anime. Take Noir, where repetition serves as a "you might want to think/take note of this a little more than other things" foreshadowing. In other words, it's a way to represent varying degrees of importance. Noir does it significantly better than every anime I have ever seen, where the singular scene that defines everything is shown little by little, and in reverse. As the series progresses, you see more and more, and the big picture just doesn't hit you until late in the series.[/quote] What I like about Noir is that every episode serves some purpose, and the level of symbolism is above even that of .hack//SIGN (haha, I guess SIGN is one generation above me). If you didn't get the point of an episode, you will later. [quote]Hated it to a extent. I liked parts of it but, I found the story a little boring....it also was hard to understand alot of it.[/quote] O_o What was hard to understand? This series was the most simplistic series I've ever seen - well, the most simplistic series that was good. You can use spoiler tags, and I'll be happy to elaborate. Haha, my friend and I connected every piece of "inactive scene" to a point. It's simply brilliant, and you will be surprised how such a straightforward series could have such a clever setup. EDIT: WAAAIIIT a minute... Someone revived an old thread! Darn shame, since there's a lot to talk about in Noir. =/

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by maladjusted [/i] [B][size=1] I missed my friend's birthday party for Anime Weekend Atlanta, practically one of the biggest anime conventions in the southeast. "Why are you not going to her party?" "I'm going to an anime convention." "You're missing a birthday party for a stupid ANIME CONVENTION?" "....." "Yeah, I am." "You're such a loser." Heh. Well, this was my train of thinking. Hotel filled with anime in every corner VS. Birthday party. Cheap anime stuff VS. Getting something for your friend that you don't even like. :toothy:[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] That's not a bad way of thinking, now that I think about it! :D It's your friend's fault for being born that day - well, maybe his parents.. :sly: But c'mon, if you are true friends, one day shouldn't make a difference, especially if you are both doing what you enjoy (she/he enjoying his/her b-day, and you not being bummed by a boring b-day party).

Hey Adam, I just wanted to say that the members list was long overdue, but it's really a nice setup. One question though: I have updated myOtaku on 10/11/2003, but it says my last update was on 9/29/2003, which was the update before this latest update. I'm guessing it will just be taken care of when I update once again? Nonetheless, I thought I should point that out should it be something to notice. Haha, what are the chances that the first random member generated for me would be [url=http://www.myotaku.com/users/darkwolf/]Dark Wolf[/url]?