Dagger

If you'd like to learn more about this anime, I suggest that you reply to the official Big O topic (which is located [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=26828][u]here[/u][/url]). As not everyone has seen the show, I added spoiler tags to the more revealing parts of your post. To create them yourself, simply type [spoiler]text[/*spoiler], but be sure to omit the asterisk. I'm going to go check the next few pages of the forum; there's a thread rather similar to yours which has been floating around for quite a few months. Assuming I can find it, I'll merge the two topics. :) EDIT: And the merge hath been performed. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=ScirosDarkblade]Here's an "ultra-low-level-of-effort" piece I just finished. Took about a half-hour, once I finalized the design. It's a character design and nothing more. That's why I used "EXTREEEME LAZEENESS" and actually filled his jeans with a preset pattern, lol. Rate him 1-10 in terms of "hot surfer looks" and "unoriginality due to Kurz Weber-ness."[/QUOTE] Hot surfer looks: Somewhat too stocky for my tastes, but I absolutely love the hair. In my opinion, this is an excellent--if slightly generic--character design, particularly since it didn't take you very long. His stance and proportions are very nearly perfect; I'd make his neck a wee bit skinnier, though. Overall, a solid 8. Unoriginality due to Kurz Weber-ness: *chuckles* Yes, he definitely has that look about him. I'd say 5 or 6. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Dagger IX1']I recently read on ANN that a three-episode Mirage of Blaze OVA is currently being produced. Since I'm very interested in MoB and have yet to buy the series, I'd love to hear other fans' thoughts on this news.[/quote] [quote=Monkey_Orange][color=darkorange]Simply to put it: I am VERY happy *^^* even though it won't come to the US for a while longer *sad* I enjoyed watching MoB. Yes, it's definitely Shounen-ai. BUT, don't think that it has comedy or anything--it's a pretty serious story with lots of Japenese history [very interesting--you better be good at keeping track of names]. *sniff* I loved the story. Sadly, the 13 episode series was just NOT enough to cover the entire story of the novels themselves. After I finished watching the series, I kept banging my head against the wall crying out loud "why oh why do I not know Chinese?!?" If so, then I could easily go out and buy the rest of the novels! Well, I'm happy about the OVAs because hopefully it'll tell the viewers more of the story. *sighs* Of course, more Naoe is also a good thing *drools* ^^;[/color][/quote] Those replies were posted in another thread, but I thought I'd duplicate them here just so we'd all be on the same page (so to speak). Anyway, the aforementioned OVA recently came out in Japan. I'm still holding out for the Mirage of Blaze box set (which is going to be released sometime toward the end of November), but it'd be sort of nice if the OVA were fansubbed. To my knowledge it's still unlicensed; hopefully that will change fairly soon. A quick summary and some nifty screencaps can be found [url=http://anime.blurry-eyes.com/archives/cat_honou_no_mirage.php][u]here[/u][/url]. ~Dagger~

I've said before that I try not to buy both the anime and manga versions of a certain series unless they're drastically different (as in the case of Revolutionary Girl Utena). However, I really like the Furaba anime, and I've recently learned things about the manga's storyline which make me suspect that a sequel to the television show would be difficult--if not impossible--to pull off. To make a long story short, the latest chapter of the manga came out in Japan a little while ago. Finding out what happens in said chapter [i]completely[/i] changed my perception of the characters' relationships and the series as a whole. I'd love to discuss this with someone, but beware; it's a spoiler of absolutely colossal proportions. Proceed with caution. [spoiler]Akito is a woman.[/spoiler] And it's true, I swear. What I'm genuinely curious about (since I've only read one book of the manga, and it mirrored events in the anime almost perfectly) is whether this was hinted at in earlier volumes. From what I can remember, the anime definitely didn't provide any kind of set-up for such a drastic plot twist, although [spoiler]Akito did seem a little.... er, not entirely straight.[/spoiler] ~Dagger~

I figured that they'd have to include Yuffie if they included Vincent, and vice versa. So far I haven't seen any pictures of her, though--the girl I thought was Yuffie actually turned out to be Marlene. Could you provide links to images/screencaps showing Yuffie? I'm also interested in seeing the picture with Cloud and Zack, if that's at all possible. :) ~Dagger~

[quote name='Okita']edit: my god dagger! is there ANY series you haven't covered yet??? =P[/quote] Oh, it's all part of my master plan to take over the world. ;) I think it would be interesting to compare Elfen Lied with Gantz, except that I never managed to get past the first episode of the latter series (and the version I did watch had been mercilessly censored). One of the best parts of episode 1 was when Nyu [spoiler]broke Kouta's shell.[/spoiler] It was the sort of scene which practically screamed "insert heart-warming moment here," and thus what actually happened came to me as a total surprise. I admire Elfen Lied for its emotional intensity and relative realism. Nyu's childlike mind is accompanied by equally childlike behavior, and not just for the sake of showing skin--she plays with her clothing [i]and[/i] pees on the floor. A lot of people seem to feel that the [spoiler]secretary's death[/spoiler] was somewhat excessive, but I found it... well, refreshing. Few anime would dare to [spoiler]dispose of a cute female character so quickly and savagely.[/spoiler] I've seen screencaps from the next few episodes, and I'm (nervously) looking forward to watching them. Elfen Lied has piqued my interest in the manga series on which it's based; I think this level of violence just might work better in manga form. As the anime was pre-licensed, I really have to wonder whether ADV knew what they were getting into. I'm glad it's coming to R1, but Elfen Lied is seriously going to traumautize some poor unsuspecting VAs. ^_^;; ~Dagger~

[quote name='Hittokiri Zero']*There's a litte misunderstanding I believe...* Doesn't X/1999 refer to "X" the movie and not the "X" television series :rolleyes:?[/quote] Bah, stupid names. Well, the film is even shinier-looking than the TV series, so I stand by my point. :p [quote name='EVA Unit 100']Well, certainly some older animes hold up better than newer ones. Akira from 1988 still looks awesome, but DBGT in 1996 looks like crap.[/quote] One is a movie and the other is a television show. I don't think DBGT is particularly well-animated, either for being a series or for emerging out of the mid-90s, but that's still an unbalanced comparison. ~Dagger~

[quote name='xXchaosfaerieXx']Well, X/1999 was rather poorly done.[/quote] I am, for a lack of a better word, flabbergasted. What don't you like about X-TV's animation? I assume you're referring to the twenty-four episode series and not the movie. Visually, the show possesses virtually no flaws--everything from the color palette to the choreography is top-of-the-line and really quite dazzling. There are some scenes I could watch over and over simply because they look so rich and lush. Anyway, it's kind of important to draw a distinction between animation and artwork. If you're repelled by X-TV's character designs, I can't really quibble with that; such things are pretty subjective and ultimately depend on people's tastes. However, its [I]animation[/I] is indisputably strong, and I would be willing to bet that the series was given a rather sizeable budget. ~Dagger~

The official Sorcerer Hunters thread is located [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=36059][u]here[/u][/url]. Similarly, the official Soul Hunter thread can be found by clicking [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=23324][u]here[/u][/url]. You are more than welcome to participate in either of those discussions, both of which are listed in the forum's Directory sticky. Creating additional cross-over topics is at best superfluous. If you have any questions about how things work around OtakuBoards, please take a look at the Rules and/or private message one of us mods. Thanks! ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, Archemorus. The fact is, each of the categories you've laid out could easily merit a separate thread unto itself. We already have a topic dealing solely with animation. Furthermore, while I really, [i]really[/i] appreciate the fact that you asked respondents to explain their choices, favorites threads tend to degenerate pretty quickly no matter how much effort the first few participants put into their posts. If you have any questions about OB's policies, please don't hesitate to PM me or one of the other moderators. Thank you very much. ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

I haven't watched the latest trailers (the only one I paid attention to was the early teaser which Anime-Kraze subbed a while back). However, I have seen screencaps floating about here and there. I have to say I'm quite amused that pretty much every single character--up to and including Cid!--is rabidly attractive. Tifa has a strange resemblance to Jennifer Love Hewitt, but no matter. My only real issue with the character designs is that Red XIII's eyes are peculiarly cartoonish; they make him look like a reject from Father of the Pride or something. It's a minor quibble, I know. If Advent Children is indeed shaping up to be an [spoiler]Aeris and Cloud affair... well, I won't deny being madly pro-Aeris/Cloud (though I like Tifa as well).[/spoiler] Frankly, I don't expect the scriptwriters to provide any kind of definite conclusion to the main love triangle. It would be nice if they did, but I just can't see that happening. ~Dagger~

This show has some of the best music I've heard in a while. For example, the piano theme which played during the last part of episode 6 basically salvaged what was otherwise a pretty mediocre scene. Shouko had a great chance to redeem herself and become an interesting, sympathetic character. In my opinion, the scriptwriters totally botched it. [spoiler]First of all, episode 6 had way too much screaming; that sort of thing is only effective when used sparingly (fortunately, most of Fafner's seiyuus are very good). Secondly, she should have thought about people other than Kazuki five minutes before her ******* [i]death[/i]. I mean, come on. I was extremely relieved when she spared a moment to reflect on her incredibly devoted mother--but what about Maya? What about the girl probably cared more for her and did more to help her out than Kazuki ever would? Shouko's infatuation with Kazuki irked me. To make it more realistic and appealing, they should have had her inner monologue or whatever dwell first on Maya and her other friends, then on her mother, then gone straight to her final line about keeping the promise.[/spoiler] The dialogue in the scene right before the credits was really quite well-written, and the transition to the ED song was simply perfect. I also liked finding out that Soushi isn't totally cold-hearted, particularly considering his behavior during episode 5. Well, either that or he's even more frighteningly manipulative and devious than I had previously suspected. ^_^;; Maya is a great character; I hope she'll take the spotlight now that [spoiler]Shouko is out of the way.[/spoiler] To be fair, this episode had me on the edge of my seat even if I hated the way certain situations were handled. The background music was, as I mentioned before, absolutely top-notch, and the animation seemed to kick up a bit as well. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Cyke][color=darkblue][font=trebuchet ms]Now, you might be thinking, "Well, their work with DBZ is relatively old, and they've gotten much better with other anime." I honestly wouldn't know, and I really could care less. I've seen the horrible dubbing from Yu Yu Hakusho, and from what I've seen, they continue to suck.[/font'][/color][/quote] Ara? I suppose people have different tastes when it comes to dubs; Yu Yu Hakusho's dub is among my favorites, and a lot of the dialogue (particularly Koto's commentary during the Dark Tournament arc) is hysterically well-delivered. I'm not going to defend what Funi did to Dragonball and co., but... oh well. I like their subtitles much better than ADV's, heh. I'll take small white subs over yellow ones any day. :p Moreover, FUNImation is the only major anime company that regularly includes honorifics and non-reversed names (i.e. Urameshi Yusuke instead of Yusuke Urameshi) in their subtitles. Funi's reduced episode count is almost always accompanied by a corresponding reduction in price. They are releasing Kiddy Grade, a twenty-four episode series, over eight discs at with each individual volume's MSRP hovering somewhere around $25. Such was not the case for Ceres: Celestial Legend (Viz) or X-TV (Geneon), which are also twenty-four episode, eight-disc series. Ceres and X DVDs have an MSRP of about $30. Yes, it's annoying that we can't expect a high episode count for shows like Full Metal Alchemist, but I don't blame them for trying to milk the franchise for all it's worth. Rather than avoiding Funi because of past offenses, I'm inclined to be extremely wary of Tokyopop. Unlike most companies (which usually improve over time), Tokyopop has been backsliding to the point that one of their newer anime, Rave Master, will only be released in the dubbed and edited version seen on CN. Initial D received one of the most hacked-up and atrocious dubs made in recent years. Their manga line, while popular, is stunningly inconsistent. I'm deeply worried that they'll license something I actually like. Viz is better than TP, but not by much. Inuyasha is coming out at a steady 3 episodes per disc, which pretty much destroyed any desire I might have had to buy such an ungodly repetitive show. Anyway, I'm sure we can all agree that what Funi did to DB/Z/etc. was reprehensible. By the same token, I think it's pretty hard to dispute how well they've handled Fruits Basket, Yu Yu Hakusho, Kiddy Grade and so forth, [i]especially[/i] since their early work gave people such low expectations. The Kiddy Grade starter set and subsequent DVDs are basically indistinguishable from a Geneon release--the series comes complete with pack-in extras, a beautiful sturdy artbox and an ADV-quality dub. Even in the light of the butchering of DB, I feel as though that should count for something. I'm personally very excited about Funi's release of Gunslinger Girl, and I might give Spiral a rental just to see if the English language version is up to par. ~Dagger~

Yeah, I was afraid to post because I didn't know when classes were supposed to start. ^_^;; You're probably the best candidate for getting things moving anyway, so I'm looking foward to your next post. ~Dagger~

I think it's more than a little unfair to compare movies with full-length television series, or older material with shows that are still airing in Japan. When it comes to films, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and Angel's Egg are among my favorites; both have original character designs by Yoshitaka Amano and do an incredible job of adapting and animating his unique style of art. In terms of animation alone, the relatively new Studio BONES has an amazing track record (their series include RahXephon, Wolf's Rain and Kurau: Phantom Memory). I can't think of any BONES anime which hasn't featured beautiful or--at the very least--solid, consistent animation. Yu Yu Hakusho, which aired from 1992 to 1995, was given a ridiculously large budget. Its animation steadily improved over time, and nowadays the show is quite capable of holding its own even against recent digitally animated series. Studio GONZO deserves a mention for creating some amazingly good-looking anime; Last Exile and Yukikaze blend 3-D machinery and backgrounds with 2-D characters better than almost anything else I've seen (Satelight's Macross Zero, Voices of a Distant Star and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex are the sole exceptions). In terms of visuals alone, their series are often really unique and beautiful. Saikano, Kiddy Grade and Gad Guard, among others, are just so much fun to watch. Voices of a Distant Star is obviously a huge triumph--it's simply gorgeous, and the CG graphics never seem out of place. Shamanic Princess and Read or Die are two more OVAs with great animation (Shamanic Princess in particular has stunningly high-quality artwork and action sequences). Soul Taker and Arjuna should not be overlooked; both are stylish and fluidly animated. Cowboy Bebop continues to have better animation than a lot of brand-new shows. In my opinion, Revolutionary Girl Utena and Escaflowne are really enjoyable visually [i]because[/i] they don't have the slick, shiny look of something digitally animated. It's funny that you mentioned Gundam SEED--I'm not very fond of its animation, heh. To me it just looks weird and plastic and over-computerized, much like s-CRY-ed's. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Queen Asuka][color=hotpink][size=1]I think it's funny that you like ADV so much, because they were the first company that came to my head that I DIDN'T like. I hate buying their anime unless it is subbed because all the dubbing makes me want to scream. The only one that I can tolerate (and only because it slowly grew on me) is Nadesico. Pretty much the rest are annoying. I don't know, I think it's because they constantly use the same cast over and over again.[/color'][/size][/quote] I was thinking of their most recent work (Full Metal Panic, Devil Lady, Kino's Journey, etc.), which is generally stellar. Older dubs from any company are likely to be bad; some of ADV's most ancient English-adapted titles, such as Master of Mosquiton, have aged very gracefully. Others just sound terrible. Anything released during the past few years stands a decent chance of being very good. I like the RahXephon dub as much as--if not better than--the Japanese-language version of the show. On the other hand, I absolutely can't stand watching Evangelion in English. ^_^; ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, itachi. Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu has been licensed by ADV. I assume they'll get around to releasing it eventually, so for now you'll just have to sit tight and wait. If you'd like to discuss any aspect of FMP or Fumoffu, please post in our official FMP thread (which can be found by checking the Directory sticky at the top of the page). Thank you very much. ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

EDIT: Bleach is an upcoming series (it'll start airing in Japan this fall) based on a popular Shonen Jump manga. I think the manga is already available in the States. I'm hesitant to provide a tentative summary because I've read very little of the manga. It's about shinigami, if that helps. ^_^;; Like most people out there, I don't get The Anime Network. Here's the linear schedule (or what I've gleaned of it from the official site, at any rate). There are way too many shows to list them all, so I've laid out the time blocks for each day with a few random examples of the series/movies/OVAs which appear on each block. The schedule seems highly variable, but this should give you a decent idea of what one week might look like. Typing it up helped cure my insomnia, heh. [b]Monday[/b] 8:00 am -- Feature [Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness] 10:00 am -- Perfect Sessions [Samurai X OVA] 2:00 pm -- Feature [Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness] 4:00 pm -- Old School [Robotech, G-Force] 6:00 pm -- Feature [Sonic Soldier Borgman: Lover's Rain] 8:00 pm -- Giant Robots [Evangelion, RahXephon, Gravion, Full Metal Panic!] 1:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [Happy Lesson, Magical Play] 2:00 am -- Giant Robots [re-runs of previously listed] 3:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [ditto] [b]Tuesday[/b] 8:00 am -- Feature [Slayers Premium] 11:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [Full Metal Panic!, Evangelion, RahXephon] 2:00 pm -- Feature [Megazone 23 Part 1] 4:00 pm -- Old School [Robotech, Aura Battler Dunbine] 6:00 pm -- Prime Time Encore [re-runs of previously listed] 8:00 pm -- Action Zone [Noir, Kino's Journey, Samurai X OVA] 1:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [Steel Angel Kurumi] 2:00 am -- Action Zone [re-runs of previously listed] 3:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [ditto] [b]Wednesday[/b] 8:00 am -- Perfect Sessions [Robotech] 11:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [Rune Soldier, Wild Arms, Final Fantasy Unlimited] 2:00 pm -- Perfect Sessions [Sakura Wars OVA] 4:00 pm -- Old School [Robotech, Aura Battler Dunbine] 6:00 pm -- Prime Time Encore [Orphen, Saiyuki] 8:00 pm -- Girl Power [Chobits, Pretear, Kaleido Star] 1:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [Sorcerer Hunters, Nurse Witch Kogumi] 2:00 am -- Girl Power [re-runs of previously listed] 3:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [ditto] [b]Thursday[/b] 8:00 am -- Feature [Slayers Premium] 11:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [Comic Party, Angelic Layer, Azumanga Daioh] 2:00 pm -- Feature [Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness] 4:00 pm -- Old School [Robotech, G-Force] 6:00 pm -- Prime Time Encore [Chobits, Comic Party, Kaleido Star] 8:00 pm -- Giant Robots [Gravion, Martian Successor Nadesico, Dai-Guard] 1:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [Happy Lesson, Najica Blitz Tactics] 2:00 am -- Giant Robots [re-runs of previously listed] 3:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [ditto] [b]Friday[/b] 8:00 am -- Perfect Sessions [Sakura Wars OVA] 10:00 am -- Feature [Slayers Premium] 11:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [RahXephon, Gravion, Full Metal Panic!] 2:00 pm -- Perfect Sessions [Sakura Wars OVA] 4:00 pm -- Old School [Robotech, Aura Battler Dunbine] 6:00 pm -- Prime Time Encore [Martian Successor Nadesico, RahXephon, Dai-Guard] 8:00 pm -- Action Zone [Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040, Saiyuki, King of Bandit Jing] 1:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [Golden Boy, Excel Saga] 2:00 am -- Action Zone [re-runs of previously listed] 3:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [ditto] [b]Saturday[/b] 8:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [Rune Soldier, Noir, Orphen, Azumanga Daioh] 8:00 pm -- Perfect Sessions [Samurai X OVA] 12:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [Dai-Guard, BastOF Syndrome] 1:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi] 2:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [re-runs of previously listed] 3:00 am -- Super Happy Funtime [ditto] [b]Sunday[/b] 8:00 am -- Prime Time Encore [Angelic Layer, Pretear, Kaleido Star] 10:00 am -- Perfect Sessions [Robotech, Aura Battler Dunbine, G-Force] 6:30 pm -- Feature [Sonic Soldier Borgman: Last Battle, Voices of a Distant Star] 3:00 am -- Series [Gravitation] That's right... Gravitation [i]is[/i] on American TV. Alright, so most people had CN in mind when they declared it would never ever happen. I still think Hell must be feeling a little colder. ;) ~Dagger~

Yes, it's spam. And the topic's spamminess is greatly amplified by the fact that kibasgirl has posted it, or some variation thereof, at least fifteen times this evening alone. Thread closed (out of sheer despair, after repeatedly being forced to remove previous versions of it). If something like this pops up again, I will delete it. Again. :mad: ~Dagger~

[quote name='WOLFBANE']Cowboy Bebop And Trigun And Outlaw Star[/quote] Welcome to OtakuBoards, WOLFBANE. ^_^ If you don't explain your choices (or refuse to write in complete sentences) your posts will be promptly deleted as spam. It's that simple. I've already removed several of your replies in other threads, so please go read the rules and put a bit more effort into future posts. Thanks! ~Dagger~

[quote name='Wingnut Ninja']And in The Simpsons there was a showing of an anime that gave everyone seizures lol, though I don't think that was aimed at any anime in particular.[/quote] A few years ago, there was an episode of Pokemon that gave seven hundred Japanese children seizures. I assume The Simpsons meant to reference that event. ~Dagger~

[quote name='EVA Unit 100']FUNi will get Hunter X Hunter from the begining. My reasoning: they got Yuyu Hakusho, and they'd want this to follow up as "the next Yuyu Hakusho" from a marketing perspective of DVD sales and viewings on CN.[/quote] That's what I've been hoping for. :) [quote]Since 4Kids got One Piece and the fact they have no room for it on the FOXBox...[/quote] I thought One Piece was about to debut on the FoxBox (along with Mew Mew Power, or whatever they're calling Tokyo Mew Mew nowadays). Do you mean to say that the FoxBox line-up doesn't have any room for Naruto? [quote]...then they don't have Naruto, and perhaps that article got insider information from those two companies.[/quote] On the subject of tentative inside information, rumor has it that the Naruto bidding war is--as would be expected--totally insane. People purporting to be possess a knowledge of the process have asserted that the cost per episode has gone up to $50,000; the relative accuracy of this figure is anyone's guess, but it makes for some interesting speculation. So far I haven't bought anything from one of the smaller, less established companies (i.e. Synch-Point and AN Entertainment). My basic impression of AN Entertainment is very positive, and I plan on eventually getting Risky/Safety, which was their first release. Synch-Point treated FLCL pretty well but has completely neglected I'm Gonna Be An Angel; there was a ridiculously long gap between the first volume and the second, and they still haven't set a street date for the third. Despite this, they continue to license new shows. That's not the best business practice as far as I'm concerned. ~Dagger~

I'm curious about what the other members of this forum think of specific anime companies. Although the topic title says "American," that's mainly because I personally am not familiar with any foreign groups other than Madman (which is based in Australia). If you do have experience with companies that don't operate in Region 1, you should feel free to compare and talk about them here. Below I ramble on about three of my favorites, but there are many others out there, and the ones I've mentioned in detail have plenty of faults in addition to their advantages. Other companies which could be discussed include: [B]Central Park Media:[/B] Grave of the Fireflies, Revolutionary Girl Utena [B]Viz:[/B] Inuyasha, Boys Over Flowers [B]Bandai:[/B] Crest of the Stars, Witch Hunter Robin [B]4Kids:[/B] Yu-Gi-Oh, Shaman King [B]AN Entertainment:[/B] Risky/Safety, Miami Guns [B]Synch-Point:[/B] FLCL, I'm Gonna Be An Angel! [B]AnimEigo:[/B] Vampire Princess Miyu OVA, Ah! My Goddess OVA [B]Media Blasters:[/B] Rurouni Kenshin, The Twelve Kingdoms [B]Tokyopop:[/B] Great Teacher Onizuka, Initial D [B]The Right Stuf International:[/B] Boogiepop Phantom, Gravitation [B]ADV:[/B] For the most part, ADV's dubs are very, very good. I appreciate how the company caters to dub fans as well as sub fans, but dislike the fact that it feels the need to produce low-quality artboxes (which are pretty much pointless products if they can't even withstand a light tap). ADV representatives and employees are more active online than reps from most other companies, and they behave well even when people give them a lot of flack. When glitchy DVDs receive widespread distribution, as was the case for Voices of a Distant Star and the RahXephon movie, ADV's customer service usually responds quickly and keeps consumers updated on the status of a replacement program. [B]Geneon:[/B] There's almost nothing not to like about Geneon. Its products are consistently superb and well-presented. The company also licenses a wide variety of anime (Ikki-tousen, Koi Kaze and Kyou Kara Maou! are three of its most drastically different upcoming series). While Geneon has never (at least not to my knowledge) deliberately edited a show, in the past it has been burned by Japanese middle-men such as Enoki. Because of this, the R1 release of Demon Lord Dante ended up being quite different from the source material. Though Enoki carried out the actual censorship, some of the blame should go to Geneon for failing to notice it was cheated. [B]FUNimation:[/B] Though once reviled for its treatment of the Dragonball franchise, FUNimation has tried very hard to win back fans' respect. In recent years, Funi has produced some of the best dubs in the business, using its own stable of talented voice actors but also borrowing popular ADV VAs like Monica Rial and Greg Ayres. After releasing Fruits Basket with a high episode count per disc (but also a higher MSRP), Funi deemed it a failed experiment. Most of the company's series now average three or four episodes per disc, something which has upset plenty of fans. I love Funi because it's really cleaned up its act and behaves differently from Viz, Tokyopop and the other companies that sell a lot of series aimed at the younger television-watching set. Earlier this year, Funi secured the rights to release unedited versions of 4Kids shows like Yu-Gi-Oh. In my eyes this makes them infinitely cool--it means even if 4Kids gets their grubby hands on unlicensed Shonen Jump anime (i.e. Naruto and Hunter x Hunter), there's always a chance that Funi will save the day. ~Dagger~

[quote name='OtakuSennen][color=navy']Voice of a Distant Star is another thing I want to see. It looks like it may be a bit more on the melodramatic side, though.[/color][/quote] Voices of a Distant Star is brilliant and not at all over-the-top. From watching approximately half of the Saikano anime, I would say that Saikano's story leans more toward melodrama than VoaD's, and tends to feel somewhat more contrived. I normally hate to double-dip (by buying both the anime and manga belonging to a specific franchise), but I'm really tempted to find out what the original version of Saikano is like. The anime is well directed and dazzlingly beautiful, easily one of GONZO's best-looking series. However, I don't find it that emotionally stirring. I'm curious about whether the manga will do a better job of allowing me to sympathize with its main characters. Oh, and in reference to your first post--it's cool that you mentioned Tsukihime, which is another tragic romance with a twist. Money spent on Tsukihime is money well spent indeed. If you leave the Saikano manga out of the picture (it's basically an unknown factor for me, since I haven't started reading it yet), I think Tsukihime and VoaD are [i]much[/i] more heart-rending than Saikano, even though Chise and Shuji suffer more greatly than most of the characters in those two anime. ~Dagger~

The animation in certain parts of episode 7 was so sloppy I almost couldn't stand to watch it. This [i]could[/i] conceivably have been a deliberate stylistic choice, but the sequences in question just weren't fluid enough or blatantly different enough to get away with being animated oddly. Things picked up significantly during episode 8 (although the CG graphics were integrated much less smoothly than in Last Exile, which is strange considering that Samurai 7 must have a significantly larger budget). In certain shots, Kyuuzou looks strangely like a twisted version of Trigun's Vash--red trench coat, weird blond hair, and so forth. This only really struck me when he was standing in the desert-like area toward the end of episode 8, but it was amusing all the same. There were some good character introductions in these two segments, so I don't really mind that the plot is unfolding rather slowly. I do admit to wishing Kyuuzou would just hurry up and [spoiler]join the group[/spoiler] already, though. ^_^;; Anyway, I'm enjoying the cute romantic vibes between Katsushiro and Kirara. My congratulations to Katsushiro for finally receiving proper recognition as [spoiler]the fifth samurai.[/spoiler] It was about time. ~Dagger~