Dagger

This thread has sort of died. It was a good concept, and some of the earlier replies are quite informative and well-written. However, I've been forced to edit several posts on the last page alone. At this point there's little reason for Solo, Queen Asuka and I to continue deleting spam from a topic that has already garnered a number of detailed warnings. Really, folks--try reading the rules and at least glancing over our comments to other members, as they apply equally to everyone. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[quote name='King Vicious 2']Miguzi is straight up gay, gay gay!!![/quote] Now [i]that's[/i] what I call a mature, well-justified critique. [quote]I say they should of brought back the old school toonami. with dbz, gundam wing, outlaw star, and top it off with tenchi and sailor moon. now that is toonami for .[/quote] So you don't think CN should try to show new series? Change is generally a good thing. It's impossible for most of those series to return, and in any event DiC's dub butchered Sailor Moon beyond recognition. You'd be better off buying the one of the sub-only box sets. Outlaw Star and Tenchi are great, but I'm happy that CN is trying to make room for recent series like SEED (not to mention Adult Swim's latest acquisitions). [quote]I used to respect toonami, but now look at it. playing teen titans and spy tramps.[/quote] That's not Toonami, babe. [quote]But saturday toonami is pretty good i cant really complain. Except i hate that new gundam show. Gundam wing should take that slot. that is enough for now.[/QUOTE] Then what the heck are you complaining about? I doubt CN even owns the rights to GW anymore, and surely you didn't expect to end up liking [I]all[/I] of the anime in Toonami's new line-up. ~Dagger~

[quote name='jisuseru']i started watching anime when i was about five years old then i stopped and started again when i was twelve :wigout:[/quote] Well... you answered the original question, but it'd be cool if you provided us with a better explanation of how you became a fan. For example, what was the first anime you ever saw, and what series or movie hooked you when you were twelve? Those kind of details encourage everyone to participate and make the thread more interesting for other members to read. Feel free to PM me or one of the other moderators with any questions about how to improve your post quality. ^_^ ~Dagger~

EDIT: Gantz's premise is pretty interesting, but the main character is so damn unlikeable that I just wanted to punch him in the face. I can't really work up any enthusiasm for Shin Getter Robo 2004 (possibly because I never saw the original series). It's a great-looking OVA, with bold character designs and hyperkinetic action--I guess the blood, guts and oni just aren't my kind of thing. I usually find series in which humans are the enemy to be more interesting than those featuring zombies or monsters or even sentient aliens. :/ Chances are that I'll end up feeling ambivalent about Gantz as well, but I'm going to watch its first episode sometime later this evening... if only to know what I'll be missing out on when I stop following the show. Right now the only new anime I'm [I]definitely [/I] sticking with are Koi Kaze, Monster, Hi no Tori, Kyou Kara Maou, Kenran Butousai and Melody of Oblivion. ~Dagger~

I'm pretty happy about the change... I've gotten a little tired of taping my favorite shows every single weekday (although I'll have to start doing that again once Detective Conan/Case Closed comes on AS). Teen Titans is a pretty entertaining series, and I have nothing against Totally Spies, Code Lyoko, or whatever else comes on Miguzi nowadays. It took me a while to realize that the underwater theme sort of ties into AS, though. ^_^;; In any event, having a great Saturday line-up is much better than watching constant re-runs. Personally, I'm much more interested in Adult Swim. Between Wolf's Rain, Case Closed, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (major hit, anyone?) and new episodes of Inuyasha, I think it's going to win back a lot of fans. ~Dagger~

I simply can't get enough of this show. It's so amusing that the one person who looks even mildly scruffy and/or unattractive ends up becoming Yuuri's main enemy. ^_^ And I'm quite grateful to S-Ai and L-E for deciding to change how they spell the characters' names; after all, "Wolfram" sounds much more plausible than "Volflam." Speaking of which, I love that boy! Not only is he ridiculously pretty, but he also has an unexpected nice streak. [spoiler]In fact, he and Yuuri seem to be getting along rather well. I was surprised when he told Yuuri to go with Adalbert, and equally surprised by his insisting that he would return no matter what.[/spoiler] Hmm.... maybe [spoiler]coming into contact with a powerful flow of water causes Yuuri to change worlds? Nothing happened when he was bathing in episode 2, but there must be some connection between the toilet and the waterfall--and the fact that water is his element.[/spoiler] Personally, I find myself strongly in favor of the Yuuri/Wolfram pairing. Conrad is too much like an older brother (besides, he's naturally flirtatious--he must've gotten it from his mother), and Gunther is just too old. Actually, if these demons are as long-lived as those in, say, Inuyasha and Demon Diary, age differences shouldn't really be an issue. The scene where [spoiler]Yuuri's being sucked away and Gunther goes straight for his belt[/spoiler] just about killed me. My poor stomach shall never recover from all that laughing. ~Dagger~

Don't get your hopes up, but PMK [i]might[/i] be licensed. ^_^ [quote name='Anime On DVD][b]Anime Network Signs 24/7 Deal; PLUS - Licensing News! (12:41 PM EST):[/b'] The folks at the Anime Network have sent out their press release talking about their upcoming 24/7 linear deal that's been picked up by Insight Communications. Of interest is in the list of titles that will be show, they mention "Peacemaker", presumably Peacemaker Kurogane. This title is so far not officially listed as licensed, though there's some given speculation that ADV currently has it due to their manga deal with the Japanese publisher and various ties related to it. It's mentioned in context with a mix of ADV, Geneon and Right Stuf titles, so it's purely impossible to say and we prefer word directly from the studios themselves. While we do await a comment, we expect a "No Comment" at this time.[/quote] This is obviously very exciting. I'm not exactly thrilled with all of ADV's releases--for example, the company don't always give fan favorites the treatment they deserve (the Azumanga Daioh anime comes to mind >_

[quote name='Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]And what book is this?? The title, if you please? If it's been mentioned before, and I missed it, my deepest appologies, but I'd like to know if it's been translated into English or if it was written in a language I understand to begin with...>_> I'd much rather read the book before watching the series, because I'm just like that.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] The Boogiepop Phantom anime series and live-action movie are both based on a series of Japanese novels, none of which have been released in North America... at least not the last time I checked. :/ Apparently the books add a lot of depth to Boogiepop's story, which makes sense considering its enormous cast; the show's story is so compressed that some important characters are given only cursory cameos. Naturally, this doesn't make the plot any easier to follow. ^_~ Boogiepop Phantom is to Paranoia Agent as Neon Genesis Evangelion is to RahXephon. That's pretty much the simplest way to look at it. Once you watch Boogiepop Phantom, you'll see that the two series have a lot of things in common. But overall, I'd say that Boogiepop is more serious. gendou, I'm interested in hearing what you have to say about BP. Care to elaborate? ^_^ ~Dagger~

Toboe is [i]so[/i] cute. I can already tell that he's going to be my favorite of the show's four main characters, and Mona Marshall's voice suits his character design and personality amazingly well. The part when he [spoiler]accidentally kills the falcon[/spoiler] has some great dialogue--more notable for the way it's spoken than for the way it's phrased--and overall is very touching. Toboe and Hige make the perfect foils for Tsume and Kiba, both of whom are a little... er, less than friendly. I was surprised to see that befriending Hige has already made Kiba start to mellow out a bit. The plot seems fairly linear (as opposed to episodic), which is also nice. There's not much more to say about episode 2, although I'm intrigued by the [spoiler]weird-looking, incredibly long-lived[/spoiler] people featured in its first scene. Can't wait til next week! ^_~ ~Dagger~

I seriously thought I had enough patience to avoid watching R.O.D the TV until the series received its American release (volume 1 will come out in June). Well, it turns out that I thought wrong--and at this rate, I'll have finished the show in a week or so. ^_^; As of now I've downloaded episodes 1-4, and I plan to save the next few for sometime later tonight. R.O.D is so addictive and well-done. In fact, I've pretty much fallen in love with [i]all[/i] of the new characters, particularly Anita and Michelle. From the looks of things, the male cast is equally appealing... I can't wait to see more of Anita's cute (albeit slightly belligerent) classmate and the mysterious gray-haired boy. The series' set-up is actually kind of brilliant, now that I think about it. ^_^ Keeping Yomiko as the main character probably wouldn't have worked too well, but I'm really happy that [spoiler]she has an important role.[/spoiler] ~Dagger~

[quote=The Washington Post]Arab countries reacted with rage and revulsion yesterday after images of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners were broadcast around the world. Bush administration and U.S. military officials scrambled to contain the furor and to assuage concerns among allies. The photos showed U.S. troops celebrating as prisoners were sexually humiliated and otherwise abused. "I shared a deep disgust that those prisoners were treated the way they were treated," President Bush said in a Rose Garden appearance with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin. "Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in America. And so I didn't like it one bit." Bush said the abuses will be investigated and the perpetrators "will be taken care of." Analysts said the strong response by Bush appeared directed less at an American audience than at an international audience skeptical about U.S. intentions in Iraq. The United States and Britain are struggling to meet a June 30 deadline for a transfer of sovereignty in Iraq, and the images threatened to undermine already tenuous international cooperation. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was "deeply disturbed" by the photos, and the British government called the matter appalling, though later it confirmed it was investigating allegations of abuse by British soldiers. Arab countries were more strident, with the Arab League calling the mistreatment "savage acts" and Arab broadcast networks describing the incidents in similar terms. Arab newspapers and students and even a member of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council said the images could be pivotal in turning Iraqis against the United States. "This is the logic and modus operandi of imperialist conquest and colonial occupation," the Tehran Times wrote. "The pictures of torture, brutality and sexual sadism are representative of the entire criminal operation being conducted in Iraq." The photos, first broadcast Wednesday on CBS's "60 Minutes II," showed hooded prisoners piled in a human pyramid and simulating sex acts, as U.S. soldiers celebrated. One photo showed a hooded prisoner standing on a box with wires attached to his hands; the prisoner was told, falsely, that he would be electrocuted if he fell off the box. "It provides a graphic portrayal of many of the worst impressions that much of the world has about America," said Andrew Kohut, who, as director of the Pew Research Center, has polled extensively in Arab and European countries. "It's red meat to large numbers of people all around the world who are increasingly anti-American and don't think we represent the things Americans pride themselves on." Foreign policy experts said the photos could cause lasting damage to U.S. efforts. "It is a disaster," said Michael Rubin, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and until earlier this year a political adviser to the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority. "Five or six people have managed to soil the reputation of American soldiers worldwide." Arab commentators said the images were particularly damaging because of Muslim restrictions on nudity. The photos also invited parallels to Saddam Hussein's regime because the abuse occurred in Abu Ghraib, a prison used by Hussein for torture. Without detailing the abuses, the military brought criminal charges in March against six soldiers over incidents, allegedly the ones in the photos, at the prison in November and December 2003. Charges included indecent acts with another person, maltreatment, battery, dereliction of duty and aggravated assault. The military has also recommended disciplinary action against seven U.S. officers involved in running the prison. In addition, the commander of the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility, Maj. Gen. Geoffrey D. Miller, is being sent to Iraq to take over the coalition detention facilities. And the CIA said yesterday that its inspector general has two long-standing probes into abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, including one investigation into a prisoner's death. But a CIA spokesman said there is "no direct evidence" connecting the CIA to the incidents in the photographs. In Baghdad, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, a military spokesman, said he tried to limit the damage before the CBS show on Wednesday. "I talked with the Arab press two nights ago, before the '60 Minutes' show was broadcast because I wanted the Arab press to understand and possibly communicate to their fellow Iraqis a couple of key points," he said. Kimmitt said the U.S. military is "absolutely appalled" by the photos and that the perpetrators are facing criminal charges. He also said authorities believe the incident involves fewer than 20 of about 8,000 prisoners at Abu Ghraib. "Please don't for a moment think that that's the entire U.S. Army or the U.S. military, because it's not," Kimmitt said in remarks directed at Iraqis. "And if you think those soldiers that are walking up and down the street approve of what they saw, condone what they saw or excuse what they saw, I can tell you that I've got 150,000 other American soldiers who feel as appalled and disappointed as I do at the actions of those few."[/quote] This is pretty horrific, and I'm afraid that it could have serious ramifications both at home and abroad. Obviously not all Iraqis feel the same about the American occupation--some seem to be satisfied with their current situation, whereas others are unhappy enough to take up arms or even go on suicide missions. However, these photos are bound to have a negative impact, particularly on people who never thought highly of the U.S. forces. I'm interested in reading your opinions and reactions. ~Dagger~

*coughs* Er, I hate to burst your bubble, but all I did was merge your thread with the official FLCL discussion (which dates back to 2003). More importantly, please avoid starting pointless topics... this couldn't possibly lead to any kind of meaningful conversation, and for some reason your post quality just took a drastic downward plunge. Try to avoid capitalizing every single word; your replies should be as coherent and readable as possible. Um... yeah. Feel free to PM me or one of the other moderators if you have any questions. ^_^; Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Kagome (from Inuyasha) is by no means my least favorite character, but I just can't bring myself to like her. The girl's attitude and behavior really get to me. She's not very bright--and though I don't demand that all females be intelligent, her mind works a touch too slowly for my tastes. Furaba's Tohru, a character I've always loved and one who could be considered similar to Kagome, isn't known for her mental brilliance. I guess I find Tohru's uncomplicated kindness more appealing than Kagome's teeter-tottering between perkiness and angst. Ultimately, I see Kagome as a weak, whiny person who complains about her emotions and yet refuses to act upon them. Inuyasha's suffering would be greatly diminished if he ceased to think of Kikyo as a viable romantic option. Because Kagome has no backbone, he continues to waffle between the two girls and will probably do so until the show winds to a close. I hate it when women avoid standing up for themselves, in real life as well as anime. It's not as though Kikyo and Inuyasha are engaged or anything--she makes a fantastic tragic figure, but she's sort of.... um, dead. There's nothing stopping Kagome from pursuing him except for her own fears and insecurities. ~Dagger~

[quote name='gendou ikari']....and got into one of the new series that you mentioned ,Dagger,Boogiepop Phantom, a great, mysterious ,and compelling suspense anime.[/quote] Monster should definitely appeal to the Boogiepop crowd. ^_^ The more I see of this show (I just finished watching episode 4), the more I like it. Somehow Monster feels different from any anime I've ever seen... this could stem from the fact that all of its main characters are mature adults with distinct motives and personalities. It's scary [i]because[/i] it's so true to life. I initially had some trouble adjusting to the fact that episode 3 [spoiler]has to account for nine entire years,[/spoiler] but Monster's director handled the transition pretty well. Episode 4 is downright eerie, and whoever casted [spoiler]Johan's[/spoiler] seiyuu deserves my heartfelt congratulations. His voice couldn't possibly be more perfect for the role. [spoiler]Hiding Johan's features until the very end of that climactic confrontation[/spoiler] also struck me as being an excellent decision. When his [spoiler]angelic-looking face was finally revealed,[/spoiler] I couldn't tear my eyes away. [quote]The main character of Kino's Journey strangely remindes me of Lain...Oh well...[/QUOTE] It might interest you to know that the same man directed Kino's Journey [i]and[/i] Lain. If you want to discuss the former series, just take a look at [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=38073][u]this[/u][/URL] thread. ^_^ ~Dagger~

[quote name='inu cabbit']inuyasha theme song sound track :D[/quote] Five-word posts are simply not sufficient, m'dear. Next time, follow the example set by members such as maladjusted and densuke--both of them explain what they like about specific OSTs, and both use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Your reply doesn't even meet the requirements for a complete sentence. Honestly, the least you can do is attempt to include both a subject and a verb. :rolleyes: Lilith, your post could also stand to be somewhat longer. Please PM me or one of the other moderators if you have any questions about OtakuBoards' rules. ^_^ ~Dagger~

I haven't seen enough shoujo to construct a top three list, but I do think that [b]Fruits Basket[/b] deserves a mention. Sweet, funny and beautifully animated, Furaba is simply one of the best series I've ever seen. Even people who aren't ardent fans of anime will probably enjoy its spunky humor and heartwarming relationships. Furaba's storyline may seem to meander, but it's well-paced and consistently interesting. Despite the fact that the show is often billed as a romantic comedy, it doesn't contain much in the way of tangible romance. The characters' feelings are for the most part left unstated, which gives Furaba an atmosphere of innocence. In case I haven't already made my opinion clear, allow me to mention that I really, really love this series. It's made me laugh [i]and[/i] cry more often than any other anime. ~Dagger~

[quote name='alphonse][FONT=Comic Sans MS']there is a part two coming out it called....[/quote] alphonse--I apologzie if this sounds harsh, but your reply is utter nonsense. I can't understand half of what you're saying, and the rest seems mildly irrelevant (especially considering that we're supposed to be talking about the anime). Please read OtakuBoards' rules and work on improving your post quality. Thanks! ^_^ [quote name='gendou ikari']I suggest that you clean up that post before one of the moderators does. Anyway this is the anome, NOT the game.[/quote] Seeing how as most spam ends up getting deleted, replying to it is rarely a good idea. In the future, I suggest that you either ignore or report suspicious-looking posts. ~Dagger~

[quote name='alphonse][FONT=Comic Sans MS]well i saw all the gundam seed..it great......[i]blah blah blah.....[/i'][/FONT][/quote] alphonse, your post is frankly rather frightening. The absence of proper capitalization and punctuation makes it [i]incredibly[/i] difficult to read, and the whole thing basically ends up being one long run-on paragraph. You can't avoid writing complete sentences simply by using (rather, abusing) ellipses to denote a pause. Also, OtakuBoards never permits double-posting. I deleted your second reply, but I don't want to have to do that in the future. Sensitive information should be surrounded with spoiler tags, which you can create by typing [*spoiler]text[/spoiler]. Just omit the asterisk. As a newcomer to the series, I'm perfectly happy not knowing about certain plot twists. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to PM me or one of the other moderators. Thank you very much. ^_^ ~Dagger~

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']Please stop the insanity![/color][/quote] Gladly. This debate (if one can really call it that) is just going in circles. Since the lone dissenter refuses to concede any points, I don't see why his topic ought to remain open. It started off as a rant better suited for myO, and turned into a pointless argument about the relative merits of Japanese and American animation. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=NeoNabishen]Most Humans are naturally STUPID. That answer your question? dont let it get you down. :)[/QUOTE] That's a lovely sentiment. Unfortunately, your post is way too short and uninspired to count as anything but spam, most of which will promptly be deleted. This thread is packed with detailed, intelligently written replies (well..... sort of -_-); you should peruse a few of these and thereby learn to identify the kind of quality we're looking for. If you have any questions, please start off by reading OtakuBoards' rules. Once you've done that, feel free to PM me or one of the other moderators--we're here to help you out. ^_^ EDIT: Now that I think about it.... the thread itself might be in need of some cleaning up or closing. It hasn't really gone anywhere, and the original topic strikes me as being pretty sketchy. ~Dagger~

[quote name='densuke']Also, noone in the family has been shown to touch or even speak to Yuzuyu in any way, except the sister in episode 4. I can't consider such aloof behavior as mentally healthy.[/quote] I think your interpretation of the situation is rather extreme. After all, the other family members are minor characters at best, and they rarely even interact with Kippei. The red-haired boy (whose name I can't recall) has a conversation with Yuzu in one of the earlier episodes, and although he's usually pretty quiet and withdrawn, he never ignores her. At one point, he takes her hand and helps her out when she has to go to the bathroom. The scene you mentioned isn't the first part in which Kippei's sister touches or talks to Yuzu. I agree that the family is basically dumping her on Kippei, but the story would be less powerful if Yuzu didn't rely on him as much. I doubt they're bad people; they simply lead busy lives and thus are somewhat negligent. This shows more in Kippei's conduct--his rampant womanizing, to be specific--than in their treatment of Yuzuyu. His parents either don't mind that kind of behavior, or else have given up on trying to change him. [quote]She doesn't seem to know anything about children, which indicates that she didn't see fit to have anything to do with Kippei when he was younger.[/quote] To me it looks as though Kippei and his sister currently have an excellent relationship. In my mind, that precludes any kind of past neglect or aloofness on her part. However, I could definitely do without the [spoiler]Freaky Stalker Girl.[/spoiler] I feel as though she just doesn't fit in with the rest of the cast; I'd be happier if she acted more like a member of the Yuki Sohma fanclub (from Fruits Basket). ~Dagger~

I just picked up Baka-Fansubs' release of Pretty Cure episode 1. One can't judge certain shows (Narutaru, for example) by the content of their first episode, but hopefully Pretty Cure will be an exception to this. Its wonderful production values took me completely by surprise. Goofy though some aspects of the series may be, the fight scenes are very good thus far and will probably remain that way, even accounting for the slight drop-off in animation quality which most shows experience at one point or another. Pretty Cure is entertaining in part because of its absurdity and parodical elements.... all the same, I'd like at least one or two of its villains to be somewhat more threatening than those seen in Scooby-Doo. :p Anyway, the main characters are great and it looks as though the anime is going to feature a whole bevy of cute girls and boys. I absolutely loved the introduction sequence, which wasted no time in establishing the two leads' personalities--it was just so cute and entertaining. How old are Nagisa and Honoka supposed to be? Nagisa refers to herself as a sophomore, but since neither of them look sixteen, I'm inclined to think that the term means something different in Japan. ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, Neko. ^_^ If you'd like to talk about a specific series, film or OVA, please check the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=38208][u]Official Threads Directory[/u][/url] and make sure that there aren't any pre-existing topics. You'll find that our Akira thread is listed under "Movies." Doing this saves the mods a lot of trouble, and hopefully it's pretty convenient for members as well. ^_^ Next time, try including some more details in your post. For example, it would be great to know exactly what you like about Akira, and explaining your opinion will increase your chances of inspiring an interesting discussion. Feel free to PM me or one of the other mods if you have any questions about what I've said. Thanks! Thread closed. ~Dagger~

For whatever reason, I'm starting to enjoy this series. The comparison to Utena is a good one, although I find Melody of Oblivion's surrealism slightly less jarring. Its rich classical music and stylized backgrounds seem to help pull things together. I've actually grown to appreciate the fact that the show isn't as flashy or shiny-looking as other current sci-fi anime (i.e. Kono Mini). If the characters continue to stay on-model, I couldn't care less about fancy fight sequences. In any event, action doesn't really appear to be the series' main focus. Melody of Oblivion's director uses sexual tension to make the sacrifice scenes come across as being delightfully macabre. I thought this was very effective, and so far I've been pleasantly surprised by the show's consistent weirdness. Much like Utena, Melody of Oblivion is a little over the top. Yet Bocca is an endearing, sensible character, and I'm finding it easy to root for him. My favorite part of episode 2 was when [spoiler]Bocca shot an arrow through the wall.[/spoiler] It was a fantastic moment--very exciting and satisfying. So I guess Melody of Oblivion has succeeded in making me care about its characters. ~Dagger~

[quote name='gendou ikari']Look. I think that Japanese anime is far superior to american cartoons. There you go.Why are you on the OTAKU boards, if you are willing to constantly defend american cartoons that was only a simple question. Please respect my opinion. I am respecting yours.[/quote] Since when are loving anime and appreciating Western animation considered mutually exclusive? Anime owes its very [i]existence[/i] to the popularity of older Disney movies like the classic film Snow White. And cartoons may have their drawbacks, but they also possess some notable advantages. Most American TV shows focus on smooth animation instead of complicated character designs, which means that they look more dynamic and fluid than certain anime. Besides, half of the people at OB have barely heard of anime (and though I pulled that figure out of my ***, it's not really an exaggeration). :p EDIT: Just saw this. [quote name='gendou ikari']what I was trying to say was that I prefer Anime, over sloppily made american cartoons.[/quote] I can't stop you from hating American animation. However, the latter part of that statement is totally false. Whether they're on television or in theaters, you almost [i]never[/i] see cartoon characters go off-model. Sadly, such is not the case when it comes to anime. Even RahXephon, a high-budget series that originally aired in 2001, has a couple of episodes during which its characters' faces were strangely drawn. Cheap or long-running anime are usually packed with those kinds of flaws. ~Dagger~