Dagger

[quote name='densuke']This series is going to cover different eras in human history as per the manga. The last episode will probably take place in the present.[/quote] Since I'm not familiar with Tezuka's manga, I can't wait to see whether connections (obvious or otherwise) are made between the main characters in different time periods. The quest for the phoenix will probably be one such common thread, and if anyone actually does attain immortality I guess we'll come across him or her quite frequently. [spoiler]Himiko's death was deliciously ironic. I had no trouble guessing how her demise would occur,[/spoiler] but Hi no Tori's story is so wonderfully told that it allows for a certain suspension of cynicism and disbelief. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Cahoots34']Aside from the most famous (infamous?), Shoujo Kakumei Utena, I find very few series where the token lesbian(s) get(s) more of a role than the eccentric best friend or pair of mysterious yet approachable lovers, an inequality that infuriates me to no end. Would it be so hard or unsuccessful to create a witty, entertaining comedy featuring a female couple? Anyway, if anyone knows of a few worthwhile shoujo-ai series, I'd love to hear about them.[/quote] May I suggest [b]Marimite[/b]? Maria-sama ga Miteru, otherwise known as "The Virgin Mary is Watching You" (in the realm of bizarre titles, even the much-referenced Eerie Queerie pales in comparison to this one), is a thirteen episode series that finished airing less than a month ago. Be warned that Marimite's appeal isn't entirely universal; it took me quite a while to accept its storytelling style. Only after becoming attached to a certain character did I really enjoy the show. Idealistic and serious, Marimite has an enormous fanbase. Since I'm too lazy to write a summary on my own, here's what ANN has to say about it: "Yumi is a first year student at the Lillian School For Girls, an exclusive all girl's catholic school. The school has a tradition that older girls take a younger girl as their little sister or "soeur" in order to instruct and look out for them. Though Yumi admires Sachiko, a reserved second year student who is a member of the student council, she has no hopes of being chosen as her soeur. When an innocent encounter leads Sachiko to impulsively ask Yumi to be her soeur, Yumi is suddenly brought into the inner circle of the Roses, who are the members of the student council. With Sachiko at her side, Yumi begins to unravel and understand the relationships between the Roses and their soeurs and figure out her own feelings for Sachiko." These comments are basically accurate. In terms of sheer explicitness, Marimite would fall somewhere between Yami no Matsuei and Gravitation; the girls obviously love each other but romantic physical interaction is pretty rare. If you do decide to watch this (it's been fansubbed by a number of well-known groups), I'd advise downloading several episodes before deciding how you feel about it. Episode 11 is a stunning example of shoujo-ai done well; in my opinion, the series is worth seeing for that segment alone. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Cahoots34']My latest fun fact is that 51% of online Harry Potter fans think that a relationship between Sirius Black and Remus Lupin is 'practically' canon, though there has been absolutely no mention of it by the author.[/quote] Haha, that's the only reason I ever venture near HP's frighteningly enormous (and surprisingly slash-friendly) fandom. At least they make a more plausible couple than, say, Harry and Draco. I can't even count how many times I've seen authors get their panties in a bunch trying to find a good reason for Draco to become Mr. Nice Guy. [quote name='Monkey_Orange]Though my response may be a bit short [don't set me on fire or anything ^^;']--but the 2 quotes above demonstrates my point, right? It's a 'chick thing'!!![/quote] Girls tend to accept shoujo-ai rather easily--at least in the sense that they rarely denounce it as disgusting--but guys are often much more wary of shounen-ai. While I know gay and bi males who adore shows like Gravitation, straight fans can be quite difficult to find. I happen to like shounen-ai, shoujo-ai and everything in between.... I honestly couldn't tell you whether that makes my tastes unusual. Anyway, your attitude towards fictional lesbian relationships is perfectly understandable; I wish everyone were as accepting. It really annoys me when die-hard yaoi fans reject shoujo-ai as gross or simply the product of overactive male hormones (obviously the opposite applies to yuri lovers). [quote]Umm...I'm not too familiar with the Shounen-ai terminology like Canon vs. Non-canon and Slashy vs Not Slashy. Would someone like to clarify them for me?[/quote] Those terms are mainly related to fanfiction. Canon refers to anything which is explicitly stated or shown during the anime (manga, book, etc.) in question. Clearly not every relationship will be laid out in black and white, so viewers must sometimes make inferences based on subjective material such as body language, suggestive dialogue and so forth. Here's an example based on the Yami no Matsuei television series. Unquestionably canon: Hisoka is an empath. Up in the air: Hisoka is madly in love with Tsuzuki. Non-canon: Hisoka is madly in love with Muraki. "Slash" is just a synonym for shounen-ai. It's most commonly found in non-anime fandoms such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. ~Dagger~

[b]John Burgmeier[/b] has always been one of my favorite VAs. I first became acquainted with him through his magnificient performance in FUNimation's Yu Yu Hakusho. Kurama is a dark, lovely character and Mr. Burgmeier successed in capturing the essence of his complicated personality. I was astounded to learn that he also played Shigure Sohma (that insane cackle must have been difficult to master!). [b]Crispin Freeman[/b], one of the most versatile actors I've ever encountered, rarely fails to please. And as an ardent fan I must state that his voice is simply gorgeous. Recently I've been watching him in Witch Hunter Robin (Amon) and X-TV (Fuuma). ~Dagger~

By now I think it's pretty obvious that this topic is beyond salvation. I wish I had more time to justify my decision, but I'm about to get kicked offline. Sorry, everyone... feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[quote name='chibifriend250']Ok then...I'll use the via PM next time......anyways....back to topic. It was so funny when Haruko thought she killed Takkun. :laugh: I coudn't stop laughing![/quote] *takes a deep breath* I shall make my warning brief, as Solo, Queen Asuka and I have already clarified the rules multiple times [i]in this thread alone[/i]. Double-posting is evil. Going off-topic is abhorrent. Do either of those again and you will be deported to the distant reaches of the Sahara with only a loincloth and some deformed camels to keep you company. ~Dagger~

[quote name='maladjusted][color=firebrick][b]Gravitation[/b'] is coming, and it's really a great anime. :toothy: I managed to get this cheap version boxset from the internet, I love it so much. It's hilarious and a well-made anime/manga, but it depends if you're into shounen-ai or not.[/color][/quote] *gasps* You bought a bootleg!? Well, I hope you'll invest in TSRI's domestic DVDs when Gravitation finally receives its North American release. I've already witnessed several catfights over copies of the Gravitation manga; if I'm lucky, the upcoming vol. 1 + artbox will provide an equal amount of entertainment. Heaven knows I'd be the first to join in such a fray. ^_^; [b]Gokusen[/b] is a marvelous, hilarious show. It's made me laugh more often than any other anime (including Fruits Basket and the aforementioned Gravitation). GTO fans will probably enjoy watching the main character struggle to tame her unruly high school students. And as is the case with many recent series, Gokusen's artwork looks brightly colored, solid and consistent. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=yusuke sagablac]One of the worst shows are SD Gundom I'm mean who can stand some little gundom. I'm mean it really stuped. It drives me crazy when my nephwe watchs it AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! :flaming: :twitch: :bash: :nope: :blowup: :nope: :shifty: :angry2: :sick: :flaming: :confused:[/QUOTE] Please pay more attention to your post quality, matey. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that enormous string of smilies, and surely you don't mean to tell us (repeatedly!) what a disagreeable person you are. You're permitted to complain about SD Gundam, but next time refer more clearly and coherently to the specific aspects of the show that grate on your nerves. Mike330, although I appreciate the length and depth of your reply, it wouldn't kill you to use proper capitalization. Several people have expressed a strong dislike for series with retro artwork (i.e. Astro Boy and Cyborg 009). In my opinion, this is a bit unfair; many of them are based on older manga--such as Tezuka's work--and character design consistency strikes me as being more important than looking modern. Hi no Tori, one of April's best new anime, features both "old looking" artwork and lush, gorgeous, presumably digital animation. It's a true feast for the eyes... Cyborg 009 and Kikaider just can't compare. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Balinese][FONT=Comic Sans MS]so here's something i dug up from one of my favorite sites, [URL=http://www.heerosferret.com/toast.html]Heero Is Not Toast (H.I.N.T.)[/URL] . Yamato-san wrote a pretty little [URL=http://www.heerosferret.com/toast_other_rant_yaoi.shtml]rant[/URL'] about why no one can be right when it comes to searching out yaoi in GW, and i think it applies to bunches of 'yaoi' series. (of course, there are series like Gravi which are very yaoi and show it, but this is for the stuff like Wing.) Take a look. i think it's well worth reading and Yamato-san is right.[/FONT][/quote] It always makes me happy when people link to something worthwhile. ^_^ There's so much fun to be had with official artwork. However, "hints" can't be entirely discounted. You won't find any overt shounen-ai (or even shoujo-ai) in series like Revolutionary Girl Utena, but the show is [i]packed[/i] with innuendo and sexual symbolism, which at times has made it somewhat controversial. Gender confusion is only the beginning. Gravitation provides some excellent examples of different types of homosexual implications. Yuki and Shuuichi are obviously in a romantic relationship. Tohma's affection for Yuki could theoretically be overlooked, as it's never stated outright and they rarely have any physical interaction. Shuuichi and Hiro get all over each other--particularly in the manga--but this is basically fangirl fodder... unless you're reading Remix. ^_~ One of my favorite couples is also among the most hotly debated: Hiei and Kurama, from the popular anime Yu Yu Hakusho. Yoshihiro Togashi stated that although he didn't orginally intend for them to be together, fans should be able to interpret their relationship in any way they wish. He supports homosexual couples, and two of the show's characters (Sensui and Itsuki) [i]are[/i] bisexual or gay. This, at least, is canon. Everything else--even official artwork--only makes the situation more confusing. What qualifies as canon? I have a hard time answering that question.... anyone else feel like giving it a shot? ^_^ ~Dagger~

yusuke, this thread is over three years old. We allow a certain amount of leeway in reviving interesting discussions or debates, but you cannot post in something that was created before OB's current standards went into effect. A large percentage of the replies here now qualify as spam, and there's absolutely no reason to let these kinds of unproductive topics clutter up the Lounge. Please read our rules and strive to improve your post quality. Proper grammar and spelling should be your closest pals. And for future reference, favorites threads are generally frowned upon; we leave them open only under special circumstances. Be sure to have a good time at OtakuBoards. ^_^ ~Dagger~ [color=hotpink][size=1]How someone dug up a thread this old (since before I was even a member actually...) is beyond me. It was fun for a laugh, but scary to see that's how the OB used to be. I guess this was a prime example of what NOT to do on the OtakuBoards. ^_^; *QA*[/color][/size]

[quote name='chibifriend250']I agree with u about FLCL :eek:[/quote] chibifriend250, please don't triple-post. I just deleted two threads and about seven or eight unintelligible replies, so I would appreciate it if you familiarized yourself with OB's rules. Pay particular attention to the fact that any kind of consecutive posting is strictly forbidden; also, the mods [i]will[/i] dispose of spam (a reply qualifies as such if it's overly short and incoherent). While you're at it, scroll through this thread and read Queen Asuka's comments. She's unfailingly polite and completely correct, so her explanation of the guidelines may help you in attempting to improve your post quality. Thank you for your time. ^_^ ~Dagger~

I've suppressed the urge to create this thread for a [i]very[/i] long time, but my resistance has finally crumbled. The discussion is intended to be all-encompassing; you can talk about everything from your favorite couples (real or imagined :P) to the pitfalls of fanfiction. I welcome dissenters with open arms... just be sure to phrase your complaints in a civil manner, okay? Gravitation--arguably the most popular shounen-ai series of all time--is finally coming to North America on June 29, 2004. I'm immensely excited about watching its dub, and I'm sure TRSI will do an excellent job with the show's packaging and artbox (which was redesigned after the first version received some criticism). Meanwhile, shoujo-ai is growing increasingly popular, and not just among horny teenage boys. Maria-sama ga Miteru, a sweet but quiet anime, has gained an incredibly large fanbase... an amazing accomplishment when one considers that it's only thirteen episodes long and contains not a single whit of action. In other words, the two genres have come a long way. I don't really care where we take this; it's a pretty broad subject, to say the least. What aspect of shounen-ai/shoujo-ai would you like to discuss first? ~Dagger~

Well, I am very pleased with [b]Monster[/b] and [b]Aishiteruze Baby[/b]. These two series may be quite different, but they do have certain things in common: both are much more realistic than most popular anime, and both have interesting, eye-catching artwork. [quote name='r2vq']I don't think this'll ever become mainstream, but I love it to death. ^^ The ED is good too. It's soooo cuuuute. *_*[/quote] I actually feel that Aishiteruze Baby could appeal to a wide audience, in much the same way that character-driven shows like Fruits Basket and Maria-sama ga Miteru have won over countless fans. This anime is sweet, heartwarming shoujo at its very best. The character designs look rather manga-esque (for lack of a better word). They instantly reminded me of the long-running series Mars. Anyway, I couldn't be happier with the current variety of artistic styles--shows like Gokusen, Aishiteruze Baby, Paranoia Agent, Kyou Kara Maou! and Monster all bring something different to the table. [quote][b]Yugo Negotiator[/b] has a great OP. I love it. And the show is such a change of pace from other Anime. It's fun to see people [i]without[/i] unexplainable mystic powers sometimes ^^. I really love the OP for this show.[/quote] Yugo is awesome. ^_^ Has anyone seen [b]Shura no Toki[/b]? Its first episode received pretty mixed reviews, and I'm not sure whether I should download it. ~Dagger~

The animation in this show really is first-class, and it's nice not to see a drop-off between episode 1 and episode 2. I particularly liked watching the swordfight between Gram and the captain of the Aurora. Since, as you mentioned, neither the military nor the pirates--who are being portrayed as a bunch of professional Robin Hoods--seem particularly evil, I think they'll end up uniting against an outside enemy (or perhaps one within the government itself). The man who tried to purchase the Aurora's desiccant is clearly unscrupulous, but I doubt he'll turn out to be Kenran's main villain. A talking [spoiler]cat[/spoiler]--now [i]that[/i] was unexpected, heh. In any case, I guess I'll just have to get used to Vestemona; it looks like she'll have a big role in the overarching storyline. I didn't receive more than a cursory glance at [spoiler]the picture of her and Gram,[/spoiler] but I wonder whether they could have [spoiler]attended the Academy together. That would go a long way towards substantiating Gram's skills, though not his apparent poverty or unusual necklace. If Vestemona only graduated recently, she must be much younger than I originally thought.[/spoiler] The next few episodes are probably going to be spent on fleshing out the supporting characters; the series features a large and varied cast, so that's only to be expected. Who wants to bet that Yangami has a dark/tragic/incredibly sketchy past? :p ~Dagger~

[quote name='densuke][color=blue]edit[/color]: Whoa! I just saw [b]Kyou Kara Maou![/b'] (translates as: Starting Today, I am the Devil!), a bit of alternate-world/fantasy foolishness featuring lots of bishounen riding around on horseback in uniform. Live-eviL has teamed up with Shoujo-Ai on this one - looks like L-E wants IN on the shounen-ai fangirl market...[/quote] If so, L-E's ploy succeeded quite nicely (I'm a huge shounen-ai fan). Five minutes into its first episode, Kyou Kara Maou became one of my favorite new shows this season. With Marimite on one side and Kyou on the other, all I need to satisfy my romantic appetite is something that revolves around a straight couple. :p Perhaps Aishiteruze Baby will do the trick. At this point, here's what I'll definitely continue watching-- Midori no Hibi Kenran Butousai Hi no Tori Kyou Kara Maou! Kono Mini is up in the air, along with Baku Ten. I haven't yet watched Monster or Aishiteruze Baby, so I guess I'll find out whether or not those shows appeal to me. I don't really know what to make of [b]Bakuretsu Tenshi[/b]. It feels very much like Bubblegum Crisis, but is clearly influenced by Cowboy Bebop (with some mecha thrown in for good measure). I think GONZO is attempting to imitate Bebop's stylish atmosphere and slick animation. Personally, I'm all for moderate amounts of fanservice... yet Baku Ten sort of goes over the top. Faye Valentine's tiny outfit is, in my opinion, pretty tasteful; Meg's nipples are most definitely not. With that much to ogle, the show's story, character development and even action sequences start to feel somewhat irrelevant. There's a certain point at which I end up feeling more uncomfortable than turned on, especially when a character who looks disturbingly young also receives her share of inventive camera angles. On the upside, Baku Ten's CG is well-done and nicely integrated. If the four girls stop behaving exactly like the leads of BGC, I may continue to follow it. ~Dagger~

The grass is gorgeous. I really can't find any fault with it. However, I think the sky would look better if you used a slightly darker or more intense shade of blue. Also, the black outline around Edward's hair seems a bit too thick, especially since the airbrushed clouds have such a soft, gauzy appearance. Awesome fonts and text, as usual. I'm interested in seeing where you go with this. ^_^ ~Dagger~

I am [i]completely[/i] in love with this series. It's currently being fansubbed by LivE-EviL and Shoujo-Ai (which is extraordinarily ironic, but I'll get to that later). Based on a series of novels published by Kodokawa, Kyou Kara Maou is obviously aimed at girls--although it promises to feature some interesting action sequences once the plot gets underway. Fans of the manwha Demon Diary may find the show's basic premise somewhat familiar, and that's one of the reasons I like it so much. The main character, a fifteen-year-old boy named Yuuri, gets sucked* to another world where he is supposed to reign supreme as the Maou (demon king). Yuuri's kind-hearted nature, sardonic mental commentary and comic disbelief combine to make him one of the most likeable male leads I've ever seen. If I was asked to classify Kyou Kara Maou, I would probably describe it as a comedic fantasy.... with plenty of homosexual undertones. I'm sure some females will show up eventually, but episode 1 focuses almost exclusively on uber-pretty men. Fortunately, these aren't your typical stoic bishounen; each has his own quirks and seems to be more than a simple stereotype. One character is voiced by the same woman who played Okita Souji in Peace Maker Kurogane--in my opinion, that alone is good reason to continue following the series. Although I doubt Maou will feature any actual shounen-ai, it's the perfect anime to tide me over until Gravitation receives its American release. All in all, a great watch. ^_^ *Note my masterful pun. ~Dagger~

[center][b]Licensing announcements from Anime Boston 2004[/b][/center] [b]Funimation:[/b] Kodocha no Omocha, also known as Child's Toy, will be released in the spring or summer of 2005. [b]ADV:[/b] Announced the aquisition of Princess Tutu, a twenty-six episode mahou shoujo series that aired between August 2002 and May 2003. My Dear Marie and Sonic Soldier Borgman will also be coming to DVD. Additionally, the RahXephon movie is scheduled for a summer release (thank goodness!). [b]Geneon, formerly known as Pioneer:[/b] Dokkoider is set to arrive in August, while Stellvia of the Universe should be released sometime during September. Paranoia Agent is coming out in October, news that my fellow Satoshi Kon fans should find quite exciting. [b]Bandai:[/b] Has bought the rights to Onegai Twins, the popular sequel to Onegai Teacher (which is already available in America). The company also licensed Digi Charat Nyo. ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, everyone. ^_^ [quote name='Umagon']ive been looking for that chapter, where can i download cause i wanna read it so badly[/quote] [quote name='Umagon #2']nvm, i found it and HOLY CRAP that was unexpected. jeez this is way better than the anime hehhehehhehe[/quote] [quote name='Dragonfaery][insert a seventeen-line quote']....What?! 212 is out online! X_X Man! I'm so behind![/quote] Try not to let the length of a quote exceed the length of your own writing, particularly not by such a ridiculous ratio. This only clutters up the thread and makes it difficult to tell which aspect of the person's post prompted your reply. I would like both of you to put more time and effort into your posts. Umagon, you could have explained why the Naruto manga is better than the anime. What plot twist were you so pleased with? Dragonfaery, I'm sure you can say a [i]little[/i] bit more about the series, or at least about why you've fallen behind. Thank you for your time. ^_^ ~Dagger~

*nods* Yes, that makes sense. I was totally blown away by the acting in this film. Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst and Kate Winslet are not the kind of people who I would have expected to [i]become[/i] their characters so completely. In fact, after watching it I had a hard time understanding why Carrey's fame stems mainly from stupid, crass and occasionally funny films. Despite its poignancy and serious themes, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind made me laugh far more often than, say, Ace Ventura. Perhaps it's just hard for him to avoid being typecast. I'll admit I'm not very good at predicting plot twists, but the part when [spoiler]Dunst's character discovers that her memory had already been erased[/spoiler] really shocked me. The scenes related to that revelation stuck with me long after I exited the theater. ~Dagger~

[quote name='BlackDragoon']to me, vegeta is the most important. if it wasn't for him, i would never watch dbz. goku annoys me.[/quote] Welcome to OtakuBoards, BlackDragoon. As the reply quoted above is borderline spam, please try to improve your post quality. Doing so should be rather simple; just use proper capitalization and elaborate on why Vegeta is DBZ's most important character. Some threads invite brief responses, but you must take the time to support your opinions when answering this sort of question. Thank you very much. ^_^ ~Dagger~

[quote name='densuke']I saw the first episode of this one and liked it.[/quote] Same here. Midori no Hibi is startlingly fresh and funny. ^_^ But for every pleasant surprise, there must be at least one major disappointment (although this isn't a terribly optimistic philosophy, I find that it often holds true). Midori no Hibi has successfully hooked me, whereas the first episode of [b]Madlax[/b] only increased my aversion to Bee Train series. In my opinion, Madlax's character designs are clunky and poorly shaded. However, I could ignore that if the show itself was any good. It looks like little more than an ill-conceived Noir knock-off, and uses the same tired visual tricks seen in other Koichi anime (such as Avenger and .hack//SIGN). Avenger had far more potential--but much as I wanted to love the series, I ended up growing tired of it rather quickly. Gunslinger Girl and Noir are vastly superior to Madlax. Do yourself a favor and avoid it at all costs. ~Dagger~

You purchased something gentle with that smile, or else pursued a different course. Condescension does not become us. Rather, it was the brush of equal minds, one thought doubly spoken and reflected in two faces. Your enigmatic eyes, odd habits like the friendly kiss and loud flirtation; I preferred silence with the heat of sun-warmed hair, loose amidst my disbelieving fingers.

[quote name='PiroMunkie][size=1']The cinematography is under par . . . All the special effects used in the movie are well-done, especially being able to tell that this movie was on a tight budget.[/size][/quote] Actually, I think the cinematography is intended to look plain; if nothing else, it lends the film a more realistic atmosphere. As you mentioned, Eternal Sunshine's special effects are suitably impressive, so I find it hard to believe that it was adversely affected by a lack of adequate funds. Artistic choice may play into the equation... the slick, "glossy" cinematography seen in recent action flicks would not have suited this movie's characters or story. ~Dagger~

I finally picked up my copy of Texhnolyze Vol. 1, which comes complete with an attractive 3-D lenticular onsert. Since the optional artbox is very sturdy and showcases some gorgeous Abe paintings, I decided to pick that up as well. Geneon must have put a lot of effort into making it an appealing product. Thus far I've only watched the first episode (in English, although at this point there's been very little dialogue). Needless to say, Texhnolyze is [i]completely[/i] different from anything I've ever seen before. The series takes place in an underground city, and the dark, dilapidated-looking backgrounds are highly detailed. Texhnolyze's striking visuals serve as a kind of narrator; its characters speak only when the storyline absolutely requires that they do so. At first I thought the show was unfolding rather slowly... it took me ten minutes to realize that I'd become accustomed to mentally equating dialogue with plot development. By the final moments of episode 1, which ends in two very tense confrontations, I was utterly enthralled. On a side note, "Texhnolyze" is pronounced [i]TEK[/i]-no-lies. Madhouse--the same studio that created X, Card Captor Sakura and Gunslinger Girl--once again brings us beautiful shading and deliciously smooth animation. There's almost nothing to complain about in terms of sheer imagery, although I could have done without the occasional CG-heavy shot. The OP theme is highly addictive, and the ED makes excellent use of Gackt's lovely, lush voice. I wouldn't say that Texhnolyze places an emphasis on music, but its soundtrack certainly has promise. I'm going to go see the remaining three episodes. If anyone would like me to post a brief summary or answer general questions, all you have to do is ask. ~Dagger~