Dagger

Well.... regardless of whether or not Digimon rips off a particular series, it's still anime. That's pretty much indisputable. Because you tend to skimp on punctuation, your post is incredibly difficult to read; you may have raised some interesting points, but it takes a great deal of work to decipher what you're saying. The next time you start a thread, please give it a title more appropriate to the subject matter you're addressing. I can't tell whether you're trying to discuss Pokemon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh or all three shows at once. It also would help greatly if you paid more attention to your grammar and divided your posts into bite-sized paragraphs. Thank you very much. ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Heh, I think you're right about Kino's gender. ^_^;; Her voice actresses (in both English and Japanese) sound a bit [i]too[/i] feminine for me to successfully convince myself that she's a guy. After all, I had more than enough trouble with our beloved Okita-san. I finished watching the first four episodes on Friday, and suffice it to say that I'm extremely intrigued. Kino's Journey is turning out to be my favorite type of show. It's thought-provoking and disturbing, but still thoroughly likeable. The series also has a clever sense of humor: I love how Hermes constantly mixes up his words (i.e. soliloquy and syllogism), and how Kino happily accepts all those free goods in episode 3. Many of the individual episodes have O. Henry-style plot twists, which managed to take me completely by surprise. So that makes the series even more enjoyable to watch. It's difficult for me to pick a favorite episode, but I found myself watching the second one several times. Episode 2 proved that Kino's Journey is not aimed at a young audience; certain scenes are downright horrific, and it does not judge human nature kindly. The symbolism here is simply brilliant--for example, there are many things that can be said of how the dead rabbits both represent and contrast with the [spoiler]slave traders, who describe themselves as wolves.[/spoiler] Only after a while did I notice that [spoiler]each man has a man-made trinket (the ring, the bracelet and the instrument) which draws attention to his more civilized, compassionate side.[/spoiler] This makes me want to watch Haibane Renmei. ^_^ ~Dagger~

*grins* It's always nice to meet another fan. Welcome to OtakuBoards, r2vq. ^_^ By the way, I really like your ratings system; I've never before seen anyone come up with a truly constructive use for forum smilies. So consider me both amused and rather impressed. [quote name='r2vq][spoiler]The bald man breaking through the wall during the seige didn't seem to be the Sanosuke promised to us in Episode 1!!![/spoiler'] That's right! I DON'T know how to use this spoiler thing! :o[/quote] I also noticed that discrepancy, and it confused the heck out of me. Anyway, thanks for providing us with screenshots--they make it infinitely easier to compare the two scenes. You're being extremely helpful. ^_~ Since I suppose it would be historically incorrect to put [spoiler]Sanosuke in Kondou's party, I have no idea why GONZO originally included him, especially if that ended up forcing them to re-do the animation. Perhaps Sano was in the first episode's teaser sequence because he.... um, looks cooler, and therefore might compell more viewers to stick with the show. I honestly have no idea; none of this makes much sense. He obviously wasn't an important character at that early point in PMK, so non-manga readers would have no reason to care whether the spear-man was him or a random bald guy.[/spoiler] However, I don't think I'd call the [spoiler]change of characters[/spoiler] an error. GONZO must have done it on purpose, as animation (particularly that of PMK's caliber) is quite expensive, and other parts of the scene shown in episode 1 were re-used without any alteration. I've watched episode 22 at least three times by now, and I still haven't tired of all the bloodshed. [spoiler]Poor Okita-san.... *sobs*[/spoiler] EDIT: Beck, you [i]must[/i] take a look at [URL=http://www.windyday.com/Animage042.jpg][u]this[/u][/URL] Animage scan. EDIT #2: Now that I think about it, not all of the teaser footage appears in episode 22 (i.e. Tetsu [spoiler]screaming Okita's name and Suzu desperately saying....well, something.[/spoiler]) There wasn't much non-instrumental audio during that scene. :/ ~Dagger~

Sorry to interrupt the flow of the discussion, but I thought I'd make a few comments about episode 72. Considering that Naruto is rather lengthy, its animation compares favorably to that of recent shows. It certainly outdoes the other series in its genre (including Inuyasha and older anime like Yu Yu Hakusho). This episode's first fight is quite well-done, and I enjoyed watching it without knowing anything about Sasuke's opponent or his reasons for pursuing Gaara. The beginning also features one of the funniest scenes I've come across since episode 15 of Peace Maker Kurogane. Poor, poor Sakura... Orochimaru's story was what I found boring, although that might easily stem from the fact that I haven't been following Naruto. He should've struck me as a pretty interesting villain--after all, he's attractive, thoroughly evil, and powerful enough to get people worked up about his antics. But no amount of violet eyeshadow can compensate for the fact that Orochimaru has a tendency to drone. Anyway, I'd like to know whether this show suffers from Kenshin syndrome. I'm sure that Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura make a likeable trio, and I really am interested in watching their exploits. However, if a large percentage of Naruto's battles involve more talking than violence, I may have to avoid watching it. In the latter half of episode 72, the old man's reminiscing obviously has some emotional importance. Yet at the same time, I began wondering how long Orochimaru would be willing to just sit there and let him daydream... :/ ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]I mean I tried one, then tried another. I wasn't sure if the first one was deleted for being offensive...^^"" Eheheh... [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] A staff member would have PMed you if he/she found your banner offensive and chose to remove it, so you don't really need to worry about that. Anyway, I was referring to the fact that your signature features two red Xs rather than the usual one (or hopefully none >_>). ~Dagger~

Well.... I don't think you're allowed to have two banners. ^_^;; I'm not sure if that has anything to do with your particular problem, but you should probably take it into consideration. ~Dagger~

Heh, I was actually rather impressed by Last Exile's dub. It features some of the best voice actors in the industry, although I suppose that the quality of their specific performances is debatable. Everyone has their own tastes, after all. This isn't exactly insider information, but I thought that it might be helpful or at least informative to list some of the show's English VAs. [b]Johnny Bosch[/b] plays Claus. His previous roles include Vash the Stampede (Trigun), Claire Leonelli (Heat Guy J) and Haruto Sakaki (Witch Hunter Robin). [b]Kari Wahlgren[/b], one of my favorite VAs, is Lavie. You might recognize her voice as that of Haruhara Haruko (from FLCL) or Robin Sena (Witch Hunter Robin). I'm continually astonished by her versatility; I would never have guessed that the same woman voiced both Robin and Lavie. The ever-amazing [b]Crispin Freeman[/b] took on the role of Alex Rowe. He's been in numerous anime, but is best known for playing Fuuma Monou (X-TV), Touga Kiryuu (Revolutionary Girl Utena), Alucard (Hellsing) and Amon (Witch Hunter Robin). As I'm a big fan of WHR's dub, it stands to reason that I would also like Last Exile's. Alex does look and act quite similar to Amon. [b]Michelle Ruff[/b] plays both Alvis and Tatiana. I haven't always enjoyed her work, but I do respect her range. Some of her other characters are Kotori Monou (X-TV), Chi (Chobits), Fujiko Mine (Lupin III) and Yurika Dojima (Witch Hunter Robin). I'll look up the remaining voice actors and actresses in an hour or so. I'm particularly interested in learning more about David Lelyveld, who I thought did a fantastic job as Mullin Shetland. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Spike88']Hey of course I'm a big Inuyasha fan well not exactly his fan can you get me a better avatar for Sesshoumaru the one on this site is ok but it's not a very good picture can someone help me out. Well, anyways if you can just let me know[/quote] Welcome to OtakuBoards, Spike. ^_^ Your reply is (at best) borderline spam, and so I'd like you to read our rules before posting again. If you want another Sesshomaru avatar, please head over to the Art by Request subforum and ask for one there. Also, try using punctuation a bit more liberally; it'll make your writing much easier to read. Thanks! ^_^ ~Dagger~

[quote name='zechs]This is kinda off topic, but does anyone know if there is a cowboy bebop ep with the [I]Bebop[/I'] crew hunting Vash the Humanoid Typhoon, or vise versa. It's just that i downloaded this AMV that showed this. Thanks.[/quote] Nope, that episode doen't exist. But the next time you have a question about Cowboy Bebop or Trigun, try posting in one of our official series topics; people will be much more likely to respond, and you won't end up dragging other threads (this one, for example) off-topic. Thanks! ^_~ ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, uio. ^_^ It's our policy to have one official thread for each series, movie or OAV. These can be found by searching the forum (simply click the button located in the upper-right-hand corner of your screen). The main reason I chose not to merge this thread with the pre-existing topic is because it doesn't quite meet our requirements, at least in terms of post quality. First, read OB's rules; they're immensely helpful and do an excellent job of explaining how we define spam. The next time you create a thread, try adding a bit more detail to your posts--here, for example, you could have told us which aspects of Akira you liked the most. If you have any questions, please PM me or one of the other moderators. Thank you very much. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

And now for some more PMK avatars... [IMG]http://home.ripway.com/2003-9/24633/suzumanga.JPG[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Suzu [IMG]http://home.ripway.com/2003-9/24633/suzumanga1.JPG[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Suzu [IMG]http://home.ripway.com/2003-9/24633/okitamanga.JPG[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Okita [IMG]http://home.ripway.com/2003-9/24633/toshimanga.JPG[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Hijikata [IMG]http://home.ripway.com/2003-9/24633/tetsumanga.JPG[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Tetsu

Does seinen have a feminine equivalent (that is, shoujo geared towards older teenagers and women)? You probably know much more about this topic than I do. So if such a genre exists, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter. [quote name='densuke']The other idea about genre tagging seems to be that some people use it to stereotype anime and that it prevents them from seeing shows they might have enjoyed.[/quote] I agree with you in the sense that one can't afford to be totally open-minded. I've never enjoyed live-action romantic comedies (at least not those of the stereotypical boy-meets-girl variety), and I probably never will. As this is based on both past experience and a general abhorrence of the genre, nothing could convince me to spend money on the latest "Serendipity"-style chick flick. However, I feel as though some fans--particularly those who grew up watching DBZ, Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing--harbor a lot of mistaken ideas about shounen, shoujo, and what constitutes each. Chances are that an ardent DBZ worshipper wouldn't take very well to Boys Over Flowers; it just bothers me when such people bash whatever [i]category[/i] of anime they dislike/don't watch. Individual shows are definitely fair game. ~Dagger~

All cartoons are dubbed. I'm totally against dubbing live-action movies or television series, but anime is an entirely different matter. Whenever possible, I try to watch shows in both English and Japanese. I feel that the best dubs are either a [i]perfect[/i] imitation of the Japanese version (FLCL, for example), or offer an alternative interpretation of the main characters' personalities and lines. Obviously the second option is somewhat risky; however, I've seen it succeed in marvelous ways. Fruits Basket has a truly amazing dub, but if you watch it in Japanese, you'll quickly learn that the dub and sub VAs have a different kind of chemistry.... which in turn affects the show's overall atmosphere. The one thing I really hate is how certain people denounce dubs without even bothering to give them a fair trial. It's always fun to ask these so-called purists whether they've seen Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, and even more amusing to witness their perplexity as they work their minds around the fact that the film was made for an English cast. Not all Japanese voice actors are superbly talented. Frankly, I think the language barrier [i]does[/i] make a difference in how fans perceive Japanese acting; since you don't know precisely what the characters are saying, it's much more difficult for their lines to end up sounding forced or awkward. And I also suspect that people tend to be very, very critical of English VAs' work. I'm guilty of this myself; I completely over-reacted to the first few episodes of the Witch Hunter Robin dub, only later realizing that it was actually extremely good. Some recent dubs have been quite impressive, and I'm sure that we can hope to see even better work in the future. For now, I'll just watch my anime in whatever language sounds best. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=tomo]Hi everyone!! I maybe want to live in Gundam wing world. Because I want to ridea mobile suit such as a Gundam. TO densuke I agreee your opinion. I think the Otaku means bad image in Japan. I don't feel it's nice one. On the other hand, I'm happy that Otaku is partly used as possitive image in the world.[/QUOTE] Welcome to OtakuBoards, tomo. ^_^ You seem to be somewhat confused about the subject matter of this discussion. The first part of your response belongs in a thread like "What anime would you live in?" Here, it's simply considered off-topic. I'd advise you to familiarize yourself with our rules and guidelines regarding spam. Secondly, your grammar could use some serious work. OB places a strong emphasis on clarity and coherency, so I'd like to see an immediate improvement in those crucial areas. If you have any questions, please PM me or one of the other moderators. Have a nice day. ^_~ ~Dagger~

[quote name='Godelsensei][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Honestly, you guys...you're acting like France and England here![/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] I love you, Godel. ^_~ CS, I don't really understand what aspect of Dan's story is supposed to be incorrect. I, too, was taught that Henry VIII founded Anglicanism. And the issues which lead various Protestant denominations to leave the Catholic Church must have encompassed much more than an objection to the use of religious icons. Anyway.... I've always been intrigued by the idea of reincarnation. Could somebody list the religions that consider it a possibility? I'd also be interested in learning whether any of them have a positive outlook on reincarnation. ~Dagger~

Hello there. ^_^ I hate to be discouraging, but we already have an anime quiz topic (located [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=29661&highlight=anime+quiz]here[/URL]). If you were allowed to revive the Final Fantasy Quiz, there's no reason not to resurrect this as well. Happy posting. ^_~ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

The support group is here, Beck! ^_~ Episode 22 [i]definitely[/i] succeeded in stunning me. Visually, aurally, emotionally--everything came together so perfectly, and watching it was a pretty overwhelming experience. I don't think I could ever get tired of seeing [spoiler]Kondou kick ridiculous amounts of ***.[/spoiler] I completely agree with you about the action sequences. I personally harbor a secret adoration for animated violence, and this episode showcases the best sword/spear/ninja fights in [i]any[/i] anime except perhaps the Kenshin OAVs. As a matter of fact, I was also impressed by how they integrated the footage from the beginning of episode 1. There were a few moments during which I almost felt sorry for Yoshida. Almost. That naturally changed when [spoiler]he hurt our precious Okita. *growls* Get your *** over there, Hijikata! Tetsu is beginning to grow up in a big way. I thought that what he said during the battle was actually very meaningful, unlike the vast majority of anime action dialogue. Not to pick on Kenshin, but I'm grateful that the scriptwriters didn't interrupt PMK's rapid, fluid fighting with long spiels about various techniques.[/spoiler] There's so much to discuss! [spoiler]Susumu and Akesato, for one thing--although I'm fairly sure she'll have a tragic ending, I look forward to seeing whether or not Yanamani will discover her true identity.[/spoiler] *dances around the room* Despite its evil, evil cliffhangers, this show makes me incredibly happy. Next Thursday shall be a glorious day indeed.... hang in there, Okita! ~Dagger~

I bought the first volume of Kino's Journey--artbox and all--early this afternoon. At the time, I knew absolutely nothing about the anime, and I can't say what aspect of it piqued my interest. But after seeing the first episode, I think that it's definitely going to be a fascinating series. Kino's Journey is a thirteen-episode show that revolves around Kino, a young, gun-wielding person of indeterminate gender, and his/her talking motorbike Hermes. Before you get the wrong impression, Hermes is a character more akin to Vampire Hunter D's overly chatty hand than a shoujo mascot or Pokemon-type creature. He's sometimes sarcastic, but not annoyingly so, and his conversations with Kino are generally rather philosophical (as opposed to antagonistic). Kino is a professional traveler who wanders from country to country, spending exactly three days in each. Episode 1 finds him--I think I'll stick with male pronouns for the time being--in a pleasant town populated only by quirky little robots. The robots, incidentally, remind me very strongly of something one might see in Spirited Away.... and Kino's Journey does give off Miyazaki-esque vibes. Despite Kino's apparent proficiency with weapons, this is not an action-heavy anime. Its rich, unusual visuals are balanced out by an abundance of dialogue, but I never become tired of listening to the characters talk. Artistically, it looks like the love child of Final Fantasy: Unlimited and Big O, with some funky-looking backgrounds thrown in for good measure. Better yet, Kino's Journey comes in widescreen, which makes it doubly enjoyable to watch. A quick warning: the show makes heavy use of scanlines. If you really hate that particular effect, then I'd suggest avoiding it. ~Dagger~

[quote name='advfilms.com']ADV Films today announced that the first 86 episodes of the original Sailor Moon television series will no longer be available in the U.S. on home video after April 1, 2004. Although the response of the fans and sales of this video series in both the dubbed- and uncut-subtitled format have been tremendously successful, the creators of the program have decided against continuing the availability of the home video in the U.S. at this time. All episodes released under ADV Films will remain available for sale in retail outlets and via the company website.[/quote] [quote name='animeondvd.com']We got a note from one retailer and confirmed with another that in addition to the Sailor Moon subtitle only box sets that are going away, all of the dub-only individual volumes are included in this license status change.[/quote] I'm no expert on Sailor Moon, but I was definitely surprised to learn that such a large portion of the show would cease being distributed in America. Those people who are fortunate enough to possess the subtitle-only box sets should definitely try to treasure them. ~Dagger~

[quote name='AniSmith']Dagger IX1, are you mad or something :) ?.... there is NO real good "shounen" show that i've ever seen. the only ones that i know are all just teh lame and over "manly" and "ooo, did you just see what supersayan level elevendy gazillion just did?"[/quote] You have it all wrong, dearest. If I'm "mad" about anything, it's those kinds of misconceptions. ^_~ Just as shoujo does not focus entirely on whiny teenage girls with improbable magical powers, very little shounen actually features bellowing, muscle-bound he-men whose hair occasionally succumbs to random fits of bleaching. ....No need to kill me, DBZ fans. Just mock my favorite shows to your heart's content, and we'll call it even. Anyway, AniSmith, did you know that Love Hina and Onegai Teacher are considered shounen (despite being romantic comedies)? Nearly every mecha anime ever made, including Big O and Bubblegun Crisis Tokyo 2040, also falls into that category. I hate it when people reject Fruits Basket for being "girly," and I grow equally annoyed when lovely series like Shingetsutan Tsukihime and Peace Maker Kurogane get brushed aside because of their emphasis on violence. ~Dagger~

Episode 5 is... well, good. There were a few points at which I feared for Yoshino's life, although in retrospect that was a pretty irrational reaction. She and Rei might as well be engaged (in fact, becoming someone's soeur is vaguely similar to a betrothal). Their relationship reeks of cuteness, but it's refreshingly different from Sachiko's and Yumi's; I just wish Sachiko felt more inclined to act affectionate. I've become oddly fond of Marimite's introduction, perhaps because it's very gentle and soothing--and instrumental OPs are rare, so I guess it also has a certain novelty. Time really does fly in this anime. I don't mind the fact that it seems compressed.... there's only one point at which the juxtaposition of leisurely dialogue and rapid jumps ahead feels somewhat unnatural. I was surprised and a bit bemused when the actual play scarcely got a mention, especially after Sachiko made such a hullabaloo about being forced to dance with her cousin. Yes, her willingness to show Yumi her weaknesses should have been the true focus of that particular segment, but I'd have liked to see a brief montage of shots from the performance. Oh, well, that's a minor complaint. Anyway, do you think that Sachiko is actually [spoiler]in love with Suguru[/spoiler]? ~Dagger~

[quote name='densuke']ADV really did a bad job on the manga (the Azumanga Daioh adaptation is terrible also). The action/comedy label on the back is scary. The manga spends too much time explaining things, which somehow emphasizes the implausibility and contradictions.[/quote] Ah, yes, I forgot to mention that. When I saw the label, I started wondering whether the manga was crammed with sarcastic quips or super-deformation (which would've been quite bizarre). Once I read it, I quickly came to the decision that [i]someone[/i] at ADV is clinically insane. I also thought the Azumanga Daioh translation was something of a let-down; maybe I'm just incredibly slow, but it took me a while to figure out why the girls were learning Spanish. >_< This makes me fear for the future of Shinsengumi Imon Peace Maker, as it too has been licensed by ADV, and serves as the foundation for what could potentially become my favorite anime franchise.[/off-topic] Godel, you've pinpointed the secret of Triela's popularity. She's very perceptive and considerate, of course, but she's also extraordinarily normal. This becomes particularly clear when she mentions that there's little difference between conditioning and love. I doubt the other girls would have recognized that fact on their own. Do any of you know how old each of the main characters is? I'm sure that a few have mentioned their ages in passing, but it'd be nice to see some definitive answers. ~Dagger~

It's cool that you've come to like (or at least respect) the show, densuke. ^_^ I read the Gunslinger Girl manga before watching episodes 9 and 10, so I was a little surprised by how the anime's director handled the Elsa situation. In the manga, only two chapters are devoted to [spoiler]the aftermath of Elsa's death,[/spoiler] and she is never once shown alive. While I find it interesting to watch her interactions with Raulo, and I do think that she's a rather sympathetic character, some of the mystery surrounding [spoiler]her demise[/spoiler] is lost. The entire series may be based on a very small portion of the manga. I have no idea how long the manga actually is, as I only own one volume, but the first book covers most of the major events in the anime--at least up until episode 10. It appears that the remainder of Gunslinger Girl focuses on [spoiler]the ramifications of Elsa's suicide.[/spoiler] Although this is naturally fascinating material, I find myself disappointed to think that the anime could easily have lasted for another season (assuming that the manga encompasses several volumes). On the other hand, it's much better to have a solidly plotted, beautifully produced thirteen-episode series than one which marches off into the horizon with endless filler and gradually weakening animation. ~Dagger~

I identify pretty strongly with Yumi (from Maria-sama ga Miteru). She tends to feel needlessly awkward and embarrassed, and seems predisposed to idolize more self-assured classmates. My stomach, like hers, occasionally helps me out of sticky situations. On the other hand, she has a certain willingness to please that I lost sometime in middle school, and the pigtails give her an aura of naivete. So I suppose Yumi could be characterized as a younger, less blase version of myself. It's funny that you mentioned Yomiko, since I also have a lot in common with her. I [i]love[/i] books, though perhaps not quite so fervently as she, and our bedrooms look frighteningly similar (dust, stacks of newspapers and all). That Agent Paper is such a cutie. ^_~ ~Dagger~

Sorry, James. My file-hosting service is starting to die, so I uploaded some of these as attachments. :/ [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17976&stc=1[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Tetsu [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17977&stc=1[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Tetsu [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17978&stc=1[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Tetsu [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17979&stc=1[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Saizou [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17980&stc=1[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Saizou [IMG]http://home.ripway.com/2003-9/24633/ryouma.JPG[/IMG] [b]Category:[/b] Peace Maker Kurogane [b]Title:[/b] Ryouma