Dagger

[QUOTE=Angel_Kagome_2][COLOR=RoyalBlue]I love Inuyasha and Kagome![/COLOR] :love: I have heard the song Change the World. It was ok but it probably would have been better if i heard it in English. ;)[/QUOTE] Angel_Kagome_2, although your posts have at times been somewhat borderline, I avoided commenting on them because I felt you were improving. Please, please don't regress. Look at the length and quality of your earlier replies, and try to duplicate that the next time you choose to post. Thank you very much. ^_^ On a side note, none of Inuyasha's OPs or EDs have been dubbed. So you won't be hearing Change the World in English anytime soon. ~Dagger~

Helena sat at a table in the corner, silently sipping her martini as she watched Allen drink. It had taken her several minutes to recognize his face, although he'd done an impressively good job of keeping his back turned to her and all the other scattered customers. His body language was more difficult to memorize and analyze then most, but Helena never shirked a challenge. Crossing her legs, she leaned back and gently swirled her half-empty glass from side to side. He would have to notice her sooner or later; anybody with his level of experience and training could tell when he was being stared at. She ignored the curious glances of the other bar-goers. Though Helena was perfectly capable of going unnoticed in a crowd, tonight she didn't feel it was worth the effort. "You here alone?" She flinched inwardly, her eyes narrowing as she looked up to survey the lanky man who had approached her. "Don't even think about it." "Oh, come on..." he muttered, planting his hands on her table. Helena smiled tightly and attempted to slide away, annoyed at being forced to cause a scene. This man was irritatingly tall.... she wondered briefly how he'd feel with her drink adorning his expensive-looking shirt.

HeadShotOmega, it's great that you've brought something new to this discussion, but I'd really like you to improve your post quality. Just add a sentence or two explaining why you enjoy Inuyasha's music; you'll find that it's quite simple. Welcome to OtakuBoards, and happy posting. ^_^ ~Dagger~

[quote name='maladjusted][color=firebrick]It doesn't matter whether is it's not liscnened in the US or not: you're still [b]robbing[/b'] the company of it's DVD sales and whatnot because most anime eventually get their way to the US.[/color][/quote] Actually, the majority of anime never receives any kind of North American release. Even popular shows like Slam Dunk! can often go unlicensed, and the only way to acquire them is by either buying bootlegs, paying incredible amounts of money to import the R2 Japanese DVDs (which won't even work on American DVD players), or slowly downloading and burning them, episode by episode. Obviously none of these are ideal solutions, but downloading is definitely the easiest (not to mention cheapest) thing to do. If Peace Maker Kurogane is never licensed, I may cry, but at least I'll have my fansubs to fall back on. ~Dagger~

There are a [i]lot[/i] of things wrong with this thread, and I don't currently have time to explain all of them. Please work on your post quality and re-read our rules; I'll come back later to explain my reasoning. EDIT: Alright. First of all, third eye blind, OtakuBoards does not permit favorites threads. "Versus" topics fall under the same general category, at least in the sense that they don't encourage quality discussion--as is evidenced by the replies which this one received before I closed it. BlackRose100, it'd be nice if you put more thought and detail into your posts. Santogi Anatoga, your purple-and-yellow reply is incredibly difficult to read. I would recommend making your color scheme a little easier on the eyes. In any case, welcome to OtakuBoards. Happy posting, everybody. ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

The new shows coming to Adult Swim in 2004 are Witch Hunter Robin (which has already arrived), Gundam SEED, Wolf's Rain, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, The Animatrix, and Detective Conan. RahXephon and Chobits will never be aired on Cartoon Network, mainly because they're both ADV series. And ADV, fortunately or not, owns The Anime Network. But bear in mind that those shows would need to be heavily edited if Adult Swim planned on playing them... I'd rather just go buy the uncut DVDs. ~Dagger~

Do I detect some Stephen King in there, Shin? ^_~ [b]Name:[/b] Sofia Kiev [b]Age:[/b] 29 [b]Gender:[/b] Female [b]Sexuality:[/b] Homosexual [b]Alliance:[/b] SENTINEL [b]Personality:[/b] Volatile, manipulative, and frighteningly intelligent, Sofia is a woman of few scruples. She smokes heavily, drinks so much that she seems impervious to the effects of alcohol, and generally disdains those who look down upon so-called vices. Sofia prefers to work as a strategist, pulling the strings behind the scenes, but she can hold her own in any conflict. Her ability to remain calm under incredible pressure is one of her greatest assets, while her sexual appetite often gets her (as well as her colleagues) into trouble. [b]Biography:[/b] Originally the only daughter of a corrupt businessman, Sofia inherited his company after he was assassinated by the Turks. Much to their surprise, she transformed from a quiet teenage girl into a formidable threat, and proved herself able to defend against their frequent attacks. But as the years passed, she discovered that she really wasn't suited to this level of responsibility. Sofia cared little for the law, and had no qualms about bending it to her desires. While doing so caused her wealth to increase exponentially, it also meant that her life was constantly in danger. Before she turned twenty-two, Sofia sold the company for an immense personal profit, and spent her spare time working as an assassin for hire. She didn't particularly need the money, but wanted to become thoroughly familiar with the ins and outs of killing. She'd learned the dangers of relying on bodyguards long ago, and her family's tangled past could easily catch up with her. Sofia began to feel the itch for power about a year before Meteor arrived. Biding her time and trying to lie low, she kept careful tabs on Shin-Ra's situation. Once the government dissolved, she made her way to the notorious Golden Saucer, where a new order was rising from the chaos. It was here that Sofia first encountered the leader of SENTINEL, and here that she met Blaze and Roland. [b]Weapon:[/b] Sofia is a superb sniper, but can handle basically any kind of gun. However, she does prefer to avoid combat, thinking it beneath her. [b]Appearance:[/b] See picture. She can and will pass for male. I hope that's alright. ^_^ ~Dagger~

Unlike the majority of favorites threads, this one had some serious potential. I almost considered keeping it open, because I could imagine many members writing interesting, detailed replies about everything from Spriggan to Spirited Away. But your post was what decided me. It doesn't set a very good example for other OBers, as it's rather short and fails to explain why you like Love Hina Again. If you have any questions about our rules, please PM me or one of the other moderators. Thank you very much. ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, Mike330. I feel that Queen Asuka's comments also apply to your post; it could stand to be a wee bit longer and more descriptive. Many thanks, and happy posting. ^_^ ~Dagger~

You've raised an excellent point, Shadow Wolf. I think that Adult Swim is trying to move away from "kiddie" shows like Dragonball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho and even Inuyasha (if you're a fan of those series, please don't be offended; the general consensus is that they tend to attract younger audiences). Witch Hunter Robin, Wolf's Rain, Gundam SEED, and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex are all mature, [i]adult[/i] anime. By airing them, AS must be planning to project a more sophisticated image, and thereby live up to its name. Hopefully Witch Hunter Robin will entice AS fans to seek out darker, non-televised shows, such as Boogiepop Phantom, Gunslinger Girl, Narutaru, and Serial Experiments Lain--although those are obviously more extreme examples of the genre. ~Dagger~

Unfortunately, I've missed an episode or two myself, so I'll let someone else tell you what happened. Just bear in mind that Witch Hunter Robin is (so far) a pretty episodic show; its case-by-case beginning brings to mind Big O, Cowboy Bebop and Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040. Until WHR's plot really starts to thicken, you shouldn't worry about occasionally forgetting to tape it. Besides, that's what DVDs are for. ^_~ After watching most of last week's episodes, I came to the realization that Witch Hunter Robin isn't--despite AS's attempts to paint it as such--an action-packed show. Its pacing is deliberate, not rushed, and it focuses more on the witches' mentality than on their supernatural powers. I'm very pleased by the fact that WHR does not revolve around a black-and-white conflict of right (STNJ) and wrong (the renegade witches). Instead, the series has already introduced some shades of gray, particularly in the episode where Robin first uses her glasses. But this also worries me. I'm afraid that WHR is too sophisticated a show to be successful on Adult Swim. Bear in mind, however, that I was also concerned about Fooly Cooly, and (as you might be able to guess) it completely outdid my expectations. Do you think that Witch Hunter Robin will continue to earn satisfactory ratings? ~Dagger~

I assume that the time gap would be filled with regular Saturday evening shows, such as Teen Titans and Samurai Jack. Adult Swim usually doesn't start until 11:00. Look at it this way, Nikorasu. In Japan, new episodes of Inuyasha are released on a weekly basis, which means that fans have to wait seven days for half an hour of material. Comparatively speaking, we're quite well off. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Kapnronh']In my opinion, the traditional style will not be shunned anytime soon since there are many of us that still prefer the hand drawn cels over computer rendering. In traditional animation, the artistst's signature and and their love for the art is embedded into every brush stroke. It's that kind of personal touch that will keep traditional animation going strong for more years to come.[/quote] Actually, the vast majority of "traditional" animation is now done on computers. Hand-painted cels are rapidly becoming a relic of the past. I personally prefer digital animation--it looks sharper, cleaner, and generally gorgeous (as anyone who has watched Fruits Basket can attest). [quote name='maladjusted']Will CG elements be more involved in the makings?[/quote] Yes. Have you seen Last Exile? LE is far ahead of its time, particularly in terms of CG integration. Voices of a Distant Star's lush, vivid atmosphere comes from its liberal use of CGI, yet not a single part of the OVA--whether animated "traditionally" or computer-generated--seems awkward or disparate. Animators will soon discover ways to flawlessly combine 2-D and 3-D, and will therefore have the ability to create shows that draw upon the best aspects of both mediums. For example, it's much easier to convey emotion through 2-D animation, but CG machines usually look very clean and snazzy. ~Dagger~

So much anger.... o_O Um, we innocent OBers have nothing whatsoever to do with CN's schedule, so please don't call us "the devils." Anyway, Inuyasha will be running [i]twice[/i] on Saturday evenings, which means that you'll still get a healthy dose of half-demon goodness. I frankly dislike the practice of airing a different episode every weeknight, since it means that the show re-starts far too often for any fan's tastes. Haven't you heard people complaining about how Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho have been re-running for months on end? Thanks for providing the line-up, though. I'm quite surprised that they plan on showing Gundam 0080 and Mobile Suit Gundam, especially with Gundam SEED on the way. MillieFan, CN will never buy the rights to Gravitation. Disregarding homophobia and all of the issues which you mentioned, Adult Swim is extremely leery of romantic series. People have begged AS to show Love Hina and Kare Kano for years. If [i]they[/i] couldn't get on TV, then Gravitation doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell. ~Dagger~

In "Crystal Heart," Monika and Mano are both boys (although Mano, the blond, has that androgynously pretty Quatre-esque look going on). So, yes, the first story features a male/male kiss; reading it made me hope to see similar content in later volumes of Demon Diary. "Terra" is a bit more complicated. Although Jen--again, the blond one--looks male, he's actually the goddess Terra, whose soul is female. She devoured her lover and possessed his body, thereby turning into Jen, whose memories of being a goddess were repressed. I have no idea how he acquired a sister.... but considering that Vice is basically Eclipse in disguise, I enjoyed reading Terra nonetheless. Now that I think about it, Vice [i]must[/i] be a kind of undercover Eclipse. Why else would he wear sunglasses all the time, hm? ^_~ ~Dagger~

[quote name='maladjusted][color=firebrick] Ah... yes, Dagger, it feels good to be Korean so I can say this: [size=3] Korean art PWNS Japan art![/size'] ^_^[/color][/quote] *grins* Being half-Korean, I feel obligated to second that statement. ^_~ I'm surprised that no one has talked about one of the fundamental differences between manga and manwha. I actually forgot to mention it until I re-read the first volume of Les Bijoux (which, by the way, is [i]absurdly[/i] gorgeous). While manga and manwha have similar layouts, manwha reads from left to right--just like a regular American comic book or novel. When I first saw Demon Diary, I thought that it had been "flipped." Only later did I realize that it wasn't really manga. This may sound like a technicality, but it's surprisingly important. Flipped series tend to look worse than regular manga, not through any fault of the artist, but rather because the artwork simply isn't meant to be viewed that way. I know people who refuse to buy series which have been reversed, and although I don't advocate doing that, I wonder whether some look at manwha and (because it's left to right) automatically dismiss it. ~Dagger~

James Goodwin, you've seen A.D. Police? Once of my Tokyo 2040 DVDs came with a preview for that show, and I'm really interested in watching it. Its animation looks spectacular, perhaps even better than BGC's, and I've already fallen in love with the character designs. Anyway, I have a couple of questions for you. Is A.D. Police a direct prequel to Tokyo 2040, or does it simply take place in an earlier time period? Also, how are the police portrayed differently in ADP? Since they're the main characters, I would assume that they're presented more favorably than they are in Tokyo 2040 or the original Bubblegum Crisis. ~Dagger~

Great thread, Chibi! ^_^ Given only those two option, I'd have to go with evil. But my favorite characters are usually either neutral--they serve their own interests, rather than following the mandates of a particular side--or were [i]formerly[/i] "evil." There's nothing more alluring than a bad guy reluctantly doing good. Kurama (from Yu Yu Hakusho) is an excellent example of this. A fascinating, complicated character, Kurama used to be incredibly bloodthirsty and manipulative. He didn't hesitate to kill, and was renowned for his extraordinary avarice. Yet Kurama now fights solely to protect his beloved mother. Although he still enjoys toying with his enemies, his cruelty has been replaced by compassion. Kurama's personality is a perfect mixture of good and evil elements, and that's why he's beloved by fangirls worldwide. ^_~ ~Dagger~

[center][b]Yuki vs. Kyo: Dagger's Dissertation ;) [/b][/center] After watching the first few episodes of Furaba, many fans are pre-disposed to favor Yuki. He's strong, intelligent, charming and stunningly attractive. Yuki Sohma initially appears to be the archetypal shoujo love interest; this is evident in both his near-perfect personality and effeminate beauty. Although Yuki's weaknesses are gradually revealed as Furaba's story unfolds, he always retains the aura of a "prince." When we first meet him, he is mysterious and flawless--an classic leading man--and later on, his personality is limited by the boundaries of that stereotypical role. If Yuki is the ideal hero, then Kyo is the very epitome of an anime anti-hero. Ever the underdog, he speaks without thinking, attacks without warning, and prefers action to contemplation. But beneath that prickly facade, he's a sweet, shy boy who yearns only for acceptance and unconditional love. Tohru alone can reach this part of Kyo. Not even Kagura, who knows his darkest secret and has been devoted to him for many years, is capable of doing that. Some might argue that Yuki and Tohru belong together because "Yuki came first." So he did--and yet Tohru's ties to Kyo run far deeper than it seems. She has loved and pitied the cat since she was a little girl. If Furaba has anything to do with fate, then Tohru should rightfully end up with Kyo. Even his [i]deus ex machina[/i]-style entrance smacks of destiny. It's not merely a simplistic comedic device: it's an allusion to the fact that Kyo has fallen (both literally and figuratively) into Tohru's life. Unlike Yuki, whom she had been acquainted with through school, Kyo starts off as an utter stranger. Although Kyo, Yuki and Tohru are all portrayed as being outsiders, Kyo and Tohru have far more in common than Tohru and Yuki. He is the cat, she is the onigiri--both longing to join groups which they can never become a part of. It is only when [i]Kyo[/i] takes Tohru's hand and leads her back to Sohma house that we hear the onigiri finally being called. This is obviously intended to represent the coming together of kindred souls. The onigiri and the cat may belong neither to the fruits basket nor the zodiac, but once in each other's company, they can never be lonely again. For the moment, let's disregard Furaba's symbolism. It seems fairly clear that Tohru is attracted to Yuki, does it not? Yet he's won the admiration of every girl (and boy) in school; not all of them can be said to truly love him, and Tohru is no exception to this rule. She [i]does[/i] love Yuki. She may even love him romantically. Remember, though, what she went through for Kyo's sake--remember her shock, her pain, her suffering--and, in the end, her willingness to give up everything for his sake. It is no coincidence that during Furaba's last few episodes, Yuki becomes a peripheral character for the first time in the entire show. To summarize my position, Tohru is going to end up with Kyo. Would anybody care to dispute this? ^_~ ~Dagger~

Thank you for answering Kai's question in a coherent manner, Sasuke. ^_^ Welcome to OtakuBoards, Kai. Here at OB, we do not permit this type of thread, as it clearly cannot lead to much discussion; one-line questions are not sufficient to sustain a true conversation or debate. If you'd like to talk about Outlaw Star, please go to our official OS topic, which can be found by searching the forum. Thank you very much. ^_^ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Thanks! I'm glad you like it. ^_^ In any event, I attached the avatar. Be sure to let me know if there's anything that needs to be altered. ~Dagger~

Alright, I added the text. Tell me if the yellow glow should go--I was a bit ambivalent about it myself, but I wasn't sure how else to balance out Yugi's brightly colored hair. I can also change the font, if you don't take well to the one I chose. I'll attach the matching avatar once you reply. ^_^ ~Dagger~

*blinks* [i]Another[/i] one? Welcome to OtakuBoards, Kirby3157. If you had read our [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?]rules[/URL], you would have known not to create such a spammalicious topic. OB does not allow favorites threads, as they're unable to generate the kind of quality discussion that we're constantly striving to create. Don't use 'Net abbreviations (i.e. "btw"), and try to write meaningful replies--rather than one or two line posts that tell us absolutely nothing about Hiei, Kurama, or the show from which they originate. Thank you very much. And as I told the last person who started a Hiei vs. Kurama topic, Kurama is [i]much[/i] cooler. ^_~ Thread closed. "Immortal question" indeed.... ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, Sesshy's girl. ^_^ I merged your topic with the official Neon Genesis Evangelion thread. That having been said, I'd greatly appreciate if it you changed your font; it's overly large and rather difficult to read. You've brought up some interesting points, but your opinions would carry more weight if you made an effort to use proper grammar and spelling. In any event, happy posting. ^_^ EDIT: Whoops, I forgot to write an actual reply.... >_< By the way, thank you for paying attention to my comment about your font. Although nearly every anime fan has heard of Evangelion, few people have actually seen it. I've only watched the first four episodes, and that didn't happen until a couple of weeks ago. In all honesty, I had expected it to be over-hyped; so far, however, Eva looks pretty darn good. I like it for the same reasons that I like RahXephon: it's daring, inventive, and well-animated, not to mention filled with complex relationships. Eva's greatest strength is definitely its characterization--each person is a distinct, carefully developed individual with his or her own vulnerabilities and strengths. ~Dagger~

Gunslinger Girl is a thirteen-episode series that just finished airing in Japan. Created by the studio Madhouse, which is renowned for its slick and innovative action sequences, GSG revolves around the lives of five seemingly innocent young girls.... who are in actuality trained killers. This set-up may sound somewhat familiar; when I first read a synopsis of the show, I figured that it would be similar to Noir. Having never seen very much of Noir, I'm unable to compare the two series, but I like to think that GSG is fairly original--both in terms of content and execution. After experiencing all sorts of tragedies, the girls are taken in by a social welfare organization that replaces their battered, disabled bodies with mechanical limbs. While they look like ordinary children, they are far stronger, tougher, and faster. The organization (which, as you may imagine, has priorities other than "social welfare") conditions them to forget their past suffering and become professional assassins. Although certain parts of GSG may be disturbing, it's gorgeously animated and deadly serious--if you're a fan of comedy, do yourself a favor and try to avoid this series. It unfolds at a rather sedate, deliberate pace, but never seems overly slow (unlike, say, .hack//SIGN). The opening theme is heartbreakingly beautiful, and, interestingly enough, sung entirely in English. Meanwhile, GSG's ED has Italian lyrics and is clearly inspired by operatic arias. Despite the fact that I haven't finished watching Gunslinger Girl, I think it could easily become a classic. At the very least, it's already a fan favorite--and that's got to count for [i]something[/i], right? I'd love to know what you think about this show. ^_^ ~Dagger~