Dagger

Tokyopop recently started publishing a number of manwha (Korean manga) titles, including Demon Diary, Les Bijoux, Snow Drop, Under the Glass Moon, Invu, Ragnarok, Faeries' Landing, King of Hell, and Priest. While many fans don't realize that manwha and manga aren't quite the same thing, I'd be interested in discussing how they differ. First of all, manwha generally has [i]incredible[/i] artwork, which can be vastly superior to that found in the majority of manga. Just compare Demon Diary or Under the Glass Moon to series like Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha--while the latter two are wildly popular, they look amateurish and sketchy when placed next to your average manwha. Manga artists usually do all of the work themselves. They come up with a storyline, write a script, decide how to organize each page, and so forth. However, I've noticed that manwha is more like American comics in this regard: the job of creating a series is sometimes split between an author and an artist, both of whom are credited on the cover of every volume. I'm guessing that mal will be the first person to reply to this thread. ^_~ ~Dagger~

Well, I've only watched the first episode of Narutaru. At this point, it may be near-impossible for me to acquire anything beyond that, so I won't have any opportunity to see the truly disturbing stuff. Alas, woe is me. ;_; Regardless of how Narutaru's tone and atmosphere may change in later episodes, I strongly dislike its artwork. That wouldn't necessarily stop me from continuing to follow the series, but its character designs really bother me. The kids are gangly, skinny to the point of emaciation, and their facial features aren't particularly well drawn. Shiina's hair has an interesting, rounded sort of look (as opposed to the sharp-edged spikes seen in most anime), but it doesn't do anything special for me. It's also clear that this show was made on a pretty tight budget. So if I manage to get my hands on the rest of it, I'll know not to look for any stunning animation. I'm just interested in seeing just how serious and dark Narutaru becomes. ~Dagger~

I find it interesting that no one (including me) seems to really like Sylia, even though she's probably the show's most complicated and well-developed character. Despite her calm-looking exterior, she is a very volatile, short-tempered woman, who presents herself differently to every person she encounters. Among her customers, Sylia comes across as being warm, friendly, outgoing and sophisticated. She reveals more of herself when she's around the Knight Sabers, but even then she tries (often unsuccessfully) to hide or repress her anger. There are several scenes in BGC where we see Sylia at her most vulnerable--alone, frightened by her responsibilities, and unable to share the burden with anyone else. Yet for some reason, I still find myself unable to identify with her. Overall, she's a rather peculiar person, and I look forward to learning more about her past. I'm also intrigued by Maki, who, like Lina, is genuinely nice. He and Nene are so cute together. ^_^ ~Dagger~

Sephy's_Grl, if you want to discuss the movie, you need to provide much more information about its plot, characters, animation, etc. As you didn't, this thread ended up attracting a hideously sub-par reply, and I really don't think that it has much room to improve. SpiritDetective, [i]stop spamming now[/i]. I've warned you countless times, and you seem to have disregarded my PM. You're rapidly approaching your last chance. ~Dagger~

[quote name='SpiritDetective']Cowboy Bebop is just freakin awesome,one of my favorite Anime of all-time and has one of the best endings I have ever seen in my life.Bang![/quote] Last night, I went through the entirety of this godforsaken thread and deleted three pages' worth of replies. Now I've had to remove your post as well. Please don't spam here again, SpiritDetective; I think I may have responded to every single one of your posts with some kind of warning. Before you do anything else, go back and re-read my PM. Thank you. ~Dagger~

Our official Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi thread is located [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=37001]here[/URL] (that's a hyperlink, although you probably can't see it). Your posts have improved [I]slightly[/I], but please continue to work on your spelling, grammar, and general writing. This would not make a quality reply, and so I chose not to merge it with the official topic. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, HieiLuver425. ^_^ Before you post again, please read over our [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?]rules.[/URL] I'm sure you'll find that they're extremely helpful. Favorites threads are not allowed here at OB, mainly because they do little to attract quality discussion. The next time you write a reply, make an effort to use proper grammar and spelling. Spend some time thinking about what you want to say, and then work on phrasing it as intelligently and coherently as possible. Thank you. ^_^ *coughs quietly* Kurama is better. ^_~ Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[quote name='SpiritDetective']I haven't seen it yet but I have read about it and GTO looks freakin hilarious and I also want to get the Manga.ANIME FOREVER!!!!!!!!!![/quote] SpiritDetective, all of your posts thus far have been equally horrendous. The one quoted above is no exception. And if you don't stop appending your replies with "ANIME FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!," I will be forced to do something drastic. I'm trying my best to be polite about this, but your refusal to heed my warnings is definitely not a positive sign. Please, please make an effort to improve. ~Dagger~

Well, allow me to start off by stating that this manwha completely defies description. I have no idea how to properly summarize its plot, but you can be assured that I'll try my best. ^_^; Les Bijoux, the product of a collaboration between Park Sang-Sun and Jo Eun-Ha, was released by Tokyopop earlier this month. Since it's not technically manga, it reads from left to right. Simply by glancing at the cover of its first volume, I got the sense that Tokyopop invested a lot of money in this title. It's going to look great sitting on my bookshelf. Plot-wise, Les Bijoux is like a mixture of Demon Diary, X/1999 and Ramna 1/2. Those three series, of course, are [i]completely[/i] different. >_> While its main male character occasionally turns into a girl, Les Bijoux is a serious, epic manwha. Its shonen-ai vibes and infrequent bouts of quirky humor bring Demon Diary to mind. However, its dramatic, gory action sequences (not to mention its emphasis on destiny) remind me of X/1999. This manwha is set in a fantasy world where ordinary people (peasants, if you will) are called spars, and are ruled by a oppressive regime known as the Habit. Lapis Lazuli, the son of a female hunchback and a male dwarf, inadvertently wins the emnity of Diamond, a proud, aristocratic Habit. Part of Les Bijoux's complicated storyline revolves around their love/hate relationship. The artwork is typically manwha-esque--by which I mean that it's astoundingly good, far better than that of most ordinary manga. I attached an image of the first volume's cover, which should give you a pretty good idea of how lush and detailed Park Sang-Sun's work is. ~Dagger~

I just purchased the Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 box set (my, isn't that a mouthful?). There are certain series which I feel strangely compelled to buy, despite knowing absolutely nothing about them. Descendants of Darkness was one such show; BGC is another. Thankfully, I am extremely pleased with this anime. Although it's relatively old, its artwork is crisp, colorful and easy on the eyes. I suspect that a great deal of it was done digitally--like Fruits Basket and other digitally animated shows, Bubblegum Crisis has a certain sharp, clear look that makes it very visually engaging. The dub is also rather good; there were some awkward scenes in the episodes that I've watched, but nothing which made me want to turn off the TV and cry. I've seen up to episode 9, and so far BGC's plot reminds me vaguely of Big O's. The two shows have similar atmospheres, although I'm inclined to think that Big O is somewhat.... well, deeper. BGC may be interesting, but it hasn't really gone anywhere yet. Hopefully its storyline will start to take off soon, now that most of the main characters have been introduced. Okay, I'll admit it--I love BGC's shoujo-ai overtones and subtle fanservice. It manages to incorporate plenty of eye candy without becoming trashy in the slightest. Besides, Priss and Lina would make a fantastic couple. ^_~ ~Dagger~

[quote name='Kagome 1']No but I did when I drew something for my teacher everybody thinks I draw so good. ;)[/quote] Welcome to OtakuBoards, Kagome 1. ^_^ Before you post again, please read our [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?]rules[/URL] very, very carefully. They explain why your reply is considered spam. If you have any questions about how to improve your post quality, feel free to PM me. Never forget that one-line posts will not pass muster here. Speaking of which, your sentence is completely incoherent. Try to stick with one tense next time, alright? ~Dagger~

Here's a look at the Yu-Gi-Oh! banner which you requested. This actually isn't its final draft; I'm not terribly happy with how the text turned out, but I'll fix it once you tell me whether or not you like the remainder of the banner. Anyway, I've attached a text-less version--enjoy. ^_~ ~Dagger~

[quote name='Barra Maral']Yeah, I use anime and manga in my school related projects. I find it adds a bit of color and variety. I hope that my input helps.[/quote] Barra Maral, I'm glad that you're trying to help out, but this post should be more in-depth. One or two sentences won't be of any assistance to Marron347. How do you use anime and manga in school-related projects? Next time, please respond with some specific, detailed examples, and explain why anime/manga "[add] a bit of color and variety." ~Dagger~

[quote name='SpiritDetective']The Anime character that I would want for a roommate would have to be Spike from Cowboy Bebop because he's laid and cool.ANIME FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote] SpiritDetective, I've warned you once, and I suppose now I have no choice but to warn you again. This kind of post is unacceptable. It's pointless, pretty much devoid of intelligence, and basically spam. I'm actually quite surprised that the "Roommates" thread has done so well (at least in terms of attracting relatively decent replies). Please don't drag it down again. ~Dagger~

[quote name='dragonrose']Yeah, I see your point.[/quote] Okay, dragonrose, we've been pretty lenient about the post quality in this thread. But several of your replies (including the one quoted above) are clearly unacceptable. If you have no information or insights to contribute, then please don't post at all. ~Dagger~

Ani_Freak, one of Geneon's Texhnolyze trailers is included on the second volume of Last Exile. As I own that DVD, I couldn't help stumbling across the preview. But in any case, I'm sure that some kind of trailer or sneak peek must be available online. I'd provide you with a link if I knew where to find it. Lumi, I've also been wondering how to say the show's name. Considering how much trouble I had with "RahXephon," you probably shouldn't pay any attention to my botched attempts at proper pronounciation. ^_^; I unfortunately have no idea what Texhnolyze is about, and it would be extremely difficult to analyze its trailer. >_> Azure: Isn't Haibane Renmei based on a doushinji by Yoshitoshi Abe (the man behind Lain and Texhnolyze)? Perhaps Texhnolyze is also associated with some kind of manga or doushinji. That would be pretty exciting, as I really love Abe's artwork. ~Dagger~

[i]48 hours,[/i] Helena mused. [i]I suppose some relaxation would be nice.[/i] If that monster was any indication of they had to face, rest and sleep would soon become scarce commodities. She left the building quickly, bidding farewell to the doormen with a brief, bland smile, and began to make her way downtown. As she strode down the sidewalk, brushing her way past pedestrians without ever veering from her course, she switched on her cellphone and made a call to a hotel. Helena spoke discreetly, reluctant to inflict her conversation upon others. This day called for shopping, cat-napping, and perhaps a low-key evening at the nearest bar. How long would it be before she walked the earth again? Though the hotel in question should have been fully booked, Helena charmed her way into an empty room. It was small and cramped, equipped only with the bare essentials: a bed, a TV, a clean but tiny shower. "My last night on the planet," she murmured softly, unstrapping her shoes and tossing them neatly into a corner. "Wonderful."

[quote name='SpiritDetective']The Animethat I want to finish the most is Cowboy Bebop because it was the first series I started collecting and I want it to be the first series I finish.[/quote] Welcome to OtakuBoards, SpiritDetective. ^_^ Please bear in mind that our [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?]rules[/URL] do not permit this type of post. It's short, spammy, and contributes almost nothing to what was previously a rather good discussion. You need to learn how to write quality replies. If you have any questions, PM me and I'll be more than happy to help you out. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Chabichou][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR="#004a6f"]And for the animé to actually get on the computer somebody had to buy the DVD or video in the first place, and then they just put a less valuble version on the computer.[/COLOR][/SIZE'][/FONT][/quote] That's actually untrue. Most fansubbers acquire raw episodes from Japanese HDTV, which has astonishingly good audio and video. Although the majority of series later make it onto DVD, few groups bother to re-rip them--particularly since high-quality fansubs are already available through the distribution program of their choice. [QUOTE=Shinmaru]I agree with Braidless Baka, a lot of it depends on circumstance. If a fansub of an unlicensced anime gets distributed around the internet and gains some good popularity, it can really only mean good things for companies who could potentially license it; it all boils down to fansubs being, basically, free advertising. And, I think, the downloading of licensed anime can really only be justified if you went out and bought the series afterwards, but I don't know how many people actually do that.[/QUOTE] I'm so glad you brought this up, Shinmaru. When used correctly, fansubs are indeed a form of free advertising. Naruto, which hasn't even been licensed yet, is already one of the most popular anime in America. Nearly everyone has heard of it, and its fan base rivals that of shows like Inuyasha and Sailor Moon. At the same time, I find myself wondering whether every single person who professes to love the series would buy its domestic DVDs (whenever they are released). In the past few weeks, I have downloaded and watched episodes of shows that I would never dream of buying. They initially sounded appealing, but turned out to be less than satisfactory. If, however, they were available on DVD, I might have risked a blind purchase in order to appease my curiousity. I've also fallen in love with several series that, based on multiple reviews and other sources, sounded somewhat unpromising. I can't wait for these anime to be released on domestic DVD, and I won't hesitate to spend exorbitant amounts of money to acquire them. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Lime']I have heard of it, and seen pictures, but I have never actually seen it. I take it its a pretty funny show?[/quote] Welcome to OtakuBoards, Lime. ^_^ Unfortunately, your post quality is sorely lacking. The next time you reply to a thread, I want to witness some kind of improvement. If you don't understand what you should be doing, please PM me or read our [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?]rules.[/URL] Shadow's Wolf and Sephy's_Grl, your posts are also less than adequate. However, Shadow's Wolf, I [i]have[/i] noticed that you're trying harder, and I appreciate it greatly. Just don't regress, okay? All of you (including Daermon_Nashabe) need to work on your grammar and spelling. I'll be keeping a close watch on your activity. ~Dagger~

Subaru-sama, you are only permitted to revive old threads when they relate to specific series, films or OVAs. Please don't do that again. After reading over this topic, I've come to the realization that nearly every single reply in it is spam. You cannot copy lyrics from a website and expect the resulting post to meet OB's standards. Likewise, you cannot simply say "I love The Real Folk Blues! It's so catchy!" without elaborating further. If someone were to make this kind of thread again, I'd want each of the participants to analyze each other's lyrics, state which lines they like best and why, tell us how they first came across the song, and so forth. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Sephy's_Grl']You people are too nice![/quote] Sephy's_Grl, did you not notice that I deleted the entirety of your conversation with Shadow Wolf? This is an excellent topic, and I feel confident that it will continue to attract discussion. Your posts, however, leave something to be desired. If you'd like to speak with Shadow Wolf, please use OB's ever-handy private messaging system, rather than continue to clutter up an otherwise innocuous thread. ~Dagger~

Sephy's_Grl and Shadow Wolf, stop spamming up my forum. Your posts are simultaneously off-topic and poorly constructed. I've already warned both of you, and I'm starting to lose my patience: follow the rules, or face the consequences. This thread has degenerated into a mess of mindless chatter. Consider it closed. ~Dagger~

Okay, this is going nowhere fast. Although I applaud Lumi for attempting to encourage quality discussion, none of the subsequent posters chose to follow her lead. I will PM those of you who broke the rules, and offer you a detailed explanation regarding why your replies are unacceptable. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Solo Tremaine][color=#503f86]Wow, Gravitation sounds popular. I've only ever seen pictures from it on an online quiz on Quizilla. You can never go wrong with bishounen, though ^_^ That and Weiss Kreuz I've heard only good things about [b]RahXephon:[/b] From Volume 3 upwards. I've not seen past the last episode on DVD Volume 2 and it annoys me that I can't afford the next two yet >.> Even though I've not seen Akira I'm really not that interested in watching it. I know it's highly acclaimed, but I just don't like the look of the animation. It's a shallow reason, I know, but I can't enjoy an animation as much if I don't like how it looks.[/color][/QUOTE] Solo, Gravitation--as many OBers can attest--is a [i]wonderful[/i] show. I don't usually take well to romantic comedies, but Gravitation won me over almost instantly. Its protagonist, Shuuichi Shindou, is an incredibly sympathetic and adorable character. Despite the fact that the show was created on an extremely stingy budget, its animation is good enough to satisfy most fans. The first episode uses a tiny bit of live-action footage (strangely enough), but it's a one-time thing. I honestly can't think of a single person who dislikes this series for legitimate reasons; the majority of its detractors just don't feel comfortable about watching an anime that deals primarily with gay romance. Although Yuki and Shuuichi's relationship is Gravi's main focus, its music is equally important. Gravitation has some of the best J-pop tunes I've ever heard--all of Shuuichi's songs are obscenely catchy. But better yet, Gravitation is both genuinely funny and emotionally gripping. Its humor and its drama balance each other out so perfectly that every single scene is a pleasure to watch. I may be biased in its favor, but I can't recommend this anime highly enough. Weiss Kreuz..... Heh. I've only heard bad things about that show--and the reviews I read were very hostile indeed. ^_^; RahXephon just keeps getting better and better. It's nice to know that you're still watching it. ^_^ As for Akira, it has some pretty fascinating scenes, and its animation is [i]spectacular[/i]. Nevertheless, I feel that it's somewhat overrated. Akira makes a decent rental, but I personally wouldn't buy it. ~Dagger~