Dagger

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by pbfrontmanvdp [/i] [B]Ive seen only Eva and the Gundam series so far, but i hear Full Metal Panic was a good series as well so i might get that one. Just wanna read a little more about that series just to make sure i want to buy it. [/B][/QUOTE] I've seen about eight episodes of Full Metal Panic. I'd been expecting it to be really good, but after hearing so much hype, I was a little disappointed. However, you definitely won't be let down by its animation. FMP's artwork is beautiful, brightly colored, and amazingly consistent. Because its action sequences are usually pretty short, I wanted to watch them over and over. However, FMP contains quite a bit of poorly integrated fanservice. In my mind, there's nothing wrong with fanservice unless it sticks out like a sore thumb (so to speak >_>), as FMP's sometimes does. I liked its characters, but hated the English dub--which is strange, considering that I'm something of an ADV fan. The well-plotted episodes are spectacular, but there's also some filler, and it's almost painful to watch. So. my advice is to rent/borrow the first DVD of Full Metal Panic before you decide to start collecting it. ~Dagger~

Okay, so Avenger isn't exactly "underrated," considering that it's shaping up to be one of the biggest hits of spring 2004. I just thought I'd spread the word and help this show along the road to fame. ^_~ Avenger was created by Bee Train, the same studio which made Noir and .hack//SIGN. While I don't care much for .hack//SIGN, I feel that Bee Train is finally starting to come into its own--and it shows. Artistically, Avenger's character designs borrow heavily from Bee Train's other popular series, but are also more complex and visually engaging. Its music, like .hack//SIGN's, is incredible. I'd go so far as to claim that Avenger's soundtrack is on par with Cowboy Bebop's, and that's saying a lot. Avenger takes place on Mars, in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic sort of setting. The cities are covered by vast domes (which bring The Big O to mind), and red dust swirls through the air outside. I can't quite explain why, but Avenger feels different from most science-fiction shows. Its mood, atmosphere and world are surprisingly innovative. One of the best things about this show is its heroine, a girl named Layla Ashley. Amusingly enough, it took me a good fifteen minutes to realize that she isn't male. Although her body is decidedly feminine, she looks pretty androygynous, and acts like your usual anime anti-hero. But because that type of behavior is coming from a young woman, it's not at all cliched. Layla bears no resemblance to Hollywood's femme fatales; when she fights, she excels as a fighter rather than as a female. In other words, go watch Avenger [i]right now[/i]. I think that pretty much sums it up. ;P ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Flashlight [/i] [B]RahXephon, while I've only seen a few episodes of it, is quite good so far. :) One thing about your choices, why specify only Gundam Wing rather than the whole Gundam Universe in general. I think Gundam as a whole would represent somethings that helps define Mech anime. :) [/B][/QUOTE] I can guarantee that RahXephon will continue to be awesome. Anyway, I have a question for all of you mecha buffs out there. I've only seen a few episodes of the older Gundam series, and I don't really understand their appeal. I don't even like GW all that much--certain aspects of the show bored me half to death. So, tell me what's so amazing about the other Gundams, because I refuse to believe that people watch would watch a series solely for the sake of seeing giant robots duke it out. ~Dagger~

This sounds pretty unique. Name: Eris Gender: Female Age: 18 Appearance: Um... yeah. I'll put up an attachment in a later post, because it's taking me a while to hunt down pictures of the character I have in mind. Personae: She's not very talkative, and strikes most people as being pretty unfriendly. Until she really gets to know someone, she'll tell him or her that she's a guy. Her lean, powerful figure and low voice make this assertion sound entirely plausible. Eris doesn't feel comfortable in large groups. She is a strong person, both physically and mentally, and has become determined to preserve her world. In her opinion, real life is so abysmally despressing and dull that staying hooked to her "machine" is worth even the most terrible of consequences. The seeker found her when she was only ten; thus, Eris has been living in her own reality for longer than almost any other person with the [i]talent[/i]. World Description: An enormous, desolate place filled with domed cities and powerful warriors. Eris, who has developed into an incredible fighter, spends most of her time involved in grand tournaments. She prefers the companionship of androids to that of humans, but nevertheless has numerous friends.

I'm waiting for the world to turn white. Before the plows drive by, before the cars slog through-- in the single breath of silence between morning and mid-day-- it's perfection. Sacred, soft, a veil or mask of purity. So snow descends from heaven, muffling my windows, blessing the weary, frozen ground and offering its prayers.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Conna_da_fox [/i] [B][size=1][color=darkblue]Other than those things, I don't care about tidiness and organization. *shrugs* I guess most people are like that with things that are special/important to them.[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] Exactly. My books, manga, anime, CDs, DVDs and video games are impeccably organized. Each type of media has its own shelf, where I arrange different items either alphabetically, or in whatever way is most pleasing to the eye. But other than that, I'm a pretty messy person. If you disregard the corner of my room that's devoted to various forms of entertainment, it looks like a natural disaster just tore through the area. There have been times when, due to the piles of laundry, old newspapers, magazines and other random objects, I just couldn't see the floor. ~Dagger~

[b][u]General Awards[/b][/u] [b]Overall Member of the Year:[/b] Semjaza Azazel [b]Male Otaku of the Year:[/b] Semjaza Azazel [b]Female Otaku of the Year:[/b] Sara [b]Staff Member of the Year:[/b] James [b]Funniest Member of the Year:[/b] Charles [b]Most Opinionated Otaku of the Year:[/b] cloricus [b]Most Likely to Be Here in Two Years:[/b] Adam [b]Best Newbie:[/b] Arcadia [b]Best Oldie:[/b] Shy [b]Most Likely to Become a Staff Member:[/b] AzureWolf [b]Most Improved Member:[/b] Vicky [b]Silliest Thread of the Year:[/b] I...am...lone [b][u]Random Awards[/b][/u] [b]Avatar Award (Best Avatars Overall):[/b] Charles [b]Signature Award (Best Signatures Overall):[/b] Charles [b]Best Location (Best Specific Location):[/b] Drix D'Zanth [b]Best Otaku Couple:[/b] Queen Asuka/PiroMunkie [b]Best Looking Otaku:[/b] BabyGirl [b]Otaku Clique of the Year:[/b] Otakuboards Yaoi/Shonen-Ai Club [b]Best MyOtaku:[/b] James [b][u]Otaku Writers[/b][/u] [b]Writer of the Year:[/b] Charles [b]Orginal Story of the Year:[/b] OB: Enter the Net [b]Role-Player of the Year:[/b] Arcadia [b]Brawler of the Year:[/b] Raiha [b]RPG of the Year:[/b] SYF: Aguila Del Desierto [b][u]Social Otakus[/b][/u] [b]Otaku Social Member:[/b] James [b]Entertainment Otaku:[/b] Semjaza Azazel [b][u]Otaku Anime[/b][/u] [b]Otaku of the Year:[/b] maladjusted [b].hack//SIGN Member of the Year:[/b] AzureWolf [b]Least Disappointing Yu Yu Hakusho Member:[/b] Luminare [b][u]Otaku Gamers[/b][/u] [b]Otaku Gamer of the Year:[/b] Shinmaru [b][u]Otaku Artists[/b][/u] [b]Best Graphic Designer (Banners, wallpapers, etc.):[/b] Kinetic [b]Best "Traditional" Artist (Drawings, paintings, etc.):[/b] Sara [b][u]Series Otaku[/b][/u] [b]Square/Enix Member of the Year:[/b] Zidargh

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by ElrickOtaku [/i] [B]Some may complain about their favourite like Dai-Guard or whatever being left off, but I wanted a good contrast of four different mecha animes with four differing styles.[/B][/QUOTE] Eheh.... Sorry. Gasaraki was directed by Yukata Izubuchi, the same man who later went on to direct RahXephon. While I haven't seen Gasaraki, I'm curious as to why you chose it over RahXephon--which, by all accounts, is a vastly superior show. RahXephon and Neon Genesis Evangelion are usually cited as being the best mecha series in existence, and it seems that numerous anime fans are always attempting to contend that one is better than the other. Amusingly enough, few people have seen both shows in their entirety (I fall into this camp, since I've only watched RahXephon). I'm not a big mecha fan, to tell you the truth. Gundam Wing is alright, but it never exactly captivated me, and I was turned off by reports of Evangelion's less than satisfactory ending. While I've heard good things about Martian Successor Nadesico, I tend to be wary of comedic anime. In my opinion, RahXephon comes very close to being the perfect anime series--not because of its genre (after all, it defies categorization), but because it does everything [i]so[/i] well. Its animation and artwork are groundbreaking for TV show. Its subject material, while serious, is never overly heavy or depressing. Just as hope lies at the bottom of Pandora's box, the love, faith and friendship in RahXephon keep it from becoming "grim by default." The character development in this series is just astounding, and its complex plot comes full circle in a surprising but fitting ending. So, there's my two cents. ~Dagger~

When I decided to start this thread, I was thinking about coming up with a very narrow definition of "visual" art--for example, painting, graphic design, photography, sculpture, etc. In my mind, literature, theater, films and dance fall into a separate category. However, you may talk about any form of art that you desire. Oddly enough, it was Dave Barry's most recent column that inspired me to ask this question. It's called "Armchair Critic," and basically ridicules "the Serious Art Community." The following quote consists of a selection of excerpts from his article--the parts of it which I could identify with the most. [quote]"....Let me begin by stipulating that I am a clueless idiot. This is probably why I was unable to appreciate a work of art I viewed recently, titled: 'Chair.' A lot of Serious Art consists of bizarre or startlingly unattractive objects, or 'performances' wherein artists do something Conceptual, such as squirt Cheez Whiz into an orifice that has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for snack toppings. I managed not to say anything stupid until I encountered a slide projector sitting on the floor, projecting a rectangle of white light and twitching lens dust onto the wall. I asked the gallery person if there was supposed to be a slide in the projector; he patiently explained that, no, this was a work of art entitled 'Autofocus Slide Projector Dust.' I didn't ask why it was on the floor, because I didn't want to make a total fool of myself. Anyway, in the corner of one container there was a ratty old collapsed armchair--worn, dirty, leaking stuffing, possibly housing active vermin colonies. I asked the gallery person if the chair was art, and she said yes, it was a work titled 'Chair.' I asked her what role the artist had played in creating 'Chair.' She said: 'He found it.' She noted that 'Chair' had been professionally crated and shipped to the art show. 'Chair' is for sale. The price is $2,800."[/quote] I don't think something like 'Chair' should be considered art. I guess I like to believe that art requires time, patience, and effort to produce--that the world's greatest paintings are labors of love. My main difficulty is coming up with a definition which encompasses both good art and bad, while excluding the truly ridiculous. Anyway, I look forward to reading your replies. ^_^ ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Kyokokeiji [/i] [B]i kinda like the grid thing. if i didnt have it there that banner would be nothing but a picture and words. not very professional. anywhere heres my latestone. i really like it cuz its really pretty. favoured the tone of red in this one, majorly. I ound the pic on the net its its two people from Fushigi Yuugi. I really like it ^.^ seriously its really pretty! [/B][/QUOTE] I beg to differ. First of all, I didn't tell you to excise the grid entirely. I merely mentioned that the banner might look better if the grid wasn't quite so obvious. "A picture and words" can often be more attractive than a needlessly complex combination of images. For the perfect example of this, look at one of Mei's banners. They're very simple, but also very pretty and professional. Anyway, I like your new banner. A tiny portion of the text is cut off, which bothers me a bit. Did you stretch the stock image, or is that how it appeared originally? The woman on the right seems to be a little bit out of proportion.... then again, I could easily be imagining things. >_>; ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Stephanie Ayler [/i] [B]Do you all think that AS Saturday night anime is a good idea? I mean that, every Saturday you we watch our favorite shows. Once they're over, we'll have to wait seven more days to watch them again. Is AS going to do that? I really hope not; cause that's too long to wait until next Saturday to come. Sure the shows come on late at week days, but it's better than waiting seven days. Oooohhh....time os slow!:bawl: [/B][/QUOTE] While I understand where you're coming from, I don't think that's exactly a valid complaint. In Japan, most anime shows air new episodes on a weekly basis, so we're quite lucky to see series like Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho nearly every night. Anyway, I'm glad to hear that Adult Swim will be expanding. Hopefully it'll start to have a positive influence upon the quality of Toonami, not to mention Cartoon Network's other anime. ~Dagger~

artificial petals dancing in the generated wind. shadows lie beneath and here I see disconnected dark reflections. life shines paler than a screen. it's pathetically dull just rising, falling crawling and climbing to the finish. strut out your days and I'll gild mine with traces of that same ancient dream.

I guess I couldn't resist the urge to post. ^_^; [center]*****************************[/center] Maia rolled over and stared dolefully at the ceiling. Night had fallen hours ago, interrupting the conversation that she'd been having with Shrai'i and Luthian. Although they'd spoken throughout dinner and beyond, none of them had been able to produce any brilliant ideas. It was easy enough to say, "Let's stop the curse," but... Unused to sleeping in a real bed, she'd moved her blankets to the floor and curled up against the wood-planked wall. Shrai'i was breathing softly somewhere in the upper bunk. Though Maia suspected that the dancer wasn't yet asleep, she couldn't quite tell whether her slumber was feigned or real. Sighing, she tugged the hair-tie from her braid and let the long red waves fall loose, spilling over her back and shoulders. [i]Maybe I ought to try getting some fresh air.[/i] She wandered from their cabin, carefully closing the door behind her, and crossed her arms to ward off the evening chill. According to Serrac, they would reach port in less than half a day. The sea seemed so smooth and calm tonight, but who knew what disasters lay ahead?

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Solo Tremaine [/i] [B][COLOR=#503F86]My real concern only lies with the eventual dubbing into English- the more recent Castle in the Sky dub done by Disney, although still watchable, left me rather cold in terms of all the needless comedy lines that were added in.[/COLOR][/B][/QUOTE] I've also heard that Disney added background music in several scenes where there was previously only silence. Remember the sequence when [spoiler]Pazu and Sheeta are flying through the hurricane, and he glimpses his father's ship? Apparently, in the Japanese version we only see him mouth an indistinguishable word, whereas in Disney's dub, James Van Der Beek actually says "Father?"[/spoiler] It's a small detail, but that did bother me. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AzureWolf [/i] [B]However, there's something else you have to ponder about with the topic at hand: the unforeseen variable in this case - Miyazaki's unique perspective on things - and how much of that originality will be expressed in Howl's Moving Castle. Everything I've seen from Miyazaki gave me a surprise simply because of how unconformed it is to anything else. It's as if nothing - culture, religion, or interests - influences his work, and only his mind cultivates his creations.[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] I completely agree. I've seen a very short (twenty second) trailer for Howl's Moving Castle, in addition to looking at some interesting concept art. Although I think I remember saving a couple of these images, I currently lack the time required to hunt them down. If someone replies, I'll try to post one as an attachment. Anyway, I just thought I'd comment on the "moving castle" itself. It looks almost like the kind of mansion one might find in Russian folklore--i.e., Baba Yaga's house, which is said to walk about on chicken legs. Miyazaki's touch is quite evident in the castle's design, as it's not at all similar to your typical mobile medieval fortress. Not that many medieval castles were capable of motion.... but you know what I mean, ne? ^_~ ~Dagger~

If such a thing were possible, I would definitely drop honors chemistry. I have no idea why I elected to take this class; although I passed the qualification test, I knew then that it's more mathematically oriented than regular chem, and should have realized that it would end up being an incredibly challenging course. Although I love science and did quite well in bio last year, manipulating numbers has never come naturally to me. The worst part is that I actually find chemistry very interesting--but my grades are so terrible that taking it is making me miserable. I had a solid B for most of last semester. Unfortunately, I got a low C/high D (not that the distinction really matters >_>) on my mid-term exam, and that completely screwed me over. Ironically, my English teacher is supposed to be incredibly difficult, and I'm pulling an A in his class with a minimum of effort. I guess that my talents lie in language-related fields, no matter how much I may wish to ace chem and geometry. ~Dagger~

The rhetorical questions that rush into your mind during the fierce back-and-forth. Which pain is greater, a broken heart or this uncomplicated agony? Well, a truly broken heart might sting more than a little; love can't be related to the simple severance of connected arteries, the fleshy snap of separating veins. Slice through the darkened chambers and discover whose heart you'd like to break. Your yelling coach is one, although his screams are solely directed towards improvement. How lovely, to take forty burning minutes--and amidst the muffled grunts of pain-- debate whether the physical matters more. Right now you'd like to release a gasping yes, but the erg still has you strapped. Alas, to be lazy and on crew. Just pull with all your little heart and think, row your boat, little girl. Row your goddamned boat.

All shadowfire said was that AS now possesses the right to air The Animatrix. I doubt that many people currently know when and/or how it will eventually be shown, although we'll presumably get to see it sometime in 2004. ~Dagger~

I believe that anything which involves characters should also contain some degree of character development. As I stated earlier, it's good when movies build upon a pre-existing storyline, rather than being made by stuffing all the material of a 13-hour series into a relatively short production. While I haven't seen Evangelion or EoE, I assume that EoE provides an alternative ending to the show--something which I wholeheartedly approve of, particularly if the original ending was less than satisfactory. Series-based films should be used to perform exactly that kind of task, instead of being a weirdly mediocre version of the show upon which they're based. ~Dagger~

I'm not liking that grid. Try cropping it out of the foreground (so that it doesn't show up in front of Daisuke's face or hand), and fading it further into the dark blue background. Black is simply too harsh a hue for this soft, pretty banner, so change the color of the "Fly" text to something more like deep maroon; for example, the rich reddish-brown with which you typed Daisuke's name. Also, be sure to add a border. Doing so will definitely make your banner seem more complete. ~Dagger~

Hayao Miyazaki is widely believed to be one of the best anime directors of all time. His films, most of which were not only box-office successes, but also critically acclaimed, include Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. I'm sure that many of you seen (or at least heard of) one of the movies that I just listed. Miyazaki's latest production, Howl's Moving Castle, will be released in Japan on July 17th of this year. It's been adapted from a young adult book of the same title, which was written by the popular fantasy author Diana Wynne Jones. I was initially surprised to hear that Miyazaki had even read Howl's Moving Castle, since Ms. Jones is Welsh, and her novel was originally published in English. It had struck me as being a fairly obscure book--or perhaps I simply liked to think that [i]I[/i] had "discovered" it. Either way, I was astonished (in a good way) when I first learned of Miyazaki's plans to make Howl's Moving Castle into a film. It's a wonderful novel, with unique, memorable characters, an enthralling storyline, and one of the best romantic subplots I've ever come across. I wondered if anyone else had read Howl's Moving Castle, or was looking forward to seeing Miyazaki's next creation. Barring that, please share your thoughts regarding his other classic movies. ~Dagger~

Well, I just re-set my screen resolution in order to see what your Counter-Strike banner looks like at 800x600. While the compression definitely becomes noticeable, I can't see anything wrong with your airbrushing. This is another great sig--I love how it seems as though he's emerging from a veil of fog. However, its overall atmosphere seems slightly subdued. Did you use a white border for the CS banner? There's nothing wrong with that, but I was curious as to why you often choose light or subtly colored borders (for example, your current sig's is a soft gray). ~Dagger~

[i]"Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert A shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"[/i]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by pbfrontmanvdp [/i] [B]Dagger you and i pretty much enjoy the same types of anime so i would like to recommend the anime "X" to you if you haven't seen it yet. I currently have up to the 4th DVD and its amazing, the story line is great and the character development is perfect. The 1st DVD comes with a short backround on every main character in the series...(sorta like RahZephon, but they only have a character bio for the first DVD). This isn't a mech type anime but i still love it so far. From what ive heard it only gets better so if you haven't seen this anime yet, i strongly recommend it.[/B][/QUOTE] It's interesting that you mentioned X, because my list of anime to collect currently looks something like this: [strike]RahXephon[/strike] [strike]Fruits Basket[/strike] X-TV Noir I've heard quite a few good things about X (in addition to reading many positive reviews), and it's especially encouraging to hear that you like it (since, as you mentioned, we seem to have similar taste in anime). I definitely plan on buying its first DVD as soon as I scrape together enough money to do so. Has anyone seen the RahXephon OVA? As a big fan of the corresponding TV series, I'm currently in the process of acquiring it through Bittorrent. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Daermon_Nashabe [/i] [B]I would have to say 1) Princess Mononoke 2) Kiki's delivery service 3)My neighbour Totoro 4)Grave Of The Fireflies 5)Spirited Away 6) Akira 7) Armitage III: Poly Matrix 8) Ghost in The Shell 9) Ruoroni Kenshin :Reflection 10) X As you can see half of my list are films by Studio Ghibli while the others are the other best ones i have seen. I belive i am a otaku diety since i own 93 anime dvd/ videos. [/B][/QUOTE] That's a lot of DVDs and video tapes. However, dear, I don't think that you want to proclaim yourself a "diety." I agree with you in the sense that most of your choices are excellent films, but I do have to wonder what you like about X. While its action was pretty riveting, its boring characters and ridiculously vague plot lulled me right to sleep. It would take numerous glowing reviews to make me so much as consider re-watching that movie. X:TV, on the other hand, is rumored to be a superb series, and I'm really excited about purchasing it. ~Dagger~