Dagger

Ooh. Tough choice. I enjoy both genres, but fantasy was my first love. I read [b]The Hobbit[/b] in second grade, and was instantly hooked. I'll be a Tolkien girl until the day I die. Epid3mic, I actually prefer fantasy for some of the reasons that you dislike it. Many sci-fi novels get bogged down in technical terms and pseudo-science. There's no rule stating that fantasy can't have anything to do with interesting technology. And besides, I can guarantee you that not all the ideas found in sci-fi will ever become reality. It's sometimes hard to distinguish between fantasy and sci-fi. I usually think of sci-fi as being anything that (a) takes place in the future, (b) tries to sound scientifically plausible, and (c) has something to do with outer space and/or extremely advanced technology. You mentioned fantasy archetypes, but science fiction has its own cliches, and is just as often limited by them. Androids, evil alien races, benevolent alien races, ridiculously evil galactic empires, planet-hopping bounty hunters..... and the list goes on. Side note: Dune rocks. ~Dagger~

--The Vision of Escaflowne DVD box set --An Xbox (yeah.... I wish). And Halo, of course. --Castlevania: Lament of Innocence --The Indiana Jones DVD collection My list mostly consists of things that I don't have the money to buy for myself. I wouldn't dare ask for clothes (God only knows what monstrosities my loony relatives might pick out), but cash would certainly be quite nice. ~Dagger~

Yay! Alright, here's the avatar. I thought it might look better if she were facing towards the banner..... er, if that makes any sense. ~Dagger~

Check out the Meta Anime Review Project (I don't know how to insert a link, but it shouldn't be difficult to find through Google). It has links to reviews for a truly vast number of movies, series, and OAVs. MARP is my personal favorite review site because it offers you the chance to read multiple opinions, rather than just one. Some of its affiliates review each separate episode; others review individual DVDs, or simply the show/movie as a whole. There's also a handy "average rating" feature, which is calculated by combining data from different people's reviews. ~Dagger~

The SP banner is definitely my favorite so far (which is why I'm using it). This next one is for Arcadia: I wasn't quite sure what you had in mind, so I played around with the image a little... hopefully not too much. If you like it, and want me to add text or something, just give the word. ^___^ I made a matching avatar, but I have no idea how to stick on more than one attachment (if such a thing is even possible). So I guess I'll have to wait to post that. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by herbkir [/i] [B]THe love between Inu and Kikyo wasn't as strong as it appeared. If it were, then Naraku's trickery wouldn't have worked. They were two outsiders, he by being a half-demon and she by being a miko. They were drawn together to ease their loneliness. Kagome is his future, drawn to him by love, not loneliness. BUt Inu has to let go of his past (Kikyo) before he can embrace his future (Kagome) and he's having a lot of trouble doing that. Kagome has come to realize she must share him with the memory of Kikyo until lhe has settled the Kikyo business in his heart. Only then will he be able to embrace Kagome (see Ep. 48). Inu and Kagome have formed an indissoluble bond that won't be broken, although it will be stretched pretty thin from time to time. (^_*) [/B][/QUOTE] Let's put this into context. If the love of your life--someone who should rightfully have been your enemy--suddenly decided to mortally wound you..... what would that make [i]you[/i] think? "Oh, he/she hasn't betrayed me. It must be a trick!" If Kikyo only needed a person to ease her loneliness, she could have definitely found someone less ornery and emotionally scarred. She was a beautiful young woman of high status; priestess or not, I'm sure quite a few men would have been willing to bend society's rules for her sake. Inuyasha would never have taken comfort from a single demon or human being (not that any would have offered him affection).... except Kikyo. Inuyasha and Kikyo had an incredible natural bond. Their love defied both destiny and the norms of culture. Just because Inuyasha truly loves Kikyo doesn't mean that he can't eventually come to have feelings for Kagome. It's unfair to deny the emotions which govern so many of his decisions, and which have had such a powerful hand in shaping the show's story. ~Dagger~

Many thanks, Haze. I really appreciate the comments. I just made a simple Shamanic Princess banner. The images were simply so pretty--I couldn't resist. ~Dagger~

Yes. Most ADV series are excellent (Full Metal Panic, RahXephon, Boogiepop Phantom, and Excel Saga, to name a few). And like AzureWolf said, they have shows in just about every genre.... very nicely packaged, too, I might add. I just about cried for joy when I bought the first RahXephon DVD and saw that it contained a nice plump booklet complete with character profiles and seiyuu interviews. Plus, ADV dubbing is generally quite decent. ~Dagger~

Yes. Cloud is quite the babe. ^_~ Here's one I made using pictures from the Yami no Matsuei manga. And I agree, this [i]is[/i] fun. EDIT: Stupid border... not showing up. I'll have to fix that later. ~Dagger~

You'll watch anything, eh? Well, here are my recommendations. 1) Read or Die: A beautifully animated, three-episode OAV. RoD is actually the most expensive OAV ever made, and it really shows. The plot is cute and quirky, the characters likeable, and the action truly breathtaking. 2) Shamanic Princess: It's hard to go wrong with a show whose character designs were done by a member of CLAMP, and whose director also worked on Outlaw Star. SP also has terrific graphics. Though it's very shoujo-esque, it has a unique gothic look and fantastical storyline which make it unlike any other "magical girl" series. Plus, at six episodes, it's very cheap. 3) The Vampire Princess Miyu OAV: Ignore the craptacular TV series. This four-episode OAV is stylish, dark, and the ultimate in anime horror. It presents a different take on the traditional anime vampire (as seen in Hellsing and Vampire Hunter D). Despite the fact that it was made in 1988, the animation and atmosphere are still beautiful and chilling. ~Dagger~

I love Yu Yu Hakusho, and it's definitely among my favorite series. But likeable though it is, I don't think it's the best anime ever. YYH may have its moments of darkness, but for the most part, it's a light-hearted, fun-filled romp. It's not exactly profound, despite the fact that the characters [i]are[/i] very well developed. One simply can't compare Yu Yu Hakusho to series such as Evangelion. It's not fair; they're in entirely different leagues. When you look at the other shows which try to incorporate tournament-style fighting, old-school animation, and perfectly timed humor, YYH is certainly outclasses them all. But it's not the [i]best[/i] anime, and that's an important distinction. ~Dagger~

Wow. So I went ahead and bought the box set..... and it was [i]definitely[/i] worth every dollar. After watching the first three episodes, I'm just about speechless. Yami no Matsuei is incredible. Hell, I even like the dub--which is saying quite a bit. The animation and character designs completely blew me away. They were as good as--if not [i]better[/i] than--that of shows like Full Metal Panic, which has pretty much set current standards in terms of artwork and graphics. One of the things that really struck me was how realistically and smoothly the characters moved. The basic concept of the afterlife as a bureaucracy reminded me very much of Yu Yu Hakusho (particularly when those cosmic chickens appeared... talk about random). Interestingly enough, Tsuzuki's summons have the same names as YYH's Saint Beasts. I'd like to learn about the mythology behind that. Anyway, although the shonen-ai aspects certainly appealed to me, I think I would have loved this show even if, say, Hisoka were a girl. I can't wait to watch the rest. I don't know where on earth a series based on shonen-ai manga got the budget to pull off such perfect CG and special effects.... but I'm very glad it did. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Skeith34 [/i] [B]I think that not being allowed to use online grammar (i.e. u=you ur=your, etc.) Is VERY unfair. Please remove this rule. all the other message boards allow it, Why can't you? I thank you if you get rid of this Harsh rule. [/B][/QUOTE] Why is it unfair? You've expressed your opinion, but you haven't really explained your reasons for feeling that way. I'm personally a big fan of proper grammar and spelling. OB is something of a haven amidst the thousands of spam-littered forums which keep sprouting up all over the net. It's a relief to post at a place where using one's brain actually counts for something. It's unfortunate that you dislike this rule, but if you stick around here long enough, I'm sure you'll get used to it. Anyway, "you" is only two letters longer than "u." Spelling it out shouldn't really increase the time required to type the word. ~Dagger~

I've seen the first eight episodes. As I said in a different thread, it's certainly a promising series, but after all the hype, I definitely expected more. The animation is certainly lovely, and I appreciate that they exercised restraint in the use of CG. However, good graphics alone do not make a show great. I liked the main characters well enough, particularly Chidori. Yet FMP just didn't grab my attention the way other, better series have (RahXephon, for example). If it included more character development, sharper humor, and a tighter plot, I'd be a huge fan. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Isus [/i] [B]wow, so many to choose from, can you really choose? for me its- cowboy bebop inuyasha rurouni kenshin .hack//sign tenchi slayers trigun in other words any japanese anime with one huge exception of kikaider. [/B][/QUOTE] Any anime except Kikaider can qualify as the best? That encompasses quite a wide range, my friend. ^_^;; In my opinion, Voices of a Distant Star (a half-hour long OAV) is the single greatest love story ever animated. It seems even more remarkable when you consider the fact that it was scripted, drawn, and put together by one man. Independent films are pretty rare in anime, and VoaD is a true gem. Its action is as slick and gorgeous as that of any big-budget movie, and its scenery has to be seen (no pun intended) to be believed. ~Dagger~

A movie can do justice to the book it's based on without including every single detail found in the original novel. Just look at the Lord of the Rings movies. They're damn near perfect, even though Peter Jackson [the director] cut out an enormous amount of material. The Harry Potter movies have suffered from the tendency to include too [i]much[/i] stuff, which made them seem awkward and poorly put together. I didn't really like any of the actors, except perhaps the girl who plays Hermione. So that didn't help. And considering the amount of money that was spent on those films, their special effects were far from impressive... just compare Gollum and Dobby. ~Dagger~

1. Become a writer. Of course, doing that would involve finishing all the half-baked novels I've left lying around over the years.... I'd best get cracking, ne? 2. Get good enough at drawing and inking to produce my own doushinji. 3. Learn everything there is to know about Photoshop. 4. Reach a ridiculously high number of posts. 5. Learn Korean, Japanese, Latin, and Old English. I'm still in the process of learning French, so that might have to wait a little bit. 6. If I have a spouse, to stay happily married to him (or her.... I'm quite flexible in that regard) until we're both six feet under. 7. Even if I never get published, I want to keep on writing and refuse to give up. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AngelWiN_Kagome [/i] [B]I love Inuyasha and Kagome:love:. They are perfect for each other. I just wish that Inuyasha would tell her how he feels about her instead of pretending not to love her. I dont think he actually chosse Kikyo. I think he doesn't know who to chose. If he knows Kagome would stay by his side forever than why does he just stay with her. Just because Kikyo died with him doesn't mean she wanted to stay with him. Kagome loves him and he loves her, he just feels he is in dept with Kikyo. (sigh). Kikyo wants Inuyasha to die with her because she didn't finish the job 50 years ago. The arrow was supposed to kill him right? And, just because Naraku (:butthead: :devil: :flaming:) tried to kill Kiyko once he thinks that she is in more danger than Kagome, wrong! Naraku has a plan up his sleave that he is going to take advantage of this, I just know it. I don't want to tell you what I think he is going to do but you will see in the next new episodes. They better be good. I cant wait :love: :D ! [/B][/QUOTE] I've got a couple points to make. 1. First of all, I'll assume that you meant to say, "Why [i]doesn't[/i] he just stay with her [Kagome]?" Well. Keep in mind that Kikyo was (and is) Inuyasha's first and greatest love. Sure, fifty years passed, but his feelings for her have had no time to fade. It would be cruel of him to stay with Kagome just because she loves him, particularly if he were unable to return her affections in full. 2. Secondly, Kikyo was deeply in love with Inuyasha. That's why she's so bitter about his apparent betrayal, and why she simply can't let go of her rage and resentment. The more powerful the love, the more powerful the resulting hatred. 3. Finally, Inuyasha was not meant to be a happy show. Its romantic elements are very much bittersweet, which is part of what makes it so enjoyable to watch. Kikyo and Inuyasha were meant for each other, but chance--or fate--intervened. In another world, they might have found happiness together. The same thing goes for Kagome and Inuyasha. They complement each other perfectly, yet he is unable to truly love her. This series is rife with tragedy. Maybe I'm the only one, but I really appreciate that. It gives Inuyasha a sense of realism that many better-animated and better-plotted shows unfortunately lack. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Stick Fairy [/i] [B][color=indigo]And while I heard he retired, I also heard that he's coming back to do an adaptation of a novel called Howl's Moving Castle, by Gail Carson Levine (one of my fav authors). [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] Actually, "Howl's Moving Castle" is by Diana Wynne Jones. It's one of my favorite books, and I'm sure that Miyazaki will do great things with it. I loved Spirited Away. It was the first Studio Ghibli movie I ever saw, except for part of Princess Mononoke, and it inspired me to buy Castle in the Sky. And who wouldn't like Haku? ~Dagger~

I'd have to go with Puu, from Yu Yu Hakusho. He's a little blue penguin/bird-type creature, with a tuft of black hair that looks suspiciously like Yusuke's. Adorable, sweet, and absolutely hilarious. The episode in which he first appears is definitely among my favorites. ~Dagger~

Thanks for the advice! I'm using..... Photoshop Elements. I think. It's doesn't have all the cool tricks found in the regular version, but I'll take what I can get. I tried to make a banner using screenshots of Cloud from the Advent Children trailer, but it didn't go too well. All I ended up with was this. I wanted to add a bit of text (probably saying something like "Endless Strife"). Sadly, none of the fonts I used seem to fit. I did have a lot of fun fading the color out of the edges of his hair, though. Help/input would be greatly appreciated. ^__^ ~Dagger~

1. Although Rowling's writing was definitely tighter, more stylish, and far darker in Book 5 than in the rest of the series..... I honestly didn't like it very much. The series is starting to become formulaic, which is a shame--[spoiler]Voldemort comes back; Harry defeats him in the nick of time, often by dumb luck; and someone fairly significant dies (like Sirius or even Cedric).[/spoiler] I thought that OotP was several hundred pages longer than it needed to be. I don't mind lengthy novels, but Books 4 and 5 didn't have the impact of Book 3, mainly because they felt more...... dissipated, for lack of a better word. Perhaps Harry's character was more realistically portrayed in Book 5.... perhaps not. Either way, he grew extremely annoying, angsty, and ended up doing some unforgivably stupid stuff. Will that boy EVER learn to listen to Hermione? 2. Definitely Book 3 (Prisoner of Azkaban). The plot was incredibly well executed--particularly in the long, twisty, mind-blowing ending sequence. It also introduced some loveable and memorable supporting characters; namely, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. This was the book which made me a real fan. 3. Not by a long shot. ~Dagger~

I like the idea; it emphasizes Sora's new, darker look. Like Shinmaru, I love the big number two. Try fading the "Kingdom Hearts" text so that it doesn't stand out *quite* so much. I don't have a problem with the font itself, but the text is a little too strong. If you could find a sharper image of Sora, that would be fantastic. Otherwise, don't worry about it. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Morpheus [/i] [B]Where the hell is Dragonball? And G-Gundam? Sure GT has been mentioned, but the people made a horrible choice not letting Toriyama do the plot. No other anime went for 600 episodes, and DB/Z pioneered the,"Why the hell did you kill off the main Character style" So many people die that most can litterally say,"I died like this first, this second..." [/B][/QUOTE] Er..... but how does that make DBZ the best anime? Killing characters off doesn't exactly demonstrate originality. It's a pretty ancient story device, as a matter of fact. Haven't you read any Greek or Shakespearean tragedies? Do the words Romeo and Juliet ring a bell? I suppose I've made my point. Anyway, I was surprised that only maladjusted has mentioned Vision of Escaflowne.... I was under the impression that it's incredibly popular, second only to Evangelion. Oh, and mal, I've got a question for ya. I'd love to see X (the tv series), but would it be more worthwhile to read the manga? You said that the manga was better, and I was just wondering why. Thanks! ~Dagger~

Answer: "Ye Guilty" Question: In Yu Yu Hakusho, what's the first thing Botan ever says to Yusuke? ~Dagger~