Dagger

I thought [url=http://www.theotaku.com/news/view/mtv_on_shoujo_and_yaoi/1057/][u]this[/u][/url] was kind of interesting. I was a little apprehensive about watching that video, but I actually thought it was pretty much on target, and it didn't take the freak-show approach that some mainstream news sources do (well, at least when it comes to cons). Same goes for the article. I got the first volume of [b]Jazz[/b] today, courtesy of Amazon. DMP sure is strict about their ratings; there wasn't anything in there to warrant making it 18+, from my perspective. I suppose it's for the best, though. That kind of caution may come in handy if manga continues becoming more mainstream. As for the book itself, I liked it. I was cringing at the whole [spoiler]drugging[/spoiler] scene (and it's all too telling that I was thinking, "Oh, not that again!"--I've been reading way too much of this stuff, haha). By the end, though, I was surprised and almost taken aback by how the characterization was handled. I liked both of the male leads, and I'm looking forward to the next volume. I came [i]this[/i] close to picking up Our Everlasting volume 1 when I was in Borders, but I ended up going for Hands Off volume 5 and Godchild. Hands Off really is what Eerie Queerie/Ghost should have been, as I keep saying--I know it's not BL, but that almost doesn't matter. It has that whole "pure love" thing going on, which is good enough for me. EDIT: Hm... the OTRFK novel should be coming out kind of soon, right? I guess I should go check the date. ~Dagger~

My post won't follow the same format as most of the rest of the thread, since I just wanted to say that I thought this [url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0308_060308_spider.html][u] short article[/u][/url] was quite interesting. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the spider's body structure--even with the labeled photograph included, it doesn't totally make sense to me. Pretty interesting stuff, though. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Raiyuu][font=Trebuchet MS] And yes, I'm now firmly of the opinion that the filler, while not as bad as people say the Naruto stuff is, is still terrible in comparison with the show proper. I don't think I'm even going to bother watching anyore, until they get back to the manga storyline. [/font][/QUOTE] I guess the main pro of the Bleach filler is that it keeps the show at the front of people's minds... unless they get disinterested and take a break from it. The Hunter x Hunter treatment (waiting for each future arc of the manga to be completed, then animating it as an OVA; lather, rinse, repeat) has its benefits--the main one being the avoidance of filler--but I think HxH may have suffered from going into OVA mode. At least, it seems as if its budget in the Greed Island arc was cut somewhat, compared to the TV series. On the other hand, I've heard that the Bleach filler isn't as visually appealing as the show proper, either. ~Dagger~

Episode 22 was ridiculous, in a good way. I'm actually not going to say too much about it, since any further thoughts would mostly consist of various ZOMGs for [spoiler]Super [strike]Saiyan[/strike] Psycho Tomoe, Miyu's abundant awesomeness, Nina's glowing yellow eyes, Mai & Mikoto showing up (even if it was just at the end), Fia getting totally pwned by Midori, etc.[/spoiler] I'm hoping that episode 23 doesn't consist [i]entirely[/i] of [spoiler]onsen antics, though.[/spoiler] We'll see. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Charles']You guys did an outstanding job this year; you really outdid yourselves. I love the presentation. A big congratulations for all those involved.[/quote] No kidding; this is great stuff. It's clear that a lot of effort and thought went into all of the images (not to mention the other parts of the process, such as collecting quotes), and I can only imagine how much time it took. Heck, I kind of wish I could use the image that was made for me as a banner or something. It's just that awesome. :animeshy: I'm honored to be included--and I'm honored & grateful on behalf of the poor Anime Lounge, haha. Congratulations to everyone, most especially the committee members who helped put this together. Fantastic work. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Raiyuu][font=Trebuchet MS]Most of the Bleach sites I check are taking this announcement with a pinch of salt. The reasons most of them give are: [/font] [list=1] [*][font=Trebuchet MS]Disreputable source[/font] [*][font=Trebuchet MS]No official announcement by Viz[/font] [*][font=Trebuchet MS]No mention of this anywhere else on the Internet[/font] [/list][/QUOTE] [quote=Snippets from the C21 Media article] "Bleach is one of the big heavy hitters coming out of Japan, for which we have pretty big expectations. It is a very highly rated show on TV Tokyo at the moment," said John Easum, executive VP of Viz Media. The property is already a very strong manga publishing title in the US, and Easum feels this is a "strong indication of how it will perform as a series." According to Daniel Marks, MD at Viz Media BV, the Amsterdam-based company Viz launched in October with licensing outfit Copyright Promotions Licensing Group, teens will find it easy to identify with Bleach's characters. "They are hip, trendy and fashionable," said Marks. "It sort of fuses a cool Samurai-esque feel with a retro style ? all in present-day pop culture Japan that we think will resonate really well with the teen demo." [/quote] Neither C21 Media nor Anime on DVD is a "disreputable source." At this point, a press release would just be a formality as far as I'm concerned. I don't see why they'd quote Easum's thoughts on the anime if they're talking about Europe instead. ~Dagger~

Er... Viz is the company behind Naruto. And how can you judge Funi's treatment of Basilisk when it won't start coming out until August? :animestun ~Dagger~

[url=http://www.animeondvd.com/][u]Bleach = licensed by Viz[/u][/url] I can't say I didn't see this coming, but I'm surprised by the sheer stealth of it all. The C21 Media article has been public knowledge for a while--it's just that you have to pay or something to read it in full, which is probably why there was never a big commotion about it. It just puzzles me that related rumors never went roaring around the web... none that I saw, at any rate. ~Dagger~

Other anime based on ero-games include AIR, Fate/stay night, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, Kanon, Da Capo, Shuffle... there are quite a few of them out there, actually. Going by what I've learned here and there (which admittedly isn't a vast amount): certain ero-games are more like "visual novels" than straight-up porn. Some have also had clean versions released. The creators of Kanon and AIR even went on to make Clannad, a similarly styled game--except for the fact that it didn't have any hentai scenes. I don't know whether it did as well as their other games or not. As for YamiBou, I was interested in it because of the shoujo-ai content--but it didn't really end up being [i]about[/i] that, per se, and while I found some of the worlds interesting (and was bored to tears by others), I had very little confidence that it would all tie up in a satisfactory manner. At least it can be taken seriously, though, unlike Kannazuki no Miko. ~Dagger~

I posted the scan to [url=http://s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=315TE2AFNY59P02TPWR4QEI1E8][u]YouSendIt[/u][/url], since the file size is pretty big (~1.5 MB). Here are the screencaps (one with the Xebec logo, and one without). [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/DaggerIX1/fafner2.jpg][u]Number 1[/u][/url] [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/DaggerIX1/fafner1.jpg][u]Number 2[/u][/url] Anyway, I hope that helped. ~Dagger~

I can make a screencap for you, but the quality won't be superb or anything; my computer seems to take offense whenever I try to get screencaps from DVDs, so I'll have to use the fansubs I still have lying around. I've also got a high-quality magazine scan of that image. However, it was a two-page spread, so there's a small white line of missing material cutting between Maya and Soushi. Let me know which one you'd prefer. If you want to make a banner or use this in a splash image, the scan would probably be better. ~Dagger~

When I used the quick search feature, the 2005 thread was on the first page. When I used the advanced search feature, setting it to "Search Titles Only" and just hitting the OL, the 2005 thread was all that showed up. Actually... I can't even find the older thread. :animeshy: What settings did you use? EDIT: To actually answer your question, heh, identical thread names shouldn't have an effect on this kind of thing. I think. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Pagan] I was pretty much kidding about everything except for Lost...[/QUOTE]I really, really hope that's a creative way of describing the show, as opposed to an actual spoiler. Without knowing which is the case, I'm not going to mark it, but if it is, please do us the courtesy of using [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=23594][u]spoiler tags[/u][/url]. :( ~Dagger~

I'm half-Korean, but I don't really look like it. Well, some people have said that I do--it's just that I don't believe them. It's pretty much the same situation for my little sister, who may as well be a miniature clone of me anyway. ~Dagger~

The problem is the same for both of the anime you mentioned; they were each adapted from much longer manga. Therein lies the rub. I didn't mind either ending, personally. Descendants of Darkness pretty much did what it needed to do, and PMK had plenty of emotional closure. The Peacemaker Kurogane manga (which is actually the sequel to the series upon which the anime was based) includes events from the anime, due to the way GONZO juggled the timeline. But for the most part, it takes place after the anime's final episode. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Stafal-chan']wait the TV ending was different???seriously....that sucks...i onlyl saw the tv ending....what's the 4 OAVs???[/quote] I think you're getting confused. The OVAs aired on Adult Swim, along with the rest of the series. The so-called TV ending wasn't meant to be a true ending in the first place--it just kind of stops, basically. Episode 26 was the last episode to actually air on television in Japan, but the four OVA episodes (27 through 30), which were direct-to-video in Japan, were in fact shown on AS. If you watched it there, you shouldn't have missed them. If you were buying the DVDs, those episodes are found on volume 7, as was mentioned a little further up in the thread. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Meggido]The final four episodes would be the OAV though. acording to the site below the main series has 26 episodes and the OAV has 4. [url]http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1806[/url][/QUOTE] Well... the OVA is completely contiguous with the series. For practical purposes, it's easier to just treat it as "the final four episodes" and leave it at that. ~Dagger~

Just saw 21. Once again, I watched it raw. Fortunately, that didn't prevent me from picking up on the best HiME/Otome line ever: [spoiler][i]Kyou no wa chotto omoshiroukatta desu ne?[/i][/spoiler] I was laughing so hard, I actually had to stop the episode. [QUOTE=Raiyuu][font=Trebuchet MS]Looking forward to [spoiler]Mikoto[/spoiler]'s reappearance next episode... [/font][/QUOTE] [spoiler]Typically enough, that ended up being one big tease. Some extra stuff was revealed, though: the short scene with the real Mikoto afterward made it seem as if she's controlling a variety of proxies. Her location is a mystery, at least to me. I have a hunch that she and Mai will make their grand debut together.[/spoiler] This was not an action-heavy installment. But it did serve to confirm my belief that Mashiro is the real heroine of the series. [spoiler]The title "White Princess, Moment of Awakening" was apt indeed. I also liked the scene in which Arika kissed her ring and said "Yes, Master!" for the first time. Trust the HiME creators to turn such a stock, silly maid-show staple into something touching. Plus, Aoi lives! That's what I'm assuming, anyway. And Mimi dies rather abruptly. RIP Mimi; to be honest, I never liked you that much to begin with...[/spoiler] [spoiler][url=http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=maisama5pg.jpg][u]*hyperventilates*[/u][/url] Somehow, it's perfect for her to be carrying a cooking ladle. I sincerely hope that her appearance is not just another instance of a HiME/Otome preview being deliberately misleading.[/spoiler] [spoiler][i]Horobi no Uta[/i], huh?[/spoiler] Bring it on, I say. ~Dagger~

[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/DaggerIX1/ritsuka.jpg][u]Here's mine...[/u][/url] Hopefully my circle isn't too misshapen, haha. If it doesn't align with Boo's blue fragment, let me know so I can go back and fix it. ~Dagger~

There appear to be [url=http://www.funimationfilms.com/][u]theatrical plans[/u][/url] for Basilisk. Funi still hasn't coughed up the details yet, though, so who knows how many people it'll actually affect. But it would be beyond awesome to watch even part of this show on the big screen. I also want to see Shinobi. The Japanese release has English subs, but I think I'm going to wait on it, as it seems like something that will get licensed sooner or later (and it's kind of pricey anyway). On a related note, the first volume of the manga will come out in May, under Del Rey's new mature line. ~Dagger~

No, not the myO kind. :p [url=http://www.designchronicle.com/memento/][u]Here's[/u][/url] a good example of what I'm referring to. Most of the better-known anime blogs cover whatever's currently airing in Japan, although plenty of them branch out in other directions, touching on subjects like American anime DVDs, anime-related games, etc. They're a great source of information. I was curious as to whether others here read anime blogs regularly (and if so, why? Which ones do you follow?). [url=http://blogsuki.com/][u]blog好き (blogsuki)[/u][/url] is a great resource, and it's well worth checking out if you're curious about this sort of thing. Not all entries are 100% worksafe, but you can usually tell from the title. ~Dagger~

Haha, yeah, that hitchhiking scene was golden. I have just one thing to say about episode 20 (the linked image contains spoilers, of course): [url=http://img124.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ep209jg.jpg][u]OH NO SHE DIDN'T![/u][/url] Also, [spoiler]Nina's first meeting with Sergei[/spoiler] was finally shown in full, along with what seems like confirmation that [spoiler]she was the capsule baby.[/spoiler] But at this point, who knows what that really means... I didn't like how the whole [spoiler]sand monster[/spoiler] thing played out. It kind of crossed the line in terms of being a ridiculously obvious plot device. It would have worked much better, as far as I'm concerned, if [spoiler]Arika had stayed at the village, witnessed Fia's attack, and ended up fighting out of concern for the other people there. [/spoiler] After seeing the episode 21 preview (in which [spoiler]un-shadowed, human Mikoto makes her first appearance,[/spoiler] by the way), I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that [spoiler]Chie will kick the bucket in the next few episodes.[/spoiler] We'll see. :animedepr Episodes 25 & 26 will be aired as a double. But this doesn't change the fact that [spoiler]the writers really need to hurry up and introduce the rest of the characters in the second OP.[/spoiler] Besides, [spoiler]Nao[/spoiler] still needs her Meister Robe. ~Dagger~

I watched the first episode or so way back when it originally began airing, and doing so made me decide to wait for it to come out in America. I was convinced that it was going to be good, and since it was obviously going to swim over here sooner or later... Anyway, I also caught a few random episodes when I was in Japan this past summer. I was actually surprised (in a good way) by how surreal they were, as well as by the continued high quality of the visuals--this is probably the most slick and attractive BONES anime yet. Since I missed everything in between, I won't be able to say much about the series until volume 1 comes out in April. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it, though. :) ~Dagger~

Welcome to OB. :) If you'd like to continue discussing your favorite characters (or anything else related to Naruto), please post in our official [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=37457&page=54&pp=15][u]Naruto thread[/u][/url]. Also, try to keep in mind that we ask members to explain their choices--that is, don't just post a simple list--when it comes to topics like this. That really helps discourage spam. Feel free to private message me or one of the other staff members if you have any questions. Thanks! Thread closed. ~Dagger~

For a show whose first episode disappointed me and whose protagonist I despise, I'm enjoying this rather more than I should be... Fate/stay night, like Tsukihime, is based on an ero-game by Type-Moon. The plot mainly deals with one cycle of a periodic war for the Holy Grail. Seven legendary heroes and warriors from throughout history are revived as the Servants of seven magic-using Masters. One of the most interesting aspects is finding out just who each Servant used to be. So part of the show is serious, with destructive and well-animated battles between different Servants--and the rest is your typical harem comedy type of stuff. The Servants and Masters thus far, in approximate order of introduction: 1. [spoiler]Rin and Archer.[/spoiler] 2. [spoiler]An unknown Master and Lancer (the Celtic warrior Cúchulainn).[/spoiler] 3. [spoiler]Shirou and Saber. Saber has been identified as a (possibly Arthurian?) knight, but her true name remains unknown.[/spoiler] 4. [spoiler]Illya and Berserker (a rather unattractive Hercules/Herakles).[/spoiler] 5. [spoiler]Shinji and Rider.[/spoiler] 6. [spoiler]The woman at the temple and an unnamed Servant.[/spoiler] 7. ?? At the point I've watched to, there are two unknown Masters and one unnamed Master, along with one unknown Servant and one unnamed Servant. [spoiler]Shinji told Shirou that there are four Masters at school, which means that one has yet to be accounted for. This could be either Lancer's Master (that's what I'm thinking; a student seems more likely to be "cowardly" than an outsider) or a member of a completely new pair.[/spoiler] Fate/stay night's best point is that it has a number of interesting, strong female characters. The male characters (especially Archer) aren't half bad, either--aside from Shirou, for whom I continue to nurture a healthy dislike. Rin and Saber should band together to kick him out of the series; idealism and conviction aren't necessarily negative traits, but when accompanied by persistent idiocy, they become nigh intolerable. ~Dagger~