Dagger

[CENTER][B][I]Round 2, Match 4: Ozymandius Jones vs. Kitty[/I] [/B] [/CENTER] [B]Date Due:[/B] Tuesday, October 18 [B]Dimensions:[/B] 600 x 130 [B]Theme:[/B] Miracles Once you have posted your submission (fulfilling the mentioned criteria), other members will vote on your work. We permit those who are participating in the tournament to vote as well. There will be no poll option ? you will be required to post a paragraph at least four sentences in length, explaining why you voted the way you did. If you fail to type a complete paragraph, your vote will not be counted, and you will receive a PM saying so. I will count & tally votes. Thank you very much for participating. Good luck! ~Dagger~

[CENTER][I][B]Round 2, Match 3: Doc vs. Deucalion[/B][/I][/CENTER] [B] Date Due:[/B] Tuesday, October 18 [B] Dimensions: [/B] 350 x 500 [B]Theme: [/B] The Language Barrier Once you have posted your submission (fulfilling the mentioned criteria), other members will vote on your work. We permit those who are participating in the tournament to vote as well. There will be no poll option ? you will be required to post a paragraph at least four sentences in length, explaining why you voted the way you did. If you fail to type a complete paragraph, your vote will not be counted, and you will receive a PM saying so. I will count & tally votes. Thank you very much for participating. Good luck! ~Dagger~

[CENTER][I][B]Round 2, Match 2: Sean vs. Baron Samedi[/B][/I][/CENTER] [B]Date Due: [/B] Tuesday, October 18 [B] Dimensions:[/B] 800 x 600 [B]Theme:[/B] Ennui Once you have posted your submission (fulfilling the mentioned criteria), other members will vote on your work. We permit those who are participating in the tournament to vote as well. There will be no poll option ? you will be required to post a paragraph at least four sentences in length, explaining why you voted the way you did. If you fail to type a complete paragraph, your vote will not be counted, and you will receive a PM saying so. I will count & tally votes. Thank you very much for participating. Good luck! ~Dagger~

[CENTER][I][B]Round 2, Match 1: Revue vs. Retribution[/B][/I][/CENTER] [B]Date Due:[/B] Tuesday, October 18 [B]Dimensions:[/B] 600 x 400 [B] Theme:[/B] Great Literature Once you have posted your submission (fulfilling the mentioned criteria), other members will vote on your work. We permit those who are participating in the tournament to vote as well. There will be no poll option ? you will be required to post a paragraph at least four sentences in length, explaining why you voted the way you did. If you fail to type a complete paragraph, your vote will not be counted, and you will receive a PM saying so. I will count & tally votes. Thank you very much for participating. Good luck! ~Dagger~

Yeah, I hate that they bumped it back. Maybe they'll at least include song subs... oh, wait, it's Viz we're talking about here. No chance. I'm still hoping they'll speed up the prospective release schedule--I mean, at the pace they have set up (about one disc every three months), it'll be around five years before the whole series comes out. By then, Blu-Ray or HD-DVD will probably have taken hold. :animedepr Well, either way, December 27th will be a happy day indeed. EDIT: I have March 28th listed as the volume 2 release date... I think that came from ANN as well. ~Dagger~

I like the Sailor Moon bag in the corner. :animesmil Are you going to wear a tiara? ~Dagger~

Um, someone from something who has long dark hair, I guess. :p I've gotten a little tired of people telling me to be Arwen, though. At the same time, anime-related cosplay is just so not my thing. (If I ever magically got my hands on a costume for Dagger/Garnet of FFIX, I would be tempted to reconsider, but that's the sole exception.) Two friends and I did consider cross-dressing as the Three Stooges... ~Dagger~

Gravitation was considered complete at 12 volumes, but Maki Murakami recently started creating new chapters for some kind of web publication. Anyway, the really cool part is that you can download the first issue of said publication (July 2005), [b]legally and in English[/b]. Just click [url=http://www.gentosha-comics.net/genzo-e/][u]here[/u][/url]. Because it's a promotional thing, it's free, although obviously all the following issues cost money. The translations are credited to Digital Manga, which seems to raise the interesting possibility that DMP might license Gravitation 2. We'll see... Anyway, in chapter 55 (or, rather, chapter 1), it's revealed that [spoiler]Yuki Kitazawa actually had a young son.[/spoiler] Talk about starting off with a bang. Personally, I think it's just an excuse for Ms. Murakami to re-use the cutest character design in Gamerz Heaven, haha. ;) ~Dagger~

[quote name='EVA Unit 100']Fafter has acceptable animation but the fact they reuse most of the character designs from Gundam SEED and other shows bugs me a bit. Good, but not nearly as visually inventive as Avatar and TT's best moments.[/quote] Yeah, but that's Hisashi Hirai's fault, not Xebec's. :p When Fafner first came out, a lot of people said stuff like, "The only advantage it has over Eva & Rah is its animation." I found (and still find) that incredibly funny, because I think both Evangelion and RahXephon look sooo much better despite being older series (maybe because Hirai's designs have always irked me)--and I'm a big fan of Fafner. It's not a bad-looking show, though, except for the tiny character art inconsistencies from episode to episode... those drive me [i]crazy[/i]. I guess it's a hallmark of how much I like it that I can stand to watch it again, despite being able to identify each episode's director after a few seconds of footage. :animesigh As for Bee Train: I have some bones to pick with them, but in terms of smoothness of movement they're actually quite good. In some of their series there isn't actually that much movement going on, haha (too many eye pans & etc.), but when the characters do move it's usually very slick looking. This tendency seems to have become pronounced over time, because it's not apparent in Noir or what I recall of .hack//SIGN, but you can see it pretty clearly in stuff like Madlax, Avenger and even Meine Liebe. (The latter is an especially good example--half the show is just bishounen posing, but when the characters do walk around it's very fluid, even if it's only for short bursts between prolonged conversations.) ~Dagger~

[quote name='Killer7']Better character design, smoother movement transtion, and better at showing emotion are qualities pretty much every anime on your list posess. I have seen alot of hics in shows like Teen Titans and Avatar just from seeing around 2 episodes.[/quote] I have to contest this. It's simply the objective truth that most American animation is much, much smoother than virtually all anime series (movies are more even). One of the qualities that people used to cite when describing anime is actually its distinctive jerkiness--although personally that irks me a bit, as it's not something that really applies across the board, and it sounds more negative than it really is. Characters designs and being better at showing emotion are another thing entirely (especially given the wide range of both expressiveness and art style present in anime). But American animation--whether it reflects some of the stylistic conventions of anime or not--wins the smoothness category, hands down. Is some of this due to simpler character designs & less money spent on backgrounds? Probably. But that doesn't change the fact. ~Dagger~

Er... I don't read too many comedy manga, but I guess I'd have to go with [b]From Eroica With Love[/b]. Some parts of it are really pretty hysterical, although it helps to be familiar with the characters' quirks. Maki Murakami (Gravitation, Kanpai, Gamerz Heaven) goes overboard from time to time, but so far all of her series have managed to startle me into laughter. ~Dagger~

Maybe I'm missing something (I did read it quickly), but I don't see any flaming going on in the thread to which you linked. I also don't see how it's lacking in discussion, compared to other current OL topics. It's fine if you have no interest in the religious affiliations of other members here; I'm sure many people just couldn't care less. However, the criticisms you've leveled at this particular topic could just as easily be aimed at, say, "Nerds, Goths, Punks..." (which is frankly much sillier). Or if it's heated posts that concern you most, what about politically charged threads? Compared to stuff like evolution and homosexual marriage, things dealing strictly with religion itself aren't really hot-button issues here, at least not in my experience. I'm just having some trouble understanding your position. ~Dagger~

Honestly, this thread is just not up to the standard of quality we try to promote at OtakuBoards. The original poster's message basically invites members to post lists of anime they consider to be weird--which might be interesting enough in a certain context, but isn't appropriate here, as it doesn't really foster discussion. If you have any questions, you're welcome to send a private message my way. Thanks. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Alright, folks, just wanted to mention that I'm planning to start the second round this weekend (most likely tomorrow night or Saturday morning), and that I'll post an updated bracket image once one has been created. :) ~Dagger~

Oh, sure. It's not a concern for me personally--I like to think that I strike a pretty good balance between anime and everything else, and I've always figured that going way overboard would just end up ruining my enjoyment of the stuff. I don't believe one can come up with some kind of universal litmus test to determine when too much is too much, though. What's right for one person is going to be unhealthy for another. ~Dagger~

I'm flattered. :animeshy: Here's my contribution: Sana from Kodocha. [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24569&stc=1[/IMG] The second attachment shows what she normally looks like... just for reference, haha. ~Dagger~

Yeah, it's high time for this thread to be locked. I'm removing both of the images from the OP's posts, as there's no way to know who they should really be attributed to. Allow me to emphasize once again that plagiarism is not tolerated here. Posting stolen fanart is a betrayal of not only the original creator, but also your own talent and the members of this forum. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

It just started airing this October. My-HiME began around the same time last year. And as you requested... [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24562&stc=1[/IMG] The three leads--from left to right, it's Nina, Arika and Mashiro. Mashiro is holding Mikoto, who happens to be a cat. [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24563&stc=1[/IMG] Another cast shot. The returning characters are (again from left to right) Akane, Chie, Shiho and Nao. [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24564&stc=1[/IMG] Haruka, of course. Notice that in My-Otome she appears to be very powerful (possibly as powerful as Shizuru). [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24565&stc=1[/IMG] Natsuki. I have to say that I really like her new hairstyle. [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24566&stc=1[/IMG] Meister Shizuru preparing to battle it out with a mecha. ~Dagger~

No. As I stated in the first sentence of my original post, I'm talking about an [b]alternate universe version[/b] of My-HiME. You may to prefer to think of it as a sequel. Either way, My-Otome is a somewhat similar series that takes My-HiME's characters and re-casts them in new roles in a different world. The staff of both series have compared this to casting familiar actors in different parts. If you enjoyed My-HiME--and you certainly sound like a fan--you should [i]definitely[/i] give My-Otome a look (so far only the first episode has aired, though). Half the fun is seeing what's different and what's the same. The three main characters of My-Otome are Arika (who has a cameo in [spoiler]the final episode[/spoiler] of My-HiME), Nina (whose distinctive hairstyle can be seen in the first still frame of the My-HiME ED sequence) and Mashiro. I can post some screenshots if anyone's interested. :) ~Dagger~

If you'd like to discuss RuroKen, please post in the official Rurouni Kenshin thread. It can be found by browsing the conveniently alphabetized "Directory" sticky topic. (I believe the OVAs are listed under "Samurai X.") Also, please keep in mind that OB places a strong emphasis on post quality--for example, [b]wayofthereversed[/b], when asking a simple question (as in your first post), the least you can do is tack on the proper punctuation at the end. Feel free to private message me or one of the other staff members if you have any questions. Thanks. Thread closed. ~Dagger~

~28 episodes in two days. What a ride! Overall, I completely loved Chapter Black. I'm pretty depressed that there are now less than twenty episodes left--I just hope the final arc doesn't feel too compressed, although it'll be a while before I get to see it (I hope they announce a box set soon). Amusingly, my main quibbles about Chapter Black were corrected as it went along. For example, at one point I remember thinking to myself: "The fights here are fantastic, but I wish it wasn't so Yusuke-centric." And then [spoiler]he DIED.[/spoiler] Talk about wish fulfillment. :animeswea The tying-up-loose-ends portion of the story could have stood to be a little less "everything's coming up roses," but I guess it was a necessary antidote to Sensui's moral murkiness. The tragic moments, like [spoiler]Yusuke's death and Game Master's death,[/spoiler] were handled very well. The transformation in Hiei's attitude toward the other characters is more apparent here than in any other part of the show. One of my favorite little details was during the aftermath, when [spoiler]Hiei fell asleep from exhaustion and Kuwabara (!!) was shown toting him around on his back.[/spoiler] In fact, I'm left with only one major complaint--I felt that Itsuki was really underused. I mean, if you think about it, he's quite possibly even crazier than Sensui. I would have loved [spoiler]to see him fight (think of what Elfen Lied's Lucy can do with four extra arms, and imagine what he could do with six!).[/spoiler] Also, in relation to Sensui, I wish [spoiler]his other personalities had been explored more thoroughly. Like the girl, haha.[/spoiler] What it boils down to is that Chapter Black would've been [i]perfect[/i] if they had one or two flashback episodes focusing just on Sensui and Itsuki. Having Itsuki narrate the backstory was cool too, but I'm really curious about how he dealt with [spoiler]the emergence of Sensui's other personalities after the Black Black Club incident, as well as what the dynamic between them was like before that.[/spoiler] One last remark--did anyone else think Sensui's [spoiler]"sacred armor"[/spoiler] was a major tip of the hat to Saint Seiya? ~Dagger~

About Kano and Minagi (spoilers up to the end): [spoiler]Yes, you're right in that both of them found happiness. They have cameos in the final episode, but not much more--just enough to show that they're doing well.[/spoiler] ~Dagger~

Three times straight? That's mind-boggling, haha. I'm starting to see why everyone praises Chapter Black so much. I mean, I've always been one to tout Togashi as a master of this stuff, but the whole concept of [spoiler]the videotape[/spoiler] is just brilliantly [i]devious[/i]. [spoiler]Doctor[/spoiler] made a fabulous minor villian--I noticed the animation style got pretty creative in the episodes featuring him, so it wasn't too surprising to see Akiyuki Shinbo's name in the credits. I just love the darkness of this arc. Like the scene in which [spoiler]Gourmet swallowed Toguro's head[/spoiler]--now that made me shudder. I'm about to see episode 77, which [spoiler]apparently explains Sensui's past,[/spoiler] so needless to say, I'm really psyched. :animesmil ~Dagger~

Personally, I think it has to do more with the fact that disasters like this are almost beyond our ability to comprehend. Pictures, articles, even video clips--they capture part of what's going on but not all of it, and I think we ourselves unconsciously don't want to understand it. It doesn't help that people are used to reading about catastrophes in which thousands die--in a historical context. When you're living safe and secure on the other side of the world, something like this may seem about as immediate as an earthquake that happened fifty years ago. I think we should try to care, even if it doesn't have the emotional impact on us that we expect tens of thousands of deaths to have. I don't think it's right to accept feeling blase about it as the ordinary status quo. But at the same time, I don't think being unable to weep over your newspaper makes you a bad person. ~Dagger~

[quote name='EVA Unit 100']However, I think the word "half-anime" might apply to co-productions between American and Japanese companies.[/quote] Mm... I disagree. I don't think you were trying to imply that American money "taints" anime, but that's sort of the impression people are inevitably going to come away with. Kino's Journey, for example, was funded in part by ADV, but other than that there's absolutely nothing to distinguish it from the rest of what I'd normally call anime. It just seems pretty arbitrary, like labeling a series 4/5 (or whatever) anime because most of the non-key frames were done in Korea. The term (though I see no need for it) does apply slightly better to stuff like The Animatrix, at least parts of which are very obviously a fusion of Eastern and Western stylistic conventions. Of course I hesitate to define anything by artwork or style, so that's about as far as I'd be willing to take it. ~Dagger~