Dagger

Wow, it's been ages since I saw this film. I'm not sure why you (meaning the original poster) would be offended by the suggestion that Boondock Saints is a cult movie. Unless you were trying to say that your friend told you it was a cult movie and also said it was horrible, or that he thought it was horrible because it seemed like a cult movie. Your original sentence is sort of unclear, heh, and just left me with the impression that you think the term "cult movie" is some kind of awful insult. Which it isn't. ~Dagger~

Wha...? There's a reason (several, actually) that FUNimation is rapidly becoming one of my favorite R1 companies. I can assure you that all the FMA DVDs will be bilingual and fully uncut--as a matter of fact, as far as I know the Adult Swim version has been virtually untouched. ~Dagger~

It's not canon, if that's what you're asking (in which case you already provided the most reasonable answer to your own question, heh). Their friendship receives less of an emphasis than one might think, given how popular the pairing is. I'm not complaining, though--Yu Yu Hakusho has a wee bit of canon shounen-ai here and there, if I recall correctly (involving different characters, of course), and that's much more than most blockbuster fighting series will ever have to offer. ~Dagger~

If one goes into [b]X: The Movie[/b] expecting anything other than empty eye-candy, he or she is bound to be sorely disappointed. That's how I feel about it, in any case. Even the twenty-four episode television series left out a lot of material (although it's still excellent); it truly astonishes me that someone thought they could condense such a sprawling, complex story into a single film. ~Dagger~

[quote name='Black Moon']Now, before you start getting my brain all jellied, when you're saying "yaoi" are you actually meaning "yaoi" or are you actually meaning "shounen-ai"?[/quote] Both. I understand the need for some kind of distinction. However, given that those terms are pretty much obsolete, I tend to use them loosely, and will probably keep doing so until "boys' love" catches on among English-speaking fans. [quote]Yuri/shoujo-ai doesn't really apeal to [i]me[/i], but I'm not against other people reading/watching it. (After all, if I (a girl) can watch two boys kiss and enjoy it, who am I to say a boy (or another girl) can't watch two girls?)[/QUOTE] I really wish more people had this attitude. The fandom would be a much nicer place if only everyone could just get along. :animesigh ~Dagger~

[quote name='AzureWolf][COLOR=blue']To paraphrase too many people to count, I've heard that Mai Hime finally stops sucking as of episode 20. Is this true? All I've seen is a picture and, having never seen any of the series, it makes no sense to me. Spoilers are fine by me for this anime. And how much influence does Yuki Kajiura have on the music?[/COLOR][/quote] Episode 20 proved that almost no one in Mai-Hime is safe. A character who pretty much everyone figured would be invincible (not in terms of physical prowess or anything, but rather because that person played a rather important role in the story) was killed off. Of course, this doesn't rule out the possibility of a "reset" ending. At the same time, it also means that the remaining characters will all have to face a lot of pain and mental torment before things come to a head. The protagonist has [spoiler]lost every single person she loves, and now has virtually nothing left.[/spoiler] Keep in mind that the more shocking plot twists will be much less, well, shocking if you spoil yourself for them. And I thought it stopped "sucking" around episode 8, so I guess you should take my opinion with a grain of salt. :animeswea You'll definitely recognize the music as being Ms. Kajiura's work, I think (especially during the more dramatic/serious scenes). At the same time, it's distinctive enough to be interesting. ~Dagger~

How much of the anime were you able to see? And I agree; Mai's awesome. :catgirl: Things have gotten absolutely insane in the past few episodes. Ever since the beginning of the [spoiler]"Battle Royale"[/spoiler] arc, Mai-Hime has become increasingly dark, serious and brutal. [spoiler]Main characters are dying right and left, and the survivors seem to be either a) going crazy or b) already there.[/spoiler] I'm not totally pleased with how certain aspects of the story have unfolded--for example, I really, really wish that [spoiler]Shizuru hadn't suddenly become a psychotic psuedo-rapist a la Chikane from Kannduki no Miko; I much preferred her when she was cool, collected and playful. Now I don't feel as if I can fully support her (rather one-sided) relationship with Natsuki.[/spoiler] Why can't anime lesbians ever be nice, [I]normal[/I] girls? I guess that under regular circumstances, [spoiler]Yukino[/spoiler] would sort of qualify as "normal," but lately she's developed some serious mental issues of her own... :animesigh If nothing else, Mai-Hime has managed to be virtually unpredictable--a real accomplishment, given how it mish-mashes various genres and goes out of its way to encompass numerous anime cliches. This show has totally exceeded my expectations. Now if only Aoi & Chie were given more screentime, it would be close to perfect. ~Dagger~

I have not played Castlevania, so I'm just going to mention some of the vampire anime I've enjoyed. That having been said... My favorite vampire-related anime is the film [b]Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust[/b], which features character designs by Yoshitaka Amano (of Final Fantasy fame). The story is strong and the animation is superb. For a single stand-alone movie, it also manages to feel rather epic (and this is helped along by the lavish visuals). One possible point of interest: the novels upon which the film (as well as its predecessor, Vampire Hunter D) is based are going to start coming out in English sometime this summer. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading them; the prose is supposedly very elegant. The four-part [b]Vampire Princess Miyu OVA[/b] is episodic, but it's incredibly atmospheric and a great example of older animation (it dates back to 1988). The enigmatic title character and her masked servant are anime icons. However, you should avoid the more recent television series at all costs; it has moments of brilliance but is ultimately forgettable and sloppily put together. Even though you're obviously not looking for a comedy, consider taking a gander at the [b]Master of Mosquiton OVA[/b] when it comes out on DVD this July. Like Miyu, it too was followed by a comparatively awful TV anime. But the OVA itself is great, and a bit longer as well (with six full episodes). As for more recent shows, [b]Lunar Legend Tsukihime[/b] has a strong over-arching plot and fantastic characters. It may not be exactly what you have in mind (it's quite untraditional in terms of how it deals with vampire mythology, for example). Despite that, you might want to give it a chance, as it's an excellent series in its own right. Like the other anime I've mentioned, it's pretty short, with only twelve episodes. ~Dagger~

A little while ago you created a topic very similar to this one. Solo merged it with the thread found [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=45457&page=3][u]here[/u][/url], which is still an active discussion and basically covers the same ground as your post. So feel free to post there if you'd like to explore the subject further. Thanks! Thread closed. ~Dagger~

Based on what little I know about Magna Carta, I can't tell whether it's a Korean PC game, a Japanese console game, or (as is starting to seem likely) both. So I moved this thread from the Anime Lounge, but I'll let the Play It mods decide where the topic should ultimately end up. :animeswea ~Dagger~

Wow, it's really starting this Saturday? How time flies... I don't know much about Zatch Bell, other than the fact that it's a comedic action series (or is it?). So I'm not terribly excited about seeing the first episode, but I guess I'll watch it all the same. If I recall correctly, Zatch Bell was one of the first anime licensed directly by ShoPro, so fans of Naruto might have something of a vested interest in seeing how it turns out. And I still find it incredibly amusing that they changed the title. :animeswea ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards. ^_^ I'm not totally certain that you understand how posting works here. To help remedy this, I suggest that you read the site's [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?][u]Rules[/u][/url] and [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/faq.php?][u]FAQ[/u][/url]. There's no need to ask those who read your topics to private message you with their responses; it's possible for any member to publicly reply to a thread. Additionally, if you would like to discuss Inuyasha couples or anything else related to the series, feel free to read/post [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=39612&page=52&pp=15][u]here[/u][/url]; it's the forum's official Inuyasha topic. And as always, you're welcome to private message me or one of the other members of the staff if you have questions or concerns. Thanks! Thread closed. ~Dagger~

[quote name='EVA Unit 100']OK, there's this guy at my school. I'm not completely sure that I have a crush on him, but there's a very high chance that I do. Obviously there's almost no chance he'd have any interest in me. How should I tell him about my feelings (if I even should) without freaking him out?[/quote] That depends on how well you know him. When I'm interested in someone (regardless of gender) I try to befriend him/her first. Granted, I'm a pretty cautious person in general, but I'd rather be in a position where I can at least trust the other party not to suddenly become a complete jerk. Proximity has a tendency to make crushes fade. If you hang around him for a while longer, there's a good chance you may discover things about him that would make your attraction fade. Of course, the reverse is also a possibility. Just try to be more certain of your feelings before you start contemplating confessing and so forth. No need to rush things, right? ^_^ ~Dagger~

As reported by ANN... [quote]For ratings purposes, Turner Broadcast will split Adult Swim's from Cartoon Network at the end of this month. The split will see two separate networks, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, carried on the same cable channels at different times of the day. Ratings tracking firm Nielson will begin classifying Adult Swim as a separate network on Monday, March 28th. The move will improve Adult Swim's appearance in ratings comparisons, the new network will be #1 in its time period on basic cable among adults 18-34, with 11 of the top 50 ad-supported cable programs among adults 18-34.[/quote] This is an interesting--if not entirely unexpected--decision, and will no doubt help Adult Swim continue to establish more of a presence. Of course it ultimately won't have much of an effect on the actual viewer, but it's sometime to keep in mind in case ratings become a topic of discussion in the future. ~Dagger~

[quote name='zensho']Having said that, give me my Gravitation and Ai no Kusabi anytime![/quote] Oh, I'm so happy you mentioned this. Ai no Kusabi is quite simply the best yaoi anime ever made. :catgirl: Really, though, Ai no Kusabi is far better than it has any right to be, and it's one of the few titles that can almost be called a yaoi classic. Not only that, it's more than capable of holding its own against comparable mainstream titles. It has everything: incredible artwork & animation, great characters and a very rich and detailed setting. It's just too bad that so few people seem to have seen it. ~Dagger~

[quote name='maladjusted][color=darkslateblue']Full Metal Alchemist? I think I obsess over every scene that even show Roy and Ed in the same room.[/color][/quote] Hahaha, I feel so [i]dirty[/i] for being fond of that particular pairing. But as Sukisho's full title goes... "Sukina Mono wa Suki Dakara Shouganai!!" :animesmil [quote name='GTK']But a Spoiler free summary would be much loved~ *heart*[/quote] The main character, Takaya, is a tough but otherwise ordinary high-schooler. Things start to change when he meets Naoe, a mysterious businessman-type who informs him that he's the reincarnation of the feudal lord Kagetora, who committed suicide centuries ago. It turns out that he, Naoe and several other acquaintences are all nobles who have been reincarnating for time immemorial, with the sole goal of fighting out their unfinished battles and grappling for control of the so-called "Feudal Underworld." As a result, Mirage of Blaze has quite a bit of action, and the main characters have to exorcise a lot of errant spirits. There are hundreds of years of history between Naoe, Kagetora and the other principal cast members. As a result, the relationships are very, very complicated. The fact that the show is based on a series of yaoi novels doesn't become apparent until about halfway through, when suddenly all hell breaks loose and some revelations are made that will totally change one's perception of the characters. Bear in mind that Mirage of Blaze can get extremely dark & angsty (though it handles this aspect of the story well), so you should avoid it if that's not your cup of tea. It's a great anime, but it'll leave an ache in your chest. The OVA takes place some time after the TV show; however, it's not much more than a simple sidestory. It's worth seeing just for the amazing battle sequences, which have much better animation than those in the television series. Oh, and it also features a certain now-infamous [spoiler]"hotel"[/spoiler] scene... [quote]Randomly, I ran off and watched Uta Kata and Kannaduki no Miko... Uta Kata is way too cute for me *dies* But Kannaduki no Miko isn't too bad (haha, I've only seen one episode though) so much thanks for mentioning them~[/QUOTE] You're very welcome. :catgirl: While following Uta~Kata, I was quite surprised to see the underlying darkness kick into full gear. I can't remember when [spoiler]Ichika's eyes first turned red,[/spoiler] but it was definitely a big turning point in terms of the show's development. After all the sleazy yet strangely endearing transformation sequences (or maybe it's their sleaziness that makes them endearing?) and neat story resolutions, the last thing I'd been expecting was that kind of plot twist. There are some [spoiler]crucifixion-style[/spoiler] scenes later on in the show, and the episode storylines start to focus a lot on Ichika's [spoiler]self-loathing and mental torment.[/spoiler] And of course there's the fact that [spoiler]two of the four main characters basically die.[/spoiler] Uta~Kata happens to be extremely deceptive in a number of regards, but it isn't that much cuter than, say, Narutaru or Elfen Lied. :animeswea It'll be interesting to see what you think of Kannaduki no Miko's storyline. That show just goes all over the place, heh. ~Dagger~

I recently had the pleasure of reading the first volume of [b]Gamerz Heaven[/b], the latest manga from Maki Murakami (the creator of Gravitation). Gamerz Heaven is being published by ADV Manga; as of now, I believe that only three volumes have been released in Japan. Anyway, I absolutely love this series. It's simply amazing how far Ms. Murakami has come since she first started Gravitation, and Gamerz Heaven showcases her unique talents. It's an incredible improvement over Gravitation in pretty much every aspect imaginable, from artwork to humor to writing. The artwork in particular is just breathtaking; there were glimpses of this particular style in the later volumes of Gravitation, but here she's honed it and developed it into something unique. All the girls are exquisitely cute; they look as though they could have walked out of a bishoujo game. The male characters are a little more familiar--Rush is basically an Eiri Yuki clone, and one of the protagonist's friends looks just like Tatsuha. But the protagonist himself--Kaito Suzuki--bears more of a resemblance to Hikaru from Hikaru no Go than any one of Murakami's previous characters. And the designs are original when it really counts; the Navigator, one of the key male characters, is unnervingly adorable and doesn't look like anyone from Gravitation. There's also more at stake here than in Gravitation--human lives are caught up in the titular videogame, and Murakami conveys the pathos of that nicely while infusing everything with her signature exuberant comedy. Her characters' SD expressions are still the funniest I've ever seen. Best of all, the story does not come across as being a .hack rip-off. The premise may sound similar (i.e. events in a game affecting the real world) but Gamerz Heaven approaches it from a totally different angle. For those of you wondering whether this manga is also a boys' love title... well, I have no idea. Kaito commits himself to playing Gamerz Heaven because he wants to save the Navigator. There are several hysterical jokes about the fact that the Navigator is absurdly cute; after he shyly thanks Kaito for giving him a name, Kaito is shown with "MOE~~~!!" drawn all over his face. There are definitely some undertones there, but I don't think they'll be the main focus. However, yaoi fans might be interested in knowing that Murakami has drawn Gamerz Heaven "remixes," much like she did for Gravitation... I strongly recommend Gamerz Heaven not only to anyone who enjoyed even a single page of Gravitation, but also to people who are looking for a fun action/comedy series with some nice mystery and great artwork. It's awesome. :catgirl: ~Dagger~

Ever played a game called "Lumberjack"? I'm sure it has other names, but that's the one I know it by. Anyway, Lumberjack involves wrapping your opponent's right hand in yours (as though the two of you are about to shake hands, only with your thumbs hooked tightly together). Using your free left arm (and everything attached to it, obviously), you then take turns walloping the exposed sides of each other's clenched-together fists--you smack the back of your opponent's hand, and he smacks the back of yours. This process continues until one player gives up, usually because his hand is a) frighteningly numb or b) turning purple. It's basically a test of one's ability to endure pointless pain. In conclusion, Lumberjack is a pretty stupid game. ~Dagger~

First of all, take a look at [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=45798][u]this[/u][/url] thread. The situation presented there is somewhat different, but I suspect you might find the responses interesting. To be honest, I don't think that your topic really belongs in this particular forum--true, it has to do with anime, yet ultimately it's a problem between you and your friend, which would probably fit in with the various types of relationship threads which usually go in the Otaku Lounge. Moreover, you seem to be open to the idea of discussing more general "poser problems," so I'm going to move this to the OL. Please private message me if you have any questions. ~Dagger~

Well, I finally got around to reading volume 1. In terms of artwork and writing, Angel Sanctuary pales in comparison to some of Kaori Yuki's other work (particularly Ludwig Kakumei and her superb shounen-ai one-shots). However, it's still very enjoyable, and I expect that the story probably improves as it goes along. Either way, Angel Sanctuary appeals to me more than X/1999, the other ultra-epic shoujo fantasy I was interested in buying, so I guess I'll stick with it for a few more volumes. So far, Kira is definitely my favorite character. In a manga that practically drips with melodrama and androgyny, he's refreshingly masculine and down-to-earth. His quiet obsession with Setsuna/Alexiel contrasts nicely with the over-the-top emotional outbursts of characters like Rosiel and even Setsuna himself. I can't wait to find out who Kira [i]really[/i] is. ~Dagger~

Welcome to OtakuBoards, Roxie. :animesmil First of all, it's great that you read the rules. However, introduction threads are not permitted. This isn't because we want to seem unfriendly; on the contrary, we'd like all members to feel welcome, regardless of how long they've been here. In fact, we strongly encourage new members to immediately begin participating in whichever threads/discussions happen to interest them most. Of course, you may also just continue browsing if you've like to get a better feel for the site before actively posting. Additionally, if there's any information about yourself that you want other members to know (such as the various facts you mentioned here), you can always put it in your signature. If you have questions or concerns, you're welcome to private message me or any other member of the staff. Thanks! Thread closed. ~Dagger~

While having an active imagination is a good thing, paying attention in class might not be a bad idea either. I can't really tell what you're trying to say here. The title sort of alarmed me, but your post isn't nearly as delusional (no offense intended, heh) as I had expected. On the one hand it would be sort of amusing to talk about how some of the more far-out characters (Goku is a good example in this case) would act/react when if they were plunked down into an everyday situation and forced to obey the ordinary laws governing physics, hair and so forth. At the same time I don't know whether or not that's the kind of discussion you were aiming for. So I guess some clarification would be appreciated. Oh, and you might find [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=640116][u]this[/u][/url] thread interesting... :animeswea ~Dagger~

[quote name='GTK']Yah for the Loveless site finally launching (or perhaps I'm just not paying attention T_T)[/quote] It launched pretty recently. I was so happy. :animesmil [quote]Possibly a bit random, but Bleach sort of hints at a girl/girl relationship (mostly with the girl *who's name I've forgotten* always trying to jump Orihime) Mostly there as a joke or something, I think (since Orihime totally doesn't get it and the girl is always getting the crap beat out of her by Orihime's friend... who's name I've also forgotten)... but it's there anyway. My boyfriend has been screaming for doujinshi with them in it, so I thought I'd point it out since it's currently pounded into my brain ^^;[/quote] Hehe, I'm a big fan of Orihime/Tatsuki (Tatsuki being her tough-looking best friend, not the over-enthusiastic girl with red hair). This sort of functions as a corollary to the fact that I'd rather see Ichigo get together with Rukia than Orihime. In one of the most recent episodes (19 or 20, I think) Orihime and Tatsuki had a really romantic (which is to say, it could have easily been interpreted that way) [spoiler]farewell[/spoiler] scene, when Orihime [spoiler]decided to go help Ichigo & company save Rukia.[/spoiler] It was very touching. [quote]Though has anyone here seen Mirage of Blaze? I've been eyeballing the box set and know like zip about it O_o[/QUOTE] I've seen the series as well as the three-episode OVA. The show is quite good overall, but it can be confusing; I had to do quite a bit of digging online before I found out exactly what happened [spoiler]between Naoe and Kagetora in Kagetora's most recent pre-Takaya incarnation.[/spoiler] Would you like me to provide a spoiler-free summary of the basic premise? ~Dagger~

[QUOTE=Priestess Kikyo][B]I'm glad that there will finally be some Yuri in Anime. I haven't seen any girl/girl pairings in Anime. I look forward to Uta~Kata.[/B][/QUOTE] Yeah, Uta~Kata is great. I hope it's licensed soon. It's not the kind of title I would normally go for, but it's superbly atmospheric and the emotions of the characters are developed with great subtlety and care. Episode 12 actually brought tears to my eyes, when [spoiler]Kai confessed to Sei (albeit much too late) and Manatsu said goodbye to Ichika.[/spoiler] Given the show's target audience, it was very daring and even admirable of the creators to include [spoiler]a male/male kiss.[/spoiler] There aren't too many licensed yuri anime, but I know [b]Steel Angel Kurumi[/b] has some yuri elements. Having not seen the series myself, I can't vouch for its quality. However, there's a pretty cheap collection available (which contains the entire show plus an OVA sequel, or something like that), so it might be worth looking into. If you happen to watch unlicensed anime, [b]Maria-sama ga Miteru[/b] (and the second season, [b]Maria-sama ga Miteru ~ Haru[/b]) would be one of my primary recommendations. I personally don't care for Kannaduki no Miko (or Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito, its spiritual predecessor); [i]shoujo[/i] yuri series are more up my alley than yuri aimed at males. But Kannaduki isn't a complete waste of time, provided that you can take a certain amount of cheesiness and don't mind seeing the main love triangle resolved by [spoiler]having the extremely kind and determined male lead totally lose out to a psychotic female rapist.[/spoiler] In fairness, he's not at all a token character, and so Kannaduki's writers at least deserve credit for that. And the robots are decently cool. [quote name='Cahoots34']Has anyone else noticed this pattern? If so, does it affect the choice of series you'll consider viewing?[/quote] I'm just as critical of clear-cut yaoi/yuri anime as I would be of a het romance series, if that's what you mean. But to be honest, I'll give pretty much anything that revolves around yaoi or yuri a chance. Of course, I may end up disliking it (as was the case with Kannaduki no Miko) or being bored to tears (there are several older yaoi OVAs that fall into this category). Ultimately the selection is small enough that I try to watch pretty much everything I can, though. Slashable-ness is fun, but after a while it gets a little frustrating. It'd help if you gave examples of the stereotypical romance series you dislike. Slightly off-topic: It just occurred to me that you would quite possibly love Soukyuu no Fafner. Ever heard of it? @Jung-Woo: Yep, Right Stuf is the company that licensed Gravitation TV & the OVA. ~Dagger~

I'm pretty sure I'm a casual gamer. :animedepr Given the scenario you provided and type of behavior you described, I think you need to find a different adjective for this sub-set of fans. Personally I don't feel that someone who beats a game in "a week or two" counts as a "casual" gamer. I mean, I turn on my PS2 once every couple of weeks--or maybe every other day, if I'm in the middle of a particularly interesting game. You also mentioned replaying games one has already beaten. I really don't understand this, because the majority of games aren't [i]worth[/i] replaying. I certainly wouldn't fault someone for trading in a game that he/she whipped through and found to be mildly entertaining, yet not good enough to keep. Besides, why should anyone have to track down rare games or buy gaming posters for the sake of being considered a real fan? I often see these kinds of complaints in the anime fandom, and frankly it sort of irks me. Casual gamers, casual anime watchers, casual movie-goers--pick any form of entertainment, and I can guarantee you that the "casual" fans will greatly outnumber the "hardcore" fans. This is not a negative thing, and it's certainly not something new. I understand that it aggravates you, but ultimately there's really not much you can do about it. As for the issue with graphics--well, that also has parallels to the anime industry. People happily snap up the latest shiny fanservice shows from GONZO while classic anime like Rose of Versailles and Legend of Galactic Heroes languish unlicensed. With videogames as well, older, less flashy titles won't sell much and may be very hard to find. Again, that's simply the way it is. You should feel fortunate that you've been exposed to the hidden gems which so-called casual fans may never get the chance to experience. Just my two cents. ~Dagger~