densuke

The very idea of starting this thread has little to do with a reasonable discussion. The inflammatory and provocative language is not balanced by anything which bears thinking about. If this thread is a reaction to some event which has taken place it is vital that a summary of the event in question be provided. I can see that some have answered the call to arms, but I don't see anything here but a bit of hotheadedness in search of more of the same.

The characters in BGC 2040 impressed me a lot, and to me the show is more about them than the plot or action. How about [b]ROD[/b]? Yomiko is rather windblown in the first two episodes of the OAV but she makes a big impact on the finale. And whatever she's about, it doesn't seem to have much to do with competing with or playing up to men... The TV show is more emphatic. The 3 main characters are a very strong team who manage to assert their independence from everything that happens in the show, and they give strength to the other characters. I don't see why being tough precludes falling in love, or wanting to... for either a man or a woman. [b]Yawara![/b] features and is named after a world-class judo wrestler who really wants to be more of a normal girl. She is honest and hard-working and nice to people. The story makes fun of her struggles and circumstances but treats Yawara respectfully.

I'll take Shinji Ikari anytime, over any other character. I like some other characters better but he is the best. I know him best and I remember him best. He is one of the most "human" characters I have ever seen in an anime series. Shinji's struggle to just be OK [i]says it all[/i] about what a lot of people go through at least once in life - whether they admit it or not. I respect his creators because they were willing to express themselves to others through him. I could say more but nobody reads these "what type am I" threads anyway...

I can think of quite a few game-based series I like better than this particular one. The OP sequence sets my teeth on edge - music, visuals, the whole bit. Plenty of game-based shows wind up with character designs different to those of the game. In this case the characters came out jowly and lumpy. The story was almost enough to keep me watching it but not quite - I hit one too many unlikable characters (not that all the characters were like that) and never did get to the end of the series. The structure of the series gives each girl a couple or three episodes to... do whatever she does. The last episode ties everything together or wraps it up or something in Hokkaido. So basically it's an omnibus with an epilogue. [b]Dagger[/b], tell me which game-based series you watched and disliked (and why) and I'll tell you which ones I liked best (hopefully the lists won't match).

Hearing the new OP for the second time I realize that it is badly sung... The second episode was funny and made much better use of the cast than the first episode did, even though there wasn't all that much dialogue. The false story was nicely done; overplaying it would have been a big drag. The staginess of the way the real story was played out fits the show very well.

Hrm, Mouse makes 2 actually - I had conveniently forgotten about it. Mouse's plot is as slight as its main female characters are, um... It does have an amazing OP song though. The title I was thinking of is [b]Panda Z[/b], which is so undercooked as to be indigestible. I like the other two series you mention. Omishi Magical Theater - Risky & Safety is charming and funny, and pulls off some interesting storytelling tricks. Mahou Shoujotai (Tweeny Witches) gets by on very little animation, but piles on the attitude. A current series from NHK called [b]Nanami-chan[/b] has an interesting look and feel. It's fantastic in a quiet way; the episodes manage to come off as fresh and new, even compared to each other.

Although they don't necessarily have much in common except that they run for 10 minutes or less per episode, I almost always enjoy short-episode series - in fact, I only ever ran into one I didn't like. Lots of people may not have seen any of these - or [i]think[/i] they haven't. [b]Azumanga Daioh[/b] originally consisted of 130 5 minute episodes, which were later rolled up into standard-sized "episodes" - that's why every 4 minutes or so there is a new subtitle at the top of the screen naming the segment. Azumanga Daioh has been licensed for awhile now, and so has [b]Adventures of the Mini-Goddesses[/b] (original title translates to: Oh My Goddess! Small is Useful), my favorite adaptation of the well-known manga. This cheerfully silly show ran for 48 episodes and managed to cover pocket histories and parodies of other anime along with simpler sketches concerning Skuld, Urd and Gan-chan the rat, a friendly but gullible sidekick. [b]Di Gi Charat[/b] is another series only recently licensed. The original show and several epilogues set the super-cute main characters off against each other and brought in quirky side characters - the character interactions are most of the story. There are plenty of other series covering various genres. A few are new or recent and are being fansubbed. Hopefully other members have seen and enjoyed some of these shows.

[quote name='5th Hokage']of all the great animes that have had only one season (trigun, cowboy bebop, outlaw star, DNA2, ect)which should be brought back for a second chance.[/quote]I take exception to the idea that any of the series you mention are great anime. They have not been around for very long and haven't made all that much impact on anime generally. There are a couple of series being revived at present - Getter Robo and Tetsujin 28gou ("Gigantor" to US fans) - which are much older and can definitely be shown to have influenced the growth of anime. These, however, are recapitulations of the original story, revising instead of extending what has gone before.

Here is the "spring" show, which started broadcasting on the 4th of July. The action kicks off with a New Year's Eve episode. I thought this was going to start broadcasting in the fall... "Pastel Pure" is now a song. I don't really like the idea though; Ali Project is great, but much too obsessed with "les fleurs du mal" and whatnot. The song comes off humdrum. The incidental music for this episode seemed to be endless variations of "Pastel Pure," including one that sounded like ragtime - I hope it improves soon. The first episode had a couple of nice moments, but mainly settled for reintroducing the cast (well, it was more of a namecheck really). It felt more like an omake than a serious effort, but I guess it can't be helped after the 3-month hiatus. The Ayu group fansubbing the series is basically comprised of the old Lililicious/A-Source team - they were the only group to finish the last series so far.

There are lots of reasons to read manga but your post is trying to paint potential responses into a corner. So I will just ignore the issue of anime adaptations. Manga is a very old pop-art form. There is lots of history and tradition behind it, even if you are reading something that just came out. The storytelling is different from that of American or European comics. So for people who have never read them, even fans of other comic styles, there is something new to discover. For people who have taken an interest in Japan or Japanese culture or pop culture, manga is another medium to explore. It presents the common everyday concerns and daydreams of Japanese people and often provides a look at social institutions and customs. There are manga for many age groups and interests. Topics include food, sports, acting and rock bands - even the topic of being a manga reader. These titles can be read for topical interest. They also give perspective on Japanese attitudes towards traditional pursuits and adaptations of other cultures.

The first fansub group to work on this series (ANBU) hasn't done an episode in 2 months; since then, Rice-Box has picked up the series and made rapid progress. Bocca has picked up a sidekick (Sayoko the thief) and hit the road; in two story arcs (3-5 and 6-8) he has made stops in two different towns. Bocca seeks to destroy the "monsters" who rule humanity, but has to face human females deputized by the monsters to control these towns. Bocca is becoming somewhat entangled with Sayoko and gets to know some of the other characters. As he uncovers the relationships between the monsters, "Monster Agents" and townspeople the viewer (and Bocca to a slightly different extent) is also made aware of personal relationships between and among some of the townspeople (including the "Agents"). These layers of relationship blend and comment on each other. Although the series has readily and increasingly displayed similarities to Utena (the titles share the same art director and character designer), I have had inklings of a connection with Tenshi ni Narumon! (an excellent series, now obscure and misunderstood due to epic delays on the part of its US licensee). The director and music director from this show are also on board for Melody.

Have to go with Nanami Kiryuu from Shoujo Kakumei Utena. She's too stupid to be truly evil, but petty enough to be a hazard to small animals. I dislike her looks and attitude and the fact that she is ignorant, self-delusional and hypocritical. The main problem with her is that she appears way too often in an anime I really like, which is a lot different to just picking one out of an anime I wouldn't even watch...

I saw some fansubs of Conan way back when but have only watched a little bit on CN. It looked OK on TV but I am not in love with the show so I won't be following it. It's a really long series; I feel sorry for poor Conan, who may never get the chance to grow up... I liked seeing him hang out with his brat pack more than I liked the stuff with Ran's wastrel father.

[quote name='Ryoko T.D.C.']Okay, I read some manga's, (Love Hina, Mahoromatic, and Gravitation) and I liked them...[/quote]None of those manga are considered ero-manga, and the anime adapted from them are not ero-anime. The manga you are referring to are targeted at Japanese between the ages of roughly 14-18, but they are not adults-only material, which is the only material being discussed. In short, your post doesn't speak to the topic. The thread is marked "18 & up plz" for a reason...

It's just an interpretation. It's just a meaning attached to relating to people in various ways, or conversely a declaration intended to bring a relationship to a certain level. Not that there's anything wrong with that; people make up meanings for stuff all the time, and it's nice to set goals. But there's nothing there to believe in, because it's all made up. And beliefs cause suffering...

[QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman]...I saw Sakura Diaries, I kind of thought that was almost like soft porn in a way, but that was just my opinion. I haven't really watched too many of them, but I've heard of a few. Ogenki Clinic anyone? I'm also wondering about Onegai Teacher. But since I haven't seen I won't say. I doubt most hentai is actually meant to have an actual story line, in some ways I think it's like regular live people stuff.[/QUOTE]Sakura Diaries comes in two versions. The OAV version is ero-anime, but it's not much different from the broadcast version. Ogenki Clinic is a lame and cheesy comedy. Onegai Teacher is not ero-anime, neither is Onegai Twins. Ero-anime is definitely meant to have a story. Mangaka like U-Jin and Go Nagai definitely know how to tell a story. Some stories simply get the characters into "situations," but how is that kind of story much different from stories for shows like Sailor Moon, with its weekly battle scene? [quote name='Okita']Interesting enough ero-games have a tendency to translate to non-eros anime... Most of the time, this type of show tends to boring as heck when turned into animation, but as Kanon prove, there are exception to the rule...[/quote]Ero-games often have plenty of story in them. It's easy to take out the adult situations and still present a romance. The shows adapted from the games are not harem-type "comedies" like Love Hina, so some people might have a hard time getting their minds around them. But Kanon is not the only decent, or good, or very good game-based series by any means.

[QUOTE=Sephiroth_unite]Well of course we wont rule out downloading, yet still I meant where to find them off the internet, and in reality. Stores and the such. But back to the topic, are you more into realistic based hentai (such as teachers pet), or the tenticle (such as La Blue Girl) Whats your opinions on hentai artists and their works relating to business.[/QUOTE]Actually the Japanese call the adults-only content "ero-" anime or games or manga. "Hentai" is sort of a mistranslation or mislabelling. Not to take anyone to task... "Hentai" is used up nowadays anyway, and it reminds me that a lot of people think (or used to) that "all Japanese anime=porn." The easiest way to find licensed stuff is go straight to amazon. Of course, without some names of series there's no use going to amazon. Video rental outlets might still have tapes; I used to rent stuff. Buying stuff sight unseen is risky due to the poor quality of a lot of it. I think the monster or "tentacle" series tend to feature the sort of grimness I can do without - characters who are just screaming or zombified victims, nonconsensual situations etc. In La Blue Girl a lot of the monster situations constitute "battles" so that show is a bit different. I never saw Teacher's Pet but that doesn't matter as far as this discussion is concerned. I would rather watch a comedy or romance, with consensual situations.That leaves out most of the monster stuff, as I said. I think ero-games are marginally more fun than ero-anime; they focus more on a story and the characters have to relate to each other. I can remember more about the ero-games I have played than the ero-anime I have watched. As far as the business aspect, it bugs me that CG artists get ripped off by idiots via offshore (from the Japanese perspective) websites - licensed animation gets done up the same way. And due to censoring laws the Japanese ero-artists are missing out on some money-making opportunities such as direct sales from Japan. But overall I think that there is not much of a market outside of Japan for "anime-type" erotica in any medium - the Japanese don't have access to uncensored live erotic content, but the countries where they might sell their work do. And that's what most people prefer, the live stuff... even in Japan.

Anime clubs do put stuff in theaters, having been doing it for years, and often do it for free - so it's not like it never happens. When anime films get put in commercial theaters they are often panned by ignorant reviewers, so I can't see that as a goal.

I used to favor manga. When fewer manga titles were being published it was very easy to find a top-quality title (I never had a problem finding them in bookstores). I would still rather read Takahashi than watch Takahashi... But I began to realize that manga tend to be... long... and... drawn-out, often for no good reason (except that the publisher wants to ride the title until it drops dead). And now that everybody and his kid brother is publishing or fanscanning manga it's easier to ignore most of them than to actually wade through them in hopes of finding a couple more good titles... which will then be released in some unsatisfactory (i.e. slow) manner. I also don't like the dinky paperback-sized manga. The Japanese ones are OK (they cost less too) but the American ones are a hassle to read - to me it's not a good trade-off as far as price vs. format. Anime adaptations edit parts of the manga they are based on, and the editing often works quite well. It's frankly easier and usually cheaper to get ahold of a series of reasonable length and just watch it. And plenty of straight-to-the-small-screen anime knock my socks off - even if this sort of title is later adapted to manga, the anime will be better.

Hentai is anime, and should just be discussed in the same manner as any other anime IMO. Plenty of broadcast anime features nudity and suggestive situations, but viewers seem to be able to focus on the characters and story (at least in their forum postings)... I thought La Blue Girl was amusing because it parodied magical girl anime. F3 is fairly funny and presents a rather wide variety of situations in a short series. Sakura Diaries is hentai depending on the version - it's a decent romance, but a stronger ending would have been nice. It helps that the characters in these series are likable to some extent - I expect that of any anime though. I guess that does it for me. I don't have much interest in hentai anime because the production is often slipshod. Some shows are way too grim and/or don't do anything with the characters beyond erm, the sort of thing that makes them adult video... [b][i]Wait, wait[/i][/b] - I guess Ebichu Oruchuban is hentai - it was broadcast but dialogue was censored during broadcast... well, maybe it's not... anyway, I thought it was hysterical. Saying that a hamster is involved in many of these situations is liable to give people the wrong idea ^_^;;;;;; BTW, downloading hentai shouldn't be ruled out for those interested because a lot of series are being fansubbed lately.

[quote name='AppleCore']Apart from the ones already mentioned made by the same studio what other anime shows are there similar to Tokyo Mew Mew?[/quote]That would be anything listed as mahou shoujo (magical girls) anime. [b]Sailor Moon[/b] and [b]Card Captor Sakura[/b] are very well-known; they were broadcast and released on home media in North America. There is currently a Sailor Moon [i]dorama[/i] (live-action) series, broadcast and fansubbed since last year. Here are some shows which are unlicensed but fansubbed to a greater or lesser extent: [b]Akazukin Chacha[/b], [b]Ask Dr. Rin![/b],[b] Full Moon o Sagashite[/b], [b]Hime-chan's Ribbon[/b], [b]Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne[/b], [b]Magical Fairy Persia[/b], [b]Mary Bell[/b], [b]Mermaid Melodi Pitchi Pitchi Pitch[/b], [b]Miracle Girls[/b], [b](Futari wa) Pretty Cure[/b] (there is a thread for this series here in OB Anime Lounge), [b]Super Doll Licca-chan[/b].

[quote name='Dagger IX1']...The relationships between the characters interest me more than their actual personalities...[/quote]Nicely put. Bee Train relies on its "pilgrimages to the past" for a lot of narrative drive, so it makes sense to leave characters slightly unformed. The characters are revealed through their reactions, and it's more interesting not to already know how they will react to everything. And Bee Train doesn't invest too much in market-tested likability. It's true that the shows are leisurely in their pacing, but many shows from other studios stall out while the characters pull their patented cutesy moves. On the other hand, when Madlax said she was 17 it was an odd moment, because there is little about her except her appearance which speaks to her being any specific age. Madlax is an ensemble work rather than a "star vehicle" - much more so than Noir. It will be impossible to remember the series in terms of only a few characters. Madlax also manages to fill out a large stage that Noir was really only able to suggest. Madlax' scene with the general and one with Vanessa in episode 12 were fabulous - suggestive without being oppressive. They get right to a mood and leave it at that.

TMM is a fairly good-looking mahou shoujo series, but nothing amazing as far as I have seen. I keep thinking I will someday watch past episode 5 or whatever, but I really don't have any compelling reason to do so. One thing I dislike about the show is that it was done by Studio Pierrot. Pierrot's older mahou shoujo offerings were better. Series like Mahou no Magical Star Emi, Magical Angel Creamy Mami and especially Mahou no Stage Fancy Lala were simultaneously more light-hearted and deeper. Fancy Lala is licensed and fansubs of the other two (unlicensed) shows are available. BTW, Tokyo Mew Mew is still being subbed. I am not naming names, but people who want the episodes should just google for them.

This is a long-ago licensed series you are talking about, so it was easy to just go to the Bandai Entertainment site and find the relevant disc. I hope your Internet gets better real soon. [url=http://www.bandai-ent.com/products/product_details.cfm?id=264][color=green]Here's your link[/color][/url], have a good one.

Bah, cut-and-paste synopses just make threads like these look like spam. I know where all the manga publishers are; I can always go there to read their canned blurbs. According to them, everything they publish is the greatest manga ever... this thing you put here doesn't even do a good job of telling the story. Psychic Academy is wobbly at best. It relies too much on its cute characters to cover up for a half-baked story - that must be why there is so much fanservice. Visually it's a mess - lots of high-school kids can draw better than this. It's a fairly good page-turner but in a way the end is a cheat (I already read the whole thing).