densuke

Not for nothing, but your post is packed with [SPOILER]spoilers[/SPOILER]. It may be interesting to you to see blah-blah-blah, but it would certainly be less interesting for someone who watched the movie for the first time after reading your post. As far as this movie goes, I thought it tried to cram too much into too short a time. It conveyed Kamui's dilemma but did nothing with most of the other characters. It looked and sounded pretty good but that's about it. Saying that you needed [i]two viewings[/i] to comprehend it seems like faint praise to me... X is a big story and came off a lot better in the TV series, which was long enough to do it justice.

I don't remember too many series being this short back when it came out. 13-episode series are being licensed now, but that's a fairly recent development. Most of [b]To Heart[/b] is simply about making friends. The show has a fair amount of romance, but is not dramatic. Most episodes introduce female characters who get to know Hiroyuki and Akari a little; then the show moves on. In some ways this series is comparable to [b]Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou[/b] or [b]Niea_7[/b]. It shares their languid pacing and sense of interval or space ([i]ma[/i]).

I thought this show had plenty going for it. I only really took it to be sort of a confused space opera like Trigun or something, but on that level it does pretty well. I [i]can't[/i] dislike a show with Masami Okui singing on the OP and Masumi Itou singing on the ED... Out of whatever there was to watch at the time this came out, I would guess this is the show I remember most. The fact that they play for keeps in this series makes Suppy-kun or the bath scenes a lot easier to take. I didn't find the ending to ring false at all. A lot had to happen for things to turn out the way they did, and Pacifica and her family needed the help of allies they didn't have at the outset of the series.

Your plot summary overlooks a couple of things. Perhaps you could add "after the first episode, when they move in with Maiku, the girls have a friendly chat in the tub each week." I don't consider the storyline excellent because there hardly is any - there is the story of the 3 characters and a short (and rather contrived) sidestory featuring two you didn't mention. "Romantic drama" also seems out-of-place in connection with this show; it's far too short and not entirely focused on romance. It's more comical in tone than I would expect from a drama. The climax, be it the final broadcast episode or (especially) the recent OAV, is hardly earth-shattering. It' s not like the show has nothing going for it. The OP song by Kotoko is marvellous. The characters are cute, innocent and likable. And the show comes up with some good scenes - the bathing shots are not the only ones in which the characters are revealed... The theme of the show (the oft-repeated "we might be related...") can be taken to mean that the characters are pondering a possibly incestuous entanglement. A few moments of abashed intimacy, along with the nudity and other fanservice, the living together and the theme, are obviously very suggestive. All of this got the show a lot of attention and kept people watching every week. However, underneath the gimmicks and hooks is a fairly good short sketch. The 3 main characters are orphans; each has a strong need to belong. They are sexually curious but inexperienced. Their obsession with being related is more of a wish for an undeniable and permanent relationship than anything else.

I wouldn't download [b]Rose of Versailles[/b] just to have something to watch; it is an old and highly stylized melodrama. It weighs in at 40 episodes. It certainly doesn't have the look or feel of anything on Cartoon Network... But it is an important older series and had a huge impact on Shoujo Kakumei Utena. The anime was adapted from a popular manga and there is also a Takurazuka show about the story. In a Japanese poll asking about all-time favorite anime it came out at #42, lower-ranked than classics like Lupin III (#2) but far ahead of Evangelion (#77). Fansubbers have thought enough of it that the show has been continouously available via tape, captures of tape or direct digital fansubs (currently being done by Live-eviL) for years.

Taiho Shichauzo! II has been fansubbed for ages and the fansubs are still available. I have watched some of the first season, all of the second, the movie, the omake, No Mercy, read the manga, blah blah blah... It's pretty hard to get excited about it because the police stuff is either boring or improbable. There is some romance, but it is sort of like the Belldandy x K1 thing in AMG - it's either cute and funny or annoying as hell. Despite all that the TV series has its moments and manages to tell a story without resorting to nudity or violence. The characters are likable. I found it watchable and entertaining, but I thought Patlabor was a better workplace comedy and AMG was a better romantic comedy. No Mercy, the movie and the omake are all a waste of time though, for different reasons. The movie is spectacular (too much so) and does a bare minimum with the characters. No Mercy is gimmicky and the omake are just a way to serve up the fanservice the other shows stay away from.

L-E and S-A are no longer doing this series. If you really want to find out why you can check the L-E forum. I really hate the OP and ED for this show; limp Xerox punk has neither a purpose nor any musical quality. Japanese Green Day imitators/earitators are almost as bad as Japanese hip-hop; I really wish a new trend would spring up to wipe them away... The backstory in episode 4 looked like it could have been fun if they didn't do the whole thing in 20-second infobursts.

You called the music "typical" but didn't mention it again. I think the music (by Yuki Kajira, who also scored Noir) is excellent; the OP and ED are not outstanding but fit the show pretty well. I don't know .hack and I thought Avenger got a distinctly subpar effort from Ali Project. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Avenger seemed to generate a lot of positive interest early (only to disappoint many viewers), but this show seems to have generated a fair amount of negativity for various reasons (too much like Noir(!?), etc.). I enjoyed Noir immensely and would have been happy to take a "pilgrimage to the past," but Madlax has done plenty to distinguish itself from other Bee Train works and from anything else on offer this spring. As a tentative link between Margaret and Madlax is forged in episode 8, the show now has two interesting lead characters and a wide arena for their story to play out. I can't find any information on how many episodes the series is going to run but I will bet on 12 or 13.

Um, actually "Kaidan" means "ghost stories" - "Gakkou no Kaidan" is more like "School Ghost Stories." This show tends to treat the ghosts only as threats; I don't remember much more than a "monster of the week" plot combined with some minor-league detective work. I liked the characters (Kaaya the black cat RULES!) enough to want to see more than the 8 fansubbed episodes I have seen, but unfortunately the group responsible is now defunct.

Love*Love, the finale to the "Unholy Trilogy" of Cosprayers and Hitto o Nerae, is [i]so bad[/i] that Triad, the group who subbed the first two shows, [i]refuses[/i] to be bothered with it... it doesn't even rate a spot on my scoreboard - even if it does get subbed I won't be watching it. I bet the whole mess will be [i]licensed by ADV[/i] by the end of the year...

Gatchaman was broadcast in the US as Battle of the Planets, something like 20 years ago. It is one of those old pre-Gundam "team-mecha" things. The cult for those shows seems to be increasing or becoming more vocal. The one strange thing about this new license for Gatchaman is that Rhino did a recent release of part of the series which included uncut subs.

(Kokoro Toshoukan) Broadcast: 10/12/2001 to 12/28/2001 Production: Studio Deen Creator: Nobuyuki Takagi (manga) Young Kokoro and her sisters Iina and Aruto run a library high on a mountain. Kokoro has just begun to help out, and she tends to take everything to heart. Even when things go badly, though, her indulgent sisters help her see everything through. The library's remote location means a serious lack of users. The municipal government is unsure that the library is worth maintaining. But the mountain, the library and the three sisters are part of a story that goes back to a time when things were not so good for the town. And there is something about them which may mean a lot more to the town than even the town's mayor realizes. This is definitely the kind of show people either love or hate. The series runs on its own time according to its own logic. There is no action and very little drama. The writing is fairly flat and there are no major themes. And hey, some people don't like anything sweet or cute. But Kokoro Library has style and charm to burn, and three eccentric characters who are perfectly content with each other's company. Kokoro has a very peculiar logic that always manages to stand the world on its head for a moment. And the production supports everything with gorgeous visual work and excellent voice acting and music. AnimeSuki thinks enough of the show to archive torrents onsite.

(Futatsu no Supika) 20 episode TV series Aired: November 1, 2003 - March 27, 2004 Production: Group TAC Creator: Kou Yaginuma (manga) Asumi Kamogawa is a young girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut. The story follows her from early childhood through her training in a specialized middle school and beyond. This series mixes fantasy with science fiction to present a story with lots of solid character development and emotional impact. Asumi is strange but very likable. She overcomes loss and hardship with determination and generosity. The episodes do not follow a straight timeline, but loop back in to the past quite often. Also, several characters are haunted by personal loss and at times they are shown to be recollecting the past. None of this makes the story hard to understand. The character designs are idiosyncratic but accessible and the music has some good things to offer. The many veteran voice actors in the cast did a very good job. For fans who value interesting characters over fanservice and imagination over contrived plotting, this is worth a look. Anime-Fansubs has been working their way slowly but surely through the series and all their episodes (10 so far) are easily available.

[QUOTE=stormy001_m1a2]I think the strategy talks is good, since it shows the big picture where the lovebirds fought their lives for. At least it is good perspective of the reason why Lafiel and her crew has to put their life on bets, not just some blind attack and retreat. My only regret is that they do not show United Mankind's High Command military think in the campaign. Ah, maybe it is time for me to read the novels again......[/QUOTE]It is easy to explain the general purpose of a war without using maps and charts. 13 episodes isn't long enough for all of that. I enjoy reading military history but I didn't watch Crest of the Stars for anything of the kind.

Hehe, [i]Kensuke wa dare desu ka?[/i] I don't deny you your right to complain about the TV series. It's not like you spoil my enjoyment of a series I have already seen. And you took the time to make your case, which is a big improvement on most posts of this kind. I just don't find it uncommon among game fans to do this sort of thing (and I already said this happens all the time; why would I be surprised about Japanese fans of this particular game?). For a current series, complaints by game fans can definitely clutter up a discussion thread; one group of viewers is describing something [i]that isn't there[/i] and accusing the series of doing things others [i]cannot see[/i]. The other group is hoping that the particular show can get a coherent story told without leaning too much on the game. Also I doubt that game fans really want to make any given series sound like an absolute waste of time. Terms like "truly wasted potential" are very uncompromising and are likely to drive away people who might watch the series and even move on to the game.

I thought the middle season of this series was a bit flabby. It seemed to promise some progress in the Jinto x Lafiel relationship but didn't deliver anything of the kind. Instead, it broadened the scope of the action in a way that dissipated the intimacy of the first series. The overarching story of the two brothers was unnecessary and annoying - no matter how many times they were dragged on stage, there was never any reason given to like them or even find them interesting. I think a better adaptation method would have been to skip all the strategy talks (or at least cut it down to maybe 2 scenes to initiate and wrap up the campaign). The show always improved when focusing on Lafiel's ship and her crew, and they saw enough action in different sectors to [i]suggest[/i] the scope of the campaign. Spelling the whole thing out scattered the impact and broadened the cast to an extent insupportable for a short series.

[b]Every single time a game is adapted into anime[/b], fans of the game complain about the adaptation - the character design is different, the storyline is different, etc. They tend to condemn the anime to the extent that someone who had not seen it might think that the anime is just not worth watching. Shows which make the game fans happiest seem to be the ones which really don't succeed as standalone works. These are usually OAVs which simply bring the characters in to play out little vignettes, ignoring most storytelling values. Although these OAVs sell to their target fanbase, they offer very little to anyone who does not know the specific game. Casual viewers appreciate the better-rounded adaptations on their own merits as self-contained stories. This is the purpose of such adaptation - to create something for a general audience. Shingetsutan Tsukihime certainly succeeds as the latter - many people found it to be a very good series. Because it ran for only 12 episodes it could hardly fit within itself the contents of a game that takes something like 40 hours to play to just one ending.

Well I have seen 2 episodes of the OAV so I will take a crack at comparing the TV and OAV series. First I will get Taishi out of the way. As the only make character besides Kazuki he is lost in the OAV, which wants to reintroduce all the girls as potential girlfriends for Kazuki. In episode 1 he did hardly anything and in episode 2 he ran around stirring up trouble without being the focus. Even though Kazuki is more or less up for grabs, Mizuki is still present. All she got to do in episode 1 was cook very badly (which seemed out-of-character) and act in a possessive and hotheaded manner. In the TV series she was designed to be much more likable. The other girls get much more play here, and some get their own episodes, but these episodes are not character sketches. There is just too much going on with other characters popping in and out. In fact, the show is claustrophobic, with tiny little scenes leading into more and more tiny little scenes. Kazuki himself has nothing more to learn from the other characters. The new situation shows progression from the TV series, but an awful lot of friendly feeling is lost - Kazuki himself looks bemused at best and often harrassed, far from the enterprising young lad he was when only a novice doujinka. So much for the story. This series looks a lot different but doesn't maintain consistency in the character designs. The characters never look terrible but often they do not look good. There is a lot of fanservice - nothing like the horndog madness of m*o*e's oeuvre but it is very systematic and deliberate. I guess the producers realize that as written, half of these girls wouldn't be worth the time of day if they weren't wearing tight pants etc. The music is a notch or two down from what the TV series dished out. The old OP was pretty catchy, and the ED was very good. I just don't get much out of the new tracks. I guess nowadays pretty much anything is bound to get licensed, which means that people who liked the TV show may be be thinking about buying this series next year. Best to get the fansubs now if you can and find out what you are in for.

Nagisa and Honoka are middle-schoolers. 3 yrs. of middle school, 3 yrs. of high school. 2nd-year middle school=8th grade=14 years old, right? They seem to be that age. Episode 4 had some great great stuff. One of the girls' classmates got her hair cut like Nagisa, that was a cute moment ^_^ Then the show put a little effort into that character. I think it's time viewers had a slightly bigger cast to contend with especially since a lot happens at school. The "duo" gimmick of this show is very effective. Large teams and singles have been done plenty of times but this show and Ultra Maniac get to develop a more specific friendship between two girls, which is refreshing.

[quote name='hawke3000']I've been searching desperatly for the manga but have failed horribly...[/quote][i]What manga[/i]? This show was cobbled together out of some published sketches and character designs by Kazushi Hagiwara. Maybe some of those works are contained in [b]Bastard!! Guardress Hagiwara Kazushi Illustrations I & II[/b], but I can't say for sure.

This is a 4 episode OAV from waaaaay back in 1994, when the Japanese anime market was going good. It's an over-the-top comedy similar to Bastard! It will probably appeal to fans of that show and it contains some of the same sword-and-sorcery type stuff - ancient legends, mystic combat and so on. This show, however, is set in a contemporary Japanese high school and schoolgirl romance is also part of the action (along with some old-style fanservice). The short running time keeps the writers on their toes - the story is coherent and well-paced. Hazumi, the heroine, is unforgettable. It's good-looking and has some good music. I have watched and enjoyed this show several times over. Because of various problems this show is rumored to be lost forever as a commercial property. Hopefully the release of VHS caps from the old fansubbed tapes (check AnimeSuki for torrents) will lead to a new digital fansub release, as that seems to happen more and more lately.

Somehow I feel like this is too many shows to watch *shrugs* I liked the winter season better - fewer shows to watch but I liked them more. The only show I never tried was [b]GANTZ[/b]. I read a lot of the manga, which is just some kind of throwback to '70s Heavy Metal-style comics. I gave up on the manga mostly because it is glacially slow. Fans claim they enjoy the cosmic mindfart of a dictatorial black box sending out ghosts on suicide missions, but I think they just like the half-naked girl on the title page of each chapter. And the anime will just cut down on the half-naked stuff and the gore... [b]Shin Getter Robo 2004 OAV[/b] ("Shin" as in "new," not "Shin" as in "true" - there were some "true" series but this is the "new" series) is an update on a classic mecha anime. I was very impressed by the visual style and the stark energy - the crazy vitality of classic anime is really in there. This show is insanely violent and beautiful. Kenran Butou Sai is too gleefully illogical and unambitous for me. It was when I got to episode 4(?) and there was no fighting that I realized that character development was just not a big priority in the series. And it paled by comparison to the new Getter Robo series. Scorecard: [color=green]Hi no Tori Mahou Shoujotai Kyou Kara Maou! Aishiteruze, Baby Koi Kaze Melody of Oblivion Madlax Monster Dogtato-kun Shin Getter Robo 2004 OAV Interlude OAV Shura no Toki Midori no Hibi[/color] [color=red]Phantom: the Animation OAV Kenran Butou Sai Le Portrait de Petit Cossette OAV Smash Hit Kono Mini Bakuretsu Tenshi Sensei no Ojikan Panda Z [/color]

[b]Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex[/b] 52 episode TV series (2002-2004) Production: Production I.G., Bandai Visual, Bandai USA (latter holds [b]US license[/b]) Adapted from manga by Masamune Shirow SAC focuses on the activities of Section 9, a sub rosa law-enforcement agency. Many of Section 9's operatives are cyborgs - even the least-modified operatives have extensive data-networking capabilities. This augmentation is very commonplace in the "world" of SAC. Section 9's tactical leader, a full-body cyborg named Motoko Kusanagi, has long been an icon in the anime world. Her ironic artificial beauty and reserved character contrasts with a total commitment to her unit's objectives and an all-out fighting style. Kusanagi is an effective commander who earns the loyalty of her subordinates. Section 9 is prepared for detective work, computer hacking and SWAT-type "combat" operations within a wide range of cases ranging from data manipulation to kidnapping and murder. Because governmental corruption falls within the unit's domain, there is always the possibility of internecine conflict and even combat if the stakes are high enough... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The new series is much closer to [i]echte[/i] cyberpunk than the preceding manga or movie adaptation. The world of SAC is starkly polarized between the wealthy and powerful on one side and the dispossessed and disenfranchised masses on the other. Some people operate in the gap - they often construct eccentric rationales and struggle to acquire the means to achieve their aims. The writing strives for consistency and accessibility. Large and small plot arcs are set up and paid off in a variety of ways. Although SAC contains violence, fanservice and a few suggestive situations, there is nothing extreme or jarring about the show's wit or spectacle. SAC is one of the most lavishly produced anime ever made, with a gargantuan budget and a leisurely broadcast schedule. The character designs represent a welcome reversion to the style of the manga (as opposed to the movie's look). A mix of animation styles (which took awhile to fully integrate) create a dense and deep look. A sensitive score (by Yoko Kanno) supports the scenes and OP/ED songs which include lyrics in Russian and English give a sense of scope. The voice acting cast of the movie was held over, providing continuity and experience. US DVD release is planned for the end of June 2004. Cartoon Network plans to broadcast the show in the latter half of 2004 (possibly August). Hopefully the series will quickly and broadly be recognized as a milestone in anime.

Finally started watching this. I saw the first 4 episodes in one go. It's great to see a tragic hero like Dr. Tenma. This series seems pretty black-and-white to me - Tenma is the only character where the two tones blend to any extent (well, maybe Lunge). I was easily able to predict who the "monster" was, what was basically going to happen etc. - not that I have any complaints, or any clue where the story is going next... I was delighted by the classic look of the character designs and the deep backgrounds. Naoki Urasawa (the mangaka) is an old hand and I appreciate the respect the animators gave to his work (which I may or may not read). Given the length of the manga this looks to be a [i]very[/i] long series (52+ episodes) - or else it will come off like Berserk, hacked off at some huge climax... O/T................................................................................. Another adaptation of an Urasawa manga, far older and lighter in tone, is [b]Yawara![/b] It's a sports anime (fairly realistic women's judo) rather oddly combined with a shoujo-style love drama - much like the recent Kaleido Star. It is currently being fansubbed by Live-eviL.

[b]To Heart[/b] (1999) Shounen Romance 13 Episode TV series Production: KSS/Aquaplus Based on Leaf ero-game/Playstation dating simulation The domestic DVD release of another KSS/Aquaplus title (Comic Party) brings this earlier title to mind. Although To Heart has never been licensed it has captured the attention of anime fans in at least two separate waves. The series was fansubbed on VHS in its soon after its initial release. A digital fansub project is in progress. Hiroyuki and his childhood friend Akari, now high-school students, are going through changes. Hiroyuki finds it hard to apply himself seriously to sports or activities as he once did, and instead he finds himself fascinated with the activities and hobbies of those around him. His sympathetic nature inspires his classmates (and turns the heads of a few girls). Akari begins to see Hiroyuki in a different way and wonders how to deal with her thoughts and feelings. She and Hiroyuki work and play with old and new friends, sharing hopes for the future and making memories. This is one of the best-produced series I have ever seen. Few shows reward close scrutiny the way this one does with its top-notch visual work, supportive score and subtle writing. The series' character sketches and low-key story arc are perfectly suited to the series' short run. [list][size=2]Comparing cel-based anime like To Heart to newer CGI anime[/size] [*][size=2]Comparing To Heart with other shounen romance series[/size] [*][size=2]Comparing shounen and shoujo romance series[/size][/list] are all potential subjects for discussion.