QuincyArcher

I actually did go all out and pay $200 (not $300) for Steel Battalion. Probably the best and most immersive Mech game i have ever played. It was incredibly fun to play although it was kinda short lived and at times very frustrating. I wouldn't say it was worth the $200 but you can probably find it pretty cheap on ebay nowadays, so i would recommend it.

Thats really not surprising for a High School. especially with a public school computer i can see what a teacher may not want something that may be viewed as lude, obscene or offensive (and im not saying that your wallpaper was) on the monitor where other students and/or teachers can see it. In public schools they have to abide by strict rules for political correctness and put a stop on anything that may be offensive to anyone else. If you really want to read manga and/or watch anime at school just don't do it during class (obviously) Im sure you get breaks and a lunch break at some point during your school day that you can just hang out with your friends and read or discuss manga. or you may just need to wait a couple more years till college, at my college i see people reading manga and watching anime on their laptops all the time (even during class sometimes :animeswea) and no one gives a crap about it. As for your parents, im sure they're just looking out for you and see anime as some sort of deadly sin from Japan. Maybe if you were more open with them about it they would come to accept it? My mom is a native Japanese so i grew up on anime that her parents (my grandparents) would periodically send me from japan. so I never really had that problem with my parents.

Hmmm i just read through it and I honestly couldn't really follow what was going on. Try to explain the backstory more as well as give more detail on whats going on between the bits of dialog. This is especially necessary after the first half, it really seems like you rushed to finish up the story. Also you will need to work quite a bit more on your grammar. I also noticed a lot of things ripped straight out of the Zelda series (i.e. 'Triforce', 'Mirror Shield', 'Healing Fairy') also the use of parallel universes and light & dark versions of the same person (though i guess im willing to let those slide.) I don't know if this was intentional or not, but it probably isn't such a great idea, if you really want to write manga you'll have to try your best to come up with fresh and original ideas. Sorry to be so critical but your story does show some promise, just keep at it! :animesmil

"Anime" is just a common word used in japan to refer to any cartoon or animation. But when we use the term "anime" here in america, it refers specifically japanese-made animation.

I wouldn't say it makes me Depressed, though usually one chapter is never enough to tide me over so it just makes me extremely anxious untill they release the next chapter, especially if something really big happens in that chapter and leaves it on a cliffhanger. in other words, what they do every single chapter in Bleach :animeangr

Hmmm i have to pick just one series? thats kinda tough... If i had to pick one i would have to go with Neon Genesis Evangelion because thats the anime that got hooked on anime, and i mean real anime. I've watched stuff like Dragonball since i was an infant, but after watching NGE i learned that there was much better stuff out there and it opened my eye's to some really great series' that i probably wouldnt have found out about or gone searching for otherwise. I really like NGE because it has everything: Action, Drama, Suspense, a bit of Romance (though not much) and its a real Mind-bender. I've watched the entire series through several times and i still don't quite grasp everything about the series.

In my opinion mangas are almost always better than their corresponding animes. In mangas, they have a lot more freedom to go into detail since they are not limited to 30 minute episodes (or 22-24 minute with commercials) and they can expand on many areas whether it be in the plot or in the characters development or even the settings. I think that this allows for a much deeper more entertaining story as well as much more well rounded characters. Some great examples of this would have to be series' like Love Hina, FLCL, Chobits, Neon Genesis & (most of all) Bleach. (i bet you didn't see that one coming). Also a lot of times in the transition from manga to anime, the original creators of the series' are left out of the production, or only play a minor role in the production of the anime, so in the transition the series looses a lot of the smaller and less noticeable points that make them so great.

Hmmm from your description are you sure that this anime is indeed....real? and not some drug induced histeria? :animeswea actually im just kidding. but from your description i really can't think of anything, only things that remotely come to mind are Appleseed (like Kabapu mentioned) or Spriggan, but now that i think about it Spriggan didn't have "some crazy psychic woman who could control things, she eventually caught up with the group and showed off one of the girls boobs to the big tough guy" so i think you just may be out of luck.

[QUOTE=James][color=#B0251E] Silent Hill 2 is also pretty frightening and thankfully it contains a significantly better plot (or at least, one that is a lot easier to grasp, yet is also pretty clever). [/color][/QUOTE] I have to agree with ya there. My favorite would have to be SH2. Pyramid Head would have to be the best and easily the scariest boss/creature in any game i've played, and i really loved the story in SH2 i probably played that game 8 or 9 times through just so i made sure i wasnt missing anything. i also think SH3 did a good job with the environments and setting the moods, but the story wasn't that great. and SH4 was just a giant crock of crap from any aspect, it completely ruined the series.

If we're talking non-anime, i own: -[B]Band of Brothers[/B] (all 10 episodes in Metal Collectors box) -[B]Strangers with Candy[/B] (seasons 1, 2 & 3) -[B]The Upright Citizens Brigade[/B] (Only season 1 was ever released :animecry: ) -[B]Family Guy[/B] (seasons 1, 2 & 3) -[B]Sealab 2021[/B] (seasons 1 & 2) If we are including anime: -[B]Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum[/B] (only up to vol. 5 released) -[B]Mahoromatic[/B] (complete) -[B]Azumanga Daioh[/B] (complete) -[B]FLCL[/B] (complete) -[B]Last Exile[/B] (complete) -[B]Chobits[/B] (complete) -[B]Ai Yori Aoshi & Enishi[/B] (complete) -[B]Love Hina[/B] (complete) -[B]Samurai Champloo[/B] (only volume 1 so far) -[B]Cowboy Bebop[/B] (complete) -[B]Fruits Basket[/B] (purchased box earlier today, only have vol. 1)

one thing that i do when my sleep schedule gets out of whack, i'll pull an all nighter one night, then the next night just go to sleep real early. You'll wake up early the next morning refreshed with your sleep schedule back in order. If you need help falling asleep in the first place, i would suggest reading like Queen Asuka said, or just take 2 Tylenol PM's. they're non-habit forming and they'll knock you out cold.

Just started watching this series about a week ago and i love it. It has a very unique plot and all of the characters are extremely diverse and very likeable. The first episode kinda threw me off, the group of girls that were obsessed with Yuki were really annoying (especially when they spelled his name out with their bodies, that was just kind of wierd :animestun ) but after i got a few episodes into the series it's become one of my favorites. I really like how it can be really funny yet also really deep and emotional at the same time. I just watched episode 15 and that episode was a real tear-jerker first with the group visiting Tohru's [spoiler] mom's grave[/spoiler] and then the whole thing with Momiji's mom almost made me cry :animecry: but it was still a great episode :animesmil im definately going to have to buy this series. (P.S. i really like the new set of Smilies)

Although "Ichigo" is the japanese word for "Strawberry" his name is still Ichigo. Calling him 'Strawberry' just sounds kinda wierd... :confused: As for favorite characters, i would have to say mine is Ishida Uryuu (The Quincy). He's kinda a cool-headed anti-hero and although he's always helping people out he feels that he needs to make an excuse to do it. [spoiler]like in the beginning of volume 7 when he comes to save Rukia, but he brings the grocery bag as an excuse saying "he just happened to be in the area"[/spoiler] I also really like Yachiru and Kenpachi, but they don't have any significant appearances until around Volume 12

Hmmm after episode 13 i just sorta lost interest in the anime. but if it's as good as you say it is i may have to go back to it. I was looking foreward to seeing when [spoiler]Renji & Byakuya[/spoiler] would finally make their appearance in the series, but when that random *** Shinigami showed up during the Grand Fisher saga it gave me the impression they weren't gonna show at all. I hope im wrong.

Like Ohkami, i haven't read the manga but i recently began watching the anime, and although a couple thing kinda annoyed me in the first episode im hooked on the series now. It has a very unique premise and very likable characters. Once i finish watching the series i definately intend to buy the manga. [QUOTE=Xander Harris] I also didn't buy it because I couldn't tell if it was intended for girls or not. I wouldn't want to buy something and then find out it was a girl's comic, and feel my manhood slipping away ;) .![/QUOTE] Being a guy myself i definately know how you feel. I buy all sorts of animes and mangas including romance/comedies, when i first started buying the Love Hina mangas at a local Kinokuniya (a japanese book store near where i live) the clerk there kinda gave me a funny look. but i buy from them so often now that they know me as a regular there and even greet me by my first name. And i honestly don't think theres shame in something like that, everyone has their own interests and hobbies so who's right is it to judge you just because yours is a little different? and who cares if someone judges you for it anyway?

Aside from shows like Family Guy, i really don't care for american made animation. Most american cartoons are just overly goofy and appeal to a younger audience. I really like anime for several reasons, partly because i've been watching anime for over 15 years (since i was 5 years old) so i grew up on the stuff. But also because anime tends to have much deeper, richer plots and more well-rounded characters than a typical american made cartoon like Spongebob Squarepants or Scooby-Doo. If you want me to be a bit more technical about it, since you're writing a research paper, rather than repeating myself again. I'll just copy a post from a similar thread a few weeks back: [QUOTE]Originally Posted by: [B]Me (QuincyArcher) [/B] [I]in an earlier thread[/I] i think the main difference between American and Japanese animation is that in america there are many censorship laws, guidelines and standards for everything that airs on TV as well as in theaters and also for what is released on dvd/video. In america they are constantly having to worry about political correctness and whether it is suitable for all ages. Where as in Japan, the standards aren't nearly as strict as they are here in america. sex, nudity, violence, religious themes and language are much more 'accepted' (for lack of a better word) in japan than they are here and that allows much more flexibility for anime producers, and (IMO) creates and much more entertaining show.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=M.Ali]You are so rich.... [/QUOTE] Haha, im not rich...just extremely careless with my money. i spend so much on crap like anime each month that i barely scrape by with rent and bills. not to mention college tuition :eek:

First off, yeah i believe that every anime that i watch effects me in some small way or another, whether it be how I react to certain things or events that occur or how i view other people and their views/opinions. I'm sure that many other aspects of my life are influnced by animes as well. Secondly, although there are many factors that contribute to the growing popularity of anime in the americas. i believe that the biggest factor would have to be the Internet. Thanks to the internet, pretty much anyone in america is able to have some kind of easy (and not to mention free) exposure to anime whether it's through fansites, fansubbing rings, forums and countless other facets connected to anime that the internet provides. Not 10 years ago the only ways for someone to have access to anime would be through a select few TV channels that would very rarely air some kind of anime program. Or you would just have to go out and buy it (or just physically go to japan ;) ), and the licensing of anime was not nearly as prevelant in the market back then as it is today.

I dont drink, smoke or do any drugs of any kind. but i do have a couple addictions, the first one is Meat. it may sound stupid or not like an addiction, but i love meat and i have to have some kinda meat in every meal or it just doesnt feel like a meal to me, and if i have to go an entire day without meat i literally go insane and force myself to drive to Carl's Jr. at 3am to get a burger or something. My second addiction would have to Final Fantasy XI. i've been playing that game online for about a year now and im still going strong, i easily spend a minimum of 10-15 hours a week in the world of Vana'diel and most of the time i'll spend a lot more than that. And finally my third addiction would have to be anime/manga i spend wayyy too much money on that stuff and not to mention a 120gig hard drive completely filled with nothing but anime that i've downloaded over the past couple years. my dvd collection has easily gone over $1500 (those out-of-print collector's boxes can be pretty spendy to get my hands on) and i've easily spent over $250 on various manga (both english and japanese). but i haven't regretted buying any of it, every dvd i own i've watched several times through and every manga i own i've read several times through, so i feel that i've definately gotten my money's worth.

I've been reading bleach for a little over a year now and it's become one of my favorite series'. The story line of Bleach is excellent, it has lots of great action but the series is also filled with some great emotional scenes that really set it apart from most mangas that i've read. But the thing i love most about this series is the sheer amount of detail that Kubotite puts into every little thing in this series. All of the characters (even a majority of the more background characters) develop extremely well as the series progresses and they all have very diverse backgrounds, characteristics, quirks, and even fashion styles. [spoiler]i especially love how each Shinigami's sword is completely unique, and their initial release as well as their ban kai reflects their character as well as their fighting style.[/spoiler] I love pretty much everything about Bleach except for one thing.... the horrible anime series that spawned following it. After having read the series and being of fan of it for so long, the anime was just a huge let down, it doesn't have the same Kubotite touch that the manga does (mainly because the only role kubotite plays in the production of the anime is playing the voice of Kon). and unfortunately people who have only watched the anime have no idea what they're missing out on.

I was flipping through an issue of newsweek earlier today at work and i read that James Cameron is working on a movie based on Battle Angel Alita (a manga series). might be interesting to see how well he does with it.

If you're fairly new to the whole anime scene, there are a couple older series that are a must see if you're into the action/drama genres. They are (and im surprised no one mentioned these yet): Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Akira or pretty much anything by Hayao Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, Laputa - Castle in the Sky, etc) you'll probably have a hard time finding them available on fansub, but shouldn't be too hard to find at a local rental store or video store, although im not too sure about canada. For some more recent series' i would suggest Last Exile, Noir and Samurai Champloo. all of those are great series' with lots of good action with excellent storylines and characters too boot. Elfen Lied is another great that i have watched recently, but i can only recommend it if you're comfortable with excessive gore and nudity.

Im glad somebody mentioned Sonic Youth, i completely forgot about those guys. they are easily one of my favorite bands but they completely slipped my mind as i was writing my top 5. ah well, I second everything Shinmaru just said. :D

Hmm interesting enough topic, i guess i'll put in my Two-Cents (though im going to limit myself to 3 in each catagory): [U][B]Underrated:[/B][/U] 1. Metric - A Pop/Rock band out of canada that i heard about a couple summers ago. A very good band with a unique style of integrating synthesizers with an almost punk rock style of music that works really well. And the Vocalist (Emily Haines) has a very silky smooth voice. I've heard they've been on MTV2 a couple times, but i guess not enough people paid attention to them for their sound to catch on in the states. I've also seen them live once, they put on a great show and they're really good at improvising mid-song :eek: 2. Stereolab - This band has been around since the late 80s early 90s yet i still feel like im the only person who's ever heard of them. They're actually pretty popular in Europe & Japan, but I guess their sound never really caught on in America. 3. Elliot Smith - From my hometown of Portland, OR. this guy could play the best acoustic guitar that i have ever heard in my life, his songs were all really deep and filled with emotion (Needle In the Hay is still one of my favorites). though unfortunately before he found any major mainstream success, he took his own life on Oct 21, 2003. I hope you rest in peace Elliot Smith. :( [U][B]Overrated:[/B][/U] 1. Linkin Park - these guys came out of nowhere in the late 90s and i have no idea why... Their high-pitched schrilly voices combined with over-the-top heavy metal guitars really is just annoying, i've heard so many of their songs yet they all sound completely the same to me. Rap/Rock has never sounded good to me and it never will. 2. Slipknot - not just slipknot, but all of these heavy-metal & and death-metal bands that keep popping up. They just use their "hardcore" images to sell albums but none of their songs end up meaning anything or being worth anything. Elliot Smith wrote a few songs about death as well, but his songs came from his soul and actual pain and anguish that he went through in his life. they actually meant something to his fans, but more importantly they meant something to him. Unlike bands like Slipknot or Mudvayne 3. Blink 182 - They're actually just the first band that came to mind, but this entire emo-punk rock revolution that has taken place over the past couple years is just way overrated. all of these bands like Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Avril Lavigne, Simple plan. They all have these hardcore images that they front but all of their songs are just so fruity. It all appeals to Junior high & early high school kids who think they're oh-so jaded and have seen it all. Give me a break.

Mine would have to be good ol' Fallout 1 & 2 for the PC. Lots of customization and freedom to do whatever you want, and a nice post-apocalyptic storyline and setting. Though i still do like japanese style RPGs like the Final Fantasy series (i've played FF5-FF10), the open-ended style gameplay of fallout wins me over. As for Fable on the xbox, that game is pretty on the surface but theres a real lack of depth to it and no replay value whatsoever, i really wouldnt recommend it.