Otaku America

[COLOR=Navy]On a certain foreign site they sell this anime on a Japanese VCD. I own it and it's a "legit" copy. I would pm you the website but I can't recall the web address. All I remember about the shop was that it was a shop for importers.[/COLOR] :(

[COLOR=Navy]Sorry to spoil your fun but there is a thread similar to this one, located here.[/COLOR] [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=47127[/url]

[COLOR=Navy]When I was watching DBZ uncut episode 2, Raditz explains to Goku that Planet Vegeta was destroyed 3 years ago, which is a quantum leap in time. Wasn't Goku launched right when Planet Vegeta [spoiler]was destroyed by Freiza.[/spoiler] Goku isn't 3 years old. Plot holes in DBZ are just ridiculous.[/COLOR] :animestun

[quote name='Inuyasha7271']That show the characters their hair their clothes they don't move the horror its like your brain is slowly drowning in a swirl of mindbending colors. Its like crack for the brain good show, but the visuals make your eyes bleed the color the color. I love Gankutsuou The Count of Monte Cristo to death seriously the colors are killing me.[/quote] [COLOR=Navy]I don't understand how the colors are killing you. Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is seriously a work of art and a brilliant masterpiece. If you want to watch an anime that would make your eyes bleed because of the colors, you should watch Inuyasha. Talk about washed-out colors.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]I really dispise Yu-Gi-Oh. IMO, this is a sorry excuse for a children's anime. Anime is open to the imagination but everytime I force myself to watch an episode it just gets more degrading. The plot gets more ridiculous, the cardplay strategies become laughable, and everything becomes too predictable. :sleep: The only type of card-like anime I prefer is Cardcaptor Sakura. Cardcaptor Sakura is everything Yu-Gi-Oh was suppose to be. The only thing it lacks is the "cool flare" that Yu-Gi presents. Overall Yu-Gi-Oh is a fine example of flash over substance.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]I never thought an android would exist in this day and age. This android could [I]almost[/I] pass for a human. [/COLOR] :animenose [url]http://ed-02.ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/lab/development/Humanoid/ReplieeQ1/ReplieeQ1_eng.htm[/url]

[QUOTE=Noside]Unfortunately I don't feel the same enthusiasm everyone else feels. The first episode wasn't all that good in my view, but sometimes the first episode isn't the one to grab me. The animation was great and the characters meshed well, but things just didn't feel right. I wish I could elaborate better on the first episode, but I've forgotten parts of it already... :animedepr Hopefully the next episode grabs me.[/QUOTE] [color=navy]An important rule of anime that you should consider is to never judge a series by its first episode. There are a lot of animes out there that start out incredibly weak but always finishes with a bang! I think s-CRY-ed is incredible for a shounen series. You can buy the entire boxset on Amazon.com for only $119.98[/color]. :animenose [COLOR=#503F86][SIZE=1][b]Link removed. Directly linking to commercial sites is against OB's Rules, although discussing them is fine. As long as people know where to look and what they're looking for, they should be okay ^_~ -Solo[/COLOR][/SIZE][/b]

[QUOTE=Dagger]I must have been really unclear or something, haha. What I meant to say in my post above is that we completely agree on this. The attacks are intended to appear random, but they [spoiler]aren't.[/spoiler] Which [i]is[/i] kind of a spoiler, so both of us might want to start marking it in the future. ~Dagger~[/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy]Fair enough. :animesmil I tried to mark my spoiler but I couldn't get the code to work. Is it something like this [hl=black]Example[/hl] ? [/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Dagger]Fair enough, but it's treading on dangerous ground to call anything "totally original," especially in comparison to other works that often get branded with the same adjective. Paranoia Agent itself is very similar to some of Kon's previous anime (including Millenium Actress, Perfect Blue and even Tokyo Godfathers). At least from my perspective, it still belongs squarely in the same category or genre as series like Boogiepop Phantom, Lain (which I personally think have much less in common than Boogiepop & PA, but oh well), and--albeit to a somewhat lesser extent--Requiem from the Darkness. I'll concede that it's a rather rash leap to say that PA was intentionally influenced by Boogiepop, but I don't see what's so negative about saying that they have similarities. If anything, I meant that as a huge compliment to PA.[/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy]The only thing I find similar between PA and Boogiepop is that the script writer for some of Paranoia's episodes is Seishi Minakami the same person who screenplayed a few episodes of Boogiepop. Yes, they both are weird mystery shows which blends alternate reality and fantasy worlds but unlike Boogiepop, Paranoia Agent is more of a psycho-emotion thriller. Tokyo Godfathers, Millenium Actress, Perfect Blue are only similar because Satoshi Kon likes to focus on anime which doesn't include abnormal powers or mechs. Tokyo Godfathers had more of a holiday-feel to it, Perfect Blue is an Alfred Hitchcock inspired flick, Millenium Actress seperates from suspense and tells a love story, Paranoia Agent actually dives into the human mind and tells a story. All completely different, if you ask me. What Neon Genesis Evangelion is to RahXephon, Serial Experiments is to Boogiepop Phantom. We all have opinions and this is mine.[/COLOR] [QUOTE=Dagger]I'm not sure I like how you phrased your assessment of Shounen Bat. I'm also not sure why you said that he doesn't strike at random, because all that does is reiterate my original statement ("[Shounen Bat] appear[s] to strike at random") in a blunter light. Saying that something appears or seems a certain way is rarely equivalent to saying that it [i]is[/i] a certain way--especially since I wrote that rather early on in the show. Anyway, he doesn't attack people who are going insane; he attacks people who [spoiler]want an escape.[/spoiler] I'm fairly confident that you meant it differently, since you seem to have a good understanding of the show, but the wording might be a little misleading for those who are just getting into it.[/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy]I've seen the show twice and from what I can see, the attacks aren't random at least from my perspective. They all seem like random attacks at first but later on the cops find out what is really going on. All of the attacks are connected, what do you think the math equations the old man is writing mean? For every attack there is a connection not a coincidence. Saying Boogiepop Phantom is similar to Paranoia Agent is just as misleading. [QUOTE=Dagger] This is where I think you're completely wrong. Sure, maybe Miyazaki movies cater to all audiences. But Paranoia Agent? No way. Even Bebop & Champloo only have broad appeal in contrast to [i]other[/i] anime. [/QUOTE] I could also flip this another way. Miyazaki films usually cater to the "Disney" audience, while Kon's work caters to the 18-34+ crowd. Either way I compared this to Boogiepop not Champloo or Bebop. Paranoia agent is less vague and more entertaining and has a hook.[/COLOR] :cool:

[QUOTE=Solo Tremaine][COLOR=#503F86]This isn't a discussion just about bootlegs- it's primarily about whether it's wrth importing anime into the UK. And unfortunately, since bootlegs cover such a huge portion of the market, it's silly just to deny that they exist. I only buy genuine releases now. In fact, I intend to buy all eight Trigun DVDs to replace the FX set I bought on eBay some time ago. But a lot of people simply don't have the money to spend. And when you're faced with a choice between a whole series for $120 and the whole series for $25, which is the one you're going to go for, realistically? I'm sure a lot of people don't know the difference, and won't until they get the DVD. Even buying genuine soundtracks is getting increasingly hard. I ordered an Outlaw Star CD which I was told on the listing was released by Victor Records, but when I got it back, it turned out to be an Ever Anime bootleg. I'm going to re-order that, too. I'm not an advocate of bootlegs. Or downloads, for that matter. I hate them. But until there's proper control over what is sold in internet shops (and really, I don't think most eBay sellers actually care- they just want to make money in the same way the bootleg companies do), they are going to be the foremost provider of anime around the world. It's sick and irritating, but that's just how it is.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy]Most ebayer's that sell bootlegs are from China & Malaysia, the pirate capitals. The ebayers that sell these on ebay buy them in bulk sizes. 500 Trigun FX dvd's cost about $200. They sell for about $25 plus $1 shipping (from China? too cheap, if you ask me). If one could sell all 500 FX bootlegs that would be about $12,500 in return. The uninformed group would no doubt choose the $25 3-disc set intead of the $180 8-disc set. These individuals that buy these FX sets don't even know that they're bootlegs because they're professionally made. To the uninformed eye, these are just everyday dvds. But for every $25 dollar set bought, the creators lose some serious dough. The only thing that keeps anime creators going is their pride. The pay is poor for their area but in the near future if these pirates keep making dough, the artists will soon tire out and there won't be any creative anime features anymore. Why buy it if you can download it? Downloaders don't make money but they do take away from the profit if that individual doesn't care watching anime on a 17" monitor. Pirates may be the foremost provider of anime in the world but they are hurting anime not helping. Fansubs help anime, even distributors watch fansubs to tell if the anime is worth bringing stateside. If I can't afford anime I would sell my furniture just to buy a boxset. I'm currently going to college, have no job, and yet I'm still able to buy anime. To the guy above, $650 per month isn't bad at all, that's better than my $1000 a year college check I receive. Let's face it, if certain individuals stop buying bootlegs we all would have reasonable anime retail prices. 8-set dvd sets wouldn't cost $180 but instead would retail at a mere $120. Anime isn't cheap, but it's sure worth it.[/COLOR] :D

[QUOTE=Dagger]I hadn't really considered it until now, but this show has many things in common with Boogiepop Phantom, which happens to be among my favorite anime. If you haven't seen Boogiepop, you should definitely check it out. Paranoia Agent's storyline is more linear (not to mention far less convoluted), and it uses flashbacks judiciously rather than liberally. Yet as is the case with Boogiepop, each one of PA's episodes seems to focus on a different main character. These people are connected to each other in a number of obvious and not-so-obvious ways. More importantly, both shows revolve around a string of serial attacks. The perpetrators (Shounen Bat and Boogiepop) appear to strike at random, moving unnoticed through the city until they encounter their next victims. And although Shounen Bat isn't quite an angel of death, he too has evolved into a figure of near-mythological proportions. Paranoia Agent's artwork is smooth, polished and occasionally caricaturish, while Boogiepop's aims primarily for a stark kind of realism. But the characters in each look refreshingly normal and human. I guess what I'm trying to say is: despite the fact that PA was obviously influenced by Boogiepop, it remains a unique and fascinating series. I really enjoy comparing the two shows, since they're outstanding examples of their genre and of anime in general. ~Dagger~[/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy]To me, Boogiepop Phantom and Paranoia Agent are two completely different species. Boogiepop Phantom has more in common with Serial Experiments Lain than Paranoia Agent. Paranoia Agent is totally original compared to both those titles. Shounen Bat aka Lil' Slugger doesn't attack at random he attacks people who are going mad. PA was "certainly" not influenced by Boogiepop Phantom either. Satoshi Kon wanted to create a series that could show a vivid and accurate portrayal of paranoia on the human psyche. If you have the dvd's they even have a psychiatrist that talks about each and everyone of the paranoia's shown in the series. Boogiepop Phantom is excellent but it's only a show that is recommended to hardcore anime fanatics. BP has such a non-linear storytelling structure that the casual anime fans would get lost. In fact 90% of the people out there would just dimiss the entire show after the first episode. Paranoia Agent is different because this is the show that caters to all audiences. On Adult Swim, they have two reviews that gave Samurai Champloo & Paranoia Agent a C+, these two review publications don't know anything about anime except their B+ review of Dragonball Z. [/COLOR] :animesigh

[QUOTE=boxybrown305][COLOR=DarkRed]Well, it can be worth it, and it could not be worth it. You have to be carefull with these kinds of things. In terms of international shipping, that will cost a bit more, but no matter where you are, your money should be accepted (excange rates are ussually done automatically). Another thing to consider is the quality of it. At least half of my anime collection is bootleg, and i'm fine with that. If you must have the official release of everything, it will cost quite a bit more, but many bootlegs are very good quality. I own three disc collections of [B]Trigun[/B] and [B]Cowboy Bebop[/B], and didn't pay more than $25 for either series. I also got the full collection of [B]FLCL[/B] on one disc for $8, all of which are very good quality, and i'm quite satisfied. However, you need to be carefull doing this, as i bought an import of the full series of [B]Elfen Lied[/B]. It is good quality visually, except that the English subs are very bad (blatantly fan subbed, with typos, and "Engrish" everywhere). For that reason, i am now buying EL as it is released in the States. Basically, if you want to, it can prove to be a good move, but if your not ready to put your trust into international expenses you may want to wait. I don't want to get in trouble posting links to sites selling bootlegs, or anything, but if you would like, i can PM you some of the better sites that i use. You could also go the way of the used anime, and try ebay. They are pretty reliable (only buy something with a picture, and be sure you KNOW WHAT YOUR BUYING!). My oppinion is, go for it! I don't think international shipping is much of a worry, as i have shipped anime from Japan. But it is all your choice. [B]Note:[/B] All money previously mentioned is American currency. If you really need to know the difference you'll have to figure out the exchange rate difference on your own.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy]I'm totally against bootlegs. I can't believe this site which is dedicated to the discussion of all things anime allow this type of "bootleg" discussion. Do you know for every bootleg you buy, you actually "help" destroy anime? These bootleg companies such as FX, Anime International, MAC, earn money for each and everyone that has worked so hard to share their visions in the form of anime. If you were one of the artists, how would you feel if someone made money off your hard work? These bootlegs are of okay quality but since they stuff 26 episodes in only 3 discs, they actually ruin the compression of the video. Ebay is actually the worst place to buy anime. One reason, 98% of them are bootlegs. The FX company alone has made over 100 million dollars off of bootlegs. Don't you think the animation studios, voice talents, script writers, etc, deserve all that money. I don't mean to pry in but when someone such as yourself actually encourages bootlegs to someone else I find that disturbing. Mods, like Dagger shouldn't even allow bootleg encouraging. I know anime is expensive "only" because piracy is so high. [/COLOR] :animeknow

[COLOR=Navy]An interesting topic indeed. [B]Alucard vs. D:[/B] Take both vamps from the Hellsing & Vampire Hunter D universe and you're going to have one hell of a match (no pud intended). Both are equally skilled, and both are able to turn into their ultimate forms. Since both have regeneration abilities these guys would be fighting for another century. [B]Captain Harlock vs. Cpt. Alex Row:[/B] These two are both ship captains of different ships in different eras. This would be a retro-futuristic battle. [B]Jin vs. Kenshin:[/B] Both of these samurai's are quick, patient, and skilled. Kenshin leaves an opening though because he questions Jin's "out of era" glasses. [B]Inuyasha vs. Kurosaki Ichigo:[/B] Both of these guys can be funny and serious at the same time. 2 big swords, 2 big egos, 1 pay-per-view event. This is quite an interesting match if you can imagine it. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]This game is such a blast to play online. The single-player is just a giant 30 hour tutorial that prepares you for some intense battles online. On the surface it looks like a fighting game but underneath it's really a card game. Mix Dragonball Z and Yu-Gi-Oh and you get one addicting game. Environments are fully destructible, 340 different skills to learn, this is a thinking man's game that relies with precisive skill and a stroke of luck. I like using this skill that launches you into the air and as you land you make a meteoric sized impact. The game's visuals and gameplay mechanics rock! The storyline borders anime-related as well. For only $20, how can you lose? You only rip-off yourself if you don't own this in your xbox collection.[/COLOR] :animesmil

[COLOR=Navy][B]The Godfather trilogy[/B] would have some serious potential to be a masterpiece in anime form. [B]Gokusen[/B], I believe had a Godfather Champloo to it. Can you imagine the greatest film in history telling the best mafia story ever told in anime form? An instant masterpiec[/COLOR]e. :cool:

[QUOTE=Flashlight]I've never read the manga, but I have seen the first 2 episodes of the series. I hated it. Frankly, it bored me. I can't say exactly what it was about it that bored me as I watched it sometime last year and can't remember all to well, but I remember that me and my brother couldn't stand it anymore, so we left the theatre (it was at a con) as fast as we could (Leaving his 2 friends there, unaware of our departure). As for what you said about the series straying from the manga's order, I can't say I'm too surprised. It happens a lot. :([/QUOTE] [COLOR=Navy] Samurai Deeper Kyo was the most dissapointing samurai series I've ever seen. Part of the reason why is the style they use during the action sequences. They used stills with streaking animation fluid, utterly distasting for a series that has so many action scenes. This anime isn't good or bad but along the middle of the road. It's just there if you've seen all the samurai flicks out there.[/COLOR] :animesigh

[COLOR=Navy]I consider myself as an Otaku. In Japan, when you label yourself as an Otaku, the public sees you as an obessive fan. In America, it's a different story however. People here carry the Otaku label with pride. [/COLOR] :D

[B]Anime News Network Reader Murdered [/B](2005-05-21 23:12:07) [I][COLOR=Navy]ANN would like to offer our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of of Simon Sek Man Ng (19) and his sister, who were murdered in their home on May 12th. Simon wrote regularly in his online blog about studying Japanese, which he became interested in through anime. His final blog entry helped police arrest his assailant.[/COLOR] [/I] [COLOR=Navy]Here is his blog:[/COLOR] [URL]http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=ToTo247[/URL] [COLOR=Navy]This is very sad news indeed. How ironic how he managed to write his last entry into his blog just before his murder. After reading his blog, Simon was truly a hard-working person who truly enjoyed the anime culture. A great life ended by a heartless person. Lesson to be learned here, never let a stranger in your house especially if he is your sister's ex-boyfriend. :( My condolences to his family.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]If any anime world could be real which would you be most afraid to live in? Personally, I think the Dragonball GT universe would be the most dangerous because you have super-beings that are able to blow up planets.[/COLOR] :nervous:

[COLOR=Navy][B]Kumugi[/B] from [B]The Soul Taker[/B]. She's just in it for the cute factor.[/COLOR] :naughty:

[COLOR=Navy][B]Satoshi Kon[/B] is one of the directors I pay attention to because most of his anime work is based on realistic human stories or to put it more vaguely, psychological thrillers. Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paranoia Agent are all masterpieces. I believe Satoshi Kon is the [I]madman[/I] of anime. He likes to dive deep into people's minds and likes to find out what makes them tick. Satoshi Kon is a really unique director because he stays away from all the usual anime offerings such as sci-fi, fantasy, action, romance, etc. I believe he has taken a weak genre in anime and only made it stronger. [B]Shinichiro Watanabe[/B] is another one I pay attention to because most of his offerings are different genre's blended into one. That's why he has unique shows under his belt like Cowboy Bebop & Samurai Champloo. I believe this guy is the[I] soul[/I] of anime. Whatever he puts in anime just comes to life. That is probably why this guy gets noticed a lot because his work just stands out. And who can leave out [B]Mamoru Oshii?[/B] This guy is basically the James Cameron of anime. With classics such as Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire, Patlabor, Jin-Roh he is easily the most recognizable name in Anime. I like to think of this guy as the [I]monster[/I] of anime because most of the work he does just become blockbuster hits.[/COLOR] :lecture:

[COLOR=Navy][B]Ninja Resurrection (Makai Tensho)[/B] I've never seen an anime so despicable in my life. This is not a sequel to Ninja Scroll but rather a sequel to Gundam Wing: Ancient Japan. Seriously, this anime takes place in 1614 Japan where the Tokugawa Shogunate slaughters countless of innocent Christians. The difference, the ninjas here are crazy, they have shotguns with grapplin' hooks, rocket launchers that belong in Halo 2, & rocket-propelled mecha suits that would make Rocketman proud. :sick: What is the point of NR? The marketing company wanted to make you think it was a Ninja Scroll sequel, they used the name Jubei and they used great animation. Which can only lead to, "money-laundering." :animeangr Everything in this OVA was just pointless. NR has more plot-holes than the bullet-riddled walls in a Terminator movie. Overall, I would give this a -10 out of 10. This is so bad that a dumpter would decay. :faint: [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]Most controversial: [B]Gantz[/B] Most bloody: [B]Elfen Lied[/B] Most violent: [B]Fist of the North Star[/B][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]1. [B]Monster[/B] - A realistic psychological thriller that will make you change the way you look at anime. The greatest and most terrifying anime story ever told. 76 episodes, around 50 done in Japan. 2. [B]Last Exile[/B] - This is perfect for the whole family. A great plot, breathtaking visuals, adrenaline-pumped soundtrack, memorable characters. Last Exile is just a fun retro-futuristic adventure that grabs you from the very beginning and never lets you go. 3. [B]Paranoia Agent[/B] - A brilliant anime that takes you into the minds of people to see what drives them insane. Satoshi Kon, the man responsible for Tokyo Godfathers & Perfect Blue has created his own brilliant series. 4. [B]Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo[/B] - A sci-fi adaption of Alexandre Dumas's "The Count of Monte Cristo." This is one of the most artistic and compelling anime series I've seen. You are expecting a revenge tale correct? How about one that has a Japanese twist? 5. [B]Bleach[/B] - The most fun you'll have with a ghost story. Bleached-out animation, spectacular action, tons of hiliarious moments. This anime is just a perfect blend of action and humor. The amount of episodes is still unknown. 6. [B]Samurai Champloo[/B] - Champloo means mixing or blending, (aka stir-fry). What do you get when you mix hip-hop with samurai's? Loads of entertainment. 7. [B]Eflen Lied[/B] - This anime really brought out the tears. The characters are just so cute and if something were to happen to them, you'd cry a bucket full too. :animecry: 8. [B]Boogiepop Phantom[/B] - The most confusing anime ever made. So confusing that one of the people who worked on this, advise that you have to watch 1 episode per week just to comprehend it all. I still don't understand it but that's what seperates this from other anime's. It tells a large non-linear story through dozens of characters in a way a spider weaves a web. :animestun 9. [B]Hellsing[/B] - Dark, Gothic, and entertaining. Vampires don't get much cooler than this. 10. [B]Hunter X Hunter[/B] - I've only seen 4 episodes but this is already better than Naruto: The king of unnecessary flashbacks. [/COLOR] :animeswea

[COLOR=Navy]This is one of my favorite, yet emotional anime's I've seen in a long time. Most people think the violence is too much, yet it's rated 15+ (at least according to my Rightstuf Spring 2005 catalog). Most people just expect Elfen Lied to be a gore-filled romp when Eflen Lied is actually trying to convey a message to its audience. While EL is telling you a story it's also deciphering a very important message at the same time. I thought the plot and characters were well-developed, especially for a series containing only 13 episodes. The message which I received while watching Elfen Lied is as follows: (Don't read until you've completed the series) [spoiler]Nature vs. Nurture and here are my thoughts on it: All the knowledge we acquire, all the understanding we develop, everything we learn, is a product of nature. At birth, we have none of these. All the habits we form, all the tastes we cultivate, all the patterns of behavior we accumulate, are products of nurture. We are born only with potentialities or powers that are habituated by the things we do in the course of growing up. Many, if not all, of these habits of behavior are acquired under the influence of the homes and families, support ( or like many of the cases in EL lack thereof family/support ), the tribes or societies in which we are brought up. This is evident in EL, as sadly, Lucy was subjected to the aforementioned evils of human nature at a young and fragile age. She was born with a weapon and stumbled upon it; without a family for support or parents to set boundaries and teach compassion, empathy and dignity, Lucy becomes uncontrollable... murdering others with child-like benevolence and irreverence.[/spoiler][/COLOR]