Astraea

I've known about this film for a while. Of all the adaptations and changes they could be making with it, I'm most curious to know what they will do with the religious side of things, especially if this is intended to be the first in a trilogy. The religious and literary allusions only increase as Pullman's story goes on. The books are excellent, and ones I have loved since I read [I]Northern Lights [/I](the original title of 'The Golden Compass') years ago. I wonder how they will approach the topic of the daemons. I hope they're not passed off as pets or something ridiculous like that.... One thing I was surprised at with the casting, was that Asriel looked so young. My old mental picture of him was as quite a bit older, and Scoresby younger.

[QUOTE=RobinWH]This is explained/reviled in ep. 4. Did you catch it ??[/QUOTE] Was it to do with [spoiler]the medium? That's how the astronomers were tracking the 'Moratorium' Mai?[/spoiler]

From the first two episodes, this looks to be one I'll enjoy watching. I loved the atmosphere of the first episode - rather creepy but a bit stylish with it. The second episode was a real shock, with so much information coming all at once towards the end. I haven't watched the third yet. I find it curious that the payments for being a Contractor differ so much. I wonder if there's a relation between the kind/level of power a Contractor acquires, and the price they have to pay.

I've just read the preview of this on ANN. This sounds like it could be very entertaining. I'd love to see what this anime can do with Shakespeare. I'll definitely be checking it out.

I much prefer the "more villainous protagonists" then the straight heroic type. I was talking with another anime fan about this a while ago, and we decided that they were the more interesting characters. The archetypal hero is pretty simplistic. When you add in a protagonist wanting to 'reign over the world as god', like Light, or play the terrorist to achieve his goals, like Lelouch, that is where the who protagonist role gets interesting and the 'heroic' or 'good' nature of those sorts of leads becomes wonderfully ambiguous. Or in Light's case quickly become non-existent. I still love Light though. He is a psychopath, but [I]my [/I]kind of fictional psychopath.... ;)

I have no real preference. Though I did ask a Japanese anime fan what he thought of the deal, and he pointed out that there are some points that don't come across in dubs as well as they do in the subs. But...If I'm watching and enjoying the dub, then I don't see that that's really an issue. If the dub sounds good, then I don't mind. If the voices in either are so bad they're distracting, then that's obviously a pain.

I...got my password right first try? That's got to be a first. I hadn't heard of Serei no Moribito, but that trailer looks pretty awesome. Not sure what its about, mind you, but it looks very impressive. Death Note being released is a good thing to look forward to (well, the sooner the US gets it, the sooner it might be out in the UK.), ditto Haruhi Suzumiya. I also wouldn't mind seeing what Goro Miyazaki has done to Earthsea.

It was pretty odd. I wasn't expecting Bradley's involvement to be like that. I mean, it was a given that he wasn't a 'good guy' considering the state of the country, but I never would have guessed [spoiler]his actual identity[/spoiler]...(can't remember how to cover 'spoilers') Maybe I was just easily surprised. :animeblus The ending worked quite well, though it seemed a bit rushed. I wasn't especially impressed with the film, though. I think it could have been done better.

Whether I watch the sub or dub depends on my mood...and also which series I'm watching. Fortunately, most of the few anime DVDs I own have good dubs. Last week I was watching 'Noir', and put on the dub because I didn't feel like having to read the subtitles whilst eating lunch. On the rare occasion I have something my younger brother might like, I play the dub because he's not so good at following the subtitles. This has lead to us watching the 'Flame vs. Fullmetal' episode of FMA about six times (no real violence). Its fun but not [I]that [/I]good :rolleyes: One thing I find interesting about the dubs is how lines are interpreted in English, the choice of words can change the meaning. I can't think of any specific examples.... But long as the dub is as close as possible to the original in meaning and mood, then I'm happy. You do get a few voice-actors who's voices are just...irritating, and not just in the dub. I prefer the dub of 'Fruits Basket' to the original, but in, say, Fullmetal Alchemist, I thought that the original VA was better for the part then Vic Mignogna. He did [I]well[/I] but he just didn't convince me that his character was 15. And if an actor doesn't make you believe in the part then, well... -_-

Meh...random daft thread. Its kind of difficult for me to pick many female characters, because most of my favourite characters happen to be male. Anyway: Noir: Chloe - The cloak, the knives, the whole deadly grace...thing. Great character; would love to cosplay as her. Yami no Matsuei: yeah, gender's off, but Tsuzuki is just v. cool. Especially when he's being serious, and fighting with his shikigamis. He's gone through such terrible things, but always tries tofind some sort of peace. Hellsing: Seras Victoria. A woman who holds her own in a situation like that? Oh, hooray for anime kick-a** females. She gives up her human life in order to survive, only to discover that the 'vampire' deal wasn't quite what she thought. She doesn't lose her sense of 'right' even when she thinks she would lose her humanity. Wouldn't dare wear that costume, though. :animeswea FMA: No specific character, but I'd love to be a State Alchemist. The library...*squee*! I would gladly be a b***h of the military for the resources alone. So long I could play it safe and stay out of actually going into a warzone... Want a specific character? Roy Mustang. He's a jerk...but a jerk with attitude. And he happens to be a pyrokinetic, which is always fun. :flaming:

I've also recently finished watching FMA. I've yet to see the film, though. On the series: The characters are very interesting. I liked following the story of the Elric brothers, as their different personalities and changes in character were used well. The tension between them about the failed transmutation made for some good development, I thought. The plot was good, as once the 'search for the Stone' thing got going, I found the whole mythos about what the Philosopher's Stone was intriguing. The homunculi are excellant as characters and plot-devices. I read the title "Dante in the deep Forest" and thought "Hah! We're in Hell, aren't we?". Well, not really, but the 'embodiment of Sin' thing was a fun twist. I'm going to reserve judgement on Ed's side of the ending until I've watched it again and got a better idea of what the heck went on. The 'Truth' was...most weird. One thing that I didn't see coming, plot-wise was [spoiler]the Fuhrer being Pride. I mean, I'd guessed that the Homunculi had some kind of sway over the people of the country, but that particular revelation came out of the blue for me[/spoiler]. And also, the business with Roy [spoiler] effectively starting a coup. The prat. Yes, he wants revenge against the people who killed Hughes/destroyed several cities, but to give up everything he had...like that?[/spoiler] Then again, the fight between him and [spoiler]Pride[/spoiler] was awesome, if only because we see Mustang fighting with his back against the proverbial wall. Oh, and on the fact that [spoiler]Mustang was shot, I'd heard it suggested that Hawkeye accidentally shot him when she was aiming for Archer. Granted she's supposed to be a great marksman, but she was desparate.[/spoiler] I mention this because I would have thought that anyone Archer wanted out of the way would be....removed. [spoiler]Especially at that range, and the state Mustang was in; on his feet, but missing his gloves.[/spoiler]

"Why do some create anime which is too hard for [fans] to understand?" Frankly I don't see the point of your question. If all anime was simple and uninvolving, then the fanbase would be a good deal smaller. It would all be 'Pokemon', to choose an obvious example. Variety in a genre is - broadly speaking - a good thing. Those who know anime know well enough that it is not all about giant robots, magical girls (yes, those cliches, add your own...). Anime is an artform which is very versatile, it can be used in many different ways. The same studio (GAINAX, I mean) made FLCL as made 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'. The latter, by the way, is an anime which can be enjoyed on different levels. My brother likes it on the 'giant robots fighting' level, whereas I'm far more interested in its philosophical/psychological side. (That's not to say, before I sound too pretentious, that I don't cheer on some mecha fight action.) It doesn't take great complexity to get something - more then one thing, out of an anime. I found the sheer bizarre humour of 'Azumanga Daioh' a welcome relief after watching the throughly depressing, but gripping 'Noir' in the same evening. I enjoyed 'Fruits Basket' as much for its comedy as I did for its melodrama. Almost all media conveys some 'point', depending on how one interprets it. There's a difference, however, between what those watching/reading something get out of a piece, and how much was put in by the creators intentionally to provoke a certain reaction/interpretation. "Right now, the End of Evangelion is messing with someone's head" (sic.) (quotation from an AMV) To claim there is anime which is 'too' hard for people to understand is generalising both anime programmes, and people's level of understanding.

I love Yuki Kajiura's music for 'Noir'. The operatic/gothic vaguely-rock-like style I found captivating, and I own the first soundtrack. I've seen little anime, but in 'Noir' at least, my favourite songs are 'Canta Per Me', and the awesome (try listening to it with headphones) 'Salva Nos'. Kajirua also did music for 'Aquarian Age' (has [I]anyone[/I] else seen that?) and bits for 'Mai HiME'. The 'Jazz' style of Yoko Kanno's 'Cowboy Bebop' is very good too. I like what I've heard of the music in 'Gravitation', but have yet to actually see that series. My favourite anime [I]theme[/I] at the moment is 'Eden', the theme to 'Yami no Matsuei'/Descendants of Darkness. Creepy. Even better alongside the opening credits.