TimeChaser

I had a room mate in college who listened to C&C, and at the time I never payed much attention to them. Later, when I discovered the complex storyline they wove through all their albums, I gave them a listen. Good Apollo Vol. 1 is still my favorite (their production quality is the best on that album), with Silent Earth 3 running a close second place. I don't listen to Turbine Blade as much, mostly because they were more poppy back then and the production quality on that album is not very good. And I am looking forward to Good Apollo Vol. 2.

[B]Watching:[/B] [I]Key the Metal Idol[/I] - 15-episode OVA about a robot girl who can become human if she makes 30,000 friends. But of course, like all robot girls, a sinister corporation is after her. Also been watching some random stuff: [I]Hellsing Ultimate[/I] OVAs and Vol. 1 of [I]Welcome to the NHK[/I]. [B]Reading:[/B] I reall want to take the time and get all the way through [I]Angel Sanctuary[/I], since I stopped around Vol. 10 or so to wait for the rest of it to come out first.

Watched Voltron back in the day, without knowing anything about 'anime'. The first time I watched anime with an understanding of what it was, I saw Vampire Hunter D on late-night TV. Not long after that, I'd catch episodes of Sailor Moon on occasion. Eventually I got hooked through DBZ and Gundam Wing on Toonami, and my addiction to anime was cemented by Cowboy Bebop and Trigun.

I pefer mature anime. Which in my case can mean several things: a maturity of emotion, a maturity of plot (anime that are complex and require you to really watch and pay attention to understand them), as well as 'mature' meaning intense and violent. Mots of my anime falls under scifi, supernatural, and horror, with some comedy, drama, and even a little romance thrown in the mix. I also like to find anime that are under the radar, stuff that isn't popular or very well-known. These shows can often be some of the best - Devil Lady, Haibane Renmei, Key the Metal idol, Noir, Requiem from the Darkness (as examples).

This week I've been very addicted to "Suffer" by [B]The Echoing Green[/B]. Heard it in an Eva AMV and loved it instantly, great synth stuff. It's only available on their myspace right now, as it's scheduled for their upcoming album.

Some of the funniest songs I've ever heard are by Ray Stevens. [B]Sitting Up With The Dead[/B] - About a country community at a wake on a stormy night. The deceased was so bent over when he died that they had to chain the body down (and didn't tell anyone about it). The storm already has eveyone on edge, and the chain snaps and... well, Uncle Fred sits up =P Causing everyone in the house to freak out. Here's the chorus: [I]Well I ain't sittin up with the dead no more - I don't 'bout you Well I ain't sittin up with the dead no more, no matter what you say or do They say the dead can't hurt ya cuz they already left But what they left can sure make you hurt yourself Well I ain't siitin up with the dead no more since the dead started sittin up too[/I] [B]Three Legged Man[/B] - About a guy who falls in love with a married woman, and decides to run away with her one night, also taking her husband's wooden leg to prevent him from chasing after. But, he does anyway. [B]Would Jesus Wear a Rolex?[/B] - A great song poking fun at these TV preachers and their cash-loaded mega churches, always asking for even more money from their members. [B]The Streak[/B] - Self-explanatory. About a man sending a town into an uproar as he streaks about, apparently trying to attract the attention of a rather sour-face woman. Intersperesed with fake news reports on the scene of the Streak's latest sighting. Even funnier when watching the video for it. [B]Mississippi Suirrel Revival[/B] - Again, even more hilarious when watching the video. The narrator talks about his summer days visiting his aunt in the country. One day he catches a squirrel and takes it to church to show his buddy. Well... the squirrel escapes and proceeds to crawl up the pants legs/skirts of those in the church who aren't exactly the most holy of people, and believeing theyre being attacked by the devil or the spirit, they confess some juicy sins =P As you can tell, Ray Stevens has a mostly country/folksy style (but not in a "country music" way, thank goodness). I think what makes his songs especially funny is the outlandish stories they tell.

2007 is turning out to be the busiest year I've ever had collecting anime. Starting with what I'm already into, I'm looking forward to seeing the conclusions to [B]Speed Grapher[/B] and [B]Trinity Blood[/B] (especially since I lost track of [B]TB[/B] on adult swim and its so heavily into story-arcing that I'm just watching the dvds til it's all out). Then there are the series that I'm getting that still have a ways to go: [B]Ergo Proxy [/B], [B]Eureka Seven[/B], [B]Fate/Stay Night[/B], [B]Guyver[/B], [B]Hellsing Ultimate[/B], [B]Noein[/B], & [B]Utawarerumono[/B]. Also [B]Bleach[/B], which is my only long-term investment. I just got the first disc of [B]Rumbling Hearts[/B] today and look forward to watching the rest (thank goodness its only 3 volumes). Then there's series that have yet to come out: [B]Le Chevalier d"Eon[/B], [B]Kurau Phantom Memory[/B], & [B]Black Lagoon[/B] (let's hear it for the violence!!). Plus [B]Origin: Spirits of the Past[/B] (movie). Whew... It's a wonder I'm not absolutely dirt poor already o_O I'm also hoping that the adaptation of the [B]Claymore[/B] manga won't suck, and to find out if the [B]Witchblade[/B] anime is worth looking into.

My two favorite quotes to throw out whenever I come upon a thread like this are: "I don't know why they're shooting at us. All we want to do is bring them democracy and white bread, to transplant the American Dream: freedom, achievement, hyperacidity, affluence, flatulence, technology, tension, the inalienable right to an early coronary at your desk while plotting to stab your boss in the back. That's entertainment." - Hawkeye Pierce on [B]MASH[/B] "The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common: they don't alter their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit their views. Which can be rather uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering." - The Doctor on [B]Doctor Who[/B] Some more humorous quotes I like: "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" "He plans to destroy the world, next Tuesday" / "How vulgar. Nobody does anything of importance on a Tuesday." And of course the quote in my sig, which comes from [B]A Hard Day's Night[/B]

There are few instrumentals I really enjoy, but here are some: "Stream Of Consciousness" - [B]Dream Theater[/B] "Man Made God" & "The Wayfarer"- [B]In Flames[/B] "Prognosis" & "Progtology" - [B]Enchant[/B] "Entering The Angel Diabolique" & "Centro De Predomino" - [B]Soilwork[/B]

For metal, I agree with 2007DigitalBoy - [B]Dream Theater[/B] is an amazing band. Also good for rock. If you want something that's really heavy, [B]In Flames [/B] is another great band. For electronica, I just discovered a great band - [B]The Echoing Green[/B]. Unfortunately most of what I listen to I have to order off the internet, but if you're capable of and willing to do that, some other good bands: ROCK Enchant, Queensryche, Spock's Beard, The Tea Party. METAL Kamelot, Machinae Supremacy, Threshold, Vanden Plas, Vision Divine.

This my favorite series of the large crop of new stuff that has been coming out lately. It's dark, beautifully designed and animated and has enough subtext to kill an elephant :animesmil A perfect combination. The voice acting in the dub is some really good stuff too. Geneon doesnt often go wrong in their dubs. And you really need to watch this in the dub to catch all that subtext and the metaphysical/philosophicall concepts. Subs would just get in the way and divert your attention too much. I would put this in my Top 10 list, if I made one. And it would be near the top.

I enjoy Cwboy Bebop and FMA and all the other standard well-loved anime, but my core list of Top 5 consists of others that may be overlooked. #1 - [B]RahXephon[/B] - Often criticized as a rip-off of Evangelion, Rah is actually Eva done right. It's chock full of deeper meanings and subtext and wandering plot threads that manage to come together very successfully in the end (and it actually has a satisfying ending, unlike Eva). The animation is incredible and it also doesn't suffer from too much angst among the characters. A good part of the plot revolves around music, which I really enjoy. #2 - [B]Haibane Renmei[/B] - Created by Yoshitoshi Abe who also made [I]Serial Experiments Lain[/I], it is a complete 180 from that style of story. It starts off pretty light as we get to know the main cast, a group of girls who are part of a group called Haibane. It's kind of slice of life as we follow the newest Haibane, Rakka, as she learns about the world she has been born into. Then a subtle change in the emotional level of the show occurs as Rakka must deal with self doubt and help a friend who is consumed by her own inner demons. The final episode will keep you on the verge of tears, and probably push you over. Some of the most simple yet powerful drama I've ever seen in any anime. #3 - [B]Noir[/B] - This series just oozes style out of every pore. From the action, to the music, to the art and backgrounds, it's a visual treat. The story of two young women who are assassins and their search for answers to their pasts, it's one of those shows that isn't for everyone. It's pace is rather slow, and there's an important piece of music to do with the plot that gets played a million times. It's very much like the Noir films its named after. But if you love stylish art and action, beautiful soundtrack, and girls with guns... you can't find much better. #4 - [B]X (TV)[/B] - While I was disappointed in the manga's translation, the TV series has become one of my absolute favorite shows. Who's side are you on? X is the story of two groups of psychically empowered people who have gathered to fight it out for the fate of the world. And it's not so easy to tell the "good guys" from the "bad guys" as the charatcers and their motivations and not cut and dry. The series has really great animation and character designs and time is spent between the main plot and fleshing out the backstory of most of the characters. Pretty much the only shojou TV series I enjoy. #5 - [B]Requiem from the Darkness[/B] - This show gets absolutely no recognition at all. Set in the Edo period, it follows a young man named Momosuke who is an aspiring writer wanting to write a book of 100 ghost stories. He crosses paths with a mysterious trio who seem to be on a mission to punish the worst sinners and is dragged into their world, drawn deeper into the mystery. This is an excellent horror series that is very distinctive in it's artwork and design. Momosuke and several other characters all look normal, but the rest, especially background or bit characters, are drawn to look very distorted and inhuman. An excellent show for fans of dark stuff and horror tales.

Now, you want to go back to the really good old days... Voltron ;) Back before you even knew that you were watching this thing called "anime". And yes, I remember Sailor Moon, and DBZ. And also Gundam Wing, before I had the 20-ton load of bricks that is the Gundam Multiverse dropped on my head. Those were the informative years, what started me on the path to more anime, but I wouldn't want to go back to that time for love or money. Since then my tastes have evolved and I've found more and better shows. Today is a very exciting time for anime, and it just keeps getting better.

[QUOTE=2007DigitalBoy]you are awesome. And what perfect timing as today i just got my first [B]Dream Theater [/B] CD ([B]Train of Thought[/B]) as well as [B]The Human Equasion [/B] (totally freaking awesome, way better than I thought it'd be). AND you like Rush. We need to hang out, heh. Annnnywhooo.... [B]Opeth [/B] - These guys are awesome and create the defining bridge between my two favorite types of music, prog and death metal. They've got the best singer ever ([B]Mikael Akderfelt[/B]!) as well as the best of their genres.[/QUOTE] Thanks. Kind of ironic, [B]Train of Thought[/B] was my first DT cd as well. Good stuff. And I love Opeth too. I have the three you have plus the new one, [B]Ghost Reveries[/B]. That one is even better than [B]Blackwater Park[/B] in my opinion, though I count them together as the best Opeth has done, along with [B]Damnation[/B]. I first heard Akerfeldt on [I]The Human Equation[/I] and enjoyed his voice, and I'm also partial to some death metal so I gave Opeth a try and was really impressed. And if you don't have it, you should pick up their [I]Lamentations[/I] live concert DVD.

I'm going to mention an anime I don't think anyone has so far: Haibane Renmei. It gets sadder as it goes along. First it's just a few instances, but by the last couple of episodes it is full-on emotional. If you are not on the verge of sobbing while watching the final episode, you have no heart and soul :(

Hmm... song of the week. If I had to pick one for this week, it would be [I]Soul Society[/I] by [B]Kamelot[/B]. It's always been a great song but it's been stuck in my head since seeing a Bleach AMV that used it.

Favorite bands... hard to choose just a few, but I'll just talk about the best ones. [B]Rush[/B]: The single greatest rock band of all time. Rush is excellent classic hard rock, and very progressive in the early days with alot of epic songs. They've changed with the times but have still managed to make great music. Some fans may diagree, but I particularly enjoy their 80s material from [I]Permanent Waves[/I] up to [I]Hold Your Fire[/I]. [B]Dream Theater[/B]: Despite appearing later than other founding Prog Metal bands, DT have become the poster boys for the genre. Every member is virtuostic in the playing of their instruments and the wailing vocals of James LaBrie are a perfetc match. Some of their best material includes the nearly 24-minute song [I]A Change of Seasons[/I] as well as [I]Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory[/I], a concept album about a man tormented by dreams of a past life. [B]Queensryche[/B]: One of the founding bands of the Prog Metal genre in the 80s. They started off in the same vein as Iron Maiden, but achieved their breakthrough with [I]Operation: Mindcrime[/I], probably the current model for all concept CDs. It was literally a rock opera, and their tour for it included guest singers and video material to help flesh out the story. [B]Ayreon[/B]: A project started by Dutch composer/instrumentalist/vocalist/producer Arjen Lucassen, Ayreon revived the "Rock Opera". Every album tells a story, and Lucassen assmebles and ever-changing team of people to perform the music, as well as enlist some of the biggest names in Prog to perform the vocals of the various characters. [B]Kamelot[/B]: Evolving from typical European-type power metal (although they originate in the US), Kamelot has created some of the best power-prog music around today. Their last two albums - [I]Epica[/I] & [I]The Black Halo[/I] - are Parts 1 & 2 of the band's musical interpretation of the classic Faust story. And Roy Kahn smokes on vocals.

I tend to like a mid-high range vocal style, which is what you find in alot of progressive rock and metal. People like Geddy Lee of [B]Rush[/B], James LaBrie of [B]Dream Theater[/B], & Geoff Tate of [B]Queensryche[/B] just to name a few.

The eternal question that separates anime fans. Personally, I prefer dub, and for several reasons. 1st: It's easier to keep track of the story without having to read constantly changing text - which is really annoying in those shows where you really have to pay attention to subtext and metaphysical/philosophical concepts. 2nd: With characters that are a mix of nationalities, or shows that are not set in Japan, it makes a bit more sense to hear it in English (ex: Hellsing, set in England with British characters). 3rd: I still can't get used to hearing Japanese. The inflections and pacing is all wrong to my ears. Not to say I wouldn't love to learn it, then it wouldn't be so bad. And there are some instances where I've only heard the Japanese and still enjoyed it. Mostly Miyazaki movies.