Kanji

Those CGs simply radiate of Makoto Shinkai-quality brilliance. Was he in charge of anything else beyond the opening sequence? If not, who is responsible for these lush, beautiful panoramas in each CG image? I'm interested. Anyway, I can see myself appreciating the storyline a heck of a lot more if I ever get a chance to play the game... Might look into that translation patch as means to get my feet wet, come to think of it. Kuze was one of the more interesting characters, in my opinion; not only does he have a very alluring, easygoing personality, but it constantly seems like there's more to him than meets the eye. Nice to hear that he'll be getting some more spotlight.

Kino's Journey seems to be one of those niche series that hardly anyone talks about, and yet every single person who's watched it only speaks good things about it. I was recommended the series by multiple people a few months ago, and was only recently reminded that I needed to give it a proper look-see. Anyway, they weren't kidding. Kino's Journey is a fascinating series that explores humanity in a veristic style. Every character that Kino and Hermes cross paths with exemplify some aspect of society, and yet they manage to do so in a very smooth way. It's so natural; Kino's Journey preaches volumes as a bitter/hopeful social commentary (depending the on episode), but it constantly deludes the viewer in such a way that each episode is always entertaining - I never once felt like I was being lectured on the flaws of mankind, and yet in many episodes this seemed to be an underlying message. I guess I'm totally impressed over the anime's ability to entertain and simultaneously provoke thought. These are the type of series that I love. And, as others have mentioned, there are no flashy gimmicks to draw in flocks of fanboy viewers. There are no distractions. Wonderfully subtle series. I very much enjoyed the artistic atmosphere, too. From the minimalistic application of music to the scanlines to the sepia colors of scenes, everything in the series had a wonderful nostalgic look. This not only brought about a bit of stylistic beauty, but interestingly enough, made the world of Kino's Journey more familiar and easier to identify with. I wish we'd learn a bit more about Kino; episode 4 (Land of Adults) was one of the most powerful ones, partially because we learn a bit more about the title character. Kino seems almost impossibly calm in some situations, and yet her complacence never seems unattainable. It's very interesting to get a few glimpses into what made her that way. The inspirational theme of Episode 8 (Land of Wizards) left me feeling magical, too. A few people were talking about the wonderful ending theme. It's good stuff, but I'm much more addicted to the catchy opening song. Guess I'll have to look into the movies next!

I'd heard from a friend that ef was worth a look, and since I needed a little something to take the edge off of my boredom during early winter break, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give the series a go. Started watching it a couple of weeks ago, and as such I mostly marathoned the episodes. Finished up the show with episode 12 last night. What follows is a fairly messy write-up of my experience with the series. So I took the plunge; ef is the first anime I've watched with eroge roots. Though I guess I'm still reflecting, my impression as of right now seems to be that this was a great series, even though it's not one I fell head-over-heels in love with. Chances are I wouldn't have bothered with it at all if not for a string of circumstances, but I'm glad I took the initiative to check it out after being introduced. After watching the first few episodes, my superficial nitpicks about the series still remained. I guess the whole genre isn't really for me; SHAFT's bishoujo-esque mantle on character design made the events ever so difficult to take seriously, and certain scenes were sappy enough to make me quit outright. In addition, the dual-story approach to the series offered a slower start than I would have liked - once one 'side' of the anime got interesting, the episode would halt progress and show off what was going on with the other characters. This direction really annoyed me at first, although it later proved to be quite powerful come the series' finale. I realize that these are ridiculously superficial nitpicks, but they somehow felt potent while I was watching the series. Nonetheless, I continued watching, mostly because I knew it was going to be a relatively short series and that I had nothing better to watch at the time. Redeeming qualities were abundant, though: the symbolic animation sprinkled throughout the series lends each episode a certain brilliance, and anything that Tenmon touches seems to shine a little more than it would have otherwise. (I love the composer to death.) Then, about halfway through, things actually picked up and got interesting. I guess this was the point when a lot of the conflicts started bubbling out of control in both plotlines. Things did not disappoint from this point onwards - the series moved on rather smoothly and powerfully into a stunning climax for all of the characters. It was great to see the final outlooks of each character during the epilogue. In the end, it's a very touching and inspiring story rooted in believable humanistic themes. In spite of all the hardships and conflict, each character came out of the experience with more confidence, ready to embrace their future. And yet... I never connected with anyone. These stories were all interesting from a spectator's perspective, but I don't feel like I actually cared about how any of their lives turned out. Many series have seen me cheering certain people on, while detesting others. In ef, I couldn't find anyone to sympathize with; it was little more than an entertaining story, and yet it always felt like it was trying to be something more. Maybe it's just that I [i]wanted[/i] it to be something more. ef's characters left me feeling empty in some way, but I really can't put my finger on specifics. So, yeah.. I don't know. Maybe all I'm trying to say is: Good series, but not my cup of tea. Regardless, it definitely wasn't a waste of time. I enjoyed it; probably just not as much as I wanted to.

Haha, nice video clip. It's been a good while since I've watched a series starring a fairly attractive female character that can effortlessly kick copious amounts of ***. Is the music in the rest of the series anything similar to that in the 40-second brawl? It sounded pretty groovy, which seems like a very stylish way to spruce up the series. I'm reminded slightly of Yoko Kanno's excellent jazz compositions for Darker than Black, which also added quite a bit of panache to the series' fight/chase sequences. Might have to give this a go, being a short series and all.

To me, it seems slightly delusional to hold onto a shounen anime series as an example of something mature that shouldn't be watered down. In most cases, these series are the type that almost lend themselves to censorship by American licensing companies. This might not be what some of you want to hear, but frankly... With an action-oriented show like One Piece or Naruto, it's not unreasonable to cut out some of those so-called "bad influences" (gore, mature jokes, sexuality, what have you) and manage to preserve most of the plot. Try doing this with a series like, say... Paranoia Agent. That's probably impossible. Not saying that I condone this behavior, but it's a very logical way to ensure success (more viewers). After all, who amongst us has the most time to devote to their TVs these days? Probably those four-year-old kids.

Shigofumi is the only show that looks to be totally up my alley. If nothing else, you can bet that I'll be following this one pretty closely. The plot sounds quite interesting - something that can tug at one's emotions while remaining very human, and yet the director has managed to weave in a bit of the supernatural. Also, after recently getting into Kino's Journey, the character designs look completely irresistible. To top it all off, ALI PROJECT will be performing the opening theme. Having loved almost every one of their anime opening/ending themes, it seems to be a good thing. I don't see how something could go wrong; the stage seems set for another masterpiece. I can't wait. That's not to say that there aren't other interesting shows this season, but none of the others really jump out at me (I'll probably give Wolf and Spice a go, if only because the original novel won a prize). Mnemosyne might be worth looking into, if only for its stylish trailer. Most of the yuri stuff looks a little too over the top for my tastes, though. There's a bundle of seemingly wonderful second-season anime coming up, but having not seen the first season of many such series, I'll likely sit them out and use early 2008 to catch up on those series that I've been procrastinating on for a long time.

I just returned home recently after my first semester of college. It's wonderful stuff, finally being free from the shackles of parents, constantly being around people your age, sparks of parties flying around almost all the time... But somewhere in the middle of all the fun, I lost sight of the fact that I was there to learn. My midterm grades were just fine (by my significantly low standards, mind you) but by the end of the semester saw me getting thrashed with a workload that I didn't know how to handle. This was mostly the accumulation of various little assignments left undone over the course of the semester. I guess the biggest problem was that I was too airheaded to realize any of this before finals week, and by then it was way too late. Concluded the semester with one class failed, while passing two by the skin of my teeth. I haven't performed this badly for quite some time, so it all hits me like a mental splash of cold water. Planning to redeem myself in Spring '08, in any case. If I plan to survive at this place ([url=http://www.nmt.edu]New Mexico Tech[/url], for those interested), I'll need to shift gears quite a bit. Should prove to be quite difficult, but for now I feel like I have the necessary resolve. We'll see how long it lasts. Bottom line: College is [i]too[/i] fun.

I've only seen the first episode, but let's go ahead and make it official anyway. Mokke is [i]the[/i] series that I'll be following during this season. Others have caught my eye, but none have dragged me in quite like this one. I can already tell that the plotline and characters will make for some wonderful scenes, and that music is some of the best I've heard in anime. The opening and ending themes are spectacular, while the actual scenes are accompanied appropriately by powerful themes - be it a haunting chant during a ghost confrontation or tranquil audio that reflects a peaceful day. Regarding the comparison to Mushishi, I have to agree... If you enjoyed Mushishi, you [i]have[/i] to see this. Mokke mixes the surreal, supernatural aspect of Ginko's travels with a few slice-of-lifey themes, and this is a very potent mix. I very much look forward to not only the coming otherworldy confrontations in the series, but the development of the two sisters as they learn to work together to make full use of their abilities. The first episode set the bar extremely high; I hope the rest of this series will be just as wonderful.

Since you mentioned Paranoia Agent, I'll go ahead and spout out a few other psychological recommendations that you hopefully haven't seen yet. First of all, I'll throw in the obligatory 'watch the rest of Satoshi Kon's filmography' suggestion. All of his films are emotional, but they're not all total mindbenders like Paranoia Agent. Tokyo Godfathers, for example, is a hilarious little movie with a big heart: an atmosphere that seems unusual for Kon, but he doesn't doesn't fall short. It's a good movie. A lot of people say good things about Millenium Actress too, as it stirs the director's surreal tendencies in with a potent love story. However, if you're looking for the films that will make you question your sanity, go with Paprika or Perfect Blue. I'm particularly fond of the concepts behind Paprika, especially it's constant stumblings around the line separating dreams from reality. Moving on, Cat Soup is a thoroughly strange and entertaining OVA featuring a cat that takes his older sister's half-conscious body on a journey to reunite her with a lost part of her soul. It's totally bizarre, and satire on humanity as a whole is littered throughout (albeit thickly coated in surreal symbolism). If I remember correctly... during its 25-minute run, no dialogue is presented either. There are definitely eerie sounds contributing to a vivid aural experience, but it'll probably be an odd experience compared to what you've watched thus far (anime-wise). In another thread, you mentioned that you disliked Mononoke's presentation, animation-wise.. Well, I'd say this OVA waltzes along the same path; it's lined with strange visuals. Approach with caution.

I've decided that I really like this anime. While it doesn't take much beyond pretentious animation and a good musical score to draw me in, the storyline of Mononoke has an interesting unsettling vibe that keeps me engrossed. Episode 3 featured Kayo, a woman who met the Medicine Seller prior to the time of the Umibozu arc. References to Ayakashi and Bakeneko were aplenty. It seemed like they actually mentioned those names more often than "Mononoke". Since I've not seen Ayakashi, I wonder if I'm missing some valuable context information. Might have to look into that one sometime soon (judging solely on the Wikipedia article, it seems similarly interesting). Anyway, the third episode possessed a lot of the same atmosphere-building characteristics that episode one did. I wasn't floored, but that's a task better left up to the remaining two episodes in this arc. The strange dead fish spirits struck me as being much creepier and surreal than the zashiki-warashi of the previous arc; [spoiler]seeing them invade the ship with complete efficacy was a sight to behold, and their attempt at absorbing the ship into that eerie mass looming from the sky made for a tense yet gorgeous scene. And what was up with that weird fish with a human leg early on? A premonition? The medicine seller's bomb (?) was similarly awesome; I love how they handled the explosion of light, complete with that tribal-looking eye motif. Also, the Medicine Seller's eagerness to see more spirits came as a shock to Kayo... Given his enigmatic aura and detached demeanor in the previous episodes, I was also surprised. It seems like he himself doesn't know what to expect, and yet he finds the various spirits fascinating - almost to the extent of a frightening obsession. It might also be worth noting that this attitude seems significantly removed from his mostly apathetic scuffles with the Mononoke in the previous arc. Somehow, this makes me wonder how he gained the knowledge of spirits up to this point. It seems something happened to make him quest for more information on the Mononoke.[/spoiler] I too noticed that the Medicine Seller seems to be the only one with a genuinely appealing character design - many other characters have exaggerated facial features, lending to the stereotypical goofball appearance. For example, most men have large, spherical eyes in comparison to the "slitted" look of the anti-hero. A few designs also have a sinister quality, almost boldly bringing out that tired 'eyes are the window to the soul' rule that the Japanese seem to have (though it's probably too early to say for sure). [spoiler]In episodes one & two, the innkeeper's narrower eyes sheathed a grim and bloody past. I wonder if the minstrel in Umibozu will possess similar characteristics. Following this theory, the medicine seller will probably indeed have something dark beneath his usual calm surface.[/spoiler]

Dagger, I wholeheartedly second your thoughts on Mononoke's second episode. The strange art style and surreal blurred animation only heightened the uneasy atmosphere, while the audio especially played an integral role in adding to the intensity. Seemingly traditional Japanese music infused with traces of creepy ambience. There were definitely spots of the episode that had my scratching my proverbial head because of how strange they were.. Yet the unsettling qualities kind of deterred me from rewatching it directly afterwards. If I were to associate another anime director's work with this feeling, I'd say Satoshi Kon gave me similar vibes with the majority of his films and Paranoia Agent. Mononoke, however, manages to cloak itself in a similar eerie psychological aura (though it hasn't gotten as weird as anything Kon concocted yet, I'll admit) while boasting an attractive setting rooted in Japanese folklore and fantasy. Could be a rare breed. (Indeed, we probably need a spot to discuss the series. :p If you don't get around to making a thread, I probably will.) So, anyway. I'm occupying myself with Haruhi lately, and it's even wilder than I originally expected it to be. This, of course, is a good thing. It's probably worth noting that I'm watching the series in chronological order, as opposed to its intended (?) order (the order it aired in Japan). I can't help but feel that I'm missing out on some zaniness by doing this, so I plan to rewatch it in its original airing order at some point as well. I love Kyon's cynical narration; it's filled with all kinds of sarcastic and crude remarks, while his exterior personality seems to reveal an aloof-yet-meticulous character constantly biting off more than he can chew. It's really easy to get into his personality and grow attached to his character this way. Aurally and visually, the series is absolutely fabulous too. I've always told myself that the ending theme was overrated, but now I see that it's no wonder that it spawned so many parodies and variations. The animation is some of the crispest, cleanest stuff I've seen in a while too.

Thanks for the input on the FLCL manga; I wasn't really sure what to expect, although unique art style was one element that drew me in. I guess it should come as no surprise that it lost a lot of life in its translation to black & white pages. One thing I've heard is that it captures a few of the anime's mature themes more effectively... would you have anything to say on that? Gankutsuou evolves into something truly gripping in later episodes, although I admit it does take a while to garner enough momentum to sustain an addiction. In the meantime, if you can resign yourself to watching it for its surreal setting and nifty music, you'll probably have a good time. That's what I did, at least. Episode ending cliffhangers abound too, so there's a fair chance that those will keep you watching. The payoff, storyline-wise, is unbelievable and well worth the wait. On that note, I'd encourage a DVD purchase, though you're wise in waiting a little more before going for it.

Recently I've found that Yoko Kanno is getting the royal treatment on my playlist. In addition to her stellar work on Cowboy Bebop's soundtrack, I'm totally digging the music for Darker than Black and Wolf's Rain. There's also some very interesting stuff on the Turn A Gundam soundtrack (Gabriela Robin's vocal performance of "Moon" comes to mind), and her compositions for the video games Napple Tale and Uncharted Waters are golden too. Can't forget the Ragnarok Online 2 beta's audio, which is flowing celtic stuff weaved seamlessly into other styles. I've always respected her immensely as a composer who has a seemingly limitless mastery over musical styles, but it's not until recently that I've really tuned into her stuff. A friend recommended that I check out Kyoto Jazz Massive, and I'm definitely glad that he did. Certainly an interesting group - their fusion of downtempo and jazz makes for an interesting easy-listening electronic experience. Wikipedia seems to call them "broken beat", so maybe that's the best label... I know I'm terrible at labelling my music. :p I've only listened to their Spirit of the Sun album thus far, but the others are definitely on my personal hit list now. The album isn't without blandness, I suppose - sometimes the tracks seem to blur together when my focus is shifted elsewhere, which ultimately manifests a repetitive soundscape. I've found that the music is ideal for driving, adding some much-needed spice to otherwise boring road trips without being overly intrusive. Especially night driving. Right now? I'm listening to Maaya Sakamoto's Grapefruit album for the very first time. I love her sugary sweet voice, and the songs are rooted in an easygoing tone that she builds on effectively. Awesome stuff.

First and foremost, I guess there's Mushishi. After snagging a fansub of the first episode the other day, I was compelled to make my way over to the local Best Buy and purchase the collector's box and volume 1 of the anime. Haven't gotten around to watching all these episodes just yet, but I plan to shortly. I totally second 2007DigitalBoy's sentiments on the box - pure resplendence. After witnessing a few minutes of the dub, I can safely say that's decent; while Travis Willingham can't hold a candle to Yuto Nakano as Ginko, it's still a fair attempt. The other characters seem well-voiced, however. I'm also finally jumping on that Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya bandwagon, after months of procrastination. After watching the first two episodes, I have no idea why I didn't get to doing this sooner. Excellent stuff so far. I'm looking into Wolf's Rain lately as well, solely on a friend's recommendation. I've heard mixed things about the series, but I like it so far. Nothing about it truly beckons me to watch more, but when I do get to seeing an episode I have a fun time. The music is fabulous too, so there's at least one factor that keeps me watching. To move on to more recent anime, Darker than Black is a recent addiction of mine. More Yoko Kanno goodness here, and I love the bi-episodic structure of the series. I just caught up with episode 18 yesterday, so I look forward to keeping up with it (hopefully) as the weeks go on. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni-Kai has kept me glued too, after enjoying the surreal macabre style of the first season. So far, it's definitely enjoyable, though I've noticed a significant lack of "oh shi--" moments on my part... maybe I just got desensitized after watching the season one. :p Baccano! and Mononoke are extremely recent, but they've caught my eye for various reasons. As things stand, I'm not sure if I'll lose interest in them, but Mononoke especially seems to hold promise in its concept (a wandering medicine seller who solves problems involving spirits) and art style. As for Baccano!, I dig the music, though I question whether I'll enjoy watching it in the coming weeks. The first manga volume won Gold in the 9th Dengeki Novel awards, so if I don't enjoy the anime I may go ahead and look into the light novel series. Speaking of manga, I guess there's not much that I'm personally following. After recently watching the infinitely alluring oddity that is FLCL, I feel like checking out its manga, although this is not exactly at the top of my list of priorities. After hearing that the Mushishi manga contains some stories that weren't animated, that may be something to look into as well.

Ah, hesitation founded on ICO 3's expected length is very fair. If I weren't such a fanboy of Fumito Ueda, I'd probably agree. Personally, I find that the first two games have boundless replayability in spite of their short duration. I keep revisiting them - perhaps more often than any other game in my collection. I'd actually argue that the shorter playtime helps to maintain my obsession; I can get through the games in just a few hours, and they don't require days of investment to get the most out of a single playthrough. There's something endlessly resplendent about the games for me. Hence my willingness to disregard negative connotations that come with a measly 6 hour duration (though I'm certain it will be longer than that) and shell out a good $500+ to get my hands on the upcoming Team ICO game. That being said, I'm sure the next game would still be equally effective if it was bestowed with a duration bonus. Shadow was considerably longer than ICO (from my experience, at least), but sacrificed none of the magic that made its predecessor tick. As for a port to the Xbox 360, that's solid logic. There are many games that have jumped the PS3-exclusivity ship, and it wouldn't be too surprising if the next Ueda game followed suit. Am I mistaken, though, or does the PS3 have more raw power for processing graphics? One of the strongest points of these games has been their eye-candy, and I was looking forward to the visual wonders that the team would concoct with the PS3's hardware. Then again, the Xbox 360 is a step up from the PS2 as well, so we're in for a treat either way.

Raven, did you catch Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (also known as When They Cry)? It might be up your alley with its psychotic atmosphere and tasteful gore. The animation is potentially difficult to take seriously, though.. So I can't guarantee sleepless nights. :p

I suppose, more than anything else, I'm a total magnet when it comes to series that go out of their way to showcase an unusual stylization. For example, Gankutsuou drew me in with its unique approach to color (patterned color fills replaced solid tones in the series, making for a wonderfully exquisite effect), and Shinichiro Watanabe's anime usually meld musical styles with otherwise typical settings (a brilliant approach that surprisingly isn't cloned left and right). Makoto Shinkai's films are also stellar offerings, humbling and believable in spite of being utterly otherworldly. Unbridled mania can totally draw me in as well (see FLCL). I'm a quintessential genre hopper; there's a lot of series that will pull me in for various reasons. I had my days of being addicted to the pulse-driven action series that is Bleach, but I loved every bit of Love Hina too. Were I forced to conform to a certain set of restrictions, I'd definitely go for most characteristics that 2007DigitalBoy mentioned: series with a heart and soul; surreal stuff mixed in with humbling human characteristics. I'd like to expand my horizons by taking in a few shoujo series at some point; I've heard wonderful things about Paradise Kiss, as well as Honey & Clover. They've both got a facet that piques my interest (art style and the music, respectively), so it'll just be a matter of time before I get to looking into them.

There's only one game that is getting all of my anticipation these days. I'm completely sure that it'll be a quality title, and its official name hasn't even been announced yet. Do the names [i]ICO[/i] and [i]Shadow of the Colossus[/i] ring a bell? If not, that just won't do, so let me expand a little. These are two brilliantly concocted games by Fumito Ueda, an interesting director who prioritizes emotional reality over photorealistic appearances. In fact, the label "video game" doesn't do these titles enough justice. They're much more than that - atmospheric, artistic masterpieces that evoke an emotional connection from the player while tugging them along a rough path of an intricate storyline riddled with subtle complexities. These games boast not only cohesive elements, but also revolutionary mechanics that make for a gripping and unforgettable experience. It's just these games have such high production value... I can [i]not[/i] imagine Ueda tainting the the next game with mediocrity. All we know is that it's headed for the Playstation 3 at some point, and when that day comes I will buy the console (even if there are so many other factors undermining my respect for Sony's new system) solely for the incoming gem.

Hey, same here. Mine's a Sandisk Sansa e280, but commercial advertising seems fond of dubbing it the [url=http://www.lilmonsta.com/]Lil' Monsta[/url] (a zany campaign if I've ever seen one). It does indeed come with a nifty Bag O' Tricks, biggest of which is support for 8GB worth of media. For the most part I use it as a flash drive for storing and transferring anime series, since I don't have one of my own just yet. Before obtaining the player, I used to rely on CD-Rs for this sort of thing, which was much more tedious (albeit permanent). The leftover space goes toward various mp3s, but the contents in that corner are constantly changing. While it seems mp3 players are oft used as media libraries these days, but I can't bring myself to embrace that function for whatever reason. I actually enjoy switching music in and out of the player to reflect my fickle taste in music.

If given the choice, I'd definitely want to share the taste of my favorite ice cream flavor too: Mint Chocolate Chip. Take a subtle light green color for the chocolate bar - it would have the flavor of typical white chocolate with a hint of mint - and sprinkle dots of luscious dark chocolate throughout. Ideally, the wrapper would be a thick, metallic, black foil that would help to retain a cool temperature even if the chocolate wasn't in the 'fridge. As for decoration on the packaging, subtle imprints of mint leaves would be nice. I'd like to top it all off with a pretentious name to draw in the upper class buyers willing to spend over $50,000 on a bar of chocolate, but I'm drawing a total blank as to what such a label would be. Suggestions? I could probably relate the flavor to my personality as well, if needed. A simple, freshening taste (mint chocolate) sparsely dabbled with bold flavor (dark chocolate). Reflective of my often laid-back composure, though I'm not without hiccups in that regard.

I love The Flowergirl. :) On top of its wonderfully lax tone, there's a sense of depth and emotion that really reaches out to me. There are bold contrasts that present themselves in a subtle way, and that makes for a really surreal look, I'd say. I especially enjoy how most colors are muted or dulled, but in the foreground there's a beautifully vibrant sunflower (?) which gives life to the entire work. Noteworthy too is the unorganized and busy look of the stuff on top of the bench in front of the girl - one might even call it a chaotic appearance. But her posture and the rest of the background reflect a sort of inner peace, directly conflicting with the mess of the foreground but also building upon it to add depth. I might even go so far as to say that the image gets calmer as my eye's move deeper into the photo, and that's an interesting effect if I've ever seen one.

Ah, this one caught my eye on ANN the other day. Just checked out the first episode after being reminded about it over here. Even though you guys mentioned the gore, I really didn't expect all of that which the first episode threw at us. [spoiler]Seeing someone's head blown off completely[/spoiler] came as a surprise, and a few of the [spoiler]torture scenes[/spoiler] afterward assured that this series isn't afraid to go Tarantino (props to 2007DigitalBoy for the comparison). For whatever reason, I was fully expecting something more along the lines of manic slice-of-life episodes, given the nature of the description on ANN and the loungy feel of the opening. I was completely off the mark, but that's okay, because this first episode rocked. I'm not sure if I've ever seen an anime that convulses back and forth between various scenarios like this, and perhaps more interesting is how well it maintained my interest throughout. I agree that the massive cast is a bit much to digest at this point, but I hope it gets a little easier in the future. However, if events are going to spiral out of control, I guess we shouldn't expect that much in the way of manageability. Interesting structure aside, the Manhattan-ish setting also piques my interest. I love the atmosphere of the series, and the music does an immense amount for this. The ending theme didn't do much for me, but I absolutely loved the opening theme and the music within the episode. Recently I find that I have a soft spot for this loungy, jazzy stuff, and Baccano delivers. If nothing else, I'm going to continue watching the series for its excellent audio delivery. "Stupid commotion" indeed. We may be in for a rollercoaster of an anime.

It's probably a ridiculous stretch to relate Sailor Moon to pornography, but when you consider the complete ignorance of many elders regarding anime in general, it all fits together. Female character designs from the Land of the Rising Sun usually showcase some fanservice, and in this case I guess the short skirts of the characters were enough to send a teacher over the edge. :p It's a grim society. I ran into a similar wall during my years of private schooling, actually. It was nowhere near as problematic or embarassing as indifference's scenario, though. (Book burning? E-bullying? Sounds like you've had it pretty rough. :animedepr) Not only were teachers more forgiving about issues because most were young, but there were actually a few closet anime fans to be found. I was in fifth grade, so I guess I'm not talking about otaku-status just yet. Like many children across the globe, I developed an affinity for Pokemon after watching the show incessantly in earlier years. However, upon moving to another state and transferring to a private Christian school, I found that my infatuation was heavily frowned upon. I don't mean to bash Christianity or its followers, of course; it's just that this place in particular was very stringent. Perhaps worse than the rules of the teachers was the peer pressure involved with Pokemon. Since the series was evidently a shortened incarnation of "Pocket Monsters", students looked at the word "monsters" and instantly equated it with witchcraft, banishing all its lovers from their cool cliques and whatnot. Looking back, it was ridiculous drama, but of course in those days being accepted in the community was key for me. I was fortunate enough to find a few friends who also enjoyed the series and the video games, and we banded together to revel in our obsession. We even developed a few code words for when we discussed the series (Gym Badges were referred to as "tokens" instead, for example.) Come eighth grade, I transferred again; this time into a public school, which had an impressive array of people obsessed with card games... Pokemon was only one; Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh! also received a nice amount of attention. I used to hold back quite a bit, given the suffocative atmosphere of previous schools. But upon seeing so many with similar interest in previously forbidden fantasies, I embraced my obsession once again, 'til eventually it grew larger and I became the anime fan that I am today. (Admittedly, I've fallen out of the loop quite a few times before getting back into the genre though.) Recently, however, there's not much isolation to be found. In my closest circle of friends, there's not a single one who fangasms over animation from Japan like I do, but that's okay. They don't disdain me for it, and that's good enough for me. Besides, I know where to go if I want to find Otakus. ;)

Here's something from the perspective of a guy who just recently joined. A guy who should be asleep but is instead wasting time posting on forums, that is. You'll have to excuse any erroneous sentences. :animesigh While it was initially jarring to see a place devoid of a Newbie Lounge, I've actually come to appreciate this feature. Personally, I've never been one for introductions, and frankly the quality of introductory posts on other anime havens seem to reflect a similar predicament. It's almost like an unwritten requirement to accomodate newcomers with such a forum, but it seems the vast majority of people aren't sure how to use this privelege to evoke enlightening or worthwhile conversation. From the sound of the Newbie Lounge article on Otakupedia, I can only assume that it eventually devolved into a similar mess. Should you guys decide to bring it back with revampment and some tender loving care, that would be great. I especially like Boo's idea of a catch-all thread that would allow newcomers and members alike to post interesting tidbits about themselves. However, I personally found the atmosphere of the place welcoming, and the lack of a newbie haven doesn't seem to be a detriment. Indeed, I enjoyed getting thrown headfirst into the water instead of starting out with just getting my feet wet (so to speak). Newbies don't get the royal treatment here, but they're encouraged to jump right into the fray. In the long run, I think this is the best way to get to know the community. I did a little bit of lurking, and with that I've become more familiar with the community than any welcome would do. I suppose it seems a stretch to assume that everyone who stumbles upon the place will possess a similar attention span, though.

Some weeks ago, I watched all of Shinkai's movies ( I think I exposed myself to each major one, anyway - might've missed some shorts). I was floored by each one... It's safe to say that he's now one of my favorite directors. These are more than just sad stories; they transcend the typical definitions of this genre with masterful storytelling and humble characters that are surprisingly easy to sympathize with. As if that's not enough, the animation in his works is simply superb.. It may not be an exaggeration to state that every frame of his films would pass as a work of art in their own right. Tenmon's compositions for the soundtracks serve as icing on the cake, adding boundless sweetness to an already tasty offering. Many of the songs will mix with the animation's atmosphere in the right way, crafting unique emotional sequences like none I've ever witnessed. 5 Centimeters Per Second builds upon these elements in almost every way, as Dagger mentioned. I grabbed Anime-RG's fansub of the first part, titled "Cherry Blossom Extract" I believe. While it's missing that sci-fi-esque setting that seems a motif of his films, that's certainly no detriment to this gem of a series (though I wouldn't mind seeing what he would've done next with a setting). I absolutely loved the story here; while ordinary and ultimately sequence of events that could be passed off as puppy love at a glance, Shinkai transmutes a typical scenario into an emotional rollercoaster that shines by the minute. [spoiler]While the first part was littered with sadness, I found the kiss near the end to be simply [i]epic[/i], not to mention heartfelt and hopeful. It really did add light to the dim situation of their young love, mixing in a few traces of happiness in a seemingly hopeless relationship.[/spoiler] The falling snow, the music, and the relation of their radically different situation to the cherry blossoms of bygone days made for an unforgettable scene. I can't wait for the next part.