Anime Studios [Gainax, GONZO, Madhouse, etc.]

[0ber0n the Neko]

Yay! I'm kind of new at this... I'm at school during first period, and trying to post like crazy to get some sort of crude practice. Go DJ BRYAN!

Ok! :blowup:

Studio Gainax, in my personal opinion, is probably the best anime/manga producing studio i have ever seen! Their animes are deep and look shallow and random (*ahem* FLCL). Others seem confusing, and very unusual (Neon Genesis Evangelion), but have some of the easiest to understand themes.

So, I was wondering if anyone likes their stuff like i do! :love: :love: :love:

FLCL was genius, Neon Genesis Evangelion was astounding, and... I plan to see more of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. All of them have HUGE underlying themes. Almost all of them directed at youth! FLCL and NGE both end in a very interesting way, considering they are very anticlimactic and confusing. Anyone have more thoughts on this? :excited:

Well I must escape to my happy place now! :hippy:

[COLOR=Navy]I re-named this thread so that its title better suited the content of your post.

~Dagger~[/COLOR]

[densuke]

[QUOTE=0ber0n the Neko]...
Studio Gainax, in my personal opinion, is probably the best anime/manga producing studio i have ever seen! Their animes are deep and look shallow and random (*ahem* FLCL). Others seem confusing, and very unusual (Neon Genesis Evangelion), but have some of the easiest to understand themes...[/QUOTE]
GAINAX used to turn everything they touched into gold. I feel that with advancing age and the loss of Anno Hideaki they have gone into a huge slump. I also thought GAINAX was the best up to 3 years ago but given their small output and declining quality it is hard for me to be excited about them anymore.
[quote name='0ber0n the Neko']...FLCL was genius, Neon Genesis Evangelion was astounding, and... I plan to see more of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. All of them have HUGE underlying themes. Almost all of them directed at youth! FLCL and NGE both end in a very interesting way, considering they are very anticlimactic and confusing. Anyone have more thoughts on this?...[/quote]
You are praising GAINAX' work from the crest of the wave (Evangelion) downwards. Quote from GAINAX' own website: [color=green]"If you haven't seen all of Gainax's anime productions, you're missing out. You should familiarize yourself with the whole lineup, not just FuriKuri or Evangelion."[/color] Of course they want to sell you DVDs, but they have a point. You have not mentioned the works which justly made GAINAX famous:

[b]DAICON III & IV videos[/b] (1981, 1983)
[b]Otaku no Video[/b] (1982/1985)
[b]The Royal Space Force--Wings of Honneamise[/b] (1987)
[b]Top o Nerae![/b] (GunBuster) (1988)
[b]Nadia of the Seas of Wonder/The Secret of Blue Water[/b] (1990-91)
Due to various circumstances GAINAX produced nothing from the end of Nadia until Evangelion in 1996.
[b]Kareshi Kanojo no Jijyou[/b] (His and Her Circumstances) is the last significant work by GAINAX. Anno left the production around episode 14, plunging the project and enterprise into chaos.

These older works are truly grand and display ambition and a sure hand (often Anno's) at the helm. GAINAX' storytelling never depended on state-of-the-art technique. The characterization, visual design and even the music are top-notch.

I find the rest of GAINAX' work much less compelling. The thing I remember most about FLCL is GAINAX' self-congratulatory promotion - all about how "wild and crazy" it was. FLCL is hit-or-miss. Some people love it, some can't be bothered - the earlier works were always better-received. Some of GAINAX' more recent anime looks shallow and random and [i]is shallow and random[/i] ([b]Mahoromatic[/b], [b]Abenobashi Mahou Shoutengai[/b], [b]Anime Ai no Awaawa[/b] with [b]Ebichu Orochuban[/b]). I have enjoyed a couple of the titles but saw nothing all that special in them.

GAINAX to some extent has worn out its welcome with its hype of everything it does and its constant efforts to keep Evangelion in the public eye ([color=blue]a new Evangelion manga title with a new storyline is being serialized and published in Japan[/color]). Evangelion is no longer universally praised among fans.

I do not think GAINAX is totally unworthy of your respect or devotion but I invite you to do what you can to get better acquainted with the older titles, which would give you a much stronger case for the quality of its catalog.

[stormy001_m1a2]

Another studio that has my interest is BONES. Their works that I knew is:

1. Cowboy Bebop the movie
2. Wolf's Rain
3. Scrapped Princess
4. Rahxephon
5. Angelic Layer

GONZO's only decent work that I like is:

1. Sentou Yousei Yukikaze
2. Last EXILE
3. Blue Submarine no 6

Just some musings.

[Dagger]

[quote name='densuke']FLCL is hit-or-miss. Some people love it, some can't be bothered - the earlier works were always better-received.[/quote]

Truer words were never spoken. I get the sense that many people like FLCL simply because they're incapable of understanding it. While I don't have trouble following FLCL's plotline or analyzing its various motifs, I really can't bring myself to love the show. FLCL may be packed with all kinds of subtle (or not-so-subtle; much of it is clumsily obvious) symbolism, but I think its creators included this simply for the sake of being surprisingly complex. It's definitely a fun series to discuss--and believe me, I want to be a FLCL fan. Alas that such is not my fate.


[quote]Evangelion is no longer universally praised among fans.[/quote]

I've also noticed something of an Evangelion backlash, particularly with the advent of RahXephon's growing popularity. Although RahXephon is a fantastic (albeit somewhat derivative) anime, I don't think its success should detract from Evangelion's in any way. Fans enjoy comparing the two shows, but they're ultimately not [i]that[/i] similar, and one must recall that they were created in different eras.

As for me, I don't profess loyalty to any one studio. GONZO, Madhouse, and BONES often produce high-quality series, although GONZO's work can sometimes be a bit erratic. While I love Peace Maker Kurogane and Last Exile, Full Metal Panic and Chrno Crusade were mildly disappointing.

~Dagger~

[AzureWolf]

[font=Georgia][color=blue][color=blue][quote name='densuke][/color][color=#000000]GAINAX to some extent has worn out its welcome with its hype of everything it does and its constant efforts to keep Evangelion in the public eye ([/color][color=blue]a new Evangelion manga title with a new storyline is being serialized and published in Japan[/color][color=#000000]). Evangelion is no longer universally praised among fans.[/color'][color=blue][/quote] Oh, that was beatiful. *cries* Just for that, you are my new favorite OBer, even if you just joined (welcome, btw).[/color][/color][/font]

[font=Georgia][color=#0000ff][quote name='Dagger IX1][color=#000000]FLCL may be packed with all kinds of subtle (or not-so-subtle; much of it is clumsily obvious) symbolism, but I think its creators included this simply for the sake of being surprisingly complex.[/color'][color=#0000ff][/quote] The same can be said of Evangelion: it had Biblical references [i]soley[/i] for the sake of having Biblical references. That is, religious symbols within Eva served no purpose and could have been removed with no impact to the story. What's even funnier about this vain aspect is the fact that the references made are closer to Jewish Mysticism than the Bible. It's ridiculous when you see an Eva fan running around, "OMG! OMG! Deep, Biblical references!" and even sadder when this fan is a follower of the Bible. Talk about gullible...[/color][/color][/font]

[font=Georgia][color=#0000ff][quote name='Dagger IX1][color=#000000]Peace Maker Kurogane and Last Exile, Full Metal Panic and Chrno Crusade were mildly disappointing.[/color'][color=blue][/quote] Ok...[/color][/color][/font]

[densuke]

Now that this thread is a love feast for different anime studios I will introduce a sampling of [b]Madhouse[/b]'s works. This is a selective list; a full listing would be too long and I see no need to list titles I do not appreciate. Madhouse has been in business since 1985.
[list][color=green]
[*]Card Captor Sakura, CCS The Movie, CCS Movie 2
[*]CLAMP in Wonderland
[*]Di Gi Charat, Di Gi Charat SS2K, Di Gi Charat Christmas Special, Di Gi Charat Movie, Di Gi Charat Nyo!
[*]Gokusen
[*]Mahou Shoujo Neko Taruto
[*]Mahou Tsukai Tai! OAV
[*]Mermaid's Scar
[*]Mujin Wakusei Survive
[*]Patlabor WXIII Movie
[*]Sakura Taisen OAV, Sakura Taisen TV, Sakura Taisen OAV2
[*]Sekushi Commando Gaiden: Sugoiyo! Masaru-san
[*]Tokyo Babylon OAV
[*]X OAV, X TV
[*]Yawara![/color]
[/list]

Quite a few of these shows make no claim to being mind-bending or heavy or dark or whatever. But Card Captor Sakura is the best mahou shoujo series ever made, Patlabor WXIII is one of the top movies and Di Gi Charat may be the best short series of all.

Madhouse's works consistently contain outstanding scores, which is a big plus with me. The characterization and the visual design are always above-average. And the shows are enjoyable and even lovable, which is the most important quality of all.

[Kwai]

[size=1][color=navy]Come on you all... remember Studio Ghibli? Princess Mononoke? Grave of the Fireflies? Spirited Away? My favorite goes to them. Though all the other studios have done a fantastic job in creating anime, what is most recognized in Japan, and what receives the most publicity is Studio Ghibli for every movie they produce. As such, expectations are high and they usually are up to par with the expectations. I find their storys very dynamic, adventurous, but also comforting. There are plenty of their works that have not come to the U.S., and there are some that came over but have been horribly dubbed ('Laputa, the castle in the sky' comes to mind...). My favorites are:

Pocco Rosso (The Crimson Pig)
Whispers of the Heart
Grave of the Fireflies
My neighbor Totoro

All very heartwarming indeed. Not to mention that their soundtracks (excluding Nausicaa of the Wind Valeey) are all fantastic. I personally love the theme song for 'On your mark'. Chage & Aska have such outstanding voices.[/size][/color]

[0ber0n the Neko]

[QUOTE=AzureWolf][font=Georgia][color=blue][color=blue] Oh, that was beatiful. *cries* Just for that, you are my new favorite OBer, even if you just joined (welcome, btw).[/color][/color][/font]

[font=Georgia][color=#0000ff] The same can be said of Evangelion: it had Biblical references [i]soley[/i] for the sake of having Biblical references. That is, religious symbols within Eva served no purpose and could have been removed with no impact to the story. What's even funnier about this vain aspect is the fact that the references made are closer to Jewish Mysticism than the Bible. It's ridiculous when you see an Eva fan running around, "OMG! OMG! Deep, Biblical references!" and even sadder when this fan is a follower of the Bible. Talk about gullible...[/color][/color][/font]

[font=Georgia][color=#0000ff] Ok...[/color][/color][/font][/QUOTE]

Actually, Azure, there was much significance to the biblical references, cult references, and even some psychology. You see, much of it came to create the characters. You know, make them more REAL. I am currently working on a comic with me and some of my friends, and most of the time is spent making it as true-to-life as humanly possible (except it's REALLY REALLY fantasy... :sweat: )!

In any case, many of the references are indispensible! In fact (this isn't a spoiler) Rei, Asuka, and Shinji are all represenative of the three divisions of the human psyche (Sigmund Freud's whole theory)! We also have the reference of The NERV symbol, which is represenative of original sin (fig leaf)! I know of many many more, but i will contain myself for the moment! :blowup:

Well i will escape yet again into my place of eternal wonder... :hippy:

Peace! :bash:

Yeah! Studio Bones and Studio Ghibli are awesome! (Sorry, Densuke...but i kinda haven'tr seen any Madhouse that i know of... :sweat: )
Ghibli's best for me was Princess Mononoke...And Bones' best for me was Cowboy Bebop! (Ed...*drools* one of the few cute anime girls without cat-ears...)

One more thing before i leave... THEY LOST ANNO!? WHERE THE **** HAVE I BEEN!!!???? THERE IS NO HOPE OR LIFE IN THIS WORLD!!!!!!! thank you for letting me know so i can commit honourable suicide...*seppuku*

Now i am going to heaven... :hippy:

[densuke]

[quote name='AzureWolf] The same can be said of Evangelion: it had Biblical references [i]soley[/i'] for the sake of having Biblical references. That is, religious symbols within Eva served no purpose and could have been removed with no impact to the story. What's even funnier about this vain aspect is the fact that the references made are closer to Jewish Mysticism than the Bible...[/quote]
This is what I meant about Evangelion no longer being universally praised; every mention of the name obliges someone to attack the show or sneer at its fans. The bad science fiction in Evangelion is not necessary to the show either; every time they rush to fill the test chamber with "special bakelite" I roll my eyes.

And the robbery scenes are not important in "Mouse"; you could just have the fanservice on a plate and noone would be the wiser. But that hardly puts the two shows on equal footing.

Evangelion is an ambitious and accomplished work which defies dissection. The heaps of pseudo-science and -religion which accompany Evangelion or the misguided efforts by others to unravel them have never hindered my enjoyment. Alfred Hitchcock, a master filmmaker, always employed a similar technique in his own works. He called it the "McGuffin." It's just something for the story to be about so you can set up the key scenes. And the key scenes always reveal human nature.

The only beef I have against Evangelion is that it started a trend of equally vague shows which are totally lacking in charm or fail to display even a faint interest in humanity. I think most of the disappointment centered on Evangelion has to do with the uneasy feeling many have that a show with its impact may never come again.

[0ber0n the Neko]

[QUOTE=AzureWolf][font=Georgia][color=blue][color=blue]

[font=Georgia][color=#0000ff] "OMG! OMG! Deep, Biblical references!" and even sadder when this fan is a follower of the Bible. Talk about gullible...[/color][/color][/font]

[font=Georgia][color=#0000ff] Ok...[/color][/color][/font][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Sorry to nag on you again, Azure... but i really do resent that comment. I, myself being a devout Christian. I am not angry, but i'd really appreciate it if you would keep such comments to yourself. :nono: Sorry. :sweat:

Also I have read much of the bible, and i can see many of the references within it. So, there really ARE deep biblical references. And yes, also much of Jewish Philosophy/Torrah (my friend who saw it with me is Jewish) I'm not too sure on the Greek stuff, but the name is the literal translation for some book of Grecian religion (although as to which one i haven't the slightest! :sweat: ). What you may find interesting, however is the fact that many of the themes in Evangelion are from cults (one of the angels was represenative of an attack by a fanatic cult group who attacked a train station! ITS TRUE!). Also many of the angels were created from their biblical descriptions (the first one that appears, the one in the volcano, and the one that looks like a swirling beam of light, to name three of them.) But nobody wants me to get on a rant on Evangelion, so lets kinda work our way off subject shall we?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Navy]What other shows are you into? Are there any studios not mentioned that someone would like to mention? (bear in mind that i am basing my future anime viewing on suggestions from this thread!)[/COLOR]

:angel: [COLOR=Teal]Well i must now return to heaven![/COLOR] :hippy:

[Dagger]

Neko, OtakuBoards does not permit double-posting. Please refrain from ever doing that again. Anyway, if you and Azure would like to continue discussing NGE, go ahead and take it to the official Evangelion thread; in my opinion, densuke's post wraps up that particular argument rather nicely. There's little sense in us dragging things further off-topic, although I admittedly contributed to the problem.

*takes a deep breath*

Studio Ghibli has its pros and its cons. Mr. Miyazaki's films are easily Ghibli's most popular and recognizable productions, but too thematically repetitive for my tastes. I'm very much looking forward to Howl's Moving Castle, however, as the book upon which it's based happens to be one of my favorite children's novels. It'll be interesting to see how Miyazaki handles a fantasy whose mythological and cultural roots are undeniably European.

I also like Ghibli's simple, slightly retro character designs. They're quite distinctive, particularly since many contemporary series are all about angular faces, spikey hair and garish highlights.

~Dagger~

[0ber0n the Neko]

Yeah! Miyazaki is almost a revolutionary, because you don't get all the traditional stuff! None of the outfits are overly extravagant, he keeps things simple...ya know...more down to earth... He endeavors to have us relate to his characters, and also to his stories. Truly a master.

Yep. sorry i just get really hot-headed about NGE... I will halt my continuation of the rant!

Hmmm... so far we have Madhouse, Ghibli, and Gainax... but we need MORE! Let's try to get as many studios named as possible!!!

There's yogurt clouds and frosting water in heaven... :hippy:

[Dagger]

[quote name='0ber0n the Neko']Hmmm... so far we have Madhouse, Ghibli, and Gainax... but we need MORE! Let's try to get as many studios named as possible!!![/quote]

How about Bee Train? It's a rather small studio, but one whose highly popular series and distinctive style garnered it quite a bit of fame. Bee Train has worked on anime like Avenger and Arc the Lad, but its most successful productions are clearly .hack//SIGN and Noir.

To tell you the truth, I have mixed feelings about this company. Many of its shows share the same flaws, and unless you're capable of tolerating those shortcomings, they may ruin your enjoyment of Bee Train's work. Like .hack//SIGN, Avenger relies far too much on painfully slow camera pans, often lingering on landscape shots and close-ups of various characters' eyes. .hack//SIGN is an interesting series, but Avenger (after a very promising first episode) rapidly becomes... well, boring.

On the other hand, Bee Train shows tend to have excellent music, and some fans love their instantly recognizable character designs. So whether or not you like the studio may end up depending on several factors.

~Dagger~

[Semjaza]

I don't feel it's worth naming studios to some large number, mostly because I don't think any of them are consistent. The only one I blindly buy anime from is Studio Ghibli and that is it. I've been let down or disappointed too many other times from other companies.

[0ber0n the Neko]

.hack//sign was pretty good! I saw almost the entire series, and its only flaw was that it was really short! The other flaw (made by cartoon network) was that it was on Saturdays only...so i felt like i got a 10 minute show every saturday...

But off that, i've heard Noir is a good series, but i have no idea what its about... can anybody clue me in? But try to keep it short, as i don't want to start a repeat of the Evangelion issue...except with a show ive never seen...

Well! Bye now!

Sugar leaves and dumpling trees in heaven...:hippy:

[densuke]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']I don't feel it's worth naming studios to some large number, mostly because I don't think any of them are consistent. The only one I blindly buy anime from is Studio Ghibli and that is it. I've been let down or disappointed too many other times from other companies.[/quote]
Funny, I could have sworn that when Anno was there GAINAX was very consistent. It was a low-tech, low-budget company. Mecha played a big part in most of what they did, but definitely with an ironic approach as compared to the "straight, no chaser" mecha anime of say, SUNRISE, or the earlier sentai titles.

On the other hand bigger companies have adapted or originated many different works. If they managed to make them come out all the same I would find that a weakness; I think Miyazaki's works for Ghibli are going that route.

Also this is a great way to throw up a lot of titles and see what sticks to the wall. Just looking at these lists reminds me of series I haven't seen in a long time.

Anyway, I want to toss [b]AIC[/b] (Anime International Company) in here. [color=green]My favorites in green[/color]:
[list]
[*]AD Police
[*]Ah! Megami-sama OAV & Movie
[*]Battle programmer Shirase
[*]Black Heaven
[*]Blue Gender
[*]Bubblegum Crash
[*]Bubblegum Crisis
[*][color=green]Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040[/color]
[*]Burn Up
[*]Dual
[*]El Hazard
[*][color=green]Moldiver[/color]
[*]Night Walker
[*][color=green]Now and Then, Here and There[/color]
[*]Photon
[*]Riding Bean
[*]Sol Bianca
[*]Tenchi Muyo
[*][color=green]Vampire Princess Miyu OAV/TV[/color]
[/list]

Latest works: Battle Programmer Shirase, Burn Up Scramble, Go Dannar, Tenchi Muyo OAV 3.

I have seen a lot of these titles. AIC is pretty good at cranking out action & comedy, which is kind of hit-or-miss with me. But I don't mean to damn with faint praise. Sticking with Bubblegum Crisis was a smart move; Tokyo 2040 is a successful remake. Fans of the first series may not like it but it was necessary to change visual designs and other things. Some of the other titles are good enough to watch a couple of times (Dual, Riding Bean). Aa! Megami-sama seemed like a big deal when it came out but I prefer the TV series "in the handy miniature size."

[Semjaza]

I'm not really sure what point you're trying to make, but I'm speaking from my own perspective. It doesn't really matter to me who likes what. The only studio that puts out anime I'm consistently impressed with is Ghibli. I wasn't trying to say that others shouldn't bother naming other companies they feel the same about.

[0ber0n the Neko]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']I'm not really sure what point you're trying to make, but I'm speaking from my own perspective. It doesn't really matter to me who likes what. The only studio that puts out anime I'm consistently impressed with is Ghibli. I wasn't trying to say that others shouldn't bother naming other companies they feel the same about.[/quote]

Well I have a small question... How many other animes from other studios have you seen? (not to be rude or anything, but if you had little experience in other studios, that MIGHT be the cause of you unimpressment...ing...) Miyazaki is very good, borderline genius, but i find some of his titles a little TOO heartwarming :rotflmao: *pops*... Although so many of his are so good, its hard to tell what his potential for storywriting is... With other studios, you get a few kinda stupid and pointless animes -_- , and then you get blasted with an amazing and immersive story :excited: ! You ought to try some of the titles mentioned here! I know i will! :D

Anyway... wow... I posted this yesterday...and its already a hot thread... that astounds me... THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR AWESOME CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS TOPIC!

Keep posting! I've seen some of the new titles (if only previews and trailers) suggested and they look interesting! I wish to see these titles through and hope you guys out there will keep posting!!!

The only reason I went to heaven was because God is an Otaku...:hippy:

[densuke]

[b]Nippon Animation[/b]
I think their first work came out in 1974.

Recent: Hunter X Hunter, Wind Striker, Legend of Condor Hero

Nippon Animation is famous for their "World Masterpiece Theater" series which adapted various works of Western fiction.
[list]
[*]Ai to Yuuki no Pig Girl Tonde Buurin
[*]Alps no Shojo Heidi
[*]Akage no An (Anne of Green Gables)
[*]Mizuiro Jidai (Aqua Age)
[*][color=green]Blue Seed[/color]
[*]Chibi Maruko-chan, Chibi Maruko-chan Movie
[*]Cooking Master Boy
[*]Dog of Flanders, Dog of Flanders Movie
[*]Dr. Rin ni Kiitemite!
[*][color=green]From The Apennines To The Andes [i]AKA[/i] 3000 Leagues In Search of Mother[/color]
[*]Future Boy Conan
[*]High School Kimengumi
[*]Hunter X Hunter, Hunter X Hunter Greed Island OVA, Hunter X Hunter OVA
[*][color=green]Legend of Condor Hero[/color]
[*][color=green]Miracle Girls[/color]
[*]Romeo's Blue Skies
[*]Shaman King
[/list]

The full list of World Masterpiece Theater is very long but the series hardly ever get licensed in the US (the full list of Nippon Animation works is about 200 titles long!). 3000 Leagues In Search of Mother, Anne of Green Gables and Romeo's Blue Skies are WMT titles available through fansubs and well worth watching for two reasons: they are likable and interesting adaptations and they are among the most popular anime titles of all in Japan. The fact that Miyazaki Hayao worked on 3000 Leagues and Anne (along with other WMT titles not listed here) may also interest some.

All these shows are characteristically all-audience material (Blue Seed would not be considered such in the US due to extensive fanservice in the early episodes and Hunter X Hunter would probably be considered too violent). For viewers who have no particular bias against older anime ([i]and I do not wish to entertain any arguments here[/i]), these shows retain their value due to skillful storytelling. Some of the later (non-WMT) titles are also being fansubbed.

Although I can't evaluate the comparative technical level of works made in the 1970s, I can say that Blue Seed (1994) is an exceptionally high-quality work for its time and that what I have seen of the earlier works is well-rendered. On the other hand, Mizuiro Jidai is exceptionally crude for a series made in 1996 (though the series is still enjoyable).

[Semjaza]

[quote name='0ber0n the Neko']Well I have a small question... How many other animes from other studios have you seen? (not to be rude or anything, but if you had little experience in other studios, that MIGHT be the cause of you unimpressment...ing...) Miyazaki is very good, borderline genius, but i find some of his titles a little TOO heartwarming :rotflmao: *pops*... Although so many of his are so good, its hard to tell what his potential for storywriting is... With other studios, you get a few kinda stupid and pointless animes -_- , and then you get blasted with an amazing and immersive story :excited: ! You ought to try some of the titles mentioned here! I know i will! :D [/quote]

I've been consciously watching anime for about 15 years now. There's too many to count and I honestly don't feel like listing a million and one names that I really couldn't even remember without hunting through my tapes and DVDs (most of which I've already sold) heh. It's not as if I've not given these things a chance. I've seen some anime by each of these companies and they're all familiar to me, outside of one that Dagger mentioned.

In any case, I'm not a big fan of anime anymore and 95% of what I bother to watch doesn't appeal to me at all for whatever reason. Ghibli stuff is pretty much the only thing that has remained a constant interest for me, most likely because of its similiarites to Disney-style work rather than most popular anime lately.

[0ber0n the Neko]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']I've been consciously watching anime for about 15 years now. There's too many to count and I honestly don't feel like listing a million and one names that I really couldn't even remember without hunting through my tapes and DVDs (most of which I've already sold) heh. It's not as if I've not given these things a chance. I've seen some anime by each of these companies and they're all familiar to me, outside of one that Dagger mentioned.[/quote]

Oh? Then forgive me for stating otherwise!! (Man... I haven't even LIVED that long...) Hmmm... Well at least you aren't like half the kids in my school, who talk trash about anime when they haven't seen more than an episode of "Pokemon" (sorry, guys, but that show just was NOT necessary...The games are fun... but that show....eeeer....)

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']In any case, I'm not a big fan of anime anymore and 95% of what I bother to watch doesn't appeal to me at all for whatever reason.[/quote]

Oh... no longer an anime fan? Well that's too bad! I guess you kinda got caught up in the monotony of it all! (personally that's why i like it! BRING ON THE BORING!)

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']Ghibli stuff is pretty much the only thing that has remained a constant interest for me, most likely because of its similiarites to Disney-style work rather than most popular anime lately.[/quote]

Aren't a lot of Ghibli's projects in some way (either production or staff or otherwise) in some way related to Disney? (If I'm wrong, don't yell at me because I'm normally kept out of the loop {Well...don't yell TOO hard...}). Ummm... hmmm...

Does anyone here know what studio(s) (yes i am aware that over 20 series exist) made Gundam? More specifically, Gundam Wing? Man that show rocked. Further, which studio did Generator Gawl come out of? I saw the first episode... that one looks to be pretty good.

Well I think that's all!

[COLOR=DarkRed]Santa Claus went to Hell for going into little Boys and Girls' houses in the middle of the night with a big sack. He also had an affair with mommy under the mistletoe (yes that was a sad but true story of a small child's introduction to sex)[/COLOR]
:twitch: :twitch: :twitch:

[densuke]

SUNRISE Corporation
est. 1972

recent: Gundam Seed, Witch Hunter Robin, PLANETES

[list]
[*]Big O
[*][color=green]Brigadoon: Marin to Melan[/color]
[*]Brain Powerd
[*]Brave King GaoGaiGar, Brave King GaoGaiGar OAV
[*]City Hunter (numerous titles)
[*]Cowboy Bebop, Cowboy Bebop Movie
[*]Dirty Pair Flash, Dirty Pair Movie
[*]Gaogaigar
[*]G Gundam
[*]Gasaraki
[*]Gundam 08th MS Team, Gundam Evolve Special, Gundam Seed, Gundam Wing, Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Gundam X, Gundam: Char's Counterattack
[*]Infinite Ryvius
[*]Inuyasha, Inuyasha Movie
[*][color=green]Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor[/color]
[*]Mama wa Shoukagu 4 Nensei
[*]Mobile Suit Gundam Double Zeta, Mobile Suit Gundam F-91, Mobile Suit Gundam: 0079, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
[*]Outlaw Star
[*][color=green]Patlabor OAV 2[/color]
[*][color=green]PLANETES[/color]
[*]SD Gundam Mark I-IV
[*]Seikai no Danshou
[*]Seikai no Monshou, Seikai no Monshou Special
[*]Seikai no Senki, Seikai no Senki, 2 Seikai no Senki Special
[*]Sentimental Journey
[*]Turn A Gundam
[*]V Gundam
[*]Vision of Escaflowne, Escaflown Movie
[*]Witch Hunter Robin
[*]Z.O.E Dolores
[/list]

I dragged practically the entire list of SUNRISE's titles in here, not because I have seen them all but because so many are known to anime fans all over the world. SUNRISE certainly knows how to give people what they want.

A few things come to mind: PLANETES and Patlabor (1989-90) are remarkably similar despite different settings and that fact that nearly 15 years come between them; I only recognize one shoujo title (Mama wa Shoukagu 4 Nensei) in their entire output, and it's not a romance. The one romance series they did, Sentimental Journey, is not very good. And I hardly ever like the music for these shows, even when I like the show a lot.

[0ber0n the Neko]

[COLOR=Navy]Let's try not to get off-topic, 0ber0n. There's a pretty decent recommendations-type thread located [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=36382]here[/URL]; perhaps you might find it to be of interest.

~Dagger~[/COLOR]

Hey, wasn't Witch Hunter Robin made by Studio Bones? But then again, I AM clueless... :confused:

Maybe i misinterpereted (I'm almost positive I have) that list... anyway

Just a quick almost unrelated question! I'm thinking about buying an entire anime series... and I'd like to know some people's favorites! Get some debate going about it! Maybe this thread can have TWO topics, and maybe it will become supreme ruler of all threads!!!! AHAHAHAHA!!!! Just kidding for those who took me seriously...

I felt like this smiley spoke to me... :blowup: Mmmm... violence...

Well, that was short...

[COLOR=DarkRed]Nothing evil can be said about the easter bunny. He's like the perfect image of, like, perfection... Now if christmas is about the birth of Christ... Then why do they have a big fat guy with a criminal record run that holiday, while the easter bunny has to deal with Christ's death? Isn't that kinda...ya know...sacreligious?[/COLOR]
:twitch: :twitch: :twitch:

[densuke]

[b]M*O*E (masters of entertainment)[/b]

M*O*E is apparently a division of Pony Canyon. It is a relatively new company.

Recent: Cosmopolitan Prayers, Hanaukyo Maid-Tai "La Verite"
[list]
[*]Cosmopolitan Prayers
[*]Hanaukyo Maid Tai, Hanaukyo Maid-Tai "La Verite"
[*]Love*Love
[*]Hitto o Nerae (AKA "Smash Hit!")
[*]Rizelmine, Rizelmine 2
[*]Sister Princess, Sister Princess RePure
[*]Steel Angel Kurumi, Steel Angel Kurumi 2
[/list]
Strictly bishoujo anime here. This is a viable subgenre of shounen/seinen anime, but just barely. This company demonstrates the potential failings of bishoujo titles.

All these series are packed with fanservice and paper-thin slices of story. These shows don't really have characters, offering only external traits, vague virtues like "loyalty" and calculatedly "cute" character design. There is plenty of broad comedy but no wit.

I've watched a couple of these but I couldn't say why. The production values of these shows are good. M*O*E has no interest in decent music though. I would say more but it's just bashing.

-----------------------------

[b]KSS Animation[/b] has been in business since at least 1993.

Recent: Comic Party OAV, Happy Lesson Advance, True Love Story
[list]
[*][color=green]Aa! Megami-sama OAV[/color]
[*]Ai Tenshi Densetsu Wedding Peach
[*][color=green]Comic Party TV[/color], Comic Party OAV
[*]Fire Emblem
[*]Golden Boy
[*]Guardian Hearts
[*]Happy Lesson OAV, Happy Lesson TV, Happy Lesson Advance, Happy Lesson the Final
[*]Happy World!
[*]Idol Project
[*]MAPS
[*]Moekan
[*]Natsuiro no Sunadokei
[*]O*N*E
[*]Phantom the Animation
[*]Raimuiro Senkitan
[*]Spy of Darkness
[*][color=green]To Heart[/color]
[*]True Love Story - Summer Days, and yet...
[*]Variable Geo
[*]Wind, A Breath of Heart
[/list]

KSS is notable for shounen and seinen romance, veering sometimes into risque comedy or action titles (Golden Boy, Variable Geo). "Wedding Peach" is mahou shoujo. I made this list as complete as possible mostly because I am somewhat bemused at the studio's increasing output. Several of these titles are in the works for the coming year.

Aa! Megami-sama OAV (1993) was very well-known and popular for years. To Heart (1999) was stunningly well-made; the show is being digitally fansubbed and is finding a new "generation" of anime fans (VHS fansubs have been available for years).

Many of these titles are based on games and adapt the games' visual styles and storylines. This is necessary to appeal to fans (To Heart's slightly altered look angered many game fans) but can make them less appealing as standalone titles. Overall the production values of these shows are more than adequate. Series for series I would give this studio the nod over M*O*E.

[Dagger]

Hey there, densuke. ^_^ As OtakuBoards does not permit double-posting, I merged your previous two replies. If you have any questions or comments regarding the nature of this policy, don't hesitate to PM me.

~Dagger~