Anime What are You Watching/Reading Now?

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Just finished rewatching Code Geass (both series) and have to say each time I watch the series I still get the sense they screwed the pooch completely with the final half/quarter of the series.

Probably going to go rewatch Gundam 00 at a later date just to get in the mood for the new movie.[/size][/font]

[Blue]

[quote name='Gavin' date='14 July 2010 - 08:46 AM' timestamp='1279111573' post='697291']
[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Just finished rewatching Code Geass (both series) and have to say each time I watch the series I still get the sense they screwed the pooch completely with the final half/quarter of the series.

Probably going to go rewatch Gundam 00 at a later date just to get in the mood for the new movie.[/size][/font]
[/quote]

Quite a lot of things didn't make sense in the latter quarter of R2, I admit. However I think they nailed the ending. I don't think it could have gotten any deeper (on an emotional level) without the martyrdom. It certainly left a lot of people puzzled and asking questions. I like it that way. I had fun coming up with a lot of my own theories on what happened. Sadly it has been disproved (probably) since R3 takes place in a totally different time period before Lelouch and company were even born. Edited July 14, 2010 by Blue

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]The ending was good, if a bit cliché and obvious. Actually I was always annoyed by the fact that despite their legion of crimes, up to and including the use of WMDs on civilian targets, Schneizel and Cornelia seem to be able to walk away without any kind of prosecution. Of course after Charles' Darwin-inspired speeches all through R1 I wanted his real intentions of exiling Lelouch to have been a test to see whether Schneizel having been raised with everything or Lelouch having to gain everything himself would make the fitter successor to the throne. The Evangelion-esque reveal we got was rather disappointing, as was seeing nothing of the E.U. despite Britannia's seemingly genuine concern of their military capabilities.

As for R3, as far as I know that side story set in Japan isn't the official sequel, nor is the new one featuring Suzaku. Given that Word of God confirmed Lelouch as dead it's a bit of a shame, would've loved to see him take over C.C.'s role in the sequel and deal with the bane of immortality as well as seeing how the world was affected by his and Suzaku's sacrifices.[/size][/font]

[Blue]

I agree, a lot of other things could have been expanded on. If Brittania actually had some concern over their military might why did it seem like they were always dominating? They never lost a battle nor did the EU actually seem to pose any real threat. Those little things should have been explored more. It would have given the series some more interesting layers. As for the sequel, yes its not Suzaku but there is a Suzaku and Lelouch clone. As long as the series doesn't head towards milk town on an express bullet train it should be fine. We're all calling it R3 but that terminology is probably wrong since it only involves C.C. We'll, we should find out more later this year or the next.

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Hmm, interesting. I'll have to keep an eye out for that.[/size][/font]

[Pleiades Rising]

I [i]was[/i] watching [i]Code Geass[/i], until I realized that the person who lent it to me had given me the second season - and I didn't see the first. Oh well.

However, I did finally finish [i]Haibane Renmei[/i] (I no longer marathon any parts of a series, but I did watch that last 2 dvds in one evening. The joys of library returns and not having enough time to watch anything leisurely anymore!). It's a very quiet series, and some would probably consider it to be slow. Still, I didn't consider it to be such; I rather liked how they paced it over the span of 13 episodes. I thought it was a nice tale of friendship and some of the struggles that come along with it.

I did manage to watch the first episode of [i]Gunslinger Girl[/i] not too long ago, and it looks promising (the fantastic song for the OP sure didn't hurt its chances either). I'm sure I'll add this series to my list of things to watch, too.

[Shinmaru]

So [b]SDF Macross[/b] is awesome. Holds up really well despite being goofy as hell and animation quality that varies from genuinely good to "Studio DEEN if its entire animation staff decided to get wasted before starting its next series". The series has some genuinely interesting things to say about how we interact with culture (especially the "lower" forms of it), and aside from that it is just a lot of fun to watch. The movie retelling, [b]Macross: Do You Remember Love?[/b] is also fantastic, probably the best anime retelling movie ever.

Now I'm watching the [b]Macross Plus[/b] OVA. No animation quality troubles here -- it's totally gorgeous! The first fight had me practically jumping out of my bed. Sooooooooo pretty . . . @_@ Edited July 19, 2010 by Shinmaru

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Debating whether or not to watch BLASSREITER, sounds vaguely interesting.[/size][/font]

[Heaven's Cloud]

[color=indigo]I just finished the fourth or fifth episode of [b]Soul Eater[/b]. I'm not sure if I like it yet or not...I do like the cartoon-ish animation, and the premise is fun. So far the plot is a little bland though.

Has anyone made it through this series yet? If so, what are your opinions?
[/color]

[Magus]

[quote name='Heaven's Cloud' date='19 July 2010 - 10:41 PM' timestamp='1279593703' post='697473']
[color=indigo]I just finished the fourth or fifth episode of [b]Soul Eater[/b]. I'm not sure if I like it yet or not...I do like the cartoon-ish animation, and the premise is fun. So far the plot is a little bland though.

Has anyone made it through this series yet? If so, what are your opinions?
[/color]
[/quote]
I got as far as episode 21 I believe. I want to say it's better than the big 3, but at the same time I can't really do that since it's hard for me to stay interested. I guess after putting up with One Piece, Naruto and Bleach for so long kind of wore me out.

[Gavin]

[quote name='Heaven's Cloud' date='20 July 2010 - 03:41 AM' timestamp='1279593703' post='697473']
[color=indigo]Has anyone made it through this series yet? If so, what are your opinions?[/color][/quote]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]*Raises hand*

I enjoyed it actually, it's a fun and funky kind of show with a good balance between drama and comedy. Pacing is decent, better than some, worse than others but quite watchable. Even the most obnoxious characters are still quite fun to watch.[/size][/font]

[Heaven's Cloud]

[quote name='Magus' date='20 July 2010 - 05:43 AM' timestamp='1279619007' post='697494']
I got as far as episode 21 I believe. I want to say it's better than the big 3, but at the same time I can't really do that since it's hard for me to stay interested. I guess after putting up with One Piece, Naruto and Bleach for so long kind of wore me out.
[/quote]

[color=indigo]I never could get in to One Piece, but I understand what you are saying with Naruto and Bleach. Between the 5 minute intro flashbacks, the character look backs during the show, and horrible filler episodes it is surprising that anyone sticks with these shows.[/color]

[quote name='Gavin']
I enjoyed it actually, it's a fun and funky kind of show with a good balance between drama and comedy. Pacing is decent, better than some, worse than others but quite watchable. Even the most obnoxious characters are still quite fun to watch.[/quote]

[color=indigo]Cool, well I'll definitely have to watch a few more episodes at least then.[/color] Edited July 20, 2010 by Heaven's Cloud

[Magus]

[quote name='Heaven's Cloud' date='20 July 2010 - 09:57 AM' timestamp='1279634264' post='697512']
[color=indigo]I never could get in to One Piece, but I understand what you are saying with Naruto and Bleach. Between the 5 minute intro flashbacks, the character look backs during the show, and horrible filler episodes it is surprising that anyone sticks with these shows.[/color][/quote]

Honestly, I prefer the manga version of One Piece compared to the anime since it's a very ugly series. In a sense it's excusable because of the quirky nature it has, but I really prefer the manga. The only reason why I'm really checking out the anime is because I want to see some of the abilities in motion. As for One Piece itself, the thing that sets it apart from Bleach and Naruto is the characters. I may hate the dragginess in this series, but one thing I have to give Oda credit for is his characters. The frienship theme (I've said this before) has been done to death and while it's good and all I'm actually sick of that theme, but the way it's done in One Piece sets it far above Bleach and Naruto. And then the way the characters interact with one another is very similar to how the characters in Yu Yu Hakusho are (if not surpassing them). It's definately a lot of fun despite the horrible pacing it has. (Flashbacks by the pound that goes on entirely too long, and then some fights go on too long, but compared to Bleach's current fights, One Piece has nothing on it)

Even though I watch almost nothing but shonen these days (they just don't bring nothing out that really strikes out at me) I have to agree with you on how I (people) stick with them.

[mangamaniack21]

Watching a lot lately now that it's summer break XD
Elemental Gelade, Air, Azumanga Daioh, Kenichi: The mightiest disciple, Divergence Eve, Shuffle, Maburaho and i should continue Katekyo Hitman Reborn and Shugo Chara

[Blue]

[quote name='Gavin' date='19 July 2010 - 06:21 PM' timestamp='1279578102' post='697464']
[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Debating whether or not to watch BLASSREITER, sounds vaguely interesting.[/size][/font]
[/quote]

I watched the whole series. It had an interesting premise but its quite mediocre. However it wouldn't be too bad for a change of pace from the crap that have been aired for the last few seasons. Its doesn't get you excited but at least it doesn't leaving you facepalming yourself until you have a dent in your head like with Bleach or Naruto.

[Gavin]

[quote name='Blue' date='20 July 2010 - 05:06 PM' timestamp='1279641987' post='697523']
I watched the whole series. It had an interesting premise but its quite mediocre. However it wouldn't be too bad for a change of pace from the crap that have been aired for the last few seasons. Its doesn't get you excited but at least it doesn't leaving you facepalming yourself until you have a dent in your head like with Bleach or Naruto.
[/quote]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Hmm, well I'm more so just looking for a new anime series to get into, and as I've subbed to Crunchyroll that was the first one which kind of caught my attention. Really must finish Gunbuster too.[/size][/font]

[Shinmaru]

Oh man, [b]Macross Plus[/b] is great! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone, especially if some of the weirder aspects of [b]Macross[/b] are driving fans from the original series. Aside from a couple of themes and plot elements, [b]Macross Plus[/b] is probably the most down to earth entry in the canon. For [b]Cowboy Bebop[/b] fans, it's directed by Shinichiro Watanabe and has music by Yoko Kanno, It has a bit of that style to it; the character design even reminds me of [b]Cowboy Bebop[/b], although both series had different designers.

Now I'm watching [b]Macross 7[/b], which is, uh, incredibly bizarre, to say the least. I get the feeling that it's a huge put on, because there is absolutely no way I can be expected to take any of this nonsense seriously. (Then again, this is Shoji Kawamori we're talking about -- in just a couple of years, he would make [b]Vision of Escaflowne[/b], and [b]Macross 7[/b] ain't much crazier than that series, at least through 10 episodes.) Watching this after [b]Macross Plus[/b] just about made me tear up, though, because it's the complete opposite in terms of animation quality. This series just looks like ass: The space battles are laughably bad, there is reused animation out the wazoo, every imaginable animation shortcut is taken . . . just really bad. I mean, I'm [i]terrible[/i] at noticing this stuff, and I'm seeing it [i]everywhere[/i], so those of you with sharper eyes than me would probably be in the fetal position after a couple of episodes.

[Magus]

More [b]DBZKai[/b]. Err... I'm not feeling this at all. The script is better in Kai for sure, but the epic feel that DBZ had is nowhere to be found. Part of this seems to be because of Faulkoner's tunes aren't there. This fight between Goku and Ginyu felt so bland without that music, especially when Goku begins to powerup. And during that same scene Ginyu's V/A sounded like he was either trying to force it or overacting and just threw that entire powerup off. So I'm gonna call it quits here. I'll check it out once more when Goku begins to fight Freiza (sp?), but I won't be sticking with it.

I started watching [b]Hajime no Ippo[/b] again as well. Despite my feelings about New Challenger (I'm echoing myself) I still think it's a great series. Ippo is a great character (I hate that he was practically turned into some mentor in NC and didn't go after Ricardo or Miyata) along with everyone else. Favorite characters are still Miyata and Sendo. Ippo (or rather HnI in general) can be a great motivator to get one back into working out lol.

[The Tentacle]

Probably the two biggest series I'm into right now are [b]Soul Eater and Gintama[/b].  I'm about to wrap up Soul Eater this week but Gintama is going to be a long-lasting pleasure at just over 200 episodes.  I'm also expecting the second volumes of [b]Kurokami and Queen's Blade[/b] next weekend.  

As for manga I'm currently reading [b]Dance In the Vampire Bund[/b] (don't judge me man), [b]Fairy Tail[/b] and a bunch of other titles that trickle in every few months.  [b]Air Gear and Elemental Gelade[/b] are being updated sporadically but I refuse to give up on either of them.  

[Magus]

Still continuing with [b]Hajime no Ippo[/b]. Sendo, Vorg, Miyata, and Date are some great characters.

As stated in my siggy, I'm also watching [b]Hunter x Hunter[/b]. For the time being this is probably the 2nd or 3rd best shonen anime by far. (Hard to say.. I keep switching Yu Yu Hakusho and Rurouni Kenshin around) Whenever there's fighting it looks good, and looking at the characters go through training for Nen was a treat.

I haven't really watched much of it yet, but I also have [b]Sword of the Stranger[/b] here. I've been trying to tough it out because there's animal killing and delimberment in it that's really pissing me off. I'm on the verge of sending it back to Blockbuster as we speak. The only thing that's keeping me from doing so are the fights and the animation because they are spot on. Edited July 29, 2010 by Beretta

[Nony]

Des has infected me and I started watching [b]Heartcatch Precure![/b]. I've actually gotten through thirteen episodes now.
It's definitely cute, and it's definitely magical girl. But damn if I don't like it so far. Dark Precure and Cure Moonlight are so awesome. @0@ I hope there's more episodes of them in the near future.

Also, the second ED is epic and kind of the reason I even tried out the show and asdfasdfas here, I'll just link it:

[center][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnS5JMdL8_8[/media][/center]

[Shinmaru]

Finished [b]Macross 7[/b] and all its accompanying OVAs ... and, yeah, not a good series at all. Just when I got used to the goofiness, it turned all serious to me, and just ugh blahhhhhhhhhh. So very bad. If I weren't determined to finish the [b]Macross[/b] canon, then I never would have watched it; heed my advice, and never see it! That is, unless you are crazy like me.

Speaking of finishing the [b]Macross[/b] canon, though, I did recently do that with the completion of the [b]Macross Zero[/b] OVA! It's pretty good -- great looking dogfights, although the ships have this plasticy CG look that bothers me. The story has kind of a [b]RahXephon[/b] feel to it, too, with it influenced by Mayan culture, and very mysterious and having a tendency to hold its cards close to its chest. There are bits and pieces of humanity's interactions with the Protoculture revealed, but not so much as to make anything definitive. And the ending . . . kind of strange, but whatever. I enjoyed it overall.

And now I'm rewatching [b]Macross Frontier[/b] with Des. I remember thinking the beginning episodes were OK when I first watched [b]Frontier[/b], but now I love them. So many [b]Macross[/b] references I'm catching now; it's so much fun!

[Nony]

So I'm all caught up on [b]Heartcatch Precure![/b] now (which means 25 episodes) and holy crap is it ever epic. My gosh, whoever compared it to Gurren Lagann was right. Although, as a note, I wouldn't go into the anime expecting the style to be exactly like GL. However, they both play their genres very well, they have lovable characters and they both have extremely epic moments. So yes, I can really understand the comparison now.

I WANT MOAR, DAMMIT. AUGH. ;A;

[ExcelExcel]

I just bought and watched Devil May Cry, and I totally want Dante and Lady. The anime can only be described as Sexy and Awesome. Edited August 5, 2010 by Sangome
Yeah, let's not talk about rape like that, shall we? I'm sure you can find other words to better express your desires. So please don't do that again.

[The Tentacle]

I just finished [b]Soul Eater [/b]and I'm getting ready to watch the second volume of [b]Kurokami[/b].  [b]Hell Girl[/b] is also in my stack of new anime and I'm going to be ordering the second volume of [b]Queen's Blade[/b] and the second volume of [b]Hell Girl: Two Mirrors[/b] sometime this weekend.

I'm also pleased to know that [b]Xamd: Lost Memories[/b] is finally being released on DVD/Blu-Ray next month too.  I've been Jonesing for that series for ages now.