Anime What are You Watching/Reading Now?

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Panache']People tell me it's a whole lot better than the anime. Would you say so?(the anime was damn good)[/QUOTE]I couldn't say since I haven't gotten past the part that is in the anime yet or rather I'm only done with the first two mangas. Also, though there is fun stuff that was not in the anime, I have run into episodes where it looks like they added stuff into the anime. Though until I read further I can't be sure. I've also run into stuff where they took two aspects of the story at different times and combined them into just one episode if you will. So the stuff that was added into the anime may happen later in the manga and I just haven't gotten there yet.

I can say that the first bit where Tohru first ends up in the Soma house is really fun since unlike the anime [spoiler]Yuki and Kyo argue and fight quite a bit more [/spoiler] which was really fun since I get a kick out of those two. Anyway, I'm about to start book three, so I've still got a ways to go before I get to volume twelve.

[Udon]

[FONT="Verdana"]I just recently got into the reborn! manga series. I find it quite funy how the side characters role play a good part in it. But I'm afraid that they're not making the english dub for it soon though and I haven't even watched the subed version :animeswea. But the manga series is pretty long the last time i checked. So I think I'm hapy with the manga for now. I'm also reading Gintama which is also a bit funy. I real like its setting and characters, but it didnt make me laugh as much as reborn.[/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"][quote name='Dagger']Very interested to see what you guys will think of the ending (last third/fourth or so, I guess) of Esca. I thought it was damn near perfect in every quarter for most of its run, but then... well, that's a discussion for later (or for the Escaflowne thread).

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]

There apparently is no Escaflowne thread O-o Anyway, I'm gunna, like, spoiler the whole thing, so if you've seen te show just copy it into a word doc or something.

[spoiler]So, I finished the show this morning. I have to say, Escaflowne ended up being a pretty big disappointement in my opinion. At first I was eally enjoying it - the sort of blend between shoujo and shounen goodies was neat, but more importantly it was very fast-paced and the actions scenes kicked. ***. There was a great sense of adventures, with the way the crew traveled about very quickly and the world it takes place in seemed very broad. All of the characters, while not particularly deep, were likeable as well.

Then somewhere around alfway through the show just ****** up. There was a point of unequivical awesome rigth around the halfway point - both Van and Dilandau were going through turmoil and everything rely seemed to be escalating to the next level. But then in the late teens the pacing just got totally out-of-wack. I guess it was because plot development was becoming more important but it lost a lot of the energy it had and there were certain parts (episode 18) that were plain horrible. But the worst part was wondering where te **** was Dilandau! Dilandau was my favorite character, he was half the fun of the show and for around 7 episodes he wasn't even shown!

So around the early 20s things start to pick up again, but you don't get that solid climactic feeling. In the beginning, it had always felt tlike and adventure that was on it's way toward a forseeable goal, but at this point everyone was just kind of running around on their own agenda with some ambiguous plan towards what they were going to do at the end. But the series made one absolutely huge epic fail mistake at this point; making me hate almost ALL of the characters.

Hitomi turns into a spiteful ***** (who, until the very end of the goddamn series, doesn't learn the important message from ep 17). Allen, after being tricked into falling in love with Hitomi, never reverts to his cool, suave self and instead pecomes a permanent dickhole throughout the show. Van I didn't hate, but I really never felt anything much toward Van. He was entirely a one-track mind from start to finish, which made him cool and honerable for the first half, like Tony Jaa in The Protector, but at some point he jus seemed to be incredibly thickheaded, having to relearn the same peace message over and over.

The best side character, Millerna's fiancee, got almost now showtime, and Van's brother was pretty cool, though he doesn't get to be prominent until the end and then only for a couple episodes. The defining moment of my hatred for the characters though was when Dilandau triumphantly returns with the ****ing awesome Jajuba (or whatever the hell his name was). When these guys were fighting Allen and Van during their reunion, I was BEGGING for him to kill Allen. And you know there's something wrong when you want the bad guys to win.

Of couse, had he, in fact, killed Allen, we wouldn't have gotten te dramatic irony of ZOMG Dilandau is Allen's sister. Oddly enough, I thought that part was really cool - wether freaky guy or ****** up girl, Dilandau is always a sexy beast, so I don't care. However, I thought that plot element could have been introduced in any number of better ways. It deffinitely should not have been thrown out there in the last couple of episodes. It's almost liek when we last saw Dilandau and the bad guys said some random foreshadowing things about him, it still hadn't been decided what was going to happen to him.

Some more things I didn't like - NOT ONE of the battles that took place after Dilandau's initial disappearance were as good as any beforehand. I was in awe of the creativity and intriguing styles of mech fight used early on, but later it just becomes your average hack'n'slash swordfighting. And oh. dear. god. the final battle was lame. Why? Because dilandau, who had always been an even match for Escaflowne, gets all of his limbs severed IMMEDIATELY only to be saved by Jackajuby and Allen. And I honestly didn't care much about Vanvs.Allen because the only reason I even remotely wanted Allen to live was so that I wouldn't have to see Celena/Dilly sad.

In addition, the romance between Hitomi and Van was WAY too rushed. I had always thought it was interesting how the male and female leads didn't begin romantically interested, but were building a bond of trust and I could sense that they would eventually hook up, but why did it hapen in the last 3 episodes and all-at-once?

In any event, at the very least the ending was pretty good - it would have been much much better if the HitomixVan pairing had been stronger, but juding the ending individualy it was pretty well done.

Overall, I wouldn't call it a bad show, but I would definitely say that it really threw itself off a building at some point. Once the adventure was gone, the fights got lame, and everyone became a bastard there wasn't much left but to end it before you had time to hate it too much. [/spoiler][/COLOR]

[Dagger]

[URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=38527&page=8"][u]Didn't look very hard, did we?[/u][/URL] :p

~Dagger~

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Dagger'][URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=38527&page=8"][u]Didn't look very hard, did we?[/u][/URL] :p

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]>.> was looking simply for 'Escaflowne'. Not my fault our archive doesn't cover alt names :p

EDIT: In my defense, that's the movie thread and I posted in it 4 times. [/COLOR]

[Dagger]

Meh, that thread covers just about everything by now. I can move your post there if you want (since you went to the trouble to write all that, might not want it buried here), but it doesn't really matter. Up to you.

It's been a while since I watched Esca in full, but I'm pretty much with you on most aspects of the ending, especially the romance aspects of it. It was particularly disappointing because it was still much better overall than so many other shows, ya know? I wanted so badly to love it to the end.

~Dagger~

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"][quote name='Dagger']Meh, that thread covers just about everything by now. I can move your post there if you want (since you went to the trouble to write all that, might not want it buried here), but it doesn't really matter. Up to you.

It's been a while since I watched Esca in full, but I'm pretty much with you on most aspects of the ending, especially the romance aspects of it. It was particularly disappointing because it was still much better overall than so many other shows, ya know? I wanted so badly to love it to the end.

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]

Same here. In fact, since someone on another site said I was being 'too picky' (if you didn't know, I usually copypasta my posts to 2-3 other sies so I don't mind them getting buried, especially since I'm thinking of blogging this post) and that keeping the show on one track would have made it less 'epic' I replied:

the whole trouble is that is was epic and then it became non-epic and then rushed to try to be epic again. For instance, [spoiler]it looks like things are getting heated up when the catgirls are around and then when they die, but then it's like the entire Zaibah force just decides to dope around while the characters go about their business. It completely pulled back from teh action and at that point there wasn't even time left to build back into it. So they did a rush job and everything was left feeling thrown together, and like I said, I hated almost everyone at that point. I mean, I was a huge Allen fan right up until he started sucking, Hitomi was a fun character until you realize that she (and Van) never learn their damn lesson. [/spoiler]

It might just be that the story stopped being something I cared about. Mind you, I have never been a fan of fantasy shows for the sole reason that they tend to get too serious/political and this one became sort of like that near the end. I mean I REALLY liked it for the first half, I was sure I'd be ranking it among my favorite fantasy shows. Because it was really FUN and the battle scenes were just so amazing. The use of the mechs ever-changing weaponry, the new battle environments and ways of fighting kept you on your toes, and DILANDAU, all the things that I liked about the show were taken away sand there awas nothing I liked enough to take it's place.[/COLOR]

[Fasteriskhead]

If memory serves me right,* Escaflowne is one among those quintessentially mid-late '90s animes that force you to either accept that it's not going to be perfect or absolutely hate it. Utena, Lain, and Berserk fall nicely into this category (as does a certain other well-known mecha show that appeared in the season immediately preceding Escaflowne). If you're to avoid going mad, you really just have to get used to the fact that everyone in the cast is going to act painfully out of character when the plot necessitates it, that you're going to hear Dance of Curse over and over and over again, and that the ending... uh... well, what can be said about the ending? It's a perfect example of a decent and attractively grand idea being pulled off in the silliest, aggravatingest, hamhandedest way imaginable. Facepalm image macros all around. All by itself the (comparatively restrained, but still admirably overblown) conclusion of Noein shows how far Kazuki Akane's come since his Escaflowne days.

On the other hand, for most of its length Escaflowne really is a pretty good show, and probably the first genuinely new thing to happen in shoujo since Sailor Moon (the next year, of course, we got Utena, and it's hard for me not to draw connections). I don't know, none of the ridiculous choices really bother me that much in retrospect. It's probably been five years since I last watched it (on my crappy bootleg VCD collection! hooray for the days before bittorrent!) and longer still since I saw it for the first time, so maybe all of its foibles are just something you get used to after awhile. Sort of like that bagpipe-esque solo in the middle of When Doves Cry, or the way-too-peppy score from Das Boot.

On another topic: hey, Macross Frontier actually seems pretty good! It's apparently going to be months before we get any more of it, but still!


* Kaga reference.

[Magus]

[COLOR="Navy"]I just got done watching [b]Karas: The Prophecy[/b] (came on ENC-ACT), and, well, I don't understand it at all. I'm assuming this is an OVA(OAV?) because of the way it went off, unless it just has one of those endings with a crappy cliffhanger?

It's a good thing I wasn't looking at this for the story because I didn't know what was going on at all. The characters, I don't really know them.

However, all that set aside, I think this has the best opening sequence out of all the animes I've seen so far. The fighting is top notch. Fast paced and barely able to see whose winning.... That's my type of fighting. ;)

The guy, Karas(?) reminds me of Guyver (The movie. Haven't seen the anime). It's a really interesting movie, show, OVA(?) that took me off guard because I was just looking at it out of curiousity.

Edit: Whose behind the animation?[/COLOR]

[Dagger]

Yeah, six-episode OVA. I've been thinking of renting it for the action scenes--in fact, I think I'll go put it in my queue right now. Looks like Manga Ent. has divided it across two discs (second one is called The Revelation, for whatever reason).

Here's the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatsunoko_Productions][u]Wikipedia article[/u][/url] about the production company... the only other recent thing I've seen by them is Soul Taker.

~Dagger~

[Revelation]

[size=1][color=#8B008B]I thought I'd venture over here and see what people were reading/watching, but my laziness has the best of me right now and therefore won't be reading the posts. ^_^;;;

Anyways, at the moment I am currently watching [B]Bleach[/B], [B]Naruto Shippuden[/B], and [B]Trigun[/B]. I've watched a bit of [B]Trigun[/B] before but for some odd reason, never finished it...which is what I'm doing now.

As for reading, I'm currently reading [B]Bleach[/B], [B]Claymore[/B], and [B]Tenjhou Tenge[/B]. I've watched [B]TenTen[/B] and [B]Claymore[/B], not sure how it fares against its manga counterparts yet though.

Also, any have any suggestions for anime or manga? I was thinking of reading/watching some CLAMP.[/size][/color]

[ForsakenUndead]

[COLOR="DarkOliveGreen"]I'm watching the second season of Genshiken and it is amazing! The yaoi episode was one of the funniest episodes of anime I've ever seen and the ending was pushing so far it was incredible! I'm glad to see a lot of relationships being developed further this season, especially OhnoxTanaka. I haven't gotten to where the new member joins yet, so I hope she's cool![/COLOR]

[Panache]

[B]RahXephon 1-13[/B]

At first it was too confusing for me to like. Then it started explaining things and got pretty good. Now it's confusing again...goddamit.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Panache'][B]RahXephon 1-13[/B]

At first it was too confusing for me to like. Then it started explaining things and got pretty good. Now it's confusing again...goddamit.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]I'd like to know if you're purposefully watching BONES shows (erm... Sunrise shows?) in order or what? lol. I need to get around to Rahxephon myslef and wait a minute, how in gods name do you afford to buy so many DVDs?![/COLOR]

[Panache]

[quote name='2008DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]I'd like to know if you're purposefully watching BONES shows (erm... Sunrise shows?) in order or what? lol. I need to get around to Rahxephon myslef and wait a minute, how in gods name do you afford to buy so many DVDs?![/COLOR][/QUOTE]
Clever money management. Oh and what do you mean in order?

[Dagger]

A couple of firsts.

[B]KimiAru[/B]: Don't even want to talk about it.
[B]
True Tears[/B]: Wow. Had no expectations for this, but turned out to be one of the better bishoujo first episodes I've seen in a while. Wonderful atmosphere, sympathetic protagonist, intriguing heroines, beautiful music.

[B]H20[/B]: Not as well put together as True Tears, but better than I expected. I think I'll stick with this.

Assuming I stick with Aria, Gunslinger Girl, Mnemosyne and Shigofumi, that gives me six shows for the season, which is more than I've had on my plate in ages. That's not even counting continuing shows like Clannad and Gundam 00. Guess I was wrong for thinking the winter looked a tad barren.

~Dagger~

[Nuriko_Haruhi]

[COLOR="Navy"][FONT="Courier New"]These past few days I've been watching Kiniro de Corda or La Corda de Oro. And now I'm done watching it...I'm just wondering around and searching for new animes to watch... wish I could find one... [/FONT][/COLOR]:animesigh

[Nomurah!]

[SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]I've been reading the American version of the manga Vampire Knight.. Yes, I am a guy.. But I like alot of the Shojo Beat titles, lol. I'm also trying to finish Naruto, (yes I know... who hasn't?) in full. I've never finished all of it, but I have seen the ending, and parts of Shippuden. Other than that, I havn't seen every episode or read every chapter from the end of the Chuunin exam, so I'm planning on finishing that soon. I'm still working on the subs of Bleach. I have up to episode 75... May take a while.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[ZachIsAPanda]

I'm currently watching Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni, only on episode four, but the series is great. I love how everything is fast paced, and doesn't happen so slowly. It seems so many animes based off visual novels are quite good.
And I'm currently reading D.Gray-Man, I can't find the next volume, but so far, I love the art work, and story line (even if it isn't too original).

[Dagger]

Just started [b]Zegapain[/b]. I'd heard that it didn't get good until much later, but three episodes was enough to hook me. It's rough around the edges (not high-budget; the CG is clunky; occasionally silly directorial tricks). That said, I've been in the mood for a twisty, messes-with-your-head mecha series, and this seems as if it'll suit the bill well.

Gotta get Netflix to send me a replacement disc, though... stalled out after the third episode. :(

~Dagger~

[Revelation]

[quote name='Whoa, Mann'][SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]I've been reading the American version of the manga Vampire Knight.. Yes, I am a guy.. But I like alot of the Shojo Beat titles, lol.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[size=1][color=#8B008B]I actually have the first volume of [B]Vampire Knight[/B], although haven't read the other volumes as of late. Been lazy and whatnot. ^_^;;[/size][/color]

[onenuttytanuki]

Well right now my dog who is snoring.

Within the last week:

Manga:
With the light vol. 1
Please Twins
Emma vol. 6
Ohikkoshi
Mushi-shi Vol. 1 & 2
Manga Cookbook

Anime:
Mushi-Shi vol.1
Speed Racer. Vol.2
Black Jack Dvd. Collection 1
Enchanted Journey

Live action:
Stardust
Godzilla 1985
Fearless Vampire Killers or pardon me but your teeth are in my neck
Cave of Silken thread
The Crater Lake Monster
Space Amoeba
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist

Regular Books:
The Book of Spam

[Panache]

I dunno if this goes here but since it's anime related I figured I would post it.

[B]Kino no tabi:Volume one a beautiful world [/B]

Yes it is a short novel. Anyway it's a damn good short novel. I figured it would be a lot more complicated than the series . But really it is easy read and is pretty faithful to the anime(or is the anime faithful to it?). [spoiler]I still can't figure out the whole train track thing.[/spoiler] I have high expectations for the rest of this book.

[Magus]

[quote name='Whoa, Mann'][SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]I'm also trying to finish Naruto, (yes I know... who hasn't?) in full. I've never finished all of it, but I have seen the ending, and parts of Shippuden. Other than that, I havn't seen every episode or read every chapter from the end of the Chuunin exam, so I'm planning on finishing that soon.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]
[COLOR="Navy"]I just gave up on Naruto (just the anime lol) last night. Pacing (flashback) issues. I'd rather stick with the old stuff... (DBZ, RK and YYH) But I'm gonna stick with the manga. Goodluck though.

I watched the first episode of [b]WitchBlade[/b] Friday night on IFC. It didn't really give me any reasons to continue with the series. Going by first episode alone all it has going for it is fanservice. (Probably on the level of Tenjho Tenge's manga... [spoiler]minus the sex[/spoiler]) And I'm not into the whole fanservice thing. Sure I like women with big breast (and it's really hard to not notice them, with or without the transformation.) and all, but I prefer the real deal.

Anyways, I haven't seen much of the movie/series (?), but I thought there was suppose to be more action than what I saw. (And no robots... that thing looked like a robot.) If anything, you get character development, (although, I don't even know the lady's name) transformation/fanservice, somewhat of a confrontation, and done...

My response to it in the end was "ok".... (not impressed.)

This series looks like it's geared for those into fanservice. I'm gonna check out the second episode next week, but I highly doubt that I'm gonna stick with this. You would think the first episode of most animes would leave you wanting more...

I also looked at a bit of [b]Ergo Proxy[/b], but I don't know if I want to continue with this one either. It was pretty boring.[/COLOR]

[Revelation]

[size=1][color=#8B008B]I was recommended to watch [B]Ergo Proxy[/B]. Can't remember who recommended it, but they said it was good; slow, but good.

Anyways, just watched the last six episodes of [B]Trigun[/B]. It had an obvious ending, yet I couldn't help but be surprised in that 'i-saw-that-coming-but-what-the-hell' kind of way.

And now, I'm not sure exactly what I want to watch...maybe [B]Neon Genesis Evangelion[/B] or [B]Blood+[/B].[/size][/color]