Anime Soul Eater

[Magus]

Apparently, there's been a lot of talk about this series as of late. Talk ranging from "awesome" to "a rip off of Bleach".

BONES is behind the series, and I will admit that I have been impressed with some of their work. I've only seen Fullmetal Alchemist and Eureka 7. And while both series could do some work with their main characters, there support characters brought things to life. I'm kind of expecting the same here for some reason.

[quote=ANN]Set in the Shinigami technical school for weapon meisters, the series revolves around 3 groups of each a weapon meister and a human weapon. Trying to make the latter a "Death Scythe" and thus fit for use by the Shinigami, they must collect the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch.
Soul Eater is an anime that centers around meisters and their weapons and their mission to collect 99 evil souls and 1 witch soul. Upon doing that the meister's weapons will become a Deathscythe, which is the highest title for a weapon. Maka, Soul Eater, Black Star, Tsubaki, Death the Kid, and Patty and Liz Thompson are the characters Soul Eater revolves around. Besides taking the time to gather souls these students of Shibusen defend Death City from some of the most powerful of creatures while still attending school and trying to become stronger.[/quote]

In any case, I did see episode 1, or rather snippets of episode 1. While I'm not completely sold just yet, I am impressed with the fighting and animation. That was some good stuff there. Character design could use a bit of work. I've never really been a fan of quirky lookin characters, but I managed to put up with One Piece's weird artwork for some time now, so I'll adapt to this one eventually.

Also from what I've seen so far, and what that description says, it sort of has a look of one of those Shin Megami Tensei games.

One more thing. FUNimation has licensed this series as well. So the dub work will be pretty decent as well.

[url]http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-31/funimation-adds-soul-eater-anime-from-media-factory[/url]

So anyone been watching this series? Thoughts? I don't know if I'll continue to watch it subbed, but once it hit the states, I'll continue where I left off.

[size=1]I didn't know BONES handled Cowboy Bebop's animation.[/size] :o

[Vigilance]

I watch the series and I pretty much love this series no matter if anyone else doesn't like it. Ok the thing about the first three episode is that the series is trying to get you to know the main character from the beginning so taht you won't have to see it later in the series which most other anime series does.

[NinjaGirlSango]

I admit I haven't had the chance to watch it yet, but I fully intend to.
I've been following the manga and I really do like the art and plot behind it. My only qualm is, as OP mentioned, that the main characters seem a little... flat. I'm hoping to see some development later on in the series.

I can see in SOME ways how it might be similar to Bleach, but I don't comprehend the overall comparison.

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]I think the "it's just a rip-off of Bleach" comments come from the people who've never actually sat down and watched enough of the show to get an idea of the plot, because that statement is very far from the truth. Sure it shares some elements of Bleach but they're pretty general to the point where Kubo couldn't claim he came up with them by himself.

I started watching this show a few weeks back out of curiousity and while I wouldn't call myself a huge fan, I do enjoy it and it's a nice mid-point between Gundam 00 on Sunday and Bleach on Tuesday. One of the things that I like most about Soul Eater is it's laid back nature, it's a comedy with serious elements but the former is always a major element to the show, Shinigami-sama being a prime example of this point.

As for the character's being flat to quote NinjaGirlSango I would have to agree to an extent that they do need more development, or rather some do to force them out of a stereotype role but that said I don't dislike any character so far and some of them really make me laugh, again Shinigami-sama being my example here.[/SIZE]

[Meggido]

I'm so glad that this was actually licensed especially with the early C&D notices before there was a license in the US. I've seen about 3/4 of the series and have aboslutely loved it so far. The thing is that it'll probably finish before the manga has.

[Magus]

So I checked out episode 2 (snippets) against my better judgment. Yet again, I am really impressed with what I'm seeing, and as a matter of fact, Soul Eater has the potential of becoming a top favorite. The only thing that's really holding it back for me is the fact that I have to wait for it to be dubbed. (/nit-pick) Trying to watch this subbed is a bit hard for me since I hate multitasking. I'm a slow reader and I hate the idea of pausing to read, especially if there's a fight going on.

As I've stated though, I'm sold on the series. (After 2 episodes... GitS:SAC still has the record of hooking me through it's 1st episode alone.) The fighting and the animation is really amazing. And I take it back about having the feeling of one of them Shin Megami Tensei games. I now know why this series looks more like a videogame. (I had no idea, or rather I completely looked over the fact that it was done by Square.) Anyone ever heard of a game called The World Ends with You? This show has the look of that game to it imo. I wonder if the guy behind the artwork has anything to do with this.

Is anyone following the manga? Does the anime follow the manga? How is the manga compared to the anime? (I've already established that I like the animation)

I gotta talk about a certain idiot now. Black Star. He's so interesting, yet, at the same time he's so annoying. He has the same annoying qualities that Naruto has, but the difference(s) between this guy and Naruto (besides the clothing) is that this guy is actually funny. And from the looks of things, he looks like he knows how to use his head. (PRAISE GOD!) I did happen to see a sneak peek of episode 3. [spoiler]Death the Kid[/spoiler] looks like an interesting character, however, [spoiler]the Ginyu/Saiyaman poses caught me off guard.[/spoiler]

[Meggido]

[spoiler]Death the Kid[/spoiler] is probably my favourite character in the series. his Soul resonance is awesome [spoiler]and his obsession with symmetry makes for some hilarious scenes especially late in the series when he's following someone[/spoiler]

[2010DigitalBoy]

I've been loving this show. I was a little skeptical at first just because the pacing sucked at the beginning but it picked up and got great. I am a huge fan of studio Bones and this director in particular, so I was excited about the show from the beginning and I'm glad that it turned out very well. I will now copy my post from after seeing episode 41 on my blog. Here's a link as well to a post I did on my favorite moment from the show, giving it an analytical view: [url]http://21stcenturydigitalboy.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/anime-moment-of-the-week-soul-plays-piano-soul-eater/[/url]

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I?ve spent the past five or so days watching all the currently available Soul Eater episodes (hence my lack of posting in this time) and creating another conundrum on my MAL profile (47 eps? oh god, I can hear the comments already?) Back when the show was airing, I watched the first 6 episodes and was very torn with my thoughts about it. Most of this sprang from the show?s lack of direction in the beginning and a few lackluster early episodes. However, those episodes seemed better on the rewatch (possibly my lowered expectations?) and then once the show?s proverbial ball started rolling, it?s been consistently kick---

I really don?t want to get too in-depth here since there is a lot to say about a show this huge and this thorough which I?d rather do in a comprehensive post once the show is complete. For now, though, I?ll just do a little fanboying over some things.

First of all, I have absolutely loved how this show takes things that at first seem meaningless and makes them turn out to be important. Almost every random side character has turned out to be of value to the story. Except or Excalibur. But I?m sure that will happen at the very end of the manga or something. Anyway, characters like Blair the Cat, Ox Ford, and that one dude with the hundreds of samurai swords all made very triumphant returns that made me smile. Oh, and Sid-sensei. That guy is ------- made of win.

Which brings me to this show?s strong point - a really amazing cast of characters. This is the first shounen anime I?ve ever heard of with such a completely ensemble cast - I honestly have a hard time considering Maka or Soul to be the main characters. It?s difficult to decide what makes an ensemble done ?well? but lets say I definitely like all the characters having plenty of episodes dedicated to them. And it?s not just the three main teams either, we get episodes about just the villains or side characters, or even EXCALIBAAA!!! As a matter of fact, episode 41 was all about professor Stein. While there is no particular character who stands out so much as to be one of my alltime favorite characters, there are very few that I don?t care about and a lot that are a consistent joy to watch.

So lets get it out of the way - favorite characters. My list is topped with a tie. First off, there?s Chrona. Long time readers may have learned that I?m a really HUGE fan of characters with a -------up past and a broken mind who reform through friendship. I fell in love with Chrona from the second time she said ?hey, my blood is black, you know?? She?s the perfect mix of lonely, demented, and adorable. Plus androgyny is a plus. I also find her relationship with Ragnarok interesting since he?s such a total ---hole and yet doesn?t really seem to bother her and they have some kind of almost camaraderie.

My tie is with the bad--- among bad---es, Soul Eater himself. Once more, he was a character I loved from the beginning with his style, sharp teeth, and obsession with ?cool?. However, I didn?t expect him to be so deep. At first he was kind of a joke, but he ended up being the most serious and contemplative character in the show. Above anything, Soul is just outright interesting. I?m always drawn in when he?s on-screen. But more than anything is the room in his mind where he wears a dress suit and acts cool. That room constitutes all of my favorite scenes in the show. That?s my kind of style right there. I also love how Soul always seems to understand the exact circumstances of what he does and makes his decisions with that understanding.

Just under those two is Prefessor Stein, who is just totally made of win. He?s struggling constantly between complete insanity and mild reason. Stein is the ultimate ?atheist? type character (or rather, chaotic good?) who questions the world and tries to understand it on his own terms while always testing things to find a deeper meaning or interesting truth. Plus he laughs like a madman in a rain of blood - that shit?s just ----win.

I?m a fan of pretty much everyone else as well. Maka is cute and fun, Black Star beams with a confidence that I can only respect, and Death the Kid is OCD as ever. Kilik is awesome, but that might be my auto-bias toward black anime characters. Sid-sensei always makes me smile when he?s got his whole spec-ops thing going on. There?s too many more to name, dammit! All great! The only people I?m not really interested in are the Arachnophobia team - they are all pretty flat and boring. Medusa is a much more interesting villain and definitely fills me with rage-hate.

Highlights from the series, first of all any given fight scenes, which Bones beautifully brought to life. Some of the best are the rematch between Black Star and the samurai dude, said samurai dude against Sid-sensei, and Tsubaki versus the Fey blade. Episodes 20-25 or so were all just ------ splendid, but the cake was certainly taken by Maka resonating with Chrona and turning her good. That whole episode had fantastic directing, but the whole desert island part was especially nice and then the dialogue afterward brought me near to tears.

As mentioned earlier, any of the Black Room scenes were boss. The line where the demon says ?madness and discord awaits? and soul eater just replies ?I can?t wait? made me smile real wide. Maka and Soul dancing and Soul?s piano concert were also two of my favorite moments in the whole show. Of course, one cannot speak of highlights without mentioning Excalibur. All of the Excalibur episodes made me laugh out loud, especially episode 17 where they did a ****ing West Side Story parody which made me WTF hard. Oh man, and the preview for ep 32 where Maka sang the Excalibur theme was sexy.

Excalibur~ Excalibur~ From Unity-King I?m looking for him I?m going to California~

I have been annoying everyone in my house by singing this excessively. I can?t get over how good Excalibur is with the ?L? sound.

As for negatives in the series, the early to mid 30 area was really jumpy as hell. Plot elements were soaring out of every direction without warning. But it wasn?t a big problem, and the show is pretty back on track now. Episodes 39 and 40 were both excellent and so I?m liking that the series is progressing nicely toward a foreseeable epic finale. I?ll definitely be rooting for a second season. In the meantime, I probably should hurry up and finish Fullmetal Alchemist since that too is getting another season. God I love Bones

[Magus]

I've watched up to episode 8 (might watch 9 in a bit) and I have to say that this has definately become one of my favorite. I take it back about Death the Kid being my favorites. Nothing against him. [spoiler]I still like his need for all things to be symmetrical[/spoiler]. My new favorite is Professor Stein. From the way he fights to the way he acts is just awesome. He sort of seem like the Kakashi of the series.

I've also come to like Maka's father (Can't remember his name). While I never had anything against him from the get-go, he just never did much to impress me. [spoiler]Ragnarok was pretty fun to watch bully Krona around and whatnot.[/spoiler]

Edit: I've also taken a liking to Tsubaki..

[Gavin]

[quote name='Magus']I've also come to like Maka's father (Can't remember his name).[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Usually he's referred to as Papa or by other characters later in the series Spirit, Deathscythe and senpai.
[/SIZE]

[Magus]

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Ah, Spirit. I'll try to remember that from now on. (Watch me forget 2 days later)

Anyway, first annoying character. Excalibur. When Blackstar and Death the Kid went to go see him I wasn't annoyed so much because I was laughing quite a bit, and it was funny the first time. Now that Oxford went to go see him, and pretty much repeated everything from the earlier episode, I just found it annoying.

Then again, it's probably because I hate episodes that tend to be light-hearted and slow things down. Pure episodes that're made to just be comedic w/o action are the ones I really try to stay away from.[/FONT]

[Magus]

Thought I'd bring this back up since I just started watching this again. Finished watching the 2nd episode... Looking back at my comment about Blackstar, I had to have been smoking or something because I hate that boy. Tsubaki should just drop him. Anyway, I'm watching this in english and his voice is not what I was expecting either.

[ItalyBros_PASTA!]

Oh god.... I can't stand Excalibur.... It still rings in my head.. "FOOL!!" GET IT OUT, GET IT OUT!!!!

[araina rinu]

[color="#006400"][font="Tahoma"]i am only about 4 episodes into soul eater, and i find it quite amusing.

i wonder if many people think of bleach due to the one scene that is so brief but shows a flaming skull eating something, in all fairness i exclaimed "what is this, bleach?!?!" almost immediately... but since that one brief moment i have never thought of bleach again when watching the show :)

so far [spoiler]black star[/spoiler] is quite obnoxious, and the dubbed voice for soul (though a good voice) makes him sound a little old.... but i am looking forward to watching the rest =^-^=[/font][/color]

[rotlung]

yeah i'm actually just starting to rewatch this series. (that is how much i like it) I oringally watched the subbed versions on a fan subbing site and just recently noticed it on Netflixs so I started watching it all over again.

The only thing I don't know is Netflixs had like 8 or 9 vols of Soul Eater. I only remember like 30 something episodes from the fan subbing site (which the conclusion was great) Is there another season I missed somewhere??? I'll have to further investigate....

Personally i hate Death the kid, I find him more annoying than Black Star.... This is why I love Maki who is the sole sensible one of the trio of meisters. As for the Weapons, Tsubaki is definatly really cool and interesting, Patty and Liz are twits and Soul is by far the coolest of the bunch.