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What are you watching right now? Why? (please read 1st post)


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Stark700



Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:36 pm Reply with quote
Been watching Gundam 00 and now on the second season. Seems like a great mecha series to me Cool
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Haterater



Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Posts: 1727
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:35 pm Reply with quote
Had a hunch about Squid Girl since it reminded me of Ninja Nonsense, and glad I went for it. Guilty pleasure and a good comedy. I enjoy the squid type puns and Christine Marie Cabanos & Heather Pennington are my favorite performers, just really nailed it for me.

Find Squid Girl to be kind of like a female and a less threatening version of Laharl from Disgaea, and I like that.
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Spastic Minnow
Bargain Hunter
Exempt from Grammar Rules


Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 4595
Location: Gainesville, FL
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:09 pm Reply with quote
The First episode tourney is already a success in a way, the requirement is only as single ep... but then you continue.

I'm currently watching Skip Beat thanks to it and running through it very fast, and then will probably have to catch up with the manga afterwards.

Although it occurred to me pretty early on that if she really just wanted revenge, all she'd really have to do is tell the press her story.

The show completely rests on the strength of Kyoko's character though. The plot, the supporting characters, the artistry, none of that has really impressed me much yet (as of ep. 14).
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Gewürtztraminer



Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 1028
Location: Texas - Its like whole other country.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:32 pm Reply with quote
Genma Wars 1-4: I normally post in this thread when I actually complete or drop a show, kind of a What did I just watch kind of thing.

I am making an exception, because this show is INSANE.

It starts off with a human boy engaged in a magic/psychic battle. The boy wins and then is put to death by a large figure we find out is the ruler of the wizards, and also the boy's father.
The wizard then turns the boy's wizard trainer into a coyote straight out of 80's american cartoon land, and sends the coyote to fetch him another female.
Cut to human village being attacked by apes who must have missed the casting call for planet of the apes. They are demanding young women, and when none are forthcoming, go about burning the village and killing. One young girl steps forward gets naked and offers herself, the apes appear pleased, then the coyote runs in, grabs the girl and frightens the apes off. He takes the girl back to to the king of the wizard so that he can have sex with her for the purpose of siring offspring. Rape ensues. I think he enjoyed it, the young girl is sent from the wizards, the humans will not take her back, she lives in a cave watched over by the coyote, who also seems to want to have sex with her.
Back at the castle, the Queen of the wizards is tolerating her husband's slumming sexual habits by getting drunk and praying/pleading with a red light on the ceiling.
The girl gives birth to twins. The coyote takes one (Roof) to be raised at the Wizards castle, the other (Jin) is raised in the cave.

Kids get older, both have physic/wizard powers, Wizard king yearns for the human girl, Wizard queen gets drunk and prays to the red light again, and decides to try and kill Roof, and the human mother, Mother dies. And both set out on a journey.

Then it gets weirder.
Roof is wandering and comes across an attractive human girl. What is a young wizard to do? Why, you force yourself on her (rape in other words). The young girl's reaction is to fall in love. The girl had been destined to be a sacrifice for her island, and was happy to save the people of the island, except when they threaten her rapist, so she destroys the entire island and all the people with her amazing latent psychic powers.

With the girl and Roof floating out on the water, they are rescued by dolphins, and come across a ghost pirate ship staffed by skeletons. This whole sequence visually is straight out of a forgotten Scooby Doo episode. They escape using the girl's amazing mind powers, and find an old office building where the girl is quickly enslaved as the new queen of the inhabitants of the skyscraper by a telepathic computer powered by nuclear reactor. The computer is constructing clones of young women for some reason. Roof and the girl escape by destroying the computer and tower once again by utilizing her amazing mind powers.

Disc 2 arrives tomorrow from Netflix, and I can not wait!
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:45 am Reply with quote
Just watched Hotarubi no Mori e, it's such a sweet and charming little movie. Reminds me a lot of Natsume Yuujinchou, although in Manga terms Hotarubi no Mori e was first by two years. It won't rock your life or anything but it's definitely a tranquil and soothing Anime with a bitter-sweet tinge which makes it just that little bit more special. Highly recommended and suitable for anyone over the age of ten or so.
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Unicorn_Blade



Joined: 18 Jul 2010
Posts: 1151
Location: UK
PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:52 pm Reply with quote
I am jumping on the bandwagon with Bodacious Sky Pirates. I might not be as enthusiastic as some members here. Episode 3, and I am not really drawn into it. Nice enough, a good pace, maybe I will like it more as time goes by, I will wait a bit longer to see what it has to offer.
But it is entertaining all in all, maybe I just need to get away from the depressing series I have been recently watching and get used to something more fun Smile
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Surrender Artist



Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 3264
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:23 pm Reply with quote
Gewürtztraminer wrote:
apes... are demanding young women... One young girl steps forward gets naked and offers herself... He takes the girl back to to the king of the wizard so that he can have sex... humans will not take her back... lives in a cave watched over by the coyote, who also seems to want to have sex with her... comes across an attractive human girl... (rape in other words)... when they threaten her rapist... destroys the entire island... Scooby Doo... is constructing clones of young women...


There is truly no finer representation of the insurmountable superiority of Japanese animation.

That sounds amazingly bonkers and like it was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri... well, I was going to say, "while he was on acid," but Yoshiaki Kawajiri on acid would probably have less rape. (Maybe that explains Birdy the Mighty)

From the director of They Were 11!

Are you listening to it in English or Japanese? In this case, an awful English dub might make it even better. The cast has some good people in it, but also a lot of nobodies and it's an Arvintel work directed by the guy who also directed the English versions of Eiken and most of Green Green.

You have stirred the dark, horrible spirits that dwell deep within me.

Unicorn_Blade wrote:
Episode 3, and I am not really drawn into it. Nice enough, a good pace, maybe I will like it more as time goes by, I will wait a bit longer to see what it has to offer.


Episode five seems to be the decisive ones. People who already liked it were all the more sold on it after that one and it convinced a few doubters.
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IchigoKurosaki13



Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Posts: 8
PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 8:03 pm Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
IchigoKurosaki13 wrote:
right now im watching death note


You enjoying it? Where are you up to?





its my 2nd favorite anime and manga right next to bleach on my shelf
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Gewürtztraminer



Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 1028
Location: Texas - Its like whole other country.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 8:23 pm Reply with quote
Surrender Artist wrote:

That sounds amazingly bonkers and like it was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri... well, I was going to say, "while he was on acid," but Yoshiaki Kawajiri on acid would probably have less rape.


Listening to the dub, it has a lot of strange asides and stilted conversations that flow awkwardly. The following from Genma Wars 5-7 is paced fast.

Girl: "Who are you?"
Guy: "I am Jin"
Girl: "Hello"
Guy "Hi"
This was how Jin met the Ninjas, whom he admired and wanted to join for professing to take on the Wizards.
Meanwhile Roof and Meena find her real human village, and seek refuge, but are forced to leave after events including some apemen getting drunk and a protracted whipping scene. They escape into the desert, and Meena tells roof she is bearing his child. Meena then dies protecting Roof from another wizard assassin. Roof then runs into another foe of the wizards but is a bit icked out by the custom of eating live children's brains, so he kills him and sets the children free. Meanwhile, the coyote dies and Jin kills the Ninja leader.

This show is crazy, all these wild events and bad things and non consensual sex is played off as any calamity in your average Saturday morning cartoon would be.
I can not tell if they are serious or this is an exercise in seeing just how bizarrely bad a show idea can be and still get funded, licensed, dubbed and released in the US.
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Errinundra
Moderator


Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 6516
Location: Melbourne, Oz
PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:39 am Reply with quote
It has been a while since I last posted in this thread. Here's what I've been watching.

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai

As much as I enjoyed watching Ano Hana - a nicely constructed, emotional story about teenagers coming to terms with grief - I find myself harbouring considerable misgivings about it. As with its spiritual forebear, Clannad, my emotional responses (and they could be quite powerful) were almost always accompanied by an intellectual pushback telling me it was all artifice. With Clannad, I put it down to bad writing, ie the script didn't win me over sufficiently to have me suspend critical judgement. I'm now beginning to believe something else is going on, something that is inherent in anime for both good and bad. And that is, Ano Hana, like so much other anime, depends upon "anime characters" to involve the viewer and to develop the, admittedly good, premise.

What do I mean by an "anime character"? Some examples are in order. Take an anime standard, the "genki" girl. I immediately think of Yui from Angel Beats! and even Menma from Ano Hana. Everyone will have their favourite. I like genki girls: they're comical and rarely fail to lift the tenor of a series. Like other "anime characters" they have become something of a tradition - a bit like the obligatory guitar solo in 1970s rock music. Like any trope (and guitar solos) they can be used creatively or otherwise. (Some guitar solos were pure sludge.) They can be appreciated as a work of art and, since as anime lovers we know the language of the art, we can appreciate them when they're done well. But the catch is, they are artificial. I have never met a "genki" girl in real life. Sure, I've known energetic girls but nothing on the scale of Yui. But that's the point, in a way. Suspension of disbelief is a major feature of animation.

Let me now provide a contrast between two other anime characters - Ushio from Clannad After Story and Rin from Usagi Drop. Ushio is another "anime character" type - the moe girl. Her father, Tomoya, is also a recognisable type through the first season and in the early episodes of After Story. Like Yui the Genki Girl, Ushio and Tomoya are notable for their traits, or the personalities if you will. I never get the feeling that either have an active intelligence that is constantly thinking or analysing. That is, until they are re-united, and for a brief moment Tomoya utterly transcends his limitations as a character. I suppose that is why those episodes are loved by so many. Now consider Rin, a peer, you might say, of Ushio. To me, Rin is not an "anime character". There is something very realistic about the way she absorbs the import of events around her, the way she reacts and plans and thinks. Her actions are driven by an intelligence, an inner motivation, that is entirely absent in Ushio.

Getting back to Ano Hana, the problem is that, with one possible exception, the six Super Peace Busters are all anime character types. The most egregious offender is Menma, the catalyst for the unfolding events. To an extent that's fine: each are entertaining, they are handsomely drawn and animated, and they have clearly delineated characters with regrets and passions. Despite this, an air of unreality hovers over them. Why? Because they are character types, rather than having a complex inner life. I didn't commit to them emotionally. I laughed at them. I even shed tears for them. But I didn't laugh or cry with them. To compensate for the lack of connection, the anime had to resort to emotional contrivances, such as the "mass hysteria effect" where more and more characters shed more and more tears in the hope of inducing a corresponding reaction in the viewer.

The character that showed signs of breaking her particular mould was tsundere Anaru (she with the gravity defying twin tails). Perhaps it was simply that I felt sorry for her. She had a raw and earthy sensuality that I found unusual for anime. Certainly, the camera lingered long and frequently on her legs. If there was ever an anime that overdoses on thigh fanservice, this is it. Then again, perhaps it's just my particular fetish. Where was I?... Oh yeah, Anaru. All the others laughed on cue, cried on cue, got angry on cue. Even though she was arguably less emotionally stable than the others, I always felt there was more going on in her head.



One of the interesting things about Ano Hana is the tension between two competing "harems" within the Super Peace Busters. The obvious one is the "reverse" harem of Menma's with Jintan and Yukiatsu both in love with her and with the young version of Anaru slavishly following her. The final scene, of course, has everyone confessing their love for her. The more interesting harem is Jintan's. Menma and Anaru are in love with him and the spoiler[crossdressing] Yukiatsu is pathologically obsessed by him. On top of that, it's not hard to see that Poppo also idolises Jintan. The only person seemingly outside the harem is Tsuruko who not only always stands aloof from the others but is the show's least appealing character. Well... Yukiatsu gives her good competition for that honour.

Visually the series is a treat. The backgrounds are beautiful and the characters are, as I've said, handsome. Menma only needs to lower head a little, look up slightly and smile wistfully to melt your heart. Anaru only needs a slow camera pan along her legs. They all have expressive faces. Ano Hana is also well constructed dramatically. Although the catalyst for the subsequent events is something of a contrivance - Menma wants her wish granted but doesn't know what it is - from the first episode until the second last we follow the six as they figure out what it is they must do and, in the process, get to understand themselves just that little bit better. The many reveals are done theatrically and I found myself thoroughly hooked into the developing story. I have to admit, though, that a second viewing of the series was sometimes a bit of a chore. With a plot that relies on reveals and having a bunch of characters that are types, too often, second time around, I was just left to enjoy how pretty it all was.

Things definitely fall over in the last episode during the hysterical temple scene and equally overwrought farewell scene. Hyper-emoting characters are a cheap way to create drama. In fact, when Menma remembers what her wish was - spoiler[to make Jintan cry] - my response was, "well, that figures". Now, Fate / Stay Night is no masterpiece but the farewell between Emiya and Sabre along with the folllowing scene with Bedivere and Sabre are examples of how poignancy can be achieved without a river of tears from the players.

Favourite moment: Easily, in the end credits when the music stops momentarily and the descending grey flowers change direction and turn to orange and pink. Such a simple effect and so affective.



Rating: the high end of good

The Laughing Target and Fire Tripper

It's coincidental that Jason Thompson discusses Rumiko Takahashi on ANNCast as I'd recently got around to watching these last couple of episodes of the Rumic World OAV. Actually, the most notable thing about them for me was how long it took to download the files via torrent. It took weeks. I could go for days without any seeds. I don't feel particularly guilty as the OAV is no longer available and the anime industry gets plenty of my money as it is. Both are typical, mildly clever but contrived Rumiko fare. The Laughing Target is a somewhat incoherent supernatural horror story of a girl possessed by demons. She and her cousin were betrothed as children and skipping ahead ten years or so they are high school students (wouldn't you know). The young man hasn't seen his betrothed in that time and now has a serious relationship with another girl at his school. The possessed girl is mysteriously transferred into their school and trouble understandably ensues. It has one seriously goose-bump-causing moment and Azusa - the possessed girl - can strike some startling poses - simultaneously displaying otherworldly awareness and youthful beauty - but it's basically Rumiko fluff.



Fire Tripper is even fluffier. The main character, Suzuko, has the inexplicable talent of time travelling whenever she is caught in a conflagration. She can also transport whoever she is holding at the time. In her travels she meets the gallant Shukumaru at different stages of their lives and they fall in love, only for Suzuko to realise they may be brother and sister. Finding out how this conundrum is resolved isn't worth the effort.

Rating: The Laughing Target - decent; Fire Tripper - so-so

Digimon Adventure

I watched the original Digimon movie simply because it was directed by Mamoru Hosoda who is more well known for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars. It's only twenty minutes long but it's a whole lotta fun. An egg appears out of a computer screen before two young children and hatches to become Koromon the digital monster. It evolves into a T rex looking creature that can shoot fireballs from its mouth and proceeds to battle a giant, lightning bolt shooting budgerigar that miraculously descends from the heavens in a blaze of light as if on a mission from god. Given that I'm from the land of the budgerigar I found myself barracking for the wrong combatant. Even though the battle does serious damage to the streetscape it seems only children can see it.

The evolution sequence is accompanied by Ravel's Bolero which gives the film a joyful forward momentum. I'm sure it's yet another anime nod to Bruno Bozzetto's animation masterpiece Allegro non Troppo.

Rating: the high end of decent


Last edited by Errinundra on Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:31 pm; edited 22 times in total
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Yakkuro12



Joined: 20 Oct 2009
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:53 am Reply with quote
I just finished watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and let me just say, I was thoroughly spoiler[depressed] while watching it.

There's something about the underlying real time human existentialism that I kept drawing parrellels too which, which really struck a few chords with me. I've never watched anime before which had me contemplating my own life and mortality in a way that Madoka Magica did. It wasn't my favorite of all time, but I am highly recommending my friends watch this one!

The anime Im watching now is Mawaru Penguindrum!
Im only on episode 3, but so far I think its going to be great addition to some of my favorites. I heard its very symbolic, so I'm trying to keep an extra attentive eye out when watching it.
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supercreep



Joined: 11 Dec 2011
Posts: 526
PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:02 pm Reply with quote
After avoiding it for so many years, I finally caved and started Death Note. I must say, I thought the first 13 or 14 episodes bordered on brilliance. Now, at episode 18, I am really starting to lose patience with it. Decisions are being made that are seemingly arbitrary, and there is some awkward comic relief. What has happened? I hope it picks up, or I'm going to be sorely disappointed.
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Tris8



Joined: 30 Oct 2009
Posts: 2114
Location: Where the rain is.
PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:53 pm Reply with quote
Finished the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise. I watched season 1, then the series of shorts The Meloncholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya, then season 2, then Nyoron Churuya-san, then The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Season 1 was very entertaining. I love the concept behind the show, and it was pretty funny. But I liked season 2 even more. I really liked Endless Eight. Up through the 5th repeat, I loved it. Picking out the differences, speculating on what caused spoiler[the time loop], and yelling at the screen for Kyon to actually do something to figure out what the solution was. Once I started the 6th repeat though, it was getting old. And the solution spoiler[seemed so obvious it was annoying. Yet at the same time it was so Haruhi to be satisfied by just that, and the lack of it being so strong as to cause a rift in time Anime hyper]. I also really liked The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya eps. Seeing the making of their movie was hilarious, and explained a lot. My favorite thing though was when spoiler[Kyon met the adult Mikuru again and helped out the younger Haruhi.] I love time travel themes so I ate that episode up.

Neither season really wowed me though. I might understand better if I rewatch the episodes in a different order.

I also watched the shorts of The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan and Nyoron Churuya-san. Haruhi-chan was pretty funny, high energy and entertaining. Any fan of the franchise might want to check it out. I didn't find Nyoron very funny.

I just finished The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya today and loved it. Loved it loved it loved it. All the spoiler[time travel, the mystery of what's going on], and how it fell into place with what had happened in season 1 and 2. I really wasn't expecting the culprit behind spoiler[the altered reality to be Nagato, but it made sense once it was revealed. Lol, I thought they were going to reveal that the culprit was Kyon Anime hyper. But Kyon finally admitted it to himself that even though being dragged around by Haruhi can be a pain, it's still fun. You'd have to be crazy not to find espers, sliders, time travels and aliens interesting =)]
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:54 pm Reply with quote
supercreep wrote:
After avoiding it for so many years, I finally caved and started Death Note. I must say, I thought the first 13 or 14 episodes bordered on brilliance. Now, at episode 18, I am really starting to lose patience with it. Decisions are being made that are seemingly arbitrary, and there is some awkward comic relief. What has happened? I hope it picks up, or I'm going to be sorely disappointed.


Oh, it picks up. Three words:

"Kata. Keikaku doori."

Possibly the most epic line in the entire show.

Just do not google it because you will be spoiled. My advice would be just to wait for it to happen - you will know it when you see it.

Yakkuro12 wrote:
I just finished watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and let me just say, I was thoroughly spoiler[depressed] while watching it.

There's something about the underlying real time human existentialism that I kept drawing parrellels too which, which really struck a few chords with me. I've never watched anime before which had me contemplating my own life and mortality in a way that Madoka Magica did. It wasn't my favorite of all time, but I am highly recommending my friends watch this one!


Great to hear. Remember to ask them to avoid spoilers for it, as otherwise their enjoyment will be impaired.
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ailblentyn



Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Posts: 1688
Location: body in Ohio, heart in Sydney
PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:04 pm Reply with quote
Going to disagree with dtm42. Death Note never picks up, and never reattains the cleverness of the initial game of wits between Light and L.

(So now you can happily watch on without quite knowing what to expect!)
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