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I am not watching any anime at this time. but last anime, with which i gonna entertain myself was Bleach. I have enjoyed it's recently release ep 328 and missed episodes. Now i am going to **REMOVED** today released episode 218

[EDIT: No linking to unauthorized download/streaming sites. ~Zalis]

For the Rivals Tournament nominations the other day, I was going to do a write-up for Makina and the villain group from Shikabane Hime, so I started scanning a couple of the later episodes because I couldn't remember the names of some of the villains. So, I'm watching little sections of the battles in the final episode. Holy crap, Gainax, wasn't this like right after Gurren Lagann? Why does the fight animation suck so much? Did everyone suddenly forget how to do animation or just stop caring? How did I not notice when I originally watched it?

To be fair, it wasn't off-model or ugly so much as there wasn't a whole lot of movement, but this was the climactic final battle. I was so disappointed that it became a contributing factor to my decision not to make the nomination.

I'm almost done with the Gintama series, I'm currently up to episode 189 and I'm amazed. I've mentioned before my understanding of people's appreciation for this series and I'll mention it again. It's a wonderful series with great comedy, action, and sometimes drama. The characters are nice and loveable but sometimes I find Kagura and Shinpachi annoying. The occasional action arc is amazing and usually ends pretty fast which is a nice counterpart than those long fighting episodes in other Shounen series. Gintama leaves me craving for more.

I'm thinking about finishing the Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl) series next for something "dark". I started Season Two but I got lazy and did not finish watching it. My backlog of anime is pretty small and I have too much free time so I need to increase it. I may as well finish all the "Watched Some" shows I have in my list but some of them I lost my interest in.

Last edited by Errinundra on Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

Had the urge to watch a couple of old movies and, to my surprise, enjoyed both of them very much.

Space Firebird 2772. From 1980, it was co-written by Osamu Tezuka from his own epic manga, Phoenix. Set in a world of test tube babies, Godoh is brought up from birth to be a space fighter pilot. His only companion in his childhood is the gyno-robot, Olga, who comes to love her young charge. After some personal travails, Godoh hunts for the powerful space firebird, a dangerous creature that, unknown to the authorities, has the power to rejuvenate a dying earth. The final resolution, involving the firebird, Godoh and Olga is surprising, welcome and very moving.

Olga

The first thing with this anime is that, in many ways, it is very 80s. The animation style, the character and set designs, the use of cute musical creatures, and its political pre-occupations are all dated by today's expectations. Despite this, it's never less than very entertaining; the plot and characerisation are sophisticated; and it's a visual treat. The long, speechless opening sequence where Olga tends to the growing Godoh is superb. I think Space Firebird 2772 is considerably better than another similarly themed Tezuka adaptation, Metropolis, particularly in its more courageous exploration of human / robot love. As well, the Japanese fixation with transformation and renewal is always fascinating to my western sensibilities. Rating: very good.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. Even older than Space Firebird 2772 (it came out in 1979) yet it seems much less dated. I suspect that's because Miyazaki continues to produce successful anime in his characteristic style and thereby still acceptable visually. If you think about, his character style is quite conservative. I also suspect that it has had the benefit of re-mastering.

One of the surprises in watching this version of Lupin is its visual splendour for such an old anime and for what is basically a cops and robbers story. Thank you, Miyazaki. One drawback, though. Haven't I seen Clarisse before? Oh yes, she's Nausica... and Fio... and... For all his artistic ability, Miyazaki likes to recycle character designs.

Clarisse and Lupin. Haven't I seen her somewhere else?

Not bogged down by any of Miyazaki's ideologies, this is entertaining from start to finish. For sure, it jumps from one storytelling cliche to the another, but, wow, those cliches are animated with supreme verve and aplomb. Rating: very good.

I've been continuing with my nephew's 90s fansub collection - this time Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure. Think of it as Tenchi Muyo! meets Neon Genesis Evangelion. I found it more entertaining than either of its inspirations, which isn't saying a great deal given that I disliked both. The female lead, Mitsuki Sanada, doesn't degenerate as much as Tenchi Muyo's Ryoko, while those scenes where the protagonist, Kazuki, finds himself lost in a strange world are surprisingly creepy. Still it's a silly, pointless show that has the grace not to take itself seriously, unlike NGE, and also resolves quite satisfactorily if you ignore the "14th episode" special, which, like so many of its kind, is utterly superfluous. Rating: so-so; Special: weak

It's not anime but I've also just watched La Femme Nikita (the original French film) for the first time, which may be surprising given my anime predelictions. It didn't engage me much, mainly because I didn't like the main character, nor were her dilemmas sympathy inducing. Couple of interesting things. The Paris setting obviously influenced that anime I keep rabbiting on about. It's not just that it's Paris but also the way the outdoor scenes are constructed. Nikita also has the original Victor the Cleaner that inspired Quentin Tarantino in Pulp Fiction. Cool stuff. Some of the scenes have considerable tension but overall I thought it was dull.

Invalides Dome & Pont Alexandre III; Nikita (top); Noir (middle)

Last edited by dtm42 on Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

Just watched Banner of the Stars III, rated it as Very Good.

I love politics and the military, so this should have been great. But I also love romances and - where possible - clear resolutions. If this OVA had an animated sequel then I probably would have rated it as Excellent. But it doesn't, so I didn't. They - the staff - did their best with the short run-time, but there was absolutely no real progress to Jinto and Lafiel's relationship, and nor did anything change regarding the war.

Basically, this was a very lovely and nicely executed side story, but as a finale it utterly fails. I want more Lafiel dammit, is that too much to ask?

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On a side note, I am pleased at how well my completed Anime viewing is going. I reckon in two years I'll be close to finishing. Anyway, next up is Darker than Black: Ryūsei no Gemini. I've heard some disappointing things about it, but we'll see.

Finished my second re-watch of Natsume Yūjin-Chō and its sequel. I'm once again reminded of how enchanting this franchise is. For now I gave both 9/10, but depending on the outcome of the third season I might just move all three to 10/10.
Most of the episodes in season 1 had me almost crying, but I noticed that the emotional impact lessened a bit later on during season two because I marathoned everything in a single day after all.

Funny enough, I just got the first dvd of Crest of Stars (Banner of Stars is the sequel) from my library's bookstore and I was please to discover that yes this series is right up my alley. I love politics in stories (and real life to be honest) and I've been on a sci-fi kick for a couple of months now so I love the combination. Plus, I've seen one or two people compare the show to Spice and Wolf, ie you can have an episode where the majority of it is spent between two characters talking to each other and it's not at all dull, and that really is a great comparison and I really like all the characters so far. So, now to track down the rest of the series...

Hit another personal viewing milestone today: finished watching my 200th anime TV series. The honour went to Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko. Technically, the series isn't yet complete because a 13th unaired episode will be bundled with the final BD/DVD volumes in Japan, but the original broadcast run is over, so I feel I can legitimately add it to my "Seen All" category. I'm glad there is still one eppie to go because episode 12 certainly did not feel like a finale. I'm pretty confident there will be another season as well. I certainly hope so because I really loved the show. More Meme!

I haven’t watched any anime in about a month, but I managed to finish two shows this week.

Ano Hana
Like Angel Beats, Ano Hana is almost good. I suppose the biggest compliment I could give is that it wasn’t terrible like so many others of its kind. The first episode was painful to watch, primarily because of the prepubescent girl (with the annoying personality that’s meant to be endearing but is not) had way too much screen time. Fortunately it gets better and the anime is charming and even funny when it needs to be. I didn’t care about any of the characters (though I liked Jin-Tan and the girl with the glasses and curly hair), but this is because they are defined by what they are trying to do and why. I thought the story was a great one and had the show ended at episode 10 (and with slight adjustments), I would have given it a rating of “very good.” But no. That last episode was so over-blown that I was laughing. And if I’m cracking up at stuff that’s supposed to be melancholy and heartfelt, then something is wrong. Oh well, it certainly isn’t the first time a show has blown its potential…

Hourou Musuko
I haven’t the slightest idea how I feel about this show. Or rather…I know I didn’t like or dislike it. It just…is. It’s sort of like Honey and Clover (another show of this sort that I was supposed to like but didn’t) in that it imitates reality so well it becomes a fault. This show is boring, but unlike H&C, it probably shouldn’t be. This is a show about kids that feel out of touch in their own bodies. And it’s boring??? This show could have taken the Koi Kaze route, but I think it copped out in the end. ...So I do know how I feel about the show after all.

I know this isn’t anime, but I saw IP Man awhile back. Despite that this was a movie owned and recommended by my brother – who has notoriously questionable taste in movies – it was good. I imagine the show took many liberties for entertainment’s sake, but who wants to watch a biography? There are books for that kind of thing. There were at least two awesome fight scenes that will stick in your brain after you finish watching. There was even a character that I absolutely hated. I wanted to jump into the television and kick his ass. Sidebar: The dude that played the general is fine as hell. While watching the movie, I was trying to figure out what he’s mixed with. Yeah, but pretty good movie. Didn’t Funimation license this? I don’t remember seeing their logo on the DVD…

Gosick (final episode) - I'm not really sure what to say about these past two episodes other than they don't seem to belong to the entire set. What started off as a nice-paced series turned into a stalled locomotive in order to wind down the stories.

I enjoyed this one and I'm buying it when it's released. I'm just glad it closed nicely without the need of future seasons.

Deadman Wonderland (final episode) - The last 3 episodes were complete bullshit and we can definitely tell there were deals going on while the story was unfolding because this pile of shit just opened itself up to continue into a second season. There's just no excuse for this series now, especially if we all have to sit around and wait for the "conclusion".

Ganta is, without doubt, the dumbest idiot to grace anime in a very, very long time. "I wonder how he knew the song?" Really, you stupid shit? Damn, why you didn't die is a wonder.

Bridge to the Starry Skies (final episode) - Yep, this one's a keeper for me. It's such a charming little show, though admittedly, it's not going to please most who watch it if harem-based anime isn't their cup of tea. For me, slice of life series just get to me and I'm quite pleased the little fanservice this series had didn't go beyond the first few episodes. I could easily see this in my collection.

FLCL (dropped) - The cover art used on Netflix looked familiar but I couldn't tell if I had seen this series or not. By the time episode one was completed, I remembered dropping it back then as well. I'm sure many find this series appealing, but I can't. It's just... stupid. The entire "Hey, let's bullshit our animation with manga strips for 10 minutes" was a killer for me all over again.

I started a few other series, but I'll post on them once they're completed. My anime viewing has diminished for a while as I still play my games. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time to respawn at another Vita Chamber (cause I suck at aiming).

Bye-nee.

Very nice, Blood! I've only got 173 TV series down, but I think I watch a lot more OVAs(50), movies(34), specials(18), and ONAs(5) than you do. My total count is 284 if you add all my completed pieces together. I also think I do a lot more rewatches than you do, too, so those add together over time.

Now then, my 173rd TV series was the much forgettable To Heart. The reason I picked it up is because I once saw someone call it the show that started the "moe boom". Personally, I'm a guy that likes to browse through anime's past. It's the reason I have Utena, Evangelion, Ranma, an interest in A-Ko and Galaxy Express, and have been searching night and day for fansubs of the original Cutie Honey TV series (no luck yet). There's just something about shows that have a "place" in anime that make me interested in them, and so the show that apparently started the moe boom was certainly intriguing.

Unfortuanely, the show isn't as good as Evangelion, [parts of] Ranma, and what Utena looks to be. And even though it's a very mediocre show, I will admit that has a very unique charm and aura. I don't know what it is, but something about the atmosphere the show sets is very captivating, even though the show itself is not.

The problem is that it doesn't do anything. While it has the basic set up of a harem, it's not one since the girls have their one episode to shine and then fade off the next episode, so there's no fighting for Hiroyuki-chan (HONORIFICS HAVE NO PLACE IN DUBS!). There's no comedy, drama, veeeeeeery little amounts of romance in the last two episodes that go nowhere but Predictable City, and no kind of overarching plot to tie everything in. It also has the absolute laziest animation I've ever seen. I'm talking stock footage galore (the ED for each episode was still shots taken from that episode), minimal background movement, looping, looping, looping, tons of camera panning, and talking heads; just not a good effort outside of the lovely OP. There's also yet another case of Bad Robot Physics with Multi, and I HATE Bad Robot Physics.

HOWEVER! The artistry combined with the amazing remastering TRSI did is superb. The art is consistent (probably because of the lack of animation) and the show's characters are just a beauty to look at when they're sitting/standing around talking to each other. Honestly, I think part of the charm I mentioned comes from the lovely art.

The only bright spot I can really mention about the actual show is the lead female, Akari. If this show started the Moe Boom/VN Adapation Boom, why don't we have more Akaris? She's not a complete tool obsessed with pleasing "her man", she's not crazy jealous when Hiro is around other females, she's not a tsundere, she's not a ditz, she's doesn't turn to mush when she's around Hiro, and she's just a very even, smart, and level-headed character. She's not perfect - in fact, her biggest flaw is probably that she's not emotional enough and comes off as a doormat a little, but she's not some weak-kneed little girl, and I wish more harem females were like her instead of Naru or Kaede.

So, people who have gotten this far and have watched the sequel series: Is it worth watching knowing how I feel about this? If there's some real romantic movement between Akari and Hiroyuki, I'll bite and go with it. Heck, if they revisit the whole Shio feelings-thing, I'll bite since that was kind of interesting. But if it's just more of the same, I'll pass.

So yea, mediocre show that I wrote 559 words about. Apparently the charm is still affecting me.

@TKoH - yep, you definitely have more re-watches and non-TV series under your belt than I do. I have yet to rewatch anything and I've only seen 30 OAVs/ONAs to completion and 22 movies/specials. I'm looking forward to hitting 300 completed TV shows because that is the arbitrary number I've picked after which I feel I can legitimately post my 10 favourite / 5 least favourite Anime TV shows. I'm not sure I'll ever hit 300 OAVs/ONAs or 300 Movies/Specials so I doubt I'll ever get to make lists for them. (And yes, I am aware that making three separate categories is an arbitrary decision as well. Wink

)

Finished C- it was surprisingly enjoyable knowing it's abut economics (partially)- which is not something that makes my heart beat faster usually. Although it did get a bit abstract at one point, I can give it a very good without any objections. Good characters, good plot, good fun.

I am struggling with Fafner- more and more. It gets so pompous that sometimes it is hard to put up with it. Again- shame, because if they got rid of a part of the dialogues and some 'internal thoughts', the plot itself would be more than good. But unfortunately the characters take every opportunity to share with us their pointless monologues. I was expecting myself to feel some sort of empathy for them, not happening so far- and the two charactersspoiler[ that died so far went away with a pretentious blast.] I think I will keep on going because I am halfway through and I don't want to drop another anime this year.

Next on- the first ep of Blood-C was quite good, I'm looking forward to the rest )although I am wondering why Saya keeps on being so clumsy while she is more than capable of not falling on her face while fighting an evil monster)

Finished Fireball Charming, rated it as Very Good.

Plot-wise - and yes, there is a plot, albeit an inconsequential one - it is a prequel to the original Fireball series. Visually however, it is much, much better. But is it funnier? Well, the jokes are less tedious, and although later episodes generally weren't as funny as earlier ones, the humour quotient is overall better than in Fireball. Fireball Charming is only slightly better than the first series, unless you are a real videophile that is. But, having consistently better humour and some semblance of plot means it does enough to earn a higher rating than its predecessor.

It still isn't anything more than a pretty-looking and well acted diversion, but sometimes that's all you want.

I just watch the first ep of Uta no Prince-Sama on Nico Nico.

hnnnnggggggg~ too many bishounen, too many voice actors I like. Seriously melting. The opening song make me giggle uncontrollably xD the "are you ready" hnnnggg. I can't take it. Definitely enjoying the show from the first episode. I can't wait for more. It's making me want to buy the game(as if I have time for that).

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