Anime Discussion Thread

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Starboard Driger

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Introduction

Welcome to the General Anime Discussion Thread, the spot to discuss all things relating to--you guessed it--anime. Want to voice your opinion on an anime you completed today? Recently purchased a new anime figurine? Just want to chill and talk about your favorite anime? It's all welcome here!

If you don't know what anime is or you're looking to get started, Athena's Anime Resources thread is a fantastic place to start.

Guidelines

  • mark your spoilers. This means put any text that would spoil any specific part of a show in spoiler tags, like so:
    Code: 
    [spoilers=Naruto Piece Z Episode 4]spoilerific text here[/spoilers]

    Also, don't directly quote posts with spoiler tags unless you've already watched up to that part of the anime. The text editor will show the text un-spoilered.
  • if you're looking for recommendations, please use the Anime Recommendations Thread.
  • images are allowed, but please keep them to a minimum. We don't want to turn this into You Laugh, You Lose: Anime Edition, do we?
  • no links to or discussion of piracy.
  • respect other people and their opinions.

Quick Links


Have fun :)
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread

aight let's get some discussion going. Here's an easy one: what is your favorite anime, and why?

Mine is Hunter x Hunter 2011, easily. At first glance, it's a generic shounen, and the first few episodes do little to contradict that impression. However, it's where it takes those tropes that makes HxH so great. I won't get into specifics, but I will say that it is drastically different than the direction that other shounens have conditioned us to expect.

Another thing I like in HxH is that there aren't any straight villains or straight heros. Every character is an anti-hero to some degree, because they all have understandable and realistic motivations. There aren't any characters that want to rule the world just because they're evil, and likewise, there aren't any characters that want to save the world simply because they're good. It's great writing, and it makes for a story I can get invested in.

Combine those traits with sky-high production values, no filler, near-perfect pacing, and fights that emphasize outsmarting the opponent instead of brute force, and you have what I consider the best anime that I've seen, and also my favorite anime.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain, Trigun, Paranoia Agent, FLCL, and Sgt. Frog will always be some of my favorite. Just something about them makes me want to rewatch them. Also Paranoia Agent is really scary. Evangelion is one I really liked to.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

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I had just written a long explanation of why Tamayura is my favourite anime but then my browser crashes. So I get to praise it again, yay!

It combines all my favourite things in life:
- exploration, hiking
- enjoying the beauty of nature and built environments, enjoying the moment
- enjoying life with all senses (each character representing a sense, although it doesn't overempathize this in any way)
- fluffy mood, friendly world, non-conflict story
- the beauty of photography
- a positive outlook on life, overcoming sadness, healing story
- ... cute girls :3

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If you want to know what they look like from the front, you have to watch the anime.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Ohboy, favourite anime. Certainly hard to pick just one, and even a list would be hard to put together if it had to be ranked. Can I just do a list of favourites?

Rose of Versailles: This 90s anime is a spectacular combination of shoujo and historical fiction. Before and during the French revolution, Lady Oscar is the friend/personal guard of Marie Antoinette, and one of the first badass female heroes of anime. There's a lot of political intrigue and courtly drama leading up to... well, if you know your history, you should know what happens in the French Revolution. Needless to say, no a particularly happy ending. The animation looks pretty dated now, but was breathtaking for its time.

Maison Ikkoku: This 80s anime is a romantic comedy of epic proportions featuring the story of failed student Yusaku Godai as he attempts to win the heart of his landlady, the widow Kyoko, despite the hijinks of his neighbors and fellow renters. Despite its length, it manages to tell a moving, compelling story that takes place over the course of several years and follows the characters lives through hilarious times, and mishaps, and growing older and wiser. A wonderful story and moving characters; I believe this is really the highlight of Rumiko Takahashi's storytelling career.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig: The Stand Alone Complex series is a lot of fun to watch. Plenty of action and amazing visuals in a believable futuristic world. I think 2nd Gig falls higher than the first simply because it has a better and more complex storyline, and also because it gives you more characterization for the various agents, though both are a lot of fun. The tachikoma steal the show in my mind, though.

Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind: A breathtaking movie in an intriguing world. It's unfortunate that the movie only scatches the surface of the full story (if you ever have a chance to read the full manga, I highly recommend it), but it still does a wonderful job of presenting the story that it does, and squeezes the most value out of every minute with gorgeous scenery and well-executed characters. My favourite Ghibli piece by far.

Tenchi Muyo: My "guilty pleasure" of anime. I really love this show and its various incarnations, be they they TV series, or OAV, or movies, or the manga. I don't really understand the appeal of most harem anime, but Tenchi Muyo really seems to be making fun of itself more than anything else, and the lovable characters and random storylines make it a fun and engaging show to watch. The edits and censorship of the original Toonami dub version of the show are hilarious for completely separate reasons.

Paradise Kiss: The beautiful artwork and catchy soundtrack of this show fit like a glove for this fashion-themed anime, as high school student Yukari Hayasaka finds herself swept into the world of professional modeling thanks to a group of quirky fashion designers led by the arrogant, but handsome, George Koizumi. Beyond the outfits and the modeling scenes, Paradise Kiss is a moving piece about well-crafted characters and their lives, managing to tell an engaging and dramatic story in only 12 episodes.

Haibane Renmei: Haibane Renmei is an intriguing show, angelically beautiful and delicate with a lighthearted premise in a dark world. Main character Rakka is a newly-hatched "haibane", which are angel-like beings who live and work in a walled town they are not allowed to leave. As the story progresses, you follow Rakka as she learns more about her life and her world, and learn that there is much more hidden beyond the world she sees, and also what it really means to be a haibane. The mysterious premise and setting set up a really engaging world, though only the surface is really explored.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: This over the top, in your face anime is one of the most fun shows I've ever had the pleasure of watching. It has engaging characters and a fun premise, and only gets deeper and more interesting the further you go, leading to an ending of, well, galactic proportions. It's a wonderful modern adaptation of old-school mecha, filled with catchy music and great visuals. This was the anime that was so great that I kind of stopped watching anime after it for quite a while.

Kill La Kill: Kill La Kill is one of the few newer anime that I've seen, recommended to me for its similarities to Gurren Lagann, but with a shoujo flair. The over-the-top gratuitous fanservice bothered me a bit at first but was quickly forgotten as the show began to shine. Amazingly lovable characters, and a fun story that only gets deeper as you go really makes Kill La Kill shine. My personal favourite of the newer anime that I've seen.

Honorable Mention:
Sailor Moon: As an adult anime fan, I can see the flaws in this show a lot more than when I was a kid, but Sailor Moon, in all of its various forms, will always hold a special place in my heart for being the show that introduced me to anime, the comic that introduced me to manga, the merchandise that led me to meet my best friend and learn my first kana, and the crazy wonderful world that it opened up to me. I know the story and characters like old friends and love them all the same. Sometimes I'll watch an episode or two, or read a manga chapter just for the hell of it. It may not be objectively good (like I considering many of the above to be), but I'll always love it.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Easily Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.
The idea itself I really like, since I'm a fan of mind over matter, and I always liked stories about rebellions. But what really gets me is Lelouch as the main character. The way he is portrayed, his strengths, his weaknesses and his choices... I believe they make a nearly flawless combination. To make the common comparison with Yagami Light (who I also like a lot), Lelouch lacks the annoying god complex and that all-around perfection in everything, making him easier to familiarize with.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

I should note that the topic thing is just a discussion prompt, not the sole thing to discuss at the moment. You're all free to totally ignore it and talk about whatever.

also if anyone has any recommendations for images for the banner feel free to post them. i'm drawing a blank here.

I really need to watch Stand Alone Complex. I _loved_ Ghost in the Shell, and thought about it for days after I watched it. The cyberpunk ambience, the characters, and the compelling narrative all served to brilliantly illustrate themes that only get more relevant as technology advances, and that appealed to me immensely. 24 episodes of that sounds like heaven but I just haven't watched it yet because I'm dumb I guess.

I also still need to watch Arise and Innocence. >.>

Paranoia Agent is another one thats been on my to-watch list for a while. Legendary director Satoshi Kon directed it, and I haven't seen any of his work yet, so that should be interesting.

And oh shit Tamayura. I've never heard of that one before, but with the script by the woman who did Girls und Panzer (has a terrible-sounding premise, but it's actually a really solid show that is delightfully free of fanservice) and the director of Princess Tutu (yet another apparently fantastic show that I haven't seen because I'm too busy watching shows like this), its definitely piqued my interest. Thanks Teal.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

If you enjoyed (any of the) the Ghost in the Shell movie(s), I think you'd have a lot of fun with the series as well. The additional time lets them go deeper into stories and characters and give you a much more fleshed out experience. The movies are certainly fun in their own right, but they don't have anything on the shows, really.


In other news, I get to go to an anime con a week from tomorrow. \o/ Certainly not my first con (I used to be really into the con scene, starting as a guest in 2003 and then moving on to covering conventions as press and also staffing at Sakura-Con and ACen), but my first in a few years, and my first con here in the Netherlands. :p Drohn is coming along, too. :D It's been a while since I've been to one and I'm pretty excited, especially since I've actually been getting into anime and manga more this year after taking a break from it for a rather long time. One particular tradition of mine is that I always buy a plush of some sort at every con I go to, so I can't wait to see what I'll end up with this time. :p
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

As for favorite anime, it's probably be somewhere along the lines of either Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Fooly Cooly, or Cowboy Bebop.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Is there anyone here that follows along with current/new/upcoming anime releases in Japan? Back in the early- to mid-00s I used to be very active and would follow along with many new shows, speculate on newcomers, etc., but that was so long ago that all of my sources have packed up and moved on, and I don't really know where to look to get that kind of information anymore. I certainly don't plan on being as crazy as I used to be and watching 5+ shows each new season, but I think it might be nice to follow along with a show or two if there's something that catches my interests.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

^thecartdriver.com is where I've been getting my info from and they haven't steered me wrong yet that I can remember. Here's their expectations on what's airing this season.

@starboard, you should totally watch Perfect Blue by Satoshi Kon. It's my second favorite movie and, in my opinion, much better than Paranoia Agent, which was good, too.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Thanks for the link, Cinesra. I like it when these sorts of places post "Top Anime" lists so that I can kind of get a feel for the writers and their opinions. They seem somewhat biased towards shounen shows (surprise!), and yet have Utena* ranked rather highly (and it even appears as #1 on one guy's list) and Rose of Versailles appears in their top 20 which is pretty sweet. From what I've seen and know, I agree a decent amount with their assessments (I found myself nodding basically throughout the entire article about the Arpeggio of Blue Steel manga, for example) and they seem to be well informed. I found the site and their opinions interesting enough to get sidetracked for about a half hour reading through various articles and opinions on things. Bookmark'd.


* - I can't believe I forgot Utena in my favourites list above; I knew I'd never be able remember everything.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Athena said:
Is there anyone here that follows along with current/new/upcoming anime releases in Japan? Back in the early- to mid-00s I used to be very active and would follow along with many new shows, speculate on newcomers, etc., but that was so long ago that all of my sources have packed up and moved on, and I don't really know where to look to get that kind of information anymore. I certainly don't plan on being as crazy as I used to be and watching 5+ shows each new season, but I think it might be nice to follow along with a show or two if there's something that catches my interests.
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Omg so am I crazy or what? This winter season I watched like 12 shows, don't remember how many this spring (less) and this summer I picked up 12 shows so far, have to catch up with still airing Mahouka too so 13. Btw. this season is really, really good so far. The best I have followed, actually. (Probably dropping Jinsei though.)

http://myanimelist.net/animelist/Flyffel

I recommend this site for info on airing shows: http://anichart.net/
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Does anyone have a strong opinion on Tokyo Ghoul? I've read a little bit of the manga, and it was fairly good, but I've heard the anime has been changed in many places and was wondering if it was worth a watch.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Teal said:
Omg so am I crazy or what? This winter season I watched like 12 shows, don't remember how many this spring (less) and this summer I picked up 12 shows so far, have to catch up with still airing Mahouka too so 13. Btw. this season is really, really good so far. The best I have followed, actually. (Probably dropping Jinsei though.)

http://myanimelist.net/animelist/Flyffel

I recommend this site for info on airing shows: http://anichart.net/
Click to expand...

Yes, I would definitely consider that crazy. :p I think the most I ever tackled at once was 8 or so to start, and of course dropping some as the season goes on. If I really wanted to I could watch that many, though I doubt I'd necessarily enjoy it.

Still haven't made a decision on what shows, if any, I'll be picking up this season, so if anyone wants to say anything about a particular show, feel free. I got too sidetracked looking at random articles earlier to pay attention . >_> Might pick up a few things to watch while I'm in the States, too; I still have Code Geass and Steins; gate to watch on my own, but I'll also have a lot of free time...
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Ok, let's talk about the airing anime (with so-far score):

Super good:
1. Barakamon: Literally everyone I have heard saying anything about it has loved it. Everything about this show is well done. Just give it a try. 10/10
2. Yama no Susume S2: S1 was 12 3 minute shorts, this is 24 11 minute episodes. For anyone who enjoys shows like Non Non Biyori, K-ON or Tamayura, this is an absolute must. 10/10
3. Aldnoah.Zero: Crazy new story by Urobuchi, deaths and suffering guaranteed when a mech-war breaks out between the extremely overpowered "earthlings" from Mars and earth. 9/10
4. Glasslip: A friend circle drama with a (weird?) supernatural touch. A very nice and beautiful japanese town setting, not unlike Tamayura. 9/10
5. Space Dandy S2: ... second season of Space Dandy (duh). (Not yet started but...)

Good:
6. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun: Comedy(/Shoujo?) with very exaggerated (and thus good!) characters. 8/10
7. Akame ga Kill!: The next big shounen hit series. It's actually pretty good so far (well, after 2 eps). 8/10
8. Free!: Eternal Summer: It's better than S1 (which I didn't like, but I actually like this so far). Has more comedy. 8/10

Fine:
9. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal: I can't really judge it after one episode, but it looks like a 6/10 so far.

Bad:
10. Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?: Light novel trash, but light novel trash is my guilty-not-really-pleasure-but-something-makes-me-want-to-watch-these. 4/10
11. Jinsei: probably dropping this 4/10

Not yet started:
Zankyou no Terror
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Here's my spoiler-free first impressions for the anime I'm watching this season.

- Aldnoah.Zero: Like every Gundam anime, except better executed. We didn't learn much about the characters this episode, but all of the basic plot details were laid down and the episode ended with a massive explosion set to some bangin music (by the same dude who did the soundtrack for Kill la Kill and Attack on Titan, no less!) so it's clearly heading in the right direction.

- Barakamon: who would have thought a show about calligraphy of all things could be so great? It's probably because it isn't *really* about calligraphy; it's actually about finding the fun and excitement in life, and it just uses the MC's calligraphy to illustrate his progress as a character, from dull and uninspired to inspired and lively. It's a bit heavy-handed in driving that point home, but it certainly works and I really like it as a theme.

Overall, I love this show. It has a relaxed, summery atmosphere, an actual story to tell, a fantastic sense of humor, and lovable, believable characters. It's everything I want in a slice of life anime. If the rest of the episodes are close to the quality of this one, it will probably be my anime of the season.

- Glasslip: this anime has neither believable nor likeable characters, and it has yet to indicate that it has a story to tell. I'm not kidding when I say the plot was nonexistent this episode; it opted to spend all of its time on boring interactions between characters I don't care about. These interactions also made it obvious that this is going to be yet another PA Works love triangle melodrama, and I'm not sure if I'm down to watch that play out. You have to like the characters in this show for that to be enjoyable and since I already hate a good half of the cast for one reason or another (e.g. one character for being a weirdo who makes "deep" statements and another for instantly falling in love with the aforementioned weirdo, to name the two I can even remember), I don't think it's gonna work out.

I might be being a bit tough on this show but it's really bothering me for some reason. It might be because it seems like a carbon copy of Nagi no Asukara--another PA Works love triangle melodrama--right down to the shared theme of moving forward. However, it lacks a main character with room for development and the fantastical setting that made NagiAsu interesting. Since I don't feel like watching what appears to be an inferior version of a show I've already seen for god knows how many episodes, I think I'll pass on this one if it doesn't catch my interest next episode.

- Sword Art Online II: I didn't particularly like SAO, but I'm watching SAO II anyway because that's what everyone else is doing and I'm easily influenced. Like Aldnoah.Zero, it's very heavy on the exposition this episode, but the narrative sounds pretty fun and the female main character looks legitimately competent this time around so things are looking better already.

- Tokyo Ghoul: I don't remember much because I was super tired when I watched this but I do remember the horror-lite sequences and action being pretty cool to 4 AM me. Not sure what it has to offer aside from that, but if that's all you're looking for there you go.

- Sailor Moon Crystal: Not a fan of the art but otherwise looks alright so far.

Fun fact: the latest episode of Hunter x Hunter referenced Sailor Moon, as Togashi (the author) is married to the author of Sailor Moon.

(It also casually introduced a transgender character (the kid playing with the toys) that isn't just a stereotypical gay dude in drag, like you would normally see in anime. Why is HxH so great at everything it does?)

- Free! Eternal Summer: 10/10

I think that's everything

so I'm off to go watch the second episodes of these shows now.
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

After a bit of research and deliberation, I've decided to pick up Barakamon (seems like it's been getting some highly favourable reviews so far and I'll never turn down good, non-shounen-ai/yaoi josei stuff), Tokyo Ghoul (I'm a sucker for horror), and Zankyou no Terror (short and intriguing-looking). 3 is more than I might have wanted, but 2 are rather short, and 1 I might watch with hubby instead of on my own (I think he'd be intrigued by Terror of Resonance).
 
RE: General Anime Discussion Thread. Current topic: what is your favorite anime?

Good choices. I actually just got around to watching the first episode of Zankyou no Terror and...woah. I have no idea where the plot is going, but the animation and art are off the charts and even I can tell that it's really well directed. I felt like I was watching an action movie at times, which is probably exactly the feeling they wanted to convey.
 
RE: Anime Discussion Thread - Current topic: Your Favourite Anime?

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So how are y'all feeling about the shows you're watching?

Also, lazy banner GET.
 
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