Headers Round 3

2 years 3 months ago

" Here's my first submission. "
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Plot lines dropping, sex appeal rising

2 years 6 months ago

"Well, I think there are a couple of factors at work here. First of all, it has to do with your personal growth as a fan. The more anime you see, the less easily impressed you are, and the more it seems as if you've exhausted all the good anime out there. If two series of the same type/genre/whatever are released in different time periods, and you see the earlier one first, chances are that you'll be much less awed by the second. That's just life. It's why some claim that RahXephon (an excellent series) is a rip-off of Evangelion (another excellent series). It's why some claim that the golden age of anime was in the 70s or the 80s or the 90s, and that nothing good has come out of Japan since then.

As you become more familiar with anime, you have to work harder to find the good stuff. The nice news is that there's a plethora of good stuff out there. And once you've seen a lot of anime, it's pretty easy to figure out your basic likes and dislikes. If ecchi isn't your thing, fine. Trust me, you shouldn't experience any difficulty finding good anime without ecchi content."
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Soukyuu no Fahner: Dead Aggressor

2 years 6 months ago

"Yes, I've seen it. It's one of my favorite mecha anime (maybe one of my favorite anime period). I think its strong points are character development, drama, and the way it maintains an atmosphere of hope even in the midst of tragedy. Admittedly, the latter quality doesn't become apparent until you're well into the series. It develops its own themes with a strength that rivals RahXephon and Evangelion, IMO, although it lacks the consistent polish of those two anime.

It could be argued that Fafner makes up for being rough around the edges with its surprisingly strong and wrenching emotional impact. But I imagine that not all viewers can swallow the high level of drama and the onslaught of tragic events. It's worth noting, though, that Fafner becomes much more subtle as it goes along, and its writing improves significantly in later episodes. The angst of the first eight or nine episodes isn't really representative of the show as a whole.

Soukyuu no Fafner: Right of Left has high-budget visuals and extremely good writing. I'd go so far as to say that even people who feel lukewarm about the series might get some enjoyment from it."
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Full Moon wo Sagashite

2 years 7 months ago

"The reports about its licensing were taken from the fact that volume 1 was listed at TRSI, a major online anime retailer. Since then, TRSI has removed the listing. Presumably, this was because posting was an accident in the first place. So either Viz does have the license, and it's just too early to announce it; or they're still working on a deal, and the announcement may have (heaven forbid) put the deal in jeopardy; or they don't have the license and it was all an issue of miscommunication. Only the first option is promising...

Personally, I wouldn't mind if FMwS really went to Viz, since it's not a likely license and I'll take it from pretty much any half-decent R1 company, if that means I won't have to put out for the R2s. However, I was hoping it would go to FUNimation. The main problem with Viz is that they don't do song subs (which kind of sucks, given the situation in Full Moon wo Sagashite). I also have little confidence that they wouldn't put it on a every-three-months schedule, a la Hikaru no Go--which is something I would tolerate, if it came down to that, but it's still irritating.

At the very least, though, I hope that Viz or whoever else might have this gets all the music rights. In the past, people always mentioned music rights as being one of the big potential issues with Full Moon wo Sagashite's licensing. I didn't mind not getting the first Kodocha OP when Funi started releasing Kodocha--the reasons behind that were understandable and IMO valid. But losing even a single important song from Full Moon wo Sagashite would verge on being unacceptable. So I just hope that the licensee has the good sense to either get it with the music intact, or not get it at all."
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How long will you watch anime?

2 years 7 months ago

"Until I've seen every old series I wanted to see, and the folks over in Japan stop making interesting/high-quality new series.

And while the latter may happen during my lifetime, the former probably never will. So I think I'm good to go for a while."
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anime: good addiction???

2 years 8 months ago

"I wouldn't consider myself to be addicted to anime. It's just my main hobby; it's not as though I eat, breathe and sleep it.

I think any (healthy) hobby tends to go through heating up & cooling off cycles, at least for most people. If you ever find yourself losing interest in time for a while, that doesn't mean you should give up on it entirely. Find something else to do and then come back to it later. Speaking for myself, I'm in a "cooler" period right now--I still discuss anime frequently online, but I haven't been seeking out new shows very actively. Fortunately, I have a nice backlog of DVDs to watch whenever I do get in the mood again, haha."
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Peace Maker Kurogane

2 years 8 months ago

"Yes, Peacemaker Kurogane is worth watching. But be sure not to go into it with skewed expectations. On the one hand, it does have some fantastic battle scenes (those that occur near the climax are especially lavish and stunning). On the other hand, its primary focus is character development, to the point that character development takes priority over action scenes and even the main plot.

That's not to say the main plot isn't strong. It carries the show well without being convoluted. But nevertheless, it proceeds at a deliberate pace, which some may dislike. Moreover, the series as a whole is almost slice-of-life, although the life you're seeing is that of a Shinsengumi member, which puts a different spin on things. Don't go into this expecting something along the lines Rurouni Kenshin--although it does have value to RK fans because of how it portrays the other side of the historical conflict. If you're ready to relax, enjoy the characters & their interplay, and don't mind some bloodshed and there, you'll probably have fun with PMK. It does seem to lend itself well to being marathoned, but YMMV."
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Jin-Roh

2 years 8 months ago

"I've seen Jin-Roh, and it was worth buying/watching. It's very grim and dreary, though--much like Texhnolyze, actually. There's little color in it (aside from blood, heh), and the character designs are relentlessly realistic. It's almost too much, coming all at once. But it has an interesting and well-constructed message. And the violence is meaningful, not gratuitous."
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Soukyuu no Fafner -Single Program- Right to Left

2 years 8 months ago

"The trailer page has been updated again. "Ver. 3" contains different footage from the previous two promos, including new glimpses of Soushi, Shouko and a mysterious long-haired girl. The long-haired girl is probably either Tsubaki (evidence: long cords that look like wires and the reddish environment around her) or Yumi (evidence: she looks as old as or older than series-Tsubaki, and it seems unlikely that Tsubaki would play an important role in Right of Left, anyway).

The Right of Left theme song, "Peace of Mind," will come out in a couple of days. Meanwhile, you find some additional screencaps & other information here. Additionally, there's a short post-recording seiyuu interview here."
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Soukyuu no Fafner -Single Program- Right to Left

2 years 8 months ago

"You can view a new Soukyuu no Fafner ~ Right of Left trailer here. There are two versions of the promo, but they're almost identical. The main difference is that Version 2 has different narration (both voice overs are performed by Soushi's seiyuu, though) and includes a close-up of the new male character, Ryo. The promos are pretty short, but they're the first actual RoL animation that's been released publicly, IIRC. The visual quality (taking both art & animation into consideration) looks extremely good--better than the best parts of the TV series, as far as I can tell. Plus, it appears to be a widescreen production, which is just flat-out awesome. I can't wait~"
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Soukyuu no Fafner -Single Program- Right to Left

2 years 8 months ago

"

>.> but i really want to see more of soushi and the others... u__u

Well, Soushi will be a major character in Right of Left. I don't think Kazuki will have as big of a role, but he does show up in some of the screenshots that have been made available.

I'm almost positive that at least one fansub group has said they plan to take on Right of Left as a project, as long as it doesn't end up being a recap. And since it's been confirmed that it won't be a recap, you can probably expect to see a fansub eventually. Personally, I'm torn between watching the raw the instant it comes out (which is of course what I want to do, heh) and holding out for a sub. Though I understand a little Japanese, the initial emotional impact will obviously be much greater if I can follow everything that's being said. Decisions, decisions..."
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Soukyuu no Fafner -Single Program- Right to Left

2 years 8 months ago

"

And yes, that trailer makes me get sad.. i dont know why...

Well, that makes sense. After all, we already know what happens to Karin... and there's got to be a reason that Ryo and Yumi aren't ever shown in the series. I wouldn't be surprised if Right of Left turned out to be something of a tear-jerker."
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Do you guys think what Light, protaogonist in Death note manga, do is right or wrong?

2 years 8 months ago

"It's wrong. Light has been twisted & corrupted by the power bestowed on him by the Death Note. It always startles and frightens me a little when I see DN readers gleefully endorsing his actions. The moral ambivalence of his actions is the entire point of the series. I mean, that's the big twist, and I don't understand how people can miss it. Light, the main character, is both the protagonist and the "bad guy." His opponents, the antagonists, are the "good guys."

Light's argument is that he's incurring sins for the sake of the world. I don't buy into that; as far as I'm concerned, it's nothing more than rationalization. But his drive to succeed certainly helps make DN entertaining."
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Pretear

2 years 8 months ago

"Pretear is a fun mahou shoujo series (not to mention an emotional roller coaster). The multiple costumes are a nice twist to differentiate it from the norm, and the characters are for the most part pretty well developed, given its length. It manages to have an epic feel despite being only thirteen episodes long. The new, cheap thinpak set is an awesome deal for anyone who hasn't seen this yet."
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Lunar Legend Tsukihime ( Shingetsutan Tsukihime )

2 years 8 months ago

"Er... no. I think that's someone else. ^^;;"
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millenium actress

2 years 8 months ago

"I liked it and thought it was a good, mature film. However, seeing as I lack the patience for most feature-length anime, I have to admit that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I should have. Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Perfect Blue, Paranoia Agent) fans should definitely see this, though. The creatively presented story is a big draw, and it's not terribly confusing so long as you pay careful attention."
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[Anime Discussion] Mai-Otome

2 years 8 months ago

"Episode 10 pwned. That's all that really needs to be said (evil!Midori for the win!). Fans of the Trias members (Akane, Chie and Shiho) will enjoy having a couple more glimpses of them in their Pearl Robes. Yukariko also appears in her Robe again. There's an excellent battle featuring Haruka and Shizuru against Midori. The superb opera battle music is what plays in the background during that scene, so you know it's meant to be exciting.

So far, Sergei has ended up being immensely more likeable than Tate ever was, and that trend continues here.

Another HiME character appears in the preview, too. That doesn't leave many more to go..."
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His and Her Circumstances

2 years 8 months ago

"Mark me down as one of the few people who actually liked where the His & Her Circumstances anime ended. Granted, it obviously left room for a lot more plot development, and it clearly could have continued longer. At the same time, the ending brought things full circle. Many, many anime have non-endings; I don't think His & Her Circumstances's ending is egregriously worse than the norm. Besides, you can always pick up with the manga afterward (and a lot of fans complained about later developments in the manga, too, so...)

Anyway, His & Hers is a very solid series. It has a "classic" feel to it despite its (relative) youth. The innovative visuals may have arisen from a painfully tiny budget, but they're still pretty innovative... and at least the characters never go off-model (unless it's intentional, as for comedic purposes). This where to go if you want the emotional richness of something like Evangelion (which is from the same director) minus the constant doom & gloom. It's also worth noting that the dub is absolutely top-notch."
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Soukyuu no Fafner -Single Program- Right to Left

2 years 8 months ago

"Heh, I'm *very* excited about this. Apparently, Soukyuu no Fafner: Right of Left will be a TV special (kind of like the AIR in Summer TV special, I guess). Because it's a prequel, it will focus on the Fafner pilots who preceded Kazuki and company, although the main characters of the series (including Shouko-chan!) will also have cameos and so forth. This should help explain one of the biggest plot holes in the series: i.e., why it seemed as if no Festum had attacked the island before episode 1 of Fafner. The explanation is probably that the previous pilots went off the island to exterminate Festum, rather than waiting for the Festum to come to them.

The new characters are Ryo (that's the official spelling, although IIRC it should probably be "Ryou," if we're using the same romanization pattern as for Soushi, Shouko, etc.) and Yumi. Kuramae Karin, the pilot with glasses who died in Fafner episode 1, will also be featured. You can see a picture of those three plus Soushi at the official Right of Left site, which also has a nice intro with angela music & some screencaps.

I have high hopes for this special. It would be really nice if it turned out to be composed of more than one part (again, like the AIR in Summer TV special), or if it was at least longer than a regular anime episode... say, 60 to 90 minutes or so. Since they're introducing new characters as well as bringing back little-known old characters, they'll need to leave room for both a bit of plot and a lot of character development. However, I'm confident that it'll be good regardless of the length, since its script is being written by Ubakata Tou (the amazing script-writer & novelist who is reponsible for the fact that the original show got so much better in the second half).

If this is successfully, it'll hopefully pave the way for a sequel TV special or OVA (and by that I mean a sequel to the Fafner series, obviously). I liked where Fafner ended, but there's room for more material. Of course, a sequel could definitely go both ways; if they botched Soushi's return, it would basically suck. But I have faith that if Tou were brought back to pen the script for a sequel, then it would match the quality of the series."
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Lunar Legend Tsukihime ( Shingetsutan Tsukihime )

2 years 8 months ago

"Tsukihime is intriguing the first time around, but it doesn't lend itself to re-watching as much as one might think. The pleasure of watching it lies in enjoying its dark, mysterious atmosphere (which is complemented by haunting music) as well as in trying to piece together the storyline. The artwork and animation aren't the greatest, but some of the scenes do look quite inspired, visually speaking, so it's not as though it's difficult on the eyes. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters to be as compelling or the story to be as satisfying the second time around. It is a good example of an anime with a powerful atmosphere, though."
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Do you read the manga before watching the anime?

2 years 8 months ago

"There have been some times when I've read the manga before watching the anime, but usually it's the other way around. That probably just stems from the fact that I watch more anime in general. The most recent exception for me is Azumanga Daioh; I read all four volumes of the manga before even thinking about starting in on the anime. Most of the time, though, my manga reading tends to consist of either material that has never been animated or material that I saw as anime first & loved so much that I just had to check out the manga version... e.g. Fruits Basket, Hunter x Hunter, Hikaru no Go, Gravitation, etc."
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Loveless

2 years 8 months ago

"I'm not too sure about the whole name thing. IIRC all Fighters & Sacrifices have the name of their pair somewhere on their body. Even if "Beloved" were forced on Soubi, instead of appearing naturally, that shouldn't have prevented "Loveless" from appearing on his body (not to mention on Ritsuka's body) when they first met and/or fought together. The fact that "Loveless" hasn't yet materialized on Ritsuka should be proof that he hasn't encountered his Fighter yet, or else that their bond hasn't awakened. With all Ritsuka & Soubi have been through, and given the number of times they've fought together, there have been plenty of opportunities for their Fighter-Sacrifice bond to awake, assuming they're the real Loveless.

I like the idea of Soubi *not* being a member of the Loveless pair. The fact that he and Ritsuka were never destined to be together is what makes their attempts to stay together so poignant & even romantic, IMO. Defying fate, and all that.

As far as theories go, my personal favorite is that Ritsuka is the Fighter (not the Sacrifice!) of the Loveless pair. Just because he's a Sacrifice for Soubi doesn't mean he has to be the Sacrifice in his real pairing..."
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The scariest anime...

2 years 8 months ago

"Boogiepop Phantom made me jump a couple of times. I can't remember many anime that left me with that kind of feeling... it's something I get far more often from live-action stuff. But there could be a variety of reasons for that. I do think there's a line to be drawn between material that's scary and material that's disturbing. Some of the violence in Elfen Lied is very visceral and made me uncomfortable, at least the first time I watched it. It didn't frighten me, though. Same goes for Kino's Journey, which portrays some deeply disturbing and/or tragic situations. I may have shivered a little while watching certain Kino's Journey episodes play out, but it would have been from being creeped out and disturbed rather than being scared. I haven't seen any anime that made me twitch as much as something like The Ring--but then again, I haven't seen any anime that really appeared to aim for that kind of atmosphere, either."
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Which manga company do you like the most?

2 years 9 months ago

"Without a doubt, it's DMP. Their products are wonderful, with pristine reproduction, gorgeous dust jackets and smoothly flowing English translations. Although I read a lot of BL scanlations, there's really something to be said for being about to hold a manga volume in your hand. When I buy DMP manga, I do feel like I get that something extra for my money. So I'm willing to forgive them their higher prices. It doesn't hurt that their yaoi division licenses a lot of series I'm interested in..."
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