What's Your Current Anime? Mk III

[TetraVaal]

I guess it's a good thing that I'm not worried about having credibility on this message board then, huh?

[Mu La Flaga]

Well at least in comparisson to say if you only see 50% of a series and then call it shit without seeing all of it before finalizing your opinion.

As Gundamn@MAHQ said in some cases, if it boils down to hate, it becomes educated hate

Such as Aquarion, I didn't end up liking it overly much, namely due to the way they handled a few character things or all that stuff.

[ShadowCell]

I think this has gone on long enough. TetraVaal and reeoyuy, quit sniping at each other. This thread is not about TetraVaal's Opinions About Anime and the Holy Crusades Against Them. None of you are changing anyone's minds. This is no longer a discussion, it's a bunch of people flinging their screeds at brick walls. If you really want to keep doing that, then please do it somewhere else, like through private messages or on a blog or something. But all you're doing here is taking up space and drowning out other people.

[reeoyuy]

I apologize for all the trouble I made. I really, really surprised with Tetra's last reply. I won't respond to that, since it's going far into 12-year old argument . I'll leave things to other members (

That being said, getting back to topic. Last week is Afro Samurai. This week anime movie will be Howl's Moving Castle. My first Ghibli .

[Amadi Akintunde]

Finished Dolores, i

Sad happy end

Almost jerked a tear

[TakaTahuNuva]

Reached episode 17 of Brain Powered; by far the best episode so far. New characters, new mecha (I have a feeling Yu's gonna get a new Brain soon too), sweet battle, and best of all, comprehensible dialog. Hope it's gonna stay this way, since up to this point it was a complete mess.

I'm also working my way through Tetsujin #28 (the 2004 show). Good show. It's a bit too patriotic to my liking, with the whole "post-war Japan" thing, but I guess it fits the mood. I'm hoping there's gonna be an overarching plot though - so far it's been a bunch of short self-contained arcs.

Finished rewatching the first season of Gundam 00. I'd forgotten how good this show was! (I blame the fanboys)

What else... started Last Exile, got to episode 5, but it hasn't really grabbed me. Very clichéd. Does it get any better?

Ah, and I'm watching the LoGH prequels in chronological order. Not as good as the main OVAs, which is somewhat disappointing. Well, the first Gaiden series comes close, but I really really dislike Gaiden 2. Golden Wings is something I don't ever want to see again, and if you're a LoGH fan that's been meaning to check it out - don't.

[reeoyuy]

Just watched Howl's Moving Castle. What a visual treat, I wish I can watch it in theater instead on crampy screen. I like how the story flows smoothly, the characters, everything. I'm somewhat confused near the end and with some of Sophie's decisions but overall it's an enjoyable experience. I kinda miss the old Final Fantasy series when I saw those airships and how magic integrated into steampunk world setting.

[LightningCount]

Gundam 00...What else... started Last Exile, got to episode 5, but it hasn't really grabbed me. Very clichéd. Does it get any better?

Gundam 00 Season 1 was better the second time around for me, as well. However, there were still elements of it that I could have done without, or that I wish were handled more in-depth or more seriously. Season 2 still doesn't do much for me, though. Regardless, it's better than a lot of shows out there.

I haven't seen it in a long time, but I remember Last Exile being pretty good and one of the better shows in the last decade. I think the beginning was rather slow, but that the characters got more interesting as it went along. Just so you know, it's largely not an "adrenaline rush" kind of show to my memory...it's more of an atmospheric character/world piece. As I recall, I didn't fully understand the ending. This is a series I want to revisit at some point. (A sequel/spinoff series was announced just recently, ironically).

I'm almost done with Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. I have two episodes left, but this has been a solid and unique series. I'll have more thoughts when I finish it.

[Amadi Akintunde]

Finished rewatching the first season of Gundam 00. I'd forgotten how good this show was! (I blame the fanboys)

Speaking of which, I just realized that the battle with the Alvaron/Alvatore was a nod to the battle against the Big Zam.

I don't know why I didn't see it before.

[Strike Zero]

I just finished marathoning both Gurren Lagann movies, Gurren-hen and Lagann-hen.

...

Can somebody please help me to find my brain? It flew out of my head and exploded around when the Tengen Toppa Gunmen combined into a giant being made up entirely of unlimited Spiral Energy, and I can't seem to figure out where all the pieces landed.

[DuelGundam2099]

An hour ago I finished Metal Armor Dragonar. D2 and 3 should have been part of the final battle, but otherwise it was all good. It's definitely an under rated series and I'd go as far as saying it's better than Zeta Gundam or any UC Gundam series that isn't Victory, the third Zeta movie, or 0083 related.

I'm also half way through Daitarn 3. Yay for more super robot camp! Seriously, this series is really good.

[LightningCount]

Finished Production I.G.'s Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (AKA Seirei no Moribito). It's based on the first book of a Japanese novel series. Started this a long time ago on Adult Swim, but never caught the last 8 episodes due to various circumstances. Anyway, this is definitely a standout title...Aside from a few hang-ups, it's very close to being a classic in my mind...

The GOOD: Excellent OVA-esque artistry & music, a strong & unique female lead, some standout battles, great character development & dialogue, and a "different" kind of fantasy world that isn't quite Feudal Japan and isn't quite Middle Earth.

The HANG-UPS: 1.) The pacing is often slow and very deliberate, which is nice in that it develops the world and characters in some neat ways, but is troublesome because it sometimes seems that the adventure is taking breaks from the progression of its main plot. (The director has allegedly said that only 11 to 15 of the episodes encompass the source novel's plot; but I'll admit that some of the added stuff was nice). 2.) The series has about five battles total in 26 episodes, and the best executed and choreographed ones happen too early. This makes the climax seem mundane and anti-climatic.

Regardless of the hang-ups, if you give it time, this is a show oozing with a richness of characters, story, and a world that draws you in. It's ultimately an old-fashioned, literature-like character piece story, so don't expect a Shonen title. You do get attached to the characters, which are handled with a care you rarely see, and the story, which has some good twists and turns, does tie itself up satisfactorily--though with not as much spectacle as one would expect given the buildup and earlier highlights. And speaking of those highlights, at least one or two of the few battles present are some of the best melee-weapon combat I've seen in anime. I think if the ending had had more "punch" in its presentation, this is a series that I would rank in the top-tier. As it is, it's still a quality series that is well above the norm.

[zabimustdie]

It isn't anime, but I am currently working through Samurai Jack. As far as anime, I am trying to get through Darker Than Black, but the silly parts are grating. I need to start After War X soon, and one day finish SEED. Til then, thats it.

[reeoyuy]

Just watched Break Blade/Broken Blade 4th movie today. I'll hold my judgment until I see all of them but this one is getting better. Delphine got another upgrade again, but not much action for Rygart this time. This episode focused on the battle, and less academy flashback; can't complain on that. Borcruse is scary, and Girge is unpredictable. And Nike is just another psychopathic girl. I still feel that being a movie, Break Blade is not that outstanding but still worth to watch.

Hmm, I need to revive Break Blade thread here, I know there's one.

[TetraVaal]

Are there any cyberpunk mecha anime's out there similar to Megazone 23? I loved Bubblegum Crisis, but I'd really like something more along the lines of Megazone... actually, anything cyberpunk with mecha and good action would do.

[Mu La Flaga]

I wonder if Detonator Orgun could be considered cyberpunk or not?

[TetraVaal]

Anything with a unique cityscape and mecha will do, really. For frame of reference, think of Eotorfu from GiTS 2: Innocence, the cityscape of Megazone 23, even Blade Runner's design of LA. I like landscapes that feature that type of artistry, though I doubt there will be much mecha with those type of cityscapes... I'm probably grasping at straws for this one.

[Mu La Flaga]

I would say maybe look it up, the main hero is a powered armor mech type, the main enemy grunts are biomechanical.
The enemy commanders are powered armor types simillat to Orgun himself.
And the Earth forces had basic transformable power armor exoskeletons.

The setting is in the future, kind of advanced looking world and all, so it may catch your interest.

[LightningCount]

Anything with a unique cityscape and mecha will do, really...

First thing that comes to mind: If you don't mind violence and profanity (more on dub than sub side, IIRC), Cyber City Oedo 808 by Madhouse has an amazing future-tech city/world. As far as content, it's like Cowboy Bebop meets Bubblegum Crisis. Pretty unique, a lot of fun, with some surprisingly clever writing mixed in. It's a series that kind of slipped under the radar, but is a hidden gem. It's a 3 episode OVA series. Also, there are lots of different robotic machines in it, though no "stereotypical" mecha as far as I remember. Definitely give it a look.

After that, Virus Buster Serge is totally in the genre you're talking about...future city, Hard Suit-like power armor, etc...but it's much more of a mixed bag than Cyber City. The execution of Virus Buster Serge left a lot to be desired.

...I'll probably think of some more another time. Try those two out.

EDIT: I haven't seen it yet, but I think Viper's Creed looks like it's in that vein also. And the IGPX (Immortal Grand Prix) OVA and spin-off TV series, while not quite as futuristic and much more lighthearted overall, might be on the borderline of your interest, as well. Oh, and what about the cyber punk classic, Akira? Have you seen that yet? Or maybe Venus Wars? I've heard that the Tekkaman franchise may be in the zone, too, and I've heard Gall Force mentioned in the same sentence as Bubblegum Crisis, though I've never seen it. Well, that's all for now. Aesthetic/atmosphere-wise, I still think the first two I mentioned (Cyber City Oedo 808 and Virus Buster Serge) are closest to what you're looking for.

[TakaTahuNuva]

Finished Tetsujin #28. It was getting better and better each episode, and everything was starting to make sense, but then the final two episodes were kinda... meh.

Spoiler

The whole Nikoponsky/Shikishima/Chloroform identity switch feels like an afterthought - you know how in LOST, there were these great mysteries and then the writers just said "screw this" and came up with implausible explanations to solve them? Felt like that.

And then there's the fact that no character gets an epilogue, the series just ended the moment Tetsujin is destroyed. Which is somewhat ironic, since the series was carried entirely by its characters rather than Tetsujin - a complete reversal of the original 1963 series, where you might as well say "no Tetsujin, no show".

Overall, it was a good show, just a bit disappointed by the ending. I'd especially recommend it to those of you who've seen Imagawa's earlier OVA, Giant Robo, as many of the cast and robots in GR also make an appearance in Tetsujin #28. (but GR is way better, IMO)