Artworks or storyplot?

[codename:v]

What is it you really seek in an anime or manga? Artwork or storyplot? Well as there are many anime examples out there, we will go on a Gundam basis since this is a more Gundamish forum. Let me begin:

Although I always wish that I can have both in any Gundam animes: Good story and awesome artworks, it just barely happens that way and the few examples are only 08MS team, Gundam Sentinel and One Year War, which are all-rounders to me.
But as a plamo-fan and budding mecha artist, it's the artworks and designs that matters to me the most. So I can say that I'm going for design works and specs.

Which would you choose?

[Recon 5]

Ooo... a fellow Malaysian. Which part are you from? I'm from Johor.

Anyway, what do I look for in a Gundam series? Good mech designs first and foremost. Most Gundam series have pretty much been limited from a plot standpoint (00 included) because, take away the character development, political shenanigans and philosophical fluff (which are the main criteria by which many people rate one Gundam series over another) and all you have is a war story. Been there, done that.

Also, I prefer action scenes that minimize the use of stock footage. Unfortunately, only the Gundam OVAs and movies have not failed me in this department (and even some of them have).

[Destiny_Gundam]

Gundamwise, I used to only care about the mech designs and the art. However now I care more about the story. I suppose I have Turn A to blame for that. I used to refuse to touch that one with a seven foot pole, but Chris convinced me to give it a shot, so I did. The mechs are fugly, but the series itself is amazing. The plot and the characters are wonderful and even the mech designs grew on me after awhile.

While I still prefer cool mechs to go along with good story and characters, I don't let strange mech designs deter me (like Demonbane for example).

Anime/manga in general, the art might be the first thing to attract me to a title, but it's the actual content that gets me to stay. I'm very tolerable to bad animation. Even QUALITY shows like Gaiking or Nanoha StrikerS didn't stop me (though thankfully the DVD versions are much better).

[wing zero alpha]

I strive for both a good story and artwork myself, but if it came down to it I'd rather have a good story. For some reason I find myself enjoying the character interactions, plot and storyline more than whatever new mobile suit gets rolled out onto the battlefield, and it doesn't help that I don't really care who the lead mecha designer is any of the series (I seem to be one of the few people that has no issues toward Okawara and his post-F91 Gundam designs). Not to say I don't care about the mecha at all, as I do have my favorites and least favorites, it's just not as much of a priority.

[codename:v]

Recon 5: I'm from Selangor, bro.

To me, animes are full of dialogues and actions are no all that necessary at all. Just let the mouths do all the animations
and I get to keep all the artworks and plamos for myself.

[MrMarch]

Ultimately, I've always chosen story/character over anything else. I'll always settle for a smaller budget, lower quality art and other bonus features as long as these sub-par elements still manage to tell a good story with interesting characters. My preference translates holds true in every visual storytelling medium, whether it's anime, manga, comic books or even film. You can have the best artists around and the biggest budget imaginable, but if the story goes nowhere, it's all just flash. Sort of like a Michael Bay film

Gundam-wise, it's the same with a little variation. I won't lie and say the mecha design isn't much more important in a Gundam story compared to other anime or manga. It's the mecha genre and I expect a certain kind of accomplished art when you make a mecha show and I want interesting mechanical designs. Luckily my favorite Gundam story just happens to also have my favorite mobile suits, so I guess I'm lucky that way

[Haros_Pet_Kat]

I tend to like anime with well scripted action scenes these days. Victory Gundam is a good example of lower budget animation but great battle scenes.

[Heecarl_Reez]

For me it's the story/character.
although,like you i'm also concerned about the mecha/art,i found the story itself the most important factor.
afterall the plamo i bought depends on how much i like the series,character..


That's why i can throw GSD when it reached episode 39...
bad example..

[Kuruni]

Usually, it's artwork that catch my attention (especially an artwork for loli chara ). But it's story that keep me to the end (else, I just search for specify image without male chara to distract ), and sometime I do watch title with medicore artwork.

[Koshernova]

It's both, really.

I'm willing to forego a bit of artwork in favour of story, although there are limits to that. Generally speaking I prefer a show that doesn't sit well with me aesthetically but which has an interesting narrative, plotline and characters, over a stylish show with none of those.

A good example for me is the X manga: beautiful artwork but the plot is complete crap. The anime, however, redeems that by compacting and trimming off the fat, so it gives us the best of both worlds.

I wouldn't say I prioritise one over the other, not really. Specially when I'm spoiled by watching stuff like the original Macross, or The Rose of Versailles, shows which have brilliant plotting and character development alongside very strong visuals.

[mcred23]

For me, in both manga and anime, it's usually story plot that I'm more interested in. It's the story that gets me interested and what keeps me reading/watching on. My way of looking at it is that a good story can almost always make up for poor or bad art or animation, but good art and animation can never fully make up for a crappy story or a problematic plot (Partially, yes, and that happens a lot, but the art/animation alone can never fully redeem anything, IMO).

[Dark Duel]

It's both, really.

I'm willing to forego a bit of artwork in favour of story, although there are limits to that. Generally speaking I prefer a show that doesn't sit well with me aesthetically but which has an interesting narrative, plotline and characters, over a stylish show with none of those.

QFT, because I feel exactly the same way.
That's one of the reasons why, as nice as some of the mech are(and those are few among the myriad MS in that series), I can't stand GSD - the animation's only slightly above average, and the plot is, for the most part, either utter crap or altogether nonexistent.
And don't even get me started on the characterizations or character designs.

[auriga]

For me, the artwork is only good for first impressions. If you want me to keep watching, you better have a good story.

Now I'm wondering why I tolerated Destiny... Maybe being a Gundam series also has its benefits...

[MrMarch]

I don't know about anyone else but I've also found that I can accept, and even grow to love, some really ugly mechanical designs if I end up enjoying the series. This doesn't always apply to anime, but I know I didn't like the Patlabor designs until I watched the show. Now I love them and consider the designs classic masterpieces.

I also have the tendency to appreciate mechanical designs even if I don't enjoy the show. Evangelion is a good example of a mecha show I dislike, but I praise the mechanical design as some of the best.

Another quirk I have when it comes to artwork is a fitting setting. I generally dislike baroque mecha designs of all kinds. Too many spires/wings/spikes/protrusions and other ornamental or over-the-top stylized mechanical designs generally rub me the wrong way. I hate the garish VF-19 Custom from Macross 7 or the busy FAZZ from Gundam ZZ. But place such baroque mecha in the right setting, suddenly I love them. For example, the baroque mecha designs of The Five Star Stories and The Vision of Escaflowne really work for me in a science fiction-fantasy setting. For some reason the setting makes all the difference and I couldn't imagine conventional designs in the same show. In fact, to do so would be a terrible disservice. The fantasy elements of such anime somehow add a legitimate perspective on baroque mecha; an almost renaissance-like aesthetic that must be present to give the mecha that sense of majesty. It's weird, but there is it

[Bord]

Yeah, FSS and Escaflowne were... awesome. They were able to execute the plot, art and character development well. Keeping within the realm of Gundam, for me Stardust Memory, 8th MS Team and Endless Waltz are on best when it comes to art and story. 8th MS Team had simpler artwork, but the animation was good, and so was the story. Endless Waltz and 0083 featured both high-end animation and decent storyline, they're probabaly the pinnacle of the Gundam series. Zeta for me, was okay, but Tomino's style of storytelling doesn't really appeal to me. Victory, well I finished it but I absolutely hated the animation and the MS designs. The story was pretty mature but I felt like it wasn't done well.

[Dygenguard]

I'm a tree-hugging hippie that appreciates story more than art, I'll admit. As a (hack) writer, I tend to be more critical of the plot progression and characterization more often than what's being shown to me. When I hear complaints about "this show dropped in budget, OMG" I tend to ask them if the plot got any better. That's how little I care. As long as it isn't reduced to stick figures or something of equal lack of effort, then I'm fine.

However, I will nitpick about some of the more important art aspects, such as character and mech designs. I can bear it when the art direction leaves out a lot of character emotion, but I tend to prefer they make the expressions and body movement as realistic as possible, which I think says more than a pretty background or cool explosion. Good use of perspective is a plus, too, using dynamic and unique camera angles. And like MrMarch, mech designs should really be appropriate to the setting. Beyond that, it's just me being a nerd and pointing out the "cool stuff".

[solid snake]

While I do want what I'm watching to look good, if there isn't a decent story then it won't interest me as much.

[Aegis]

If I simply wanted to see mechas, I'd look at pictures instead of spending my time watching a whole series or a movie for it.

Truth be told, I love eye candy as much as the next person, but depending on the mood I place more emphasis on an interesting story than I would the pretty pictures, followed by how well the music is also composed. This is how I ended up liking Turn A Gundam; even though the mecha designs aren't exactly the most appealing, the overall story AND the music kept me hooked. I also find myself enjoying even a seemingly 'ugly' mecha once you actually see how the thing functions in battle and/or its significance in the series. Once again, the Turn A isn't exactly the most appealing design, yet aside from breaking away from Gundam tradition, it is its hidden power and its role in Black History that made me fell in love with the mech, as opposed to a machine like Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice where the designers make it a point to shove many guns or beam sabers onto the Gundam that looks like it's trying to cater to fans of whatever character in its respective series.

There are some exceptions to the rule, such as the latest Appleseed movie, where the combination of pretty graphics, designs, and loud music covered up what was essentially a very thin plot.

I'd also note that when I say an interesting story, it does not necessarily mean it has to be incredibly deep and thought provoking as much as it's just flat out entertaining. Afterall, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a series that, while having its serious and thoughtful moments to the point where it's just plain dark, is simply alot of fun due to its flamboyant, exaggerated nature. It's good to kinda ditch your brain once in a while, and Gurren Lagann is a series that allows you to do that, while still having a sense to make a story out of it. ;p