Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives

Message board

* FAQ    * Register   * Login 



Reply to topic
Author Message Previous topic | Next topic
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:01 am 
 

Actually, Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze were by the same writer, but the former was made by Triangle Staff and the latter by Studio Madhouse. The directors were also different, but they often get lumped together because of the writer going for the same bleak, almost apocalyptic tone in both series.

Fun fact, though: The guy who directed Texhnolyze is the same guy who directed Steins;Gate, which is a vastly different show, but his touches are all over both.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:54 pm 
 

So, I just finished Texhnolyze and while it was fucking incredible, I really wasn't prepared for how fucked it was going to get. This show started out like a dark, cyberpunk sci-fi centered around gang violence, and somehow transformed into one of the most disturbing things I've ever witnessed in any artistic medium...not due to the extreme violence and gore (though it certainly didn't shy away from that in any conceivable fashion), but also the nihilism and feeling of existential dread the whole experience gave me. This is probably the best and most poignant portrayal of "nihilism" I've ever seen - it's uncompromising and extremely brutal, but also intelligent and well-written, never feeling edgy or childish. Every single character in the show is broken and shattered (sometimes literally) by the crushing reality of the world they live in, and after that last episode, I feel like my soul has been ripped right out of my body...and yet, I enjoyed the entire experience :lol:. I guess that's the sign of a good show. At any rate, without spoiling anything, I came into this thinking "It might be fucked, but there's no way it'll beat out The End of Evangelion's infamous conclusion so I should be fine". Yeah...I was wrong. Wrong on so many levels :lol:. I'm going to have to watch a shitload of Laid-Back Camp, Yuru Yuri, or some other "cute girl" anime to offset this horrifying experience.


Zelkiiro wrote:
Actually, Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze were by the same writer, but the former was made by Triangle Staff and the latter by Studio Madhouse. The directors were also different, but they often get lumped together because of the writer going for the same bleak, almost apocalyptic tone in both series.


It also looks like the producer and character designer were the same, which explains the visual similarities. I'm assuming one of them worked on Hellsing with Chiaki J. Konaka as well, as I remember that having a very similar visual style.
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
CoconutBackwards
Bullet Centrist

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:02 pm
Posts: 1777
PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2018 11:06 am 
 

I started watching the "Signs of the Holy" four episodes on Netflix in anticipation of the return of The Seven Deadly Sins. I finished episode three last night. Even though these episodes have been almost entirely useless it has been good to see some of the flashbacks in the episodes since I've forgotten about most of everything that happened in the first season. I'll finish it before I start the real Season 2, but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
_________________
GTog:
"So, you want to sign songs about your great and glorious invisible cloud daddy? Go right ahead. You have whole tax-free buildings to do that in. I am not only not listening, I am intentionally going out of my way to ignore you."

Top
 Profile  
StryckenFromHistory
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:27 pm
Posts: 295
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:31 pm 
 

edit
_________________
ANTI-FOLK METAL FRONT


Last edited by StryckenFromHistory on Sat Jun 06, 2020 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:50 pm 
 

So, Made in Abyss is pretty great if you like dark fantasy, and if you haven't already seen it, you probably should. Just, er, remember that Japan is a weird place and some things that wouldn't be touched with a 10 ft. pole here are free game for exploration there.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
kellyon
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:18 am
Posts: 58
Location: Alberta
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 4:26 am 
 

I don't normally watch anime, so the ones I like fall into common top anime lists:

Cowboy Bebop
FMA:B
Deathnote
One punch man

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:21 am 
 

kellyon wrote:
I don't normally watch anime, so the ones I like fall into common top anime lists:

Cowboy Bebop
FMA:B
Deathnote
One punch man

They're commonly on top anime lists because they're entry-level series, giving you a taste of that delicious Japanese flair while still being very palatable to Western sensibilities. Also, they're very stylish and action-oriented. You might also enjoy Berserk 1997, Black Lagoon, Mob Psycho 100, Trigun, Gurren Lagann and/or Kill la Kill, Vision of Escaflowne, Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Little Witch Academia, and the various films by Studio Ghibli, Makoto Shinkai, Mamoru Oshii, and Mamoru Hosoda.

Can't go wrong with any of those.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
Sang Dalang Abu
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:18 am
Posts: 422
Location: Switzerland
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:19 am 
 

Yep, Texhnolyze is the most depressing anime I've ever seen, I don't know I feel depressed and nihilistic after watching this anime.

Early episodes: Dystopia. The sun rises. The image it casts upon the land is one of blissful lifelessness, life suddenly begins; disruptive, restless and uneasy in a new world.
Mid episodes: Surreal. There is nothing to be seen, except insanity. Life begins to eat itself.
Late episodes: The darkness find a reason to rise again. The cycle might still continues.

Top
 Profile  
Cnt2012
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 12:37 pm
Posts: 50
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 3:28 pm 
 

I recently bought the Bluray of Death Parade, its great series. But that opening though is really good catchy!

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 12:43 am 
 

Death Parade really could use another season. Or two. Or twenty. If they made 100 stand-alone soul judgement episodes, I would binge the fuck out of it and it would be all I ever wanted.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
Cnt2012
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 12:37 pm
Posts: 50
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:45 pm 
 

As much as I would want another season & more, something inside me says the one season was enough. Maybe if they throw out an OVA or two (Or even add a movie) & I'd be content with it ending that way.

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 4:23 pm 
 

Just finished Angel Beats!...what a wild ride that was. A pretty interesting story that didn't feel contrived or cliché, and a fantastic mixture of comedy, action, and emotion. It does tend to turn on a dime tone-wise, one minute it'll be very serious and emotional and the next it'll hit you over the head with some really ridiculous, Gintama-style comedy, but that was clearly intentional and didn't bother me too much. My only complaint is that my favorite character, Shiina, was never really fleshed out and just kind of left as a 'gag' character.

Also, a few weeks ago I watched Shirobako...what a masterpiece! On the surface it might sound kind of gimmicky, it's an "anime about making anime", which reminded me of Girlish Number, but thankfully this focused more on the creative side of things and less on the industry. It's a very realistic, down-to-earth story with very deep, complex characters and the various struggles they face, and the sheer, undying passion for their work that gets them through it all. Very charming and heartwarming when it wanted to be (especially by the end), I'm not ashamed to admit I actually felt kind of sad when it was over.
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 12:40 am 
 

Angel Beats! is a very good show as long as you ignore 3/4 of the plot. Because the plot is a mess. The characters are very likable, though not exactly complex or deep outside of Otonashi and Yuri, and the parts of the story that don't suck (Otonashi's backstory + the episodic character arcs) are excellent. I also enjoyed the music quite a bit. The gag characters amused me greatly, as they helped to give the SSS the feeling of being a cohesive group with in-jokes and wild chemistry, giving the series a fun atmosphere. I feel like it could've been a 9/10 or even a 10/10 if they cut out the shadows and the clones while replacing them with more episodic character stories. Ah well.

As for Shirobako, it's on my watchlist. I'll get to it. Eventually.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
CoconutBackwards
Bullet Centrist

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:02 pm
Posts: 1777
PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 12:54 pm 
 

I just started watching Baki on Netflix and HOLY SHIT is it ever the perfect amount of violence and story. It's so god damned brutal and I'm only on the 6th or 7th episode.
_________________
GTog:
"So, you want to sign songs about your great and glorious invisible cloud daddy? Go right ahead. You have whole tax-free buildings to do that in. I am not only not listening, I am intentionally going out of my way to ignore you."

Top
 Profile  
CoconutBackwards
Bullet Centrist

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:02 pm
Posts: 1777
PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:32 pm 
 

I'm also watching High Score Girl, and the 90s arcade gaming in every episode alone, is enough for me to love it.
_________________
GTog:
"So, you want to sign songs about your great and glorious invisible cloud daddy? Go right ahead. You have whole tax-free buildings to do that in. I am not only not listening, I am intentionally going out of my way to ignore you."

Top
 Profile  
Jonpo
Hyperc6l6mb6wler

Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
Posts: 7735
PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:32 am 
 

Will look into Baki! I don't know anything else about it but balancing storyline and violence is something I appreciate.

Gotta thank everyone who mentioned, recommended, or discussed Texhnolyze. God damn. I'm no where near finished with it yet, truthfully I'm only on like episode 5. I tend to watch it VERY slowly, maybe one episode every week. But it's amazing. There's so much atmosphere and build up. Nothing is spelled out for you. No characters crassly stating their motivations out loud for no one at all. It's everything I want in anime. No goofy shit.
_________________
I'm livin' for givin' the Devil his due...

Top
 Profile  
OzzyApu
Metal freak

Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:11 am
Posts: 10821
Location: Seattle
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 12:03 pm 
 

Bringing this thread back from purgatory.

Been getting back into anime after a few years out of it. Missed out on quite a bit of the last 5 years but I started with Devil is a Part-Timer (subbed). This was a bit hyped for me going in and it didn't live up to expectations. It just ended up being another tropey 13 episode show that wasn't as crazy as the premise made it out to be. Had funny moments here and there but I may as well have just watched a regular harem trope that so much of modern anime has become.

Spice and Wolf (dubbed). I've wanted to watch this since 2009 and for some reason I never got around to it. I'm making up for that right now and I'm really, really enjoying it. Glad that I knew going in it was not just about sexy wolf girl, but medieval finance and trade. So leisurely, so warm, so delightful and not succumbing so much to the pitfalls of other shows. I'm only 8 episodes in so I still got quite a ways to go. Holo4ever.

I found a large recommendation list on imgur so I'm sort of sticking to that roadmap. It's full of more "classic" material but I know how to peruse for more obscure stuff later on.
_________________
gomorro wrote:
Yesterday was the birthday of school pal and I met the chick of my sigh (I've talked about here before, the she-wolf I use to be inlove with)... Maaan she was using a mini-skirt too damn insane... Dude you could saw her entire soul every time she sit...

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 3:16 pm 
 

Everyone seems to love Spice & Wolf, but I'm deliberately avoiding it because of the fan frustration at the lack of a third season. I don't want to fall in love only to have my heart ripped out.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 10:55 pm 
 

I recently watched Usagi Drop and really enjoyed it, managed to be heartwarming and fun without sacrificing the emotional depth, it's far less superficial than most "cute" anime tends to be. I also really liked the ending, it felt complete even if it was only the first half of the actual manga. I'd still like to see the second half get adapted (even with the...*ahem* different direction it apparently ends up going in.....)
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri May 03, 2019 11:32 pm 
 

true_death wrote:
I'd still like to see the second half get adapted (even with the...*ahem* different direction it apparently ends up going in.....)

I absolutely refuse to allow this to exist. The anime adaptation of Usagi Drop was perfect, it ended at just the right spot and on a beautiful note. Why would you ruin it with...that?
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Sat May 04, 2019 11:47 am 
 

Zelkiiro wrote:
true_death wrote:
I'd still like to see the second half get adapted (even with the...*ahem* different direction it apparently ends up going in.....)

I absolutely refuse to allow this to exist. The anime adaptation of Usagi Drop was perfect, it ended at just the right spot and on a beautiful note. Why would you ruin it with...that?


Indeed. Though from what I understand, according to people who actually read the manga, it's not quite as odd as it first seems and actually makes sense in the context of the entire story, whatever that means. Naturally...I have a hard time believing that but I guess I'll take their word for it because I will literally never read it :lol:.
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
simonitro
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:41 pm
Posts: 470
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2019 10:28 pm 
 

true_death wrote:
I recently watched Usagi Drop and really enjoyed it, managed to be heartwarming and fun without sacrificing the emotional depth, it's far less superficial than most "cute" anime tends to be. I also really liked the ending, it felt complete even if it was only the first half of the actual manga. I'd still like to see the second half get adapted (even with the...*ahem* different direction it apparently ends up going in.....)


Usagi Drop is one of my favorite Anime shows ever. I agree... it is such a beautiful story of taking care of a child. The connection between the two is so genuine that you can't help but feel extremely emotional. The ending is great and felt the perfect closure and yeah... about the Manga... *Sigh!*

I haven't read the Manga but I.... know... what... happens. Okay, I'll pretend that it didn't exist like the sequel movie of Nadia: The Secret of The Blue Water... These things DON'T EXIST TO ME!!!!

Top
 Profile  
OzzyApu
Metal freak

Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:11 am
Posts: 10821
Location: Seattle
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2019 10:54 pm 
 

Zelkiiro wrote:
Everyone seems to love Spice & Wolf, but I'm deliberately avoiding it because of the fan frustration at the lack of a third season. I don't want to fall in love only to have my heart ripped out.

I finished it, and thankfully I knew going in that it also just... stops. No ending, no journey's completion, no wolf-girl sex despite 25 episodes of flirting.

That's why I had this prepared before I watched the finale.

Image

Now I need to watch something else.
_________________
gomorro wrote:
Yesterday was the birthday of school pal and I met the chick of my sigh (I've talked about here before, the she-wolf I use to be inlove with)... Maaan she was using a mini-skirt too damn insane... Dude you could saw her entire soul every time she sit...

Top
 Profile  
MathemagicalMisanthropist
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 10:52 am
Posts: 14
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 8:16 am 
 

If you like 80's thrash metal album art, Bruce Lee and that kind of stuff, I recommend Hokuto no Ken. Also, Shoujo Kakumei Utena and City Hunter are something I really rec for everyone.

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 1:31 am 
 

Any opinions on Gintama? It's almost universally beloved and appears on almost every "best anime ever" list I've ever seen, though with that any recommendation is almost always prefaced by some kind of insane "the first 100 episodes suck so skip those" bullshit :lol:. I decided to ignore that and just watched from the beginning - hated the opening 2-part special and was bored during the first "real" episode, but by the third one I was in and so far I "only" watched up to episode 72 and yeah, I really enjoy it - I love the (usually) laid back, comedy-centric vibe (interspersed with occasional action and serious bits) and the use of strong and memorable recurring characters & gags (Sougo the "bazooka sniper" cop is my favorite :lol:) not to mention the incredibly dense and obscure cultural references (ie: Kagura rolling around in a wheelbarrow yelling "chan!" repeatedly was supposed to be a reference to some obscura manga I'd never heard of :lol:)...it's basically the Japanese equivalent of The Simpsons (my favorite show of all time, so never a bad thing).

All that said, I've been told that the "classic Gintama" isn't until episode 150-170...can anyone verify it?
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 1:39 am 
 

I am not even going to try to enter that impenetrable wall that is Gintama. Long series are just too long for me. :/
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
~Guest 334273
Veteran

Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:19 am
Posts: 2513
PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 8:00 am 
 

I'm don't watch a lot of anime lately (lack of time and patience to search for good shows)
but Devilman Crybaby was a real surprise: the story was simple but good, the art style incredible.
I was not familiar with the older show but the story seemed to be self contained and that ending hit like an hammer

I'm thinking about starting Jojo now. I'm kinda scared of the mythical amount of praise that it receives... Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent are next

Top
 Profile  
DxMxGxD
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:54 pm
Posts: 80
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 9:15 am 
 

StryckenFromHistory wrote:
Midnight Eye Goku looks really fucking good.


two words bruh...yoshiaki kawajiri. the most underrated/under appreciated director in japanese animation

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:05 pm 
 

Anybody else seen Shin Sekai Yori? I recently decided to watch it after I heard people compare it to some of my favorites, Psycho-Pass and Texhnolyze, and found it to be pretty great albeit nowhere near the level of the aforementioned series. I thought it had a really unique, interesting story with well-written characters (as well as a cool presentation with three arcs dedicated to the characters as children, teenagers, and adults respectively), but what really made it shine was it's sense of atmosphere. It's a very "quiet" show, pretty laid back for the most part, but also has a kind of "forboding" vibe about it, with a gradually rising sense of dread (which is wholly justified with it's explosive ending). On the negative side, I thought the animation was inconsistent (both in terms of quality and style - certain episodes straight up look like a different show), sometimes it seemed a bit exposition heavy (there's a gigantic info dump in the fourth episode that tears away a lot of the mystery that had previously been built up - though I felt the show was able to recover most of this lost momentum with some solid action in the following few episodes), and most of all:

Spoiler: show
It's way too forgiving on the main villain, Yakomaru/Squera. Throughout the whole show, he was depicted as a scheming, untrustworthy character - and is later brought up as a total sociopath bent on conquering humanity - all well and good, until the last episode pulls a major twist and tries to portray him as some kind of martyr without acknowledging how much of an irredeemable hypocrite he clearly was. That said, I don't mind the angle they were trying to pull in theory (the twist that the Monster Rats were forcibly transformed powerless humans is definitely a good one - and gives a new perspective on their actions), but it doesn't turn it back around and analyze how Squera tries to gain a moral high ground while simultaneously being totally willing to sacrifice thousands of his own kind, as well as murder hundreds of innocent humans - while claiming to be human himself. It's probably the only situation where the tired old cliche "If I kill you, I'd be just as bad as you" actually makes sense :lol:.


At any rate, I would definitely recommend watching it and would rate it a solid 8/10. Again, it's nowhere near the mastery of Psycho-Pass nor the nihilistic grit of Texhnolyze but is certainly worth a watch as it's own thing.
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:45 pm 
 

Shin Sekai Yori was a wild ride. I loved the atmosphere of foreboding that it always maintained, with episode-ending stinger lines that amped up the tension and mystery (e.g. "Maria was born two weeks after me... She was premature, with a more difficult labor. If Maria had never been born, so many lives would've been spared...").

The visuals were often a letdown, but I was sucked right in to the narrative--it was like a classic sci-fi cautionary tale from the 1930s, in all the right ways, and the plot twist with Squealer at the end was an absolute joy, in my opinion. Really put the cap on the whole dire, depressing affair.
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
WilliG
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2018 4:37 pm
Posts: 26
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:36 pm 
 

Mob Psycho 100: The first season actually didn't do anything for me, but I figure I might as well watch the second just to finish it off. At least I'll have context when I see people talk about the series in the future.

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:39 am 
 

WilliG wrote:
Mob Psycho 100: The first season actually didn't do anything for me, but I figure I might as well watch the second just to finish it off. At least I'll have context when I see people talk about the series in the future.

I thought Mob Psycho 100 (at least season one, haven't seen season two yet) was pretty fuckin' great, especially with its main theme--talent and skill means nothing if you're a shit person--being especially relevant in today's social climate. Too many people out there who think they're superior to others because of an aspect of themselves that is essentially an accident (cough cough white supremacists cough cough).
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
IntenseHatred
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:47 pm
Posts: 376
PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 7:27 am 
 

Over and over for the past few years I have been trying to get into it. I liked Robotech and some other shows as a kid. I love horror and sci-fi type stuff and there are shows that seem to touch on it. I have tried multiple shows though over the years with no luck. Once again I am trying with the Promised Neverland. It seems to be taking. I am into the third episode and really enjoy it. I also recently tried getting into Black Clover and HUNTERXHUNTER, but I didn't really get into them.
_________________
.

Top
 Profile  
nightbreaker33
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2016 11:20 am
Posts: 610
Location: Greece
PostPosted: Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:25 pm 
 

Hey brothers, can you recommend me some anime with good plot twists. I already finished The perfect insider and angel beats both of which have unpredictable and well crafted plot twists. And I'm currently watching requiem for a phantom. I also heard from mistychronexia that the latter has a good plot twist.
_________________
Σταμάτης Ιωάννου Heavy Metal/Various from Greece: https://stamatisioannou.bandcamp.com/
Hercules - True Epic Heavy Metal from Greece: https://herculesgr.bandcamp.com/music
Power Gangrene Doom Metal/Noise from Greece: https://powergangrene2023.bandcamp.com/

Top
 Profile  
Smalley
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:06 am
Posts: 1327
PostPosted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:22 am 
 

nightbreaker33 wrote:
Hey brothers, can you recommend me some anime with good plot twists. I already finished The perfect insider and angel beats both of which have unpredictable and well crafted plot twists. And I'm currently watching requiem for a phantom. I also heard from mistychronexia that the latter has a good plot twist.

How about Death Note?
_________________
Home Forum

ThStealthK wrote:
Thank god you're not a music teacher, the wisest decision you've ever made in your life.

Top
 Profile  
Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7721
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:52 pm 
 

nightbreaker33 wrote:
Hey brothers, can you recommend me some anime with good plot twists. I already finished The perfect insider and angel beats both of which have unpredictable and well crafted plot twists. And I'm currently watching requiem for a phantom. I also heard from mistychronexia that the latter has a good plot twist.

Gurren Lagann is a fun action/adventure mecha anime that has an exciting story full of twists, turns, and manly yelling and over-the-top battles.

Likewise, both Fullmetal Alchemist series (2003 and Brotherhood) are very much worth watching, and not only for their many, many twists.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a mind-bend-y classic with a lot to say about the human condition, but also comes with a heaping helping of plot twists.

Steins;Gate is a quirky sci-fi dramedy that also contains some very potent and memorable twists, on top of just being a well-told story, but avoid its sequel series, Steins;Gate 0, like the plague.

Haibane Renmei is a different sort of series, being a deceptively tranquil slice-of-life rather than purely plot-driven, but it nevertheless has some very powerful and poignant twists along the way.

Fate/Zero, the most competent arm of the unwieldy and enormous Fate franchise, comes packed with Game of Thrones-style gambits and betrayals tailor-suited to your needs!

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is from the same writer as Fate/Zero, and is a dark and twisting take on the magical girl genre of anime, and is also a safe bet.

Psycho-Pass also shares the same writer as the two above, and as a cyberpunk police procedural, you know you're in for some twists and turns.

Kill la Kill is made by the same people who made Gurren Lagann, and feels a lot like a spiritual successor, including its devil-may-care attitude, crazy action, and numerous wacky makes-sense-in-context plot twists.

The Big O is Batman meets Gundam, and it's packed to breaking point with exciting and interesting plot twists.

From the New World is practically Twist City, with unpredictable turns and crazy revelations every few episodes or so.

That should keep you busy for a while. :V
_________________
I've written a fantasy novel. It's 145,000 157,586 184,899 words long!
It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
Currently seeking an agent willing to touch this massive doorstop.

Top
 Profile  
Jose Cruz
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:13 pm
Posts: 50
Location: Brazil
PostPosted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 4:31 pm 
 

I have been watching Symphogear. Its like the most over the top ludicrous cheesy thing but it is made in such uncompromising manner that it works. Its kinda like the animated equivalent to power metal.
_________________
My ratings: https://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Jo ... .0,ss.rd/1

Top
 Profile  
Trashy_Rambo
Metalhead

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:04 pm
Posts: 1821
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:35 pm 
 

I've undoubtedly mentioned this before, but the ending to Hunter x Hunter's Ant-arc is absolutely transcendent. It resonates with me so strongly that I immediately dropped the series after, and it never fails to leave me a weepy mess.

Spoiler: show
The way shonen tropes are flipped on their heads is also amazing. The initially monstrous "antagonist" Meruem throwing everything away to die with the one person he loves vs the heroic "protagonist" Gon throwing away everything for revenge.
_________________
Writer for https://www.moshpitnation.com/
Latest review: Owlbear - Chaos to the Realm

Top
 Profile  
true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:10 am 
 

A few I've watched over the last few weeks/months:

Land of the Lustrous: Really the only CG-anime I've ever been able to watch or take seriously. Pretty unique and creative story with really beautiful art. Main character was initially annoying, but I grew to appreciate her later on as her personality evolves. The main problem is that it doesn't have a solid conclusion, the story really starts to get interesting and then ends without solving anything. Overall though, I'm glad I watched it, a solid 8/10.

Made in Abyss: Just finished this tonight, and it's a masterpiece. Really great mix of adventure, mystery, and horror...amazing art, probably some of the most evocative and gorgeous music I've ever seen in an anime. Loved how it conveyed such a strong sensation of childlike wonder and excitement while still toying around with some incredibly dark themes. I also think this is one of the coolest "worlds" in any anime I've ever seen, you could make an entire show about simply exploring the abyss without any major plot and I would eat it the fuck up. Easily a 9/10.

Steins;Gate (rewatch): Just finished my 2nd viewing of this classic, with my brother (who had never seen it). Both of us loved it, I personally loved it even better the second time around...people always praise the first episode as one of the best ever, but I personally think the last episode is one of the best and most satisfying conclusions to any anime I've ever seen. Definitely another 9/10.

Ascension of a Bookworm: This show just aired this past season, and it's definitely one of the best I've seen in a long time. Technically an isekai, but there's not really any battle or action, it's more character-driven and deals with more mature, real-world themes despite being set in a fantasy world. The two main characters (Main & Lutz) had really great chemistry and it made for a very touching relationship where they both want to help make the other's dream come true...but my favorite character was actually the father. Won't spoil anything but there's a scene involving him later on in the series, at the very end of one of the episodes, which was incredibly quick and subtle but no less evocative and really brought a tear to my eye - a good display of how this show makes the characters feel like real people with realistic emotions. Honestly, I don't have a bad word to say about it, yet another 9/10.

Fire Force: Another one that aired recently...a lot of people didn't seem to like it, but I actually enjoyed it front to back. Great animation and direction, cool battle scenes, an interesting and unique over-arching story about spontaneous combustion...some of the fanservice felt a bit forced, but even then it didn't really bother me. Would recommend this to anyone who's in the mood for a straight-forward, but well-crafted action series, 8/10.

Tokyo Ghoul: This show is edgy as fuck, but I was surprised how much I ended up enjoying it. Really fun and enjoyable experience overall - decent animation, tackles some deeper themes pretty cleverly. The main character is a little dull and I vastly preferred all the secondary characters (namely Rouka, Amon, and Hide - would've preferred this as an Index-style ensemble cast between their respective sides), but overall I thought it was pretty good, 7/10.

Tokyo Ghoul s2: Honestly...pretty mediocre, bordering on just plain bad. Absolutely horrible animation for starters, most of the battles end up looking like two pieces of paper rubbing against each other...the story also jumps around a lot - it's both dumbed down and over simplified as well as overly convoluted and confusing to the point that it becomes this unrecognizable mush. For instance, Kaneki was already pretty dull, but here his motivations are completely incomprehensible...he starts out this season as a kind of anti-hero, bordering on villain. Then, by the end he's randomly transformed into your typical goody goody shonen protagonist with no explanation other than "I wanted to protect everyone so I had to get stronger" :lol:. Touka was a really cool character in the first season, but here she does literally *nothing* all season but run around a bit, pretty disappointing. I also found it really dumb how the soliders on either side were basically just meat shields made to get slaughtered without any consequence or acknowledgment for the sake of making the battles seem more serious (kind of a dumb cliche in anime in general). On the bright side, I liked the daughter of the evil inspector from the first season - pretty interesting character, as well as the kid covered in stitches, the "author" character and her connection to the ghouls was pretty cool and subtle, and for the most part I enjoyed the last episode - the scene of Kaneki walking through the snow after the battle was creative and well-intentioned, at least...if not entirely earned. I can't imagine rating this higher than 5/10, and I've heard it only gets worse from here...I guess I'll have to watch for myself.
_________________
"My lifestyle, determines my deathstyle"

Top
 Profile  
Jonpo
Hyperc6l6mb6wler

Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
Posts: 7735
PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:52 am 
 

YOU GUYS THERE'S NEW MADOKA MAGICA AND IT'S AMAZING

It's a different set of magical girls entirely. It just started up on 1/4 so only 3 episodes out at the moment. I'm still a little sketchy on the name but if you search for Madoka Side Story on the bootleg anime website of your choice you should find it easily enough.

I love that it hits the ground running with weirdness. I guess they assume if you're watching this you've already seen the earlier stuff. The only shared character so far is Kyubey, still doing horrendous things and preying on the minds of children. The artwork, witch design and labyrinths are killer so far.

I had no idea this was coming but Madoka Magica is one of the few animes I get hyped about. Can't believe how good the first two episodes were. Check it!
_________________
I'm livin' for givin' the Devil his due...

Top
 Profile  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic Go to page Previous  1 ... 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61  Next


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

 
Jump to:  

Back to the Encyclopaedia Metallum


Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group