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Jonpo
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:00 pm 
 

So I've had kind of a bumpy road with Kill la Kill, but ultimately I've decided I'm a fan. Initially I found that the hard-cuts from serious to silly were too much for me, but I'm on episode 6 now and I have changed my mind completely. The silly parts are silly AS FUCK, but the writing acknowledges that through the reactions of the main character, much like One Punch Man. The overall art style and animation (especially in the "serious" moments), I adore. When Trigger gets it right they REALLY push my buttons.
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CoconutBackwards
Bullet Centrist

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:02 pm
Posts: 1787
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:14 pm 
 

Jonpo wrote:
So I've had kind of a bumpy road with Kill la Kill, but ultimately I've decided I'm a fan. Initially I found that the hard-cuts from serious to silly were too much for me, but I'm on episode 6 now and I have changed my mind completely. The silly parts are silly AS FUCK, but the writing acknowledges that through the reactions of the main character, much like One Punch Man. The overall art style and animation (especially in the "serious" moments), I adore. When Trigger gets it right they REALLY push my buttons.


I love Kill la Kill. Especially, how pervy the father, brother and dog are with Ryuko. I think that show is hilarious. I know what you mean with avoiding anime that is over the top with facial expressions and goofiness, but this show does none of that for me.
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Zelkiiro
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Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:23 pm 
 

Kill la Kill is just a celebration of how the style of limited animation can be used to glorious effect, and the plot is actually super-engaging despite how completely mad and insane it is. Ryuko is straight-up one of the coolest anime protagonists of all time, let alone female protagonist.
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Jonpo
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:36 pm 
 

Zelkiiro wrote:
Kill la Kill is just a celebration of how the style of limited animation can be used to glorious effect, and the plot is actually super-engaging despite how completely mad and insane it is. Ryuko is straight-up one of the coolest anime protagonists of all time, let alone female protagonist.


I initially gave up on it partway into the 2nd episode but then I COULD NOT STOP THINKING about it. Specifically the art style, animation, and direction. It explodes with energy in a way that Trigger seems to understand masterfully. I'm still reeling from Dead Leaves. I think about it every day. I can't wait to watch it again.

The storyline is certainly keeping me engaged. I love the bond forming between Ryuko and Senketsu. The dynamic between her and the teacher also hints at a lot more depth.
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MRmehman
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 1:34 pm
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Location: The Painted World of Ariamis
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:56 am 
 

Hey not really a big anime fan but I'm about to rewatch Berserk with a friend who's never seen it.

One thing I need to voice to someone is how fucking garbage the English dub is. Holy shit it's every reason I could never get into anime. Stilted performances, cringe-worthy dialogue, obvious attempts to censor the manga/japanese version - I don't think there's anything the dub gets right for me personally.
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Zelkiiro
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Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:24 pm 
 

Aww man, I love Berserk's dub. It's delightfully cheesy in all the right ways, like Slayers and Tenchi Muyo.

Quote:
obvious attempts to censor the manga/japanese version


Eh? I've not encountered anything like that.
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Amber Gray
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Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:30 am
Posts: 646
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 3:42 pm 
 

binging on Naruto Shippuden and it's immeasurably awesome. I liked the original series but Shippuden is just next level. There's a lot of filler yeah but when it's on it's on harder than anything ever.

I can't get over the unbelievable power of the characters, especially breaking it down in detail. People kick so much ass it's absurd.







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CoconutBackwards
Bullet Centrist

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:02 pm
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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 4:36 pm 
 

Naruto is just so massive I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it no matter how many times I hear it's good.
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OzzyApu
Metal freak

Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:11 am
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Location: Seattle
PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2018 12:21 pm 
 

Naruto's ok. I remember my vitriol for the series when I first watched it back in 2012. That first series was painful: bad voice acting, lame characters (and character designs), reused scenes per episode, extreme padding and filler / flashbacks / pacing problems, a lot of telling and not showing, and an overall mess of a story. However, it grows on you. Despite it's numerous flaws (major and minor), it warmed up to me. I still hate many things about the shows but I've also appreciated it for what it did right.

Shippuden imo is way better than the first series but it's not some majesty in its own right, either. Suffers from the same problems as the first one (some less so than others). Makes up for it in others ways (read: Killer Bee).
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true_death
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 11:15 am 
 

I recently saw Psycho-Pass and it's by far the best anime I've ever seen, maybe even one of the best shows I've ever seen, period. Amazing characters, genius writing, some really poignant social commentary...and most of all, easily the best villain in any anime I've ever seen. Of course, he's extremely sadistic and batshit fucking insane, but unlike 99.9% of anime villains, this guy (Makishima) actually has real motivation which allows him to justify the heinous atrocities he commits - so he never acts evil, which makes him legitimately terrifying, at least to me! I've heard the second season isn't as good - haven't started it yet, but at any rate the first season is a solid 10/10.

I also got really big into A Certain Scientific Railgun, and to a lesser extent A Certain Magical Index. Railgun is fucking awesome, just a boatload of fun beginning to end - cool characters and an interesting plot, and it gets even better in it's second season (with the incredibly dark and somewhat disturbing "Sisters" arc). Index, I had mixed feelings on. I liked the occut angle, but the plot was a little hard to follow, the fanservice a little overbearing (he walks in on a naked girl in every. single. fucking. episode.), and some of the stuff just flat out fucking idiotic (the hideous and moronic "Angel Fall" arc in the first season :puke:).
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Gornot
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:36 pm
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Location: Serbia
PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 12:41 pm 
 

It's kind of embarrassing to admit it, since I'm 31 and all, but I started rewatching Naruto again. Not the entire thing, I've watched the first part twice back around my high school period, but the whole Shippuden deal.

EDIT: I got hooked back in 2006 and have been watching up around the time the manga ended. As soon as that happened I instantly lost interest and stopped watching, but seeing as how there's the Boruto thing which I'm kind of interested in, I was thinking if I finish this I might gt burnt out and now bother with Boruto.

Though I have to say, Tokyo Ghoul? Goddamn such a good anime, I should rewatch the first season and see what else has been released so far.
And I'd love to find some time for good old Neon Genesis Evangelion.

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Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
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Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 3:18 pm 
 

true_death wrote:
I recently saw Psycho-Pass and it's by far the best anime I've ever seen, maybe even one of the best shows I've ever seen, period. Amazing characters, genius writing, some really poignant social commentary...and most of all, easily the best villain in any anime I've ever seen. Of course, he's extremely sadistic and batshit fucking insane, but unlike 99.9% of anime villains, this guy (Makishima) actually has real motivation which allows him to justify the heinous atrocities he commits - so he never acts evil, which makes him legitimately terrifying, at least to me! I've heard the second season isn't as good - haven't started it yet, but at any rate the first season is a solid 10/10.

Psycho-Pass was basically Gen Urobuchi's baby, so if you liked it, you might like his other major works: Fate/Zero, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Thunderbolt Fantasy. Each series is wildly different from the last, but also contains similar themes. So much so that people have created Butcher Bingo memes around his work.

Psycho-Pass is probably his most polished and streamlined work with the fewest bumps, but I feel like his other stuff--flaws and all--contain higher highs and bigger surprises. If you liked Makishima, you'll certainly enjoy his other main villains.
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true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 4:20 pm 
 

Zelkiiro wrote:
Psycho-Pass was basically Gen Urobuchi's baby, so if you liked it, you might like his other major works: Fate/Zero, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Thunderbolt Fantasy. Each series is wildly different from the last, but also contains similar themes. So much so that people have created Butcher Bingo memes around his work.


I've heard of Fate/Zero and Puella, had no idea they were written by him though. I tried to get into Fate/Zero because I saw that badass scene with Caster/Bluebeard murdering the child on YouTube but was turned off a bit when I learned it's apparently some kind of prequel to a much bigger series, wasn't sure if I needed to see other stuff to understand it or not. Puella is something I've been meaning to check out too, I know it's considered a "magical girl" anime but supposedly has a lot of darker themes, sounds promising - especially if it's written by that guy.
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Zelkiiro
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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 8:49 pm 
 

true_death wrote:
I tried to get into Fate/Zero [...] but was turned off a bit when I learned it's apparently some kind of prequel to a much bigger series, wasn't sure if I needed to see other stuff to understand it or not.

It's a prequel to Fate/Stay Night, and fans of the franchise will say it's base treachery to start with Fate/Zero...but fuck those people, Fate/Stay Night is a mixed bag at best, whereas Fate/Zero is fucking awesome. There are a few things you wouldn't understand without the benefit of reading Fate/Stay Night, but they're not terribly important--they mostly involve a couple of the characters' McGuffins.

The following is only spoilers for Fate/Stay Night, but again, fuck Fate/Stay Night. Here's everything Fate/Zero doesn't eventually tell you about.

Thing You Need to Know #1: Tokiomi Tohsaka wants to use the Holy Grail to reach "The Root."
What You Can Guess Just From Watching Fate/Zero: Tokiomi's a scholar and an aristocrat, and clearly he's gotten all the magical knowledge money can buy, so "The Root" must be something like "the root of all knowledge."
Is That Close to What It Actually is? Yep! That's precisely it. The Root contains the Akashic Records, which is a collection of all knowledge that anyone who pierces the veil between dimensions can access. Piercing said veil is really hard, though, thus the need for the Holy Grail to punch through it.

Thing You Need to Know #2: Zouken Matou, Kariya's (grand?)father, wants to use the Holy Grail to learn "the Third Magic, Heaven's Feel."
What You Can Guess Just From Watching Fate/Zero: Kariya pejoratively refers to the gross and elderly Zouken as a "vampire," meaning Zouken strives for youth and steals it from others, so "the Third Magic, Heaven's Feel" must be some kind of spell that restores youth or bestows eternal life?
Is That Close to What It Actually is? Kinda. The "Third Magic" refers to one of the Five Sorceries, powerful spells that were so beyond the scope of normal magic that they were said to be at the level of the gods' own powers. Heaven's Feel, specifically, is a spell that rejuvenates the soul to its youthful state and flawlessly transfers it to a new vessel, e.g. switching out your old and decrepit body into a younger and stronger one without the new body degenerating rapidly afterwards. Zouken eats people--like, literally eats people--and for a few hundred years this brought him the youth he desired, but his soul is becoming more and more corrupted, so his only hope to maintain his "immortality" is to attain this spell and rejuvenate his soul so that he can live hundreds of years more.

Thing You Need to Know #3: The Command Seals do much more than just order a Servant to take an action against their will.
What You Can Guess Just From Watching Fate/Zero: Eh, that's basically all the explanation you get. It's mostly right, but there's a few other tricks it can do, which the show demonstrates a few times.
What Else Can They Do? A Command Seal is a pool of magic, and giving a command is akin to casting a spell--since there's a lot of magic in each one, it can force even the most powerful Servants to obey, but if it's an action the Servant already wants to do ("Hey Saber, use your super-awesome sword to stick the pointy end into the other man!"), the Servant gets a big power boost to that action since none of the magic was wasted in compelling the Servant to do so. And the more specific the command, the more power granted; vice versa, the more general and vague the command, the boost is less effective. The Command Seals can also be used to tell the Servant to react to something they cannot see, so the Master can order them to dodge an attack they saw coming but the Servant did not.

And that's that. Now Fate/Zero is open to you--nothing else in it will be left unexplained before it's over, except for the Huge Plot Twist Spoiler, which doesn't matter much because the twist itself works perfectly on its own and the backstory is just optional icing on the cake.
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hey
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Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:41 pm
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Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 10:04 pm 
 

People like you are part of the problem.

Not having people start with Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya is clearly wrong.

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Jonpo
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
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PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 7:03 pm 
 

Yu Yu Hakasho fucking rules. I'm loving the Dark Tournament arc. Everything has a little more depth and brutality than I expected starting this show.

Oh and for homie above: WATCH MADOKA! RIGHT NOW!
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OzzyApu
Metal freak

Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:11 am
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Location: Seattle
PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 9:08 pm 
 

Jonpo wrote:
Yu Yu Hakasho fucking rules. I'm loving the Dark Tournament arc. Everything has a little more depth and brutality than I expected starting this show.

Damn right. YYH is one of the best out there. A favorite of mine.
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TrooperEd
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Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2004 6:18 pm
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PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 9:22 pm 
 

Jonpo wrote:
Oh and for homie above: WATCH MADOKA! RIGHT NOW!


Madoka is fantastic. I say this as someone who stopped watching anime as a teenager.
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Jonpo
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PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 9:32 pm 
 

Madoka is special on a different emotional level. Its SO fucked up.

I didn't really start until my 30s hahah. Only Cowboy Bebop before recent explorations.
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Schmengie
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:14 am
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:12 am 
 

RE: Naruto

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true_death
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 7:51 pm 
 

Any opinions on the recently-concluded Darling in the FRANNX? When it first debuted, everyone was raving about how good it was, but now that it's over the reaction seems very mixed, with many people making unfavorable comparisons between the last 4 or 5 episodes and Gurren Lagann's highly flawed second arc. While I can see the aesthetic similarities, I personally didn't think the ending was anywhere near that stupid and I managed to enjoy the show, more or less beginning to end. I thought it had a great & interesting world, amazing characters who were well-written, breath-taking animation, engaging battles...the overarching story did take a lot of unexpected twists and turns, particularly towards the end - and to the extent that it was sometimes a bit hard to follow, but I like to think people will warm up to it over time and learn to appreciate it.

I also watched the second season of Psycho-Pass recently, it was unfortunately very mediocre and felt like a retread of the first season.

Another show I watched was Blood-C, super fucking gorey and disgusting horror anime, unfortunately the excessive gore (and to an extent, the Lovecraftian-themed monsters) are basically the only thing the show has going for it - a lot of weak writing and boring characters, teetering between cliché and outright idiocy, and the big "twist" at the end is the stupidest fucking shit I've ever seen, not only poorly explained but just utter shit and broken on a fundamental level. Thankfully, that hilarious/infamous "Bunny" scene came not long after, so I guess I can give the shit writing a pass. Oh, the OP is fucking awesome, that's another plus.
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Jonpo
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 11:36 pm 
 

Hey you guuuyyyyssss, I'm looking for more classics like the OG Ninja Scroll. I hadn't seen it since I was like 12 and it fucking obliterated me a few days ago.

I asked Google and turned up a few promising old joints, Sword for Truth (1990, film) and Yotoden: Chronicle of the Warlord Period (Late 80s OVA). I'm really psyched on both of these, actually paused Sword for Truth to type this. I LOVE this older style of anime. No cornball shit.

For more modern stuff I liked Sword of the Stranger but did not dig Basilisk. Personally, if the whole storyline is just a "tournament to the death" I'm not that into it. With that said, if everything else is ridiculously perfect, recommend it anyways.

TL;DR looking for stuff like the original Ninja Scroll. Ninjas, samurai, gore, no corny shit. The older the better but I'll entertain all eras.

Thanks!
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Zelkiiro
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Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 11:53 pm 
 

Jonpo wrote:
TL;DR looking for stuff like the original Ninja Scroll. Ninjas, samurai, gore, no corny shit. The older the better but I'll entertain all eras.

Thanks!

You're bound to be disappointed, because Ninja Scroll is a rare good gory action anime, as many of the gory OVAs also tended to be absolute garbage in every way (Ninja Resurrection, Kai Doh Maru, M.D. Geist, etc. are all basically the worst trash imaginable). Instead, I will recommend to you some generally classic anime from the 80s to the early 2000s that are just plain good and weren't featured on Toonami or Adult Swim:

Berserk 1997, Battle Angel Alita, Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen, Golden Boy, Now and Then Here and There, Great Teacher Onizuka, Gungrave, Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Paranoia Agent, Hajime no Ippo, Kino's Journey 2003, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Otaku no Video, Gunbuster ~Aim for the Top!~, and Monster.

If you don't care about watching schlock, Bennett's gotcha covered here: http://benthesage.com/anime-abandon-episodes/
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Jonpo
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:05 am
Posts: 7735
PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 12:03 am 
 

You guys have hit me off with a ton of general recs. I'm looking for something pretty specific here. I understand they may not be AS good as Ninja Scroll, and that's okay.

Have you seen the two older joints I mentioned? They've got me believing there will be more. Sword for Truth has been rad (God damn they be fuckin' out chere). And truthfully I think the other looks even better.

I do appreciate you. I'm looking SPECIFICALLY for ninja/samurai stuff.

Edit: Sword for Truth seems unfinished. Not sure what happened there. It just sorta...ends. Can't find any part 2 but it clearly wasn't over lol. Baffling.

Checking out Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma now. 89. This actually starts strong, with REAL fight choreography. Not just cut away slices.
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Yak_Forger
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Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:53 am
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:04 am 
 

Sooooo guys, thanks to you, I learned that the Fate/something franchise was written (entirely or partially?) by the same guy behind Madoka Magica, which is by far the best thing I've ever watched.

I just have one question.

One VERY important question.

Is Nitocris present in the anime, or just in the games? Is it even the same Fate franchise, or something different?

Thanks!

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Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:45 pm 
 

Yak_Forger wrote:
Sooooo guys, thanks to you, I learned that the Fate/something franchise was written (entirely or partially?) by the same guy behind Madoka Magica, which is by far the best thing I've ever watched.

I just have one question.

One VERY important question.

Is Nitocris present in the anime, or just in the games? Is it even the same Fate franchise, or something different?

Thanks!

Fate/Zero was written by Gen Urobuchi, the Madoka Magica writer. Everything else Fate-related was written by Kinoko Nasu (except Apocrypha, which is canonized fanfiction).

Nitocris is from Grand Order, which got an anime adaptation just last year, I believe. But it's a Nasu story, not an Urobuchi story, so prepare for maximum obtuseness.
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Yak_Forger
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:53 am
Posts: 16
Location: Belgium
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 12:09 pm 
 

Okay, thanks for the clear explanation! I may give it's a try, it won't hurt even if I don't like it in the end.

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true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:12 pm 
 

Really enjoyed Puella Magi Madoka Magica, fucking fantastic! I knew it was going to be dark, but I have to admit I was really taken aback by how dark it ended up being, toward the end there. I guess I expected a lot of gore & character death, but wasn't prepared for the cold, hopeless, nihilistic adventure it ended up being. Really fantastic writing which kept me on my toes - with a really satisfying conclusion that almost brought me to tears, and I loved how it avoided typical anime tropes due to the absence of a clear-cut villain. The incredibly creative/unique design & animation of the 'witches labyrinths' was amazing too, I have never seen anything like that in an anime before.

Also watched Steins;Gate recently. A little slow start, but once it got going and shit started to hit the fan, I was hooked. Though I have to admit, I might actually prefer the current season "0" over the original, partially because I just like Okabe better as sullen, depressed, and suffering from PTSD, over the over-the-top, eccentric, mad scientist he was portrayed as in most of the original series (though his character evolution was cool to see there).
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Zelkiiro
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 1:31 am 
 

I'm waiting for Steins;Gate 0 to finish airing before taking a peek behind that particular curtain. If I end up as hooked as I was with the original series, I don't want to be left hanging. That is, of course, if I ever stop being such a goddamn slacker with regards to my watchlist.
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Oiras
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri May 28, 2004 3:52 pm
Posts: 67
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 7:29 pm 
 

Last anime I watched which was probably last year was Paranoia Agent. Wasn't quite what I expected, but that's not a bad thing. I wasn't grabbed immediately by it, but as everything in the story starts to escalate and the effect of the "agent" in question (I won't say any more) has its way it turns into a blackly comic nightmare and its social critique starts to become clearer and greatly expounded on. The circular path the ending takes, particularly the last shot and outro, was a great touch. It reiterates something pretty much axiomatic, people as a whole never really learn from the follies of others or their own and may never change. The problem is gone for now, but who will be next to bring another one back just as destructive? You just finished watching a representation of you, the people around you, any given modernized society as a whole. It asks then what will you do to fix the way you handle your problems? Can you? Can anybody? Has anyone truly ever? It may very well be cyclical, and how things are since the show came out, well, you can draw your own conclusions. It's harder to get an entire group of people to change, but the door is always open for yourself, which is always a start.

As I said, the story doesn't really gear up immediately, but gradually begins to pick up. When something takes a turn for the worst in one of the middle episodes, the detective part of the story takes a different shift, and focus is given for a few episodes of standalone characters, not relevant or seen again after those episodes but are there more to show how events have shaped the city's surroundings. They're not the among the strongest episodes but they accent the show nicely. The clique of housewives and their outlandish tales was mildly amusing, but the ending is what really makes that episode. The one with the three strangers who meet over the Internet for a suicide pact but of course is also the most comically wacky, slapstick episode of the series. I didn't quite understand what the last shot was supposed to signify, reading about it further it seems to be meant to indicate a contradiction of terms related to something revealed about the three characters. And maybe it goes further than that. I don't know, I enjoyed the episode even if it's the one most tangentially related to the core conflict of the show at hand despite it relating back in some way to a key character in earlier episodes. I absolutely loved the episode about the animation studio trying to get an episode of a mascot tie-in show done on time and the incompetent handling of its scheduling, when mayhem takes over and drives a pathetic man who can't do his job properly, and disdained by everyone around him over the edge. It's intense in its own way as well as being morbidly funny in another.

The return to the characters followed in the first several episode then returns and we see some of the changes that have taken place since then. For one character the change is quite the drastic one. These are some of the more moving episodes and fleshes out the human element of certain characters more, and how even the most hardened individual can soften and let his guard down to where he also becomes lost in memories of better years instead of focusing on the now, and the show imaginatively illustrates this (as it does for many other instances in the show I should point out). Some twists and revelations later and a city-wide crisis later the calm after the storm is a scene that I'll admit was hard to hold back on the emotions.

I didn't exactly get the kind of show that I had in mind going in but after it was all over, what I got still was a great anime mini-series and the kind that wraps around your mind after the dust has settled.

The opening theme and animation is also just fantastic. Something about it is so haunting, so good it drives a drill made 100% out of pure, unprocessed chills straight down my spine. The characters as they float and transition in and out of various scenery ranging from the sky, to a storm-struck house to speeding traffic and in front of a mushroom cloud while all constantly laughing in a strangely manic way really sets the tone in its own strange way. And Susumu Hirasawa makes goddamn amazing music and this opener is no different, it has a an angelic, majestic overtone but in an uncanny way, like something is off about things, just like what we see in the supposedly upbeat animation (that's one thing about Berserk - I don't have much interest in watching the original anime since I'd been invested in the manga, as the '97 series is just The Golden Arc which is a really downer note to end on, and the new Berserk looks absolutely godawful - the old series though apparently competently done was still on a budget so has a lot of still shots in place of animation apparently, with certain scenes toned down or cut out not so much because of how graphic they are but because of how much they'd stretch the animation budget - Wyald was a big one - he's not only one of the most brutishly vile characters in the series but the concluding fight against him when he transforms is absolutely nuts. In the show he's apparently just Some Dude that chases the Hawks down - so my interest is minimal to say the least, but I heard Hirasawa's music for the show, and the tracks are just so rousing, moving, throw any positive descriptive word here, they enhance even the manga, just thinking about them! If only I could somehow have any one of his tracks, depending on the tone of the scene, play on cue when reading certain parts of the manga).

So, tl;dr (in a Mr. Plinkett voice for some reason, it just came to my head) Paranoia Agent's pretty good, makes you think about things, good opening animation with good music, good ending, if you like anime and haven't seen it you really should. (puts voice away) I also want to say after finishing it, it made me sad again that Satoshi Kon is gone. No doubt that sadness will grow as I go on to watch the rest of his work that I haven't seen yet (actually I think Perfect Blue is the only other thing I've seen by him, that's on my infinitely long list of things-to-correct).
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Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
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Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:56 pm 
 

Everything Satoshi Kon's done is worth a watch, even if Paprika might be his weakest effort.

Millennium Actress is straight-up one of my favorite films of all time.
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kellyon
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:18 am
Posts: 58
Location: Alberta
PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 2:40 am 
 

Just finished Clannad After Story for the first time today so that would be my answer. Very high 9/10's for both seasons.

A Place Further Than the Universe is the best airing one I'm watching.

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~Guest 153662
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 7:12 pm
Posts: 124
PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 4:12 am 
 

Does anyone remember an anime that featured *i believe* 6 girls and a guy living in a house that drink 'tea' but is actually sake? If I recall this was around 1999-2001 that aired on adult swim, but for the life of me I cannot figure it out! One thing that always stood out was that in one episode the tea becomes alive and becomes a liquid female! Any ideas or suggestions on where to start are appreciated!

I'll be posting in here more often now that I know it exists!

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Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
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Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 4:24 pm 
 

Tenchi Muyo, sounds like. One of the few harem comedies that's actually somewhat good.
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~Guest 153662
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 7:12 pm
Posts: 124
PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 4:45 pm 
 

Holy crap, THANK YOU! That was driving me crazy trying to figure that out.

Harems are pretty fun, for the most part. Wife and I enjoy Monster Musume a lot. Gotta love the slime girl!

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zonfar
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2018 4:13 pm
Posts: 27
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 12:35 pm 
 

Dragonball is my favorite anime!

I've seen a few other anime's like death note, a certain magical index, hunter x hunter, pokemon, and sword art online.

I wouldn't consider myself a huge anime fan, but I did enjoy the one's I watched!

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Zelkiiro
Pounding the world with a fish of steel

Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:30 pm
Posts: 7729
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 1:49 pm 
 

zonfar wrote:
Dragonball is my favorite anime!

I've seen a few other anime's like death note, a certain magical index, hunter x hunter, pokemon, and sword art online.

I wouldn't consider myself a huge anime fan, but I did enjoy the one's I watched!

Sounds like you're still in the entry-level phase. I'll throw some more entry-level titles at you for your enjoyment:

Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 (made up its own story halfway through, still excellent)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (reboot, follows the manga all the way)
Yona of the Dawn (fantasy road trip series, starts off a little weak but becomes amazing by the end)
Angel Beats! (a quirky little series, packs a heavy punch)
Azumanga Daioh (flat-out the best high-school comedy series in the medium)
BECK (a neat show about a boy joining a rock band, has probably the best or second-best English dub of all time)
Black Lagoon (high-octane Hollywood-style action, badass all around)
Erased (I personally hated this show, but people seem to really like it, so eh)
Cowboy Bebop (no self-respecting anime fan skips this one)
Vision of Escaflowne (awesome fantasy series, best to watch early in your anime career)
Fruits Basket (it's a show meant for girls, but goddammit, greatness is greatness, and this has it)
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (fun, engrossing adventure series, skip episodes 23-29 and 32-34 because they suck)
Battle Angel Alita (it's short and it's amazing)
Hajime no Ippo (absolute sports anime perfection)
Hellsing Ultimate (for that badass ultraviolence fix without skimping on narrative)
Now and Then, Here and There (one of the best anime ever made, period)
Gurren Lagann (a mecha anime for people who don't like mecha anime, probably the most fun anime I've ever watched)
Little Witch Academia (another tremendously fun anime, super imaginative and hilarious)
One Punch Man/Mob Psycho 100 (both by the same writer, both extremely high-quality, do not skip)
Otaku no Video (to learn what being an otaku is all about!)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (for the brainy cyberpunk fan in all of us)
Psycho-Pass (excellent cyberpunk series, if Ghost in the Shell gets too obtuse for your liking)
All the films by Studio Ghibli, Mamoru Hosoda, and Makoto Shinkai (you heard me)

That should keep you busy for, like, a year. :3
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It's also going to be the first part of a trilogy!
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Liquid_Braino
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:25 am
Posts: 596
PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:19 pm 
 

Zelkiiro wrote:
Azumanga Daioh (flat-out the best high-school comedy series in the medium)

When I first saw this back around 2004, I thought it was funny as hell.
I recently started re-watching it for that nostalgic rush and the effect is totally different. Now I have two kids, and while watching the anime I suddenly realized that they are personality-wise dead ringers for Osaka and Tomo. A Chiyo, Sakaki, Yomi or even Kagura would have been great, but no, I get the two nutty ones. I was almost depressed watching it thanks to that. Thank fuck for Ms. Yukari...she's the greatest school teacher in the history of television.

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Trashy_Rambo
Metalhead

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:04 pm
Posts: 1821
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:52 pm 
 

Vision of Escaflowne has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Yoko Kanno is brilliant as always.
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true_death
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:47 pm
Posts: 2390
PostPosted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 10:30 pm 
 

Recently began watching Texhnolyze...only 4 episodes in, but I'm really enjoying it. Pretty sure it's made by the same people who did Serial Experiments Lain (one of my all-time favorite anime), has a similar art style and atmosphere, but much more oppressive and bleak, even nihilistic at some points, as well as much more violent and generally action-oriented. However, it's a very weird and unorthodox show, perhaps even moreso than SEL (which is really saying something) ...for example, it takes about 10-15 minutes into the first episode before a single line of dialogue is spoken. What's more, the main character doesn't even speak until the third episode, up to that point he only shrieks in pain and agony :lol:. But it's also very creative and refreshing, I think...would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes dark, fucked up shit and doesn't mind a side of mindfuck imagery and general weirdness.
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