The Anime Thread V. Bebop

[Randaran]

I am not watching any shows from the current season, though Zankyou no Terror looks to be the most interesting. Too busy with LoGH.

[Outcrier]

Someone mentioned LoGH?

[Randaran]

I just finished Revolutionary Girl Utena.

This was one of the most surreal series I have ever laid eyes upon. It was clear from quite early on that nothing was meant to be taken literally. There is symbolism in everything, and multiple events made me reinterpret my evaluations of them. Especially ep 33. Now THAT is how recap episodes should be done. The plot was difficult enough to figure out on an allegorical level, though I have a general idea of what happened. In particular, the ending was beautiful, when Utena realized that eternity is an illusion, that the pursuit of it will lead only to despair, and that one must focus on the present in order to find themselves and happiness. It will take several more viewings to uncover the layers of the symbolism, and I look forward to them. The only issue I had was with the episodic nature; most of the time, it seemed as though there was no progression in the story.

Overall, Utena was a beautiful work of art, and one of the best examples of anime I have ever seen.  Now, on to the movie!

[Mister Gold]

I just finished Revolutionary Girl Utena.

This was one of the most surreal series I have ever laid eyes upon. It was clear from quite early on that nothing was meant to be taken literally. There is symbolism in everything, and multiple events made me reinterpret my evaluations of them. Especially ep 33. Now THAT is how recap episodes should be done. The plot was difficult enough to figure out on an allegorical level, though I have a general idea of what happened. In particular, the ending was beautiful, when Utena realized that eternity is an illusion, that the pursuit of it will lead only to despair, and that one must focus on the present in order to find themselves and happiness. It will take several more viewings to uncover the layers of the symbolism, and I look forward to them. The only issue I had was with the episodic nature; most of the time, it seemed as though there was no progression in the story.

Overall, Utena was a beautiful work of art, and one of the best examples of anime I have ever seen.  Now, on to the movie!

Utena is absolutely one of my top three anime series ever. It's an amazing deconstruction of fairy tales and one of the most intelligent stories I've ever encountered. The movie won't make much sense on the first viewing, but it's fantastic too. The key thing to understand while watching it is that it's a symbolic reversal of the original tv series; it's Anthy who is trying to save Utena from the ghosts of her past.

[Genowyn]

I know I am probably the only one who cares but there is FINALLY AN ENGLISH PATCH FOR FATE/HOLLOW ATARAXIA!!!



Except instead of KIRA I'm like

EKUSUUUUUU



KARIBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Randaran]

So... Hunter x Hunter ends today.  I guess that this is a good thing; it is ending before it catches up to the manga, and will not have to resort to fillers or  an original ending. I do not have all that much experience with shounen, as it is a demographic that I tend to avoid in favor of seinen or shoujo, but this show is easily the best example of it I have seen. So, farewell, HxH.

[Genowyn]

Hiatus x Hiatus

As soon as I finished the anime I got caught up on the remaining chapters of Hunter but somehow I get the impression that this manga will not end within the mangaka's lifetime. Was a great ride though, three years of knowing there'd always be at least one good anime to watch. I'm not sure I'd agree that Hunter is the best shounen anime/manga series, though. I think that honour belongs to Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood for the anime version of course). And technically Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered a shounen series...

In other news related to me being a big Type-Moon fan not only is Hollow Ataraxia out but the UFOTable anime adaptation of Unlimited Blade Works starts on the 28th! Kyaa~!

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Sad to see HxH ending, it was an amazing series while it lasted. Now, if only Togashi would get of his ass and start making some manga instead of playing Dragon Quest all day that would be great!

[Outcrier]

I'm not sure I'd agree that Hunter is the best shounen anime/manga series, though. I think that honour belongs to Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood for the anime version of course).

For me, it's:

Short shounens: FMA Brotherhood.
Long shounens: One Piece

Still, i've have yet to read/watch Hunter x Hunter, Hajime no Ippo, JoJo's...

In other news related to me being a big Type-Moon fan not only is Hollow Ataraxia out but the UFOTable anime adaptation of Unlimited Blade Works starts on the 28th! Kyaa~!

Looking forward to it (loved Fate/Zero and enjoyed the Kara no Kyoukai movies too)

[ThatOneGuy2112]

I'm not sure I'd agree that Hunter is the best shounen anime/manga series, though. I think that honour belongs to Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood for the anime version of course). And technically Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered a shounen series...

That's a tough call for me. FMA Brotherhood is most definitely worthy. If not that, I'd say Togashi's other work, Yu Yu Hakusho. I always considered Evangelion to fit into the sci-fi/mecha genre--I never really saw it as shounen.

[Randaran]

I'm not sure I'd agree that Hunter is the best shounen anime/manga series, though. I think that honour belongs to Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood for the anime version of course). And technically Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered a shounen series...

That may be true, but I have not watched it yet. Though I plan to do so soon. There are a few shounen series, such as TTGL and the aforementioned NGE (this one is arguable; the first half is certainly shounen, though I am not so sure about the second), that I love, but, for the most part, the demographic does nothing for me. *cough* DBZ *cough*

In other news related to me being a big Type-Moon fan not only is Hollow Ataraxia out but the UFOTable anime adaptation of Unlimited Blade Works starts on the 28th! Kyaa~!

Really? I though that it did not begin until the 4th. Now I actually have to pick up the VN again; I only have a day left of Fate, and I need to stay ahead of the anime. With weekly airings and a break during the Winter season, that should be easily managable.

[Genowyn]

Myanimelist has a listed as starting on the 28th, that's usually the source I use.

I always considered Evangelion to fit into the sci-fi/mecha genre--I never really saw it as shounen.

Shounen is the demographic, not the genre. So for example Gundam is certainly sci-fi/mecha but also certainly shounen. Don't conflate shounen and battle anime .

Shounen has to do with more who it's marketed towards I guess? And NGE is certainly meant for the shounen demo. I have never met an NGE fan who got into it after they were like 16, most people seem to have watched it in the 12-14 range. Even though it seems wildly inappropriate for that age group, the fact is that's who will be able to best relate to the interpersonal issues that Shinji is going through throughout the series. After all NGE is really less about giant robots and more about girls...

[Super Dude]

Zankyou no Terror. Cannot put it down. I will probably be up until 3 tonight.

[Genowyn]

But it's only 11 episodes long. If you start now you'll be done before 9:00 PM Eastern Time.

Reminds me gotta watch the finale.

[Super Dude]

I finished. I wouldn't say I'm 100% happy with it, but I don't honestly think it could've ended any other way. And I am pretty glad they left a whole bunch of things unanswered, like what exactly was killing Nine (I know it had something to do with the savant experiments they were performing on them, but still). Things like that are best left to the imagination, I think.

[carl320]

I started watching A Certain Scientific Railgun.  I know it's a spinoff of Magical Index, should I watch that before I continue Railgun?

[Genowyn]

I started watching A Certain Scientific Railgun.  I know it's a spinoff of Magical Index, should I watch that before I continue Railgun?

You should watch Index and just not watch Railgun at all because it's awful.

imo

[Genowyn]

Mild SAO 2 spoilers:

Seriously Sinon you could have kicked him in the fucking balls ages ago what the fuck

Also just finished Zankyou no Terror. I have a question though:

Why exactly did Twelve think he needed to tell Five the truth at the Ferris Wheel...? As soon as he answered she shut the bomb off, and if he had just lied like "It's in our apartment" or something he would have had time to defuse it before Five could even verify the truth of what he said.

[Super Dude]

Mild SAO 2 spoilers:

Seriously Sinon you could have kicked him in the fucking balls ages ago what the fuck

Also just finished Zankyou no Terror. I have a question though:

Why exactly did Twelve think he needed to tell Five the truth at the Ferris Wheel...? As soon as he answered she shut the bomb off, and if he had just lied like "It's in our apartment" or something he would have had time to defuse it before Five could even verify the truth of what he said.

Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe the mental pressure got to him, but that's the best explanation I could come up with.

[Mister Gold]

Myanimelist has a listed as starting on the 28th, that's usually the source I use.

I always considered Evangelion to fit into the sci-fi/mecha genre--I never really saw it as shounen.

Shounen is the demographic, not the genre. So for example Gundam is certainly sci-fi/mecha but also certainly shounen. Don't conflate shounen and battle anime .

Shounen has to do with more who it's marketed towards I guess? And NGE is certainly meant for the shounen demo. I have never met an NGE fan who got into it after they were like 16, most people seem to have watched it in the 12-14 range. Even though it seems wildly inappropriate for that age group, the fact is that's who will be able to best relate to the interpersonal issues that Shinji is going through throughout the series. After all NGE is really less about giant robots and more about girls...

Actually shounen is both a demographic and a genre, at least from my understanding. Shounen is generally an action/adventure-type series that is marketed towards boys and adolescents. Think DBZ, Naruto or Bleach for that.

Neon Genesis Evangelion would be more of a seinen series, which is geared more towards older teenagers or adults. Really it's not just about girls or giant robots, but more about philosophy. Technically, as far as genre goes, it's both a mecha and an apocalyptic story. 

[Genowyn]

Actually shounen is both a demographic and a genre, at least from my understanding. Shounen is generally an action/adventure-type series that is marketed towards boys and adolescents. Think DBZ, Naruto or Bleach for that.

Those are battle anime. Battle anime is certainly a shonen genre, but there are plenty of shonen things which do not fall into that genre. For example: Azumanga Daioh.

[Randaran]

Fate/Stay Night begins airing today.

My mind is ready.

[Genowyn]

Much excite.

In related news Cross Ange sure looks like a piece of shit huh

Things I intend to check out besides Fate: Grisaia no Kajitsu, Ino Battle no whatever it is, Sanzoku no Musume Ronya, Parasyte

[Randaran]

I watched the first (or rather zero-th) episode of F/SN, and just... 

ufotable has really outdone themselves; it looks even better than Fate/Zero, which until now was the best looking anime I have ever seen. The OST also kicks ass.

The episode covered the prologue of the VN, so I have another week to finally pick it back up. They did remove one of my favorite conversations, though overall I like how some scenes were significantly shortened. It is a great adaptation so far, and I expect it to get even better in the coming weeks.

[Genowyn]

Fate/Stay Night is Anime of the Season.

No.

Anime of the Year. Just sayin'. So watch it if you're not.

[Randaran]

 

Fate/Stay Night is Anime of the Season.

No.

Anime of the Year. Just sayin'. So watch it if you're not.

Well, considering what else has aired this year, that is not all that impressive of a feat. Though the first two episodes have been awesome.

[Genowyn]

Maybe Parasyte will be able to compete? I just know I've been waiting for this Fate anime since it was announced (years ago) so I'm pretty hype.

[Randaran]

I finished Bakemonogatari yesterday. It was very intriguing, with one of the best art styles I have seen, and a focus on dialogue. In other words, my kind of show. Loved it, though I would not recommend it to most people I know.

Genowyn, I finally understand your personal text and sig. 

[carl320]

Kamimamita!

[Randaran]

Some may remember an exchange from a few months back:

I'm not sure I'd agree that Hunter is the best shounen anime/manga series, though. I think that honour belongs to Full Metal Alchemist (Brotherhood for the anime version of course).

That may be true, but I have not watched it yet.

Well, I have watched it now, and ... I disagree. Sure, it was good. Great, in fact. But I still consider HxH to be the superior series. With Brotherhood, there were many moments that reminded me of why I generally dislike shounen (as in, one-dimensional villians, the power of friendship, and silly moral monologues), though they were executed in a way that made them much less irritating than in other series. Additionally, the last quarter was, as a whole, underwhelming, despite some very high points and an excellent conclusion. This said, I still enjoyed most of the show, and it was better than most other shounen series I have seen. The plot was suprisingly intricate and well executed, and every character had sufficient backdrop and motives that made sense.

This whole experience reinforced my view on the anime demographics. Brotherhood is a shounen title of the highest echelon, and I still would rather watch a "merely" above average seinen, shoujo, or josei title. Though I do not expect many to agree with me on this.

[TioJorge]

MOTHERFUCKING PARASYTE.

God DAYUM I love this anime. I've read the entire manga and this is exactly how I felt about Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. The entirety of the manga, uncensored, and without fillers at all (thus far). I love it. I fucking love it. It's amazing and the music adds so much emotion to it. It's perfect and I really, really, REALLY FUCKING hope they keep this up. If so, this could be my new favorite anime. Not manga, but at least my new favorite anime. Granted, it's got ZERO competition at the moment considering TerraFormars has gone to complete and utter predictable shit, and that is pretty much the only other anime I'm interested in this season. I'm waiting on others (not even gonna watch Fate/Stay until it's done). But I am loving Parasyte so much it's got my weiner talking to me. It's all "Dude, this shit tyte" and I'm like "I know dude".

[adace]

Just watched Tale of Princess Kaguya. I'm already a huge fan of Studio Ghibli, but this film still surpassed my expectations. Every single frame of this movie is gorgeous and the story is so beautiful and heartbreaking. By far one of SG's finest accomplishments.

[Anguyen92]

I'm watching this series, atm, called "Your Lie in April," which was suggested by a twitch.tv streamer that I frequently watch.  It's pretty darn good.  It's about a dude that was a piano prodigy that stopped playing piano after his mother, who taught him, passed away and there was a backstory scene where he stopped playing in the middle of a performance where he claimed that he cannot hear the notes anymore. 

Anywho, the whole story, from what I've getting so far, is that the lead female character, who is a great violinist that pretty much does not follow the music score exactly note-by-note, but performs it in a way that's compelling and that's her own, is trying to get this guy out of this funk he's in and play piano again with enjoyment and not having to worry about any criticisms, whatsoever.

I enjoy it a good amount.  The lead male character needs to loosen up a bit and not worry about whether or not he sucks in the present time of the story and just get out there and play with enjoyment and with everything he's got.

[Super Dude]

Finally checking out Kill La Kill, and I love it. I can see why people were going gonzo over it.

[TioJorge]

Still raving over Parasyte. Such a goosebump-inducing series. I like it more than AoT now, and if it keeps this neck-break pace and towing the line, this'll no doubt be one of my favorite anime series. I don't watch much anymore, and most of it I think is bullshit, but CR's manga is great and shows like this make the sub worth it, but I'd gladly keep the sub just for this show even if I didn't read manga like a fiend.