Anime and Manga Thread: 2nd Season

[QualityChimp]

Thanks Tobal, I don't have time to waste on stuff that'll just wind me up!

[Asura]

Couple of manga I gave a go after getting them cheap from a bring & buy at a con:

>> Once Piece 1&2 - despite being a huge fan of manga/anime I've never been near One Piece before. I can already see from these two volumes why it's so popular. I'm not such a big fan of the setting, but the story moves at a cracking pace and the sense of "flow" between the panels is very good.

>> Cowboy Bebop 1/2/3 and Shooting Star 1/2 - However, I am a massive Cowboy Bebop fan and this manga seems really disappointing. I know CB is an "anime-first", so wasn't directly based on a manga in the manner of One Piece or Bleach, but even so, the stories in this seem quite plodding and lack interest. There's none of the wonderful direction of the series, which is surprising. I've only read the first 2 so far, but I'm really put off even giving the other ones time-of-day, which as someone that regards the series as my favourite anime, should convey my disappointment.

[Tobal]

Its worth getting in to One Piece, such a fantastic manga and it only gets better and better (there only 2 stinker arc's like Silverfox pirates(apart from the boss fight) and fishman island) and worth at least getting up to Arlong Park in the anime to get a good sense of voices that have been in my head for 13/14 years (well 10 for me when I caught up with the world of one piece).

Speaking of manga The world only god knows ended, the last couple of arc's have been terrible but it got the ending I really wanted to see, even more after that "bye,bye" episode in the 2nd season of the TV show.

[kryss]

More of the same, but condensed with better action scenes for 1.0, 2.0 starts the divergence from TV/OVA/films from before with more action and less moaning which is why its the best eva film, 3.0

->Open Spoiler<-

slips back into the worst eva gets, with mind bogglingly stupid decisions + lots of whining with some good actions scene at the start and info dumps out the ass towards the end.

FFS, spoilers!

[Tobal]

FFS, spoilers!

Really? I thought thay was petty top level and in line with what has been previously been said in thread.

[Paddy]

Given that Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 does a fantastic job of aggravating all viewers in the highest possible manner, I wouldn't worry about subtle spoilerish chatter tbh Kryss. Unless its deliberate setup for some big time cathartic payoff in the 4th film, 3.0 is Anno trying to do one over on the audience and should realize that he said F*** you to the viewers already (and effectively) with The End of Evangelion.

Might track down that Knights of Sidonia and give it a whirl to see what its like. Am interested in watching Valvrave the Liberator as I like the character designer's manga, D.Gray-man. Anyone know if its worth watching?

[Tobal]

Give KnS a go, though you might find the framerate on the CGI alittle low, seen a lot of complaints about it but it hasn't put me off and they really seemed to have improved it by ep4 action packed episode.

As for Valvrave its more enjoyable for the surprises and deaths than the actual story and most of the characters. It tries to tell grand story

->Open Spoiler<-

which spans centuries but is mostly focused in present

in 24eps, which fails and the last episode and the antics of a certain person really pissed of a lot of people (including me). Seems to have been popular enough to get another season about different group of pilots and a spin off manga set (I think, never read it) set inbetween the last few episodes and before the epilogue.

[kryss]

Yeah okay, it's EVA so I pretty much know what'll happen:

->Open Spoiler<-

whine whine whine
pyschobabble
technibabble
pseudo-religious-babble
ambiguous ending
teasing trailer for final movie

[Tobal]

Gundam Unicorn ep7 - the last episode coming in at 1hr 30mins long, the best part of 3 to 4 years to get to his point, and what a disappointment the reveal was, but still it delivered on the mecha on mecha fights with a huge range of classic mecha duking it out. But then, like always and since Zeta most main gundam shows finish with space ghost hardon for the newtypes.

->Open Spoiler<-

they could have sold me on the box by itself, a promise for the future (even though Zeon continue to **** things up for everyone for hundreds of year after this to cause F91 and V) but have all that riddle **** get forgiven after being weak minded fool who murdered a good friend/mentor for main cast so and then turn Mirada into space jesus to warn everyone.. bah.. Full Fontal demise was pretty terrible, he just gave up and the in mind vision quest time travel was right bonkers, I loved seeing come of Gundam's greatest moment again which did move me a bit, but it didn't make a lick of sense.

ah well, onward to the next Gundam show.

[Tobal]

Patema Inverted - 1hr 30mins film featuring upside down people living underground after failed gravity experiment, and its probably the most tense film I've watched in a long with the only horror being the horrific sight of falling into nothing and having to trust in someone not to let go.. do not watch this if you don't heights, there's a lot of them.

[chopemon]

Has anyone got any manga recommendations? I've never really read any before and want to start. I'm ideally looking for something that won't take a lifetime to catch up on like One Piece and preferably something set in Japan rather than a fantasy world. Fantasy or sci fi within Japan is fine though.

Cheers!

[briareos_kerensky]

Patlabor. Any from Tsutomu Niei. Planetes. Gundam the Origin.

[chopemon]

Thanks, will start with Patlabor.

[wakka]

I'm watching Durarara atm. Very enjoyable. I tried No Game No Life but it's not really about videogames (I thought it would be) and there's too much embarrassing ecchi to watch on the bus.

The Master of Killing Time is a great short series I recommend to everyone! It's about a kid wasting time at the back of the class (in various creative ways) and the girl who sits next to him and tries not to get distracted.

[Paddy]

Chopemon: Read King of Thorns. Only 6 volumes long, influenced by the likes of Jurassic Park mixed with a action-filled survival story. Nice art too.

The same artist also drew Koudelka (3 vols.), Cat Paradise (5 vols.), Darker Than Black: Shikokui no Hana (4 vols.), Chikyuu Misaki (3 vols.) and Dimension W (5 vols. to date and still ongoing). Although they've not all been translated officially into English yet I'm sure if you look online a little you will find fan-translated versions that are just as suitable.