New and current FS anime Topic

[Wild_Cat]

Yeah, those kids in Black Lagoon are definitely the most unsettling villains so far. And having read the manga, I can tell you they're only gonna get worse until this story arc ends.

Is it the beginning of a new season or just a leftover episode that took a while to translate?


Anyway, I've been out of the loop for a bit, what good series are there at the moment? I quite liked Flag, but I've had no news of episodes 4+...

[sj33]

Well xxxHOLiC is over now, really enjoyed that one, a series where I've actually been looking forward to the next episode.
Not read the manga, will be checking that out. Interesting how show doesn't really 'go' anywhere, not really supposed to I guess. Wonder what's the next thing to look forward to Clamp-wise.

Not sure what happened with Ergo Proxy... I've enjoyed it overall, but there's a clear difference quality between the earlier episodes which looked quite stunning, and mid-point in the series where production values dropped to below what most other shows have. I'd not be suprised if there's a reason for this, anyone know?
Either way, I actually did enjoy the series, but it's a real shame that it seemed to fall so much at times.

Too many shows, not enough time, do I have the time to pick up Pumkin Scissors!?

[Zapp$ter]

At a guess I'd say they spent too much of the budget on the first half of the series in Ergo Proxy and then had to cut back on the animation and stuff. I think it's happened before but I've never really paid that much attention to the inner workings of the production companies.

Black Lagoon ep 13 is the beginning of the second season of the show, as in it just started airing at the start of October so it's not a leftover episode from the previous season. Not that it matters much anyway. I've yet to see it myself, in the same position as Shakey_Jake33 really, too many shows so little time.

Pumpkin Scissors ep1 - agreed with Tobal. The character designs really reminded me of FMA and the first episode was very good IMO. I will definitely be sticking with it for the time being. Plus with eclipse subbing it, they'll probably have the ep subbed weekly. Loved the opening song too, ending was a bit meh but maybe it'll grow on me. Already a surprise for me this, since I had it down as one to check an ep of but not much more. I just hope it doesn't tail off like a couple of shows I've seen this year.

I also saw Kanon ep 1 which I really enjoyed too. Definitely sticking with it. First time watching the series as I've not seen the old version. Very nice to look at as you'd expect from Kyoto Animation, and the first episode had it's moments(entire section with Yuuichi and Ayu, the bit with them meeting up with that other guy and girl from their class etc..). Yuuichi seems like Kyon mkII i.e. sarcastic comments and whatnot, also helped that they have the same VA. Ayu is rivalling Nana from Bokura Ga Ita for moetastic cuteness and that's after just one episode. Again subbed by eclipse so weekly subs should be on the cards, plus there's afk if you don't like eclipse. Loved the opening and ending songs.

I will definitely be following Death Note and D.Gray-man, because I enjoyed what I read of the respective mangas, unless they are really crap. Scanning through Death Note's first ep though and it looks very nice. Seems to be sticking quite close to the manga, at least for the scene that I saw. Can't believe Light is being voiced by the same guy that does Tamaki from Ouran Host Club

Other shows that I'm looking at include, Bartender, Ayakashi Ayashi, Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto(seems to be getting some rave reviews on AS), Asatte No Houkou(contender for underrated show already), the new negima show(again positive impressions filtering through) and there's alot more that I'm forgetting.

[Tobal]

Death Note - top stuff, never read the manga and i can see myself really enough this, nice animation and art style and the story looks decent.

Tactical Roar ep4-7, totally over the top, totally fluff and way to much fan service but for some reason i really enough this show and the ship battle are that bad either.

[sj33]

I've yet to see it myself, in the same position as Shakey_Jake33 really, too many shows so little time.

Becoming difficult to balance too, I'm really trying to only take on shows I'll like, since I do like to watch older anime too, as well as play games (along with normal stuff like work). Given I'm not so clued up on the recent decent manga's, I'm really taking shots in the dark.

I'll likely take on Death Note, D. Gray-Man, considering Pumpkin Scissors and Kanon. The fact that Ergo Proxy, School Rumble, xxxHOLiC, .hack//ROOTS, Zero No Tsukaima (though I'm waiting for the 720p subs) have all ended at the same time makes this a little easier to swallow.

I'm such a sucker for cute anime and mahou shojou though, so I'll also be catching the recently released subs of Sasami Mahou Shoujo Club, Mahou Shojou Lyrical Nanoha DVD's, PowerPuff Girls Z (they've did a really cracking job oin this I reckon), as well as going back to check out Sugar Sugar Rune.

I watch Naruto/Bleach/One Piece regular... I'll risk lynching by saying One Piece is my least favourite of the 3, considered dropping it a few times but I know I'll just come back to it. I just prefer the other two, least I will when they come out of filler stage.

This is between playing FF12, .Hack//GU, Phantasy Star Universe and the Wii.

Someone invent 35 hour days please.

[Zapp$ter]

I'm pretty much the same (eg the bit about being partial to mahou shoujo and cute anime ) , especially watching old shows. But when I say old I mean old, some of them are like 80s anime with 40+ episodes each, so it's quite a task getting through them as well as keeping up with the new stuff. I don't play as much on my consoles as I used to. Still play some of the latest JRPGs and stuff and the odd shmup but that's about it.

Plus I'll watch pretty much anything as long as it's not horribly bad, which means I've kept up with a load of mediocre shows just because I could. Now, I'm having to rethink and stick with a handful of shows whilst still downloading the other average shows for a rainy day or something. I mean take the spring season for example, I must have watched over half of the shows there and kept up with them all in one form or another except stuff like Soul Link which I never got on with. I mainly mention the shows that everyone else here watches but there are loads besides those that I actually watch regularly, such as Simoun, Saiunkoku, Inukami(extremely camp show but I just find it really funny), Akagi etc...

Good thing is, a lot of the shows from spring that I've been following have been finished both subbing and airing, so I just need to watch through them to free up some slots in my schedule.

[Tobal]

New Negima ep1 - wow, pretty big difference between this and the original anime and i can say as negima fan im quite happy with most of it. Art is good, very much like the manga with a few differences, i really don't like asuna's new eye colour, Takamichi doesn't look nearly cool enough in his white suit(wtf!) and the animations is pretty choppy in places with it only coming alive during the cgi spell moments. Voices are strange, i actually prefer the original anime for the majority of the voices(and it how i hear in my head when reading the manga) Asuna being the worst by far sadely, hopefully i'll get use to it. Other than that its also already taken on manga's story in different way, straight away making the original anime more faithful to the manga(at at the start anyway) which i didn't think could be possible . No intro or ending to talk about yet, the sub quality is pretty poor and well look o replace sub straight away from mahora subs.

->Open Spoiler<-

Anyway so far they change Set-chan and Honoka' relationship from the strained one at the start to how they relationship is currently like in the manga 100chapters in should make for different Koto arc. Asuna finds out about Negima magic in a different way and the first fight with Eva is based of Honoka getting attack on the first night on the academy(i think) when befor eit went out looking for the attacker. At least it bolds well for the action side of Negima not being ignored this time, i really hope they get into all the technical battle stuff this time round.

Strawberry Panic ep26 - another show come to the end, enjoyable last episode with some unforgivable moments and an ending that was pretty much expected,

->Open Spoiler<-

you just new Shiz was never going to let go of Nagisa and would have ended up with her in the end(not what i wanted deep down really) and left one of my favourites, Tamao holding the ****ty end of the stick, she got well and truely embrassed, heart crushed in front of hundreds but took it sportingly giving Nagisa gentle push towards Shizuma while taking there relationship symbol the red ribon back gave me little lump in the back of my throat, it a shame i like the TamaoXNagisa stuff better but it clear that producers wanted Tamao out the frame with them not developing her character until the end and then they didn't then give enough for background before Nagisa that could swayed it for it.... still that bit at the very end where Nagisa returns at the end of the day and both her and Tamao are leaning on opposite sides of the door is strong cliff hanger and if ever decide making another series it has to start there as really want to see what happened next... on the positive side at least Yaya got some payoff which im happy about, seems Tsubomi will be her rock and by the looks of it could be a good couple

still TAMAO NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo

[Zapp$ter]

Isn't the voice cast pretty much the same as the first negima? I thought there was only like one person from the original cast missing, can't remember which characters though.

[Tobal]

They sound different to me for alot of the girls with Yuu, Asuna and Honoka sounded different the most.

[Zapp$ter]

Well those characters you mentioned have exactly the same VAs(according to ANN info at least) and just looking at the list of VAs for both shows, they seem to be pretty much the same cast Also did you mean Konoka? 'cos i couldn't find a honoka character on the list and I'm not very good with the names in this show, though I have a good reason.

[Revolution6000]

Sort of offtopic, but my Uni has some Anime Society, and basically looking for some opinions on the following shows:

Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Ouran High School Host Club
Air
Tenjho Tenge
Genshiken
Evangelion
FLCL
Elven Lied

[sj33]

Melencholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Anime of 06 for me. Characters which, dispite all having their own personality nuances (maybe that's the point?), manage to just be plain excellent. Somewhat off the wall plot, and intentionally broken structure of the series (arranged in a manner that gives the viewer enough hints about the plot to keep them interested, as opposed to being consecutive) served to just keep me hooked.

And you know what? It was just damn great to watch an anime which didn't have some cocky character jibbering on about 'resolve' and magically pulling through purely on their own determination, and preaching it's own self-rightous crap... was so great to see a show that ignored this over-used anime formula and just did the show their way.

Evangelion Difficult one this. I watched the show and both movies in one sitting, and while I can see there's a lot to admire about the show, on a technical level and what they were doing with the show... I just cannot say I enjoyed watching it. At no point did I feel glued, or cared about the characters, plot or background... was more a show to 'appriciate', than actually like, for me.

I felt the same about Escaflowne, which some people adore.

FLCL Wasn't too keen at first, but really loved it once it got going. Not much to say about it, but I do love it when they think outside the box.

[Tobal]

Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - Must watch, shakey cover everything abouty it, but do watch past the 1st intentionaly bad looking episode and pay attention to Krons comments

Ouran High School Host Club - Good by the numbers romance comedy about '7' guys playing hosts to girls, strong start with a middling middle and strong finish.

Air - I would leave this be, lots of people like it but found dull in long stretches and all the characters go through painful stuff to have no pay off what so ever which made me angery i sat through it all.

Tenjho Tenge - fighting, but it goes really crap after couple of epsiodes as it goes on with pre-haps the longest background story ever.

Genshiken - Must see, anime fans watching manga/anime fans most episodes you never stop laughing or cringing.

Evangelion - watch this by yourself, i wouldn't recommend in a group

FLCL - short, sweet and crazy and some ace music.

Elven Lied - gore fest with a ok'ish story buts it way over the top, car crash stuff

[Revolution6000]

Thanks for the opinions, just got back, and apart from a taxi driver completely raping my wallet, he went the longest possible way, it was pretty good. Going to post on my blog about what I thought about it in more detail, but very briefly I enjoyed them all apart from Air which just seemed incredibly boring, maybe I missed something, but it gave me no reason to actually want to watch the new episode.

[Tobal]

.Hack Roots 25/26 - another finished anime, and in fine Hack tradition left just as many unawsnered questions as possible.

->Open Spoiler<-

Shame Phyllo died in a real life, Hasso got his lvl133 character delated and Tabby confessed and left the game setting us up for PS2 game which i decided to read the spoilers about Ovan, Ovan Arm, AIDA's and the 3 Azua Knights (Tri-edge-'Kite', 'Orca' and 'Balmung')

which turned out very interested and confirmed for me after watching ep25/26 who put i thought put Shino in a coma

->Open Spoiler<-

which is 'Released' Ovan

->Open Spoiler<-

also Ginkan turned up which was good laugh