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Japanese Anime Updates

chas

chas

Well-known member
Site Supporter
;) There have been a few anime discussions here and there on the site, but no central place where you can easily find other opinions, and most importantly updates on anime release and production. So here are a few at this time and place I have to mention, and some personal observations and experiences as well. Some of my news may be old, since I'm old school and often out of the loop, so have mercy and tell me what you know!

1. Just picked up Blue Submarine No. 6 at the Cold Wars Convention (Lancaster, PA), because I remembered that it had gotten good comments in The Anime Encyclopedia (Second Edition). What's a wargame miniatures convention (or any other type of event) without anime? Why, a day without sinshine! After watching the two hour "series" (its really a movie) I recalled that I'd seen the very ending once years ago (probably on Adult Swim back in the days when Anime was king there), and thought it very confusing. Now I have reached enlightenment and closure! PS: It rocks!

2. It seems that the final season of Inu Yasha will never come out on disk--you can only see it online. This is because they changed the ending, and manga goddess Ms. Takahashi didn't like it. Others have recounted to me that they had great difficulty bootlegging it to disk, with some results working and some not. I'm watching it now for my first time, and already in early episodes (of 27 in the TV season) one character has been changed and one has died!

3. I started a thread about LUM not being available easily. It is, but the reason the contract is up with Animego is that it was going to be redone. However, now it seems that the TV distribution deal is falling through, and it might not happen. So I finally got to see Movie Five "The Final Chapter," which gives some ending to it (sort of), and I really enjoyed it, after waiting so long to view it.

4. The guy I bought from in #1 above was my age (old enough to know better) and upgrading to Blue Ray. Will anime really become available in the new format? You can always get second hand bargains when someone is upgrading, although in the past I've gotten old casettes when others were going to DVD. Haven't moved on to Blue Ray or High Def myself.
 
8) I just attended Cold Wars Con down in Lancaster, PA (so I'm not mentioning New York City in this post at all), attending a discussion about The Greatest Warrior Women In History. Afterward, I walked up to the guy who presented on Joan of Arc, and told him I knew of a connection between The Maid and Japanese Anime. Boy, was he surprised. Anyone know what it is? Hint: The Anime in question is Infinite Stratos.[/B]






(Edit: The Answer)

Charlotte Dunois, the French character, is named after the Duke who supported Joan historically.
 
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The first Japanese Maid Cafe has just opened up here in NYC, and I've been there twice! Lots of fun.
 
I'm currently watching Inu Yasha: The Last Act. This has been out for a year or two, but I just got it. I had heard that Rumiko Takahashi had not liked it or allowed it to be released, but when it started streaming on Adult Swim just a week or two ago, I sprang into action. The first half (Episodes 1-13) had some continuing characters die, get badly wounded, and etc. I'm loath to finish it, as there won't be any more! RT, possibly the richest woman in Japan, is already producing a new series.
 
I started with Star Blazers and Robotech as a youth.
Gantz and Berserk are two adult animes I enjoyed and wish would be finished.
Space Captain Harlock is a favorite(same folks as Star Blazers).
Ronin Warriors is a great kids appropriate series that I really enjoy.
Record of the Lodoss War is good.
Vampire Hunter D is very good, as well as Blood: The Last Vampire.
Cowboy Bepop was fun and the only thing I found close to Firefly.
So many have blended together, those are the main ones that come to mind.
 
I only say it that way because Cowboy Bebop predates Firefly. I had the opposite experience. Both are awesome in different but similar ways.
 
I've almost finished the Full Metal Alchemist series. I thoroughly enjoy it. :)
 
My Anime Adventures

I also started out watching TV available anime, back when little was available on cassette, and most of that not always dubbed or even subtitled. Then when rental stores sprang up with Anime sections, I started reviewing them on paper for myself, just so I didn't end up renting the same cassettes over and over.

Since then I assembled a very large collection on DVD, since I've yet to explore Netflix or much streaming works. I also have a small library of books on anime and manga. And of course Adult Swim is available on Cartoon Channel (I have Time Warner Cable), although Toonami is not what it used to be. And I ought to know--I used to stay up late nights watching it, although with less anime on these days, I more often watch it On Demand, after viewing the weekly offerings on Cutting Edge, the TWC anime channel,which these days has much more to offer.

Anime runs the entire spectrum from awful to art! I once heard that animation allows the Japanese to express themselves without having to try and compete with Hollywood! I'm sure that's exaggerated. But the extras on the old Shogun DVD set on that groundbreaking production highlight many of the differences in Japanese and American film and TV production, at least back then.

The Japanese (and Chinese and Indians) are the only major cultures left that express pantheistic sensibilities in modern times in popular media. And I think the Old Religion has a lot to offer us, that has become lost or blurred in the younger, more modern monotheistic religions. As an old Seeker from the 1960s, I've got Jewish cultural roots, went through a Christian phase during college when I got to know some wonderful people in that tradition, studied in an semi-Islamic tradition, and visited some New Age centers as well. I've also looked at a couple of Wiccan streams. As an old fogey, I think Buddhism is probably the most mature religion, but less acessible to younger folks. But hey, anything that connects you to a Higher Plane feeds you. Good anime does that for me.

Visually, now that I have a 55" TV, I can see wonderful art work in the backgrounds of some of my favorites in detail not previously open to me (except at the movie theater). Much of it is by Koreans, who do the grunt work. Being able to manipulate the images helps also with rewinding, changing the speed of presentation, zooming, etc.

Will American animation and Japanese anime continue to merge together? Here in New York City, I can visit the Kinokunaya Japanese book store, a major source which presents many aspects of that culture. Image Anime, on of the last brick and mortar anime stores, also remains, since I still don't buy directly online much. I have friends who sometimes do that for me. Because I still think giving out my credit card info over the internet or doing my banking or bill paying there is still insane, given the constant hacking scandals that occur with such frequency. When I used to teach orientation classes in NYC hospitals, I helped people learn how to make up a more secure password, but still...
 
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chas said:
I once heard that animation allows the Japanese to express themselves without having to try and compete with Hollywood! I'm sure that's exaggerated.
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I don't think so. Some of the anime I've seen is extremely moving . I myself believe that some anime is the best animated stuff out there because they seem to be so adept at working emotion into their shows that feels real. Unlike so much of the american cartoons these days that nothing more then mindless drivel.
 
Marrowick,

Couldn't agree with you more! Sorry if I wasn't clear; I meant compete with Hollywood's BUDGET. (If I didn't think anime was moving, I wouldn't have set this thread up).
 
chas said:
Marrowick,

Couldn't agree with you more! Sorry if I wasn't clear; I meant compete with Hollywood's BUDGET. (If I didn't think anime was moving, I wouldn't have set this thread up).
Click to expand...

True true.
 
My daughter stumbled on The Devil is a Part Timer. She saw some mention of it somewhere and saw that it was on Netflix. She was watching it in the same room, and I stopped what I was doing several times laughing at the dialogue. Holy carp it's funny. It's about the Satan coming to Earth and getting stuck here unable to replenish his magical power. He gets a part time job at McDonald's to pay the rent until he can figure out how to get back. Meanwhile a hero who killed some of his generals is similarly stuck.
 
Animeflower

Thus far my anime experience has been limited (I literally hadn't watched it until about 6 months ago) but I've enjoyed what I've seen. (Although literally all of it has been recommendations from someone else so it's probably among the better stuff in the genre)

Cowboy Bebop (my personal favorite and the only one thus far to actually make me cry)
Trigun (has probably one of my all time favorite characters)
Some Miyazaki works (Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle)
Just halfway under Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

We'll see where I end up after this (I think Code Geass is next on my to watch list) but I have noticed some interesting trends. (Mostly that I tend to like the sci-fi/fantasy ones and tend to stick to things I can consume pretty quickly) All in all it's been quite fascinating.

~Dysole, posting in here in case people give him updates on something that he'll find fascinating
 
My own favorite Miyazaki so far is indeed Spirited Away, which is so bizarre that it makes me uncomfortable. I saw a good parody on a scene from it once, I think on The Simpson's!

There's something about watching communications, most especially Fantasy or Sci Fi, made from an 'alien' culture (Japan, heavily influenced by preCommunist China), that bad translations/dubs just make seem an even more wonderful mixture of real and unreal...and can open up a receptive mind in pretty unusual ways. (Even when they are some times trying to copy us to some degree).

If you're looking at the good stuff, you can definitely get some experiences from another dimension, which is what art is all about.
 
Dysole: Check out Gantz( sci-fi) and Berserk(fantasy) and the
tt2210479
.
Both are based off of manga. Both are for adults in case little ones may be around.
Unfortunately both are incomplete in the sense that the story continues in the manga.
Gantz also has a live action version.

Miyazaki is incredible and pretty much everything he made is worth a watch.
Pom Poko(1994) Shape shifting racoons.
Porco Rosso(1992) WWI fighter pilot cursed to look like a pig.
Lupin III(1979) directorial debut. This anime was used to create a laser disc video game, Cliffhanger(1983)(like Dragon's Lair).
On your Mark(1995) 7 minute short.
http://vk.com/video147739517_164786458
 
Almost a year since the last post. Let's bring this up as I'm out looking for new animes to watch.

My personal faves:
Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli... Spirited Away; My Neighbor, Totoro; Howl's Moving Castle; Laputa, Castle in the Sky; Pricess Mononoke and lots more. I actually have a 4-Disc DVD Miyazaki Collection.
Masamune Shirow... Ghost in the Shell; Appleseed (there's 3 animes for this title)
Cowboy Beebop, Akira and Evangelion.
...and then I couldn't remember any other anime movies.

As for series, the lesser known Phantom (just 1 season), Attack on Titan, watch a few Gundam series but they never really grasp me. I feel that those series from the 80's were better, like Star Blazers, Danguard Ace and Macross.
 
Animeflower

How I'd rank the animes I've seen. (Just alphabetical within tier, no ranks)

Tier 1:

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Tier 2:

Attack on Titan
The Miyazaki films I've seen
Puella Magi Madoka Magicka
Soul Eater

Tier 3:

Code Geass
Cowboy Bebop
Death Note
Fullmetal Alchemist
Trigun


~Dysole, who is probably going to watch Sword Art Online or Deadman Wonderland next
 
In Da Brotherhood

It's a series that follows the manga very closely.

~Dysole, finding it one of the most satisfying endings ever
 
Just started getting into Anime...and I have to say, I'm hooked!

Burned through Sword Art Online over a weekend and love it! Just finished Death Note, and while that was mentally exhausting...it was still very good.

I'm now onto Fullmetal Alchemist and loving that as well!

Any other anime suggestions?
 
Just a few that I have enjoyed:

Mirai Nikki

Naruto

Naruto Shippuden

Black Butler

Shakugan no Shana

FLCL (Fooly Cooly)

Elfen Lied (not for kids)

Claymore

And, of course, you all have already mentioned many great ones.
 
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Sir Heroscape said:
Just started getting into Anime...and I have to say, I'm hooked!

Burned through Sword Art Online over a weekend and love it! Just finished Death Note, and while that was mentally exhausting...it was still very good.

I'm now onto Fullmetal Alchemist and loving that as well!

Any other anime suggestions?
Click to expand...
Wasn't a huge SAO fan; though you can see Digibro's youtube analysis for why.

Death Note was fantastic, what a great ending too!

FMA I lost interest in, but then I started watching again, and once you reach the second season (episode 26) it starts to become really awesome.

Attack on Titan is one that I use for introducing people to anime; such a cool show. Good for new and old viewers alike.

If you want something in a similar vein to Death Note check out Code Geass; haven't finished yet but I'm loving it. It has a lot more action than DN, but still has the awesome Light-like main character in Lelouch.

And, of course, if you like Fullmetal Alchemist you'll love Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I finished FMA and haven't watched FMAB yet because there are some noticeable differences between the two, and I wanted to step back into that universe fresh again, which is why I'm now watching Code Geass.
 
Updated

Dysole said:
How I'd rank the animes I've seen. (Just alphabetical within tier, no ranks)

Tier 1:

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Tier 2:

Attack on Titan
Deadman Wonderland
The Miyazaki films I've seen
Puella Magi Madoka Magicka
Seven Deadly Sins
Soul Eater


Tier 3:

Code Geass
Cowboy Bebop
Death Note
Fullmetal Alchemist
Trigun

Tier 4:

Sword Art Online

~Dysole, who is probably going to watch Sword Art Online or Deadman Wonderland next
Click to expand...

~Dysole, debating several options for her next anime to watch
 
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