04-23-2011, 11:47 AM | #2276 |
時の彼方へ
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Posts: 20,578
|
On the way home, I realized that it's almost been nine years since Chobits first came out on television in Summer 2002. For some perspective, when I started Chobits in November 2003, the show was less than one-and-a-half years old at that time while the "classic" Neon Genesis Evangelion, having aired in Fall 1995, had just turned eight years old. That is to say, Chobits is now older to someone who is just starting down the anime fandom path in 2011 than Evangelion was old to me who was starting down the anime fandom path in 2003. (I had seen multiple anime TV shows and films prior to 2003, of course, but you know what I mean.)
To me, that's just crazy. Someone who recommended Chobits to me in November 2003 would have been recommending "last year's hit" whereas someone recommending Chobits today in April 2011 is recommending something which is nearly a decade old and which many newcomers are likely to see as an old fossil. Consider my reaction to this a mix of XD and .
__________________
|
04-23-2011, 02:02 PM | #2277 |
Volcano Badge
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,878
|
I'm keeping in the magical girl spirit and have watched two magical girl OVAs.
Puni Puni Poemy- When I read the description of it on ANN, I instantly decided I had to watch it: "Poemi Watanabe (a.k.a. Kobayashi) is a 10-year-old girl with aspirations of being a famous voice actress. Unfortunately, her school grades are bad and her voice acting is even worse. But when a mysterious alien kills her parents and wreaks havoc all over Tokyo, Poemi grabs a talking fish, skins it into a wand and becomes the magical girl Puni Puni Poemi to save the day." From the description alone, it sounds amazing. Unfortunately, the description is about the only funny thing about the show. Most of the show just tried to rely on pure hyperactivity. I mean, the jokes weren't annoying, but they weren't that funny either. The most the show got out of me was a few chuckles. Dai Mahou Touge- Similar to Puni Puni Poemi, I watched the opening to this and instantly decided I had to watch it. It's a short magical girl comedy OVA like Puni Puni Poemi, but instead of relying on references and hyperactivity to pull off the jokes, this show relies on pure brutality and cruelty. Since I like those kind of jokes, I thought Dai Mahou Touge was downright amazing. I love how everything from the magical world passes itself off as cute and adorable, but ends up being the most brutal thing ever. This show is badass, cute, and hilarious all mixed into one disappointingly short OVA series. |
04-23-2011, 03:10 PM | #2278 | |
The Path of Now & Forever
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
|
Quote:
If you like [the second show you mentioned but is too difficult to check on the Wii], you should look for Beat to Death Angel Dokuro-chan. I had actually mistaken your description for it. |
|
04-23-2011, 04:36 PM | #2279 |
Dragon's Tears
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,469
|
Back from Animé Boston. It was a blast. Best part was going to see the AMV contest early and watching a bunch of nostalgic Ouran videos (probably the only series my friend recognized), ranging from cute to extremely creepy (I can never look at Tamaki or plushies the same way again x.X). We then spent an hour running around the Dealer's Room playing "spot the Usa-chan" and shouting "Don't touch me!" whenever we saw a plushie or backpack - deducting points for pink bunny look-alikes. Which prompted me to purchase my own big Usa-chan plushie so I can touch - I mean hug the poor thing whenever I want. X3 *touchuggle*
Other than that, we wandered around the Artist's Alley and my friend picked up a V for Vendetta-themed My Little Pony figure she reserved yesterday. XD She's not really into animé anymore, so the only other stuff she bought were an anti-Twilight and a Bones/Star Trek shirt. She did wear an adorable Piplup hat she got yesterday though. (I can never find any Corsola-themed merchandise, let alone a fluffy hat or plushie. ;.; ) We also stopped by the "Hyakunin Kuizu" (Family Feud) event. Despite both of us being out of touch with animé, we were pleased to find some of the questions were even easy enough for us to answer, so we considered volunteering to play. Didn't get there early enough though. Oh, well. It was still fun to watch - especially some of the weird answers people gave. XP Newsflash: Mangafox apparently streams animé legally now. =O And no animé fan's room is complete without a body pillow - hardy har har. Sushi is also a popular food choice for enjoying with animé. *nod nod* I was surprised there weren't a lot of TMoHS cosplayers. Saw a number of Mikurus in the morning, which was even more surprising - didn't think she was that popular. Although while waiting in line to register I thought I saw a girl dressed up in a kimono and hairstyle strikingly similar to Haruhi's from the fourth E8 episode. A few more North High Haruhis showed up later in the afternoon, but amazingly we didn't run into a single Yuki, with or without glasses. The only Disappearance-related merchandise we could find were a couple Haruhi figures, a chef Asakura (*shudder* Of all things), and one small glasses-Yuki. Has no one besides us in this area seen/know of the movie yet? I don't even remember seeing any general Haruhi product displays. Did season two hurt sales in America that badly? Or is this a common trend with series' popularity in-between English releases? I didn't go last year, so I don't know how prevalent Haruhiism was in comparison, or in previous years. Was a little surprised at first that I didn't see any PSG cosplays, but they started showing up one by one. My second friend arrived later with a group of his other friends, and one of them asked where the characters were from. It was kinda embarrassing to be the only one who knew. -^^-; I actually recommended it to the second friend, since I'm pretty sure he's the kind of guy who'd like it. Also of non-animé-related note was a MLP Twilight Sparkle cosplay (see current avatar). And Tetris blocks. On the animé end, there were the usual old familiar faces, including Pokémon - although one creative guy had made a set of armor using trading cards. I did pass a Miria from Baccano!, which was cool. Then of course there were a bunch of new ones I don't recognize, as well as some that I do after this year's long marathon - I think I even saw a Paprika sitting in the hallway. And so I guess that wraps up a year of returning to my otaku roots. Not too shabby, I think. I doubt I'll have much more to report in this thread for a while (aside from Kobato which I've decided to take home), so I bid you fellows adieu for now. Now, time to curl up with my Usa-chan and hit the sack- I mean books. XP ...Hm, wonder what my roommate would think if she came back tomorrow morning and found me sleeping with a giant pink bunny? ^^; *Usa-chan waves bye* "Don't touch me!" P.S. I will write a reply to the AnoHana thread later, Talon, once I've recharged some energy to debate. x.X *is exhausted*
__________________
|
04-23-2011, 04:47 PM | #2280 |
The Path of Now & Forever
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
|
Tetris block cosplayers are awesome. Especially when they all connect. If not, learn2tetris. You only went for one day?
|
04-23-2011, 04:53 PM | #2282 |
時の彼方へ
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Posts: 20,578
|
That is creepy, Doppel. o.o; Clearly an homage to whatever Yuki was referring to. (I thought she was referring to Usagi or Chibi Usagi from Sailor Moon until she posted the actual plush pink rabbit doll. Then I got confused. )
__________________
|
04-23-2011, 05:16 PM | #2283 | |
我が名は勇者王!
|
Why does everyone think that?
Quote:
... So, AnimeBoston and SakuraCon take place concurrently? Or are they different names for the same con?
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望 今 信じあえる あきらめない 心かさね 永遠を抱きしめて |
|
04-23-2011, 05:19 PM | #2284 |
The Path of Now & Forever
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
|
I don't know DCD. Is Anime Boston in Seattle, Washington?
|
04-23-2011, 06:00 PM | #2285 | |
Dragon's Tears
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,469
|
Quote:
And I only went for one day since I have finals next week and I really need to study. x.x Usa-chan is Honey's rabbit plushie from Ouran. I think its localized name in the manga was Bun-Bun. Although Usa-chan could be pretty creepy too at times. I wish I had a camera so I could post pics. My second friend brought one, but at that point my first friend and I were tired as we'd been there since morning, so we left soon after. It was worth it to come early though since I didn't have to wait in line long.
__________________
|
|
04-23-2011, 06:01 PM | #2286 |
我が名は勇者王!
|
I don't know either. Several East Coast folks I know [online] went to SakuraCon, and IIRC AnimeExpo and Fanime, which are both California cons, have competed with one another in the past.
... OMG, my inner fangirl is coming out. She's a chest-burster, just like the beasties from Alien! Kyaa~ ah.. *cough* >_> To explain...Tegami Bachi now has two legitimate ships, Lag x Sylvette and Lag x Niche. Lag x Niche is kind of like man and dog, so I'm not for it. But there's a lot in favour of Lag x Sylvette - 1. They're the same age. 2. Lag has a good understanding of Sylvette before they even met. 3. Lag flirted with the idea of hooking up with Sylvette when they were both 7 years old and hadn't met. 4. In the present, they have good chemistry. 5. Sylvette's precious older brother is a good friend of Lag. 6. Both characters are more mature and less mature than each other in different ways, unlike Niche who is immature in general. 7. Lag made a manly promise to Sylvette, and demonstrated his dedication. Since they're both 12, doesn't that make them children still? So isn't it a childhood promise? It's not a romance at this point, but a bud that could blossom in the future. It's really sweet to watch.
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望 今 信じあえる あきらめない 心かさね 永遠を抱きしめて Last edited by Doppleganger; 04-23-2011 at 06:19 PM. |
04-23-2011, 06:29 PM | #2287 | |
時の彼方へ
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Posts: 20,578
|
Quote:
Doppel, you know I'm right about the creepy bunny when even your characters are saying it looks creepy. (Dude, in the latest photo you posted, it looks like it has fly eyes minus the multiple facets of their compound lenses! >_<)
__________________
|
|
04-23-2011, 06:33 PM | #2288 | |
Dragon's Tears
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,469
|
Quote:
And yes, he does look and act very much like Momiji from Fruits Basket. I imagine the mangaka drew inspiration from his character.
__________________
|
|
04-23-2011, 06:42 PM | #2289 |
我が名は勇者王!
|
Ouran started out as an over-the-top parody of shoujou manga that mellowed out into a serious story toward the end. I'm not surprised Furuba characters made in it, I myself always thought Mori looked a lot like HanaDan's Domyouji.
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望 今 信じあえる あきらめない 心かさね 永遠を抱きしめて |
04-23-2011, 06:51 PM | #2290 |
Dragon's Tears
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,469
|
That's what I love about Ouran. The characters all seemed shallow and cliché at first, which was entertaining, but then they also turned out to be quite interesting and human. I enjoy both sides of the story - the silly and the serious. There's a reason why it surpassed TMoHS as my top favorite series for a while. (Again, it's personal.)
__________________
|
04-23-2011, 06:58 PM | #2291 |
The Path of Now & Forever
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
|
That's how most shows work. They start off happy-happy and get people to like and enjoy seeing their favorite characters. Then they drop the bomb and turn it as harsh and ugly as they feel and know the viewers will keep watching because they've already been hooked by the beginning fun episodes.
Good examples of shows using this formula: -My HiME -Code Geass -Ouran Man Whore Club -Chrono Crusade -Shakugan No Shana The list goes on. It's part of the reason why I'm willing to endure some rather bad shows in hopes they will get better by the end. Sadly, not all of them do. And even sadder yet, some shows end up worse because of their ending... |
04-23-2011, 07:07 PM | #2292 | |
Dragon's Tears
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,469
|
Quote:
Anyway, like I said, there's an extra ingredient in Ouran that seals my love for the series. In fact, it was pretty much a single quote in the final episode preview (not even in the show itself) that clinched the deal for me.
__________________
|
|
04-23-2011, 08:14 PM | #2293 |
The Path of Now & Forever
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
|
Curious question LBC, feel free to not answer, but do you plan to do any cosplay at your next con? I know my Spider-man outfit was awesome.
|
04-24-2011, 12:05 AM | #2294 | |
Dragon's Tears
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,469
|
Quote:
I wasn't sure if I was even going to AB this year and by the time I was I wouldn't have had time to make/order a costume. If I did I probably would've gone as Yuki, since my hair's not long enough for Disappearance Haruhi anymore (though it's growing back). I'm actually kinda glad I didn't, since I think I would've felt out of place among all the Mikurus and Haruhis today. ^^; Seriously, I'm amazed there were no moe meganekkos roaming around. Were they too shy to come out or something? I really hope the date changes next year so the con's not right before finals. x.X Kuno couldn't come either because it's Easter weekend.
__________________
|
|
04-24-2011, 12:15 AM | #2295 |
The Path of Now & Forever
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
|
Yeah, that's why I always liked Otakon. It was the dead middle of summer. Problem is- it's in Baltimore. Once you leave the touristy portside areas, you hit shit town. No joke. Shit town. Last time I went, a friend of mine booked the hotel across town and there was a hooker in the hallway to our room. And not a good one either. I think she was a man.
|
04-24-2011, 05:20 PM | #2296 |
我が名は勇者王!
|
Finished Tegami Bachi's first season. It's an OK show, but not great. Got pretty repetitive and formulaic, and Lag is a huge crybaby. He sniffs and wails every episode, without fail. He's worse than Takeru because he doesn't try to hold it in, or even hold back.
Something that strikes me funny is the bounty of single, young women living by themselves. Of course there's Lag x Sylvette, but this girl, Ann, walks up to Zazie, confirms they're the same age, and suddenly INSTANT LOVE LINE. It's almost like selecting partners for a project in middle school, it's that casual. I guess with Gaichuu running around, there's even fewer men than in Alternative, so there must be competition for bagging a Tegami Bachi guy.
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望 今 信じあえる あきらめない 心かさね 永遠を抱きしめて |
04-25-2011, 12:30 AM | #2297 |
Volcano Badge
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,878
|
In hopes of finding something that compares to Dai Mahou Touge, I checked out Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan. After checking it out, I dropped it after the first episode. All the jokes are too hyperactive and forced. Dokuro pales in comparison to Dai Mahou Touge. Dokuro is mostly hyperactive over the top violence. Touge is about tyranny and cruelty. So while Dokuro has the main girl going "BAKA!" and clubbing a guy for walking in on her while she's changing, Touge has a girl who nearly crushes a dog's skull with a submission hold in order to make him her mascot. Dokuro herself annoyed the piss out of me as well. She's just another freaking Index, except her childish fits end in violence.
Here's a good scene from Dai Mahou Touge. It's not one of the show's best scenes, but it still gets across how badass and funny the show is. It'd be better if the mushroom didn't look like a penis though. Last edited by big bad birtha; 04-25-2011 at 03:14 AM. |
04-25-2011, 07:16 AM | #2298 |
我が名は勇者王!
|
I'm surprised you weren't familiar with Dokuro, BBB. That show is so famous I didn't even think to bring it up or comment on Loki's suggestion. It definitely is a one-episode show, and only for the shock at the unbelievable and disproportionate violence.
I had Words Worth flashbacks. -_-
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望 今 信じあえる あきらめない 心かさね 永遠を抱きしめて |
04-25-2011, 09:15 AM | #2299 |
時の彼方へ
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Posts: 20,578
|
The Twelve Kingdoms:
Finished this one last night. In the end, I would say that this was a good show. It had the makings of greatness but for whatever reasons -- be it the too-high expectations it couldn't live up to, be it the sometimes slow pace, be it the ridiculous similarity to Fushigi Yuugi and the fact that Fushigi Yuugi was the one I was exposed to first, I don't know -- the series did not ultimately feel great to me. The highest I ever rated it on MyAnimeList was an 8/10, which is indicative of good things, but it fell down to 7/10 pretty shortly after and it stayed there the entire rest of the way. I think the biggest factor in determining whether you'll love this show or merely find it okay is how much you enjoy the universe the author crafted. To me, it didn't feel all that special. To a friend of mine who thinks this is the best anime ever made, I'm certain he'd sign up for a $20/mo MMORPG account instantly were an MMO for this story ever made. I think that's it -- whether you really respect the world this author created or whether you feel like you've seen or imagined better -- which played a big part in my feeling the story, while good, was not epic. Gintama: Watched episode 204 of Gintama', still looking to see if anyone's got a batch for 001-201. 204 was quite quite good. If I rated 202 a 10/10 and 203 a 9/10, I'd rate 204 an 8/10 or a 9/10. Considering most shows don't enjoy that consistency of awesomeness back-to-back three weeks in a row, I have to wonder: * is it because I'm still new to the show and the honeymoon will eventually end? * is it because the new season's just started and they wanted to open it up with a bang, using some of their best material they wrote while on hiatus? * or is it because the show is generally this good and it's totally freakin' awesome like that? We'll just have to wait and see. In the episode, Gin and the others make fun of New Year's cards in the first half of the show and Valentine's Day chocolate in the second half of the show. The New Year's cards in Japan are similar to Christmas cards over here: you send cards to everyone you know, some people may include photographs of their families or tell you something new about themselves (job, house, etc). So Gintama had a humorous take on that. In the second half they poked fun at the sympathizable dilemma a lot of shy women face on Valentine's Day. It's hard to tell what message, if any, the writers ultimately had for this one. I think more than anything it was just supposed to be a humorous opportunity to see the characters placed in a situation which perhaps they've never been in before. Although I must say I'll be quite surprised if they've never had a Valentine's Day episode before now. (The way it was told, though, it sure felt like it was the first: because basically Kagura, who is an alien, was learning about Valentine's Day from Otae and it seemed like it was her first time.)
__________________
|
04-25-2011, 11:46 AM | #2300 | |
Volcano Badge
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,878
|
Quote:
As far as Gintama batches go, I had to settle with a mixed subs batch. Large popular shows like Gintama almost never have batches with a single sub group. The One Piece batch I used was horrible about that. |
|
Lower Navigation | ||||||
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|