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Post by Hiro the Half-Elf on Nov 16, 2007 17:53:14 GMT -5
Basically, recommend an anime here!
The King of Braves: GaoGaiGar (49 Episode TV series, 8 Episode OVA [FINAL], various manga and novel sidestories): For any super robot fan (Or fans of lighthearted, hot-blooded courage in general), GaoGaiGar is basically a must-watch. The last animated series in Sunrise's long-running Brave series, GaoGaiGar is a fond callback to the heyday of 70's super robots, after Evangelion created a generation of super robot anime with dark, brooding overtones. A series initially created only to sell toys, GaoGaiGar's characters brought the show to life and created quite a large fanbase among older viewers, despite being a kid's show, and came to stand on its own feet. It's the kind of show where the heroes are real heroes.
Anonymous tells me that after episode 27 (All the episodes before are typical monster-of-the-week stuff, which is basically a staple of Super Robot anime), the rise to awesome is almost vertical.
If you honestly can't stand Monster-of-the-Week format, at least watch GaoGaiGar FINAL, which is made of awesome and hot blood.
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Post by Sirth on Nov 16, 2007 23:53:02 GMT -5
Mushishi (26 episodes, 1 live-action movie, 1 animated movie planned.)
If you are a fan of art, animation in general, or if you're a fan of biology, you owe yourself to watch Mushishi. The show is episodic in nature, as each episode has its own story, rather than building off one whole congruent plot. It centers around Ginko, a mushi master that travels everywhere to study the creatures only known as mushi, things that have lived since the dawn of time, and life at its purest form. Each mushi is different, from ones that inhabit your dreams, to ones that live in the sky and can make hail when there are no clouds. Each one has a story to tell, and each one is both believable and unbelievable. Each one is pure fantasy, of course, but the way they integrate with people's lives is interesting. But they aren't the main focus of the series. The focus is the people that come into contact with the mushi. Each has a tragic story to tell, centering on their meetings or interactions with the mushi. It may be something in their past, or something in the present. This may make the series rather gloomy, but all stories get resolved in one way or another, usually with them going on with their lives. All stories get resolved with either the direct or indirect help of Ginko. He himself probably has a past to tell, although I haven't seen it as a focus yet. As for the art, it's up their with the likes of KyoAni and Makoto Shinkai, and that's saying something. Simple character designs allow for top-notch animation, or at least a good deal of it more than the norm, and the designs are still done well and look more realistic while keeping that anime/ drawn feel. The animation is smooth and very well done. The backgrounds, however, really stand out. They feel like really detailed paintings. Local also differ from forests to mountains to sea-side villages. You'll be in relative awe of everything. The music is also soft and pleasant to listen to. Traditional Japanese instruments make up most of the music used, and each of the endings for the episodes are beautiful. The opening fits and doesn't fit. While the series takes place in old Japan, the music is in English in the style of a folk song. The English is somewhat out there, but considering the essence of Mushishi being like a group of folk stories, the folk-style of the opening fits well with the series.
Overall, Mushishi is a very intellectual piece. I believe it would really sit well with the art crowd, or anyone looking for an interesting and mature animated show.
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Post by miken-chan on Nov 16, 2007 23:53:18 GMT -5
*following in suit*
I hope you all can stand my horrible summarizing:
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (Gainax) (27 ep -- Rumored/announced sequel in 2 years) Setting: AU Earth
A super-robot anime -- with colorful characters, vibrant art and some wonderful effects, the visuals definitely do stun, but let's not forget about the plot. Well, we have Kamina, the spirit behind the hero and Simon, our hero -- who goes through many changes throughout the story and shines brighter than any star! The music is fun to listen to too~ The story starts out with a more "generic shonen" feel at first, but it expands to include political tension and universe-sized conflicts.
In the end, you can't defeat pure ridiculous spirit and amazing Mecha fights~
Le Chevalier d'Eon - (Production I.G.) (24 Ep) Setting: Earth -- 18th Century (?) France + England/Russia
Our main character, d'Eon has quite a dilemma...His dead (and angry) sister periodically possesses him to bring revenge to those who killed her. With "psalms" as a way of fighting, you can expect a lot of historical references (and inaccuracies) with lots of bible quotes and latin. The enemies, "Poets" utilize psalms to turn humans to "Gargoyles" as well as other nefarious deeds.
Our hero is supported by a 3 friends, Durand, Robin and Teillagory -- Together, they become the "Four Musketeers".
The visuals are very good, though some points (like going up/down stairs) look a bit awkward. Even so, I love their rendition of the Hall of Mirrors~
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Post by a745 on Nov 17, 2007 6:48:32 GMT -5
Currently watching this on Animax. Awesome show ^_^/
Clannad From Key, the creators of Kanon, Kanon 2006 and Air TV. Art-wise, it's very similar to Air and Kanon. Color and animation wise, it's as smooth as Suzumiya Haruhi's, so you won't get tired looking at it (although it sometimes hurts my eyes from too much brightness).
The story revolves around Okazaki Tomoya's boring life. When his mom died, his father did nothing but forget about work and drink alcohol, so he's been pretty much fending off for himself. During this one day, he meets a girl called Furukawa Nagisa, who had to repeat her year because of being away from sickness years ago. She wants to join the Theatre club, but it was disbanded long ago. With Tomoya, who helps her because he's bored with his recurring life, they decide to revive the Theatre club. During these times together with everyone, he realizes that there are a lot of unique people in the world. Basically, he starts to change.
The humor here is simply funny. It's a must-watch.
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Post by Hiro the Half-Elf on Nov 17, 2007 15:33:39 GMT -5
I apologize, but I don't have much to say this time.
Trigun (26 episode TV series) Genre (Stolen directly from Wikipedia): Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction, Science fiction western, Space Western, Steampunk.
Trigun is, on the surface, a lighthearted adventure starring a goofy gunslinger with a bounty on his head, and a pair of women working with an insurance company following him (To prevent him from causing damages and costing their company money). The planet, Gunsmoke, is a barren and dead wasteland, wherein the people are sustained by ancient pieces of technology known as Plants.
Trigun quickly creates a number of noir overtones, contrasting the lighthearted air of the show.
Uh, I don't have anything else to say. It's a classic, go watch it.
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Post by Binary on Nov 17, 2007 16:03:27 GMT -5
Genshiken (24 episodes TV series, 3-episode OVA, 9 volumes manga)
Genshiken (Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyūkai) is a college club at Shiiou University. It is a club for students that share hobbies and interests such as watching anime, reading manga, playing video games, cosplaying and building plamos. The series begin with a shy college freshman Kanji Sasahara joining Genshiken. As he grows older, he becomes more self confident and determined. Saki Kasukabe, the only normal girl in the club, hates otaku, even though her boyfriend Makoto Kousaka is one. At first she's only hanging out in Genshiken so she can be close to Kousaka, but later on she starts to like Genshiken and it's members. Hanging out in the club room, participating in group activities, developing their friendship. That's what Genshiken is all about.
Genshiken is an astonishing slice of life comedy anime/manga that concentrates on the lifestyle of otaku. I highly recommend Genshiken to everyone who seeks to experience an anime with a warm, pleasant atmosphere and likable characters.
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Post by Sirth on Nov 17, 2007 20:39:11 GMT -5
A, your recommendation of Clannad is very lacking. If I did it, it'd be something like this, though I'd first need to see all of it.
Kanon (2006) (Remake of one made in 2002. 24 episodes.)
For those looking for a traditional harem series... look elsewhere. For those looking for a romantic melodrama taking place in winter, with various fantasy and realistic elements, and realistic comedy centering around interactions rather than slapstick or fan service, with a calming style that'll relax your senses, this is the show for you. The show centers around Yuuichi Aizawa. He has come back to a town he hasn't been to for 7 years, and does not remember much at all about it. However, a fateful encounter will start to unlock some of those memories, and they test his ability to retain any shred of his happiness. The reason why I don't know if traditional harem fans would like this because the only similarities with such series is the one guy having several girls fall in love with him, and again some either consider him something of a big brother, a friend, or an equal. Though comedic, it has a much, much deeper story to tell. The comedy, though, is mostly centered around Yuuichi's interactions with the girls he meets, rather than traditional slapstick or fan service. Hell, you tell me there's fan service, I have to dig deep into the series to find ANY, AND contemplate whether or not it can COUNT. Frankly, I find the comedy in this series to be much, much funnier than what traditional slapstick and fan service can do. Yuuichi, however, is the biggest break from tradition. A loser he is not. A wimp he is not. A rug he is not. Yuuichi is a sarcastic and intelligent person, and at the same time is inquisitive and caring. Although he tends to make fun of the rest of the cast, he does not try to push them away. In fact, he attempts to find out who they are and why they do what they do. He is very out-going, which may be why he is able to mesh well with each of them. He also does not act like a player or a pimp, not letting the idea most of his friends are female, and that they all like him, get to his head. And in Mai's arc, you learn the man is definitely NOT a wimp. Each girl could seem like they have cookie-cutter personalities, but as the show goes on, you notice that they become much more three-dimensional as you learn about their own pasts, worries, and strife. The emotions you feel for them is because each has a deeper personality than what you first see, and you care for them more as you learn about them. They also vary from each other. Mai is a quiet person, but very strong. Ayu is rather childish, but more mature than the bratty Makoto, who hates Yuuichi for some reason. Nayuki is always sleepy, but is head of the track team. Shiori, the walking pharmacy who's always sick, is rather normal, but thinks nothing of eating ice cream outside in the middle of winter. She's also a "pro" at whack-a-mole. The anime also emphasizes the series' namesake, a canon, musical pieces building on one another one after the other. Though I think a slightly different order would of been better, the series sticks with that idea, as each arc builds on the other just like a traditional canon. You'll also notice this with Yuuichi, as the general melodrama it is, Yuuichi starts to lose some of his sarcastic personality as each arc begins and ends. The art style emphasizes that classic anime stereotype of big eyes and small mouths... but is done so damn well. They tend to emphasize the characters' emotions very well, and in most cases make them looking cuter than normal (It is a rather cute show.). But it never truly detracts from the show, as again, it was done very well. Animation and artwork is well done, and it rarely, if EVER, reverts to ANY kinds of budget cuts, usually chibi-fied artwork, speedlines, or other types of unrealistic ways to show emotion, besides the occasional sweat drop, and I'm straining to remember if I've seen that even. Backgrounds are beautiful, and are taken straight from real locations. The snow is beautifully done, which is good, as winter themes don't seem to be used much. Use of CG blends into the animation very well, and you'd be surprised by how good it blends into the show. Kyoto Animation is known for doing good work, and they may have done a better job here than they did in Haruhi Suzumiya, or even in the later made Clannad. But the opening... my God, the opening... if anything would tell you this series is going to be awesome, it is the opening. You owe it to yourself to watch the opening every time you watch an episode, even in a row. The opening is one of the single, most beautiful pieces of animation I have ever seen in my life. The animation is well done and works so well. The backgrounds and lighting used emphasize the series so much, and look so good. And the music... my God the music... Last Regrets will always, in my mind, be one of the most beautifully sung pieces, either English or Japanese, I may ever hear. None of my anime playlists -nay, none of my playlists PERIOD- would be complete without it. The music is noticeable, more so than in other productions. All music comes from the original game, and it varies from upbeat tunes to slow-paced and clam pieces. Synthesized is what I'd say, but orchestrated instruments dominate, especially the piano. Although possibly not noticeable in the anime, it is relatively well done. Very peaceful to listen to when you only want something to throw on randomly. The more emotional pieces are also very pretty to listen to. The song that the show gets its name from is also heard in the cafe seen a few times throughout the show.
Overall, Kanon is one of the single, most beautifully animated productions I have ever seen, and my favorite anime of all time. A perfect blend of emotional, comedic, and heartwarming stories, Kanon has a slow-style that tells you to relax and enjoy the ride. Straying from the traditional harem romance, the term cannot do the series proper justice. Though it can be called such a thing, calling the series a harem show is an insult to some people. It is much deeper than any harem show, or most anime series in general. Animation is top notch, writing is top notch, music is well done, and acting is well done. Kanon deserved its place in the top ten on ANN for however long it was able to stay there, and really does not deserve the hateful claims it gets for being considered a "moe" show. Hell, I could show this to kids, and I would think they'd take a liking to it. It may even expand their minds. Kanon will leave a lasting impression on you for a long time, more so than other series that I have been able to watch, even with similar emotions being felt.
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Post by Hiro the Half-Elf on Nov 18, 2007 17:25:48 GMT -5
^That's a bit long... Kinda makes my eyes water...
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Post by Sirth on Nov 18, 2007 19:29:44 GMT -5
^That's a bit long... Kinda makes my eyes water... What can I say? Kanon is my favorite series of all time now. Just don't let me write a serious review. It'd be even longer. Hell, I don't even think I touched on mood, and if you try to pay attention to the music when watching, it actually is rather noticeable and impressive. And on a second watch, you'll really start to notice the animation. They did a very excellent job on camera angles and artwork. Right, shutting up now before I make another massive post.
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Post by desenderterresia89 on Nov 19, 2007 10:55:16 GMT -5
for those who like the disney princess: I recamend kilala princess, It is about a girl who loves the disney princesses and she finds a cute guy named rei and now they both need to find the owner of the tiara which rei has. she and rei must go to diffrent worlds to find clues to who is the 7th princess
For those who like adventure: Kingdom hearts, Kindom hearts: chain of memories, Kingdom hearts 2. This trilogie is a good, clean, adventure story.. You all probably have heard of the games but now they are books!
Other: +anima here is some info they are beings who possess animal-like powers walk among humans in this alternate universe. These mysterious mutants, the +Anima, are shunned by society. Four outcasts in particular--Cooro, a boy with crow-like powers; Husky, a fish-boy; Senri, a bear +Anima; and a girl named Nana, who wields the power of the bat--search for others like themselves while trying to gain acceptance in a world cruel to anyone or anything that is different.
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Post by a745 on Nov 24, 2007 4:39:26 GMT -5
Sirth: True. I've only watched up to episode 7, so I don't really know much XD~ @binary: Hmm, seems interesting. -adds to list-
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Post by sukotsuto on Nov 24, 2007 18:33:08 GMT -5
To those of you who love the ultimate shonen brutal and ultraviolent shonen masterpiece:
Fist of the North Star / Hokuto no Ken - This show is about Kenshiro, the kickass sucessor of the ultimate assassin martial art, Hokuto Shinken, a martial art that makes opponent's head explode (literally) and many other totally pwnage techniques that involve awesomeness! The series is set in a post-apocalyptic nuclear war where nearly everywhere there are only barren wastelands and deserts, and all sorts steroidy muscley punks with mohawks terrorizing innocent villagers. You are guaranteed to see totally epic fights and badass scenes in the anime and manga of this series!
Yes that was my own description of the series ;D
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Post by Maon Samuel Muireadhach on Nov 26, 2007 10:41:34 GMT -5
Ghost Hunt - Watch at Crunchyroll
Speechless,nya.
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DarkRyu
Half-Elf
hows life?
Posts: 35
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Post by DarkRyu on Dec 13, 2007 23:43:23 GMT -5
Fate/Stay Night
(Summary taken from Anime News Network) Shirou Emiya lost his parents in a fire when he was young and was later adopted by a sorceror by the name of Kiritsugu Emiya. Although he was full of admiration for his adopted father and yearns to become an ally of justice, Shirou has limited powers and was unable to become a strong sorceror like his father. That is until one fateful day, he was drawn into the Holy Grail War and had to summon a female "Servant" known as Saber in order to protect himself. It turns out that the Holy Grail War involves a series of battles among powerful sorcerors to fight for the possession of a relic that will grant one's wishes, the Holy Grail. There are altogether seven "Masters" who can summon their respective "Servants" from different classes known as Saber, Archer, Rider, Berserker, Lancer, Caster and Assasin. These "Servants" have to hide their names in order not to reveal their weaknesses to the enemies. The story revolves around Shirou and his entanglement in the Holy Grail War.
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Post by ciregoku on Jan 19, 2009 2:21:14 GMT -5
Ruroni Kenshin: After the fall of the tokugawa shogunite dynasty of Japan, a new government has taken over. However, even after the Maji revolution was founded, there are still those who cling to the old world of the tokugawa regeim. One man, Kenshin Hemura, who once fought in the revolution as Batousi the Manslayer, vows to protect the Maji government and end war in Japan by protecting people with his swordsmenship
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