[Luc0s]

Perhaps there has already been a discussion about this. I'm sure there is. But rather than necromancing an old topic, I decided to make this topic.


So, Japanese anime and manga... we've all heard of it, right? Some hate it, some love it and some love to hate it. I'm personally not a fan of Japanese anime or manga in general, but there are a few series that I really love with the bottom of my heart. One of them is One Piece.



I love One Piece because the characters in that anime feel so real. They're true characters with true personalities and interesting characteristics and personal histories. I also love the whole pirate and adventure vipe that is going on in One Piece. What I find super funny is that One Piece mixes old pirate themes with modern industrial technology, creating some wacky alternative universe where everyone still sails on old wooden sailing ships, yet they have modern guns, TVs, phones and walky-talkies in the shape of snails. It's crazy, but super cool at the same time.


But yeah, that's just me. What do you guys think? What is your opinion on Japanese anime and manga? Which anime or manga series do you love or hate and why?

[Grindif]

While I am not an anime enthusiast, there have been a few series that I really enjoyed. Aside from the ones that almost everyone has seen (Death Note, Cowboy Bepop, Ghost in the Shell etc.), I have really enjoyed Soul Eater. It has some of the best animation I have ever seen, excellent music, and has an original style (rarity among anime). I also really like it because it is not afraid to poke fun at the tropes that appear in the anime, while getting surprisingly deep as it goes on, and it has a real conclusion - unlike many other series that needlessly go on for few hundred episodes.

What is it about?
It is about the teams of grim reapers, that learn their "craft" at school, while also hunting souls and witches that cause and spread chaos in attempt to free "insane god". Every team is made of an actual reaper, and their partner that can turn into a weapon - a "scythe" - and consume souls.

1st episode for anyone interested
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=apzgClzK-7w

[Bloth]

Not my kind of thing, when my nephew was younger however he used to throw a right wobbler when i'd take the piss out of his "poxy mons". Many's the time i'd duck mid tirade and he'd ask me why, to be told that I was trying to avoid the dummy he'd just spat out. He was similarly touchy about that Metal Gear Solid thing, but honestly if you're going to call a person Revolver Ocelot, then i'm going to rip the michael out of it.

What's next Kalashnikov Orangutan, Hechler & Koch Lemur, Colt Three Toed Tree Sloth, Magnum Monkey? (actually that's not bad).

[Luc0s]

Grindif said:

While I am not an anime enthusiast, there have been a few series that I really enjoyed. Aside from the ones that almost everyone has seen (Death Note, Cowboy Bepop, Ghost in the Shell etc.), I have really enjoyed Soul Eater. It has some of the best animation I have ever seen, excellent music, and has an original style (rarity among anime). I also really like it because it is not afraid to poke fun at the tropes that appear in the anime, while getting surprisingly deep as it goes on, and it has a real conclusion - unlike many other series that needlessly go on for few hundred episodes.

What is it about?
It is about the teams of grim reapers, that learn their "craft" at school, while also hunting souls and witches that cause and spread chaos in attempt to free "insane god". Every team is made of an actual reaper, and their partner that can turn into a weapon - a "scythe" - and consume souls.

1st episode for anyone interested
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=apzgClzK-7w ›››

I've seen Soul Eater. While it is a nice anime, it does not do the manga justice. Lots of people were telling me the manga of Soul Eater is better, and it is.

But you're right, the animation in Soul Eater is extremely smooth and high quality. I like that.

[slimgrin]

Definitely a love or hate thing, even for a fan like myself. I like my anime grounded and lacking any tentacle curiosities, genre mash-ups, or worse yet, mech fights. As soon as giant robots appear I'm done. So I mostly stick with dramas and the like:

-Tokyo godfathers
-Gunslinger Girl
-Ghost in the Shell
-Grave of the Fireflies
-Noir
-Monster

[▫ Dona ▫]

We do have threads for anime and manga/comics, but both of them ended on weird notes, so a fresh start sounds good.

I've said it before, but I rarely watch episodic series because I tend to binge on them. One I start, there's no stopping, and that can be a massive time eater. The last anime I've seen is Toradora! - very beautiful 'slice of life' series - and that was almost two years ago. Other favourites are Fullmetal Alchemist (yeaaah, seen both series, the original was much better, although Brotherhood had its moments), Visions of Escaflowne and Serial Experiments LAIN. I'm probably missing some here. I have to agree with Slim, Tokyo Godfathers is awesome

Blothulfur said:

He was similarly touchy about that Metal Gear Solid thing, but honestly if you're going to call a person Revolver Ocelot, then i'm going to rip the michael out of it.

What's next Kalashnikov Orangutan, Hechler & Koch Lemur, Colt Three Toed Tree Sloth, Magnum Monkey? (actually that's not bad). ›››

Anyone who is taking MGS seriously is doing it wrong. Your names are much better than what is in the actual games.

[Luc0s]

Dona ☼ said:

Other favourites are Fullmetal Alchemist (yeaaah, seen both series, the original was much better, although Brotherhood had its moments), ›››

Wow, you actually thought the original FMA anime was better than Brotherhood?

I think Brotherhood was better, because Brotherhood stays true to the manga, while the first FMA anime had nothing to do with the manga at all. Only the first few episodes of the original FMA were close the the manga, but after about 10 episodes, the entire story in the anime got sidetracked. I'm glad they made FMA: Brotherhood to fix that and finally give the FMA manga en proper anime adaptation.

I did like the first FMA anime, but in the end I have to say I find Brotherhood vastly superior.

[Luc0s]

slimgrin said:

Definitely a love or hate thing, even for a fan like myself. I like my anime grounded and lacking any tentacle curiosities, genre mash-ups, or worse yet, mech fights. As soon as giant robots appear I'm done. So I mostly stick with dramas and the like:

-Tokyo godfathers
-Gunslinger Girl
-Ghost in the Shell
-Grave of the Fireflies
-Noir
-Monster ›››

You would probably hate One Piece then. Not sure if you ever gave it a try. Though One Piece does not have tentacle curiosities or mech fights, it is a big genre mash-up, mixing comedy with adventure, action and drama.

Speaking of mech fights: People who remember (and recognized) my previous avatar, will know that I'm a big fan of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, the coolest mecha anime ever in my opinion.


I love the style and story in Gurren Lagann. The mech designs in this anime are super cool too:

[▫ Dona ▫]

Luc0s said:

Wow, you actually thought the original FMA anime was better than Brotherhood?

Yeah. Well, in some aspects anyway. The characters were somehow better, I think they spent more time exploring them? I remember bawling my eyes out on the Hughes episode. In Brotherhood it just felt underwhelming. But overall, Brotherhood feels more "epic", the art is better and so is music. And there's Olivier! ♥ But emotional attachment is important to me, so the original wins.

Re: Mechas, I have a weird relationship with those. I have little interest in robots. In fact, some terrify me (you won't catch me watching Transformers x_x), but then again some of my favourite childhood cartoons were mecha animes - Voltron, first and foremost, and then Granzort. Don't ask me about the plot of those because I don't remember anything besides "robots blow shit up". I LOVED the mecha designs in Escaflowne, though, and they're cool because they're essentially just oversized armour.

[Luc0s]

Dona, you might want to check out Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann if you haven't already. Judging on your last comment, I have the feeling you're going to love that series.

[Sirnaq]

Luc0s said:

Dona, you might want to check out Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann if you haven't already. Judging on your last comment, I have the feeling you're going to love that series. ›››

Gurren Laggan - entry level s... naah it's actually decent anime. I love Gintama btw if you couldn't tell by my avatar.

[slimgrin]

I don't like Gurran laggan, I tried it...giant robots, tons of them. Fuck that. How many giant robot anime's do we need, it's ridiculous. I don't even like Evangelion - I hate it with a passion. There's a border between creative invention and the impulse to impinge on one's creation. Evangelion is a study in neurosis. I don't need to know this much about the creator. It's unnecessary and a departure from the plot. It's pure ego. I quit that series in disgust.

[Luc0s]

slimgrin said:

I don't like Gurran laggan, I tried it...giant robots, tons of them. Fuck that. How many giant robot anime's do we need, it's ridiculous. I don't even like Evangelion - I hate it with a passion. There's a border between creative invention and the impulse to impinge on one's creation. Evangelion is a study in neurosis. I don't need to know this much about the creator. It's unnecessary and a departure from the plot. It's pure ego. I quit that series in disgust. ›››

I agree on Evangelion, I didn't like that anime either.

But Gurren Lagann is totally different. It's from the creators of Fooly Cooly and it shows. Gurren Lagann doesn't take itself seriously and it's obviously a parody on the typical Japanese mecha series. That's why Gurren Lagann is so amazing. It takes the Japanese mecha formula, and takes that formula completely over the top with absolute exaggeration to a point that you as the viewer realize that the creators of Gurren Lagann do not take themselves too seriously. That's what I love about Gurren Lagann.

[FoggyFishburne]

Trigun. Watch Trigun. Hearty recommendation. It's fantastic.

[Saoe]

One piece is the best! I cant remember all the anime I've seen or which I can recommend but recently I only seen "fate stay zero" and "BAOH". I love martial arts so no Mecha for me ..blahhh

[gab961111]

Sirnaq said:

Gurren Laggan - entry level s... naah it's actually decent anime. I love Gintama btw if you couldn't tell by my avatar. ›››

I love Gintama too. I recognised Gintoki when i saw your avatar.

[Luc0s]

FoggyFishburne said:

Trigun. Watch Trigun. Hearty recommendation. It's fantastic. ›››

I've seen it. I was kind of disappointed because I've read the Trigun manga first and the Trigun anime simply does not live up to the manga.

Trigun is awesome though!

[Luc0s]

Saoe said:

One piece is the best! ›››

You might want to check out this game:




I'm really looking forward to that game. It seems to be a promising spinoff of Dynasty Warriors.

[Saoe]

Luc0s said:

You might want to check out this game:




I'm really looking forward to that game. It seems to be a promising spinoff of Dynasty Warriors. ›››

It looks fun but I'm selling my PS3 in next few weeks

[VonStreff]

Well, my favorites have to be:

Studio Ghibli (all of them, yes!)
Karas
Cowboy Bebop (so epic)

and, last but not least...

Jin Roh (truly epic!)