What Current Anime Are You Watching Version v4.0

[GU-11]

Why not just get Akira on bluray?

Yeah well, being where I'm at right now, I try to avoid buying anime as much as possible, especially ones with graphic scenes like Akira. Rather unpredictable censorship--there are equal odds of getting an intact movie as well as a butchered one.

I don't mind paying for a bluray, but I'm pretty sure the store won't let me return it because it happens to be censored.

[Keith]

Yeah well, being where I'm at right now, I try to avoid buying anime as much as possible, especially ones with graphic scenes like Akira. Rather unpredictable censorship--there are equal odds of getting an intact movie as well as a butchered one.

I don't mind paying for a bluray, but I'm pretty sure the store won't let me return it because it happens to be censored.

Import the U.S. or Japanese release, problem solved!

[GU-11]

Import the U.S. or Japanese release, problem solved!

I can't believe I never thought of that before.

Customs usually don't have a problem with movies, as long as it isn't XXX stuff or a snuff flick. Never bought any movies online, though. Got any good recommendations for online shops?

[Keith]

Looks like the U.S. release is OOP right now, but the Japanese release has english subs. Ami Ami tends to have good prices for imports.

[Atharun]

I am rewatching Zeta Gundam, IMO best anime series ever. On a side note, despite being only slightly longer in length, do anime episodes feel like they last so much longer than the typical cartoon?

[GU-11]

Looks like the U.S. release is OOP right now, but the Japanese release has english subs. Ami Ami tends to have good prices for imports.

Thanks! I've got an account at Ami Ami, which makes it pretty convenient.

[mechaninac]

I can't believe I never thought of that before.

Customs usually don't have a problem with movies, as long as it isn't XXX stuff or a snuff flick. Never bought any movies online, though. Got any good recommendations for online shops?

Looks like the U.S. release is OOP right now, but the Japanese release has english subs. Ami Ami tends to have good prices for imports.

You might also want to see if ebay has any listings as well, specially if you'd like to get the Dual (Multy?) Audio US release. Being OOP does not mean it's unavailable.

[GU-11]

You might also want to see if ebay has any listings as well, specially if you'd like to get the Dual (Multy?) Audio US release. Being OOP does not mean it's unavailable.

Not much of a fan of ebay, to be honest. Besides, I'm more of a "subs guy"--I prefer the more dramatic Japanese voice acting.

[frothymug]

How can you tell if you have a censored or uncensored version of Akira? I bought mine on DVD many years ago, but I wasn't aware there were different versions.

[505thAirborne]

I just got the movie REDLINE yesterday, gonna watch later tonight after some healthy Green beer, maybe a car bomb too!!

[ron5864]

Finished Last Exile.

After watching this, it has an Eureka Seven theme to the story. But the show didn't really explain what is going on or what the setting is. Clearly, they are not on Earth and the time is probably thousands of years into the future. No explaining of what the Grand Stream is. Things are happening with airships battles. At least the story has some good characters in it which kept me watching.

[GU-11]

How can you tell if you have a censored or uncensored version of Akira? I bought mine on DVD many years ago, but I wasn't aware there were different versions.

If you're American and bought this in either the US or Japan, you've got nothing to worry about.

See, certain Asian countries think it's necessary to censor what it perceives as "evil western violence and debauchery that goes against Asian values". Sometimes you get lucky and a certain movie gets past intact, but other times, it's butchered so badly, you'd have thought they were operating the censorship board at a slaughterhouse.

The safest thing is to import a movie, I guess. As long as it's borderline "kosher" stuff [non-ero anime and Hollywood movies] and nothing blatantly illegal to the country [XXX or snuff flicks], it usually has no trouble getting past customs.

Edited March 18, 2012 by GU-11

[Goodman Models]

Victory Gundam..in dribs and drabs..

[Cobra__]

Victory Gundam..in dribs and drabs..

Oh man good Gundam series are few and far between. Even in the UC timeline Victory is not good.

Dribs and drabs, that's the way I watched that trainwreck of Gundam Z. The guys at Sunrise must have forgotten to hire a decent writer on that one.

[Keith]

WTF are you guys talking about? Both Zeta and Victory were awesome.

[Cobra__]

WTF are you guys talking about? Both Zeta and Victory were awesome.

Uhm no. The greatness of a show is not in the number of characters that are being killed, mostly without any reason whatsoever.

Yes people die in war, but there has to be a reason for their death, it can't be simply because the writer couldn't give a damn about

structuring a coherent story. Yikes I introduced too many characters in the show, now how am I going to deal with it ? Let me see, yeah I'll just kill most of them. This is not a good way to tell a story, it is a cop out. And most characters in Zeta act erractly. Most of the times their is no reason at all for what they are doing. Zeta has a higher quality animation for a mid eighties series, but in terms of story it sucks big time. Of course if all you want to see are mobile suits fighting each other then its ok, otherwise dump it.

[ron5864]

Yeah, Zeta Gundam series was not that satisfying to watch. Kamille was kinda of jerk most of the time and had a lot of issues.

Started watching Aria the Scarlet Ammo and the opening song is by Sherly Nome(May'n).

[Marzan]

Finished watching Nisemogatari. Kind of dissapointed with the ending and it's no way as good as Bakemonogatari.

I'm continuing watching Trigun though and having a blast. They don't make anime like that anymore!

Edited March 19, 2012 by Marzan

[VFTF1]

I'm not going to be too original here when I say that most recently I watched the first 5 or 6 episodes of ZETA Gundam. I saw the Movie Trilogy and was not satisfied - so I decided to check out the series.

As an aside - how many of you have seen One Piece and is it any good? Looking it at, I get a Gurren Lagann vibe - but I also get a dorkishness vibe.... Haven't seen anything of it - so...what do you guys think? Worth it?

Pete

[Keith]

Uhm no. The greatness of a show is not in the number of characters that are being killed, mostly without any reason whatsoever.

Yes people die in war, but there has to be a reason for their death, it can't be simply because the writer couldn't give a damn about

structuring a coherent story. Yikes I introduced too many characters in the show, now how am I going to deal with it ? Let me see, yeah I'll just kill most of them. This is not a good way to tell a story, it is a cop out. And most characters in Zeta act erractly. Most of the times their is no reason at all for what they are doing. Zeta has a higher quality animation for a mid eighties series, but in terms of story it sucks big time. Of course if all you want to see are mobile suits fighting each other then its ok, otherwise dump it.

You'z just talkin' crazy talk now.

[Cobra__]

You'z just talkin' crazy talk now.

If you say so. You should learn to distinguish the good apples from the bad apples.

And Zeta Gundam and ZZ are bad apples. The characters suck and the plot development (or should I say lack of plot) sucks,

Idem for Gundam Victory. Tomino's troll product at its finest.

In fact from the UC timeline the only good Gundams are :

The movie trilogy

Turn A Gundam (which ends on a high note Tomino's fundamental message expressed in 0079 Gundam)

0083 to see what a high end budget in animation could produce in the early nineties

and the MS Igloo CG series that show in a new light the one year war.

Gundam Unicorn the verdict is still out there, although for the first four episodes the arrow points to a good apple.

Ps: just because Sunrise churns Gundam series non stop doesn't mean every project is good, even in the mythical UC timeline.

Edited March 18, 2012 by Cobra__

[bob joe mac]

I'm not going to be too original here when I say that most recently I watched the first 5 or 6 episodes of ZETA Gundam. I saw the Movie Trilogy and was not satisfied - so I decided to check out the series.

As an aside - how many of you have seen One Piece and is it any good? Looking it at, I get a Gurren Lagann vibe - but I also get a dorkishness vibe.... Haven't seen anything of it - so...what do you guys think? Worth it?

Pete

One Piece in the only "shonen" series I still give a crap about and while it starts off slow I found that it has stayed pretty good for the most part of its 500+ episodes.

[soul.assassin]

Finished watching Nisemogatari. Kind of dissapointed with the ending and it's no way as good as Nisemonogatari.

Compensated that emptiness by watching Lagrange instead, so balancing things out. Well, this time today's episode of Lagrange was like... "WTF WAS THAT! WOW!"

I felt better afterwards.

[Keith]

If you say so. You should learn to distinguish the good apples from the bad apples.

And Zeta Gundam and ZZ are bad apples. The characters suck and the plot development (or should I say lack of plot) sucks,

Idem for Gundam Victory. Tomino's troll product at its finest.

In fact from the UC timeline the only good Gundams are :

The movie trilogy

Turn A Gundam (which ends on a high note Tomino's fundamental message expressed in 0079 Gundam)

0083 to see what a high end budget in animation could produce in the early nineties

and the MS Igloo CG series that show in a new light the one year war.

Gundam Unicorn the verdict is still out there, although for the first four episodes the arrow points to a good apple.

Ps: just because Sunrise churns Gundam series non stop doesn't mean every project is good, even in the mythical UC timeline.

Wait a minute, now you're claiming 0083 is better than Zeta? lol, I was going to attempt a rational discussion with you, but then I remembered the "Southern Cross has good mecha design" thing, and realized the pointlessness of it.

[Dynaman]

Wait a minute, now you're claiming 0083 is better than Zeta? lol

He did say the animation was top notch for the dollar (yen). That I would have to agree with - the story and characters were one giant muddled mess.

[Cobra__]

Wait a minute, now you're claiming 0083 is better than Zeta? lol, I was going to attempt a rational discussion with you, but then I remembered the "Southern Cross has good mecha design" thing, and realized the pointlessness of it.

Moooo Moooooo go join the crowd. Be sure to never express an opinion out of the ordinary for feer of being ridiculed.

Southern Cross had good mecha and armor design. It was eleborate and "non derivative" of mechas that appeared in other shows at the time.

It was a breeze of fresh air. The story was a failure, but the art design ? Nope. Eccentric art design yes, but bad no.

As for 0083, I never wrote it had a good story. But animation wise it was top notch and stands pretty well even today.

Edited March 19, 2012 by Cobra__

[Gubaba]

Moooo Moooooo go join the crowd. Be sure to never express an opinion out of the ordinary for feer of being ridiculed.

Southern Cross had good mecha and armor design. It was eleborate and "non derivative" of mechas that appeared in other shows at the time.

If you're accusing Keith of being "herd-mentality," then you, uh, don't know Keith very well...

[Keith]

If you're accusing Keith of being "herd-mentality," then you, uh, don't know Keith very well...

lol.

[Marzan]

Mmh, ok back to what anime we're watching...Just finished Trigun (a decade too late I know!) and was really rewarded. It started out really awkwardly but then just kept on getting better and the last 5 chapters are among some of the best stuff I've seen.

So, the movie Badlands Rumble, anyone seen it and can recommend it? (Yeah I know some of you are gonna say just read a review, but there's so many spoilers in these things that I prefer to ask via this fine forum.

"Another" went all Battle Royale on us in episode 11. Looking forward to the finale next monday...

[soul.assassin]

^

Yeah, Another 11 left me swearing loudly; gone completely postal after 10 episodes of seemingly smart pacing, threatening to come too close to the last two episodes of Blargh-C (wondering if the director has a knack for apocalyptic amount of gore).

[GU-11]

Caught a few eps of Beelzebub. Nice show to kill time with. Crapload of comedy, idiot delinquents, demon maid from hell...nice.

[renegadeleader1]

Started watching Gunbuster 2: die buster, and so far I'm not liking what I'm seeing. After two episodes all the characters have either been incompetent, annoying, moronic, or all three at once. I'm also not digging the animation style its way too exagerated and over the top. The mecha designs while unique aren't all that great. I hope this gets better, I'm really starting to get sick of hearing oné-sama this and oné-sama that from Nono every other sentence.

[Cobra__]

Started watching Gunbuster 2: die buster, and so far I'm not liking what I'm seeing. After two episodes all the characters have either been incompetent, annoying, moronic, or all three at once. I'm also not digging the animation style its way too exagerated and over the top. The mecha designs while unique aren't all that great. I hope this gets better, I'm really starting to get sick of hearing oné-sama this and oné-sama that from Nono every other sentence.

Aim at the Top 2 : Diebuster goes into overdrive with episode 4 and then ends on a high note with episode 6.

Its is every bit as exciting, heroic, emotional, fanservice heavy, silly and epic as the original Aim at the Top.

Of course if you're not fluent in japanese, you lose a lot watching it subbed.

I think the american release should have some booklets that explain all the behind the scenes, with interviews to the producers and VA.

It complements the series very well.

If you don't like the art design the only advice I can give you is hang in there. The last 3 episodes are really worth it. Moreso if you manage to identify all the references to the original Aim at the Top. And the ending, well the ending will make you shed a tiny tear. Be sure to watch the original series before diving in Diebuster.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Cobra__

[Keith]

Son, you need to lose your odd "you'll lose a lot watching it subbed" tone 'round these parts. We're a pro-sub forum, and while we tolterate dubs, we don't tolterate sub haters!

As for Diebuster, it's full of at least 12 kinds of awesome, stick with it.

[Cobra__]

Son, you need to lose your odd "you'll lose a lot watching it subbed" tone 'round these parts. We're a pro-sub forum, and while we tolterate dubs, we don't tolterate sub haters!

Son, you are by necessity a sub lover since Macross series will never ever be dubbed in the west. So its either learn japanese or go with illegal subs.

As for what I said, it is the truth. A sub cannot capture the complexity of the spoken language. Wether it concerns animes or films. It has nothing to do with your stupid "sub hater idea". Calling me a sub hater for underlining this fact is like telling someone that 1+1 is not equal to 2 (in base 10). For a given adaptation, a sub will always be inferior to a dub. No buts and no ifs. Deal with it.

As for Diebuster, it's full of at least 12 kinds of awesome, stick with it.

Yep, Aim at the Top 2 : Diebuster is a great great miniseries, and a labor of love to the original Aim to the Top.