What Current Anime Are You Watching Version v3.0

[Tochiro]

As I said in the thread I made a thread on it ages ago, it's a wonder Redline ever even got made, with production issues for over seven years delaying the release. Now the problem is that "soft" manufacturers (DVD/BR media producers) have long pulled out of the production committee, so who knows when we will ever see a DVD release of it. Well, I'm sure it will happen eventually, but I can tell you it certainly is not on top of anyone's agenda right now (or at least, until a couple of months ago that was the situation, not sure if things have changed since).

In fact the only merchandising released from Redline was a 4000 yen book with storyboards and stuff, which I think was from Kadokawa.

OK, IGNORE ALL THAT CRAP. I AM AN IDIOT THAT CANNOT KEEP UP TO DATE. Looks like they pulled their act together and I can happily inform you that REDLINE the BluRay and DVD will be arriving on the 10th of Augut 2011!

And here's the news you've all (three of you?) been waiting for: English subtitles are included in the Japanese release, for the wean!

No CGI, no moe, just kickass 2D 80s OVA style bizarreness. Any complaints? NO.

The Eng subs are kinda old news by now, lol. And Im sure it will get a US release at a much more affordable pricepoint too, eventually.

As for King of Thorn.....shudder. I tried to mentally block the fact that I saw that movie in the cinema. So nonsensical - and not in a good, alcohol fuelled way either!

Edited May 2, 2011 by Tochiro

[BeyondTheGrave]

pumpkin scissors

kampfer

coyote ragtime show

Gits 2nd gig

rumbling hearts

papillion rose

starship operators

battle skippers

jinki: extend

doggy poo

pumpkin scissors.....guy fights tanks with gun

kampfer ....never seen

coyote ragtime show.....tried to watch but couldn't get into it.

Gits 2nd gig...........Must watch but watch season 1 first

Everything else I can't vouch for. Jinki was kinda boring.

[ron5864]

Just started Fractale.

I thought this was a peaceful/slice of life drama until the bloodbath in Episode 3. That extreme violence came out of nowhere!

[aerocombatpilot]

Just started watching the new X-MEN anime online. Man, I don't know who did the character designs but I wish he/she would draw the comic book; Storm is soooo friggin hot I'm gonna explode!!!!

[Marzan]

As I said in the thread I made a thread on it ages ago, it's a wonder Redline ever even got made, with production issues for over seven years delaying the release. Now the problem is that "soft" manufacturers (DVD/BR media producers) have long pulled out of the production committee, so who knows when we will ever see a DVD release of it. Well, I'm sure it will happen eventually, but I can tell you it certainly is not on top of anyone's agenda right now (or at least, until a couple of months ago that was the situation, not sure if things have changed since).

In fact the only merchandising released from Redline was a 4000 yen book with storyboards and stuff, which I think was from Kadokawa.

OK, IGNORE ALL THAT CRAP. I AM AN IDIOT THAT CANNOT KEEP UP TO DATE. Looks like they pulled their act together and I can happily inform you that REDLINE the BluRay and DVD will be arriving on the 10th of Augut 2011!

And here's the news you've all (three of you?) been waiting for: English subtitles are included in the Japanese release, for the wean!

No CGI, no moe, just kickass 2D 80s OVA style bizarreness. Any complaints? NO.

Only complaint is the 90 buck price tag!!

But apparently Manga Entertainment licensed it in Europe and it should be available sometime in september.

[Keith]

It's been licensed in the U.S. too. No street date yet though.

[Ghost Train]

I'm watching the first season of The World Only God Knows. Elsea is sooo adorable! ... and the Gundam references made me giggle.

[Scream Man]

Just saw Eden of the East and WOW, what a fun little show! watched all 11 Eps in 1 night, and now i cant wait for the follow up film!

Also still watching Durarara, but the last part of then sow doesnt come out down here for a few months Cursed waiting...

[Agent ONE]

True. Well, to be sure, no tentacle series is ever going to be any good, but I think whenever people mention "tentacle sex anime", it all started with "Urotsukidoji" and "La Blue Girl", both long-running video series. Knock yourself ou... no, actually, please don't.

HAHAHA... Just started watching LaBlue Girl. This is unbelievable. How did I not see this till now!?! This is the most offensive thing of all time, yet totally hilarious. I wouldn't call it bad at all, certainly has a more interesting story than lots of anime.

[Dynaman]

HAHAHA... Just started watching LaBlue Girl. This is unbelievable. How did I not see this till now!?! This is the most offensive thing of all time, yet totally hilarious. I wouldn't call it bad at all, certainly has a more interesting story than lots of anime.

If you are going that route, check out Pop Chaser. No tentacles but I love that one.

[Marzan]

Did a little marathon and finished Banner of the Stars 2 and 3. I have to say that I find this saga to be maybe one of the most underrated anime I've ever seen. Great stories, characterizations and dialogue. And a well accomplished and believable love story. One really does not see that too often.I can only imagine that had it come out a decade earlier it might have been a huge hit.

A big thanks to all the folks who recommended Crest of the Stars. Would not have watched these jewels without the positive feedback I received.

[wolfx]

Did a little marathon and finished Banner of the Stars 2 and 3. I have to say that I find this saga to be maybe one of the most underrated anime I've ever seen. Great stories, characterizations and dialogue. And a well accomplished and believable love story. One really does not see that too often.I can only imagine that had it come out a decade earlier it might have been a huge hit.

A big thanks to all the folks who recommended Crest of the Stars. Would not have watched these jewels without the positive feedback I received.

Not sure if its underated since it was imported upstate pretty early on and was even on your adult swim channel if i not mistaken.

Pretty good space opera. Now, you gotta upgrade yourself to Legend of Galactic Heroes. No emo teenagers in space....but manly men in space. LOL.

[Renato]

If you are going that route, check out Pop Chaser. No tentacles but I love that one.

If I recall correctly, the staff of that one went on to make the classic Project A-Ko (no sex, BTW), so that gives you a pretty good viewing agenda right there.

[ron5864]

Did a little marathon and finished Banner of the Stars 2 and 3. I have to say that I find this saga to be maybe one of the most underrated anime I've ever seen. Great stories, characterizations and dialogue. And a well accomplished and believable love story. One really does not see that too often.I can only imagine that had it come out a decade earlier it might have been a huge hit.

A big thanks to all the folks who recommended Crest of the Stars. Would not have watched these jewels without the positive feedback I received.

I remember there was prequel OVA to the Crest of the Stars about Lafiel's parents discovering an abandoned Earth ship. This event took place before she was born.

[Marzan]

Not sure if its underated since it was imported upstate pretty early on and was even on your adult swim channel if i not mistaken.

Pretty good space opera. Now, you gotta upgrade yourself to Legend of Galactic Heroes. No emo teenagers in space....but manly men in space. LOL.

Ah, but I've already seen LOGH many times and it occupies a spot at the very top of my favourite anime together with SDFM and Eva. Good to see that many rate it that high.

Having said that, I think that Senkai has actually some visual aspects that are superior to LOGH. Space combat, for example, is depicted in a more imaginative way than LOGH's sea-ships in space approach.

I remember there was prequel OVA to the Crest of the Stars about Lafiel's parents discovering an abandoned Earth ship. This event took place before she was born.

Yeah, checked it out too. Have to say that I found it to be the weakest effort of the lot.

[renegadeleader1]

Since my last post I finished watching Pumpkin Scissors, Coyote Ragtime Show, Papillon Rose and have started watching Starship Operators.

Pumpkin Scissors- I really liked concept of this show and the character designs. What bugs me is after 24 episodes it just... STOPS!!! Nothing is resolved, none of the mysteries are explanned, and it feels like it was just getting started like a season one cliffhanger. Too bad there is no season 2. I liked the frankenharlock character Oland with his boomstick, and Webner the sexy redhead tank mechanic(why can't girls like this exist in real life?) who pops up every couple of episodes.

Coyote Ragtime Show- What can I say? This show was a blur. Start with grey haired poytail guy and his crew, the daughter of a guy that pulled off Ocean's 11 in space, toss in cyborg maid cafe styled assassins led by a woman on perma PMS, and for good measure add freedom fighters from the peoples republic of carbombya fighting U.N. Spacy wannabe's who say the hell with it and plan to nuke the disputed planet with a big bomb... Oh yeah theres also the Don King preacher man.

Papillon Rose- This was an odd series. I knew going in kinda what to expect, a fan service laden parody of Sailor Moon. The thing is it only lasted the first OVA episode, after that it turns into a 6 episode tv series that apart from the parodies of of pokemon, sailor moon, and the like is actually very tame. No nudity, no sexual situations, and maybe 2 panty shots total. Just a normal magical girl show. The OVA on the other hand is softcore porn. You name it its in here, with the exception of lower body nudity... No really it is, did I really need to see the cat from sailor moon going down on Tuxedo Mask!?!?!?

Starship Operators- Just finished the first disc and its an interesting premise. On a training cruise of the newest state of the art battleship the cadets onboard find out theit country no longer exists. Instead of giving up they decided to fight back after the regular military crew abandons the ship. To keep supplied they make a contract with a news channel which agrees to fund their war for independence in exchange broadcast rights onboard the ship. I like how the show tris to portray a realistic approach to space combat, but the teen angst is a little annoying, and its starting to be a monster(enemy starship) of the week show.

[Keith]

About Papillon Rose, there's a reason why there's a low nudity count, we got the broadcast version, not the home version. ADV know's better too.

[Gui]

Began watching Aura Battler Dunbine a few days ago and had some difficulties to enter in it at first but I'm now 10 eps in and it has become slightly better. Gives me the feeling it is some sort of prototype for Zeta Gundam and maybe an important evolution in Tomino's style of stories and directing –need to see more to be sure...

[JELEINEN]

Starship Operators- Just finished the first disc and its an interesting premise. On a training cruise of the newest state of the art battleship the cadets onboard find out theit country no longer exists. Instead of giving up they decided to fight back after the regular military crew abandons the ship. To keep supplied they make a contract with a news channel which agrees to fund their war for independence in exchange broadcast rights onboard the ship. I like how the show tris to portray a realistic approach to space combat, but the teen angst is a little annoying, and its starting to be a monster(enemy starship) of the week show.

That show has the best explanation for sound in space.

[Marzan]

Had my brother visiting me over the weekend and we had a little nostalgia Berserk marathon. I had almost forgotten what an intense series this was!

And the manga still rolls on, huh? I think this baby will still be going strong when we are bunch of pensioners

[renegadeleader1]

I finished watching Kampfer. Personally I feel this should have been better as a 3-4 episode OVA than a 12 tv series. Its pretty much about this guy named Natsuru that somehow gets a blue bracelet attached to his wrist after he accepted a bowel familiar(don't ask) stuffed animal from the girl of his dreams. He is now a kampfer(german for fighter)with the stuffed animal as his mentor, but theres a catch only women can be kampfers... so he transforms into a hot chick every time he uses his powers.

Being a blue kampfer he is supposed to fight the red kampfers. Key word there is "supposed" since many of the episodes are just about him dealing with changing back and forth between a man and a woman. The problem is his girl of his dreams loves the woman form, he has a librarian girl practically throwing herself at both his forms,the student president who is also a red kampfer is trying to seduce his male form, and apparently the rest of the girls at school are lesbians.

How does he handle it? Get it on as much as he can? NOOOOOO he has to act like a traditional japanese sheltered moron and whine about everything! It was almost enough to drive me nuts. Don't get me wrong it wasn't all bad which is why I said above it would have been better as an OVA and dropped a lot of the filler highschool life and got on with the fighting and conspiracies.

Some of the show is just pure insanity I think the following video(its not an AMV but an actual scene) sums it up perfectly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8E50t8eq0g

Anyways aside from Kampfer I also watched "Castle of Cagliostro" on netflix. Definatly a classic and I loved every minute of it. I did find it odd with one thing. You have all these Miyazaki designed characters running around, and Lupin's gang(designed by monkey punch) seemed a little strange at first.

EDIT: did I do a good job avoiding spoilers?

EDIT: another cool thing is Kampfer is subtitle only and little liner notes pop up pointing things out(like the many references to gundam and voice actors)

Edited May 11, 2011 by renegadeleader1

[Rbstr]

Natsuru is more dense than a neutron star.

I loved the ending though, so ridiculous.

[raptormesh]

The only aspect i liked about Kampfer was natsuru's voice actress.

[shiroikaze]

If you guys haven't heard about this...

[Gui]

Looks good

[renegadeleader1]

As long as Anna doesn't end up eaten by Alex the dinosaur in it I'm happy. Though I'm not sure her fight against Nina is going to end well...

[Funkenstein]

It always made me wonder why Capcom and the rest of them always try for live-action. They could have made better movies in CG.

[Dynaman]

It always made me wonder why Capcom and the rest of them always try for live-action. They could have made better movies in CG.

CG is, for the most part, still relegated to "Cutesy" stuff here in the states - or Special Effects. If it falls outside of the talking animal joke shows then most distributers do not know what to do with it. Pixar's "The Incredibles" being the one major exception (their other movies falling into the cute animal realm for the most part - but UP is a hard one to pin down). Robert Zemeckis' stuff is not helping other, when Santa from Polar Express looks like he belongs in "CreepShow" then there is a problem.

I'm hoping CG gets a more general breakout from the cute stuff into more serious or action movie fare - but I'm afraid it will end up getting the same treatment that animation got in the USA.

[Rbstr]

It already is.

It has simply replaced cell animation...which is now basically dead for movies here.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Rbstr

[ron5864]

After watching Tenjou Tenge, it falls into the Ikkitousen-ish category with the martial arts and some amounts of fan service. The story goes off the tracks half way telling something that happened 2-years prior and never really finishes the original story. I would have to give it a less-than-OK rating (2 out of 5).

[reeoyuy]

After watching Tenjou Tenge, it falls into the Ikkitousen-ish category with the martial arts and some amounts of fan service. The story goes off the tracks half way telling something that happened 2-years prior and never really finishes the original story. I would have to give it a less-than-OK rating (2 out of 5).

The manga goes way beyond that, so yeah, the anime story is really unfinished. You won't believe how the story developed into something crazy in the manga. But good thing is, the manga itself just finished.

[renegadeleader1]

I finished Starship Operators, and I have mixed feelings. After the first four episodes the show kinda switches gears and gets more serious as political workings start to influence everything. By the time the series ended I had a bad taste in my mouth. Quite a few characters do a lot of really stupid things for no good reason and in the end the sacrfices don't appear to have been worth anything.

A gripe I have with the ending

During the final battle the amaterasu is fighting 5 of the enemy kingdom's ships. Somehow they pull a deus ex machina out of their butts and get the amaterasu to turn on a dime so they can fire on the enemy before they can move. Unfortunatly this causes structural damage that comes to a head after exchanging single shots with the enemies flagship the only one left damaging its sensors.

So the ship has almost no weapons, no countermeasures, and barely any power and the only good thing they got going for them is the enemy can't find them right away. What does a smart captain do at time like this? Run away make repairs then counter attack? No they charge the enemy ship take multiple hits end up dead in the water and are forced into an ultimatum. The only thing that saves them is the Earth Alliance deciding to say screw it we're taking over the kingdom, blowing up the kingdom's flagship, sieze the broacast channel, and then threaten the crew of the amaterasu who repsond with evacuating and blowing up the ship. All this leads to a Serenity like ending where the truth about the Earth Alliance underhanded dealings gets broadcast everywhere causing an uproar. Someone want to explain to me why the hell the alliance even had to do all this crap to begin with? I just don't get the motivation when it would have been easier t just grant the amaterasu amnesty and declared war on the kingdom. It would have had the same result.

I also watched Porco Rosso definatly one of my fav Miyazaki films. The effort put into the flying animations is stunning especially when this was before computer aids.

[ron5864]

Just finished watching Fractale. I would recommend it, 3.5 out of 5.

It is a strange show about humans getting too caught up in an artifical digital world and a terrorist group fighting it. Somehow through the whole series, it just seems like Eureka 7 with the Lost Millenium group being like the Gekkostate. Clain = Renton. Phryne = Eureka. Sunda = Holland.

Anyways, got 2 shows(Tenjou Tenge and Fractale) out of the way. Double Tap!!

[Marzan]

I also watched Porco Rosso definatly one of my fav Miyazaki films. The effort put into the flying animations is stunning especially when this was before computer aids.

Porco Rosso is also one of fave Miyazaki films. Just made me want to learn to pilot a plane.

Have been catching up to Record of Lodoss War. Hadn't seen it since my bro lent me his VHS tapes back in the day. Not too shabby. I have to say that even though it's aged a bit, the character designs are absolutely amazing. Just beautiful. The animation is a bit on the lazy side though, but with some of those visuals, you really don't notice it too much.

[Agent ONE]

LA Blue Girl is the funniest thing I have ever seen. I am half way through the first show. I have a few special lady friends watching it with me. They are horrified, which is awesome.