F-ZeroOne

In 80s Japanese Dungeons and Dragons, elves had really big ears (Record of Lodoss War OP):

Always loved this theme from "Project A-Ko"; apparently its called "Explosion" (you might remember it as the theme when Project A-Ko tries to out-Macross Macross!): And while we're on Project A-Ko. "Dance Away" and "Follow Your Dream":

Speaking of Orguss, the ED has got to be one of the more unique 80s anime themes:

Everythings coming up roses, which must mean its time for some Utena: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mQFGdHSbTY And though I've always had problems with the boy-band Gundam, the opening theme is still pretty awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55euNKtEpBo Still one of my all time favourite anime, Urusei Yatsura 3 "Remember My Love"; the opening theme "Born To Be Free" starts at 06:25 in this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRLzrWBnl_E

"Guys, you know when we said use 'off the shelf' components when possible...?" I've stood under a Vulcans bomb bay. That was impressively huge.

I'm not really familiar with those two, but I saw Now and Then shortly after seeing Escaflowne, and lets just say that, in comparison to this guy, Dilandu is practically a saint. As Ghost Train points out, the show kind of catches you by surprise, given the world design.

Niceeeeee. Currently working my way through Xabungle, which has this pretty awesome theme (incidentally, its worth pointing out that Yoshiyuki Tomino actually penned the lyrics for many of his shows opening themes)...

Warning, this series can be brutal. I've only seen the first two volumes but it features possibly the most deranged anime psychopath of all time...

Yes, the OP is supposed to pump you up for the show and it was a bit disappointing. I'm not entirely sure if this was correct, but I understand Bandai didn't reveal the issue until (in at least some cases) people had already received their sets, which was a bit naughty though they were probably in a bit of a rock/hard place situation...

Thanks; I grew up during the 80s so I guess synthesisers just harmonise with my musical soul better...! Another couple of favourites; first "Give a Reason" from Slayers Next, followed by the mighty Turn-A Gundam (do you ever wonder who the bloke is that says "Turn-A Gundam" at the beginning? ): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oayXglsMryQ You, er, might know this one from Macross 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh25-V63IBk

Oops, double post.

A personal favourite, the Cats Eye opening theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V079fmpc5_4...feature=related Kimagure Orange Road has an awesome soundtrack, generally. Zeta Gundam opening: Chars Counterattack ending, Beyond the Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y6jn8GG0p0 Aura Battler Dunbine opening, another favourite:

Bubblegum Crisis. That is all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irYBFDodda8

That was... uh... ...look, 80s anime is just better. Fact. And "California Crisis" is the 80s, as an anime. So... Very unique title - thanks again, Area88!

Okay, having seen the thing the whole way through its not as unintentionally humour-providing all the way through as the first fifteen minutes. Its a reasonably decent slice of 80s anime; the main trouble I was having is that it clearly wants to be taken very seriously and its almost impossible not to take it seriously...! There are some nice animation moments. If it is based on an Osamu Tezuka work, I have to wonder what the original was like, I doubt the character designs used are the same somehow...

Just to make clear, I have no end of appreciation for fans like Area88 and his group of fansubbers for unearthing obscurities like this and making them available, whatever I might feel about the individual title in question. Thanks!

10 minutes in. Oh, dear, this might just be the most unintentionally funny anime you're going to see all year.

Watched ten seconds. Why does it appear to use the music from the Star Trek movies?!

Theres a couple of very easy ways to tell if a particular work is science fiction or not. Method One: if mainstream critics like it, but use phrases like "...despite this, its not science fiction", then its science fiction. Method two: if any of the production team use phrases like "...its not science fiction, it a very grounded, human-orientated drama", then its science fiction.

Er, no. Maybe you're thinking of the Wing Commander games or "Slipstream"...? "The Last Starfighter was a relatively modestly budgeted 80s film thats become a bit of a cult classic for a couple of reasons; one is that it saw an early use of CGI effects, which included the "GunStar" fighter, the other is very quotable dialogue: "It'll be a slaughter!" "Thats the spirit!" "OUR slaughter!"

Depends how you look at it. Yes, some WWII aircraft were developed and flying within a very short time span by modern standards. Or, the early versions were. It often took quite a few further developments to get to the point where the aircraft lived up to what it was promised to do. The Mustang is probably the classic example; the models that won the air war over Germany were the later B, C and D models with the Merlin engine, for example. There was also, obviously, a lot of innovation that often took years to develop to get to that point, such as all the experience with high performance racers and engines [1] that eventually led to the Spitfire. Even Reginald J. Mitchell had to give that one a couple of tries before he got it right... [1] As has sometimes been said of the atomic bomb, the challenge wasn't so much building them; it was getting things to the point where the average weapons handler wouldn't irradiate the base accidentally...!

Well, I did warn you it could be a little bit girly...

Blu-Ray players... uh, don't know. I'd try and do some research on your model first before ordering expensive DVD sets!

Japanese DVDs are Region-2 and the US are Region-1, so unless you have a multi-region DVD player, no they won't work. Though these days, its probably harder to find a DVD player that isn't multi-region capable by some means or other! The DVDs are also exceptionally unlikely to have subtitles.

Elite. Modern computing power is never going to stand a chance against the power that game gave to your imagination. Right on, Commander! Final Fantasy VII. Its a cliché, I know its a cliché, but its the game that introduced me to an entirely new genre. And, of all the FF games I've played (which isn't all of them), the Materia system is still the one to beat. Also, AERIS...! Fallout 3: to paraphrase Buzz Aldrin, "What magnificent desolation". UFO: Enemy Unknown, aka X-Com. Sectoid just shot my point man? Burn, you little grey bulb-headed freak! Saints Row 2: Grand Theft Auto, in all its forms, is by a considerable margin much better than this will ever, ever be. I can, however make an argument, that Saints Row 2 is more fun, and therefore a better game... Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I could stay for a while... Half-Life: doesn't everyone want a day at the office like this? Halo series: 'cos I know what the ladies like, and what the ladies like is long levels where you squash Grunts in a tank. X-Wing: unless your name was Wedge Antilles, it got to the point where it was impossible. But until that point, you were Luke Skywalker. Xenogears: arguably the best RPG of its era; it was an anime you got to play. Ace Combat series: Essentially, Area 88: The Game. Civilisation: every so often, I get the urge to play this again. And then the the Universe stops for a week or so until I stop. Skies of Arcadia: it didn't really do anything new, but it had charm coming out of its port-holes. Out Run, arcade: never did get to play this much, but one of those arcade games you could watch other people playing all day when you ran out of coins yourself.