What Current Anime Series Are You Watching? v2.0

[Gubaba]

The only character Mikimoto designed for Part I was EVE, the rest were designed by Toshiki Hirano.

...doing his best impersonation of Mikimoto.

I have to confess, I would've really liked the designs (and the story) for Megazone Part II a lot better if it had been a completely different project. The young rebels vs. The Establishment plot was done pretty well, and the character designs were engaging enough...it just didn't look like Megazone.

I admit I never saw Part III, mostly because when I was in high school, I thought the "Let's pick up the story hundreds of years later"-type sequel was a total cop-out. I've since come to realize that some good things can come of it, but it's still usually a sign that the story is finished, but they're trying to squeeze the last bits of monetary value out of the name.

[REbirth]

...doing his best impersonation of Mikimoto.

I have to confess, I would've really liked the designs (and the story) for Megazone Part II a lot better if it had been a completely different project. The young rebels vs. The Establishment plot was done pretty well, and the character designs were engaging enough...it just didn't look like Megazone.

This.

When I started watching part II, I was like "wow, isn't this supposed to be a direct sequel of Megazone part I", who are these cheesy bikers guy, where is Shogo, where is Yui? Until a red hair guy appears and people call him Shogo Yahagi, then I realize there's a stupid change in the art direction.

[REbirth]

Finished watching Megazone Part III, after watching stuff like Part II, I say it's great.

The first part of Part III is boring stuff (pure cyberpunk stuff that I mostly don't care), the animation is so so, but the last half (Day of Liberation) truly delivers with quality animation (especially the mecha fights, love the Garland's redesign), it explains what happened after Shogo and gang land on Earth and expands the original story even further (

but I still have no idea who is Bishop Dai Won though, I don't think I ever meet him on part I or part II

).

The art is generally nice (and gorgeous at some points, after all, it's done by Hiroyuki Kitazume who did the character design of Gundam ZZ and Char's Counterattack no less). And if Char in CCA ever has a sunglasses, he will look exactly like Sion in Megazone part III lol

[RavenHawk]

The books are absolutely NOTHING like the movie....especially if you start from the beginning of the series. I found the second book to be particularly rough going; if long-winded, badly-written prose really isn't your thing, I'd suggest starting from the third book. The big reveal in the sixth book will seem to come out of nowhere, but the last four books were written before the first two anyway, so all the original readers were in the same boat you would be in.

Still...I can't quite bring myself to really recommend any of them. They're classics of science-fiction to be sure, but they're at least as ridiculous as old Flash Gordon serials, and have a similar cumulative effect. If that's your thing, then by all means, knock yourself out.

That style of writing really isn't my thing, based on how you describe it.

On the other hand, sometimes I get into a mood where I really enjoy early and mid 1900s pulp writing, so I may give them a shot anyway when the mood strikes me.

So what is your recommended reading order?

And thanks for the input, btw.

[RavenHawk]

Finished watching Megazone Part III, after watching stuff like Part II, I say it's great.

The first part of Part III is boring stuff (pure cyberpunk stuff that I mostly don't care), the animation is so so, but the last half (Day of Liberation) truly delivers with quality animation (especially the mecha fights, love the Garland's redesign), it explains what happened after Shogo and gang land on Earth and expands the original story even further (

but I still have no idea who is Bishop Dai Won though, I don't think I ever meet him on part I or part II

).

The art is generally nice (and gorgeous at some points, after all, it's done by Hiroyuki Kitazume who did the character design of Gundam ZZ and Char's Counterattack no less). And if Char in CCA ever has a sunglasses, he will look exactly like Sion in Megazone part III lol

I originally watched Megazone 23 (part one, then a few months later parts 2 and 3) a few years ago, and was sorely disappointed. Got them based on my love of MOSPEADA and wanting to see this "cousin" to it... and just felt like I had wasted my money.

I rewatched all three about a month ago, and have to say that I really enjoyed them.

Part 1 felt too rushed and convoluted at the end, which makes sense based on it being truncated from a series into an OVA.

Part 2 is very good as a standalone, but yeah, is a little too disjointed from Part 1, feeling like a totally different studio and team doing their take a few years later. Kind of like Bubblegum Crisis, and then Tokyo 2040, if 2040 were meant to take place immediately after the original BGC.

Part 3... well, the first part of it didn't really do much for me. Never been a big fan of the whole cyber thing, unless handled really well, like in some of Gibson's better books. The second part was much better, did a nice job of incorporating some of the original backstory which never made it into Part 1, while also briding the various parts. I agree that the whole "hundreds of years later" approach always puts me off, and it was no different here, but I still thought it was well done, though could have been explained better (like the fact that Eve, with the human body, is actually the assistant to the person who created the Megazones and who Eve the program was based on, frozen all these years... and the Bishop character came out of nowhere!).

[Keith]

Finished watching Megazone Part III, after watching stuff like Part II, I say it's great.

The first part of Part III is boring stuff (pure cyberpunk stuff that I mostly don't care), the animation is so so, but the last half (Day of Liberation) truly delivers with quality animation (especially the mecha fights, love the Garland's redesign), it explains what happened after Shogo and gang land on Earth and expands the original story even further (

but I still have no idea who is Bishop Dai Won though, I don't think I ever meet him on part I or part II

).

The art is generally nice (and gorgeous at some points, after all, it's done by Hiroyuki Kitazume who did the character design of Gundam ZZ and Char's Counterattack no less). And if Char in CCA ever has a sunglasses, he will look exactly like Sion in Megazone part III lol

Oh come on, are you guys serious? I thought it was all pretty obvious that Wong Dai was

Yahagi Shogo!

I mean just look at his knowledge of

The downed Megazone 23, and the Garland. As well as his apologies for the way things became

With that said, Part III is my least favorite for that very plot twist, though it does have some of my favorite songs in the series. If anything, that awful twist explains why the Matrix ended as it did.

With all that said, Part II is my favorite out of the series for pure story content, as well as the way the events leading to the return to Earth are handled. Character design change be damned, that's some damn fine anime right there.

[Zx31]

Currently re-watching King of Bandit Jing.

[RavenHawk]

Finished Gear Fighter Dendoh yesterday: it was entertaining al along, and the final was glorious

I'll probably watch Love, Live, Alive!, the Mospeada OAV, during this week-end

Just wacthed Love, Live, Alive.

As much as I love anything and everything MOSPEADA-related, I wish there had been more new animation and less flashbacks.

[RavenHawk]

Just watched Scramble Wars for the first time... all 26 minutes of it.

Oh my lord... despite not understanding a single word of Japanese, except where the Genom-made racecar dirven by the Boomer was explained to be supercharged and have active suspension, I have to tell you this thing was AWESOME.

It's like Wacky Races meets super-deformed ARTMIC characters!

Knight Sabers and Priss and her motoslave and AD Police and Leon and a Boomer and the head of Genom from Bubblegum Crisis, Stick and his MOSPEADA from Genesis Climber MOSPEADA, the old school Garland from Megazone 23, the full cast of Gall Force: Eternal Story and Gall Force Rhea, and a whole bunch of characters I don't even know by name... they weren't kidding when they say in the opening "For ARTMIC Freaks!"

Sylia gives Priss the finger as she passes her on her motoslave in the lingerie van... GENIUS

[Gubaba]

That style of writing really isn't my thing, based on how you describe it.

On the other hand, sometimes I get into a mood where I really enjoy early and mid 1900s pulp writing, so I may give them a shot anyway when the mood strikes me.

So what is your recommended reading order?

And thanks for the input, btw.

Easy way: Galactic Patrol (Book 3), Gray Lensman (Book 4), Second Stage Lensman (Book 5), Children of the Lens (Book 6). Then, if you want, go back and read the first two (Triplanetary and First Lensman). That's the order in which they were written, and the first two are meant to be a very long prelude to the "real story" of the last four.

Not-as-Easy Way: Read the first chapter of Triplanetary, then skip ahead and read books three through six. All you need to know from the first book is there, and all you need to know from the second book can be summed up in the sentence, "An Arisian gave the Lens to humanity."

First Lensman is the only really direly turgid book in the series...it really tried my patience, which is saying a lot...I read James Joyce and Thomas Pynchon when I want to have fun...impatience is usually not a problem for me when I read.

[RavenHawk]

Not-as-Easy Way: Read the first chapter of Triplanetary, then skip ahead and read books three through six. All you need to know from the first book is there, and all you need to know from the second book can be summed up in the sentence, "An Arisian gave the Lens to humanity."

That's probably the origin of Arisia's name in the Green Lantern comics too...

So, now that I have a reading order, overall, worth reading? If in the right mood/mindset?

Thanks again for the input.

[shiroikaze]

Watching Maria-Holic, I don't even know why I'm watching this but the opening and ending are pretty catchy as hell.

Been watching Gundam 00, Toradora, and Kara no Kyoukai as well. Simply love Kara no Kyoukai and anything Type-Moon related, I swear their fandom puts out some of the most awesome little fan-sequels or side stories I ever read.

Edited February 26, 2009 by shiroikaze

[Gui]

Just wacthed Love, Live, Alive.

As much as I love anything and everything MOSPEADA-related, I wish there had been more new animation and less flashbacks.

Same thing here... It's the typical fan service show made with low budget and which works mainly on nostalgia value: I didn't lose my time though...

[REbirth]

Hmm, Macross, MOSPEADA, Megazone 23...the only things are Orguss series and Southern Cross.

Since I already know partially Orguss's story by playing SRW Z, I guess I will start Orguss 2.

[RavenHawk]

Same thing here... It's the typical fan service show made with low budget and which works mainly on nostalgia value: I didn't lose my time though...

Oh, I definitely still enjoyed it... just would've enjoyed it a whole lot MORE if there had been new footage other than Yellow's concert, interviews, and a few shots of the characters, now "older."

[RavenHawk]

Hmm, Macross, MOSPEADA, Megazone 23...the only things are Orguss series and Southern Cross.

Since I already know partially Orguss's story by playing SRW Z, I guess I will start Orguss 2.

Really have no interest in Southern Cross...

Just tried to watch Red Photon Zillion, but got too bored after 3 episodes. Is it worth sticking with? I've been able to find up to episode 9, though Wikipedia says there were 31.

As for Orguss, I have never seen it, though I had a toy of a black and white, very angular mecha that was from Orguss as a kid (still have it too... for some reason it just appealed to me).

I've downloaded Orguss II and am ready to watch it. Problem is, while I downloaded Orguss I and it is SUPPOSED to be subtitled, it is an MKV file and I can't seem to get the subtitles to show up in Windows Media Player. So, I have 2 questions:

1) Anyone here know how to get the subtitles to show up?

2) If I watch Orguss II without seeing Orguss I, am I going to miss out on enjoying it fully?

Thanks.

[Keith]

Hmm, Macross, MOSPEADA, Megazone 23...the only things are Orguss series and Southern Cross.

Since I already know partially Orguss's story by playing SRW Z, I guess I will start Orguss 2.

Orguss 02 is essentially the same as Macross II, i.e. has nothing to do with the previous series before it, so don't put too much stock in it.

[Gui]

[...]

I've downloaded Orguss II and am ready to watch it. Problem is, while I downloaded Orguss I and it is SUPPOSED to be subtitled, it is an MKV file and I can't seem to get the subtitles to show up in Windows Media Player. So, I have 2 questions:

1) Anyone here know how to get the subtitles to show up?

[...]

I assume these are the ILA fansubs? If yes, then I have no problem to dispaly theirs subs in using the CCCP

[RavenHawk]

I assume these are the ILA fansubs? If yes, then I have no problem to dispaly theirs subs in using the CCCP

Yes, those are the ones.

I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[Gubaba]

Oh, I definitely still enjoyed it... just would've enjoyed it a whole lot MORE if there had been new footage other than Yellow's concert, interviews, and a few shots of the characters, now "older."

I liked it too when I saw it back in the '80s, primarily because nobody had any access to the Mospeada TV series. Although I thought Flashback 2012 did esstiantially the same thing and did it better. i.e. the reused footage in FB2012 was actually EDITED (and rather cleverly) rather than just strung along whether it fit the song or not.

I was glad to see Stick and Aisha together, but Jim and Mint as a couple just kinda creeps me out.

[REbirth]

Just finished watching Orguss 02.

Orguss 02 is essentially the same as Macross II, i.e. has nothing to do with the previous series before it, so don't put too much stock in it.

This is actually wrong, Orguss 02 serves as a true sequel to Orguss...in a way, hell due to how unique the Orguss ending was, Orguss 02 is just one of many possibilities left by THAT ending, there are just too many hints back to the original Orguss that I just don't want to point out. You don't have to watch the original series to know the exact plot though, since it's explained quite well in Orguss 02.

My impression on Orguss 02: It's great and certainly better than Macross II, It doesn't reuse the plotline of the previous series with gorgeous Mikimoto designs and nicer animation, it continues the original story and ends it well (

with the Collision of the Third Space Time Bomb, the continuity of each world is restored, the effort of Kei and gang is not wasted alas.

)

Orguss 02 is seriously underrated, it has a good/decent plotline, a good cast of characters (yeah, Manning is literally a sleazy Roy Fokker), overall good mecha redesign by Miyatake (the new Orguss 2 reminds me too much of the Grungust from SRW OG though) and the fights are greatly animated (the final Brawl between giant Armors is EPIC). Plus it also has good music.

Ah, and I want to see Orguss 02 in a SRW someday.

Edited February 27, 2009 by REbirth

[RavenHawk]

I liked it too when I saw it back in the '80s, primarily because nobody had any access to the Mospeada TV series. Although I thought Flashback 2012 did esstiantially the same thing and did it better. i.e. the reused footage in FB2012 was actually EDITED (and rather cleverly) rather than just strung along whether it fit the song or not.

I was glad to see Stick and Aisha together, but Jim and Mint as a couple just kinda creeps me out.

I did a double-take at that one, but I don't think they were meant to be a couple. I think he is meant to be a father figure to her, and she is like a surrogate daughter, or maybe kid sister to him. I just checked the AVI of it that I have and, if you look at about 43 minutes and 20 seconds into it (I'm a dork, but not dorky enough to memorize this moment, I just rewatched it to check), Ray and Houquet are snuggled up together very close, Stick and Aisha are together on one mat and under a blanket, but Jim and Mint are under one blanket but actually really far apart.

In my head, this means there is nothing dirty going on between them, and I choose to believe that rather than be creeped out.

[RavenHawk]

I assume these are the ILA fansubs? If yes, then I have no problem to dispaly theirs subs in using the CCCP

Forgot about the CCCP player I downloaded a couple weeks back. Now it all work. Thanks again.

[RavenHawk]

Again, not current but just watched Bubblegum Crash for the first time. I had heard bad things, but don't know why. This is Bubblegum Crisis. There is no difference. This series picks up where Bubblegum Crisis left off, and just ties up a loose end or two that were left over from that series ending too early. I liked it. Same voices, same animation, mostly the same suits though they get some updates at the end, and the loose end that they tie up is the BIG one that was really bothering me.

Next was AD Police: Files ("The Mad Criminal Investigation File" as it's subtitled in the animation, but nowhere else that I've seen). This is the original one, with Leon as a rookie, and not the more recent one (AD Police: To Serve and Protect) with new characters and virtually no mecha and that was more of a standard cop series. I enjoyed this. It is definitely set in the same universe as the original Bubblegum Crisis/Crash, just earlier. There are no Knight Sabers yet. Leon is still a rookie, just having been promoted from normal police to AD Police. Boomers are still approaching the forms that we recognize. Genom headquarters in under construction in the background. It's the same world, just a little more serious... and bloody... but it does a nice job of mentioning how people view the AD Police as being more violent and causing more collateral damage. It may be my imagination, but it seemed like the artistic style of the first episode was very in line with BGC, but then became a little more modern in the next one, and I really liked it.

If you are a BGC fan at all, I highly recommend both of these.

Now to try and find a copy of Parasite Dolls to complete my BGC spinoff watching...

[REbirth]

Hmm, Macross, MOSPEADA, MZ23, Orguss...like RavenHawk, I have no interest on watching Southern Cross ATM.

So what should I watch next? Aside from a anime TV series (26 episodes and plus) of course since I don't have much free time, maybe Yukikaze, I hear it had a lot of cool dogfights.

[Valkyrie Driver]

I am Currently watching Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex. I have both seasons on DVD so I'm watching those again.

Anime I've Seen Lately:

1. Macross Frontier

2. Macross 7

3. Full Metal Panic!

4. Full Metal Panic Fummoffu?

5. Some Episodes of Gundam 00

6. MS Gundam: The 08th MS Team / Miller's Report

7. SDF Macross (I have vol 1-4)

8. Appleseed Ex Machina

9. Appleseed (2004 movie)

10. Ruroni Kenshin ( All 100 or so Episodes, it took two weeks)

11. GitS SAC SSS

12. Ghost in the Shell (original movie)

13. GitS SAC 2nd Gig

14. Akira

All of those are good, a lot of sci fi I know but hell. I don't know of many fantasy Animes so if anybody can recommend any that would be awesome. if possible provide links.

[Gui]

Now to try and find a copy of Parasite Dolls to complete my BGC spinoff watching...

This one's great too: definitely one of the most noir anime I've ever seen...

[Keith]

Just finished watching Orguss 02.

This is actually wrong, Orguss 02 serves as a true sequel to Orguss...in a way, hell due to how unique the Orguss ending was, Orguss 02 is just one of many possibilities left by THAT ending, there are just too many hints back to the original Orguss that I just don't want to point out. You don't have to watch the original series to know the exact plot though, since it's explained quite well in Orguss 02.

My impression on Orguss 02: It's great and certainly better than Macross II, It doesn't reuse the plotline of the previous series with gorgeous Mikimoto designs and nicer animation, it continues the original story and ends it well (

with the Collision of the Third Space Time Bomb, the continuity of each world is restored, the effort of Kei and gang is not wasted alas.

)

Orguss 02 is seriously underrated, it has a good/decent plotline, a good cast of characters (yeah, Manning is literally a sleazy Roy Fokker), overall good mecha redesign by Miyatake (the new Orguss 2 reminds me too much of the Grungust from SRW OG though) and the fights are greatly animated (the final Brawl between giant Armors is EPIC). Plus it also has good music.

Ah, and I want to see Orguss 02 in a SRW someday.

Really? I thought Orguss 02 completely flew in the face of the Orguss ending, contradicting the sacrifices involved in setting everything straight, implying that there was still at least 1 screwed up universe left. That, and needlessly bringing back a fallen character for no real plot reason other than to say "oh, look, we have this character. And spoilers be damned with 20 year old anime, if Kei & Olsen set everything straight by killing themselves before the set off the dimensional bomb in the first place, how the hell could Kei & Mimsy still have a child, and why would that child "not" be back in the original timeline of her mother if all the dimensions were set back straight (and she was still somehow able to exist, which she wouldn't be able to). I call shennanigans!

[REbirth]

Really? I thought Orguss 02 completely flew in the face of the Orguss ending, contradicting the sacrifices involved in setting everything straight, implying that there was still at least 1 screwed up universe left. That, and needlessly bringing back a fallen character for no real plot reason other than to say "oh, look, we have this character. And spoilers be damned with 20 year old anime, if Kei & Olsen set everything straight by killing themselves before the set off the dimensional bomb in the first place, how the hell could Kei & Mimsy still have a child, and why would that child "not" be back in the original timeline of her mother if all the dimensions were set back straight (and she was still somehow able to exist, which she wouldn't be able to). I call shennanigans!

Nataruma isn't Kei and Mimsy's child, more like grandgrandgrandchild because her ancestor is supposed to be Kei and Mimsy's child, it makes sense for her to show up way later in the timeline (when her grandgrandgrand mother and grandgrandgrand father are already dead).

Considering how much a womanizer Kei was, he could have a chance with Mimsy sometimes in the series, but I agree, that should be one point of contradiction, and yeah, the "Tai" in Orguss 02 is a contradiction too, since the "Tai" in original Orguss is supposed to be "dead", there's no way for him to "repair" himself like that in Orguss 2, unless the "Tai" in O2 is an entire different Mu fighting robot (which is impossible because he knows too much stuffs, like the Space Time Bomb, the Orguss design etc).

About the implying damaged worlds, I thought that's pretty obvious due to the Ending of original Orguss (Kei facing 4 possibilities all together), that means the universe was still screwed up.

Edited February 28, 2009 by REbirth

[Keith]

What 4 possabilities was Kei facing?

-Kei & Olsen travel back to just before they set off the dimensional bomb

-Past Kei & Olsen & Future Kei & Olsen all shoot & kill each other because they're that badass

-Dimension bomb never goes off

-Divergent timeline with those half dozen or so dimensions intertwined never happens

-Future Kei has a nice dream before he fades off, the end!

[REbirth]

What 4 possabilities was Kei facing?

-Kei & Olsen travel back to just before they set off the dimensional bomb

-Past Kei & Olsen & Future Kei & Olsen all shoot & kill each other because they're that badass

-Dimension bomb never goes off

-Divergent timeline with those half dozen or so dimensions intertwined never happens

-Future Kei has a nice dream before he fades off, the end!

The possibilities are left after that shootout.

Quoting from Orguss Shrine for best reference:

The ending of Orguss has been argued quite a bit. The ending scenes are a montage showing all kinds of different scenarios, Kei with Tina, Kei with Mimsy, Olsen with Athena... Basically all realities were restored, so that any and all outcomes were possible - at least that's the best explanation.

Orguss 02 changes the original ending a bit with the fact that some of worlds are not restored fully (after they detonate the 2nd Space Time Bomb to fix things), some elements between worlds are still mixed, and Orguss 02 takes on a damaged world like that with Naturuma being the result of a "What if Kei gets Mimsy in the end" scenario.

...damn, all this talk about alternative universes are giving me a headache

Edited March 1, 2009 by REbirth

[Keith]

All those "alternates" are shown after the main problem is "solved." Given the way they're shown, in dream montage as opposed to literal, it's pretty safe to assume they're nothing more than "what if's." There's really no room left in the ending for anything like Orguss 02 to occur, it's as non canon to Orguss as Macross II is to Macross. If not more so since Frontier opens a bit of a window for Macross II like events to occur.

[REbirth]

All those "alternates" are shown after the main problem is "solved." Given the way they're shown, in dream montage as opposed to literal, it's pretty safe to assume they're nothing more than "what if's." There's really no room left in the ending for anything like Orguss 02 to occur, it's as non canon to Orguss as Macross II is to Macross. If not more so since Frontier opens a bit of a window for Macross II like events to occur.

Yeah, you are right. Come down to it, Orguss 02 is more like "What if" scenario than a true sequel.

Man, I will have to spend time watching the original Orguss again, I already forgot quite a bit of that show *even the infamous ending*.

Anyway, Keith, can you elaborate on how Macross F opened a possibility for Macross II scenario? I personally don't see how.

[REbirth]

Anyway, Spring 2009 Anime list:

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/03/01/0...3_1500x1930.jpg

Text version: http://www.moetron.com/2009/01/28/spring-2...-marchaprilmay/

Definitely watching: Cobra TV series (loved the Psychogun OVAs), BASQUASH, Shin Mazinger (both shows begin airing in April, hell yes!!!).

Looking forward to: Valkyria Chronicles anime, Sengoku BASARA and DBZ Remastered.

[F-ZeroOne]

Just watched Scramble Wars for the first time... all 26 minutes of it.

Oh my lord... despite not understanding a single word of Japanese, except where the Genom-made racecar dirven by the Boomer was explained to be supercharged and have active suspension, I have to tell you this thing was AWESOME.

It's like Wacky Races meets super-deformed ARTMIC characters!

Knight Sabers and Priss and her motoslave and AD Police and Leon and a Boomer and the head of Genom from Bubblegum Crisis, Stick and his MOSPEADA from Genesis Climber MOSPEADA, the old school Garland from Megazone 23, the full cast of Gall Force: Eternal Story and Gall Force Rhea, and a whole bunch of characters I don't even know by name... they weren't kidding when they say in the opening "For ARTMIC Freaks!"

Sylia gives Priss the finger as she passes her on her motoslave in the lingerie van... GENIUS

It becomes even more awesome when you find out that the destination everyone is trying to get to, Bangor, actually exists. Its in Wales, the UK. It used to be home to Anime Projects, who released various AnimEigo titles back in the good ol' days.