Myth's Anime Thread

[TheCrystallineEntity]

I'm almost done watching Mononoke. It's such a unique and fascinatingly surreal series. The fact that Takahiro Sakurai voiced the lead Mononoke-slaying Medicine Seller makes it even better. It's too bad it only has 12 episodes.

 

[FifthView]

I watched The Dragon Prince on Netflix.

I really liked it, but the biggest drawback is that it's way, way, way too short for a season. It's almost all set-up, too. I've read vague comments that the whole thing might have epic proportions by the end of the story, but I shudder to guess how long that will be.

There were problems. I'd checked out the trailer on YouTube, and the many comments relating to the herky-jerky frame rate were accurate. I mostly stopped noticing by the end of S1 however.

The only other big gripe I had centered on the fact that large parts of the writing followed a kind of rule: Must have a ridiculous joke, from every single character, every two or three lines of spoken dialogue.

Related: Unearned anachronisms. That might not be quite the right word, since this is a fantasy world and who knows what kind of technology or cultural elements might exist there. For example: mentions of peanut butter—for the jokey attitude, one presumes. Then there is the all-too-obvious reference to Game of Thrones as one character says something like, "Winter is coming...eventually." There are other examples of things being mentioned that don't seem to fit the world as presented.

OH and this: A king sleeps fully clothed in the outfit he'll wear throughout? Ok, I guess.

On the whole, it seems corners were cut.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

Are Code Geass and Ayashi no Ceres worth checking out?

 

[Mythopoet]

I tried watching the dub of Ayashi no Ceres and couldn't get more than 2 episodes in. Undoubtedly the sub would be better, but the animation is pretty low quality and very old.

Code Geass is a high quality anime (and actually has a good dub) but I really have no idea if you would like it or not.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

I might try it out, and see.

I still haven't watched Ah My Goddess or Princess Tutu. *sigh*

 

[MrBrightsider]

Code Geas is one o' dem MASTAPIECES. It's definitely worth checking out.

Also, for anyone who wants an analysis on how good characters can make a story about nothing exciting, check out the Bakemonogatari series. And, of course, as Mythopoet's icon so succinctly suggests: Holo is universal best girl, so watch Spice and Wolf.

 

[ScaryMJDiamcreep]

I can't be bothered to read through the whole thread, so it might have been suggested before, but if you liked A Certain Magical Index, you'd probably like A Certain Scientific Railgun. Same world, roughly overlaps with the first season of Index, but is following Railgun rather than Touma.

I can never remember the english version of Touma's nickname for Railgun, but I know the japanese version is Biribiri.

 

[MauEvig]

Since this is a large thread, I'll go ahead and list some of my favorite animes.

Dragon Ball Z/Super
Fairy Tale
Naruto (although I have to get through all those flash backs! I enjoyed the characters, especially in Shippuden)
Bleach
Rurouni Kenshin
Inuyasha
Yu Gi Oh

Basically...I tend to like shonen type animes.
I used to be into Gundam Wing as well.

I have also enjoyed Miyazaki's work, but some of the plot seemed rather confusing. But it could be because I'm coming from a western perspective.
But I enjoy the lore in most anime, and I think it's a great way to introduce us Americans to Japanese culture and lore. Plus they make the food look so delicious!

I guess pokemon can be classified as an anime, since it does have an anime adaptation in addition to the games. There's also the Sonic the Hedgehog OVA if that counts. Sonic X was...meh. When it comes to my favorite blue hedgehog, I think American animation has treated him better.

This isn't an exhaustive list though! I also used to read Shonen Jump magazine. Considering I grew up in the country outside of a small town, it was exciting to see that show up at the local grocery store.

 

[Mythopoet]

Myth's here to resurrect her anime thread!

So, we're at the transition period between seasons. What have I been watching and what am I going to watch?

Watched last season:

Arte: charming historical fiction about a woman from a poor noble house who rejects her arranged marriage and runs off to join a workshop and become a painter in Renaissance Florence.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War: second season of the hilarious high school romantic comedy.

Kakushigoto: single father is desperate to hide the fact that he is a manga author who draws dirty jokes from his young daughter.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routs Lead to Doom!: girl gets reincarnated in the body of the child destined to be the villainess of the otome game she was playing when she died. Decides she had better change her fate before she is killed or exiled.

Princess Connect! Re: Dive: based on a mobile game, slice-of-life fantasy about a group of adventurers bonding over food.

Shironeko Project: Zero Chronicle: also based on a mobile game. Could have been interesting, but probably won't be satisfying if you haven't played the game since it fleshes out the game's prologue event.

Tower of God: It is said that anything you desire can be found at the top of the Tower, an immense world peopled will all kinds of beings with supernatural abilities. But Bam only wants to follow after Rachel, the girl he loves. *Based on the Tower of God manhwa that can be read on webtoons.com which is really, really incredible. The anime adapted only the first part.

Planning to watch this season:

Sword Art Online Alicization War of Underworld Part II

Re: Zero -Starting Life in Another World- season 2 (finally!)

Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation season 2

Fruits Basket season 2


Anything else will be up in the air until I hear what's good and what's not.

 

[Rose Fraser]

I recommend that you watch Gakuen Alice. Despite its stellar reputation, I thought Gakuen Alice to be a solid choice for cheerful, enjoyable shoujo. It's upbeat and adorable, to be sure, and if you're looking for more of that in your anime diet, Gakuen Alice is a good pick. However, don't expect it to become your new favorite series.

 

[Mist Dragon]

I've watched a good bit of anime. I think I came to like it because outside of a few that run on forever, they have endings. So many tv series start good, get popular, then they milk it till no one cares anymore, so they never really become a story, just things to watch.

Some of my favorites:
Haibane Renmei
Witch Hunter Robin
When they Cry
Gunslinger Girls (1st season, 2nd was meh)

There are a lot of others I've enjoyed, but those are the ones that most readily come to mind.

 

[CreatureHollow]

Brushing off some dust from this thread to join in lol. I don't watch anime as much as I used to but I have a couple that have stuck with me.

Mushishi :: An episodic series following a wandering man named Ginko and his dealings of helping humans and mushi, supernatural entities that are highly primitive compared to all other forms of life.
Easily my favorite anime, possibly even show, of all time. Unfortunately, it's one of those gems that's hard to find anywhere these days in full. Its overall writing is good, but I wouldn't consider it the best on this list. It's worldbuilding and overall atmosphere I adore to bits and are what makes me love the series over all the others. The best way I could describe this show is cathartic and I could not recommend it enough for those with a taste for the more slow, relaxed, somber, and at times, horror.

91 Days :: A mafia drama set during the prohibition era, following a man and his entanglement with aforementioned mafia.
This one I feel slipped under a lot of peoples radars when it released, but I thought it was phenomenal. The characters were captivating and it had good tone and pacing throughout I felt. Adored the main character and the deuteragonist of this series.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica :: Two girls, Madoka and Sayaka, find a strange creature called Kyuubey who encourages them to make a wish which will contractually bind them into becoming magical girls, and help save the world from witches.
Strictly talking about the series, I have not seen any of the movies lol, but this series is probably the most popular on the list. This one was formative for me honestly, one of those 'watched it at the right time' type things. The writing is overall decent but what stuck with me was- shocker- the worldbuilding regarding the contracts and the witches. I wouldn't consider it the best deconstruction of the magical girl concept, but it definitely had an interesting take on it!

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners :: Follows a boy named David as he tries to find his way through life and keep up with a society where the technologically modified reign supreme.
The most recently released show on this list. I've had issues with Trigger's writing for their past handful of productions, but I was incredibly surprised with how much I adored this series and it's writing. The tone, pacing, and characters were all phenomenal and while it makes sense where David's story ended, it definitely left me wanting to see more of this world with how excellently it was portrayed.

Honorable mentions go to Princess Tutu, Monster, both the Full Metal Alchemist series, both Hellsing series and probably a plethora of others that aren't coming to mind. Loved all of these as well, but I have not watched them in quite some time so I will refrain from talking to much about them for now lol

 

[pmmg]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica :: Two girls, Madoka and Sayaka, find a strange creature called Kyuubey who encourages them to make a wish which will contractually bind them into becoming magical girls, and help save the world from witches.
Strictly talking about the series, I have not seen any of the movies lol, but this series is probably the most popular on the list. This one was formative for me honestly, one of those 'watched it at the right time' type things. The writing is overall decent but what stuck with me was- shocker- the worldbuilding regarding the contracts and the witches. I wouldn't consider it the best deconstruction of the magical girl concept, but it definitely had an interesting take on it!

What I liked about this series was its method of building hope, and then pulling it away. I thought the show did a good job of making you think things were about to go well, only to pull one back into darkness when it folded. But...its been a while. I would be weak on details.

Not seen the others.

 

[CreatureHollow]

What I liked about this series was its method of building hope, and then pulling it away. I thought the show did a good job of making you think things were about to go well, only to pull one back into darkness when it folded.

Yes! The series handled that very well, I was pleasantly surprised by that upon rewatching it after years.

My issues mainly lie with:

Spoiler: PMMM Spoilers just in case!

The whole time travel mechanic being part of Homura's abilities. It is far from the worst out there, but I by enlarge don't care for time travel/time loops as a story aspect and when they do show up they have to really play their cards right for me to like them.

I find those kind of aspects can very easily break stories and worlds with their inclusion, so whenever I see it I just tend to brace myself for things going south. I don't feel like the series did enough to ground that mechanic for me despite the very grand consequences it leads to. I very much acknowledge this might just be a me thing though lol

 

[pmmg]

Yes...I am now remembering how it ended.

I don't think it is possible to show reverse time travel without a paradox somewhere. So...gotta give some leeway for it.

 

[Aldarion]

I'd say D.Gray Man is the best manga out there:

Battle Fantasy – D.Gray Man

D.Gray Man is probably my favorite manga, and one of the manga I believe to be the most underrated in the West. A lot of this is due to a major hiatuses that manga had been forced to take due to au…

warfantasy.wordpress.com

Unfortunately, Hoshino's health had led to frequent hiatuses, and as a result it has lost a lot of popularity.

 

[LittleOwlbear]

I'd say D.Gray Man is the best manga out there:

Battle Fantasy – D.Gray Man

D.Gray Man is probably my favorite manga, and one of the manga I believe to be the most underrated in the West. A lot of this is due to a major hiatuses that manga had been forced to take due to au…

warfantasy.wordpress.com

Unfortunately, Hoshino's health had led to frequent hiatuses, and as a result it has lost a lot of popularity.

It's definitely really good and one of my favs shounen, but its hiatus and arcs make it so lenghty. We are already like two years just to get through Allen's flashback, I think. It's a shame (yet also understandable if it's related to the author's health issues), because it is pretty great otherwise.



I'm watching anime and reading manga since 20+ years circa, more or less regularly and therefore I have seen and read a lot, but I still have a love-hate-relationship. I really dislike all of these "waifu-series", cheap isekais that are pretty much copypastas from another, most ecchis (no, I'm not a "prude", I like well-written sex scenes) etc...

But some anime and manga are really great, some of my favorites are:

Attack on Titan
Fullmetal Alchemist
12 Kingdoms
Inuyasha
Witch Hat Atelier
Moribito
The Apothecary Diaries
Spice and Wolf
Black Jack
Last Exile
Banana Fish
Dororo
Planetes
Vinland Saga
Claymore
Mushishi
and more...

Anime can get so great, as soon as they strive away more from the typical anime characterization, cute girlies etc...
Also have seen some slice of life.

 

[Finchbearer]

I loved mushi shi. Never finished it!

 

[LittleOwlbear]

I loved mushi shi. Never finished it!

Oh please do, it's so good!
Although it's very episodic, so can't say you are missing out on plot but on some great episodes maybe.