The what Anime Series are you watching at the moment thread?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 11 Aug 2007, 14:12

Interview with Satoshi Kon where he describes his creative process.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 11 Aug 2007, 14:52

The making of featurette on the r1 Millennium Actress DVD is about the best article I've seen for showing Satoshi's directing process, really enjoyed that one.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 11 Aug 2007, 15:11

Shingster wrote:The making of featurette on the r1 Millennium Actress DVD is about the best article I've seen for showing Satoshi's directing process, really enjoyed that one.

That featurette is also on the (superior) R4, great stuff.

I wanna see Tokyo Godfathers, should I buy the DVD or just wait for eventual Sony Bluray?

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 11 Aug 2007, 15:39

Buy it, it's a good film and cheap everywhere. It's his most conventional film and everyone seems to like it.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 11 Aug 2007, 16:13

It can be had for £4.50 from BlahDVD here in the UK, dunno if that's any help to you though.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 11 Aug 2007, 16:38

Cheers for the link Shing, may order.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 11 Aug 2007, 17:07

It's £4.49 shipped to NZ at 101CD.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 12 Aug 2007, 00:47

Cheers Lourdes, I'll give that a look as well.

Blahdvd also has Memories for £4.50, I may pick that up at the same time.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 12 Aug 2007, 15:19

Memories is coming out on BD. But I'd still buy it if I didn't have it, Magnetic Rose is incredible.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 12 Aug 2007, 22:09

Lourdes wrote:Memories is coming out on BD.

With English subs?

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 12 Aug 2007, 23:54

According to the specs on the BV site it'll have them.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 Aug 2007, 01:22

Ta. Good on the Japanese for considering the international customers.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 13 Aug 2007, 23:45

The Japanese discs have FBI warnings and everything, they're just doing it to make things easier.

----

I injured myself again the other day so I watched FLCL and all of Ping Pong Club within the space of two days. Ping Pong Club has stood up to the test of a second viewing and you know how picky I am, I still laughed enough. It's an easy show to judge, if the ending of the fist episode (12mins in) makes you grin you'll like it. FLCL is still excellent of course.

I'm thinking about picking up Macross again - I left off at episode 12. It's either that or Azumanga. I've got so many films to catch up on but when you've got nothing to do but sit around TV series serve you better. It's X-Files (up to Season 7) and anime for me.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 Aug 2007, 02:20

Lourdes wrote:I injured myself again the other day so I watched FLCL and all of Ping Pong Club within the space of two days. Ping Pong Club has stood up to the test of a second viewing and you know how picky I am, I still laughed enough.

Is Ping Pong Club mostly visual gags? If so then I could live without subs.

I'm thinking about picking up Macross again - I left off at episode 12.

I admit that SDF Macross is quite cheesy and down-right absurd at times (you'll understand when you see what affect Minmei's pop songs have), but it still has that charm and lyrical quality that is missing from anime today.

It's X-Files (up to Season 7) and anime for me.

Give Seasons 7&8 a chance. Robert Patrick as John Doggett the sceptic made a good foil to Scully and there were some great episodes made during this period too; one that stands out for me had Myles Dyson (Joe Morton?) from T2 as a guest star. (Also a good many shit ones though, like the MTV Jackass episode). Season 9 is pretty much garbage though, they went over-board with the big running conspiracy and couldn't make their minds over what it was.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 14 Aug 2007, 03:57

Is there something wrong with the r1 release of Ping Pong Club, it OOP?

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 14 Aug 2007, 04:33

You couldn't watch it without subs. And even with subs you're missing loads because there are no TL notes for the visual gags and puns.
Shing, the R1 release is very poor quality. I was thinking about getting the R3K set out of curiosity but I'm in no hurry having just watched it again. No point in buying something that will just sit around for a couple of years.

Macross and Scully it shall be.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 Aug 2007, 04:41

...and the R1s are OOP too.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 16 Aug 2007, 00:54

I finished Macross. I have to admit that I only flicked through a good 7-8 episodes that were basically surmised by the previews. It's an okay series, just rather dated and not really my kind of thing. But still I found it interesting, considering that it's 25 year old TV animation it's most impressive indeed. I was quite fond of the animation. there are some really ambitious shots that come out very nicely despite the limited style and low framerate. I do love the style of older anime, characters look much more severe and real than the round, friendly and cute ones we have today. Though they do have dodgy haircuts... And the attention they give to the craft is lovely, you can tell the designers were big military geeks. The plot wasn't too bad, had it been character driven rather than story driven with the repetitive battles wasting time I feel it could have been a lot better. I loved Hayase but being that she was the only character that had any development that's to be expected. Shame really.

Eva, have I earnt the freedom to proceed to the Macross Plus Movie Edition now or should I watch anything else beforehand? If any of the iterations inbetween are any good I'll give them a go.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:09

Can anyone suggest some conventional series/ova's/films please? No giant robots or schoolgirls and too many clichés, something pretty close to reality.
Looking through my bookmarks I have "Monster" "Gallery Fake" and "Sci-fi Harry" which look like they may be of interesting.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:11

Lourdes wrote:Eva, have I earnt the freedom to proceed to the Macross Plus Movie Edition now or should I watch anything else beforehand? If any of the iterations inbetween are any good I'll give them a go.

Yes, skip directly ahead to MacPlus Movie Edition. It is better than the OVA, a real shame about it being from a VHS transfer though.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:16

Lourdes wrote:Can anyone suggest some conventional series/ova's/films please? No giant robots or schoolgirls and too many clichés, something pretty close to reality.

Read the Boogiepop novels, page ripping stuff. Easy reads, each one should take you an evening. Don't be scared off by the fractured narrative told from different perspectives and alternating POVs (from character 1st person to 3rd person omnipresence).

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:30

How are the translations? I've so far avoided most manga and modern Japanese literature because the translations leave me cold (although oddly enough I ordered Innocence: After the Long Goodbye yesterday).

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:32

Lourdes wrote:How are the translations?

A fine balance between literal and natural flowing, the translator Andrew Cunningham is highly regarded by fans. All the honourifics are preserved and everything. Each book has an appendix explaining little cultural references and the like, just like fansubs.

BTW the anime series Phantom takes place between Book 1 and 2. Don't bother with the live action adaptation of 'Boogiepop and Others', it has a great script by master script writer Sadayuki Murai and is faithful adaptation, but the acting and production values are horrid (as expected of Japanese LA adaptations).

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:42

Made a note of them, when I read at the moment I'm working my way through the classics so Boogiepop may have to wait a while.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Aug 2007, 01:46

As for anime recommendations that match your criteria, I'm drawing a blank.

Give Ergo Proxy (1280*720 Hi-Vision rips) a go. I thoroughly enjoyed it but some might find it too pretentious for it's own good.

Darker Than Black is a solid show. Tepidly paced and it really doesn't start going until around episode 5. The 1280*720 Hi-Vision rips are gorgeous. TBH the score is pretty unremarkable, considering that it's by Yoko Kanno.

Kenji Kamiyama's (GITS:SAC) current project is fairly good; Seirei no Moribito. Good action direction and animation from I.G. Good score from Kenji Kawaii.