49 replies to this topic

[Mercurius]

I suppose it seems more Korean if you put emphasis like that (which is something Japanese names barely do in comparison.) The three other names are very obviously Korean too.

QUOTE

Also I just noticed you have a Madoka signature, oh the year Madoka came out, good times!

I actually got into Madoka by the time episode 9 came out so I wasn't there for as much of the insane speculation.

Still ended up reading a lot (and speculating about it myself) though.

[kirant]

QUOTE (Shu @ Mar 26 2013, 09:33 AM)

Code Geass for anime, both seasons. It's a bit more mainstream than some of the other ones mentioned in the thread, but since we're doing a deal of connecting anime to philosophy, I figured it'd be a good one to mention. It's rather new, I think it came out in 2007 (not sure on this), so the art style and animation aren't aged. Thus, if older animation can be a deterrent to you, you won't have that problem. Code Geass sports a great storyline with multiple twists, oftentimes leaving me grabbing my head and saying "Oh, SHIT!" right out loud. As for the philosophical components, there's a under curing conflict taking on the question of "Do the ends justify the means?". Really fantastic, excellent example of a more modern classic.

Interesting. I was given the description is that it turns into train wreck, but the trains are full of paint. A mess since they never really planned out what they wanted to do in the second season...but was colourful and popcorn light, so you could attempt to enjoy it from that perspective. Actually, the common description I've found is that the first season is alright, then the second one turns it around into train wreck plus fanservice plus mecha.

[Cero]

^Well that's odd. All I've heard for Code Geass was that it was great (And I second that). The only real complaint I've heard was on the second season it was more like a typical mecha anime with overpowered mechas instead of more tactical like the first season but I've only praises all around.

[Shu]

I've never really understood the criticism for Geass's second season. It's just as fantastic as the first one, in my opinion. It does end up being more action and mech-y, I suppose, but I never once thought to myself "Man, this is really straying from what I started watching in season one."

But seriously, check it out if you haven't already. Worth the watch, easily.

[kirant]

QUOTE (Shu @ Mar 26 2013, 10:26 PM)

I've never really understood the criticism for Geass's second season. It's just as fantastic as the first one, in my opinion. It does end up being more action and mech-y, I suppose, but I never once thought to myself "Man, this is really straying from what I started watching in season one." But seriously, check it out if you haven't already. Worth the watch, easily.

I'll observe it a bit. It's pretty mixed where I frequent...straddling the line of Hollywood and the first season's more reasonable tactics. That, plus it sounds like comparable to Gundam shows (which use similar topical questions), which is almost always a mixed bag (and those that are generally better than the rest are from the "Kill 'em all" stage of writing). Would that type of thinking be accurate?

I'd put up Martian Successor Nadesico (anime) as a show I would tend towards in this regard.

It's a hybrid comedy/space opera/affectionate parody. I've almost always thought of it akin to M*A*S*H in space. It plays on each of its three aspects in great style. Comedy is pretty interesting...it's a bit of a slapstick show, a bit of a generic harem show...except the cast knows it. It's frequently identified by one of the characters (who was, for years on end, the most popular character by Japanese audiences) that she was "surrounded by idiots". Then there's the constant flip flopping of medium awareness, standard comedy, and just excellent writing which take turns hitting you over the head. Oh, and it gets funny on a written level. It's obvious the writers did some big series before, since they know when they're starting to bog things down (there's one episode called "Finding yourself in a routine plot". Guess what it's about. Guess what happens).

Moving on though, it's also a nice space opera. It tells a great story with nearly perfect grey moralities on both sides. Actually, it starts OUT with a black and white show, with people fighting seemingly fighting for their survival...then it gets all weird on you. Actually, this is probably the hallmark for me for subversion of your expectation of a perfectly clean cut issue being turned on its side. The written characters are generally much deeper than you expect them to be (Well, except the ones which don't get a day in the spotlight...which, given the hybrid-harem nature of the show, is basically all the characters who aren't love interests or major male characters). An interesting standout is that, for a harem show, choosing between girl A and girl B doesn't pop up all that much. Actually, it's almost to the point where you'd think it's just a harem-in-comedy, straight romance-in-story.

The characters are odd, I'll give you that. It's like asking a bunch of high school kids to draw up characters, isolated from each other, then slammed them together. The show tries to gloss over it with the fact that they're an independent contractor and can honestly hire whoever they want. And they picked the most talented employees, regardless of personality flaws. At the same time, it really deals with the sudden revelations really well and in a manner probably closer to human than most shows get.

Of course, the biggest thing people know about the show is its parody. It is the only anime I know that uses anime as a plot point. Seriously. The show Gekiganger III (which, if if helps, is like like a copy of Mazinger, Voltron, or Power Rangers) is key. Even crazier is that it becomes more than entertainment and turns into an overarching look at the show. Then it becomes a plot point. It just gets fun from there on out, so I won't spoil it.

Actually, one of the key narratives to come out of it is the idea that "It's okay to enjoy things, even if they are cheesy, but don't do it if you're going to obsess over it to the point where it's no longer fun". Which, of course, it the signal for a small minority to hate the show because they warp that into "It's wrong to like anime".

I mention before that it's like M*A*S*H in space, and here's why: M*A*S*H was well known for being able to hold that dual comedy/drama card. Nadesico is basically the equivalent. There is a brilliant sequence in one of the early episodes where, in the span of 5 minutes, your brain will go from amusement to "Oh crap oh crap oh crap". It's just that sudden and effective. Actually, come to think of it, it probably rivals M*A*S*H for this sort of sudden turnaround in a show that can run comedy so well (and so frequently!).

Of course, like most of my suggestions, if you don't like aged animation, it's not worth your while. It's a '96 show and is certainly of the era. Also, there are over 100 characters that you can identify by face. Most of them don't get any big screentime (and many aren't even named), but if you're the type who wants to see every character be important, it won't happen. They'll also just blaze past names and expect you to know them from there on out.

[Mercurius]

About Code Geass, I recall the reason being because of additional plot holes and generally more stupid decisions out of the left field. I haven't actually seen it for a while, though.

The first season is said to have this problem too, but not to as much of an extent.

It generally compensates for anything stupid it pulls with amusing overacting.

[Shu]

QUOTE (kirant)

I'll observe it a bit. It's pretty mixed where I frequent...straddling the line of Hollywood and the first season's more reasonable tactics. That, plus it sounds like comparable to Gundam shows (which use similar topical questions), which is almost always a mixed bag (and those that are generally better than the rest are from the "Kill 'em all" stage of writing). Would that type of thinking be accurate?

I suppose, yeah. It definitely feels more like Gundam in the second season. What's nice about it is that it feels eased into, I guess. It ends up being a mech-war because the conflict escalated to that point, I'd say.

QUOTE (Hatless)

About Code Geass, I recall the reason being because of additional plot holes and generally more stupid decisions out of the left field. I haven't actually seen it for a while, though.

Yeah? The main plot hole kind of thing I can think of would be instances in which I feel that Geass could have been used in a more efficient way, but that's all I can remember. What else was there? I haven't seen it in a while myself.

[Mercurius]

I have no idea at this point, actually. I'm not even sure if I noticed plot holes themselves, I just know that a lot of people like to say it has a ton of them.

I do remember a few stupid things they pull though, like:

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Lelouch telling Euphemia to (hypothetically) kill all the Japanese right at the moment his Geass becomes uncontrollable or something

Lelouch (or Schneizel) ignoring the rules of chess while still being considered very good at it or something

Giving an (assumed to be) blind girl the switch for nukes or something, and even if she isn't blind she's still kind of clumsy and weak

The Black Knights dismissing their trust in Zero so quickly for that Britannian guy who happens to be his brother

Suzaku's "Live!" Geass command being overpowered to the point of contrived

Those other guys from Britannia supposedly at the same level as Suzaku going down so easily in a Knightmare battle (I know there's time constraints and stuff but still x:)

That scene with the shattered mirror redirecting Lelouch's geass (I think it was his geass?) which was pretty cool but yeah, stupid lol

[Shu]

Haha, I get what you're saying. A lot of the stuff in there is pretty far-fetched, I suppose, but I like to think it's all in the pursuit of an intense level of drama. I guess I was never thinking to myself "Oh, well that's bullshit!" while watching it, but not everyone looks at it like that, lol.

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the only thing on that list that made me raise an eyebrow was probably Lelouch's command on Suzaku, and maybe the handing of the weaponry to the blind girl.

[Seraphinox]

Nah, the thing about Code Geass R2 is in no way that the second season is bad. The second season just aims to be grander than the first.

It tries so hard that every episode has to be more over the top than the last, and the thing about it, is that is succeeds, every episode is more bombastic than the last, but never in a bad way.

It's truly an amazing series, some people dismiss it as being "entry-level" but never let that put you off watching it, Lelouch, like Kotomine Kirei is fantastically written as a character.

[Mercurius]

I do consider Lelouch himself to be fairly well written, but most of the complaints seem to have to do with the show as a whole rather than the main character.

The second season topping what comes before does not result in quality writing either, it certainly succeeds as entertainment, but objectively, the writing quality isn't exactly the best.

That said, I liked Code Geass, but how well I would rate it is based on immature standards, that being that I tend to care more about how much something entertains or how good it is at drawing out my feelings, rather than how well it may be written or how deep and innovative or something it may be, which is why I haven't mentioned any recommendation in here. And if I did try to mention something that was well done, it would be through trying to emulate how someone else thinks about things, which would make writing about how good it may be hold a lot less motivation on my end.

Oh, speaking of Code Geass, there's a relatively new OVA out for it. No idea when the next episode of that is going to show up, though.

[Seraphinox]

^The objectivity you speak of is a reason why I have distinctions between what my favourite anime is, and what the (objectively) best anime I've seen is.

Kino no Tabi being my favourite and Fate/Zero being the best.



Code Geass R2 became more bombastic but became muddled in trying to string things together too loosely, it wouoldn't explain things properly and just introduce new things at random. But that never once took away from the action and exceitement as you watch it. Only looking back at it now do you see the smaller details.

[Seraphinox]

Anime: Sakamichi no Apollon



EN: Kids on the Slope

Genre: Music, Drama, Slice of Life

The story set in 1960's Japan is about two boys who seem like complete opposites coming to know each other better through playing Jazz music together. The story is about growing up and learning to understand oneself, the characters are great, the animation is spot on and the music is fantastic.
It's a short show at only 12 episodes long and every episode will have you looking to watch more (especially since the opening is fantastic)

Great reputation, produced by Shinichiro Watanabe who directed both Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo and the music done by Yoko kanno who did the music for Bebop as well as various other shows including Darker Than Black, Ghost in the Shell and Macross

Taste of the music:

MAL page: http://myanimelist.n...ichi_no_Apollon

A definite 8/10 for me. A must see show for people who enjoy good characterization, smooth animation and amazing music. And for fans of Watanabe/Kanno a definite must-see.

[Fire Blazer]

Watched Code Geass and Fate/Zero very much in part due to this thread: both were solid, so thank you for the suggestions.

[Seraphinox]

QUOTE (Blazer @ May 2 2013, 04:57 AM)

Watched Code Geass and Fate/Zero very much in part due to this thread: both were solid, so thank you for the suggestions.

My job here is done

*walks away from explosion*

[Cero]

QUOTE (Blazer @ May 1 2013, 09:57 PM)

Watched Code Geass and Fate/Zero very much in part due to this thread: both were solid, so thank you for the suggestions.

Hey! This thread was helpful to someone! woot woot

[Candy]

what, why has nobody mentioned Clannad at all?

Anyway, to anyone out there (even non-anime watchers) I HIGHLY recommend watching Clannad and the second season Clannad: After Story. To describe it in one word I would call it "beautiful". It's extremely touching and if you don't shed any tears during After Story you are a heartless bastard. It honestly changed my life and the way I think and act and treat people. Worth a watch, go read up some reviews on it. It's extremely highly regarded in all anime communities as one of the best slice of life/drama/comedy series out there. 10/10 5 stars all that jazz. I LOVE IT.

oh and if you like that you should watch other animes based of Key visual novels like Kanon, Air and Little Busters! but Clannad will always be my personal favourite.

[Mercurius]

I like Clannad but the way you're suggesting it is rather vague...

[Fire Blazer]

Is there fighting?

I like fighting

Not simple dramas or romances and the such those are dull

[Seraphinox]

It's a tear-jerker comedy drama Blazer, not much action at all.


You want whats new this season. Attack on Titan, best battle animation I've seen in a long time