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Spring 2014 Anime |OT2| about as likely as a second season of Hyouka

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StormKing

Member
Irregular At Magic High 12

Those are some massive death lose flags for quiet gunner girl to get wrecked due to interference. And another episode where rival Gary Stu continues to not show up, jeebus his confrontation with onii-sama is like the only reason I still watch this.

That confrontation is probably the best demonstration of Tatsuya's strengths and weaknesses.
I'm hopeful that they won't make it another 1 min fight scene.
 

BGBW

Maturity, bitches.
jchwveE.jpg


KAWAHARAAAAA!!!
 
You could tell me to never look down on other nerds but if I meet a furry or a brony or a hardcore "weeaboo" who uses actual Japanese terms in normal speak I'll look down on them. Vigorously.

I stand at 6 feet so if they're taller I'll climb a ladder if I have to.
 

TUSR

Banned
You could tell me to never look down on other nerds but if I meet a furry or a brony or a hardcore "weeaboo" who uses actual Japanese terms in normal speak I'll look down on them. Vigorously.

I stand at 6 feet so if they're taller I'll climb a ladder if I have to.

I said "hi" to someone in a normal conversation and someone misinterpreted it as me saying "hai" and then they proceeded to try and speak japanese to me once.

You know what I want to see this summer season? An anime that pulls a Samurai Flamenco. I want another one of those. Is that too much to ask?

I need to clear my backlog out for this show.
 

Mature

Member
I guess it speaks volumes of Cowboy Bebop's reputation when people need to make lists surrounding what they believe to be better than it. I have no hesitation calling it my favorite title in the medium.
 

Theonik

Member
You could tell me to never look down on other nerds but if I meet a furry or a brony or a hardcore "weeaboo" who uses actual Japanese terms in normal speak I'll look down on them. Vigorously.

I stand at 6 feet so if they're taller I'll climb a ladder if I have to.
Woof wa dai baka desu
 

cajunator

Banned
I was starting to wonder where you were. I've posted 2 Clannad impressions with nary a peep from you.

Oh, and guys, if you receive a PM, it will most likely not be from me.

Sorry Im just not creative enough for a story game.

Dog Days was a good show. Too bad anything Right Stuf would get would be DVD only

Yeah unfortunately but at this point Ill take ANYTHING Dog Days related.

You could tell me to never look down on other nerds but if I meet a furry or a brony or a hardcore "weeaboo" who uses actual Japanese terms in normal speak I'll look down on them. Vigorously.

I stand at 6 feet so if they're taller I'll climb a ladder if I have to.

My friend does it a lot. I think its just a product of him legitimately wanting to learn the language to understand anime/manga better more than trying to BE Japanese. He is a pretty good artist and a hell of a character though.
 

Jex

Member
I love Gintama but that's extremely niche entertainment and a humor type that doesn't translate universally as It mostly consists of the Straight man scream. It's not about considering other things. It's about having an effect on the industry and worldwide appeal, not to mention if it ages well. Older Gintama already looks aged. Cowboy Bebop still looks good to this day.
Some thoughts:

-I don't think Gintama is that niche, the series itself is pretty popular in Japan and it's hardly targeted at one group. It's tells stories in every genre and in every tone imaginable (even if it's usually trolling you).

- How the humour translates is certainly an issue, but that's true of all comedy.

- I don't think the overall quality of a series should be tied to how much of an effect it has either worldwide or on the industry. After all, what effect did Cowboy Bebop have on the industry? To never make anything like it ever again?

How popular or how successful a show is can be thought of as a separate idea from it's intrinsic quality.

- I'll agree that certain parts of it have aged, but that's going to be true for most works, in any period in any medium. The parts of the show that make it great allow it to overcome some of these limitations.
 

Syrinx

Member
Ranma 1/2 7

This is one of the funniest character introduction episodes I have ever seen. Ryouga's horrible sense of direction was a great gag for the whole episode. I lost it when he ended up right back at the village where he started after veering off the road. I love how the boar that he stopped and had torn up nearly the whole village was just chilling with the rest of the villagers after that.

I'm not sure if Ryouga's lack of direction will remain as funny as this was or get old quick, but for now it's hilarious.
 

cajunator

Banned
Some thoughts:

-I don't think Gintama is that niche, the series itself is pretty popular in Japan and it's hardly targeted at one group. It's tells stories in every genre and in every tone imaginable (even if it's usually trolling you).

- How the humour translates is certainly an issue, but that's true of all comedy.

- I don't think the overall quality of a series should be tied to how much of an effect it has either worldwide or on the industry. After all, what effect did Cowboy Bebop have on the industry? To never make anything like it ever again?

How popular or how successful a show is can be thought of as a separate idea from it's intrinsic quality.

- I'll agree that certain parts of it have aged, but that's going to be true for most works, in any period in any medium. The parts of the show that make it great allow it to overcome some of these limitations.

It certainly did spin off a lot of similar rogues in space sorta things and quite possibly influenced Firefly.
 

Jex

Member
I guess it speaks volumes of Cowboy Bebop's reputation when people need to make lists surrounding what they believe to be better than it. I have no hesitation calling it my favorite title in the medium.

Well, I think people really like coming up with their "top 10 lists" so this kind of discussion plays right into that.

In addition, it's been a long time since we've had a serious discussion of our favourite anime of all time (as opposed to of the year).
 
The genius of Samurai Flamenco will never again be replicated, I'm afraid.

But if it does happen I'll get my popcorn.

Samurai Flamenco was magical. IIRC, there was no hype and barely any interest in this anime whatsoever. That's because its plot just seemed so generic and boring. It felt like such a throw-away show.

Then BOOM. With one swift move it grabs everybody's attention and it suddenly becomes the greatest thing they've ever seen.

Such a rare thing that show was. Why is it not on The List?
 
Maybe it didn't influence other anime. But I would say it transcends mediums. Similar to how Watchmen and Sandman are considered among the better literary works, I'd argue Bebop is considered among the best Sci fi shows. No "for an anime" needed. Yamato 2199 is a close second.


Also I notice Theonik is protesting no lewd with butts.
 

OceanBlue

Member
I guess it speaks volumes of Cowboy Bebop's reputation when people need to make lists surrounding what they believe to be better than it. I have no hesitation calling it my favorite title in the medium.

I don't think people are necessarily bothered by others saying Cowboy Bebop is their favorite anime. It sounds more like people are bothered by the idea that nothing is as good as Cowboy Bebop when they think otherwise.
 

cajunator

Banned
Well, I think people really like coming up with their "top 10 lists" so this kind of discussion plays right into that.

In addition, it's been a long time since we've had a serious discussion of our favourite anime of all time (as opposed to of the year).

My favorite of all time is always and forever Haibane Renmei. Thats much Im sure of.
Second is Kino's journey, and third is either Millennium Actress if movies are allowed or any of a revolving door of shows. 1 and 2 are ironclad though.
 

Chariot

Member
I stopped watching it right before the whole shit hits the fan thing. From what I remember I think I liked it.
You made the right decision you don't how much more I cried after every
... twist. I was really fine with the first seven episodes.
 
Let's set one thing straight

Cowboy Bebop would not rank in my top 10 favorite anime, there are probably dozens of series I'd rather rewatch over Cowboy Bebop and I like a lot of anime better then Bebop

However if you asked me what is the top 10 overall best anime, Cowboy Bebop has to be number one. Everything about it is ace in either language and the fact it continues to receive a great deal of discussion years after it originally aired shows the power and influence it has. If there was ever a mount rushmore of anime or an anime hall of fame Cowboy Bebop would be the first on both of them.
 

striferser

Huge Nickleback Fan
You know what I want to see this summer season? An anime that pulls a Samurai Flamenco. I want another one of those. Is that too much to ask?

That twist is so bananas.
I don't think we're ready for another samurai flamenco.

================================================================

in response to Jexhius

My fav. anime series of all time
1. Neon Genesis Evangelion
2. Cowboy Beebop
3. Samurai Champloo
4. Haibane Renmei
5. Kino no tabi
 

cajunator

Banned
Let's set one thing straight

Cowboy Bebop would not rank in my top 10 favorite anime, there are probably dozens of series I'd rather rewatch over Cowboy Bebop and I like a lot of anime better then Bebop

However if you asked me what is the top 10 overall best anime, Cowboy Bebop has to be number one. Everything about it is ace in either language and the fact it continues to receive a great deal of discussion years after it originally aired shows the power and influence it has. If there was ever a mount rushmore of anime or an anime hall of fame Cowboy Bebop would be the first on both of them.

Its definitely one of the lynchpin shows in anime though not one of my top favorites either. Id still watch it anytime I see it on though.
 

jbug617

Banned
Free S2 1

Please tell me that we are not going to repeat S1 with
reconnecting with a old friend.
I have a feeling the new guy is
Rin's rival when he decided to move on from Haru and the group.
 

Jex

Member
It certainly did spin off a lot of similar rogues in space sorta things and quite possibly influenced Firefly.

Whether or not it was that directly influential on other shows is highly debatable. This isn't a Gundam or Mazinger or Urusei Yatsura or Touch or Tenchi Muyo or Sailor Moon situation where the propagator clearly created it's own genre.

It's perhaps a little surprising that no-one even tried.
Maybe it didn't influence other anime. But I would say it transcends mediums. Similar to how Watchmen and Sandman are considered among the better literary works, I'd argue Bebop is considered among the best Sci fi shows. No "for an anime" needed. Yamato 2199 is a close second.
It's certainly a work that transcends the medium, like a handful of other great titles.
 
Hunter X Hunter - 136

So good.gif..
Excellent epilogue to an arc that was too long but still great when you consider the sheer amount of good moments provided.

dead eyes killua is still second best as kamui - killua is unmatched.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Free Eternal Abs reminds me that these shows serve as idealized entries into homosocial circles more than anything else. In the same way that shoujo reverse harems allow me as a male viewer to understand the mechanics of gaze is a relatively guilt free way, Free really does let me look at the four/five girl shows in a way that allows me to be completely distant from any emotional (or admittedly hormonal) response.

Since this isn't sports porn like that Yowapedal or Haikyuu, you can't really say that Free is about the art of swimming. Even something much "baitier" like OoFuri had baseball porn to have it be more than just a brood of boys hanging around with each other.

But Free doesn't really have that problem. It really is focused on an idealized representation of homosocial bonds that is literally about cute boys doing cute things. Even Kimi to Boku had romantic entanglements and love triangles to at least create some sense of conflict and narrative drive for a show about five guys hanging out with each other, but here the show is absent any female figures that can threaten the safe idealized male friendships that are presented here.

People talk about guys ruining Love Lab, but I think that speaks to the fact that the protective homosocial bubble is burst by the intrusion of sexuality that threatens the active and engaged observer. If Free is very much about a window into how boys might live their lives, then a presumably female viewer doesn't want to see them talk about the girls they want to have sex with or the sexual desires that they might have. That's not to say that the female viewer necessarily thinks that these characters are their "husbandos", but that they can just see these characters as idealized men absent of any of the negative connotations that can come with being attracted to a real live human being.

And yes, we have Gou and the teacher that serve has female figures in the show. But Gou very much serves as the audience surrogate, much like the various all-girl shows that happen to have one male lead in them like GJ-bu. They exist to reflect the viewer back at herself, and allow her to feel like an engaged observer, but again without any of the icky entanglements that plague real life. If one wants to be reductive, it is very similar to the socalled "hag" who loves have gay male friends, because she is able to penetrate a usually homosocial space without any of the threatening sexuality that can plague typical relationships. There is no expectation that Gou will hook up with or sleep with any of the guys in Free, or the guys being attracted to her in any way. She's just there to admire them and their bodies... to the point where her admiration itself is more aesthetic than sexual.

This is all very different than the harem/reverse-harem ideal where there IS sexual desire and the idea is that the text serves as emotional porn for the viewer. These shows exist to allow the viewer a glimpse into a life that they do not necessarily have access to, but in such an idealized manner that nothing is allowed to threaten that space.

The Love Live girls have sleepovers and pillow fights, but never play truth or dare about the men that they might want to make out with. They just exist as signifiers of idealized feminine behaviour, much like the men of Free are idealizations of masculine behaviour.

It's all just very interesting to think about and in part crystallizes why the all-girl versions of the show works for a lot of people (and admittedly, for myself included).
 

Jex

Member
TV Show that I can say better than Bebop with straight face

Revolutionary Girl Utena: Possibly offering the best story in medium.

You know, it was really tempting for me to put Utena up there but it's been a while since I've given the series a proper watch. On reflection though, I definitely should have included it.


Now, imagine, if firehawk12 could write that much about Free and Love Live how much would he end up writing if he really dug into Utena? I shudder to think at the ABF-level walls of text which might emerge!
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
They are the best anime!
I do like all those shows (except maybe Toradora), so I shouldn't talk. I just found it interesting given my post above. lol

Now, imagine, if firehawk12 could write that much about Free and Love Live how much would he end up writing if he really dug into Utena? I shudder to think at the ABF-level walls of text which might emerge!
Utena feels very much built for psychoanalysis, and at best I am the undergrad douche who can only muster up things like "the sword is a phallus". I'm not sure how qualified I am to look into the psychological realism (and horror) of the show. Certainly it's all there, and the idea of a confession booth being used to turn someone into their id is fascinating... but that's about all I can contribute at the moment. lol
 
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